Chapter Fourteen
The woods surrounding Fabio’s property were dense. A foreboding wind blew and the sky darkened ominously. The trees swayed and groaned. My stomach wasn’t happy.
“Is a storm expected?” Zach asked quietly as we made our way through the thick underbrush looking for anything suspicious.
“Wasn’t in the forecast,” Fabio said, looking up. “However, Sassy is in charge of the forecast, so…”
“Sassy certainly has a lot of jobs,” I commented, touching as many tree trunks as possible to see if there was a message for me that might help. I was almost sure my wooden friends had something to say, but I couldn’t figure it out.
“We had an Assjacket job fair, and Sassy beat everyone to the sign up,” Fabio said, chuckling while thoroughly searching every inch of the forest floor. “I think she thought she was signing up to win something. She threw a shitfit when it was suggested she might want to let the others have a shot. In the end, we decided that the buildings in Assjacket meant more than division of the jobs.”
“Sassy blows up buildings?” Zach asked, scanning the area with deadly precision.
“And then some,” Fabio replied dryly. “Her mate Jeeves has been an outstanding influence on her, though. He’s the nicest man in the Universe. Loves her to a distraction.”
“I was under the impression that kangaroo Shifters were extinct,” I said.
“Jeeves is the last one,” Fabio whispered, motioning for us to get low. “Do you smell that?”
It was faint, but it was there. “Old lady crouch,” I whispered, wrinkling my nose. Sniffing the wind, I made a calculation. “About a quarter of a mile straight ahead.”
“There’s a stream there,” Fabio informed us. “Land is marshy and wet. More of a valley than flat ground.”
“Sounds right for slugs,” Zach muttered as his eyes and hands sparked with barely contained magic.
“Tamp it back, big guy,” I said, touching his arm. “If you set the forest on fire, you’ll announce we’re here. That’s bad theatre. We’re going for more of a surprise entrance. You feel me?”
Zach nodded and pulled back his power with effort. “I feel you right here,” he said, touching his heart.
My smile came automatically. “I feel you right here too,” I replied, touching my heart. I also felt him in other places, tingly places, but that conversation could wait until later. Right now, we had to find our BFF.
“Stop it,” Fabio said. “You’re both going to make me cry. If I cry, I get blotchy. I want to look my best when squishing slugs.”
“You’re nuts,” Zach said with a grin. “Truly insane.”
“And you have my genes, boy,” Fabio said, giving Zach a fatherly slap on the back. “Good luck.”
“Don’t need luck,” Zach replied. “I’ve got my mate and my father with me.”
Both Fabio and I were stunned to silence. He'd called me his mate and acknowledged Fabio as his dad. Two things that, up until now, I wasn't sure would ever happen.
Fabio cried first. I was a close second.
“Umm… I meant that in a good way,” Zach said, running his hands through his hair and biting back his exasperation.
“Happy tears,” I blubbered. “I didn’t think you’d recognized our connection.”
Zach pulled me close and rested his chin on my head. “I’ve always known, Willow—from the first moment I saw you. I simply wasn’t free to act on it. Being cursed has some massive disadvantages.”
“This is one of the best days of my life,” Fabio said, sniffling and pulling himself back together. “I mean, I know we have to kill some shit and save Zorro, but to hear the word father come out of your mouth was like an orgasm that blew the top of my head off without the sex. I don’t even care if my face is blotchy.”
“Your way with words is…” Zach said, searching for something to say that wouldn’t be insulting.
“Beautiful,” I supplied. “Graphically inappropriate and slightly gross, but beautiful.”
“Thank you,” Fabio said, joining our hug.
“Welcome,” I said, kissing his cheek. “But now's not the time. Zorro first, group love-fest later.” I pointed up ahead at an oak I didn't recognize, but its rustling leaves were chittering for my attention. “I’m going into the tree. I think it wants to tell me something. And I can slip up to the top and see what’s going on. You two stay right here. I’ll be quick.”
“And careful,” Zach added sternly.
I grinned. “The trees are my home. It’s my safe place.”
Walking into the trunk of the closet and tallest giant oak, I let my body go and my magic consume me.
Being inside of a tree gave me a feeling of wholeness. It was warm and comfortable and smelled like spring and cookies. My body became a blur of golden and bright green sparkles. Gravity had no hold on me in this state, and I vibrated and shifted colors with the heartbeats of the trees.
“Hi, I’m Willow. Do you mind if I enter and take a peek around? My dearest friend is in danger, and I need to borrow you to see what lies up ahead.”
“I’m Nancy Lee,” the lovely oak replied with a wiggle of pleasure. “I’d be honored and tree-lighted to be of assis-tree-ence, little dryad.”
“Thank you, Nancy Lee,” I said. “Sponge Bob is my tree father. I’ll share your good deed with him.”
“Ohhhhhh,” Nancy Lee squealed. “Sponge Bob and I go way back to saplings. He is quite a looker, your father. So leafy and green.”
I giggled. “Thank you, I think he’s beautiful too. Do you, by any chance, have a message for me?
“I’m not sure, but do you have time for a joke?” Nancy Lee asked, sounding hopeful.
Trees and their punny jokes… “Yes,” I said. “But just one.”
Maybe I was wrong about the message. Odd. However, I’d still be able to see the lay of the land and what was happening.
“I rarely get a visit from a dryad,” Nancy Lee explained as she rustled happily. “It’s ex-tree-mely exciting! So, would you like a G rated joke,
