Smoke and Hellfire by Kristen Brand

Author:Kristen Brand [Brand, Kristen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: urban fantasy
Published: 2022-11-21T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 5

Pamela was waiting in the backyard as we emerged from the woods. As soon as she saw Kaylee, she let out an emotional cry and limped forward as quickly as she could on her crutches. Kaylee was faster, vaulting over the fence and dashing across the grass. They met with a crushing hug and both broke down in tears.

“Thank you,” Pamela said to us between sobs. “Thank you so much.”

I was covered in sweat, my feet pulsating with pain, and felt emotionally and physically drained. But her words cut through those feelings like a ray of sunshine through dark clouds. As I watched the two of them embrace, I thought I would do it all over again to reunite them.

Bea and I stayed with them for a while, and she answered their questions as best she could. Kaylee remembered only bits and pieces and was shaking through the whole explanation, and Pamela only seemed to grasp that Bea had rescued her daughter from something horrible. By the time we said goodbye and trudged to the van in the driveway, it was dark.

“Oh no,” I groaned.

Bea jerked to a halt, scanning the yard like she expected an attack. “What?”

“My purse. I had my purse on me and now—” I gestured helplessly at the dress that had replaced my normal clothes. “It’s probably still in Fairyland or gone from existence. My credit cards and driver’s license were in there—and my phone!”

“Sorry,” she said awkwardly.

We got into the van, Bea having a much easier time than I did. The layered skirts of the dress were so voluminous that it took me three tries to get inside and close the door. Then I had to fasten my seatbelt over the whole thing. I thought I’d managed it, but the seatbelt must not have clicked, because as soon as I let go, the buckle shot back up and nearly smacked me in the face.

I groaned, feeling like I was drowning in poofy, glittery fabric.

Bea watched with a carefully blank expression.

“I hate this dress,” I said, grabbing hold of the seatbelt and trying again.

“On the bright side, it makes your boobs look amazing.”

“Not much of a consolation.” I grunted, shoving the buckle into its slot. It clicked this time, and I sagged, panting from exertion.

She put the car in reverse, avoiding my gaze as she backed down the driveway. As we headed through rural back roads, the van was silent. I was busy planning all the steps I’d have to go through to replace the contents of my purse. It was a nice problem, irritating but solvable, much better to dwell on than how I’d nearly been enchanted to dance to death or how afraid I’d been that Bea would kill Grant Pace.

“So I’ll drop you off at your place and then be on my way,” Bea said.

It took a moment for her words to penetrate the fog of exhaustion around my head.

“You have another job already?” I asked.

“No.” Her eyebrows scrunched together as she shot me a quick look.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.