Signed in Incubus: A Paranormal Monster Romance (Possessive Monsters Book 6)

Chapter 17

Penny

I collapsed onto Griselda’s couch next to Lily. We’d just moved what we could from my place to hers through a three-witch portal, and we were all exhausted.

I’d felt safe at the house as long as Prax had been there, but the second he’d left, an unsettling, sinking feeling set in. Also, the idea that Dwayne had a set of keys didn’t sit well with me. I’d always gotten a sleazy, used car salesman vibe from him. So, I called Gigi and asked if I could stay at her place for a few days.

Even with all the boxes and suitcases lined up by the portal opening, ready to go, and the three of us holding it open, we’d only managed two trips through and back before we had to call it quits. Normally, we only had to keep the portal open just long enough for one or two people to step through.

It was fine. I only needed to bring my most important things, like all my magic-related paraphernalia, my filming equipment for making tutorials, my laptop and tablet, a few changes of clothes, and my enchanted side table. I didn’t want to have to connect another one to my purse.

“This would’ve been easier if your incubus friend had stuck around,” Lily grumbled. “He could have made a bunch of arms and used his superhuman strength to carry everything over in one go.”

The mention of his ability to shape-shift into anything he wanted and grow extra appendages had me thinking of his unique form of interrogation and how he’d made good on his promise to fuck me good if I told him what he wanted to know. But of course, he did. He was an incubus.

My dirty thoughts didn’t go unnoticed.

“Your face is red, Penny,” Griselda said.

“She must be thinking about Prax’s many arms…or maybe his superhuman strength. Or is it both?”

“A little of both, yeah,” I said cryptically.

“You know, of all the weirdos this spell has sent you, Prax is the best option by far,” Griselda said.

“Gigi, the spell sent me a deranged shifter, a wizard with gross goblin friends, and a troll. It’s not hard to be the best option compared to those. Besides, Prax is an incubus. It’s in his nature to roam and be free to sample every flavor of sexual energy out there. And he just got his freedom. It isn’t fair to either of us. I need someone who’ll be happy to stick around and never stray. And he needs to be himself.”

How could I explain to her that I’d seen firsthand what infidelity and betrayal did to a family? I didn’t want to become my mother. Not that I needed to worry about that; I’d never become her because if anyone cheated on me, I’d leave. There were no second chances there with me.

Instead of going down that dark alley, I focused on my own dilemma. “Prax didn’t answer the call to be my perfect man. He didn’t read the spell’s fine print and got stuck. He doesn’t really want to be here.”

“I don’t know… If he wanted to be done with the spell, he could have just tossed you at the wizard or the troll last night and let them claim you. Instead, he fought tooth and nail for you. His actions really aren’t those of someone who doesn’t want to be here.”

“Yeah. It was all sorts of heroic.” Lily looked ready to swoon. “Maybe I should try this spell out, and it’ll send me an incubus of my own.”

“Yeah, or a troll!” I reminded her.

She pouted. “Party pooper.”

My phone notified me of an email from the bank.

“Thank you for reporting your card lost or stolen,” I read out loud. “Your card has now been deactivated. A new card will be mailed to the address listed on your account.”

“I bet they froze the account too,” Lily said. “Like last time.”

“Yeah, well, joke’s on them. I already removed my name from the account.” I’d done it right after depositing the bank draft into my new account.

That had been a suggestion made by the lady at the bank. Just because I couldn’t remove them from the account, it didn’t mean I couldn’t remove myself. I’d just forgotten to change the email address attached to it.

“Eee! They must be fuming!” Lily looked positively giddy. “But I need to get going. I haven’t done groceries, and there’s nothing but sad, forgotten vegetables in my fridge.”

I promised to keep her updated on the situation, and she left. Gigi went downstairs to help her Sunday staff, and I sat down with Triscuit and my laptop to start my search for a new apartment.

I had simple criteria: decent neighborhood, affordable, and available right now. I didn’t plan to stay there long, just until I figured my life out. I found several possibilities and called them to arrange viewings. My first one was for tomorrow morning.

With that out of the way, I went onto my website to check for any new orders. A few had come in, but definitely not enough income to live on. I’d need to film and put out more tutorials soon.

I knew that, realistically, my side gig wouldn’t be enough to keep me going indefinitely, and I needed to find a new full-time job, with or without a reference from my old company. But that would have to wait until after I figured out the spell thing and my housing situation.

Gigi’s apartment door opened, and she poked her head in, her eyes wide, and she looked frazzled. Panicked was a look I rarely saw from her. She was usually the calm and collected one. Panicking was me and Lily’s job.

Sensing her distress, Triscuit, who had stayed out to keep me company today, flew over to her.

“What happened?”

“We need to go. Now. I don’t think I can hold them off for much longer.” She went to the windows and peeked out.

I followed her and did the same.

Shit.

There, outside her coffee shop, was a giant, humanoid…something. His bulging muscles rippled under brownish-green skin. Long, tangled hair hung down untidily from his head. His thick fingers ended in sharp, claw-like, dirt-caked nails. His yellow eyes gleamed with malice, and he held an axe in his hands, the handle wrapped in brown leather. He stomped his enormous feet hard, and the very concrete of the parking lot cracked under his weight.

“Is that the troll from the dumpster behind the club?” I whispered.

“Yup, that’s him.”

The troll hadn’t come alone. Behind him was the shifter from the other day, who had brought a few of his wolf buddies with him. Grabby McGrabberson the Wizard was there, too, with a bunch of goblin friends. There were about a half dozen more groups besides, each one clearly led by some male I didn’t recognize.

“Fuck! I guess Prax claiming me didn’t work.”

“Unless he’s doing it wrong.”

“Oh, trust me, he does it right.”

Gigi rolled her eyes. “No. I mean, he claimed you verbally, and you guys did the deed, but what if the spell wants more?”

“Like what? Getting married?” I balked when I realized that might just be it. “No way. I’m not going to marry an incubus I just met.”

“Maybe you have to claim him?”

“But what if that doesn’t work either? I really need to figure this shit out. I’m in way over my head.” I looked out the window again nervously. “Where are your employees?” I would never forgive myself if they got hurt because of me.

“Nick and Tiff just went home, so they’re safe. And I managed to close up the shop and pull down the shutters. My wards are up, but I’m tired from earlier, and that wizard is working on knocking them down.”

“I can try to help, but I’m low on firepower too.”

“No, save your energy. You might need it if shit hits the fan.”

“You don’t consider this to beshit hitting the fan?” I asked a little more shrilly than I wanted.

I peeked out the curtain again. “I don’t think the rest of them are trying to break into the building. It looks more like they’re about to face off against each other.”

“Ya. They look like they’re about to fight. Maybe it’s some weird ritual where they think they must fight for your attention?”

“That’s so fucked up.”

“You’re going to go down in history as the witch who inspired an interdimensional war, and the battle is going to happen in my parking lot! Maybe some bard will write a saga about you.”

“They’d better not. And I’ll pay for any damages. If I don’t get carried away by that troll at the end of all this.”

“If we could get enough energy together, we could form a portal and get out of here. But I’m too exhausted.”

So was I. Portals were notoriously energy-intensive. They were one of the hardest spells I knew, and I’d exhausted myself earlier today using one to move my stuff.

My phone rang from on top of my suitcase, and I went to pick it up.

“Prax!”

Relief flooded me. He could help! At this point, I was willing to accept him as #theperfectman if it meant everyone else in the parking lot just went away for good, especially the troll. I didn’t mean to be species-ist, but I could swear I could smell him from here.

I explained to Prax what was happening just as the first punch was thrown outside the window: the fight was on.

“Griselda,” Prax said, “do you think you can relax your wards for a moment to let me in?”

“Maybe. Give me a second.”

She went to the couch, grabbed a hand-crocheted afghan that had been tossed over the back, and wrapped it around her body. Then she disappeared into her bedroom and came back with not one but an armful of stuffed animals as well as Triscuit, her parrot, who now sat perched on her head. Finally, she collected a stack of books and crystals and other things scattered around her home, sat in the middle of her couch, and piled everything on top of herself.

This might have looked weird to the average person, but I knew what she was doing. Griselda recharged with magical things and artifacts. These things didn’t look special, but they were brimming with magic, some because she loved them so much that they had been infused with her own magic over the years, and others because they were inherently charged. And Triscuit, of course, was her familiar and helped her channel her energy when needed.

She gave me the thumbs up.

“Okay. Ready, Prax?” I asked.

“Ready.”

I did a countdown to minimize the time her wards would be weak. “Three. Two. One.”

At first, nothing happened. Then, a long second later, Prax popped into the room.

“You’re here!” I squealed. I leaped at him and threw my arms around his neck.