Sonny and Leo: Holiday Omegas Volume One Read online

  Sonny and Leo

  Holiday Omegas: Volume One

  C.W. Gray

  Contents

  I. Cauldron Cake Pops and a Witch’s Kiss

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  II. Sugar Cookies and a Witch’s Love

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  III. Candy Hearts and a Witch’s Ring

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  IV. Carrot Cake and a Witch’s Surprise

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Afterword

  Also by C.W. Gray

  Copyright © 2020 C.W. Gray

  All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permissions contact:

  [email protected]

  Cover Design by Fantasia Frog Designs

  Edited by Kiki Clark at LesCourt Author Services

  Proofread by Willow Brooke

  Created with Vellum

  Part I

  Cauldron Cake Pops and a Witch’s Kiss

  Holiday Omegas: Book One

  Chapter 1

  Sonny hung over the railing of his balcony and watched the parking lot below. His newest neighbor shut the door of his truck and stretched his arms over his head, working out the kinks in his muscular back. The late evening sun cast shadows over his face, and Sonny wished he could get a glimpse of Leo’s beautiful brown eyes.

  Sonny yelped and gripped the rail hard when his small white cat, Flufflepuff, purred and wound around his ankles, startling him.

  “You’re going to fall over the rail and land on him,” Aaron said, yawning. Sonny’s best friend sat in a patio chair with his feet propped up. The rabbit shifter had just finished a long day of waiting tables at the diner across the street. “I swear the heels on your shoes get higher every day.”

  Sonny glared at his friend. “Hush it. You’re interrupting my ogle time.” He looked down again and whined. Leo was gone. “I only got twenty-two seconds.”

  Aaron rolled his eyes. “You’re pathetic. Why don’t you just ask the man out?”

  Sonny ran a hand through his short hair. “He’s way out of my league, Aaron. Plus, I don’t even know if he’s gay.”

  Aaron growled, and Sonny tried not to laugh. His friend was small with white-blond hair and large front teeth. He was probably the least-frightening person in the whole city.

  Sonny thought of Aaron eating lettuce in his shifted form and couldn’t hold back his laugh. “I love your growls.”

  “Don’t laugh,” Aaron said, disgruntled. “Leo isn’t out of your league. If anything, you’re out of his.”

  Sonny sat down and crossed his legs. “Have you seen all those yummy muscles? I know you saw him helping Myrtle with her groceries yesterday. He’s handsome, sweet, and hardworking. How am I possibly out of his league?”

  Flufflepuff jumped onto Sonny’s lap, so he scratched her head before stroking her sides and back. Her butt popped into the air, and he scratched that too.

  Aaron grinned. “You’re going to make me say it, aren’t you?”

  Sonny propped his chin on his fist and gave Aaron an expectant look.

  “You’re an exceptional person,” Aaron said, voice bored. “You’re generous, kind, and creative. Oh, and your ass is really nice. There. Are you happy?”

  “I don’t feel like you really mean it,” Sonny said, eyes narrowed.

  Aaron sighed. “You’re so needy. Do me now.”

  Sonny smiled wide. “You’re the most talented chef in the city. You’re a handsome and creative genius, who will one day own your own restaurant and be the envy of every chef in the country.”

  Aaron arched an eyebrow.

  “Oh,” Sonny said. “I forgot. You also have the ass of a Greek god. Gemma is the luckiest woman in the world.”

  “You two are so weird,” Gemma said from the patio door. Aaron’s wife leaned against the frame and watched them in amusement.

  “Hey, hon,” Aaron said. “We’re just reaffirming each other’s greatness. Best friends do that.”

  “He leaves footprints in my heart,” Sonny said, tilting his head to the side and grinning.

  Aaron cackled. “Leo leaves footprints in your–”

  “Hush,” Sonny hissed, but it was too late.

  Gemma’s eyes grew wide, and she bounced in place. “Sonny loves Leo. Sonny loves Leo.”

  Stupid rabbit shifters and their nosy perkiness, he thought, groaning.

  “He won’t do anything about it,” Aaron said, making a face. “He just pines on his balcony like some angst-filled teenager.”

  “You’re a witch,” Gemma said. “Can’t you just make a love potion or something?”

  Aaron winced and shook his head furiously. “Been there, done that.”

  Sonny gave her a flat look. “Do you want lovesick zombies, because that’s how you get lovesick zombies.”

  Gemma wrinkled her nose. “What the hell?”

  Sonny sat back and pulled Flufflepuff close to his chest, stroking her head. “It was seventh grade. Aaron was desperately in love with Suri Harish.”

  Aaron smiled softly. “The prettiest girl in the school.”

  Gemma’s eyes narrowed. “Do I need to cut a bitch?”

  “Settle down, bunnies,” Sonny said, waving a hand. “I’m telling a story. Anyway, Aaron was all pitiful and lovelorn.”

  “I was brooding in a very manly way,” Aaron protested.

  “Since I was his best friend and the most generous person to ever walk this earth, I decided to help him out with a love potion.” Sonny puffed his chest out. “I was just Myrtle’s apprentice at that point and the potion was very challenging, but I wanted to help my friend.”

  “He fucked it up,” Aaron said, shrugging. “He put it in the punch bowl at the school dance.”

  Gemma covered her mouth. “Why would you do that?”

  Sonny blinked. “It seemed like a good idea at the time.”

  “Almost every kid in the place wanted me,” Aaron said, grinning before he scowled. “Then things got a little out of control.”

  “They wanted him any way they could get him,” Sonny said, wincing. “They tore his clothes to pieces so they could have a strip of cloth that was close to his skin. I’m quoting here. Someone actually said that. It was disgusting.”

  “Then, it was my hair,” Aaron said, running a hand over his head to seemingly remind himself his hair was still there. “The principal locked me in a utility closet for the rest of the night so the potion could wear off.”

  “They were all like, give me the bunny!” Sonny held out his arms and moaned.

  “He got in so much trouble,” Aaron said, sticking his tongue out at Sonny. “Apparently, love potions are illegal for a reason.”

  “I was eleven, and the potion recipe was in my advanced spell book.” Sonny shuddered. “One girl attacked me for standing too close to him. They really need to leave the illegal spells out of the spell books.”

  Now, of course, So
nny understood why love potions were a bad idea. They temporarily took away a person’s free will. He would never be able to live with himself if he took advantage of a person in that situation.

  Gemma made a face. “Okay. So, no love potion. Maybe he could just ask him out. Leo seems nice, even if he is a bear shifter.”

  “His chest is so… bearlike,” Sonny said, mind drifting to Leo.

  “See what I have to deal with on a daily basis?” Aaron pulled Gemma onto his lap. “Like I said – pathetic.”

  “Have you seen his belly?” Sonny sighed and kissed Flufflepuff’s head. “It’s a little soft, but in just the right way.”

  Gemma snickered. “I kinda think he could have a lizard tail and you’d still like him.”

  “Just ask the bear out,” Aaron said and nibbled Gemma’s shoulder.

  “Why would he want to go out with me?” Sonny bit his lip. “I’m a kitchen witch working in his old mentor’s potion shop. I’m too… I make people uncomfortable.”

  Aaron gave Sonny a sad look, and he knew his friend understood what was left unsaid. Sonny’s parents had accepted him being gay since he was an omega. They could not handle his penchant for wearing feminine clothes and makeup. Omega or not, in their minds, he was supposed to be a man. To them, gender was a definitive thing, not complex and flexible.

  Sonny just wanted to be himself without any stupid expectations. Sometimes he liked heels and skirts and pretty jewelry while other times he was fine in his jeans and t-shirts. His head knew there wasn’t anything wrong with that, but sometimes he just wanted his parents to love and accept him.

  “You’re perfect just how you are,” Aaron said grumpily. “Only an idiot wouldn’t fall in love with you.”

  “Leo doesn’t seem like an idiot,” Gemma said, rubbing her chin on Aaron’s shoulder. “The Halloween party is tomorrow. I’ve invited him to come, and you’ll make your move then.”

  “Oh, will I?” Sonny tried to look haughty but probably just looked like he had something up his nose.

  “Yes,” Gemma said, giving him a hard look. “You will.”

  Later that night, Sonny worked with his new apprentice, Miles. The boy was only ten, but he was smart as a fox and worked hard. Sonny had never had an apprentice before, but he tried to make things fun for Miles.

  “When people think of witches, they picture scary old crones that like to toss curses at innocent bystanders,” Sonny said. “Of course, there are plenty of witches that do things like that, so it’s easy to understand why people might fear us.”

  “I don’t know anyone who’s cursed,” Miles said, leaning on the table. His familiar, a beagle puppy, slept under his chair.

  “Me neither,” Sonny said, shrugging. “Myrtle says they’re out there though. My point is that there’s a lot of misunderstanding about what witches do. For example, Myrtle and I are kitchen witches. We use our knowledge to protect the home and nourish the body and soul.”

  “Mom says you’re the best baker in town,” Miles said, smiling proudly. “She says Myrtle makes the potions, and you bake comfort goodies.”

  Sonny laughed. “That’s Myrtle and me alright. Then, there are garden witches, hedge witches, and a ton more. Despite seeing all of us on a daily basis, people still picture that old crone image.”

  Flufflepuff jumped on the table and sat on her haunches. Miles scratched her head. “Flufflepuff thinks that’s stupid, don’t you, girl?”

  “Meow.”

  “She said yes.” Sonny nodded, hiding his smile. “Now, the greatest gift any witch can give is comfort to those hurting. You and I are going to make some cupcakes for the nursing home down the street.”

  “What kind of cupcakes?” Miles gave him a curious look. This was what Sonny liked best about the boy. He never dismissed a task as too menial or boring. He just asked questions and jumped into the work.

  “Well, that depends on what we really want to give,” Sonny said. “Many of my friends at the nursing home deal with chronic pain, and we want to help ease them any way we can.”

  “I like it,” Miles said, smiling.

  Sonny picked up the freshly chopped peppermint. “Peppermint has healing qualities and happens to be the main ingredient in this spell.” He grinned. “It also goes well with chocolate.”

  Miles laughed, and, together, they mixed the cupcake batter, weaving in their spells at the same time. Sonny’s own brand of witchcraft was a simple and direct process, so it worked well with baking.

  By the time they were finished, they had two trays of chocolate cupcakes with peppermint frosting.

  Sonny handed Miles a cupcake. “Good job.”

  Miles attacked the cupcake, demolishing it in three bites. “So good.”

  Sonny laughed, then handed him a napkin before scooping Flufflepuff up and hugging her. She was such a good familiar.

  Miles wiped his face and eyed Sonny curiously. “Mom said that Nona told her that you have a crush on Leo.”

  Sonny blushed. “Seriously? Is nothing secret anymore?”

  “Why don’t you just ask him out? He’s really nice.”

  “Adults are complicated, Miles,” Sonny said, sniffing. “You wouldn’t understand.”

  Miles scowled. “You deserve to be happy. He would be an idiot to not like you.”

  Sonny reached out and ruffled Miles’s hair. “Just for that, I’ll show you my Cauldron Cake Pop recipe. They’re my absolute favorite.”

  Chapter 2

  Leo shut the hood of the Chevy Equinox in front of him, then reached for a rag to wipe the grease off his hands. It only succeeded in moving the grease around. He loved the smell of the garage, the wide-open space, and the constant bustling around.

  His family owned the auto shop, and usually the place was full of noise and laughter as he worked with his brothers and sisters. Now, it was late and everyone had already gone home. The quiet bothered him, especially since he knew he was going home to an empty apartment.

  This was the last vehicle for the day, so he dropped the keys off at the front desk and cleaned up his work area.

  He locked the doors behind him and activated the security system before getting in his truck. The drive to his new apartment complex was fast. It was one of the reasons he had chosen to move there. When Dillion broke up with him and kicked him out of their house, he had stayed with his parents for several months, but that had been too strange.

  The apartment complex was small, with only four buildings arranged in a loose circle around a wooded park, but it was shifter friendly. More importantly, an absolutely stunning kitchen witch lived in the apartment right above him.

  The day he toured the complex, he had seen Sonny and known there was something special about the witch. Then, once he moved in, he finally caught a whiff of his scent. Mate! His bear was ecstatic, but Leo was wary. There was no doubt in his mind that Sonny was too good for Leo.

  He parked his truck and got out, stretching a bit. He was thirty-four and had worked on his feet or under a car for many of those years. Dillion’s words filled his head. I want someone younger, someone who cares about his appearance. You’re an old, fat grease monkey, Leo, and I can do so much better.

  He shook himself and looked up. His witch was balanced precariously against the rails of his balcony, and Leo worried that he’d fall if he wasn’t careful. Before he could say anything, Sonny looked over his shoulder.

  “Get a grip,” he said under his breath. “No way will a beautiful witch want an old, fat bear.”

  “You talking to yourself?” Myrtle stood in front of his truck.

  Leo blushed. “Hey. Did you need help with something?” The witch was in her sixties and completely self-sufficient, but somehow, Leo always ended up taking out her garbage.

  Myrtle watched him for a moment, and he shifted from foot to foot. “I made you dinner.”

  Leo’s stomach growled, and he grinned. “Really?”

  “Come on, bear.” She led him to the door of her ground-floor apartment
. “Why did your parents name you Leo? You’re a bear. Wouldn’t Yogi or Baloo have been better?”

  He snorted. “It’s Leopold.”

  She made a face. “Okay. Cat-bear is much better than Leopold.”

  “I’m not a –”

  Myrtle ignored him and opened her door. “I made beef stroganoff. Hope you like it.”

  It was no secret that she owned the apartment complex, but most wouldn’t know it by her home. It was small, only a one bedroom, and cluttered to the point of messiness. Drying herbs hung in all the windows and books, trinkets, and potion bottles were piled everywhere.

  Her familiar, a ferret named Toddlebug, slept on a worn-out cat stand in front of the largest window.

  The table was already set, and Myrtle waved him to the sink. “Wash your hands and park your ass. I’ll get you a beer.”

  Leo sat and sniffed the air. The woman could cook, and his belly was thankful she didn’t mind sitting across from him.

  Myrtle set a beer in front of him and sat down. “Sonny is a good one, cat-bear. I don’t understand why you’re dragging your feet about mating him.”

  Leo’s mouth dropped open. “How did you know?” Myrtle and he had talked about Sonny before. She told him stories from Sonny’s childhood and had answered his questions about Sonny’s preferred pronouns. He hadn’t thought he had given himself away, but he must have.

  Myrtle rolled her eyes and filled her plate. “Do I look like an idiot to you? Now, is it that nasty Dillion that’s holding you back? I know a couple of curses I could use. Do you want me to curse him with flamingo feet? Oh, you should let me turn his willy into a snake. That’s my favorite.”