“We’ve got tonight, Kitten. Once the ceremony is over, you’re mine.” He kisses my temple.
“I know. And I’m looking forward to being alone with you.” I pause as my mind shifts from intimacy back to the holiday. “Just, tonight’s ceremony needs to be perfect, Z. And I remember asking Jay to bring up the Ancestor Altar cloth from Gran’s spell room in the basement. Our entire genealogy is threaded onto that cloth, and it’s been a Brady tradition for ages. Without it, how am I supposed to honor the witches before me, or connect with Gran? My mother?” I ask, frantically pushing aside candles, patchouli incense, and small decorative pumpkins and gourds. “Or any of my ancestors? Now, where is it?”
I thrust my hands on my hips, scowl, and march off with a mission. In a flash, Z’s by my side and takes my elbow. “Wait. Syl, don’t disturb Jay. He didn’t get in from the bar until a few hours ago. And he brought company.”
“Company?” My brows crease.
He nods, as a smirk accentuates his perfect, preternatural face.
“That’s absurd. Jay wouldn’t bring anyone to the farm. Hell, Jay’s the love ‘em and leave ‘em type.” I dismiss Zander’s caution. “I mean, it’s not like I’d mind, but . . .” Then it hits me. “Wait… If Jay has allowed someone to sleep overnight and in one of Gran’s spare rooms, it can only mean one thing.” I shake my head and grin. “Nah, he wouldn’t.” My eyes light up.
As the sudden and surprising realization washes over me, Zander studies me. In a flash, I ascend the stairs two at a time, until I’m standing right outside the guest bedroom. Without thought, my hand rests on the knob, and then I fling the door wide. “Jay!”
Sounds of pleasure reach my ears first, before my eyes fully register what I’ve barged in on. He and his lover are entangled. The sight of Jay—naked—has my entire body trembling. Sweat glistens every muscle of Jay’s back, even down to the indentations of his flawless and sculpted rear-end. For seconds that feel more like minutes, I admire their lovemaking. Well, until it dawns on me how I’m gawking.
“Holy Mother Divine!” I gasp as my hand flies up to cover my mouth. Mortified doesn’t even come close to expressing my current state. Awkward!
While I struggle to digest the view of my best friend having sex and looking like a sex god, someone shrieks.
“Syl!” Jay bellows.
Straightaway, my face transforms from soft peachy flesh to bright crimson. Shame shatters me. Yep. He has company, and I should’ve knocked first.
Instinct takes over, and I backpedal, escaping from the room as quickly as possible. Before I pull the door shut, the sound of Jay’s feet thumping against the hardwood floor signal he’s heading straight toward me. A large knot of “what the fuck!” sticks in my throat. Shit!
Back in the hallway, I face the door Jay now grasps, his knuckles turning whiter, as he positions himself between my shame-filled eyes and his lover. Resting his left shoulder against the frame, he adjusts the towel around his waist and then leans his head forward as his face contorts.
“What in the ever-loving-fuck, baby girl? Haven’t you ever heard of knocking?”
Behind me, Zander’s quiet laugh catches me off guard. I frown at him, knowing full well by the look on his face that he’d love to remark how I shouldn’t have ignored his warning. Ugh! I want to fade away. Jay clears his throat, forcing my attention back to him.
“I’m sorry,” I say.
The reflection in his darkened eyes, shadowed by deepening brows, tells me he doesn’t believe me.
“What? I am. I’m truly sorry.” I shrug, giving him my best puppy dog look and flutter my eyelashes. Jay’s features soften so I steal the opportunity to take his free hand. “Yes, I should’ve knocked, but I didn’t think Zander was right. It’s not like you’ve ever brought anyone home for longer than the time it takes to perform the deed, and certainly never to Gran’s. I figured those facts trumped his supernatural hearing. Sorry.”
He squeezes my hand and a faint smile highlights his sex-glazed face. “Hookah.” Jay pauses to pop his head in the room to whisper something to his lover, before stepping into the hallway and closing the door to give me his undivided attention. “Listen, baby girl, I’ve been seeing Nyx for a while now.”
Surprised, I suck in a sharp breath.
“Yep, and I’ve said nothing. You’ve had your own shit going on, and I couldn’t bring myself to gloat around your ass.”
I smack his arm. “You’re like a brother to me, Jay. No matter what’s going on in my life, you know you can share anything with me. I want to share in your life.”
We sigh at the same time.
Zander comes up behind me, standing close enough for me to feel him, and links his pinky finger with mine. Tension leaves me as soon as he kisses the back of my head, and I sense him breathing in my scent..
“I know, Syl. Still, you’ve been so busy dealing with your own shit,” he draws in a breath and exhales, “I didn’t want to add anything else to your pile of life. You get me, right?”
Self-sacrificing. Gotta love Jay.
“I getcha.” Thrusting my arms around his neck, I squeeze him as tight as possible.
“Good.” Jay says. “Crips, Syl. Thank the Universe you barged in when you did. Any earlier and you’d have caught us full throttle.” At once, his facial expression changes, and he hesitates while he consider his words. “Hey, you know I wasn’t even thinking. I owe you an apology, Syl.”
“For what?”
“For not having control of my urges in Gran’s house. You know how much she meant to me. And I’d never have mindless sex in someone else’s home. You know that.”
“Of course I do, because I know you. Besides, I recognize Nyx must be pretty significant.” I hug him and whisper, “no worries,” then peck his cheek. “So, considering you’ve been dating for a while now and think enough of Nyx to let him stay overnight with you at Gran’s, I believe it’s time we meet. Don’t you?” I reach for the doorknob.
He grabs my hand, yanking me to him. “Get yo’r ass back over here, Shugar! Have I told you lately how much I love you?” He plants a tender kiss in the center of my forehead.
A low growl interrupts our embrace. I almost forgot about Zander, but Jay and I stare at him.
“I’m a beast. You know this, Jay.” He shifts his weight and inches forward. “Sex oozes from you. As intoxicating as it is, the scent heightens my carnal instincts, especially with you being so close to Sylver. Think wolf.”
“Oh hunky, I’ve thought about nothing but wolves since I first laid eyes on you at the picnic. But it’s not my girl, Sylver, who I’d bone faster than a dog’s breath, if given half the chance, sweetheart.” Jay roars, his arms flailing. “Besides, I got me a fine lover waiting on me right in there.” He points at the door, cocking his head from side to side and snaps his fingers.
“I’m excited to meet Nyx, Jay,” I exclaim. Overwhelmed with anxiousness, my heart thunders in my chest.
“Syl, he’s heard alllll about you,” he says.
“Wait. What do you mean by all?” My eyes narrow, and my tone elevates. Has Jay informed Nyx of my most intimate secrets?
“It’s not like that, darling,” Jay leans closer. “Just, I mean, he’s also a witch. And boyfriend’s got some hot Magick, let me tell you, girl.”
I chuckle, smacking his bicep, and roll my eyes. Then I remember the primary reason for my storming into the guest room.
“Oh, where’s the Ancestor Altar cloth? I can’t find it with the rest of the stuff.”
“Come with me,” he says as he reaches for my hand. I take Zander’s. The second the three of us step inside the room, my eyes illuminate.
And for a brief while, my mind forgets about the genealogy textile and its importance.
* * *
The vintage furniture fails in comparison to the old-fashioned impressions emanating from Nyx, and the rich tones of his aura radiating around him. A sense of familiarity layers with my own, and I’m unable to prev
ent myself from breathing deep enough.
Witch.
He’s absolutely stunning. Breathtaking. Almost translucent, iridescent amber eyes stare right into me, as though he sees straight through me. Matching golden locks hang in tight curls, the long layers framing his chiseled face. When Jay stands next to Nyx, Jay’s darker complexion enhances Nyx’s paler one, and when Nyx steps toward me, I sense something different.
It’s almost as though . . .
There’s something else.
A penetrating, guttural growl explodes from Zander, followed by a similar one reciprocated by Nyx. Fangs extend. My psyche whirls. A persistent humming ensues from deep within my soul while I do my best to reconcile the visual display of animal meets animal. Predator versus predator. Beast against beast.
“You’re a vampire!” I blurt. Misunderstanding befuddles my brain, but my mouth doesn’t slow, and, like a locomotive, the words zoom out. “But how can that be? But Jay . . . Jay said you’re a witch. I feel that about you, too. You are. A witch, I mean. I don’t understand. It’s not possible.” Perplexed, I pause, glaring at Jay, praying he provides answers. “Jay?”
Nyx takes another step closer. Jay advises him to stop.
In my peripheral vision, I see Zander crouch, preparing to launch himself forward, so I place myself in front of him, obstructing his view of his target. Jay moves ahead of Nyx and mutters something, and then Nyx slides closer to the bed instead of towards me.
“Jay! Explain. Now.” With the rise of my sharper tone, the pictures rattle against the walls.
Jay swallows hard before he shifts his weight, and I sense how much his nervousness prompts his hesitation. “He’s an Old One, Syl. You know, one of the Otherkin,” He says, the last word fading.
For a second, I’m stunned. More for physical stability than true emotional support, I reach for Zander.
“Otherkin? As in the Otherkin, Jay?” I glower at him, stalling Fire’s release.
“Um, yeah, as in the spell cast centuries ago by your ancestors that birthed a new era—the Second Age of Vampires and the Awakening of the Serpent. That would be the very Otherkin I mean.” His words are resolute, matter of fact, and when he takes Nyx’s hand, my Magick wants to ignite. A small orb of blue-black fire forms in the palm of my hand.
“Kitten, calm Fire,” Zander says.
And somehow I do, but not without feeling it burn just beneath my flesh.
That’s when I sense an enormous transference with Nyx. His Magick seems to extract energy from mine. Like a mirage, black, magenta, and azure hues spiral together amidst a heap of smoke and flame. Almost as though a storm has approached, strong gusts of air sweep through the room, the smoke swirls while the fire dances, as though alive. It’s happening. I see it. But it’s not really happening. If the smoke wasn’t choking me and the heat from the flames wasn’t warming my flesh, I’d swear it was all an illusion.
Mystified, my eyes dart from Zander to Jay, before exploring Nyx’s expression for deeper understanding. No one speaks. The Magick eddies, and sexual energy fills the space, igniting every inch of my body. Caught up in the scorching heat of the enchantment, Jay and Nyx lock lips in a fervent give-and-take. Then Zander crashes into me. The desire in his eyes and his prolonged fangs dripping with blood lust has my pussy throbbing for every hardened inch of him. I need my vampire – now. Sexual hunger zings through my veins, electrifying every nerve ending.
As quick as it starts, it stops. The air vaporizes. Clear gases expand and contract around us, pushing on every surface it touches before it thins and depressurizes.
No longer polluted by smoke or Magick, the first real breath I inhale feels like a blast of oxygen overload. Straightaway, weakness overcomes me. My head grows heavy and dizzy, and my knees buckle. Zander breaks my fall, swooping me into his arms. His musky, earthy scent intoxicates my soul.
Golden ringlets, mystical eyes, and an alluring aura are the last things I recall before everything goes black.
When I awake sometime later on the sofa, it’s grown darker. I’m disoriented and my vision remains blurry during the first several blinks. To regain a sense of balance and composure, I close my eyes to center my whole essence.
Somewhere in the distance, muted voices snatch my attention. I concentrate on their intonations, struggling to decipher what’s being discussed and by whom. Zander and Nyx. Still, no matter how hard I focus, their words remain unclear. Opening my eyes and sitting upright, I’m greeted by Jay.
“Whoa, baby girl. Take it easy.”
My first reaction is to push him away, but it’s Jay, and he’s like a brother. And no matter how upset I may be, ignoring him isn’t an option. “Take it easy? Are you freaking kidding me right now?” I bark.
Jay lowers his gaze and fumbles with the threads on the quilt covering me. Remorse reflects in every facet of his expression, melting me.
I clear my throat and place my hand over his. “Jay, how could you not tell me about this, about Nyx? You lied. Why now? Why him?” The questions shoot out, similar to one of Jay’s favorite sayings about truth being shared like a shot, straight up without a chaser. And as I witness every crease of his forehead, wrinkle around his eyes, and bead of sweat forming around his hairline, I’m aware it’s still not the candor I seek from him. Straight up. No chasers. The words echo in my mind. When he doesn’t answer right away, I squeeze his hand. “Jay? Please,” I press.
His eyes meet mine. He starts and stops several times, trying to communicate. I’m able to distinguish this much. But he’s never shown difficulty talking with me before, no matter how challenging the subject. Until now. That glimmer of raw verity stings. He raises our hands then kisses the back of mine.
“I love him, Syl.” His voice is soft.
I stay quiet, giving him the time he needs.
“I love him, and knowing he’s the actual creature created by your ancestor’s spell, and the reason you are The Chosen One, I was afraid of your reaction. He’s of a breed unknown to mankind, and mankind is who you need to protect from his kind. It’s a whole lot of fucked up, baby girl.” A quiet breath slips past his lips. Without realizing it, I heave a sigh.
“Yeah, you’ve found yourself in a pickle this time, my friend. The thing is, you could’ve told me, Jay. Since we’ve been kids, we vowed there’d be no secrets or lies between us, remember? Now after knowing this, how am I supposed to move past the fact you made the choice to change that between us? And you did so about something so detrimental to my life. It affects everything.” I lower my eyes and head, and then remove my hand from his.
Stillness settles between us. Neither of us speaks. I’m unsure how much time passes, until my Magick stirs. It forces me to become more aware of our surroundings. Nyx and Zander. Both immortal beings stand a few feet from Jay and me. The next thing I’m aware of becomes Nyx’s hands on my temples, forcing my eyes to roll back in my head right before they close. Flash images, one by one, flood my mind at accelerated speeds.
Memories I wasn’t even mindful of suppressing. Faces of individuals I can’t identify, along with those I can. Gran’s voice, her playful banter, and her words of wisdom. My mother’s scent, her comforting hugs, and bright, warming smile. My dad’s calloused hands, the laugh lines highlighting his eyes, and the best piggyback rides a little girl could ever have wished for. My grandfather’s little winks when Gran would say no but he would sneak me treats, his infectious laugh, and how he always smelled of a carpenter’s sawdust. And chanting. Lots of chanting. The words of that one spell overpower me. All of it plays out, frame by frame, resembling a movie reel inside my brain.
Suddenly and without reserve, it all sojourns.
No fragmentations, no lingering pictures, or associated emotions. As though it has never happened, like they never happened—ashes to ashes and dust to dust—all of it gone. Vanished, without a trace. My mind searches for remnants of those imageries, of the sounds of their voices, of anything. None remain.
“How?” The
question tumbles out in a near whisper. I’m unable to comprehend. Shivers shake me to my core.
Zander sits down beside me, lifts me into his lap, and places his arms around my waist, holding me close. After a short time, the trembles lessen.
“I’m half vampire. I’m also a half witch. I have all of the supernatural abilities any vampire and witch possess, and some they don’t, but even more heightened and powerful. I’m not here to harm you, Sylver. I’m not here to not harm you. I may be—or my kind may be—your objective, but you are not mine nor are you ours. I’m able to help you, if you’ll let me.”
Speechless, my mouth gaps and my lower jaw feels as though it rests on the wooden floor. My fingertips rub both eyes then move to my cheeks. I run them through my hair, squeezing at the roots with frustration, trying my best to conjure a shard of insight. Did Gran ever tell me anything about any of this? Numerous questions whirl through my mind similar in nature to this one. Goddess, my mind feels warped.
“Sorry, I just can’t think about this right now, Nyx. Not tonight. It’s more important to focus on honoring our dead, the ancestors who created you, birthed me, and those who brought us together. No. Tonight needs to be about celebrating Samhain, death and rebirth.”
I gaze at Jay, pleading with my eyes for him to understand. He winks, and a gentle smile brightens his face.
Nyx takes Jay’s hand, and they nod in unison. Warmth and love radiates around and between them. Their sincerity flutters against me, brushing my cheek. As much as it bewilders me, I accept the sensation and smile.
“Tomorrow,” Nyx says.
The best I can manage is a thumbs up.
“Hookah, I promise, I’ll make this up to you. And I owe you a huge ass apology.”
Zander grins.
“Um, I’m waiting, but first, don’t you think Nyx and I deserve a formal introduction,” I tease.
Nyx and Zander laugh.
“Okay, okay.” Jay’s cheeks blush as he regards Nyx and I. “Lover, this is Sylver Kyllienne Brady, who is more like my baby sister than my best friend. And, baby girl, this is Phoenyx Kennedy McAllister,” His eyes light up when he looks at Nyx. Seeing Jay so happy makes my heart flutter with joy. His attention falls on me. “So, as I was about to say, I was going to go all big or go home on your ass, Hookah, and surprise you with the best apology e-vah, but, if you insist on getting it now, then . . .” His words fall off, and he bats his eyelashes at me in an amusing manner.
F*CKING AWKWARD HOLIDAYS: 25 Short Stories of Awkward Holiday Encounters Page 31
