by Abbi Glines
Sighing, I looked back at the Charger to see Rathe had realized his door was no longer stuck and he could get out. Rathe’s eyes weren’t on me, but he was out of the car and headed toward me with a determined stride, but his gaze was locked on my departing visitor. I was about to have to lie several times, and I wasn’t sure what lies I was going to use. This was such a nuisance I wanted to just toss out an enchantment to make him forget what he saw or that his doors were locked. Even not liking him very much I couldn’t do it to him. Messing with memory was not good for the human brain.
“Are you okay?” he asked, wrapping a hand around my arm the moment he was close enough. I glanced down at his hand and knew it was a protective gesture. As if the warlock came back he could do anything to help me if needed. My world was not for him and that reminder was well timed. Much of the pent-up anger and hurt I was holding against him began to fall away. He’d saved himself last night and didn’t even know it. I should be thankful he hadn’t wanted me. I wouldn’t be the one to have to let him go. There would be no tears and heartbreak as I pushed him away.
“I’m fine. Why are you here?” I asked him, realizing that question was becoming popular this morning. I’d asked it a few times already. Hopefully, no one else was going to show up unexpected, and this would be the last time I needed to ask it.
“I took Margo’s phone and used it to locate you,” he said, as if that was perfectly okay.
“Was Margo awake to unlock her phone?” I asked to be sure he hadn’t stolen Margo’s phone and somehow had her passcode to sign into it. Because, if so, then he had some issues we needed to discuss.
He nodded as if that were the obvious answer. “Why aren’t you at home?” he asked me then still looking at the retreating warlock, even though he was barely visible in the distance.
“I’m job hunting today,” I gave him the only truth that he would likely get about my day.
He finally looked at me, and I was relieved. I wasn’t sure when my stalker would decide to vanish or if he cared enough not to draw that type of attention. There wasn’t a lot of traffic yet, but there was enough to notice if he just disappeared into thin air.
“It’s six thirty in the morning,” he paused then and took a small step back to take in my appearance. He scanned me slowly starting at my black boots that reached my knees, grey corduroy mini skirt, and form fitting black lowcut sweater. I hadn’t personally seen the entire look on me. It was an outfit I’d seen in an Instagram ad last week and liked. I wasn’t the best at coming up with styles or looks on my own. Using magic to get dressed, required me to have an image in my head. “And you look... incredible.” He finished, staring at me with some confusion I assumed was from my sudden change in appearance, and then concern. That last one I didn’t understand or expect. He was a man, and I had been prepared for him to have that glow of adoration that came from this blasted spell. Was he that unaffected by me that even a charm couldn’t make me attractive to him?
No. I was not about to start getting all touchy. This was good. Great, even. Rathe was in no danger of me and that was one less worry to have. Like Heath had always been a safe place for me it was starting to look like Rathe might turn into that too. Except I was attracted to him the way I’d never been with Heath.
“Uh, thank you,” I said, realizing I hadn’t responded to his compliment. I’d been so caught up in my own inner battle.
“Do you have an interview somewhere?” he asked then.
He wasn’t asking me about the man who had been here talking to me and randomly walked off. He also wasn’t saying anything about why he hadn’t jumped out right away. I thought he would be mentioning his car door or at least asking questions about the stranger. Instead he commented on my appearance. I had to fight the sudden rush of giddiness that swept over me.
“No, I just wanted to get an early start,” I said.
Finally, he glanced back to the road where the warlock was now out of sight. “Did you know that man?” he asked, looking at me again.
I shook my head. “Not really. I mean no. I have no idea who he is, but he wanted money. I told him I didn’t have any but told him where the closest homeless shelter was.” That lie came too easily. It rolled out without much thought. It wasn’t as hard to lie to Rathe as I feared it would be.
“It’s not safe for you to be out here alone this early. Stores aren’t opened yet. Where could you possibly go apply at this time?”
I decided to handle this with turning the focus on him. “Why did you track my location?”
His brows drew together in an irritated way. “Because you left in the middle of the night alone. I was worried. I couldn’t sleep.”
I rolled my eyes. I doubted he had laid awake all night. He’d let me walk out of there easy enough. “I was fine, and you were relieved I left. After that... mistake, neither of us wanted to prolong the evening or be in the same apartment.” That had been a bit harsh but it was best to just get it out now and not act like it didn’t happen.
He shook his head, and his hand dropped from its grasp on my arm. “Is that what you think?”
I didn’t respond right away. I didn’t know what to think about him. He had come looking for me, instead of Heath, which was odd. “How did you get Heath to let you come instead of him?”
“This wasn’t Heath’s buisness,” he said sourly. There was more to that story and I wouldn’t get it out of Rathe, but Heath or Margo would tell me.
“Well, I’m fine. Safe and sound. I’m not wounded from last night as you can see. Thanks for uh... your concern. I guess.” He could leave now, so I could focus on my game plan for this day. I thought I’d made it as politely clear as possible that he should leave. His job was done. His actions hadn’t caused any damage.
“Have breakfast with me. There’s a place less than a mile from here I like to go for omelettes. The coffee is good, too.”
Unfortunately that was not an option. I had to stay grounded and not let my stupidity take over again. My heart was too weak right now. I didn’t trust it or my emotions. “Thanks, but I don’t think that’s the best idea. We need to try this friendship thing again in a week or so. I have a lot to work out in my life right now.”
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair in obvious frustration. Like magic it fell into a perfect tousled style. I tore my gaze from his hair and stared over his right shoulder at the buildings behind us. They were much less distracting and not at all mouthwatering.
“I’m sorry about last night, Catalina. I was weak and I messed things up. I handled it all wrong. Please forgive me. Don’t let that ruin what we just started building.”
I assumed he meant we had been building a friendship. The way he’d been there yesterday morning when I was falling apart over the news of Mattia’s death was definitly some firm blocks he’d laid. One night of a short, over heated make out session wasn’t something to hold against him. I had already accepted it was my fault.
“It didn’t ruin anything. I’m just asking for a little time. I don’t blame you for last night. I was the one who started it. You did the right thing. I should be thanking you for stopping it but I’m a little too embarassed by my actions. So,” I smiled then. “Just some time is all I need. Our beginning friendship is safe.”
He looked like he was going to say more. His eyes said he wanted to argue or reassure me but he did neither. After a moment, he simply nodded. “Okay,” he said.
His response shouldn’t bother me, but it caused yet another pang in my chest. Time would help with this. I was sure of it. I smiled brightly even if I didn’t feel it. He smiled then, too and his dimple appeared. I might get over his hair, those eyes, his body soon enough, but it was going to much harder to get over that dimple.
Nineteen
The Hero
My phone rang after I pulled out of the parking lot and back onto the main road. I picked it up and saw Due
ly’s name on the screen. I pressed accept and put it to my ear.
“Hey,” I said in greeting.
“Did Rathe find you?” he asked sleepily. He hadn’t been awake long from the sound of his raspy tone.
“Yep. He showed up while I was in the middle of a chat with my stalker,” I replied dryly.
“Shut the fuck up! What did you do?” He was awake now.
“I sealed his doors closed so he couldn’t get out of his car until the warlock was out of sight. Before you ask he walked away he didn’t vanish. I didn’t have to explain that to Rathe. He never mentioned his doors being locked or being unable to get out of the car. Which I expected him to. Odd.”
Duely let out a loud breath. “Damn, your morning has been busy. Kicked out of your crazy mother’s house because you’re dangerous, faced the warlock again, and Rathe coming in for the rescue,” he replied then yawned loudly. “Too damn early for all this.”
“How did you know Persephone had kicked me out and that she thinks I’m evil?” I immediately asked him. If he’d just woken up then he shouldn’t have this news yet.
“My mother texted me after calling while I was alseep and I didn’t answer. She said Persephone had forced you out of the house because you were dangerous. That there were things I didn’t know and I needed to keep my distance. Not to let you come inside my apartment. Not to talk to you or take your calls. So, when are you going to bring your shit to my apartment? The spare bedroom is yours as long as you need it.”
Tears stung my eyes, and I blinked them away.
I couldn’t say I wasn’t loved or cared for by my family. Duely was my family and this was his way of letting me know they could all go to hell. He wasn’t disowning me or shutting me out. Duely loved me. More tears threatened. I was going to mess up my makeup and have to do another charm.
“You love me,” I said, with the emotion clogging my throat.
“Of course I fucking love you. It’s us against them. It always has been. Besides, if you’re so damn evil and dangerous, I don’t want you as an enemy. If you morph into a demon or some weird shit like that then I want that kind of badassery on my side.”
I was laughing now, and the tears had rolled down my cheeks. Duely could always be counted on to look at the bright side of all situations and make them comical. “I love you, too,” I told him.
“Yeah, I know. Which means you’re not going to turn into a sinister demon from the pits of hell on your next birthday.” He sounded let down about that, which made my smile grow. “Just because I have to let that idea go doesn’t mean you won’t still be some all powerful mythical being or some shit. Because whatever dark secret your birth giver has about you she’s terrified of you.”
The reminder of my mother soured my short lived good mood. “She just hates me. It’s not terror,” I clarified.
“Wrong. For that woman to give up the Charmed daughters. The fucking power of three shit she hungered for so badly... she is terrifed of you. She hated that you wouldn’t give her what she wanted. But, Cat, she has never hated you. She’s been intimidated by you for as long as I can remember. You didn’t see it, but it was clear to everyone else. Except your superficial sisters.”
I didn’t want to talk about it anymore. I was done talking about Persephone.
“I’m job hunting today then I’ll come to the bar and get the key for the apartment later. I have all my things with me.”
There was a pause. “What kind of job?” he asked.
“I don’t know. I’m trying to figure that out. I haven’t had a very quiet morning to think it over. One interruption after another.”
“I was thinking yesterday but didn’t say anything because you were grieving and I felt like it wasn’t the right time. But I know someone who is looking for a personal assistant. She’s one of my special friends. Lala designs purses. She opened a boutique here a few years ago, and most of her sales were online, but some celebrity, I think it was one of those teenage popstars, but anyway, they were seen with one of her purses at some awards show. Lala’s shit blew up after that. She went from small buisness to a full blown corporation with investors. She’s looking for someone to replace her last assistant. The girl got married two weeks ago and resigned.”
I wasn’t sure who would name their child Lala, but the job sounded like it might pay more than a server and that was what I was looking for. I could make enough money to pay for nursing school. “I’m intersted in talking to her if she’s open to interviewing me.”
“She will be. That’s not a question. I’ll call her and then get back to you with the details. Don’t accept another job until you’ve talked to her.”
“Okay and thank you,” I replied.
“No problem. Just, if you do turn into a wicked demonic creature, don’t kill her. She’s my friend,” he said, then ended the call with a chuckle.
I smiled and shook my head. Knowing he, too, thought Persephone was crazy, helped. I flicked a glance at myself in the rearview mirror and saw nothing out of the ordinary other than the fact my makeup still looked perfect. A perk of casting a spell rather than just putting the makeup on myself. I’d forgotten about that.
My day was getting better already. Duely wasn’t disowning me or scared of me, he was offering me somewhere to stay for awhile, and had a job lead. I needed to cook Duely dinner tonight. I’d clean his apartment, too, but it was spotless. He had no issue with using magic to do things like clean his apartment. I would have to find a way to pay him back for his help. He’d been my hero today.
I decided to head back to Margo and Heath’s apartment and explain my running off last night. I had time to kill waiting on Duely to get back to me on the interview with Lala. I’d do some research on her after I left Margo and Heath’s. I wanted to know more about her before I spoke to her. Rathe hadn’t turned to go toward the apartment when he had pulled out of the parking lot so there was a solid chance he was going somewhere else that would keep him away long enough for me to visit my friends.
Time. Just some time away from him was all it would take. He was the first guy to draw me in since I was fifteen. He’d been my first grown up attraction. I was sure this reaction was typical. If I could avoid him for a week or two then go back to being friends as if nothing happened, it would work. I was sure of it. Maybe.
When I pulled into the parking lot of their apartment, I saw no sign of the black Charger. He wasn’t here, but both Margo and Heath’s vehicles were parked in their normal spots. I pulled beside Margo’s and got out. I stared down at the door of the car. The lock clicked into place immediatly. I wasn’t sure what all I could do without saying an incantation and directing my energy with my hands. Locking the door was one of those things apparently. Not using magic daily, I didn’t know what I could do when it came to simple things. Like today, could I have sealed Rathe’s doors shut without speaking or raising my hand in that direction? I had no idea. Did I want to know? I’d spent my life trying to be like my father. Trying to not be a witch. I had lumped being charmed and evil together. They weren’t one and the same. Duely wasn’t evil and he used magic daily.
“Cat!” Heath’s voice broke into my thoughts and I lifted my gaze from the door to see Heath was heading this way. “I’ve been calling and texting you for over an hour. I was coming to find you. I’ve been worried since I found out from Duely that you’d left and Rathe had come out looking for you.” He paused then and his eyes took me in much quicker than Rathe had. ”I was going to ask if you were okay, but you seem to be, uh, good. Really good.” His eyes lifted to meet mine, and there was the glow there I had thought I might see in Rathe’s but hadn’t. The charm hadn’t impressed Rathe, but it was getting to Heath easy enough.
“I’m sorry. I have no missed calls or texts from you. I wonder what’s wrong?” I had gotten other text and calls just fine. “Oh, and I’ve got a job interview today,” I told Heath, not going
into detail. “I was coming to apologize for crashing last night and then taking off like I did. I shouldn’t have worried you.”
He was looking at my sweater and then blinked several times when he realized what he was doing. “I called and texted, I swear. Reception must have been bad... and no, no need to apologize,” he stammered. “I shouldn’t have let Rathe talk me into leaving you sleeping on him. He was being so damn stubborn that I just gave up. That’s my fault,” he inhaled a little sharply like he was struggling to get a breath. This stupid enchantment must have been too much. I wasn’t sure how to tame it down.
“I shouldn’t have drank so much without eating enough. My fault,” I told him then wanted to get away from this conversation. “Is Margo awake?” I asked already knowing she was. Rathe had gotten my location from her much earlier.
“Yeah, she’s in the shower. She’s got to work. Do you have time to go get something to eat?” he asked, looking way too hopeful. I was hungry, but I wasn’t going anywhere with him. Not when he was being affected by the spell.
I opened my mouth to turn him down when Mary appeared at his side. She was staring up at me with her serious eyes... they almost looked disapproving. As if I’d let her down. I wanted to explain myself to her. I didn’t want her to think I was trying to do any harm to her siblings. I knew from conversations with Annabelle that Mary would sense the magic, as a dark sinister presence. She didn’t like it. I couldn’t very well explain to Mary what I’d done in front of Heath. My eyes went back to Heath’s, and I smiled.
“Thank you, but I don’t have that much time. Are you going out to search for a job today?” I asked him instead.
He nodded. “Yeah, there’s a position at the Delvaux library. It pays suprisingly well and it would be easy to get from work to class on the same day. Very convenient.”
“That sounds great,” I told him.
“I’m just afraid there will be a lot of students applying. Probably a slim chance I’ll get it,” he said with a shrug.
