A Hard Day for a Hangover (Sunshine Vicram #3)

by Darynda Jones

“I didn’t want to be the one to tell you this, but you’re saying it wrong.” She blinked up at him and felt her brows inch together. “I’m sorry?” He turned back to her, his expression severe if not for the slight crinkling at the corners of his eyes. “Hemogoblin.” If she didn’t know better, and she really didn’t, she’d swear he was on the verge of laughing. “That’s not a real word.” She stepped back, appalled. “It most certainly is.” “Wanna bet?” She didn’t dare. “No. But it is.” “Well, hemoglobin is a word, but I’m pretty sure it doesn’t mean what you think it does.” “Hemoglobin?” “Yes.” “Glow?” “Yes.” “And it doesn’t mean—?” “No.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Then what does it mean, Mr. Smarty Pants?” “It’s a protein in your red blood cells that carries oxygen to your organs. Among other things.” “What?” She took another step back. “It’s not a head wound?” “Not that I know of.” “Oh.” Stunned, she walked to one of the chairs on the porch and sank onto it, the wood slats creaking against her weight. “I was wondering why swelling in the brain would be named after a goblin. I just thought it was left over from medieval times or something. Like when they would use a drill on someone’s skull to release the evil spirits.” “Ah.”