The Lying, the Witch, and the Werewolf (Down & Dirty Supernatural Cleaning Services Book 4) by Kate Quinn (uplifting books for women .txt) 📗

“Ready, boy?” I ask, stepping onto the platform.

The truth is, I’m not ready. I’m not ready at all. But there’s no one to go home to except a vampire serial killer, so whatever. Fuck this. I’m joining a sex cult and taking my dog with me. Also, this broom.

“Wait,” the man child grabs hold of my broom. “You don’t need this. We’ll transfer it for you, along with your bag.”

“Oh,” I say, but I don’t release the broom. I have no idea what I’m dropping into down there and I’ll feel better knowing I’ve got a way out. “It’s actually a very personal item,” I tell him. “And er, special.”

The guy gives me a look like I’m insane, which is something considering the people who must come through here. “What’s so special about it?”

“Er…” I can’t tell if the kid is messing with me or is too young to jump to the conclusion that Hepa assumed people here would. I have no intention of being the one to shatter his innocence if it’s the latter. “It’s hard—” before I can add ‘to say’, the other guy cuts me off with the classic—

“That’s what she said.”

The two of them bust a nut laughing which pretty much kills any last whiff of inappropriate attraction. Deciding I don’t need to justify my broom handling to these boys, I step to the edge of the platform.

“I’M COMING!” I screech, and jump into my bright new future.

Something warm and wet runs down my leg and I realize Cassie might be a flake, but she was right, after all.

My Dalmanther definitely had a potty in his body.

And now it’s all over mine.

12

I zip through the trees, my heartbeat fluttering and the wind blowing my hair back like I’m in a shampoo commercial. It’s exhilarating and terrifying at the same time, and I realize that my emotions are getting the best of me when the broom starts to vibrate in my hand.

“Wait, no—broom! I’m fine,” I say, hoping my words aren’t whipped away on the wind. Hepa had said that my magical escape hatch might be triggered by any strong reactions of mine, like fear. The last thing I need is for this thing to zoom off while I’m still holding it, my body very firmly attached to a zip line. I imagine myself being torn in half, my right side zipping away, the left dangling in the harness to be received by a very unsettled sex cult.

“Not a cult,” I remind myself, and that’s when I see a clearing in the trees ahead. There’s a landing platform at the end of the zipline, and I start to slow down as the angle decreases.

Two nicely built dudes await my arrival, and Shit wiggles in his harness as we almost overshoot the landing. Strong arms wrap around me, bringing me to a sudden halt. I lurch forward and am enveloped by strength and warmth, masculinity and protection. I make eye contact with the guy who caught me. My legs go a little wobbly, and it’s got nothing to do with the zipline ride.

“Hi,” I say, cocking my hips without even meaning to, tipping my head to the side and allowing my hair to cascade over one shoulder. “I’m Paige.”

“I’m Mac,” he says, undoing my harness while maintaining eye contact. It’s like he’s stripping me right here, right now, and I am two thousand percent into this. My hands are halfway to his zipper when Cassie interrupts us.

“Hey Paige, just FY-Me, Mac is an incubus.”

“Huh?” I don’t know words anymore. I just know that I have genitals and so does he.

“An incubus,” Mac says, giving me a small smile. “I’m a sex demon.”

“Me too,” I breathe, moving closer, but then Shit shifts in his harness and lets out a loud woof letting me know that he’s about to be crushed between my chest and Mac’s. That’s when I remember exactly what an incubus is.

“Dammit,” I mutter, stepping back from him. “Don’t do that again.”

“To be fair,” Mac says, putting his hands in the air, “I can’t influence you to do anything you wouldn’t do anyway. All I do is remove your inhibitions.”

I toss my hair and turn away from him—which isn’t easy—and focus very hard on Cassie as the other landing platform attendant unstraps her harness. I can’t say I’ve ever been especially inhibited in any way, but I was just about ready to bang this guy in public, suspended thirty feet in the air, with a Dalmanther attached to my chest and…I look down. And with an entire crowd of people watching.

“Welcome wagon?” I ask the other attendant, who’s pulling Shit from my harness.

“This is how we bring in the new recruits, yes,” he says, setting Shit on the ground. “Well, that and the circle jerk.”

I laugh, then realize he’s probably not kidding.

“Mac!” Cassie says, once she’s free from her harness. She holds out her arms and he comes in for a hug.

“Careful,” I growl at her, but Cassie only flushes slightly in his arms.

“I’ve known Mac a long time,” she says. “And we’ve never…” Cassie blushes red-hot, which was strange for a girl who was so open about describing her mermaid boyfriend’s penis. Despite her interest in settling down with the boyfriend who won’t marry her, I’m pretty sure Cassie also has the hots for Mac. “Done the indeed.”

“Done the deed,” I correct.

“Not from lack of trying on my part,” Mac makes a playful nip at her ear, and Cassie gently pushes him away. I can see her pulse beating in her neck faster than it did when we were climbing the stairs to get here.

I stare down at the people gathered below, who are in different states of undress. Some are working the only-undies look, while others are going the other way—wearing hippie gear like mine without any bras beneath. A few have even chosen to let it all hang out, even if it isn’t the best look for them. Nobody seems