Half Past the Witching Hour (Paranormal Personnel Saga #3) by Joanna Mazurkiewicz Read Free Book Online Page A

up my street.’ Kelsie giggled, fluttering her eyelashes at my boyfriend. He smiled, putting his hand around my waist.
    ‘Don’t worry. I was planning to introduce you to one of my friends. I’m sure you two will get on,’ Quentin said.
    ‘My God, you are so depressing me,’ Kelsie fumed. ‘Where do you find these men, Julia? Handsome, rich, and offering to hook me up with someone else?’
    Kate drank some of her drink and nearly spit it out, laughing so hard. Quentin winked at me. I had to agree with Kelsie. Quentin was the complete opposite of Nathaniel. He wanted to spend time with my friends, he wanted to get to know my family, and always made sure that I was happy.
    ‘Men? I truly hope she is joking. You aren’t dating anyone else?’ Quentin asked.
    I shot Kelsie a stern look, but she was already looking around, probably for some other available men.
    ‘I’m only dating you. I’m that glad that you want to introduce her to Patrick, but he needs to be warned. Kelsie doesn’t date, she uses men and then throws them away like a used rug,’ I explained. Quentin laughed, bringing me closer.
    I had to warn Kelsie to keep her mouth shut about my past. I wasn’t ready to talk to Quentin about my ex. Besides, I had more important things to worry about, like proving to everyone that I was still sane.
    The gallery was getting busy. A few humans always slipped through the door, but these evenings were opened mostly for paranormals. Everyone looked incredibly stylish. I could smell magic in the air from the group of elves standing by one of the impressionist paintings. Quentin was scanning the space. I’d noticed that since we came in he had been glancing at the dark painting on the left that was gaining quite a lot of attention from the giants and wizards.
    ‘He should be here at any minute. I hope Kelsie stays sober until then,’ Quentin muttered, placing a small kiss down below my collarbone. I relaxed automatically, enjoying his attention. ‘I booked a table in the local restaurant. You girls want to join me and Julia later?’
    ‘Yes, of course,’ Kate said. ‘Chris hasn’t had a decent meal in ages. He has been working so hard to get all his paintings out on time.’
    Kelsie was already on her third glass of champagne and smiling at a tall, dark-haired waiter. ‘Yep, I’m in, as long as you are paying, handsome,’ she said.
    ‘Yes, the meal is on me, and now if you please excuse me, ladies, I just saw a person that I need to speak to urgently. Time is money.’
    Then off he went, with the look of determination of his face. Quentin had this superior ambiance around him and I liked that he always considered me in his decision-making process. I didn’t know much about art, but I was learning fast and he was patient with me.
    ‘So I see that the romance is evolving. Before you know it you’re going to be married.’ Kate chuckled, rolling her finger around her purple hair.
    Kelsie nearly dropped her glass. ‘Oh, come on, she won’t marry him. Quentin is too perfect. Guys like him don’t exist. I bet that he’s a serial killer or something like that.’
    A shifter in a very expensive suit was eyeing her from across the room, although she hadn’t noticed him yet.
    ‘We’ve only started dating, and I’m not rushing into anything,’ I said, feeling a little dizzy. All week I had been fighting to feel that intense magic all over me, and now my energy was back. The hair on the back of my neck rose and my fingertips became hypersensitive, drawing waves of electricity. Somehow I felt relief that I was back to normal, but I kept thinking: why now and right during an evening when I tried to relax?
    ‘Now, you’re making some sense,’ Kelsie whispered. ‘You are using him to get over that gorgeous douche that broke your heart. It’s obvious.’
    Kate shot her an angry look, but I didn’t care anymore. Nathaniel was my past and Quentin was my future. Kelsie probably didn’t get it. From what she