Page 68 of Twice Bitten

Blaze grinned. “You’re cute.”

“Yes, and he’s got big teeth, so there’s that.”

Blaze leaned forward and put her hand over the back of Leo’s seat. “I like big teeth.”

I groaned and leaned back against the seat. “Can you at least wait until I’m out of the car?”

Leo laughed. “Where to?”

I held up my app. “Can I cancel this ride?”

Leo’s eyes widened. “And ruin my five-star rating? Blasphemy.”

“I expect a refund on the side. Otherwise, I’m giving you one star for both rides.”

“I didn’t take you for a blackmailer,” Leo chided.

“And I didn’t take you for a stalker.”

Leo’s brows flicked up. “Are you sure?”

I waved a hand at him and shut my mouth.

Blaze told him her address and offered him a nightcap.

“Drop me off first, please,” I said. I’d had a long night and did not want to watch Blaze and Leo making kissy faces at each other.

Leo made a sharp turn and headed toward my house. When he pulled up to the driveway, I slunk out without saying goodbye, ready to fall face-first into bed.

He waited until I’d closed the door behind me and pulled away from the curb, Blaze now in the front passenger seat.

At least one thing worked out tonight.

The next morning came far too early. I dragged myself into Three Little Beans, grunted at G, and waved at the espresso machine.

G watched me for a moment. “Triple, eh?”

I mustered the energy for a thumbs up. The goblin chuckled and got to work.

Addy rarely scheduled me for opening shifts, preferring to have me come in a little later in the morning when the college students came in. Today was an exception, and the timing of my foray into the supernatural clubbing scene last night couldn’t have been worse.

I wasn’t out terribly late, but it was still after eleven when I finally got to bed. The alarm blaring at four a.m. jerked me out of a restless sleep, and forty-five minutes later, here I was, barely functional and even less communicative.

G rang the bell and set an enormous, steaming cup at the window. “I added a little something extra for you!”

I grabbed it with both hands and took a fortifying sip, closing my eyes as the caffeine hit my soul.

“Nutmeg?” I croaked a moment later.

“And more,” G said. “A little pick me up.”

“Thank you.” And I meant it. We didn’t use magic for most of our coffee offerings, but there were a few available, if you knew what to ask for. Most asked for G’s Triple G special, which was what this was with a little more oomph, but sometimes people wanted Addy to make their coffee and asked for her directly.

We charged a lot more for Addy’s offerings, and she didn’t make those coffees in front of us. G and I were terribly curious, but our boss refused to divulge any info about her “special” coffee, so we finally stopped asking.

Both of us were still hoping to catch her in the act of making one, but Addy, if she were a fae, was acting typical of one of their kind—secretive and shifty. Whatever magic sheperformed, she had a dedicated fan base who kept coming back over and over.

Once I’d downed my coffee, I put my apron on, tied my hair back with one of the pins I’d made for use on the Prime, and washed my hands. G’s magic hit me right as I was walking toward the front, a feeling of calm restfulness washing over me, wiping away the mental and physical exhaustion from the last few days. The effects wouldn’t last all day, but I’d get through most of my shift feeling pretty good.