Mistakes, Fried Chicken and Unlucky Mermen Read online

  MISTAKES,

  FRIED CHICKEN

  AND

  UNLUCKY

  MERMEN

  The Grimstone Island Series

  Book Five

  ROCHELLE PEARSON

  Copyright © 2018 by Rochelle Pearson. All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication nor any of the information herein may be quoted from, nor reproduced, in any form, including but not limited to: printing, scanning, photocopying or any other printed, digital, or audio formats, without prior express written consent of the copyright holder.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or deceased, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Due to sexual content and explicit language and dialogue, this book is recommended for readers 18+.

  Table of Contents

  Disclaimer

  Mistakes, Fried Chicken and Unlucky Mermen (Grimstone Island)

  Chapter One | Previously on Kokoa’s Fucked Up Life...

  And now...

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  EPILOGUE

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  ***

  WELCOME RETURNING TRAVELERS TO GRIMSTONE!

  Is someone forcing you to come here again?

  Thump.

  Thump.

  Thump.

  Don't mind me I'm just banging my head against a wall because I may or may not have just gotten myself into a very sticky and disturbing situation.

  As in waking up naked and on top of——Thump.

  Of...Lucas.

  And with no recollection of what exactly happened last night.

  Did we....?

  Thump.

  Piper is getting suspicious. I sure as hell can't look Lucas in the eye. I'm avoiding Gavin at the moment. Adrian senses something is up and is trying to get in touch with me.

  The only person I can tolerate is my witchy friend, Heidi. I plan to enlist her magic to help me figure out if I really did do the deed with....oh, my damn.

  Thump.

  We need to find out fast because we've got other problems dogging our heels.

  Turns out other things went down last night...

  Adela

  /Ad·dell·uh/

  Noun

  A magic enriched tree made entirely of obsidian rock, rooted in a moat of salt water; located near the east side edge on a supernaturally inhabited island called Grimstone. Created by six supernatural beings known as The Hallow Six, the tree’s power hides the island’s identity from mortals, and allows the walking dead to bask in sunlight without fear of turning into dust or in need of sunblock. Merfolk can shed their fins for adequate limbs to properly ride tandem bicycles. The tree is mainly known to represent the freedom of magic, the overabundance of preternatural life, and unity of any and all creatures, living or undead, among the Island of Grimstone.

  ...Although Adela’s alliance with the very place unites and encourages free lifestyles for the things that go bump in the night—chaos is always near to disrupt the order of peace. After all, it is the land of the monsters.

  Chapter One

  Previously on Kokoa’s Fucked Up Life...

  I lay like a starfish under his body. Warm body, I might add. Kinda cozy.

  “We should stay like this forever,” I suggest. Lucas nods.

  “Yeah.” His reply is muffled, then he rises on his forearms, peering down at me. I was right, that he wasn’t mad. Though the storm brewing in the sea blue of his eyes indicated he was hurting instead.

  “She’ll come to her senses soon enough,” I whisper, poking his frown.

  “How do you know?” His eyes flutter closed, leaning into my touch.

  “Because even though you go a bit overboard in the cocky department, you’re still generally a really nice guy. Sweet. Protective. Funny as hell.” I hold his jaw in both hands. The thunder clouds that loomed in his gaze, slowly retreat. “Without you...”

  “Yeah?” It comes out in a soft exhale.

  “Who would make me spaghetti?” I wink.

  He explodes in laughter, holding me tight. “Gods, Kokoa I love you,”

  “I know. Now get off me and pour us some more booze.”

  “Yes ma’am!”

  The next morning...

  I press myself closer to the muscular chest that was plastered against my back. An arm grips me tightly. I pop one strained eyeball open. Yep, there’s a man’s arm holding my bare waist. It moves up, shelving my also bare boobs.

  There is something off about this particular arm.

  I blame the foggy hangover...

  “Come here, baby.” He grunts, squishing me in his grasp, and grinds his cock against my ass. Both relieved of pants. And underwear.

  Oh, dear goddess, I try to draw up images of what went down last night...

  Nope, I got nothing. My mental search engine draws a blank.

  However, I was a tad achy... well, all over. Like I’d hit a wall, though. Skull first. A headache was swooping in. Couldn’t say that I was proud of myself right now.

  “How about another go at it, hm? You were feisty last night. I like that.” Suddenly, I was flipped up and over on top of him.

  Coming face to face with—

  “LUCAS!?”

  “KOKOA!?”

  I scream, scrambling off him, taking the sheet with me to cover my body. Too late, numb-nuts. He’s seen it all.

  Oh, gods! He slaps a hand across his mouth, realizing his recent lewd request.

  “I... we...” I stare at him in horror. His panicked expression doesn’t help. Eyes dropping to the white sheet in my clutches, then to his nakedness, he catapults from the bed—his dick flapping in the wind.

  I scream again.

  Lucas screams louder and runs out of the room.

  I was left alone, fisting chunks of hair, looking around my room that’s full of disarray.

  What did we do?

  And now...

  After every hard slap to my cheeks, painful pinch, or rough eye rub, reality hits like a bitch.

  I truly was awake.

  I slap myself again, harder this time.

  Nope, the results remain the same: Me, naked and standing in a clutter of clothes instead of bolting upright in bed, having escaped a damn awful nightmare.

  This is real.

  What occurred... is real.

  The horrific screams Lucas was bellowing right now were real.

  And about that, I slip on a tank and sweat pants and search for him. Outside my room I collide into Piper.

  Oh, shit. She’s back from visiting her family.

  “Hey, friend, hey. How’s it going? Great morning isn’t it? How ya been?”

  I clamp my lips shut and immediately tense. I had forgotten about her. Does she know?

  “Whoa, there. What are you smoking this early? And can I have some?” She laughs, shoulders lifting. That’s when I noticed she still wore outing clothes and held a duffel bag.

  “You’re now just getting home?” I held my breath.

  “Yep. Time to crash.” On cue she yawned. “Spent hours on a flight. Didn’t get a full sleep. I bet you had a better night than me—”

  “WHAT? NO! WE DIDN’T! NOTHING HAPPENED!” Smooth, Kokoa. I try for nonchalance li
ke I hadn’t just burst a freak out bubble on her. Piper frowns, clearly suspicious. She hooks a thumb in the direction of the kitchen.

  “I saw the aftermath of a food fight and the empty bottles.”

  “Oh, yeah, that. Right, right. Good times. Crazy, super crazy. I-I’ll clean it up.” I’m shifting on either foot, bobbing my head. Let her think I am on something. Beats the truth.

  “Ooookaaay. I’ll be in my room...” She hesitates, scrutinizing my expression which I try to keep neutral. It was difficult when screams erupted again from the living room. “And tell him to shut the fuck up. I need sleep.”

  “Roger that. Sweet dreams, gorgeous.” I smile, innocently. She pauses again and leans closer.

  “Seriously, what type of shit are you snortin’? It’s okay, you can tell me. Just because I’m banging a cop doesn’t mean I’m on the straight and narrow.”

  “Um—”

  “SON OF A BITCH! WHYYYYYY?” Lucas yells.

  “Is he dying?” Piper arches a dark green eyebrow.

  “Why don’t you just get your beauty sleep on and I’ll handle him.” Inwardly I wince at my choice of words. I don’t even want to think how I handled him last night. Piper shrugs and disappears into her room. Swivelling, I storm into the living room.

  Lucas was curled, rocking in a corner. Thankfully, he has on pants.

  I stomp over to him and crouched in his pain ridden face. Oh, jeez.

  “Honestly, is the thought of having sex with me that horrible?” I whisper, fiercely. Don’t get me wrong, what we did is, well, wrong, but I’m not a pathetic, soggy pb and j sandwich either.

  “It’s not that.” He frowns, gesturing to me and said, “You’re hot as hell—”

  “Tone it down some. I may barf.” I groan.

  “And if things were different—”

  “Don’t finish that.”

  “But you get my drift?”

  “Trying not to.”

  “It’s just, that’s all fantasy. Imaginary bullshit. I’d never really thought... it’ll happen.” He cringes.

  I do too.

  “Okay, calm down. Piper’s here so we can’t talk too loudly,” I say folding my legs underneath my bum. Lucas straightens, nodding, and nervously checks the hallway that led to Piper’s room.

  “We’re not telling her, right?” he whispers.

  “Of course not.” What’s there to tell? I gnaw my thumbnail, frantically thinking how to get out of this bind we’re in. I have no recollection of last night that ended with us in bed. Nor images or exact feelings of ever having sex with him...

  “Do you remember anything?” I prod. He leans forward, arms draped over his knees. Forehead scrunched in concentration. I know it’s not the time to joke but he does the same look when we play tic-tac-toe as if we’re in a stalemate in a game of diabolical chess.

  “I remember the tequila.”

  “Me too.” I wince. Damn you, fun juice. I thought we were friends? I brace for the path ahead.

  “Ummm... I remember trashing the kitchen.” He looks to me for more. Expression etched in helplessness. Lost. Was mine like that too? Most likely. Gods, I was drawing a big empty blank.

  I just don’t know!

  Breathing in and out, calming myself—I drew up last night’s events.

  We trashed the kitchen.

  Yes.

  We turned my room upside down.

  Clearly. While getting dressed I almost busted my ass on the small lake of lotion we must’ve dumped on my bathroom floor.

  “You were upset,” I say. “About Yasmin.”

  We were both approaching sensitive territory with each other. Yasmin revealed to me she actually likes his antics although she was seen getting cozy with another guy.

  Seen by Lucas who basically is two seconds from being in love with her.

  Lucas clenches his jaw. Thoughts parallel to mine.

  “I poured us more drinks,” he continues.

  “Right... right.” That’s true. Apparently, we weren’t giving any shits, straddling the line between trouble and deeper trouble.

  Then after that...?

  Lucas and I sit quietly, staring off into space, thinking...

  Thinking.

  Failing.

  I drop my head in my hands, whimpering. I feel him rub my back, soothingly.

  “Kokoa?”

  “Yeah?” I sigh, rising to meet his worried gaze.

  “No matter what happened, if anything happened, nothing will change between us, right?” He searches my eyes. “I can’t.” He pauses, exhaling. “I can’t live without you in my life and for something like this to make things with us awkward or even potentially ruin—”

  I shush him then. “Nothing will change. I won’t. You won’t. Well, unless you kill a person because that’s just wrong. Our friendship would have to end there.” That makes him chuckle, breathy, swaying strands of my hair.

  Then he detaches, suddenly horrified.

  “I’m at fault here. I-I sabotaged this friendship.”

  “Lucas, I just said nothing is ending it. What the hell are you talking about?”

  “Look.” He points to the kitchen counter littered with balled napkins, glasses, paper plates that I suddenly remember we used as frisbees.

  In the messy fray of laid down bottles, only one stood upright.

  The blood in my body turned cold.

  “That’s not what I think it is...”

  “It is,” he says in a small voice. “We were downing all the other shit we mixed together like water, I figured why not try something a little bit stronger?”

  He nailed that.

  Viper Spit.

  It’s extremely strong and only a few drops are meant to be added into less potent drinks. That’s all. I can’t believe we actually purchased it and brought it into our house.

  The entire bottle was empty.

  When humans get drunk, like severely hammered, that’s a supernatural’s tipsy. We still can get a little impaired, nothing that we can’t handle. Our metabolism is just uber superior so there are brews out there for us to actually get wasted from.

  Enter: Viper Spit.

  Brain death served to you in brandy-colored, liquid form. As I stated, only drops of it can be added to simple drinks to give it a kick. Add a shit ton more, then you’ll end up like Lucas and I after we got trampled by a stampede of bulls. Ingesting too much of it will cause the body to act like a lifeless puppet, it’s hijacked and who knows what other entity takes over because any sort of awareness is chucked out the window and then trampled on by more bulls.

  Who’s to say we actually did kill someone last night and then came home and jumped into bed—I’m not going to further entertain that.

  Memories are shot, for how long? During what time span? I don’t know. I vaguely remember seeing the numbers 6, 3, and 5.

  On a clock?

  P.M.?

  A.M.?

  As of now, it was noon.

  I groan, rubbing circles in my temples. So stupid, I only cared about not feeling, not thinking about Gavin—Ugh, that’s a lie. I do care—a whole lot, and that’s the problem. Because I should be blazing in anger and be creeped the hell out over finding his secret stash of portraits of me. Not just normal paintings, no, I have no issue of Gavin painting me without my consent. He’s a damn fine artist who can do as he pleases. It’s the many pictures of me before we’d even met has me on freak out mode.

  After I’d uncovered it, I hightailed it home, cutting short the stay at his place. I’m too much of a punk to call or face him.

  So, instead I joined Lucas in a pity drinking party. Thus the hazy decision of thinking it’s a damn good idea to knock back Viper.

  Disconnecting from the world is exactly what you wanted, my ex-friend, Conscious, said. With each plug pulled, another shot you took.

  Yay, me...

  Unlike other cases, I can’t just let it go and move on. There are hours of black holes that I need to get back. Even though
I told Lucas that nothing will change between us, I would still like to know if we really did sleep together.

  And I know just the person who can help.

  “You get started on cleaning up.” I jump to my feet.

  “Alright.” Lucas waits for me to continue.

  “I’m going to make a phone call.”

  Chapter Two

  The kitchen looked... Alright? Decent? Half-assed... I’m going with that.

  Piper is still down for the count, thank the gods for drowsy blessings. Lucas is even more on edge after I hung up the phone. Poof me into a monkey rolling in dung if I lied about feeling the same. My call was to Heidi Nightshade, our witch friend who is expecting us at Lucky Cauldrons, a potion ingredient, knick knack shop she runs with her three aunts. It’s located at the edge of the other side of town so sweatpants, a ratty shirt and a shifty expression is not the best outfit in front of many. I relayed to her about ingesting a shit ton of Viper Spit—wow, that sounds gross as hell, automatically she agreed to help. Every supernatural knows the dangers of that drink.

  My hope is she has a quick fix spell on one of the shelves of Lucky’s to regain our memory.

  And counter the trembles in my hands.

  I can’t take other medication in case whatever Heidi gives me mixes wrong.

  “Can you drive?” I ask Lucas when I meet him on the porch of our cabin domicile. He has on a dark blue tank, pairing it with khaki shorts. His tan complexion and shaggy dirty blonde hair make up his beachy theme. I clone his perfect outfit for the warm weather with faded jean shorts and a pink tank top. I show him my vibrating hands.

  “You think I’m any better?” He compared his. They were just as bad as mine.

  I sigh. Then groan.

  “I guess we’re walking.”

  ***

  “You drank, what?!” Onyx had every right to look at us like we’re the biggest fucking idiots on the face of this planet.

  Because we are.

  And should be locked in a stockade, wearing cone hats, words across it saying—We’re the biggest fucking idiots on the face of this planet!

  “Viper—oh, you know what I said.” I cross my arms, silently fuming and waiting for Heidi to come back with a temp potion one of her aunts is making. Lucas and I arrive at Lucky’s twenty minutes ago, after a near hour hike through The Forest of Vida and into town near Hallow Circle. Once we came in, jingling the silver bells above the entrance, Heidi, our purple haired friend, went to check on the potion while I faced the half disappointing and half humor-full expression of her boyfriend slash panther shifter slash familiar, Onyx Numair.