by Emma Dean
Kenzie just stared at him, like she was trying to figure out how she felt about that promise. “Would you like to dance?” she asked.
“You beat me to it,” he murmured, staring at her. How was she so fucking perfect?
As Ash helped her up he tapped the app on his phone and a slow waltz started playing. He took her in his arms and gently led them through the easy steps. The sparkling lights reflected in her blue eyes and Kenzie looked like a goddess, blessing mortals with her presence during their brief lives.
“Thank you for this,” she said. “It’s perfect.”
“You’re the one who’s perfect,” he said, leaning down to brush his lips against hers. “Somehow you’re exactly what we all need. I didn’t think it was possible. But I guess the universe knows what it’s doing.”
She snorted. “I’m not sure about that, but it definitely has its own plan I’ve always struggled to understand.”
He twirled her, always careful of the rocking ocean. “Thank you for not bailing.”
“You sure have a unique style,” Kenzie said with a laugh. “And in this dress! I definitely did not see that coming, so kudos for surprising me. It’s not easy to do.”
Ash pulled her in close and shuffled slowly from side to side like they were at a high school dance just so he could look into her eyes. “You’re always surprising me,” he confessed. “I thought I would hate all this romantic shit. I thought…I thought that the bond forcing me to have feelings again would ruin everything I’ve worked so hard for. But it’s turned out to be the opposite.”
It was difficult to explain and he felt kind of awkward trying to find the right words, but Ash shrugged. This was the best he could do and if it wasn’t enough, then at least he’d tried.
“Opening myself up to you hasn’t been the disaster I thought it would be,” he whispered into her ear, breathing in the burnt candy scent she had mixed with the undeniable flavor of ‘mate.’
Her fingers curled into his hair. “Thank you for trying,” Kenzie whispered back. “You’re not as messed up as you think you are.”
Even though Ash didn’t believe her, the words meant something to him. He held them close to his heart and smiled as if it didn’t matter. “Are you hungry?”
Kenzie didn’t smile back. The look in her eyes told him she knew how hard this all was for him. She saw it, and appreciated it no matter how hard he tried to brush it off. “Ravenous,” she told him.
And somehow he knew what she meant – insatiable little thing.
Chapter Fifteen
Kenzie
It was hard to believe Ash had put all this together. Sure, he’d been gone all day so the time he’d spent doing it made sense, but Ash had gone all out. And she meant all out. He’d made some ridiculous surf and turf dinner that was just shy of expensive chef quality.
Fuck that.
It was better than most of the ritzy restaurants she’d been forced to go to with Selene. Ash should have his own cooking show, or a restaurant or something and charge hundreds of dollars because that was by far the best thing she’d ever eaten. He’d even selected the perfect wine to go with each course, explaining to her how they paired and what he’d cooked everything with.
She ate all her green beans and Kenzie didn’t even really like green beans.
“You should add those cooking videos to your channel,” she told him, picking at the chocolate lava cake he’d made. “You know the ones where the hot dudes are shirtless? I bet that would be really popular.”
Ash almost spit out his cake. “Are you trying to pimp out my abs for more followers?”
Kenzie shrugged. She knew she would like watching it. “I could help you video it.”
He laughed and drank some of the dessert wine. “I have a pretty nice set up so it’s all taken care of, but I could use a sous chef. If I have to be shirtless does that mean you wear something ridiculously sexy?”
She grinned at that. “The whole point is the illusion that you’re hot and available. I think having me there would detract from the video.”
Ash’s eyes twinkled. “You are trying to pimp me out.”
“Maybe I just want to watch you cook without a shirt on. Is that a crime?”
It was hard not to smile too much. She wasn’t used to it and it made her cheeks hurt, but this was everything she’d hoped it would be and more. Even the challenge had been fun, making everything a little less awkward and intense.
“Kenzie, you can ask me to take off my shirt any time. I promise I will remove it instantly. Even if it’s snowing. Even if it’s somewhere I might get arrested for disrobing. You say the word and I’ll do it.”
For whatever reason Ash’s intensity always made her blush. And he was intense about everything. There was no halfway with this guy. Maybe that was why she’d been so wary of him. If Ash decided he was all in…then she’d known on some level that he would devote himself to her and something about that was terrifying.
Kenzie had lived her whole life on the outside. Even when she’d made friends and created her own life outside her clan and coven – they didn’t know who she really was. She couldn’t tell them that she was born into a witch clan with this whole other paranormal world they knew nothing about. She couldn’t tell them about what her family had done to her.
But with these three she could be exactly who she was and it was freeing. It almost made her dizzy to think about it. Her whole life she’d lived with this weight on her chest and now it was just – gone.
And Hunter and Finnick had arranged it so they had the whole night together. Something about that was so fucking romantic – all three of them had bleeding hearts whether they knew it or not.
“Do you think they’re okay?” she asked, spinning her wine glass between her finger and thumb. She was worried, especially after what had happened the other night.
Ash took her hand in his and squeezed. “They have backup. I’m sure they’re fine. Hunter promised me he’d call Samuel if anything went sideways. You know I wouldn’t have agreed to this if I didn’t think they were safe,” he reassured.
Kenzie nodded, knowing he was right. “We’ve almost got all of them.” She squeezed his hand a little in thanks and then released him. “Then we can start moving on some of the bigger stuff after we’ve finally collected all the little pieces we need to destroy him.”
It probably wasn’t normal ‘date’ talk but Ash actually grinned at her. “Have I ever told you how hot you are when you talk fire and brimstone?”
She couldn’t help but smile at that. “Maybe that’s why I have a demon godfather.”
Ash chuckled and took another bite of dessert.
Was this the right time? Kenzie studied him through her lashes as she pretended to look down at her plate, moving her fork around mechanically. Things were going so well she didn’t want to ruin it, but she also needed to tell him – be honest.
“There’s something I brought,” she said, hesitating. Kenzie didn’t think there would be a better time than now, so fuck it. She grabbed her purse from under the table and opened it. “Here.”
Ash took the box from her and studied it with a shocked look on his face. “What is this?”
“It’s not an engagement ring you weirdo,” she said with a little snort. “Open it, but don’t hold it for very long.”
That was when his eyes narrowed and she wondered if he would trust her. This whole night he’d been trying to get her to trust him – and no matter how sneaky he thought he was being, Kenzie had spent enough time around foxes to start catching on to their tells.
“For this to work between us, you have to trust me too,” she told him.
Ash looked up from the box that he still hadn’t opened. He held her gaze for a moment and that frown on his face eased. Ash nodded and carefully opened the velvet box. His eyebrows shot up when he saw that small ball that was really just a witch gummy with a spell inside.
“What’s this?”
Kenzie fiddled with her br
acelet. “Selene made that for me this morning after she fixed my watch. It’s a memory charm. You eat it like a gummy bear and then think about what you want to remember. You should be able to walk back in time to anything you want for thirty minutes.” She shrugged. “I’ve never taken one though. That’s just what it says on the spell.”
“And why shouldn’t I touch it?” he asked, peering closer at the unassuming blue sphere. “Is it flavored?”
“Blueberry actually, and sometimes residue can affect you if it touches the skin. My charms are made out of stronger stuff so it’s not a big deal,” she explained, shaking her wrist so the small beads clicked together.
Ash made to reach for it and she panicked. “Wait!”
The way he froze and the look on his face…she almost laughed, but there was no way Kenzie wanted to deal with the effects of his past on the deck of a boat in the middle of open water. “We should go somewhere safe. Is there a couch inside? Somewhere with a door?”
“That bad, huh?” Ash snapped the box shut. “Come with me.”
Kenzie scrambled to her feet. “You want to do this right now?”
Ash turned and she nearly stumbled into him. “I want to prove to you that I trust you as much as you trust me. It’s time I find out what the fuck happened anyway.”
Grabbing his hand before he could move she studied his eyes, trying to see what he was thinking because his emotions through the bond were all over the place. “This isn’t a competition. This is an option. I didn’t give you a bad spell, but you don’t need to take it right now. Only when and if you’re ready.”
Ash chucked her chin playfully. “No better time than the present.”
She yanked on his hand when he tried to move. “This shit is heavy, Ash. I want you to be completely comfortable because memory charms for people with painful pasts…you should be with Hunter and Finnick in a safe place.”
The way he looked down at her made her shiver. Ash placed both hands on her face and leaned down until his nose brushed against hers and she could feel his breath on her lips. “I trust you Kenzie. This boat is mine, and as long as you’re not afraid of me…I want you to be the one by my side when I eat this charm your sister so thoughtfully made sure was a delicious flavor. Are you afraid I’ll hurt you?”
“I am not afraid,” she breathed, knowing it was one hundred percent the truth. Even from day one, he’d never touched her in a way that made her afraid. He’d never once moved to harm her, even when stealing Samuel’s potion out from underneath her.
None of them had.
All three of them had been so careful around her, even before they knew she was their mate. Kenzie didn’t really understand why or how, but she knew all three of them would die before hurting her.
“If this is what you want, then I want to do it with you. But no biting.”
Ash brushed his lips against hers. “Witches can’t turn into shifters, you know that.”
“Doesn’t mean it’ll feel good,” she snorted.
The callous on his thumb raked across her cheek before he pulled away. “Oh, I don’t know about that,” he teased. “Now let’s go before I lose my nerve.”
Kenzie took his hand and let him lead her from the romantic setup on the deck to the small cabin underneath. It was instantly ten degrees warmer and she slid off her coat, setting it and her purse on the small bar.
The boat wasn’t small, exactly, but it wasn’t large either. Still, there was room for a little kitchenette and a living space that was surprisingly luxurious. But Ash didn’t stop there. He pulled her through a small hall that had a bathroom on one side and a closet on the other. Then through the door she saw the bedroom.
It was just big enough to hold two tiny nightstands and a king-sized mattress. “Do all three of you sleep on this then?” she joked, suddenly feeling nervous.
“Of course,” Ash said, removing his suit jacket. “Foxes love to curl up together just like cats do. Keeps us all warm and snuggly.”
Kenzie couldn’t help smiling at that picture which was probably why Ash had told her, but by the dent in the mattress she could see he was telling the truth.
Brushing her fingers over the charms in her ears was a nervous habit, but it helped settled her. She’d never helped someone with a memory charm before and this was definitely not her area of expertise.
Corrupted data with years of information? That she could fix with her eyes closed. But this was another person, not a machine. Kenzie was a lot less confident about people in general.
“All right,” she said, rubbing her sweaty palms on her dress. “Selene said lying down is best. You take it and close your eyes. It should work within seconds. So as you’re chewing think of the very first thing you can remember.”
Ash took off his shoes so she followed suit and stepped out of her heels, then climbed onto the bed with Ash. He handed her the box and she held it close while he loosened his tie and lay down. When he clasped his hands over his chest she couldn’t help thinking he looked like a dead person in a casket.
“Could you maybe do something else with your hands?” she asked, moving to the head of the bed so she could hold him if she needed to.
Ash snorted at that. “And here I thought I was nervous.” But he clasped his hands behind his head like he was relaxing on a beach and it eased some of her anxiety.
“Thank you.” She opened the box carefully. “And you’re sure about this?”
“I’m sure. Let’s go.” Ash opened his mouth and gave her a wink.
Of course he’d want her to feed it to him. She almost smiled, but the smell of blueberries filled the room and Kenzie glanced at the tiny windows. She sure hoped the boat was strong enough to withstand shifter strength.
Tipping the sphere into his mouth she watched closely as he started chewing. Selene had said there wouldn’t be any violent physical reactions to what was in the spell, but magic in general had consequences and Kenzie wanted to be prepared.
She sat back on her heels and placed the box on the nightstand. Ash closed his eyes and swallowed. There was a moment when she wasn’t sure it was going to work, and then through that bond tying them together she felt him fall into something like sleep.
It was a bizarre sensation. Like…that moment right before you fall into a deep sleep and you’re already dreaming but half aware of the real world…
Ash’s hand twitched but Kenzie didn’t dare touch him. If the spell was working he was walking through his memories and touching him could fuck with everything. Selene said physical touch plus his name was only a last resort if he was under for longer than half an hour.
Kenzie checked her watch and started the silent countdown.
Water lapped against the sides of the boat and she could hear the squirrel shifter hum along with the waltz music above her as he steered them through the bay. Ash suddenly went still as death. Nothing moved.
Panicking she put her ear close to his nose and waited. There, he was breathing. The rise and fall of his chest was so subtle she hadn’t been able to see it. Wherever he was, it was deep.
Kenzie let out the breath she’d been holding and settled back against the headboard. It had only been five minutes and already her nerves were shot to hell. She really hoped it wouldn’t be that bad, but if Ash had suppressed it to the point he remembered absolutely nothing…
It wasn’t going to be pretty.
Ten more minutes passed without issue.
Then he started convulsing.
Chapter Sixteen
Kenzie
Kenzie gritted her teeth to keep herself from reaching out for him. Per her sister this was a normal reaction and nothing to worry about. It shouldn’t do permanent damage, especially to a shifter.
Ten more minutes passed and Kenzie counted down the seconds until he came out of it. Despite the cold weather she was sweating and her jaw hurt from clenching her teeth so much.
Then the scent of blood hit the air and her gaze shot to Ash. Blood trickled from his nose
.
“Ash!” Fuck, she’d known she should have waited to do this. It wasn’t just that she wanted him to be in a safe space. Kenzie wasn’t a real witch. She had witch DNA but she was a failure of epic proportions.
There was absolutely nothing she could do to help him.
She reached for her phone and hit Selene’s contact. Her sister answered on the second ring. “Everything okay, Kenz?”
“His nose is bleeding. That’s always a bad thing in the movies. It’s bad right?” Kenzie was panicking. “He’s not convulsing anymore, but he’s barely breathing.”
“How long has he been under?” Instantly her sister was the experienced witch – clinical and in damage control mode.
“Twenty-five minutes so far.”
“Okay, it’s been long enough he should be out of the deepest part of it. Touch his forehead and tell me if it’s hot or cold.”
Kenzie pressed the back of her hand to his clammy forehead. “It’s freezing, but he’s sweating.”
They should have done this at his den, where Selene could get to them.
“Is he going to die?” she asked. Kenzie couldn’t hide the shaking in her voice. Ash had trusted her and now…she couldn’t lose him.
“Kenzie, listen to me,” Selene snapped. “Pull yourself together. If you do exactly as I say, he won’t die.”
“Fuck, why did I let him take this stupid shit,” she muttered. Kenzie kneeled by Ash’s side and checked his breathing again. “Okay what do I need to do?”
“It’s going to suck and it’s going to hurt, but you need to get him out of there before it’s too late.” She could hear Selene rustle some papers. “Do you have a knife?”
Kenzie snorted and pulled the knife she always kept with her out of her purse. “What the hell am I going to do with this?”
“You’re going to carve a series of runes onto your hand and then his.”
She froze and stared at Ash as she tried to process what her sister was saying. “Selene, are you fucking kidding me right now? There’s no way this is going to work.”
