by Cherie Marks
Time to dig in my heels. “And what if I don’t want to learn magic…at all?”
“If you value your life, you will. That’s not an exaggeration either, Evie. You either learn what I have to teach you or you will die.”
Dramatic much? “I still don’t quite understand why it has to be me, but I’m not ready to die, so guess I’m yours to mold. Bend me, shape me, anyway you want me. The teacher becomes the student.”
Heat filled his gaze for just a moment, shooting a static shock worthy of any lightning storm straight through me, before quickly clearing his throat and looking down at the tabletop again. Was it something I said? But when he looked up once more, whatever had been there was gone.
He nodded and stood, pushing his chair under the table. “Come here.”
I did as he asked, and he did the strangest thing. He pulled me into his arms, holding me tightly against his hard body. He smelled like the outdoors mixed with a musky scent all his own. If I’d been Celia, I would’ve begun to climb his body and turn him into a sexual pretzel, but I was me. I breathed in his scent and let it fill my nose as he squeezed me like I belonged to him. I couldn’t stop the energy firing through my mid-section with his touch. Despite my resolve not to let my feelings get involved, I was drawn to him. Yet, as much as I was attracted to him, I worked to keep distance between us. My arms were trapped between us awkwardly, but he didn’t seem to care and I needed them there to create a needed buffer. He pulled air in through his nose and blew it out again before pulling in more. What was he doing?
In the next minute, I understood as he began to chant over me and the warmth of his magic coated my skin. Magic! I hadn’t felt someone else’s magic for such a long time. He was placing the charm on me, and it would protect me for a time. He was treating me like a child. In an instant, my attraction to him faded.
He stepped back from me, freeing me from his embrace, which was probably good because in that moment, with shame of the clearly unrequited attraction building inside me, I might’ve done something unthinkable. Like knee him in the balls for no apparent reason. He wouldn’t understand, and I’d just look like the bitch I was. That was the only thing holding me back from acting on my baser urges. He should discover the truth about my bitchiness the natural way, like everyone else.
“So, I think we’ll start fresh in the morning with our first lesson. Tonight, try to get some sleep. Try not to think about how much we have to learn in such a short amount of time if we’re going to keep you alive.”
“Well, I wasn’t thinking about that at all until now. You might want to work on the words you use to encourage your students. You kind of suck at that.”
“Get use to it. I’m here to save your life, not become your best friend.”
“Don’t worry. I’d never mistake you for a friend.” I couldn’t have stopped myself from speaking my mind even if I’d wanted to—which I didn’t—even a little bit.
His intense stare held me in place, and I suppressed the urge to make nice and take it back. Karrena would’ve insisted I avoid conflict and tell him what he wanted to hear, and for most of my life, that was what I did. Now, though, now that I’d been away from her for ten years, I found it went against my true nature. And, in reality, made me a deplorable person because when I suppressed my emotions, I became a fake version of myself. I knew now it was better to let my true feelings out rather than hold them in. Or, at least, I thought it was best in this particular situation.
With a shrug, he turned and headed toward the front door. He opened it and turned back. “Don’t be late.”
He closed the door behind him and the deadbolt clicked into place as if by magic, reminding me that I was stepping back into a world I swore I’d never visit again. It was scary, no doubt, but it was also a tad thrilling. I just hoped using my powers didn’t end in another disaster.
Chapter 7
I was going to be fucking late! I couldn’t find my car keys anywhere, and my cushion of time I’d built in was long gone. Just what I needed. Tick off the instructor the first lesson. Worse than that though, it threw off the balance of power. Before, I could make snide remarks and be a butthole. Now, all he’d have to do was remind me that I couldn’t read a clock.
Through the cat door in the backdoor in the kitchen, I spotted his majesty the furball trying to sneak in. I would have none of that. Not when he deserted me to my fate without even knowing what it would be.
“Oh, no, you don’t. Where have you been, mister?”
He edged around the kitchen island, and I noticed he’d changed the color of his fur to a deep, dark blue. Great! Just great! While I was signing unconscionable contracts, he was off getting a spa treatment.
“I might have been a little rude in running out on you, I’ll admit, but trust me, it was for your own good and for the best of us all.”
“What the…Don’t tell me you abandoned me, for me. What a crock!” I crossed my arms and tapped my foot on the linoleum floor, a sure sign he was in deep, deep shit this time. “Where did you go? Off with your harem of pussies? Clearly, you’ve gone to the salon and gotten your fur done.”
“I had to relieve my stress somehow. Don’t judge me. Turns out, Baba Yaga and I have a history, of sorts. The minute I saw her, I didn’t have a choice. I had to leave or compromise your safety.”
My foot stopped tapping. “You dated Baba Yaga?”
“No! Not at all. I dated one of her familiars, and let’s just say, it didn’t end amicably. More like I might have given her the impression we were exclusive, but well…harem…you get the idea. She went crying to Baba Yaga, who threatened to melt my balls and dangle me over a pit of Rottweilers for all eternity. Needless to say, I didn’t think she’d help you if she knew we were associated.”
“So, you’re a coward, as well as, an asshole.”
“Guilty as charged. Hey, but I’m working on it. You should’ve seen me a century ago.”
“Well, that’s just spiffy as can be.” I started searching all the places I normally laid my keys once more. “You haven’t seen the car keys, have you?”
His response was light, nervous laughter before he shot out of the room. My head felt like it was about to explode when he came back in carrying the jangling keys between his kitty fangs. “Garry hout hat. Ight ave oozed hem hoo owen a heer or thoo.”
“What? English, please.”
He dropped them to the ground, and I swooped them into my hand, quickly wiping the cat drool off the ring and onto my sweatpants.
“Said I was sorry about that. Might have used them to open a beer or two in the back bedroom.”
I shook my head in disbelief. And this was my influence since the age of sixteen. No wonder I turned out a little warped. “Whatever! Put them back when you’re done next time.”
“Would’ve, but couldn’t see straight enough to do so.”
“Well, the first step is admitting you have a problem. Pretty sure someone wearing a blindfold could see that.” I started for the door. “I’ll be gone all day. I’m heading to school to start my lessons with my new defense against the dark arts teacher, Professor Snape.”
“Oooh! Is he real?”
“I would prefer him over Dane Calvin, but turns out, I didn’t have a choice in the matter. Wish me luck.”
But the minute I said it, I regretted it. It brought up all over again the conflicting emotions I had about how I’d survived so long and how badly things turned out when I performed spells. My using magic was going to be certain disaster, but my only other choice was to become a contortionist. At least then I could bend over and kiss my ass goodbye before it got smote.
* * *
“You’re late!”
“Yeah, well, you smell nice.” Dammit! That was not what I meant to say, even if it was true. His alluring musk had filled my nose the moment I’d stepped into the gym. “That is to say, you smell nice for a diaper-wearing baby man.”
Okay, so he sucked at building people up, and I needed to work
on breaking them down. We both had room for improvement.
“Whatever, Evie.” He might’ve cracked a smile, but it wasn’t there long enough for me to really see if it qualified. “Let’s get started.”
He indicated I should stand on the gymnastics mat in the center of the gym floor. As if my feet were covered in lead weights, I stomped to the spot he pointed out. I thought this was probably going to be the longest hour of my life. Then, when I felt his hands on my hips and his front against my back, I forgot to think at all.
His breath was hot at my ear as he explained, “Brace your feet apart for maximum balance. Back straight.” His hands traced along the undersides of my arms, raising them to my sides, palms up and elbows bent. Goosebumps broke out wherever his cool touch stroked, and I bit my lip as my body began to heat, and I tamped down the arousal beginning to stir.
He stepped back and around me to look at me face-to-face. His visage hardened with concentration as he scrutinized my stance and adjusted my body to fit his ideal posture. I didn’t flinch as he lifted his hand to my face, cupping my cheek and lovingly swiping his thumb over my lips. I lifted my eyes to meet his gaze, but rather than the tenderness I thought he was showing me, his eyes held a hardness as that same thumb that had just caressed me lifted my chin high.
“Never let them see your fear, Evie. Never. They’ll feed on that. You must believe you are the most powerful being in every battle because, truth is you are.”
So, one of us had made real progress, and so far, it wasn’t me. His words actually gave the idea he believed in me. I’d soon show him why he shouldn’t, but for that moment, I felt invincible.
He stepped away and took up a similar stance across from me. “To begin, try to bring your magic to the surface. Try to concentrate it in your hands and keep it there without doing anything more.”
I continued to worry my lip with my teeth. This was the part I’d dreaded most, and I knew I wasn’t ready to do it, but it was time to try. I swallowed hard and pulled in a few calming breaths. With my heart pounding, I tugged on the bundled magic I imagined centered in my chest. I felt a trickle of sweat roll down my temple, and my vision began to swim. Nothing was happening but growing frustration. I knew this was how it would go. I tried to tell Baba Yaga and Dane this would never work. My magic abilities sucked! As usual, a buzzing began in my ears, and my body began to shudder. My head began to spin, and the corners of my vision began to blacken. I was going to pass out.
With a high-pitched cry, I dropped to the mat and landed on all fours. I sucked in great, gulping breaths and felt Dane’s hand on my back as he knelt beside me. This was crazy. I was crazy for even trying this. I wasn’t supposed to do magic. It was wicked to even try.
“It’s okay, Evie. I didn’t expect you to get it on the first try.” He repeatedly told me it was okay. His words were meant to soothe me, but they only made me angrier by the moment. Finally, I threw off his hand and stood up. I lifted my chin like he’d pushed me to do, but I didn’t stay put. I strode toward the exit like the answer to everything was on the other side.
“Evie! Get back here. We’re not finished.”
Not daring to meet his gaze, I threw over my shoulder, “Just leave me alone! I can’t do this!”
I heard him curse low before he called after me, “Whatever you do, don’t leave the building!”
“Don’t worry, boss-man, I don’t feel very lucky today.”
Chapter 8
As I looked around my classroom with everything put perfectly in its place, I flipped off the light and locked the door. Tomorrow was the first day of class, and though I’d set up everything just as it needed to be, had all my copies made for the next week, and even managed to label everything for the first time this year, I wasn’t ready.
Far from ready, I was a mental mess. All day long, I’d replayed this morning over and over in my mind. I just didn’t have what it took anymore, if I ever did, and whether I was a Hale witch or not, I wasn’t going to be anyone’s hero anytime soon. If anything, I’d probably be the one to destroy the world in a blaze of magic glory.
Dane was crazy if he thought I was going through that ever again. He could take his lessons and stick them where the sun don’t shine, and that’s exactly what I planned to tell him when I walked toward the front door where he was waiting to escort me to my car.
“This morning was my fault. I pushed you too hard, too soon. We should’ve started with something smaller.”
“Or not at all. Look, Dane, I’m not the girl for this. You said it yourself, I’ve survived on pure, dumb luck, so how do you expect me to suddenly be something I’m not? I’m not a badass, and I can’t do magic. Might as well take me to Baba Yaga and let her lock me up for eternity because I will never be my mother.”
He hung his head in defeat for a just a moment before saying, “Tell you what. Let’s give it one more chance. I’ll take you to a spot just outside of town, and we’ll practice there. If we can’t spark your magic, then I’ll take you to Baba Yaga, but I’m confident we’ll be able to see some progress.”
I rolled my head on my weary shoulders. My faith in his ability to teach me wasn’t just small, it was frickin’ non-existent. But, with no ideas to recommend as an alternative, I agreed to give it one more try, if just to finally get Dane Calvin out of my hair. Having him so close to me all the time was too tempting by far. Even now, with the autumn sunlight streaming in through the glass of the front door, his hair picked up golden highlights that made my fingers itch to dive in and get messy as I pulled him in and kissed him into a passionate frenzy, one he couldn’t resist and would remember for the rest of his life. Damn! I needed to get laid.
“Evie, are you okay? You seem a little dazed.”
I met his worried gaze. “What? Oh! Yeah. Just ready to get this over with. Come on! What’re we waiting around here for? Let’s go.”
“Impatient to get me alone to yourself, I see.”
“Huh? Are you crazy? Hitting the sauce, sir? Ha…ha…ha…you…sir…have some funny, funny jokes. Get you alone…as if.” Methinks thou dost protest too much, Evie. Shut the hell up before he starts putting some thought into it!
She rode in his car since he knew exactly where they were going and she didn’t. They chatted civilly during the drive, mostly about school and how things were different from their previous jobs.
“I’m starting my third year teaching this year. I was in a different town on the other side of the state my first year. This is my second year at Mount Shelley, and believe it or not, I really love it. I still get butterflies at the start of every school year because I have such high expectations. Of course, I never take myself too seriously, but certain things matter to me. Like, I never want a student to feel unworthy of a successful future. I’ve met too many in my two years who’ve given up already. Seriously, breaks my heart. Every student I’ve met has had potential. I remember one kid asking me if I thought he was smart. Now, did he have the kind of intelligence that shows up on a standardized test? Maybe not, but he had an intelligence that I’d give my left boob to have. That kid could talk to anyone about anything. He made friends everywhere he went, and people genuinely liked him. Now that’s smart.”
“Do you hear yourself? Do you hear the message you give your students? Why aren’t you worthy of the potential magic inside of you? What’s holding you back?”
I looked away, staring at the houses interspersed with trees and low brush on the side of the road. He had a point. Especially when it came to magic, I didn’t believe in myself. I couldn’t, not after what I did to my mother. But, that was the last thing I wanted to talk about, right after a detailed description of a meat-lover’s colon.
“Don’t know. Are we close?”
He sighed. I was sure he was realizing that I had no intention of being on the receiving end of a you-can-do-it kind of speech. He’d have to save it for the students
He flipped on his turn signal and made his way onto a narrow, dirt and gravel
road. We bumped along until the trees lining the sides of the drive cleared and a small body of water, not much more than a pond came into view. It was nestled at the bottom of a waterfall, created by the natural rock formations that had eroded away over time in this area. In my little over a year here, I’d heard about the waterfall but had never visited. No bullshit. I was a little thrilled to see it.
“This is one of my favorite places I’ve found here. It’s secluded and the water generates energy that saturates the area. That energy hangs in the air, and we can use that to channel your magic into something more controllable.”
He parked the car, and I climbed out to the soft roar of water splashing into more water. Immediately, the air felt thicker, heavier even, and I wondered if it was the energy Dane had been talking about. I glanced across the car at him and felt uneasy with the look he was throwing my way.
“You didn’t by chance bring your bathing suit, did you?”
“Um, no. Didn’t plan on swimming today.”
“That’s what I thought. With careful movements, he began unbuttoning his shirt.”
The realization of what he expected us to do hit me in that moment. “Whoa, big guy! Let’s put the brakes on here. I wasn’t aware your lesson would take place sans clothing. Seems to me that sets us up for nothing but awkwardness. Think I’ll pass this time.”
“Trust me on this. I need you in the water, but we’ll wear proper swimwear. I wasn’t planning on skinny-dipping with you.” He looked like he was trying hard not to laugh. “Just wanted to double-check if you happened to have one on you before I…commandeered a bathing suit for you.”
“Oh, and yourself? Why are you getting undressed?”
