Open All Hours (Carnival Magic 2) Read Online Free Page A

ladies’ clothes, I thought I should bring this as well.”
    Gratefully, Leesa took the bag. It held scented shower gel and lotion, deodorant, and a travel toothbrush and toothpaste. “Thanks.”
    “Get the water the temperature you want first with the right and left knobs, then turn the middle dial.”
    Leesa did as instructed and the heated water fell in sheets from three showerheads imbedded in the ceiling. The room filled with misty steam. In awe, Leesa dropped the robe and stepped under the spray. A pleasured sigh slipped out of her as she stood beneath the streaming water and lathered herself all over with the orange- blossom scented gel. After, she applied the lotion, and deodorant, then brushed her teeth hurriedly.
    Dressed in the tank top and jeans, she pulled the T-shirt that proclaimed “Graham’s Greatest Show” over her head. Now that she was clean and dressed, she thought briefly of escaping out of the window, but decided against it. If nothing else, she had to ask Ellie where she got that gel.
    The other three were sitting at Vol’s eight-person dining room table, empty glasses and white paper bags shoved to one side. Leesa stood there, thinking about her options: Stand like an accused criminal or take a seat next to one of them. Ellie seemed like the logical choice as she was a woman, but Vol had shown her a lot of kindness. She split the difference and sat between them.
    “So,” Arthur said, looking at both Leesa and Vol. “What happened that you called us away from the carnival? Saturdays are busy nights.”
    “Carnival?” Leesa repeated. Okay, this was weird. Was he a sideshow act or something? Did he turn into a lion?
    “Yes, he runs the show. I help out sometimes. My best friend works there too.” Ellie pointed to her shirt. When Leesa looked at it closer under the full lights of the dining room, it sparkled. Depending on how the light hit it, the design reflected a Ferris wheel or a magician with a top hat and cape.
    “It’s just across the way,” Arthur pointed. “That’s why we were able to get here so quickly, even with El running back home for clothes.”
    Leesa looked at both men, waiting for one of them to speak. Finally, Ellie filled in the gaps to what was discussed when she was in the shower. “Vol told us about your shift. A cat, right?”
    Leesa nodded.
    “He said that you might have been magicked because your change was quick, uncontrollable, and painful. That’s why he called us. He thought we might be able to help.”
    “You’re not… scared? I thought you’d be.” These people were acting like she’d said she had something normal like tennis elbow or a touch of psoriasis.
    “No, but I can tell you are. It’s okay. My first shifter encounter threw me as well. But luckily I was too drunk to be scared.” Ellie laughed and it was a bright, bell-like sound. Leesa relaxed.
    “There are more… shifters?”
    Both Arthur and Ellie looked accusingly at Vol. “Hey,” he said. “I’m not good at breaking news. I’m the chef, remember?”
    “What news?” Leesa’s voice was starting to tremble and it jumped an octave. She winced. Her career had taught her to be cool in any situation, and she’d embraced that. But her training didn’t extend to how to deal with magical shape shifting. She twined her fingers together in her lap to stop their trembling.
    “Okay, fine. This is going to be an information overload for you,” Arthur said. “Your change may have been brought on by magic, a curse of some kind, you said. I deal with and come across a lot of magic in my field, so I may be able to help narrow down what happened to you. And yes, there are shifters -- plenty of them who were born to the change. Vol is one of those.” He shrugged, and tugged on his moustache.
    “I’ll help you with this,” Vol started.
    “No! You… you could have told me this earlier. What are you?”
    “A bear. Grizzly to be specific.” He looked at her closely to gauge her