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I stared down at it in mingled horror and surprise. His fingers flexed.

“I told you he was testy today. Diego! Release that woman’s nipple. It isn’t yours to fondle.”

Frankie and Irv snickered.

“This isn’t quite what I had in mind,” I snapped, shoving the hand away. It reached back as if it was going to cop another grope, but I shifted, pointing the tip of the sword at it. The fingers twitched and slunk back to Ethan.

“If playtime’s over, we’ll be getting along now,” Irv said.

Ethan frowned at him. “I do not wish for you to kill my witch. You, woman, do something to stop them.”

“I’m trying,” I snapped, waving my sword in the air. “But thus far I haven’t had a lot of luck, and Diego was a huge letdown.”

“You’re an alchemist. Do something.”

“Like what?” I gave him an incredulous look. “Transmute them to death? That would take centuries, not that I can do it to begin with.”

“Time’s up,” Frankie said, clearly having reached the end of his patience. I didn’t blame him. I wanted to slap Ethan for being such an idiot.

“Either you come with us now, or we’ll be taking the head of your mum here back to our boss.” Irv stepped forward with a nasty smile.

“How about you two return to your boss and tell him to mind his own damned business.”

We all turned to look at the source of the voice, a surge of joy filling me as Gregory entered the tent. He looked relaxed and carefree, with a slight smile on his lips, but I knew without a single shred of doubt that he was furious. I could feel his tension prickle along my skin like the static electricity that we generated when things got hot and heavy between us.

“You have excellent timing,” I told him.

“It goes along with the whole Traveller thing.” His gaze held mine for a few seconds, and I suddenly understood why I felt the electricity in the air.

“Mom,” I said softly. “The egg spell. Do you remember it?”

Mom frowned, sliding me a worried look. “Egg spell? No, I don’t think I know a spell that has anything to do with eggs other than—” She stopped.

“I don’t know who you are,” Irv told Gregory, “but you’re not wanted here, mate. Best be on your way.”

“Ah, but I know well who you are, and I object to you holding Gwen’s mother in that manner. Let her go, and there won’t be any trouble between us.”

“Ooh.” Mom Two stopped being afraid for a few seconds, rolling her eyes over to examine Gregory. “Mags, this is him.”

“Is it?” Mom stopped whispering her spell, also giving Gregory the visual once-over. “He’s not what I expected. Gwen’s never liked blonds before.”

“Well, he is technically handsome, if you like that sort of thing,” Mom Two admitted.

“But she’s not been one for letting a pretty face turn her head,” Mom argued. “Do you know, Alice, I think that bodes well for her future. He’s totally different from all the other men she’s brought to see us.”

“Really?” I asked, turning to her. “Do we have to have this conversation right now?”

All the other men?” Gregory asked at the same time, giving me a look that warned he had a lot to say about the subject. “Just how many other men has she brought home to meet you, madam?”

“None of your business.” I spoke loudly and pointed with the sword to Frankie. “Can we get back to what’s important here, please?”

“It’s not really that many,” Mom Two told him. “Maybe ten?”

“Twelve, I think, dear. No, I tell a lie. It’s thirteen.”

“Mom!” I gave her a long-suffering look. “I have not had thirteen boyfriends. Five, maybe. Six at most.”

“Thirteen,” Mom said with a knowing expression on her face. “The first was that poet who wore all the lace and that smelly hair oil. He went down with the Titanic, didn’t he? Then there was the politician who supported the suffragettes. He was quite nice, but mortal. And then you fell for your alchemy instructor, and after that was an actor. Do you remember him? He was so good at charades.”

“He was a very nice boy,” Mom Two agreed. “As was that young man in advertising she was with during the fifties.”

I glanced at Gregory. His jaw was tight, and his eyes glittered like particularly pissed blue topazes. “Maybe we can do this another time—”

“I do remember the clown.” Mom shuddered. “He was horrible.”

“Then there was the dog trainer, and the accountant—”

“He made her cry a lot. I didn’t like him at all.”

“And the astronaut, and then those twins that she couldn’t decide between, even though they were both clearly quite, quite gay—”

“Bi,” I interrupted, my cheeks hot. “They were bisexual, not gay.”

“And the man who created that vacuum cleaner, and finally, that rock climber. That’s thirteen.”

“Astronaut?” Irv asked, giving me an appraising glance.

I waved it away. “Everyone was dating test pilots and astronauts in the sixties. Besides, it’s not like I was a fragile little thing living in an egg carton.”

Mom caught the emphasis on the last words, and finished whispering her spell.

“I’m more disturbed by the thought of dating a clown,” Ethan said from where he was, back at his laptop. “That’s just creepy.”

“Thirteen,” Gregory said, his eyes glittering.

The hairs on my arm stood on end.

“It’s not important!” I yelled, taking everyone by surprise. Luckily, Gregory was waiting for it, and having gathered up enough electricity, called down the lightning.

Right on top of Frankie and Irv.

FIFTEEN

Gregory did the best he could to shield Gwen’s mother from the lightning that exploded around him in a brilliant blue-white ball of light, jerking her out of the hold in which one of the no-necks held her, pulling her close against his body so as to channel the charge onto himself.

She didn’t even jerk as the electricity crackled and snapped around him, and glancing down, he was astonished to see a protective glow of yellow light skimming her body.

“Mom Two!” Gwen yelled and ran to them.

“I’m all right. Your mother got that protection spell off just in time,” the woman said into his collarbone. He released her just as Gwen reached them. She hugged her glowing mother, ignoring the electricity as it embraced her, then turned a look on him that was so filled with admiration and gratitude, it had his chest swelling with pride.

“Thank you,” she told him, gently touching his face. Her mothers embraced, their voices a low murmur that seemed to fade when he caught that sweet wildflower scent that always seemed to surround Gwen.

He didn’t want her thanks. He wanted her. “My pleasure. It seemed you could use a hand. I hope you don’t mind that I interfered.”

“Mind?” She shook her head in confusion. “Why would I mind that you saved my mom?”

“Some women don’t hesitate to make it clear that they don’t need to be rescued by a man. I had an idea that you might follow that belief.”

“There’s not being a victim, and then there’s being stupidly stubborn and not taking help when it’s offered,” she said, giving him a swift hug. “My mom’s life was at stake. I am more than happy to have your assistance saving her from that bastard.”

“What the devil just happened here?” They both turned when Ethan marched over, scowling fiercely at Gregory. “You, sir! You stole the very lightning from the heavens and wielded it as if it was a weapon!”