Chapter 19
“You say gingerbread people and I say they still look like dicks,” Tambie announced, waving her finger at my newly displayed tray of cookies in the case.
Aella pinched the bridge of her nose and pointed. “The arms are folded in, Tamb, see? They’re holding the candy cane.”
Tambie’s black pixie cut hair swished around her face as she shook her head. “Nope, I see balls—” She gestured toward the legs with wide feet. “—and a bulbous crown.” She circled the cookie’s head.
Smiling, I wiped the counter and shrugged. “I don’t have a problem calling them gingerbread dickheads.”
“See? Now that’s keen marketing.” Tambie flicked one small, tan fawn antler at her temple and threw an arm around Aella’s shoulders.
Tambie and Aella were two of several maenads who worked at the nightclub Bacchus and had forever been connected with Dionysus. These two maenads in particular, though, were the only ones I’d witnessed that seemed like true sisters.
Now that Tambie had pointed it out, I couldn’t unsee how large I’d made the feet. Usually, my cutting and shaping skills were pristine, given the magical accompaniment, but then again, I was knee deep in distractions.
It had been two days since I left Jack in the woods with the ultimatum, only to look for me when he was ready to talk.
It’d been agonizing to wait, but I promised myself I wouldn’t be the first to go searching for him this time.
Was he still stuck as his monster? Did he not appreciate how I left things, and now did not want anything to do with me?
Today would be the third day, and the impatient gnat flying circles around my head was starting to become unbearable.
The bell over the door chimed, and I snapped my gaze to the entrance, inconveniently hoping it’d be a certain blonde frosty stud.
“Evenin’, ladies,” Herb the sheriff greeted, tipping his ten-gallon hat.
Clearing my throat to keep my obvious disappointment from showing, I forced a grin and waved. “How are you today, sheriff? It’s been a while since you stopped by the bakery.”
Herb laughed and patted his round belly. “While I love your treats, Sylvie, my gullet can’t seem to handle them as often as it used to.” His spurs sounded as he walked toward the counter, his gait wide, legs slightly bowed.
Herb was a porcupine shifter, which was partially apparent in his appearance—a broad, blunt nose with thin nostrils, and midnight black, glossy eyes beneath wrinkled eyelids.
“Something wrong, sheriff?” Tambie asked, frowning.
She had reason to be skeptical. If the sheriff wasn’t arriving somewhere for a drink, food, or to strike up a conversation, it wasn’t usually good news.
“Welp, something alarming was discovered in the woods this morning. We’re talking so far in that most folks wouldn’t be able to get there on foot in these freezing temperatures.” Herb rubbed a knuckle under his salt-and-pepper moustache which stretched to either side like quills.
Warily, I glanced at my feet that had made that trek effortlessly days ago.
“Oh, no,” Aella said, sighing. “What’d you find, if I even want to ask?”
Herb tapped a hairy finger on the hilt of his six-shooter strapped at his side. “We ain’t seen them around the Cove before, but I swear they were some forms of goblins. Dozens of them—dead in the snow.”
Numbness coated my throat like hardening caramel, and I wrung the cloth in my hands.
“Goblins?” Tambie echoed. “In the Cove?”
“We figure it may have something to do with Sage’s murder, seeing as that too was out of left field.” Herb stared longingly at the treats in the display case.
Sage, the murdered pixie from months ago, was still not able to be figured out.
Without thinking, I blurted, “No. Couldn’t be.”
“I beg your pardon?” Herb’s bushy brows rose, and he smacked his lips together. “How would you know that?”
Tambie and Aella shot me quizzical looks, their arms folded.
Jack had arrived in the Cove long before Sage’s death, so that didn’t match up, and Jack wasn’t a killer unless prompted—unless he felt compelled to protect. I couldn’t reveal any of this, however, because I didn’t want him tied to anything, especially when it was about me.
Rubbing the tip of my ear, I puffed my chest. “Serial killers normally have repeated motives. The acts are usually similar. Sage was killed from the inside out, by poison or magic. How would you say the goblins were killed?”
I’d almost fucked that up by stating precisely how they were killed when the sheriff had yet to reveal that.
Herb squinted at me curiously, but obliged by answering, “Dismembered. Beheaded. They looked like damn shish kabobs.”
Aella gagged, and Tambie patted her back, thoroughly intrigued by what Herb was saying.
Tapping my lip, I held out a hand to Herb. “Sounds like a blade of some kind. Opposite to Sage. How far have you gotten in that case, anyway?”
Deflection.
Herb shoved his hat up far enough to scratch his forehead. “I suppose you’re right. And the evidence on Sage’s case is about as empty as a bear’s belly comin’ out of winter slumber.”
“That’s a shame,” Tambie said, her tone somber. She continued to rub Aella’s back.
“Alright, ladies, I’m going to go ask some more folks if they saw anything in those woods. You take care now.” Herb turned to leave.
“Sheriff,” I beckoned, removing an apple fritter from the case. Quickly shimmering gold magic over it, I held it out to him. “One for the road? It’s sugar-free.”
And laced with affirmation. Here’s hoping it convinced him thoroughly that the goblins had nothing to do with Sage.
“Sugar-free, you say?” Herb chuckled and hooked his thumbs in his suspenders before taking the fritter. “Don’t mind if I do, then. Thank you kindly, Miss Sylvie.”
“You’re welcome.” The smile curving my lips was genuine this time.
Once Herb left the shop, I blew out a breath. “Gals, I need to know more about mating.”
Tambie coughed on her spit, and it was Aella’s turn to slap her back. “Well, that was random.”
“Not really,” Aella countered.
“I’ve found my mate, and I was told I would never have one.” I picked at a hangnail forming on my thumb. “I don’t know the first thing about mates and don’t want to be in the dark about this. He shouldn’t be the only one in the know.”
Tambie’s eyes went wide, and she hopped. “We should talk to Dagnar.”
“Why not the boss?” Aella unenthusiastically folded her arms. When Tambie didn’t answer, she elbowed her in the ribs. “To Dion?”
Tambie slowly nodded, seemingly mulling over what Aella suggested. “We should talk to Dagnar,” she said again, this time more gleefully and energetically.
“Alright, let’s talk to the main orc man.” I moved from behind the counter, but snapped my fingers at the setting sun. “Perfect timing. Aegean should be here any minute to take over the night shift.”
Aegean was one of the merfolk, granted legs to walk on land at night so long as they were back in the water before the sun fully rose the following morning.
When he’d applied to my ad for a second baker, I’d been skeptical at first, given he spent half his life underwater.
Color me surprised when he’d flown through my kitchen as if it were his own and made three dozen cinnamon rolls. I hired him on the spot.
“I’ll head over there and let him know we’re coming. Considering the subject matter, I feel like a guy could use a heads up about such things.” Tambie jutted her thumb in the direction of the café before hitch-stepping out the door, sprinting once she’d reached outside.
“I assume Tambie has a thing for Dagnar?” I couldn’t help but grin.
“Yeah,” Aella answered, sighing. “But he’s tied to this damn succubus chick. Poor Tamb. Goddess bless her, though, she still seeks every opportunity to hang out with him as friends.”
The bell chimed. Aegean waltzed in, slapping his hands together and already prepping to start the night’s work.
“I’m here to relieve you, Sylvie.” Long, thin auburn hair fell to his hips, Aegean’s striking topaz eyes brightening at the prospect of baking for the night.
Golden scales shimmered at the corners of his jaw, down his neck, and continued over his shoulders, forearms, and hands.
“Thanks, Aegean. Right on time.” Walking past him, I held out a set of keys and dropped them in his palm. “In case I’m not back in time, feel free to lock up. I have an extra set. I’d hate for you to miss your curfew.”
Aegean took them but flashed me a sly grin. “Sure thing. You planning a nightcap?”
My core swooshed at the thought of spending a night with Jack. “We’ll see.”
Aella snort-laughed when we exited the bakery, playfully shoving my shoulder. “We’ll see? You sultry slut.”
Tambie was already chatting away with Dagnar at the bar when we arrived at The Minty Boar.
Dagnar spotted us and held up a big green hand, waving us over.
I curled my fingers through the ends of my hair, nervous but excited to have this conversation and finally know what to expect—how to deal with it all, and if I wanted to accept it.
Aella gave one of her cutesy emphatic waves before taking a seat on a stool.
“And speak of the angel,” Dagnar said, motioning for me to sit.
Stretching my wings, wincing at the soreness still plaguing the right one, I moved them out of the way before sitting.
Aella gasped. “Sylvie, your wing. I hadn’t noticed before.” She frowned and moved her face closer to the injury.
“It’s fine. Just a little tear. It’ll heal up in no time.” I gave a reassuring smile despite not knowing if it would, in fact, heal, but I had more pressing matters.
“Tambie tells me you found yourself a mate?” Dagnar’s smile accentuated his two lower tusks.
Folding my hands on the bar top, I sat straighter. “It would appear that way. But I don’t know the first thing about it because they never taught me.”
“First,” Dagnar started, turning to one of three golden taps lining the back wall. When he faced me again, he rested a tankard full of frothy ale in front of me. “You’ll probably need this.”
Tambie cleared her throat. “And what about us? We’re her support group.”
“Alright, alright,” Dagnar replied, chuckling as he filled two more mugs.
He leaned a forearm on the bar top and eyed me empathetically.
“I need to warn you that I’ll help the best I can, but it could be different for orcs compared to—” He used a black talon to scratch the back of his emerald head. “—what are they?”
How did I answer this? I didn’t know what I saw in the forest that day.
“He’s fae, but has this beast or monster he turns into—a wintry one.” I raised my arms above my head to gesture how large he’d become in that form.
“Like the abominable snowman?” Aella asked, holding her mug with both hands and sipping from a straw.
Tambie leaned in closer. “That’s hot.”
Dagnar arched a thick, green brow at Tambie and then turned to me for confirmation.
“No, no. Not furry and growly. He’s made entirely of ice with these spiky arm swords and spiky shoulder pieces.” I stared at nothing as I did my best to articulate into words what I’d witnessed. “His beard, his hair, his muscles, they all turned into ice.”
Tambie rested her chin on her hand. “That’s even hotter.”
Mimicking her action, I rested my cheek against my palm. “You’re telling me.”
“If he’s got a monster form, no matter if he’s permanently in it or not, like an orc or gargoyle, then I’m going to guess the rituals, if you will, are quite similar.” Dagnar held up a claw, pausing when a customer ordered a meat pie.
“Are you nervous?” Aella asked, rubbing my shoulders.
“Yes,” I whispered, my stomach catapulting into flurries of fireflies. “But I’m also excited at the prospect of something I never thought I’d be able to have.”
Aella hugged me to her side, pressing her rosy apple cheek against my pale one.
“Sorry about that, gotta keep the hungry fed.” Dagnar rubbed a hand over his apron-covered stomach. “Now then, the first step would be offering food. That lets the male know the female is interested enough to continue the process.”
My heart fell to my feet.
The cupcake. I’d offered him the first bite. Was he going to let me start this without telling me the implications?
“You alright?” Tambie asked. “You look a little flushed.”
There’s no telling if Jack would’ve stopped it. The goblins ambushed us before he had a chance one way or the other. It was still something I’d put a giant pin into for later.
“I’m good. Please continue.” I gestured to Dagnar.
Dagnar crossed his arms, making his already titanic muscles bulge. Tambie’s gaze darted straight to them, and she covered her face with her mug, guzzling from it. “There’d be accepting it, which normally involves, um, bedroom time—”
“Sex,” Aella countered. “He means hot, sweaty, carnal sex.”
My stomach did a delicious dip, and I pinched my knees together.
Dagnar snickered and shook his head. “And the last part, the no turning back, clinching of it all—is the claiming. However, I’m not sure what his would entail, or yours. Every species is different.”
Tambie swiveled on her stool, doing one complete turn. “Maenads scratch the fuck out of their back.”
“Tambie, for goddess’s sake, you make it sound so barbaric. One scratch would do it,” Aella added, her cheeks turning crimson.
Letting them all converse, I busied myself with gulping several mouthfuls of ale.
“Says you, Aella. Me? I’d scratch the living shit out of my mate so that everyone knew—” Tambie lifted a small claw. “—that they are mine.” She leveled her gaze on Dagnar.
Dagnar scratched one of his tusks, obviously intrigued but attempting to hide it.
“What if I don’t know how my kind claims?” The sympathetic looks they all threw my way made me feel about the size of a field mouse.
“You’ll know even if it’s not until that precise moment. Everyone knows, Sylvie,” Dagnar encouraged.
Tilting my head back, I finished my drink and wiped my arm over my mouth to rid it of foam. “I really appreciate all the insight, Dagnar, but I should probably try to get a little sleep before I have to relieve Aegean at the bakery.”
“Or so you’re energized for tons of mating sex,” Tambie countered with a snort.
Aella hopped from her stool and hugged me. “Let me know if you need anything at all, okay? Even if it’s watching the bakery.”
“Thanks, Ael. And thanks again, Dagnar. Also, for the ale.”
Dagnar bowed his head. “Any time.”
I trudged to my cottage in a daze, repeating everything Dagnar told me and what transpired between us since Jack’s arrival.
I opened my door and eyed my awaiting bed, but didn’t feel like crawling into it.
Instead, I called on Fintan, and when he lay down and rested his head on his curled-up front legs, I nestled against him.
With his warmth and my power, I wouldn’t freeze, and I let slumber take me amidst the chill and snowfall.