Dark Dreams for Prosper Read online

  As suddenly as they came, they disappeared. Babet and Prosper stared at each other with relief. Finally, Babet crossed to him and melted against him. "I want to go home."

  "Can you really do that?"

  Babet called for her yellow bungalow, and they found themselves back in their bodies. Morgana bobbed her head happily when they opened their eyes. Babet's mother and Hennie reached for her and crushed her to them.

  "You're back," Hennie said.

  Babet had never been happier to see them, happy to be home. "How did you know we were gone?"

  Hennie shook her head. "I dealt my Tarot, and I knew."

  Babet sighed. "I don't ever want to visit the Netherworld again."

  Her mother laughed. "If wishes were cabbages…."

  Babet hugged them both again. "You said that all the time when I was growing up."

  Prosper ignored their family bonding. He sat up in bed and squashed her to him. "We did it."

  She nuzzled into him. "The wraiths did it."

  "Okay, but we're here. We survived."

  Those words sealed the deal. A group hug made them all happier.

  Prosper called in sick at work. He told Hatchet about their night.

  "Thank the gods, it's over," Hatchet responded.

  Life settled back into normal. Babet called Cicero and told them that Nola was gone. She saw Claude on the street and braced herself for an unhappy tirade, but a new wraith now visited him in another city, and she was nicer than Nola had ever been.

  On Saturday, Babet, Prosper, and Hatchet bundled into her car. Prosper drove, and they stopped at the candy shop on the way out of River City. Hatchet bought lots of caramels, and they drove to Sy's house.

  When they told her about Nola, the old Indian sighed. "Good, it's done, but keep the dream catchers above your bed. Our sleeping selves are vulnerable. They'll protect you." She handed a new one she'd made to Hatchet. "I've worried about you, Druid. You're a man who makes lots of enemies. Ravinia has watched you."

  She motioned outside to the deck railing, and an ebony raven looked in at them.

  Hatchet's eyes narrowed. "Then she knows it's my job, and I have a wife who's formidable as a partner."

  Sy smiled. "You wouldn't be happy without danger, but this might let you sleep in peace."

  Hatchet relaxed. "In that case, I thank you."

  Sy looked at the three of them. "You're all good warriors. You fight for others, to protect them. Let me help you."

  They nodded in unison. They each had their own magic, but they each knew how vulnerable they were.

  Sy smiled. "I'll see you next month then. I'll ration out my caramels until then."

  Babet hadn't thought about how many caramels a day Sy could have for a month, but she would from now on. They had a new ally. And they needed every ally they could get. River City was full of magic—most of it good, but some of it, bad. And the bad could be really bad.

  On the drive home, though, she couldn't concentrate on anything practical. Prosper was safe. And he was hers. They had dream catchers on their bed. And she intended to celebrate. In their refrigerator, she had a bottle of champagne and a tray of fresh oysters. And Prosper had the night off. Life was good.

  The End

  If you enjoyed Dark Dreams for Prosper

  Find Judith online!

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  Twitter: @judypost

  There are four novellas in The Babet & Prosper Collection I and four more in The Babet & Prosper Collection II.

  The Babet & Prosper Collection I

  One Less Warlock

  Magrat’s Dagger

  A Different Undead

  Bad Juju

  The Babet & Prosper Collection II

  Beware the Bogeyman

  Celt Secrets

  The Trouble with Voodoo

  A Friend in Need

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