Page 30 of Sugar, Spice, and Magical Moonlight (Midlife Menace #2)

He shook his head. “She dropped her wand before she hit you. I saw it on the field. The Enchantress and Bea might not be what they seem.” He tapped the book with a glossy fingernail. “I’m researching mythical creatures to find out exactly what they are.”

Curiosity piquing my interest, I leaned toward him. “What do you think they are?”

He shrugged. “I’m not sure yet.”

My limbs iced over with fear. “Could they be demons?”

He made a face, like he’d inhaled too much Drakkar Noir. “Not the way Bea screams.” True. Demons hated jarring noises.

A shiver coursed down my spine. “She sounded like a banshee.”

He arched a brow. “Have you heard a banshee scream?”

“No.” I toyed with the frayed edge of one of the musty books. “I was making a guess.”

“I have,” he answered, his voice dropping to a frightened whisper, “and she does sound eerily like one.”

“Could she be part banshee?” I asked.

He tapped his chin, looking lost in thought. “I don’t see how, when banshees are spirits, not physical beings.”

“Then, how?”

He heaved a sigh, dropping his gaze to his book. “I don’t know.”

“Do you think they mean us harm?”

“I think if they wanted to harm us, they would’ve done so already,” he answered.

My hands instinctively flew to my sides, feeling the phantom pain that had been all too real before I’d passed out on the ruggel field. “Considering what the Enchantress has done to Des and me, I’d say she’s harmed us plenty.”

His face paled. “That’s nothing compared to what a banshee can do.”

“Bea also smells blood, repeats herself, faints often, and isn’t supposed to get wet,” I said while trying to remember about all the different mythical creatures I’d learned about in school. None of them had Bea’s strange characteristics.

“She was acting twitchier after she almost fell in the water,” he answered.

I racked my brain for an answer. “A vampire?”

He shook his head. “No, because she goes out in the sun. I’ll keep searching.” He motioned to the rows of dusty books. “Ric has an extensive library. I’m sure I’ll find something.”

I leaned toward him, feeling badly that over the past month, I hadn’t gotten to know him well enough.

I’d spent most of our time together getting him up to date with this century, like teaching him how to use a cell phone and a computer, which was still a work in progress.

I supposed he felt more in his element hidden away in this musty library than with the rest of us and our technology.

I swallowed back my sorrow while thinking of all the years I’d missed getting to know my fairy godfather, determined to set things right. “Thank you for researching this.”

“Of course,” he answered without looking up. “It’s what I do, protect and serve my host family.”

I reached across the table, grabbing his hands, which were surprisingly warm. “I hope you can depend on me to protect and serve you too.”

He gaped at my hands, then looked at me with a slackened jaw. “But I’m the fairy godfather, not you.”

I squeezed his hands. “You’re more than a fairy godfather, you’re family too.” His shocked gasp made me feel even worse. “I’ve been meaning to apologize for upsetting you earlier,” I added.

“It’s fine.” He pulled out of my grip and waved away my concern. “Embers under the cauldron.” There was a slight tremor in his voice. Had I upset him?

“I don’t think I’ve told you how very glad I am to have you with us,” I continued, hoping he knew I meant every word.

He splayed a hand across his heart, sorrow flashing in his eyes. “Do you truly mean that? That I’m family?”

“Of course.”

“Oh, here come the waterworks.” He snapped his fingers, and a silk handkerchief materialized in his hand. “Look at what you’ve done.” He dabbed at his eyes.

I felt like a bucket of trollshit for making him cry. I just couldn’t say anything right. I dug my fingers into the folds of a weathered book. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” He tucked his handkerchief into his top pocket. “I’ve served many Sagredos over my lifetime, and none have ever been as fabulous as you.”

He thought I was fabulous? My heart warmed at the thought. “That’s because I’m not a Sagredo.” I crooked a smile. “I’m a Lovelle.”

He batted thick eyelashes, a hopeful look in his eyes. “Does that make me a Lovelle?”

“Do you want to be?”

He eagerly nodded.

“Then, you’re no longer a Sagredo.” I waved a hand over him as if I was his fairy godmother, bestowing him with a beautiful gown and carriage for the ball. “You’re a Lovelle.”

He lunged from his chair and grabbed me in a fierce hug, catching me off guard. “You don’t know what this means.”

I hugged him back, feeling grateful for his friendship and also bitter toward the long line of Sagredos who hadn’t treated him like family.

We pulled apart at the sound of a bloodcurdling scream.

Shu and I shared frightened looks as another scream rent the air.

Ethyl! I jumped to my feet, snatching my lipstick wand, and hurled toward the door while a million possibilities raced through my head.

Had something happened to Frederica, or Goddess help me, Des?

If the Enchantress had harmed my son, not even an army of Lamia could keep me from turning her to dust.