Page 40 of Shared By the Werebears
GOLDIE
But once we got back home, it turned out that breaking the curse wasn’tquiteas simple as we had initially hoped.
“I’m sorry, my dears,” Goody Albright said, giving Ronan and Finn apologetic glances. “But I cannot brew the potion.”
“What? But you promised you could!” Ronan looked outraged but the emotion I felt coming from him was mostly fear.
From Finn, I felt despair.
“I don’t know how much longer I can keep from Shifting back to my Fur Form,” he groaned, rubbing the back of his neck. “The damn thing keeps urging me to change…to let my Bear out…to let him take overforever.”
“Now, now—I didn’t mean to upset you. Just becauseIcannot brew the potion doesn’t mean no one can,” Goody Albright said soothingly.
“If not you, then who?” I asked. “Willow? She makes excellent Lust Tea but I don’t know about curse breaking potions.”
“No, no, my dear!Youmust do it.” Goody A tapped my chest with one beautifully manicured nail.
“Me?”I shook my head. “But I’m no Potions Mistress! I’m nothing but a Kitchen Witch who happens to be half Succubus.”
“That doesn’t matter,” Goody A said briskly. “The grimoire states that the witch who brews the potion must be intimately connected with those she wishes to lift the curse from.” She raised her eyebrows delicately. “May I suppose that the three of you are now intimately connected, since you’ve been on a quest together which involved a sacrifice?”
I felt my cheeks get hot. I really try not to advertise my love life too much around town—mainly because the Town Elders are such prudes. But to my surprise, Finn answered for me.
“Yes, you’re right about that,” he said. Putting an arm around me, he gave me a squeeze. “And Ronan’s with us too,” he added.
Ronan just stood there. We were gathered on the porch of The Red Lion and he was looking intently at Main Street and the people walking by.
“Well then, it should be a simple matter,” Goodie A said, nodding. “Here.” She handed me a long piece of folded parchment. “I copied out the potion ingredients and the brewing instructions for you. Oh, anddobe sure you pay special attention to the note at the bottom—it’s absolutely crucial to the success of the recipe.”
“Thank you, Goody A.” I gave her a grateful smile. “Let me just swing by Willow’s place to get the rest of the ingredients and then we’ll head back to the Diner to start brewing.”
Goody Albright’s eyes went wide behind her cat-eye glasses.
“Oh no—I don’t think you’d better brew it at the diner!”
“No? Then where?” I was confused. I had everything I needed at the diner for brewing up anything—from a potion to a really good soup or stew. Why not use the space I already had?
“I believe this potion would be best brewed at your specialLust Hut.”She dropped her voice on the last words but my guys still heard her.
“What the fuck did she just say?” Ronan growled, his eyebrows shooting upwards.
“You have a Lust Hut?” Finn asked eagerly at the same time.
“Shhhh.” I put my finger to my lips. “Look, it’s a necessity when you’re half-Succubus. I have to have someplace to go to, er, relieve my urges.”
“And here I thought you just wandered around in the forest until you found some stranger’s cabin to have fun in,” Ronan remarked.
I slapped his arm.
“That’s enough out of you! I’m going to be brewing this potion foryourbenefit, you know.”
“So youwillbrew it?” Finn asked hopefully.
“Of course I will.” Reaching up, I cupped his bristly cheek in one hand. He was probably only a few years younger than me, but he still seemed so innocent. “I swear if I can get this curse off you, I’ll do it,” I told him. “No matter what it takes.”
“I’m glad you feel that way because I’m afraid it’s going to take more than just the potion to lift such a potent curse,” Goody A said ominously.
I frowned.
