I shook my head. “Don’t be. I’m just…”
“You’re nervous, and rightfully so.”
I kicked the gravel and chunks of salt at my feet as the frozen blades of grass turned to pavement. The street was empty, and I found myself offering a silent prayer in thanks. Sebastian had done research while everyone slept. It still baffled me that he had the same idea I had. Somehow, we got on a wavelength that left us finishing each other’s thoughts. If I weren’t an undead shadow worshipper who enjoyed sipping on blood and intimacy with my almost seven-hundred-year-old boyfriend, I’d find that to be creepy.
There was only one metaphysical shop in town. In order to complete our locater spell successfully, we needed to stock up on some supplies. The vampire coven we were staying with had the same supply room in the basement, but they were running low on too many important ingredients. Today was our only chance to get supplies in order to complete the spell before the sun rose.
“That’s it,” Sebastian said, pointing to a corner store. It was brick and shared the building with a bookstore and cafe. Across the street was a small Catholic church. I smiled at the thought of a religious institution being so close to a Wicca store.
“What’s so funny?” Sebastian asked, giving me a small smile.
“There’s a church across the street,” I said, tilting my head in a point.
“Ha! Think they ever stop by?” He winked.
“I bet protesting is a regular event.” I laughed.
I shook my head, and my heart sank. My smile escaped me, leaving a frown in its wake. They turned the corner and were nearly face to face with us. Only an arm’s reach away, they overloaded my senses. I shivered, my fangs lowering at the thought of the blood coursing through their veins. I stopped, watching them closely. There were five. Two men and three women. They laughed, and the girls wobbled in their heels. Inhaling deeply, I closed my eyes. They were drunk. The smell of alcohol made my throat constrict. I fisted my hands at my sides. My nails dug into my palms, drawing blood. I focused on my scent, forcing myself to ignore the human presence. Before I allowed myself to reopen my eyes, I waited until I could no longer hear their drunken chat and clanking feet. A door slammed, muffling their voices, and a car started, speeding away.
I opened my eyes and found Sebastian gazing down at me, a cheeky grin on his face. “I’m proud of you.”
“Yeah, thanks for the help.” I pretended to be annoyed, but really, I wasn’t. I was proud of myself, too. Everything inside me told me to react on my predator instincts. Ignoring them wasn’t an easy task.
“You didn’t need help, and you need to stop thinking that you do. You’re strong enough to handle anything life throws at you. You just need to believe in that, in yourself.”
I smiled and brought my palms before me. Having already healed, they bared no marks. “Let’s just get this over with.”
“Sounds good to me. I’m surprised lover boy didn’t insist on coming. Naturally, we’d run into humans,” he said.
I glanced up at him, and his face betrayed the pain of acknowledging my relationship with Jasik. “Maybe he trusted you to get me through it,” I said in an attempt to smooth things over. I needed Jasik and Sebastian to become friends for the long haul.
Pfft! Sebastian rolled his lips in disbelief.
“Sebastian, he does trust you. If he didn’t, you’d never be alone with me. Besides, I think you’ve proven yourself more times than not since that first night.”
In reality, Jasik had told me he had a meeting to attend to, and I didn’t ask any questions. I was just happy, after what had happened, he trusted me—and Sebastian—enough to let us go to town alone together.
“Yeah, to you. No one else—”
“Stop. They care, too. Lillie even let you feed from her. That’s not something taken lightly, as I’m sure you know… unless you’re Jeremiah.” I was sure blood and sex went hand in hand for him.
“Their opinions don’t matter.”
My jaw clenched. If we were going to stick together as friends, he’d have to stop putting me on this pedestal. I told myself he just needed more time. When this was all said and done, he’d realize he cared about them, they cared about him, and we could all live together… forever.
Sebastian grasped the doorknob to the shop and stepped aside to let me in. Instantly, we were bombarded with the familiar scent of sage. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply.
“Mmm, now there’s a smell I miss,” I said with a smile.
“Guess it’s not so bad,” Sebastian admitted.
“Welcome!” a voice called from the back of the store. “We’re only open for another fifteen minutes, but I’m happy to help you find what you’re looking for.” With each word, the voice grew louder, closer, until the young store clerk stood just before us. She was young, but her power seeped from her pores. When she finally looked at us, her entire body stiffened as she took us in.
She knows, I thought.
I know, Sebastian replied, and I jumped. His voice in my head was still something I’d have to get used to.
“How…” She shook, taking a step backward. “How did you get in here?”
“We won’t hurt you. We just need a few supplies. That’s it.”
She began to convulse; her breathing became erratic. A fine layer of mist coated her paling skin.
“Jeez, you’re going to faint. Calm down,” Sebastian said. His long strides eliminated the space between them with just a couple steps. He grabbed onto her arms before she could flop to the floor.
She screamed a piercing shriek that made me jump.
“Did you hurt her?” I asked as I ran to her side.
“What? No!” he yelled. “I barely touched her!”
“Shh. It’s okay,” I said, running a hand across her temple, pushing back the hair that stuck to her skin with sweat.
“I… can’t… breathe,” she said between hiccupped breaths.
“Look at me. Focus. Breathe with me. Breathe in,” I inhaled a long, slow breath, “and breathe out,” I said as I released an overly dramatic breath. I repeated the words and process another four times before her pulse finally slowed. “You’re okay. What’s your name?”
“I—I’m… I’m…”
“I’m Avah, and this is Sebastian, and we are not going to hurt you. I promise.” I flashed her an bright smile. “But you don’t have to tell us your name. We just need to buy a couple things. Can you tell us where you keep these items?” I handed her a folded piece of paper with scribbled herbs, crystals, and more listed.
She nodded, never letting her gaze leave mine.
“Why…” She shook her head.
“Hmm?”
“Why are you wearing sunglasses? It’s night.”
Sebastian laughed. “You have the opportunity for a tell-all, and that’s your first question? Our designer eye-wear?”
His Australian accent was thick and coated the words in a sexy hug. I arched an eyebrow. She’s, like, seventeen. Stop putting on the moves.
He gawked at me before his mouth settled in a firm line. Jealous?
I rolled my eyes.
“Umm… I just, I don’t know,” she said as she stood.
She was still shaking, so I took a step back. I gripped Sebastian’s arm and yanked him back, too, since he obviously was missing her fairly obvious fear. She glanced at the list and then looked back at us. She did it again and again, reading one item and then making sure we were still far enough way to make her semi-comfortable before moving on to the next.
“If you want, we can wait outside or by the door or something. I trust you’ll get all the items, and I have cash. You can keep it all.”
Her hands shook as she stared at me without speaking. It seemed like hours were passing as she contemplated my offer.
Finally, she swallowed and said, “Why are you being nice to me?”
I smiled at her. “Because we’re nice people.”
“You’re not people. I know what you
are.”
“Technicality. We were nice people, and that demeanor hasn’t changed. I told you we don’t want to hurt you, and I mean it. We just need those items.”
She nodded and looked at the list again. “Why do you need these items?”
“We’re doing a locater spell. A friend of ours, she’s missing.”
“How did you find a witch to help you?” she asked, her eyes wide.
“It’s not what you think,” I said, imagining her mind was picturing a coven being ambushed and witches being tied up, forced to practice magic for us.
“Okay… Just, wait by the door, and don’t move. My element is fire. I will use it.”
I nodded and stepped back until I pushed up against the door. I crossed my arms over my chest and stayed still, showing her I would comply. Thankfully, Sebastian did the same, his eyes never leaving her. She busied herself by grabbing ingredients and tossing them in a small bag as she went through each item on the list. After grabbing an item, she’d look over her shoulder, and I smiled again. After a few times, she returned my motion with a hesitant smile.
“She likes you,” Sebastian whispered.
“You like her,” I said matter-of-factly.
He narrowed his eyes at me. “I told you, I don’t—”
“Do witches? Yeah, yeah. Then stop staring.”
“You’re staring,” he countered.
“Not like you.” I enjoyed our bickering. It was as if we were already family.
“Here,” she said, rolling the top of the paper bag before tossing it to me. Sebastian caught it in mid-air. “Now leave. Please.”
“Thank you,” I said as I turned on my heel, opened the door, and stepped aside for Sebastian. He had stepped outside and took a few long strides toward home when I realized I didn’t pay her. I spun around. “Oh! Wait!” The door shut behind me, entrapping us together.
She had already begun walking away, but I quickly walked toward her, and she turned and flinched like I’d hit her. Her arm lashed out as she yelled a word that was too familiar for comfort. I was engulfed in flames, lit by the spark of her fire magic. I dropped to my knees, screaming as the fire ate at my skin. The pain overtook my senses, my mind. I could think of nothing but the fire burning away my existence.
A wash of water poured over me, and I fell back into Sebastian’s arms. He held me gently. My body shivered as it slowly began to heal. I was sticky, wet, and smelled of burnt hair and skin.
“Sebastian,” I whispered. I knew he had used his ability to control water to put out the fire—even though that risked exposing our kind to this witch and, in turn, her coven. I raised my hand, pushing his sunglasses from his eyes, and the skin of my arm peeled off, sticking to the floor. I cried out, my arm falling limply back to the ground.
“Shh, don’t move. Don’t move. You’re going to be okay,” he said, placing a light kiss against my scalp. He began rocking back and forth, and only then did I realize his eyes were misty. How close had I come?
“So… thirsty,” I said. My body felt heavy, weak. My fangs were exposed, and my eyes burned where the plastic of my sunglasses had melted against my skin.
“I know, sugar. But you have to wait. I can’t move you yet.” His voice was filled with concern.
Rolling my head, I glanced down. I gritted my teeth as I felt the skin on the back of my neck rip off and stick to Sebastian’s arm. I gasped at the sight. Where my skin wasn’t bubbling, it was just… gone. Instead, I saw the red, swollen flesh that skin was supposed to hide from prying eyes. Most of my flesh had charred, turning black as it cooked in the flames. My clothes were nearly gone. Only a few scraps had covered my body. Chunks of skin and fried hair decorated the store’s floor around me. I glanced up; the store clerk witch was gone.
“I just… wanted to pay…” I said breathlessly.
“I know, baby. I know. Don’t talk. It takes too much energy. You need to heal, and then we’ll feed.”
“Can’t wait. Need it now.” My body was excruciatingly heavy. As a vampire, I felt light, carefree, as if I was always a mortal swimming, but now, I felt like I’d emerged from the water and was no longer weightless. I couldn’t bear to hold on; the pain was cutting through to my core. It nestled deeply within me—and stayed there.
He exhaled quickly and said, “Close your mouth. Bite your teeth together. I don’t want you to rip your tongue apart.”
Unsure, I still obeyed. Quickly, he shifted so his arm was free from my weight. I cried out between clenched teeth, feeling the now familiar sensation of my tissue being ripped from my bones. In a swift motion, Sebastian bit into his wrist and offered it to me. I couldn’t move, so he hovered the steady stream over my mouth. He healed, and he repeated the motion. Over and over again, he offered me his life, healing only seconds later and then ripping into his flesh again.
“No more,” I said. “You need your strength, too.”
“I don’t care about me, Avah. You still look—”
“Awful, I know.” I closed my eyes.
“Your hair is growing back,” he said, and I could hear his smile.
“Thank the goddess for that,” I snickered.
“You must be feeling better. Can’t say you look much better, though.”
“I get it. I look like crap. Stop reminding me.” I kept my eyes closed, unwilling to acknowledge this close call with death.
“Bloody hell. What the bugger do you want?” Sebastian growled, and my eyes jerked open in time to see his shield surround us. It was our only defense. Sebastian couldn’t move without ripping off more skin, and my strength was dwindling. I couldn’t take another hit and survive.
“I’m… I thought she was going to kill me.” The store clerk carried spare clothes and a bottle of water. She set them down just outside the shield.
“She was going to pay you!” he yelled.
“I—I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, well, now you’re not getting paid. And we’re still taking the supplies! You burnt the money. That’s not our problem.”
If I had more strength, I would have laughed at Sebastian’s attempt to best her in this situation.
“Please, take them. Take these, too. Keep them.”
“Thank you,” I whispered.
“Yeah, it’s the least you could do,” Sebastian spat.
“Look, I said I was sorry! Have you forgotten that we’re enemies? I didn’t have to help you!”
“Stupid, brain-washed child,” he said as he shook his head.
My breath caught. “Don’t,” I said, willing him to not expose the secret that had left me an outcast. This girl didn’t have to worry about being chosen. She didn’t need to know that her family had been lying to her all her life.
“Relax, baby girl,” he said, his features instantly softening when he looked at me. “You need to feed again. Here.” I closed my eyes again.
He placed his wrist to my mouth, and my fangs tore through his flesh. He rested against my lips, the pain there now gone, and I took long, greedy swallows. My body began to tingle as its healing magic worked to fix the hot mess I was in. The pain subsided until I couldn’t feel it any longer.
I heard Sebastian inhale sharply, and my eyes shot open in time to see him quickly look away. I released his wrist and glanced down. I lay nude in his arms, my skin flawlessly untouched. I felt my cheeks heat as I sat forward. One arm draped over my breasts while the other rested against my upper thighs. Sebastian gripped my arms and moved from underneath me. He lowered his shield just enough to quickly grab the garments she left for me. He set them beside me, his eyes never lingering. He stood again, crossing his arms, and faced the girl. I was sure it was an alpha staring contest, but I didn’t care. I dressed quickly in the jeans and t-shirt before resting a hand on Sebastian’s back. His tensed muscles relaxed as he turned to face me. I pulled him in a hug, squeezing him against me as I let tears fall.
“That was too close,” I said.
“I know. Goddess, do I know.”
> I pulled away and rested my forehead against his. With my eyes closed, I regained my composure; he wiped away any evidence of a breakdown.
“We need to go, darlin’,” he said.
I nodded and leaned against him, still weak. Everything I had went into healing my body. I needed to feed… badly. “I don’t think I can go out there and not hurt someone.” I swallowed hard.
“Don’t worry about that. I won’t let you hurt anyone.” His thumb traced the curve of my cheek. “I promise.”
The witch gasped, but I ignored her.
I nodded. “Can you carry me? I feel—”
“Yes. Come,” he said, and I fell against him completely. He grasped an arm under my knees and cradled me against him. My eyelids were heavy, and I knew darkness would soon consume me. I heard the faint crinkling of the paper bag and muffled apologies from the store clerk before the bell on the front door rang. The wind danced across my skin as Sebastian took me home.
“Sebastian,” I whispered.
“Yes, I’m here, baby girl. We’ll be there soon.”
“Don’t tell—”
“I won’t. I’ll leave that to you. I don’t need lover boy to hate me even more than he does.”
I smiled. “You like him. Admit it.”
“Maybe a little.”
“I knew it.” I smiled, nuzzling closer to his chest.
“He’s good for you,” he admitted.
“He really is.”
“Yeah, well, I figured you won’t even remember this tomorrow.”
I replayed his words over and over in my mind, willing myself to remember his admission, until there was nothing but silence.
I GRUNTED AS I opened my eyes. My body felt heavy, as if I’d slept for days on end. An arm slid around me, and I glanced down. I was still wearing the jeans and t-shirt. I smiled at the familiar presence of Jasik’s muscular arm pulling me closer toward him. Pushing my hair back, he pressed a kiss to the sensitive skin behind my ear.
“Avah, love,” he whispered, his breath tickling my skin. My shoulders rolled as I shivered at the sensation. I turned to face him. I’d never get tired of staring into his crystal clear blue eyes. Their usual neon glow was gone; today, they were hauntingly dark.
Blood Magic (Blood Books Book 2) Page 11
