Free The Accidental Familiar (Accidentally Paranormal Series Book 14) by Dakota Cassidy

familiar. It’s the law. It’s how we keep each other in check. You know it and I know it. Stop fighting the tide, brother.”
    “So why don’t you tell me exactly why I need this particular familiar.” He stared right through her, burning holes in her face with his glare.
    With this new position of familiar, Poppy felt like some earthy, sage answer was in order, something that would make her sound like she knew what the hell she was doing.
    “The universe tends to unfold as it should.”
    Pulling the shirt over his head, Ricardo rolled his eyes. “From the infamous Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle . Hardly original, Sage One.”
    “Look, I’m new at this, okay? I don’t know a single thing about being a familiar other than I’m supposed to dole out advice and protect you. So there. Have some advice. I interpret those words to mean, the universe put me here with cranky you for a reason. I’m doubting the universe’s sanity right now because you’re kind of a butthead. But there it is. Take it or leave it.”
    His dark eyebrow rose in crystal clear condescension. “And I’m supposed to just say ‘let’s do this’ to someone who quotes Harold and Kumar and dresses like Paul Stanley? Nice boots, by the way.” He pointed a lean finger at her beloved platforms.
    Now Poppy rolled her eyes, tapping her fingers on the steel countertop. “Good guess! And don’t hide behind pretension. You knew who Harold and Kumar were, buddy. And I don’t always dress like this. I was at a Halloween party when this all went down. So lay off the judgey Paul Stanley shaming and let’s get this sorted out.”
    Rolling his tongue inside his lean cheek, Ricardo’s jaw tensed and clenched, the strong muscles ticking out a rhythm. “I said I didn’t want a familiar. I don’t know how much clearer I can be.”
    Roomandboardroomandboard, Poppy.
    Lifting her shoulders in a sigh, Poppy clucked her tongue and decided it was sink-or-swim time. If she was supposed to be his guide, she had to show him how stupid he was for turning her away. That she was an asset to him. Or at least make him believe she was—even if she didn’t believe it herself.
    So she put her acting hat on, the one she wore to all her Broadway auditions, and stared him right in his gorgeous eyes. “I guess that’s your tough shit then. Because I’m not going anywhere. So suck it.”
    Taking a step back, he glared at them—but mostly he glared at Poppy. “I said, I don’t want nor do I need a familiar. Now get out of my house!” he shouted, lifting his wide hand.
    And that was when Poppy lifted her hand, too. She wasn’t sure why she did it. In that flash of a moment, she knew it wasn’t because she was afraid Ricardo would strike her. Not at all. Yet, she felt as though she needed to prevent something, and throwing up her hand was her best defense.
    Turned out, she blew something up instead.
    Whoops.

Chapter 5
    A s the black and silver industrial hanging lights over the island countertop sparked and sputtered before exploding and crashing to the ground, Nina was the first to yell, “Incoming!” diving for Poppy in an effort to protect her from the spray of electricity.
    Instead of connecting with Poppy, the vampire crashed into Ricardo, who’d surprisingly taken a lunge to knock her out of the way, too, spewing a string of expletives in Spanish. As the two smashed into each other, they fell to the floor with grunts, tangled limbs and some pretty foul language.
    Nina was the first to squirm her way out of their clench, giving Ricardo a shove before she rose and shrugged off their fall.
    “Holy house afire!” Calamity howled when the dust had settled, hopping from the floor where she’d saved her hide from injury and back up to the countertop where the fallen lights crackled and spat. “ You did that, Poppy!”
    She blinked, looking up at the lights and then back to the counter. “Did what?”
    Though, she wasn’t sure her question rang true. She