by Shona Husk
More likely they’d all end up with a hangover and spend Sunday eating chocolate and watching rom coms in their PJs. Which didn’t sound like a bad way to spend the day. Alexis took a large drink of her champagne. “So, when do we start?”
“Just waiting on Jayne. Then we’ll ask Freya for some help.”
Alexis grinned like it was the best plan Bethany had ever come up with. If Alexis was an ancient goddess being dragged out of retirement to help a few women who couldn’t get a date, she wouldn’t be very impressed. Although it might be nice to have worshippers again.
She checked out the circle and altar in the living room, decorated with a Freya statue, pink candles, and something to represent each element. Each time it was more elaborate as Bethany did more reading on how to be a witch. As long as they didn’t accidentally summon a demon—not that she believed in them either—they’d be fine. She was sure Bethany knew what she was doing. Alexis snagged a chocolate-coated strawberry from the plate on the coffee table that had been shoved against the wall.
Bethany had gone all out with the theme. Rose petals on the floor, pink sheets covered the usually brown sofa, chocolate and champagne. It was very date like, like a planned seduction. She couldn’t imagine doing anything like this in her apartment. Or even trying to seduce a guy. Bethany had told them all to wear sexy lingerie, and the best Alexis had been able to put on was a pink t-shirt bra and matching thong. They matched and they were pink, so that kind of fit the requirement. From experience, no man had ever bothered to appreciate her underwear when they were getting naked.
Jayne arrived in cloud of pink tulle and a feather boa. She downed her champagne in one big swallow and then topped up her glass. “I’m here. Let’s do this. There’s a hot thing at the gym that really needs to notice me.”
“You can’t do this with someone in mind,” Bethany said. “Free will, remember?”
Jayne pouted. “Fine. There’s plenty of them. I guess any of them will do. It’s been so long I’ve forgotten if my bed squeaks.” She rolled her hips just in case someone didn’t understand what she was implying.
Alexis tried not to roll her eyes. She doubted it had been more than a month since Jayne had been single. She, on the other hand, hadn’t gone on a date in three months. No one had caught her eye and the man she really wanted was the one who never looked twice at her. Or if he did look twice it was so subtle she didn’t notice.
His smile filled her mind. She couldn’t think of him.
What did it matter? This wasn’t going to work. The money charm hadn’t worked. The spell they’d done to help Bethany get a new job had failed. Nadine getting pregnant had more to do with biology than magic.
But Alexis took her seat at the edge of the circle and watched as Bethany raised a circle and greeted the four elements. The first time Bethany had done that, Alexis had stifled a giggle. Now it was soothing, almost like the church rituals her parents had made her sit through as a child. They still prayed for her, but she couldn’t be bothered going. There was no point in praying to a god that did nothing.
That included Freya.
Bethany had written something they were all supposed to chant, repeating the lines after her. Alexis didn’t pay attention to the words. She said them by rote, having done this enough times before. After this they were going to watch a movie and have some nibbles and hang out. That was why she was there. That was why she came every month and sat through this part. She liked being with her friends and this was the one night a month when they all got together.
The flames flickered and grew long for a moment. The hairs on her arms stood on end. The urge to sneeze was back, but if she broke the spell Bethany would be annoyed. The incense tickled the back of her throat and her skin was doing that tingle like there were spiders running over her flesh.
She shuddered.
If Peyton knew she was doing this, he wouldn’t have offered to write a reference. He’d be laughing his ass off. She quickly tried to erase thoughts of him before she did something to break his free will—but that would imply she believed in this stuff and she didn’t. Did she?
She said the last word of Bethany’s chant. Silence filled the room. It seemed to swell and consume everyone like a living thing. She couldn’t breathe. The room became unbearably hot, as though she were baking in an oven.
“Are you all right?” Bethany peered at her and the room was sideways.
Alexis blinked a few times. “Fine?”
The lights were on and everyone was staring at her. It was then she realized the room wasn’t sideways, she was lying down. She struggled to sit up.
“How much did you drink?” Jayne sat on the sofa and sipped her champagne.
How much had she had? “Just one glass, I think.” She shook her head and tried to clear the noise in her ears. “I’m fine. It was the incense. It always makes me feel a bit…” How did she describe it? “I might be allergic to it.”
Bethany stared at her. “You fainted because of incense?”
“I got light headed. I’m fine now.” She smiled as brightly as she could manage. She had no idea what had happened. Or what was wrong with her. She didn’t feel one hundred percent fine. Her skin was buzzing like she was made out of one thousand bees. Maybe the room was too hot, and there was still too much of that damn incense scratching at the back of her throat. “Can I get some fresh air?” She used the sofa to pull herself up to standing. “Did you finish the spell?”
But even as the words left her lips she was sure it had worked. Something was different this time.
Bethany glanced away. “You were breathing so I finished. I couldn’t let all that magic go to waste.”
No, of course not, that would be silly. Magic should be used after being gathered. Alexis held herself still. She didn’t believe in magic, so why did it matter? Where had that thought about magic gathering come from?
It must have been something Bethany had said.
Jayne handed her a glass of water that she gratefully accepted, gulping it down like it had been hours since she’d last had a drink. She was still too warm and her heart was beating too fast. Definitely allergic to the incense. She tugged off the pink sweater, glad that she’d put a pink singlet on underneath. Bethany opened the window and Alexis leaned out and drew the cold air into her lungs. For a moment she was as light as a feather. If she jumped she’d fly, not shatter on the ground.
Those thoughts were not like her at all.
Maybe she was getting the flu. It was spring, but it could be a late flu. Except she didn’t feel sick. She felt…invincible.
Also by Shona Husk
Sci-fi Romance
Severed
Hungry Touch
Obsidian Rim (Dead Suns series)
Mercenary Royal, Mercenary Ethics
Decadent Moon series
Lunar Exposure #1, Lunar Reunion #2, Lunar Dancer #3
Dirty Sexy Space series (written with Mel Teshco and Denise Rossetti)
Yours to Command, Mine to Hold, Ours to Save
Takamo Universe
For God and Mars
Last Run of the Ice Duchess
Fantasy Romance
Arcane series
Dark Vow #1 and Dark Secrets #2
Warrior Queen
Saved by the Trickster
Servant of the Forest
Paranormal Romance
Coven of the Raven
Cursed, Hunted, Embodied, Stolen
Blood and Silver
Lady of Silver #1, Warrior of Fire #2, Maid of Ice #3
Shadowlands series
The Summons #0.5, The Goblin King #1,
Kiss of the Goblin Prince #2,
For the Love of a Goblin Warrior #3
Annwyn series
Court of Annwyn
The Outcast Prince #1, Lord of the Hunt #2,
The Changeling Soldier #2.5, To Love a King #3
The Tenth Life of Vicki Torres #3.5
Court of the Banished
> The Darkling Lord #4
Singer of Death #5, Taming the Assassin #6
Bitten Backstage series
Kissing Phoenix #1, Tasting Thanatos #2,
Sharing Sirius #3, Enchanting Absinthe #4
In a Bottle series
Boyfriend in a Bottle, Temptation in a Bottle,
Lover in a Bottle
Brightwater Blood
An Elemental Tail
Contemporary Romance
Secret Confessions: Housewives of Sydney—Meagan
Secret Confessions: Backstage—Kelly
In the Spotlight
Diving into Trouble
The Messy Maiden
Face the Music
Out of Rhythm, Out of Place, Out of Time, Out of Chances
About the Author
Shona Husk lives in Western Australia at the edge of the Indian Ocean. Blessed with a lively imagination she spent most of her childhood making up stories. As an adult she discovered romance novels and hasn’t looked back. Drawing on history and myth, she writes about heroes who are armed and dangerous but have a heart of gold—sometimes literally.
With stories ranging from sensual to scorching, she writes paranormal, fantasy, sci-fi and contemporary romance. You can find out more at
www.shonahusk.com
[email protected]
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