Witch Is The New Black (Paris, Texas Romance #3)

She repeated her deduction to Fee. If magic doesn’t work here, Eddie’s screwed. All we have to worry about are the guillotine and the bomb.

No! He has the book, B-Bop. It trumps all else. And despite your powers, your heart isn’t magical. He needs your heart to make his transformation complete.

Right. The cease her beating heart thing. Her stomach jolted and her mouth went dry.

Bernie, forget everything else. It’s time to taunt your captor. We’re gonna make a little noise here, so distract, distract, distract! Oh, and Hot Pants says heyyyy, gurl!

Bernie fought a girlish gasp.

Ridge had come for her. That was all she needed to know as images of their night together zipped through her mind. She wanted a shot at a possible future with him, and by hell, she wasn’t going to let Eddie steal all the things she’d gained since coming to Paris—especially Ridge.

“Hey, Eddie?”

“Yes, Bernie?”

“Do you have your phone with you?”

“Thinking of calling 911?”

“As if. Why would I want any interference with my death? I was just wondering if you wouldn’t mind putting on some music? Sort of like a last-request thing? You know what I like, right?”

He looked up then and smiled, his eyes gleaming. “My Fair Lady?”

She smiled back. “Oh my God, yes! Say you have it?”

“Duh. Only every single song.” He pulled his phone from his pocket and scrolled over the screen. After pressing a button with flourish, the beginnings strains of “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly?” echoed in the cellar.

“Turn it way up, would you, Eddie? I want to really feel it.”

He did as she requested, smiling fondly at her, likely remember they shared a love of Broadway show tunes.

“All I want is a room somewhere!” she belted out.

Sweet mother of pearl, B-bop. Make it stop! You’re eviscerating Rex’s legacy. He’s weeping, just openly sobbing in his Earl Gray. Do you hear him? He’s inconsolable. Wait there while I get him a tissue.

She fought a hysterical giggle, but she sang louder as the digging became more urgent. “Oh, so loverly sittin’ abso-bloomin’-lutely still!”

Almost there, Bernie! Just—a—little—more!

She heard the strain in Fee’s voice—and then he really was there, sneaking up behind Eddie, rearing back, preparing to jump just as Ridge, and a dog wearing a sweater that looked identical to one of Flora’s, poked their heads through a hole in the corner near the wine rack.

Dirt fell in clumps from Ridge’s head and shoulders as he quietly pushed his way through with the dog hot on his heels.

Wait. A dog?

As she sang louder, Bernie shook her head at Ridge and used a finger to point upward at the guillotine she was attached to. “Far away from the cold night air!”

Ridge winced before he grinned at her and blew a kiss—and just seconds before he gave Fee the signal.

He shot his hand upward and Fee launched himself at Eddie, sinking his claws into his back, sending the book flying before Ridge bulldozed into Eddie’s chest, knocking him into the wall.

The dog with the sweater shook in violent shudders, its fur falling away as Bernie watched in horror. Bone crunched, even above the music, its paws flexing and stretching until a shape began to take form.

Bernie’s eyes widened. “Calla?”

Calla rolled her head on her neck, pushed her collarbone back into place and lunged for Bernie. “Listen to me, Bernie! Don’t move. I’ll have you out in no time flat!”

As she worked to free Bernie, wrenching away the guillotine blade then popping the chains as though they were made of nothing more than string, Ridge and Eddie fought.

Fee howled and clawed his way to the top of Eddie’s head, making him scream his discontent.

Ridge knocked Eddie to the ground with a punch so loud, so sharp, it echoed above the music. Eddie crashed to the floor, landing facedown, his head cracking against the ground and bouncing back up.

Ridge moved away from him and toward Bernie, his chest heaving.

But Eddie wasn’t out cold—not by a longshot.

With her arms finally free, Bernie caught sight of the detonator for the bomb just as Eddie was stretching his long fingers to reach for it.

Ridge must have seen the distress in her eyes because he turned and roared, “Nooo!” and made a dive for the cylinder, but Eddie was quicker than she’d have given him credit for.

As Ridge arced in the air, his intent clear—to land square on Eddie—Eddie rolled at the very moment Ridge made contact with his body, jamming a knife upward into Ridge’s gut.

As Calla tore the last of her restraints away, Bernie rose on her knees, pushed herself to her feet and screamed, “Ridge! No, no, no!”

She propelled her body forward just as Eddie shook off Ridge and made a final attempt to scramble for the detonator.

“Calla, get Fee! He’s got a bomb! Go back through the hole!” she screeched over the music.

Calla moved so quickly, Bernie’s head spun, scooping up Fee and diving for the hole as Fee bellowed his protest.