Deja Voodoo (A Cajun Magic Novel) (Entangled Suspense) by Elle James Read Free Book Online Page B

luck getting hold of Lucie?” Calliope circled the recliner and stood in front of her.
    Alex sighed. “I called no less than twenty times. She wasn’t answering her phone.”
    “We could make a trip out to Madame LeBieu’s place.”
    “Since you didn’t cancel on Mom, we can’t until after dinner.” She pinched the bridge of her nose to ward off the headache threatening to explode there.
    “Then I guess we’re stuck.” Calliope sat on the other end of the couch. Sport dropped to the floor beside her and laid his head on her knee. She patted his hair, smoothing her fingers through the reddish-gold strands.
    “So how did it go today?” Alex asked again.
    Calliope grinned broadly. “We made progress.”
    “What do you mean, progress?”
    Still petting Sport’s head, she continued, “Since Sport is physically a man, I’ve been teaching him how to act like one.” She sat forward and patted the seat beside her. “Sport, sit.”
    Sport glanced up, his dark eyes gleaming. He pushed up to his hands and knees and stood, then plopped on the couch, like a sloppy teen.
    “Good boy.” Calliope pulled something out of her pocket, unwrapped it and popped it into his mouth.
    As Sport chewed, his eyelids drooped and he leaned into Calliope with a sigh.
    “What did you give him?” Alex asked.
    “Chocolate.” Calliope dug another out of her pocket and tossed it to her.
    Alex caught it with one hand. “You’re not supposed to feed dogs chocolate.”
    “But he’s not a dog.” Calliope jumped up, grabbed Sport’s hand, and pulled him to his feet. “And come see what else we’ve been working on.”
    Convinced she was living in some really bizarre nightmare, Alex dragged herself out of the lounge chair and followed her friend to the kitchen table.
    “Look what Sport can do.” Calliope handed the man a fork and stuck a plate of spaghetti in front of him.
    “Are those my leftovers from Saliano’s? I was going to take them for lunch today and completely forgot.”
    “ Shh . Let him show you his new trick.” Calliope stood beside Sport. “Eat.”
    He glanced up at Calliope and down at the plate. His hand shook and the fork tilted sideways as he dug into the spaghetti, then lifted it to his face. Some of the spaghetti made it into his mouth, some landed on his lap. But he smiled as he chewed.
    “Good boy.” Calliope patted his head and brushed a napkin across his cheek. “And he can talk.”
    “You’re kidding me.”
    “No, listen.” Calliope took the fork from him and laid it on the table. “What’s your name?”
    “Woof!”
    Alex shook her head with a groan. “I don’t know why you’re bothering.”
    “No, really, he can do it.” Calliope faced Sport and bent to get at eye-level with him. “What’s your name?”
    Sport stared from Calliope to Alex.
    “It’s okay,” Alex said.
    He turned to Calliope and puckered his lips. “Sport!” The sound was more like a bark, but he’d done it. He’d said his name.
    Alex’s brows shot up. “ Wow . For a dog that just became a man last night, I’d say he’s making progress. Can he say anything else?”
    “He knows six words.” Calliope waved a hand at her. “You try. Say hi to him.”
    Feeling silly, as if she was talking to a child when the figure before her was clearly a man, she said, “Hi.”
    “Hi!” Sport said in immediate response and so forcefully, Alex jerked back and laughed.
    “Very good boy.” She reached out and caught herself before she patted his head.
    “He can say bye, please, thank you, and good.”
    “I am impressed. All in one day?”
    “Just think what he could do in a week.”
    She shook her head. “He’s not going to be human for a week. Not if I can get hold of Madame LeBieu or Lucie.”
    Calliope’s smile faded. “Ah, but I like Sport like this.”
    “You liked him as a dog.”
    “But this way I have a man to hang around with.” She smiled again. “And he’s pretty darned good-looking for a man, don’t