Page 50 of Sugar, Spice, and Magical Moonlight (Midlife Menace #2)

T he ghosts had returned, leaving a delicious spread of crepes and fresh fruit, though I was still too nauseated from worry to eat while I wondered the fate of my relationship with Ric, among other things, like when the next demon attack would be and if the sirens would be able to hold them off again.

Des and Astra sat at the kitchen counter together, devouring four pizzas. Actually, Des ate a few slices and Astra ate the rest. It seemed she’d inherited a minotaur’s appetite.

Astra eyed Des like a curious kitten, her webbed feet swinging beneath her chair while she offered him guarded smiles.

I thought it cute how Astra mimicked everything Des did, requesting to drink juice out of a glass like him and even arranging her olives in the same order as his slices.

My son mostly ignored her, other than his face reddening as she scooted closer to him.

Ric hadn’t said more than a few words to me when he’d left us to check the wards.

I worried I’d royally screwed up our relationship with my foolish confession, but it was too late now.

Ric knew I didn’t want to have his babies.

Goddess, I must’ve been certifiably crazy to not want to mate with that incredible hunk of beast-flesh.

Any other witch would’ve been picking out a nursery theme.

My aunt sat at the breakfast table in the corner of the room, looking sheepish while picking at a pizza crust. Nimue and the Enchantress alternated between fussing over Astra and glaring at Serena from the other end of the table.

Ethyl and Frederica exchanged coy glances as they cleaned up the kitchen. Shu had disappeared to his room, promising to return after he washed the stench of seawater from his hair.

My heart did a backflip when Ric finally showed up, his feline musk punching me straight in the uterus, though he only briefly looked at me before crossing over to Des.

Ethyl’s eyes bulged, and she snatched up the remaining slices of pizza as if she was rescuing a lamb from a dragon’s hungry mouth before Ric sat at the counter opposite my son.

“Hey, buddy,” Ric said. “After you finish your juice, want to help me strengthen the wards?”

Des shrugged. “Sure.”

I refrained from looking at Ric, though his presence filled every inch of the room. After all we’d been through today, I badly wanted him to take me in his arms and kiss me senseless.

Shu finally appeared in a cloud of cologne, his spiked mullet sticking up higher than ever.

He wore stone-washed denim jeans that went up to his waist and then folded over a studded leather belt and a matching denim and rhinestone jacket with massive shoulder pads that tapered at the waist in a sharp V.

Trying not to look in Serena’s direction, I forced a smile, hoping I didn’t give myself away. “Shu, I still can’t get the taste of saltwater from my mouth,” I said in a singsong voice. “Do you have any more of that delicious chocolate pina colada?”

He tossed his head back, his hair spikes rattling with the movement. “I do.”

“Oh.” I eagerly licked my lips. “Wonderful!”

Shu snapped his fingers, and a tall, frosted pitcher, along with several glass goblets dusted with sugar on the rims, appeared on the table.

I poured myself a tall glass, sorely tempted to drink it and damn the consequences, but I was afraid Ric would ask me questions I didn’t want to answer. I sat at the table opposite Serena and held the glass to my lips, pausing to smile at my aunt. “Would you like some, Aunt Serena?”

She sat up straight, pushing the pizza crust away. “I could use a strong drink.”

Shu produced a white bottle with a picture of coconuts on the label. “I’ll add extra rum.”

I pretended to sip my drink while Shu added more rum to the concoction and poured a glass for my aunt. I eyed her over the rim of my glass as she took several deep swallows.

I patted the empty seat beside me, and Shu sat next to me, squeezing my hand with a wink.

I set down my full drink, wiping the back of my mouth. “Now that we’ve eaten, I have a few questions,” I said to Serena. I hated that it had to be this way, but I still didn’t trust her.

Her shoulders fell as she let out a groan. “I don’t feel like answering questions.”

“Oh, that’s too bad,” I answered, my voice laced with mock pity. “Do you still intend to kill me, so you can manipulate Des?”

“No!” she blurted, her expression turning accusatory. “Shu gave me a truth serum, didn’t he?”

“Yes,” I said while leaning back in my chair. “But I’m asking questions. How and when did you become demon possessed?”

The heated look she gave me would’ve made a lesser woman cower. I didn’t care. I needed to know that we were safe with her in our home.

“It was immediately after you left me at the Tribunal. I made a foolish mistake.” She rolled her eyes to the ceiling. “I saw a Sagredo ring on Signora Oscura’s corpse, so I took it off her, and her demon spirit immediately entered me.”

That must’ve been the ring I saw Des throw into the water. My amazing son was smart enough to know it had been demon tainted. Her story still didn’t make sense. “I thought you had to tell a demon a secret to get them to possess you.”

“You do,” she said, her tone laced with bitterness. “The ring was hexed, an additional measure to control me, and the secret was something I’d whispered to the corpse before I took the ring.”

Interesting. I arched a brow. “Which was?”

“‘I would’ve let you keep my mother if you’d just spared my sister.’” Her eyes misted as she looked away.

Oh my Goddess!

My heart ached and twisted at the mention of my mother.

My chest flushed with guilt at having forced the confession from my aunt, though considering she’d ordered my death warrant a few days ago, I didn’t regret pressing her for the truth.

I swallowed back my sorrow while squaring my shoulders.

“What happened to my grandma, Maga Sagredo?”

Serena leaned back in her chair, blowing out a long breath. “She’s convalescing at our estate with 24/7 nurses. She’s practically an invalid after being controlled by a demon for decades.”

Odd how she didn’t seem that upset by her mother’s condition.

I drummed my fingers on the table while leering at her from beneath my lashes.

If her demon possession came after we’d attacked the tribunal, then she was still in control of her body when she’d tricked me into attacking the Tribunal to save Ric.

“Why did you let me believe Ric was still imprisoned by the Tribunal?”

“Because it was our best chance to bring them down.”

I arched a brow. “And you didn’t care that you put our lives in danger?”

“Of course I cared,” she blurted, sounding like she was vomiting the words, “but I cared more about destroying the demons controlling the Tribunal.”

“Thank you. Glad to know you have priorities.”

She glared at me with the heat of a thousand suns. “Any more questions?”

I choked back my emotion, trying not to let her see how badly she’d hurt me. “No, Aunt Serena.”

“I have some,” Ric rumbled while crossing his arms over his broad chest. “How was a demon able to hide in your body without everyone noticing?”

“Some demons are getting better at hiding in plain sight, using spells to deflect the red in their eyes and disorienting striga who come near,” she answered.

It made sense. I remembered how easily Antonio had tricked me back in Rome.

He gave her a curt nod, his face grim. “How many other Insurgi are possessed?”

“Only a handful, but they are my top officers.” Shadows clouded her eyes. “The rest were killed by the sirens.”

Astra let out a heart-wrenching sob, and Nimue hoisted the child in her arms.

The Enchantress stroked Astra’s back while giving us a weary look. “If you don’t mind, my family and I would like to retire.”

I swallowed back a lump of emotion, feeling bad for forcing Astra to relive her nightmare. “Of course.”

Nimue made a low, grumbling noise while cradling her child and slithered into the hall.

The Enchantress paused in the doorway, digging her nails into the frame while turning toward us. “Thank you...” She swiped tears from her eyes. “For everything.”

“You’re welcome,” I rasped, relieved that Astra had been found safe and whole, though I feared she’d need a lot of time to recover from her nightmare.

“When will you make another video?” Ric asked her.

“Tonight,” she answered, “after we put Astra to bed.”

I tensed, wondering what she’d say.

“Please warn your viewers that the Insurgi have been infiltrated by demons,” Ric said, “but don’t divulge anything about Des being the Phoenix or that Serena survived.”

She gave him a slight tilt of the head. “Of course.”

“Or that the sirens killed the rest of Serena’s crew.” He motioned toward my aunt. “Let them think we did it. They will try again to find us, and the sirens can feast on them too.” He motioned toward the crimson moon outside the window. “We’ll know by the blood moon.”

An involuntary shudder coursed through me when I remembered those hideous sirens with their mouthfuls of razorlike teeth. I’d probably have nightmares about them for the rest of my life.

Once the Enchantress left, Serena held up her empty pina colada glass. “Shu, make me a new pina colada that reverses the truth serum.”

Shu crossed one leg over the other while giving her a side-eyed glare. “The serum wears off in about an hour.”

Serena looked like she’d just inhaled a whiff of Colin’s morning breath as she pursed her lips. “That wasn’t a request.”

“I don’t have to listen to you anymore.” Shu dismissed her with a flick of the wrist. “I’m not a Sagredo.” He flashed me a broad smile. “Luci made me a Lovelle.”

Serena gave me a withering look, her voice turning shrill. “You told him he’s not a Sagredo?”

I stiffened under the weight of her stare. “I did.”

She let out an obnoxious snort, turning eye daggers on our fairy godfather. “Then why are you still here, Shu?”

Ethyl fluttered next to Shu, wrapping a wing around his back while glaring at Serena.