Page 32 of Black and White, Twice the Might

I walk into the bathroom and do my business before stepping into the shower. As the water hits me, I think back to meeting Sly.

I had been dragged to a bar with some friends, as I had just come back from a four-month chocolate course in Belgium. Ithad been amazing, and I was even more sure that working with chocolate was my calling.

We had been at the bar for a few hours and decided to move to a local nightclub. We paid our money, went in and started dancing. Well, I did. My friends went to get more drinks. I’d been dancing by myself for a minute or two when the most handsome man I had ever seen danced over to me. Just as he reached my side, the music changed to something slow and romantic.

He held his hand out. “Dance with me?” he asked.

I didn’t hesitate and took his hand. “I’d love to.” As soon as I touched his hand, I felt something like electricity flow through my hand, my arm and into my stomach. I also felt a touch of magic, but I ignored that. Who cared about something like magic when my dream man was literally asking me to dance?

He grinned, and I swear I heard angels singing. His grin was amazing, and his eyes sparkled under the dance floor lighting.

We danced the first few slow songs in silence. Our bodies as close as they could be, our arms wrapped around each other as if we’d been made for each other.

“My name is Sly,” the dark-haired beauty told me.

“Ebby,” I replied. “Fancy a drink?”

Sly nodded. “Yep.”

We got drinks and danced again. I looked for my friends, and they were all happy and dancing with others.

“I’m starving. There’s a Chinese place down the road, fancy spring roll and chips?” Sly asked.

“That sounds really good. Let me message my friends so they don’t worry, and then I’m all yours.”

Sly’s grin got wicked. “Hopefully,” he said. “I’ll message my friends too, and then we can go.”

As I think of our first meeting, I smile and finish my shower. Thankful, and not for the first time, we decided to go to that nightclub.

Breakfast this morningwas leisurely and interesting. It wasn’t meant to be, but Janice made us tell her about last night. Then Larry had to be told, and a few of the other residents wanted to know what happened, so it actually took a few hours to finish breakfast. Apparently, people had seen Adhan carrying an unconscious Ernest out of the Haunted Walk and wanted to know what happened.

Once we finally leave the breakfast room, we leave the B&B. Sly wants to check up on Ernest, so we decide to look for him in the bookshop first and walk in to see Ernest finish serving a customer.

As soon as the customer moves away, Enoch rushes over to him. “Are you okay? Sly said you were bitten by a zombie. I didn’t even know zombies were real. My mind is blown right now.”

I smile at my youngest brother. His fear of Ernest has well and truly gone.

“A zombie did chomp on me, but Sly used his magic to help me, then created a gross tea for me to drink.”

“All healing teas are disgusting,” I say. It’s a sad fact, but they really are.

“Have a chat with Sal. He’s figured out a way to make them taste nice and still keep all the healing properties.”

“Really? Thank goodness, I need to find him and talk to him,” Xander says. “The teas these two make, make me want to heave.”

“Sal and Justice are in the tearoom,” Ernest tells them.

“How are you feeling today? Any after-effects?” Sly asks.

“Nope, whatever you did fixed me right up. Thanks. Oh, before I forget, the witchlings and I are conjuring up a cauldron and cackling around it tonight, making something - probably a soup if you’d like to join us. We’re dressing up as Halloween witches, black robes, pointy hats, probably brooms.”

The boys turn and look at me, and Sly is grinning. “Can we? That will be so much fun,” Enoch says.

“Why not? Sly and I will be with you the whole time,” I say.

Enoch waves his hand. “Ernest and the others will keep us safe if there’s something you’d rather be doing.”

I look at my brother, shocked for a moment. He hasn’t wanted to do things without Sly or me being close since we rescued them. Maybe we should seriously think about moving to that house. It would seem this town makes Enoch feel safe.