Page 81 of Dragon in Boots

Weirdo.Sky slid out and closed her eyes, giving them a moment to adjust to the light.

“Okay. Gotta do some shopping for juice boxes, blankies, and snacks inside,” said Cimil. “Tatatah.” Cimil exited the RV.

“Wait. You’re leaving? Can’t you give me a ride?” Sky didn’t want to walk home in a fresh body. It was cold outside. “I don’t have clothes or shoes or…”

Sky looked down, noticing the ground was closer than she remembered. Like, really, really close.

Sky pointed at the floor. “Is something wrong with my eyes?” That was when she saw a lumpy, stubby hand where her lovely hand should be.

Panicked, she went after Cimil, stumbling as she took that last step outside. “You fucking bitch. What is this?”

“Oh, yeah…” Twenty feet away, Cimil stopped. “Sorry about that. Seems a baby dragon burned up all my inventory. That is all I had left—some throwaway from when we were calibrating the machines. Found it in the walk-in freezer. But, hey, at least you’re alive.”

Sky rushed to one of the sideview mirrors, tilting it towards her. The four-foot monster looking back had lopsided eyes, a saggy lower lip, and huge warts all over its face.

“Ah!” Sky yelled. “You can’t do this. We had a deal.”

“Yes. We did,” said Cimil. “And now you have your new body, new life, and your family back. Oh, and you can keep the RV. The machine inside has an excellent tanning bed feature, and you’re going to need all the help you can get.”

Cimil skipped away as Sky crumbled. She couldn’t go back to her sister and nephew looking like this. She couldn’t even go inside this Walmart. And they weren’t judgy.

“I’m going to kill that goddess.”

Damien Graystone slid the perfectly tailored tux into a protective sleeve and patted himself on the back. He’d done a fantastic job in record time on this alteration.

“Enjoy your nuptials,” he said to the customer. “And do not forget that I can let the suit out after you gain the customary post-matrimonial fifty pounds.”

“Gee, thanks.” The man exited the shop, and Damien went into the back to sort a shipment of new fabrics he’d received. Deep reds and army greens were coming back in style. For the hundredth time. Funny how nothing stayed gone for long.Including a certain vampire.

He couldn’t deny that MF pulled her weight and was an excellent seamstress, but he’d been fine without her before, and he’d get along fine again. It was more important to have his privacy, which was why he’d prepared a list of vacant stores she could rent out. He would even let her keep the patterns for his Victorian pieces if she liked. Just as long as she moved on.

“Boss! Did you hear?” Bonbon came running up.

“Did a bus full of Mexicans pull up?” Bonbon loved Mexican food. Damien’s floors did not. The demons always overate.

“No. Even better. The gods reopened the portals.”

Damien stopped emptying the box. “Demon portals? Open?”

“Yeah… Can you believe it?”

This was not good. The gods had banished demons for a reason. Also, there was the small matter of the demon king, who still wished to murder him. A long story.

“How long have the portals been open?” Damien wondered if he had time to go home and grab his big weapons. The smaller ones here in the shop were meant for human thugs, the occasional angry customer, and Big Foot. He got out of hand sometimes when his stuff wasn’t ready on time.

“Not long, boss, but Gorgonzolina and I are leaving immediately.”

“Really. How sad,” he said flatly.

“Don’t worry. We won’t stay long.” Gorgonzolina trotted up, dragging a little red wagon carrying their doggy beds. “We know you need us here.”

Nope.“It would be difficult to manage, but I am sure I can cope,” Damien said.

“Bonbon, are you ready? We’re double-parked outside,” said a soft, feminine voice.

Damien looked up to find a tall, beautiful woman in her thirties with creamy brown skin, long black hair, and wide hips like a sexy schooner. Her lips were red like berries, and her dark eyes were two orbs of chocolate sensuality.

She’s beautiful.He stopped breathing.

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