by Emma Dean
Then the silver started to take shape, rising from the bowl. Both Audrey and Mika leaned back, unsure of what might happen next. The spell just said it would turn into something she could wear.
Clank.
Mika eyed the piece. “The book says it’s supposed to take on a shape that represents the witch whose blood is used.”
They stared at the silver.
“That’s not foreboding or anything,” Audrey muttered.
She handed the book over to Audrey and picked up the bracelet. “Definitely not promising,” Mika agreed.
There was no trace of the blood that had been used and Mika’s cut had already stopped bleeding. She wrapped it up once with healing gauze and secured it with some tape. Then she eyed the bracelet again.
It wasn’t a normal bracelet. It clasped around the wrist, but that was where the similarities to typical bracelets ended. Coming from the circle bit were silver attachments similar to chains that connected to five rings. And the silver looked like bones. Once it was on, a skeleton would be over her hand.
“Not less conspicuous either,” Mika muttered, finally picking it up.
“Want to test it out?” Audrey asked excitedly.
“Absolutely not.” Mika glared at the other witch as she clasped it around her left wrist. She began removing her other rings and set them carefully on the table. “If I’m going to test it on anyone it’s going to be Crystal, not you.”
Audrey picked up one of her rings and inspected it. “I doubt you’ll kill me.”
“I said no.” The rings of the bracelet fit on each finger perfectly from her pinky finger to her thumb. It was weird. And the metal was heavy. It left almost a physical weight on her chest Mika didn’t particularly like.
“Okay, then show me how to compress magic the way you do.” Audrey eyed the silver glittering under the snowy light. “I’ve never seen someone do it the way you do.”
“It takes practice.” Mika took off her other glove and inspected her hands. No tingles, and she didn’t feel like she could hurt someone either. The weight on her chest was slowly easing as she got used to it, but she knew her connection to the universe was bound.
No magic unless she took it off.
“This is terrifying,” she whispered, flexing her fingers. “I’ve never been completely cut off from magic before.”
Audrey looked at the bracelet like it might burn her if she got too close. “So you won’t be able to kill anyone with a touch, but you definitely can’t try out for the Morgana Marauders either. We really need to sort out your block and shit. Is there a therapist on campus?”
The other witch started stacking the blood magic books and pulled out a battle magic book. Mika didn’t know what to say as Audrey started flipping through the illustrations. She was right of course. Now Mika couldn’t do any magic at all.
“I don’t know if there’s a therapist. But I wouldn’t tell them about the blood magic even if I went to go see them.” Mika grabbed a notebook from her bag and slid it over to Audrey. “Here are some of my basic equations. Each spell has its steps right? Well I take those steps and compress them. Then I practice until I can focus the magic correctly. Then I compress it again. And so on. It takes time, but it’s doable. There are certain sigils and runes that I’ve already done the math for.”
Audrey looked up from the notebook in shock. “You created your own sigils.”
Mika shrugged. “Kind of. They’re just combinations. It’s not that hard to do, but not easy to perform if you don’t have the concentration, or power.”
“Holy shit, girl. Once you get that block removed, you’re going to be unstoppable.”
It was weird, looking at the notes she’d started over five years ago. Compressing spells had been one of her favorite projects and she’d been really good at it. Thank the Fates she’d never showed off her magic or projects. Claire had been brilliant and beautiful enough as the oldest to take up most of the attention.
Until she’d left. But even then Claire had been a stellar witch and their parents never stopped talking about her.
Staring at the notebook, Mika didn’t feel like she’d ever be able to get through her mental block.
“Mika? Uh, they were looking for you,” a small, quavering voice said.
Mika looked up and was somehow not surprised to see Kenzie standing there with her three hotties behind her. The frightened looking male witch scurried off when Kenzie grinned.
“Hello my witchy bitch.”
16
Kenzie sat down at the stone table with that trademark ‘I don’t give a fuck’ grin and Audrey and Mika just stared.
Then Audrey looked at the men still standing at the door, looking around the sun room like it smelled bad or something.
“So Eisheth told me we might end up cousins,” Kenzie said. “Hence the nickname. We can work on it if you don’t like it though.”
Mika didn’t know what to say. She just…had no words.
“Cousins?” she finally managed.
Kenzie shrugged and pulled the pile of books on the table closer to her. Audrey instantly grabbed them and yanked them back. The fox with the hair as bright red as Kenzie’s growled and Audrey had the audacity to growl back.
“I already know about the blood thing. Eisheth is a gossipy bitch,” Kenzie said. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Audrey. Then she turned that glare onto Mika. “Who’s this?”
“Tell me how the hell we could possibly be cousins?” Mika demanded, crossing her own arms over her chest.
Kenzie Kavanagh didn’t scare her.
If anything her powers as a void could be a blessing if Mika couldn’t get her shit together.
The void witch rolled her eyes and looked over at her mates. “Eisheth is my demon godfather. He’s also adopted a few others like us. The other day he popped in for his scheduled visit to train me and mentioned he heard whispers of his name at the University of Morgana.”
Kenzie leaned forward to inspect the ingredients on the table, picking up the silver ingot.
A demon godfather.
Why did that sound so terrifying? Mika didn’t need more people nosing into her life, let alone a damn demon.
“Anyways, Jess says it makes us cousins, so I figure that’s what we’re going to call it from now on.” Kenzie grinned at Mika and then looked back at Audrey.
“I like her,” the cocky redheaded dude said. “She’s got good growl.”
Mika wanted the earth to open up and swallow her whole. She had never had to interact with the void’s mates, but that didn’t mean she wanted to. They were nothing but chaos.
The quiet one came forward until they were barely an inch away from each other. This one had red hair so dark it was burgundy. Mika stared up at him – her entire body tense. She had no idea what he had planned, but it put her on edge.
Suddenly his hand snatched out too fast for her eyes to easily follow. He gripped her wrist and yanked it forward, peering at the silver bones. “This looks intriguing.”
“Hunter, did you find a new friend?” the black-haired one asked, coming up behind Kenzie to put his hands on her shoulders.
The three of them made Mika feel caged. She yanked her hand out of Hunter’s grip. “If you’re so interested, maybe you’ll volunteer to be my test subject.
Mika didn’t expect Hunter to tilt his head at her, eyes flashing with amusement. The serious look on his face hid the truths she could see in those strange, gold eyes. “Test subject? If that’s what you need.” Hunter sat down next to her and held out his hand. “I’ve been a test subject before.”
She shared a look with Audrey. This one was definitely psychotic.
“Why?” Mika asked.
Hunter didn’t blink. It made her heart rate pick up – even without the bracelet binding her magic; this one would be hard to kill. “You’re helping Kenzie. So I’m willing to help you.”
Mika hadn’t honestly expected Kenzie to take her up on the offer. After all
, the other witch was nearly a decade older than her. But…she’d meant what she’d said. Mika would do whatever she could to help Kenzie adjust.
Weirdos had to stick together.
“I could kill you,” Mika warned him.
“Oh, this is definitely going to be my new favorite game,” the cocky one said. He sat down at the large stone table with a grin and watched Mika eagerly.
Kenzie just smiled slightly. “You haven’t met them officially, but these are my mates. Finnick.” She pointed to the one who’s hair matched hers—Fates, he was tall. “Ash.” Kenzie placed her hand over the black-haired fox’s hands, still resting on her shoulders. “And then Hunter.”
Audrey shifted awkwardly.
“This is my dorm mate and friend, Audrey. She was born into a human family.” Mika tilted her head slightly and eyed Hunter again. “Audrey, this is Kenzie who I’m sure you’ve already heard of. And I’m Mika.”
Hunter’s eyes flashed a glowing gold and then went back to his normal color. “A pleasure. Now, my mate hasn’t explained your situation in detail.” Then he tilted his head. “Why do you think you’ll kill me?”
Mika looked at Audrey, and then at Kenzie. She wasn’t sure what to say or do. She’d spent the last three years burying it all down deep.
“Bradley Davis assaulted her,” Audrey said quietly. “She killed someone trying to make it back home from that experience. Now Mika has a block.”
All three of the foxes growled at that and Kenzie’s eyes widened in surprise. “You weren’t on the list.”
Mika glared at Audrey. “I never tried to report him for it.”
“Why?”
Sighing, Mika wondered if she’d bitten off more than she could chew. But had she known this would be the result of agreeing to help Kenzie…
She’d probably still do it.
“Because I didn’t want to hurt Selene,” Mika said quietly. “I’d just turned sixteen and she was still engaged to him. I didn’t know I wasn’t the only one.” Hunter’s hand was still on the table, waiting for her to take it.
The void witch look pissed, but she also seemed to understand. “Selene is stronger than we give her credit for.”
“She is,” Mika agreed. “I still couldn’t tell anyone.”
“Because of who you killed?” Ash asked.
“No,” Mika snapped, hating how vulnerable this conversation made her feel.
She glanced at Audrey and the other witch whispered a few words, twisting her fingers just once. A silencing spell sealed the room.
“Thank you.”
“No problem.”
“Fuck!” Finnick shouted, making her and Audrey jump. “I really do not like the smell of magic.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t be talking about how I killed people like no one can hear you then,” Mika snapped, crossing her arms over her chest again and glaring. “It’s not because of who I killed,” Mika finally said, glancing at Kenzie. “But how.”
“Show me,” Hunter demanded.
Mika looked at Kenzie again for permission. The void witch chewed on her bottom lip in concern, but nodded.
“I could really hurt him,” Mika warned.
Mates were no joke and Mika really didn’t want the backlash from this.
“If you lose control I’ll drain you,” Kenzie promised, flexing her fingers. “Don’t worry, I can give it back.”
Mika nodded and then flexed her own hand, eyeing the silver. She unclasped the bracelet and slid each ring off. The weight instantly lifted and her power rose up in relief. It took a minute to clear her head and regain control of it all.
Something to remember if she ever took the bracelet off again.
Then Mika stared into Hunter’s golden brown eyes, wondering what kind of person was curious enough to submit himself to this.
Gently she placed her hand in his still waiting one – this fox had infinite patience. Mika didn’t dare look away from him, even as her fingertips started to tingle. She wasn’t currently frightened or worked up so the magic didn’t rise up on its own.
Mika imagined the blood in his veins, pumping through his body, and then she whispered to it.
The sharp tang of blood filled the air and the red liquid started dripping from between their hands. It pooled on the stone table, growing wider and wider. It felt like a release to finally use her powers on purpose.
Hunter grew pale and sweat started to bead on his forehead, but still he didn’t blink or look down at their hands. His gaze kept her grounded and Mika gritted her teeth, forcefully yanking her hand back despite the sweet draw of the magic.
She looked down and studied the blood covering her hand, trying not to panic. “Did it hurt?”
“No, actually,” Hunter admitted. “Though I imagine it could if you were afraid or panicking—or wanted it to.”
Everyone leaned forward to study the blood on Hunter’s hand, there was enough of it to pool onto the table.
A snap of Audrey’s fingers and the blood on the table turned to ash. “You don’t want it just…around,” she explained.
“I like her,” Ash murmured, massaging Kenzie’s shoulders. “Would it be rude to ask Eisheth exactly how many cousins he’s planning on giving you?”
Kenzie laughed and pressed her knuckles to Hunter’s forehead to feel how clammy he was, leaning across Mika. “I don’t think he even knows.”
She really wished they would stop saying his name.
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a blood witch,” Hunter said. “But I could contact some of the foxes I know and see what they have in our archives.”
“I would appreciate that.” Mika took a napkin and carefully wiped the blood from her hand. “So, what can I help you with Kenzie?”
“Would you babysit my foxes while I take my class?”
Instantly Mika went still. She shot a look at Audrey. “Babysit them?”
Kenzie shrugged. “Yeah, they can’t take my class with me since they’re shifters and aren’t allowed to enroll, but they refuse to let me come here alone. They need entertaining.”
Finnick rolled his eyes and sighed loudly. “We’re not children.”
The void witch kicked his chair. “I’m giving you a blood witch to play with, be thankful.”
“Who can do battle magic,” Audrey said. “She’s training me actually. Tryouts are tomorrow.”
It was Mika’s turn to kick Audrey’s chair under the table. Her dorm mate kept throwing her under the damn bus.
“Battle magic?” Ash asked, perking up. “There’s a team? This sounds like fun.”
Hunter smiled lazily as he took the napkin from Mika and wiped the remaining blood from his hand as well. “Eisheth asked that we help you as well, Mika.”
“Please stop saying his name,” Mika gritted out. How the hell was she supposed to babysit these three, tutor Audrey, and get all her homework done every week? “Look, I have homework and shit. How am I possibly going to entertain them?”
Kenzie grinned. “I’m sure you’ll think of something, cuz.” She stood up and blew Mika a kiss. “I have a four hour class. That’s it. Only four hours. I believe in you.”
The void witch left the sun room, dissolving the silence spell as it touched her – absorbing it into her body from the feel of the magic.
Audrey and Mika stared at the foxes, unsure what to do next.
“Hungry?” Audrey asked, snapping her fingers with a single word to burn up the bloody napkin.
Ash grinned and somehow it mirrored the feral one on Finnick’s face. “Always.”
17
Babysitting three grown-ass foxes wasn’t as easy as it should have been. Hunter wouldn’t give her back her bracelet, and Audrey spent an hour cooking for them while Mika quizzed her on Latin.
Surprisingly, Hunter knew Latin as well as Mika did so she’d handed him the textbook and moved on to her own homework. The alpha fox had looked surprised – in his own way – when she’d given him the responsibility.
&
nbsp; “So explain what a block is,” Ash said, shoveling his second helping of Audrey’s cooking into his mouth – more crepes.
Mika ignored him. This wasn’t supposed to be about her. “When you are all done eating we should take a walk around the island.”
“Do you have any boyfriends?” Finnick asked Audrey, staring up at her like she was some kind of kitchen goddess.
“I can’t even get one girlfriend,” Audrey smirked. “Multiple girlfriends seems impossible.”
“Find yourself some lesbian cat shifters,” Ash said. “Problem solved.”
“Except they have to be mates,” Mika muttered, writing down the answer to her last interdimensional physics equation.
“Anyone ever tell you you’re a buzzkill, Mika?” Finnick asked, pushing his empty plate back.
Witches kept walking by the kitchen, whispering and staring at them. Kenzie had gotten everyone’s attention and now she’d left her three shifter mates with the crazy bitch and the human-born witch.
Mika glared at the group of freshmen and they scuttled off. “You’re certainly not the first, Finnick.”
Ash raised his eyebrows. “Sassy.”
“We have a lot of work to do,” Mika said, pulling at her gloves. Not having her bracelet was making her uncomfortable. She glared at Hunter again, but he just ignored her and checked Audrey’s conjugation.
“Don’t worry, babe, this is my last bit of homework,” Audrey told her. “Then we can train.”
“I want to see battle magic,” Finnick pouted. “Hurry up.”
Mika almost missed the days when she was lonely and isolated.
She picked up one of her blood magic books and started reading from where she’d last left off.
“Penis magic?” Ash exclaimed.
“I don’t think the people in the other dorm heard you,” Mika stated, turning the page. “Say it louder next time.”
Finnick snorted and Hunter peered over her shoulder. “This one of the books on your specialty?” the alpha fox asked.
“Yes.”
There was thirty seconds of blessed silence and then Finnick said, “Kenzie has blood charms.”
