Page 33 of Sugar, Spice, and Magical Midlife

Gladys sounded like she was a hundred miles away, her voice echoing as a hammer pounded a nail through my skull. The succubus was here! She was after me, which meant I had no choice but to flee with my son to Europe.

“Luci!”

Too weak to stand, I gaped up at Gladys. “What did the police say when they saw this?”

She rolled her eyes as she pocketed her phone. “They laughed and said it was just the lighting.”

Merlin’s dirty butt plug. I had to get the hell out of here—now.

Chapter Seven

After hastily packing for both Des and me, I washed up and touched up my hair and makeup, vain though I was, even though a succubus was probably after me. I didn’t need the dark circles under my eyes announcing what I’d been doing all night. I bit my lip when I recalled what an amazing and attentive lover Ric had been, and how thoroughly satisfied he’d made me. What a shame it would be for an endangered mythical creature to hang for a crime he didn’t commit, especially considering his particular set of bedroom skills.

I walked back to Ric’s truck, not surprised to see Gladys watching my every move from her folding chair. After throwing our bags in the back, I climbed inside and started the truck, and that’s when I was hit by a wave of Ric’s cologne. I hadn’t noticed how strong it was before, probably because of the formaldehyde stench, but the heady scent punched me straight in the ovaries. He smelled so good. I couldn’t let him die, and that wasn’t just my vagina talking. Okay, maybe she was doing most of the talking. But her opinion mattered, too.

I drove to the bakery in a hurry, constantly checking my rearview mirror to make sure I wasn’t being followed. I inwardly swore when I saw the yellow tape across my entire storefront as well as a sign on the door that read ‘Closed by the Health Dept’ under the ordinary light of day, but a quick reveal spell and the sign said ‘Closed by the ASS.’ The American Supernatural Society really needed to come up with a better anacronym.

Ethyl was frantically pacing behind the bakery counter while chewing her nails to the quick. As soon as she saw me, she ran across the shop and flung herself into my arms.

I held her tight while she sobbed. Ethyl’s mother had also been killed by the same succubus that had killed my parents. At ten years my junior, she’d only been five when she’d lost her mother. The separation had been much harder for her. In fact, she’d been so distraught, I rarely had time to focus on my own grief. I was usually consoling her while we started life over in New Mexico. Perhaps the distraction had been a good thing, for dwelling too long on my parents’ deaths made my magic too volatile, and unpredictable, powerful magic wasn’t a good combination.

She finally pulled out of my embrace and blew her nose into a napkin. “Why haven’t you been answering your phone?”

I clenched my fists by my sides, remembering the murder scene while thinking more and more that I had to get Des. I didn’t trust Colin to protect him should the succubus go after my son next. “I’ve been a little busy.”

She dabbed the corners of her eyes. “The succubus found you?”

I gritted my teeth. “Yes.”

She made a mousy squeak, clutching her pentagram charm. “Does it have anything to do with Gus shutting us down?”

“I think he’s connected to it.”

She began pacing the floor again, her feet lifting off the ground when her buzzing, rainbow-hued wings materialized. As a pixie, she was able to conceal her wings at will, the one part of her body that classified her as a mythical creature. Her wings usually came out when she was experiencing extreme emotions. “Why would they shut us down, and how do you know she’s found you?”

I let out a slow breath and braced myself for her reaction. “A succubus killed Lenny and framed Ric.”

Her high-pitched squeal was my only warning before she ‘poofed’ and miniaturized into a six-inch pixie, flying into the rafters.

I didn’t have time for this, so I summoned theRegistry of Supernatural Creatures and Practical Witchcraft Guidebook. I didn’t wait for Alfred to wake as I tapped the leather-bound book with my wand. “Alfred, what Tribunal handles sphinx offenses?”

Alfred’s eyes flew open as he glared at me. But as our eyes locked, an understanding passed between us, and he flipped open, revealing the registry’s table of contents. “There are no living sphinxes in the registry.”

I eyed the book a long moment, knowing I’d have to get creative, since Ric was technically dead. “Where did they used to take sphinxes?”

“The only Tribunal that handled sphinxes and other large magical creatures was the Divinus de Magicus in Rome.”

“Rome?” I threw my hands in the air. “Merlin’s dirty butt plug!” I slammed the book shut, then apologized to Alfred before he faded beneath the leather.

Ethyl flew down from the rafters and transformed into her full size. “What’s happening?”

“We’re going to Rome,” I said to her.

She twisted the hem of her apron around her finger. “All of us?”

“We have no choice. We have to free Ric.” I grimaced, recalling what the ghosts had said.Free Ric.Somehow, he was the key to our safety. Why, I still wasn’t sure. Was it because succubi were afraid of sphinxes? If that was the case, he wouldn’t have had to fake his death and hide from the succubi.

My phone buzzed, and I checked the message from Des.

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