Saliva pools in my mouth. I swallow hard and squeeze my thighs together. Even though his nostrils are flared, the nose they’re set within is perfectly straight with a slight dimple on its tip.
His skin shines like polished bronze, without the barest trace of stubble. His lips lie flat against sharp teeth, but they’re full and plump and utterly kissable.
In short, the Boogie Man is a babe.
But he’s still a bastard.
He rushed me in my sleep, tried to touch my thigh, trashed my room, and stole my dirty underwear. I’ve got to teach him not to mess with a witch from the Styx coven. But first, I need to find a way to confine him.
“Could you help me set a trap?” I ask Aggie. “Please?”
She pauses, her brows raised. “What kind?”
“Reroute all the magic protecting the house to the closet.”
Her lips part with a protest, but I raise a hand.
“Hear me out. Since no one’s sneaking into my house to smash up my room, I don’t need any protection from outsiders.”
“Right?” She elongates the vowel, her voice heavy with skepticism.
“Can you make the trap?”
She folds her arms across her chest. “I want you to do something in return.”
“Name it,” I say.
“Check up on Grandma. I think she’s taken something of mine, but she won’t admit it.”
“What?”
“My broomstick.”
“You want me to get it back?”
Aggie nods.
I raise a shoulder. That’s an easy enough trade. Any idiot can steal a broomstick, but it takes a lot of magic and even more skill to divert the power protecting the house to concentrate in a closet.
Turning to my cousin, I give her a bright smile. “Fine. If you set up the trap, I’ll steal back your broomstick.”
ChapterFour
HENRY
After that last attack on Alienor, I might forever turn to shade. The magic protecting her weakens during my attack, only to redouble its power. She probably set up that enchantment to drain my essence.
My strength is so diminished that I can’t return to my realm. I can’t risk the faerie circles until I find a way to replenish my strength.
Somewhere after losing my temper and tearing up her chamber, I must have lost consciousness and slithered beneath her bed.
It’s time to try something different.
With my magic so low, I must improvise. The shadows beneath Alienor’s bed provide enough power to regain my human form and make another attempt on her life.
This time, I need to use my head.
Days pass before my hearing returns. I regain my vision hours later, followed by my four-legged form.