Free Jax and the Beanstalk Zombies by Avery Flynn Page A

grew up next to that pot and know just enough magic to be dangerous, but not enough to help anyone a damn bit–including myself. Still, I know a love spell when I see one.”
    He hadn’t planned to do it, but he’d been too selfish and lovesick to realize what a fatal mistake he was making.
    “The water began to boil and swirl. A pink mist rose up, filling my nose with the scent of vanilla and my eyes with visions of your beautiful face. It knew what I wanted and just how desperate I was. I should have known better, but I called out your name anyway. That’s all it took. I tried to take it back, but it was too late. By the time my mama returned with two big glasses of sweet tea, the die was cast. Mama told me not to worry–love spells were notorious for being weak magic and the spell wouldn’t take. But when I got back to New York, it was like the world had started to spin on another axis. Within a week we were dating, a few months later we were engaged. I should have been the happiest man in the world, but the knowledge of what I’d done ate away at me. I knew I had to reverse the spell, whatever it took. What I did to you was the lowest thing one human being could do to another. I was wrong and I am so sorry.”
    Pain shimmered in Veronica’s eyes as she zipped up her jumpsuit. “Did you reverse it?”
    “Yes.” It had taken several pints of his blood and he’d had to forfeit three years off his life, but a medicine man in Haiti had done it.
    “How do I know you’re not lying?”
    “Would you rather kiss me right now or kick me in the balls?” She flipped him off and his gut sank. “Yeah, well that answers that question.”
    She glared at him, bringing her hands up behind her neck. A moment later the onyx rabbit cameo fell to the ground. “Tomorrow morning we’ll go up that beanstalk. We’re going to find that damn harp for Antoine and make a dying man happy one last time. Then I’m going to walk out of these woods and never set eyes on you again.”
    She snapped her fingers. The magic carpet folded itself until it was the size of a business card and flew into a pocket on her tool belt. Without another word, she pivoted and marched toward the campsite, the goose dogging her heels.
    The sky let loose with a torrential rainfall, pelting Jax with icy droplets that skated across his skin. Naked, alone and shivering at the sudden temperature change, he stood in the middle of the woods that only an hour before had been filled with their laughter. He had well and truly lost the only woman he’d ever loved and it was his own damn fault.
     

     

 
    Chapter 10
     
    Dawn broke without a single sparrow’s song or bright yellow ray of light. Veronica stomped out of her tent, not giving a damn about the thick gray clouds that blocked out any hint of sunshine. All she wanted was to get this last day over with. She tossed the duffel bag with Hermes’ shoes in front of Jax’s tent. She’d rather fall than accept any gifts from him.
    One of her clients had been begging her to come to South Korea and hunt for Yongwang the Dragon King’s jade shield. She’d call them as soon as they got back down the blasted beanstalk. The Eastern Seaboard couldn’t get in her rearview mirror fast enough.
    So dark was her mood, she ran smack dab into Antoine near the beanstalk’s base, nearly knocking the older man onto his well-padded behind.
    “Well, don’t you match the skies today? You aren’t planning to slit my throat with that, are you?”
    She had a white-knuckle grip around the Chisa Katana sword’s handle. With conscious effort, she peeled one finger off at a time, then slid it into the worn leather sheath on her thigh. “Sorry. Rough night.”
    “Nightmares?”
    “Only when I’m awake.”
    “I know all of this.” He waved his hand at the beanstalk. “It has been a bit much, but it has to be done. One last trip up.” Her mentor paused and stroked his chin. “But that’s not it at all, is it? Do