Page 14
Story: 40 Ways to Tell a Lie
Fiona fisted her hands on her hips and glared down at both of us. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
I chuckled and slipped my arm around her waist. “It means we’re teasing ya and that ya’re beloved above all other children.”
“I’m an only child, Mom—youronly child.”
Fiona didn’t seem to appreciate it when Mulan and I burst out laughing again, but she let me pull her along as we walked.
I was sure those trying to meditate were extremely happy to see us leave the garden.
ChapterFive
Fiona was off having lunch with Jack. I’d done what I could to make her feel safe enough to return to her room at his house, but she was still sharing mine. No matter where my daughter went during the day, she returned to sleep with me at night.
She’d confessed to being afraid to stay with her father, so I’d warded her room at Jack’s house against all demons except Conn. We’d done it while Jack was at work. She’d stop by and spend some time there now and again, but she’d yet to spend a single night.
I suspected the woman occupying Jack’s master bathroom was the witch who’d placed the ward Mulan had broken. I also suspected the witch was the demon hunter councilwoman I’d seen Jack kissing during the trip down memory lane Rasmus had made me take. She was the one who’d taken my pendant, but what power she possessed was still a mystery to me.
All truths revealed themselves in time, though, and I had time now to be patient.
I was making myself a sandwich when my stubborn familiar trotted into the kitchen and barked. The sandwich I was making was the only food I was going to get for many hours. I planned to enjoy it before I had to face a bunch of mouthy werewolves.
Confronting them filled me with dread. It was just as well Mulan was staying another week at the Abundant Life Temple. She was in no emotional shape to deal with the lustiest species on the planet without killing one or more of them. I couldn’t take my nearly defenseless daughter into an established pack.
That left one person in my group—onemaleperson—able to tag along for the trip. And I wasn’t taking no for an answer. He could go in any form he wished, but he was going with me. Even if it was the first order I’d given him in twenty years.
“I’m not going there alone, Conn. Whether or not ya like it, we’re both going to visit that local pack of werewolves Ben is concerned about.”
He plopped his doggie butt down and blinked at me. If he thought I was joking about my command, he was in for a surprise. I was tired of his brooding. Two weeks of it was enough.
I ignored his doggie moodiness as I gathered food supplies on the counter. Finally, I glared down at him. “And ya better choose a much larger canine form before we get there. One of those werewolves might see yer tiny yappiness and think I brought them a snack. I’m not impressed with ya and the werewolves won’t be, either.”
Conn growled up at me and showed me his not-so-tiny teeth. I was torn between finding him adorable and being sick of talking to a being who only barked at me.
“Hush. This is all yer fault so ya have no right to complain. If ya hadn’t let Colonel Benson into the house, we wouldn’t be dealing with werewolves. So don’t be yapping at me like I’m the problem. I now have a part-time job I never wanted thanks to yer fondness for odd alliances.”
Conn morphed into a large black wolf with bright green eyes and snarled at me. He took up half the kitchen. I narrowed my eyes at the enormous beast. “Keep giving me attitude and I’ll get Ma to put a wicked curse on ya. She’s an expert at making ya itch to be a better person... and ya know that wasn’t a pun.”
In an instant, Conn smoothly switched from a snarling wolf into a human male who looked like me. He was fully dressed and frowning over me fussing at him. His hands were in his pockets and his gaze was on the floor as he stood there without saying a word.
“What in Underdark is the matter with ya?” I demanded, fisting one hand on my hip.
“Nothing,” he said.
“Liar. Ya’re in worse shape than Mulan. Both of ya make me glad Rasmus left and never came back. Next time Murray offers to sleep with me, I’m going to say yes and have myself a meaningless fling. I refuse to let love make me this miserable again.”
Conn harumphed. “Caring is not meaningless. All relationships mean something.”
I shrugged and went back to making my sandwich. The vegetable layer was three times the size of the meat one now, which was just the way I liked it.
“If ya’re saying all relationships bring trouble, I agree with ya. I’m fussing at ya here and fussing with Mulan there. It’s not like I don’t have my own problems to worry about. I’m not obligated to fuss at anyone except Fiona.”
“She left me.”
I snorted at his dramatic tone. When his ego got bruised, Conn would project world-ending hurt into any simple statement. He had the voice for it too.
“The Wu Shaman didn’t leave ya, eejit. Mulan went to stay at some sort of temple so some holy guy could beat the crap out of her. She told me he was her trainer. I was ready to use my sword on him when I saw her bruises.”
Conn blew out a breath and crossed his arms. “How did she seem to you?”
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14 (Reading here)
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95