Kept Read Online Free Page A

the building now, I couldn’t help but think: If only such memories could make therapy any easier .
    The office, up on the fourteen floor, had the cleanliness of a hospital. It smelled germ-free and had a large waiting room with lots of seats. I went straight past the receptionist to the meeting room, and before I even walked in the door I smelled the welcome scent of coffee and fresh pastries. Dr. Frank liked to keep his patients as happy as he possibly could under the circumstances.
    The meeting room had been set up for us, with the chairs forming a circle. Off to the side was a small table with refreshments. For the sake of my sanity, I’d arrived comfortably early this time, and the first thing I did was search for my friends.
    I spotted two other members of my therapy group: Raj, the minor Indian deity, and Tyler, a dwarf. Raj nodded my way like he always did. Therapy session wouldn’t be the same without Raj clutching his antibacterial wipes. Like humans, I couldn’t see his multiple arms, but I bet his hands were covered with gloves to keep the germs away. With the way people kept coughing all over the place this winter, I might feel inclined to wear them, too.
    From his seat, Tyler offered a wave and then smiled. It was a rather attractive one; Tyler was a dwarf who could have worked as an underwear model. Although a dwarf, he was actually one of the tallest guys here, except when hunched over like he was right now. My poor friend tried his best to appear smaller, more dwarflike, but it was rather difficult, and I’m sure that gave him even more stress.
    Two other friends waved from their seats: Abby theMuse and Heidi the mermaid. Heidi’s wave was far more exuberant than Abby’s. The Muse always melted into the background and usually only spoke when spoken to. But when Abby had joined the others in the group to help me fight the Long Island werewolves, I’d seen a side to her that had been a lot more animated.
    A warm hand touched my shoulder. Only Thorn could sneak up on me like this without a scent or sound. Dressed in a black trench coat with a black fedora, the white wizard gave me a tantalizing grin. His hat was tilted forward, causing his black hair to cover one of his eyes. His other eye, dark and mysterious, danced with mischief. My heartbeat quickened. It felt good to know someone looked forward to seeing me.
    “You look wistful today.” Nick Fenton leaned in close enough for me to take in his handsome face, from his strong chin up to his midnight eyes. He was so close his casual greeting felt wonderfully intimate. But after seeing Thorn this morning, I felt awkward: The potential relationship I’d been building with Nick had been pushed a bit off-kilter.
    “I’m just a bit tired. With the trials coming and all.” I inhaled deeply and waited for the scents to tell me about the man in front of me. Maybe today was different. But, as usual, the only thing I caught was the smell of the others around me. Nick was a blank canvas.
    “Do you want to talk about it—”
    Our conversation was cut short as Dr. Frank came in and told us to sit down. The old wizard patted Nick on the back in greeting and directed him to a chair. By the time I’d grabbed a coffee and moved to sit, there was only one seat available, and it was right next to the newest member of the therapy group: the wood nymph named Starfire Whimsong. He was as laid-back as ever, dressed in shorts and a T-shirt. On a wintery day. Evenworse, his ethereal forest magic couldn’t cover up the obvious fact that he stank. It was pretty bad today.
    I sat and tried to think happy thoughts. Across the room, Nick glanced at me with concern. He mouthed, “You want to trade places?”
    As much as I did want that, I couldn’t do it. I was there for therapy. If Starfire brushed up against me, I wouldn’t fall over twitching. That was what my antibacterial wipes were for.
    On the other side of Starfire sat Lilith. A succubus who, unfortunately, still