Free Witched to Death by Deanna Chase

ear. “I mean, how will I survive without this fine specimen to keep me warm at night?”
    Zelda’s eyes practically rolled out of her head. “You’re not going to the pokey. Once Baba Yaga gets here, we’ll explain everything.”
    “When will that be?” I asked, glancing at the clock. It was already well after midnight.
    “Early. She’s dealing with another crisis up north. Everyone is to stay put until she gets here. Got that, Sassy?” Zelda stared pointedly at the other witch.
    “Got it, but if Jeeves and I get a little loud later, it’s because I want to make sure he remembers me in case things go south.” Sassy grinned at Jeeves and for the first time all night, he grinned back.

    I woke to Diesel rummaging around in the room.
    “What’s going on?” I asked, sitting up, rubbing at my eyes. It was still dark out, but the moon shone through the window, illuminating my Shifter as he pulled on a pair of jeans.
    “There’s been another attack. Zelda and Mac are going to check it out. Fabio and I going with them,” he finished buttoning his pants and sat to pull on his boots.
    I swung my legs out of the bed, my feet hitting the cold wood floor. “I’m coming with you.”
    He reached over and placed a light hand on me. “No. Stay here with Sassy. I’m going because I want to see if I can identify the attacker. But since I’m still shiftless, it’s going to be enough to keep myself safe. I don’t want to be worrying about you as well.”
    I frowned, not liking that at all. “Do you have to go?”
    “I’m afraid so.” He leaned over and kissed the top of my head. “If I want to break this curse, I need to figure out who’s behind it. There’s a good chance this new attack is the same witch.”
    His answer wasn’t what I was hoping for, but it was hard to argue his logic. “What happened?”
    “Another shifter was almost taken out by the same puke-green magic. A were beaver this time. He was on his way here to have his teeth fixed after they were knocked out in a bar fight.”
    I couldn’t help it. I laughed. “A toothless beaver? That really sucks balls.”
    “It would for sure.”
    “But this means Sassy is cleared, right?” I asked. “I mean she was here all night.”
    “She was as far as we know. But even that’s not conclusive since we were all sleeping. The attack happened less than a mile from here. What if she slipped out?”
    “Dammit!” I climbed out of bed then, knowing any possibility of sleep wasn’t going to happen now. “This is really effed up.”
    He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me in, brushing his lips over mine. “You’re right. It is. But we’re going to figure this out. Try not to worry. And stick close to Sassy and Jeeves. They can protect you if anything happens.”
    “All right,” I slumped against him, taking in his oak scent. “Be careful, okay?”
    “I will.” Then he dipped his head and caught my lips in a fierce kiss that left me breathless. A second later, he was gone.
    I pulled on the cotton pajamas, robe, and thick wool socks Zelda had loaned me. If I was going to be awake, I was going to make myself useful.
    Tiptoeing past the room Sassy and Jeeves shared, I heard low murmurs, followed by a giggle, then a satisfied moan.
    “I guess she wasn’t kidding when she said she was going to make sure he didn’t forget her,” I said to myself and made my way down to the kitchen. Flicking the light on, I peered around the gourmet kitchen and smiled to myself. Even if the world was going to shit, there was still coffee and plenty of bacon.
    A half hour later, I had a full platter of maple bacon, a giant stack of pancakes, and warm buttermilk biscuits. A carb fest, sure, but who cared? Diesel and I would work the calories off later.
    I’d just poured a large helping of warm, real maple syrup on my pancakes when I heard a knock at the door.
    I froze. “Who is it?”
    “Open up,” a woman’s voice called. “It’s Diesel. He’s hurt.”
    I