Olivia’s eyes sharpened. “Tennessee has a soulmate?”
It was at that moment that I remembered Olivia had a huge crush on Tenn. I smiled. “Yes, he does. Her name is Tegan, she’s the High Priestess and the Aether Witch. And yes, she is beautiful.”
There was a moment of silence where I thought that maybe I’d actually gotten through to them.
But then Noah clapped his hands together once. “Fine. I call dibs on her twin. I heard she’s blonde and —”
“Don’t – Don’t finish that sentence,” I snapped. I could defend Tegan’s honor calmly and rationally…but if their perverted minds talked about Emersyn that way I wasn’t sure I wouldn’t snap. I hadn’t planned on keeping her Mark a secret, but now I knew I didn’t want them to know. “You will not disrespect them.”
“Pardon my interruption.” Stedman walked into the room with his shoulders pushed back. “Mrs. English expects Deacon to be ready for departure in twenty minutes. I believe it is time for all of you to bid farewell for the evening.”
Saved by the butler. I looked to him and mouthed, thank you.
They all turned to me like I was going to vouch for their presence. Perhaps in the old days I might’ve, but those days were long gone.
“We shall have to continue this riveting conversation at another time, my friends. My mother doesn’t like to be kept waiting.” I stood and brushed my hands off on my jeans. I didn’t wait for their responses, it didn’t matter. I just needed to get away from them as fast as possible. “Stedman, please see them all out.”
Chapter Thirteen
EMERSYN
The ride to the restaurant was only a little bit longer than the one to Caroline’s house. Which meant it was ridiculously short. With the traffic, we could’ve walked there faster. But I didn’t want to sound ungrateful and the heels she gave me were stupid high. I just wanted to get inside to Deacon. His text before had made me feel so much better. It was nice to know I wasn’t the only one anxious.
When the car rolled to a stop my door opened and this time I didn’t put my face in the man’s open hand. I smiled at my own ridiculousness and let the valet help me to my feet, especially since in those heels I needed it. I stepped aside for Caroline just as a gust of wind ripped down the street. I shivered and wrapped my arms around myself. It was only then that I realized I didn’t have any kind of jacket…in Manhattan…in November.
“Caroline, I don’t have a jacket,” I whispered as goosebumps spread down my arms. The cold air on my bare stomach was too much for me to handle. “And I’m in a crop top.”
“Well of course not, it would ruin the outfit.” Caroline flipped her red hair over her shoulder and smiled. She was still in the same knee length black knit dress…with long sleeves and a turtle neck. She chuckled. “Relax, Emersyn. You’re going right here, it’ll be plenty warm inside for you.”
I let her lead me to the door of the restaurant and then followed her inside. My heart pounded and my fingers trembled. This was my first real interaction with his family, and after our introduction I needed to make a good showing. I needed to redeem myself somehow. Caroline’s clothes made me feel pretty and expensive, like maybe I looked like I belonged with them. But they didn’t do a damn thing to stop the anxiety.
“Okay, enjoy dinner. I’ll see you later!”
I gasped and spun around just as Caroline turned to leave. “You’re leaving?”
She shrugged and gave me a little smirk. “Well of course I am. This is a family dinner.” She winked then sped out the door and back into her black Bentley.
I felt like the kids in Jurassic Park after that old dude abandoned them in the car alone.
“Excuse me, Miss?”
I spun and found a man in a black tux standing behind me. My cheeks warmed. Stay calm. You kill demons, you can do this. “Um, hello—”
“Are you dining with us this evening, Miss?” The man with salt a pepper hair and black eyes looked me up and down. “This is a Members Only club.”
I frowned. “Yes, I’m meeting—” Just then my chest burned like a bonfire. The side door opened and Deacon walked in. I pointed in his direction.
“Emersyn!” Deacon’s eyes lit up when he saw me. He looked incredible. His suit was dark gray and cut slim to his frame, complete with matching shirt and a shiny pair of black shoes. He grinned. “You beat us here.”
I smiled and felt my anxiety start to loosen. “Caroline likes to be punctual—”
His mother gasped.
I jumped and looked over to where she stood just behind Deacon. Her pretty features were all wrinkled in disgust. “My dear, what in Heavens are you wearing?” She hissed, then glanced around the restaurant lobby area.
Amelia giggled at Heather’s side. “This is a family dinner, not a strip club.”
“Mr. and Mrs. English, good evening. Nice to have you with us tonight,” the dude in the penguin suit bowed his head at them and smiled. “You know your guests are always welcome here. However as the restaurant manager I must insist they all adhere to the proper dress code. She will need to change before I can allow her to dine.”
Sebastien looked around at the restaurant then averted his eyes. “Perhaps we should eat elsewhere this evening—”
“No, I will not,” Mrs. English snapped. “They are serving my favorite Chicken Marsala for the first time this season. We are eating here.”
Deacon turned with a deep scowl on his face. He looked down at my outfit and his eyes widened. His face paled. He licked his lips then looked back to the manager. “Don’t you have extra coats just for this type of situation?”
Situation? My heart sank. My stomach rolled and I thought I was going to be sick. Were they serious? Was Deacon serious? I thought he’d come to my aid, but he seemed just as horrified as the rest of them. I looked down at my outfit and tried to figure out what was so wrong. Sure, the heels were too tall to be modest but that couldn’t have been the reason to kick me out.
“Ripped jeans?” The manager said, emphasizing every syllable of the word. “No, we do not have a coat to cover that. Nor are we required.”
“It’s the jeans?” I heard myself whisper.
“Club rules,” Amelia whispered back. “No ripped jeans. Or crop tops. And everyone knows no white after Labor Day.”
“That’s a real rule?” I cried. I didn’t know that people were serious about that.
Wait a second. No ripped jeans or crop tops? Those were rather specific. And obviously enforced. By the looks on their faces these were rules everyone knew. Which meant Caroline knew. I clenched my teeth to stop myself from screaming. That sneaky, lying, traitorous bitch! She did it on purpose. Sure, I picked out the jeans because I loved them but she knew damn well I wasn’t allowed to wear them to this club. And she let me wear them anyway. Then she picked out the shirt to go with them, and it just so happened to break another rule?
I twirled my wrists and dreamt of fire.
Deacon cursed. He shook his head and pulled his own jacket off, then draped it around my shoulders. “I’m sorry, this is my fault.” he whispered.
His apology would’ve meant something had he said it loud enough for everyone to hear.
Before I could say anything, he turned and moved his fingers in a small wave. Red mist shot over to the restaurant manager and slid up his body to his face. “Her attire is perfectly acceptable. You will let her stay and cause no more problems for us,” Deacon’s voice was strong and steady.
Like the one he should have used to defend me to his parents. His power of persuasion worked effortlessly. The manager stood straighter and grinned, then waved for us to follow him toward the table. Mrs. English met my stare then rolled her eyes and stomped off after the manager.
Amelia giggled. “That was awesome, Deacon.” She hurried to follow her aunt.
Sebastien looked and me and sighed. He shook his head then followed the others. “I see your new magic comes in handy. Nicely done.”
Deacon’s cheeks
flushed pink. He turned to me and opened his mouth like he was going to say something but I didn’t want to hear it. I didn’t want to hear him apologize privately. I didn’t want to thank him for using his magic to rescue me.
I was no damsel in distress. I didn’t need saving.
I needed a boyfriend who didn’t set me up for mockery and failure.
Chapter Fourteen
EMERSYN
Deacon had to use his magic three mores times on waiters and hostesses before he sent it out to the entire restaurant. By the time I sat down at the table everyone at the club had been persuaded by magic not to notice my horrible outfit.
Well, everyone except his parents and cousin.
The only people in the restaurant I cared about.
I balled my fists in my lap and flames shot out of my hands. Fire wrapped around my wrists. I grit my teeth and took deep breaths through my nose to try and calm down. But a river of rage flowed through my veins. Every single part of me wanted to let my fire free and burn the whole damn club down. Ashes to ashes, they all fall down.
Deacon reached for my hand under the table. He hissed and jerked his hand back. He looked down at my lap then back at me with wide eyes. “Em, I’m sorry.”
Too little, too late. I glared at him and let my flames grow a little taller, just so he wasn’t confused on whether or not I was furious. Him and I were going to have words later, but not in front of an entire restaurant. I wasn’t in the business of mortifying myself. I was a grown ass woman. I was the Empress. I killed demons and closed holes in our dimension. No, I wasn’t going to make a scene. That was beneath me. I would bid my time and wait until we were back at his palace of a house.
Deacon sighed and picked up his glass of ice water. The back of his hand had a red mark – I gasped. I’d burned him. My stomach turned. Damn it! I hadn’t meant to hurt him. I didn’t hit him with my fire intentionally. I didn’t even know he was going to try and grab my hand or I would’ve put the flames out. Goddess, what is wrong with me? Normal people don’t burn their soulmates!
Deacon cleared his throat. “Yes, thank you. I’ll have the lobster, with green beans and, oh do you have French fries right now?”
The waiter nodded. “For the holiday season, yes we do. Parmesan truffle fries.”
“Perfect.” Deacon smiled. “I’ll have those as well. Thanks, Matthew.”
“You’re welcome.” He turned toward Deacon’s father and smiled. “Sebastien?”
I frowned. The waiter had completely skipped over both Amelia and Mrs. English.
“Heather has been waiting all summer for the chicken marsala to return,” Sebastien said with a huge grin. Everyone laughed, including the waiter. “Then Amelia, here, will have the macadamia encrusted tilapia with a Caesar salad. I’ll have the filet mignon, medium rare, with the seafood mac and cheese. And Emersyn will have…”
I sat up straight and opened my mouth to order the chicken parmesan and a side of those yummy sounding truffle fries.
“Ah yes, she’ll have the porcini truffle crusted beef tenderloin with a Maine lobster tail,” Sebastien finished with a smile.
“And for her sides?” The waiter – Matthew – asked him like I wasn’t sitting right in front of him.
“The cauliflower mashed potatoes and tricolored carrots.” He picked up his glass of water to take a sip then stopped. “Oh, and a plum jack cabernet sauvignon for the table, please.”
My jaw dropped. Did he really just order my meal for me like this was the 1950’s? My pulse kicked up a few notches. I wanted to scream. I wanted to go find a demon to kill just so I had an excuse to torch something.
I was too mad to even text Tegan to tell her about it.
Deacon leaned over and whispered, “You don’t have to drink the wine, but my parents allow it as long as we’re at the table with them.”
I glared up at him and didn’t speak. My mouth couldn’t be trusted. His face flushed and he sat back upright. But then he shifted and put his right hand on his lap and I saw his palm…and the burn mark. My heart twisted and my breath left me in a rush. I was furious with him but I didn’t mean to hurt him.
Damn it. I grabbed my glass of water, then held it down by my lap. His parents weren’t looking at me, most likely intentionally, so they didn’t notice me scoop out two pieces of ice with my bare fingers. Deacon was looking to his left talking to Amelia I sat my glass back on the table then reached down and took Deacon’s hand in mine. I pressed the ice chunks to both sides of his burned skin and held on tight.
He flinched and looked over to me with wide eyes. His lips curved in a little smile on one side, but I wasn’t ready to make nice. Not by a long shot. I looked away from him and shook my head. No amount of ice was going to cool off this one.
Three hours later we were still at the table in the pretentious members only club. Where apparently women weren’t allowed to order their own food. Or have desert. Sure, a small slice of cheesecake had been ordered but Sebastien had taken the liberty of cutting everyone a piece. Amelia and I got maybe three bites. Maybe.
The table had since been cleared with only drink glasses on the table yet we hadn’t left. Sebastien and Mrs. English had taken up the entire dinner talking about themselves and what had happened in New York while Deacon was gone. Which was a whole lot of nothing. Then again I was too pissed off to listen to the sound of their voices. I’d mostly sat there stewing in my anger, like a pot of water waiting to boil and blow.
The only times I’d paid attention were when Mrs. English made a point of talking about all the desirable bachelorettes of Manhattan. Not that she’d said those words exactly, but it was not subtle. Even the busboy in the back caught the message.
Mrs. English cleared her throat delicately. “Alright, I think it’s time to retire home for the evening.”
I sighed. Finally. We were leaving. I could change out of these clothes then pack up all my stuff. Then I could tell all four of them off like they deserved. Because I didn’t deserve this treatment. Deacon had relaxed during the dinner and I let him. I wanted him to see what it was like to be blindsided. To be caught off guard and mortified in front of other people.
For the first time since we’d arrived at the restaurant a small smile pulled at my lips. Things were finally looking up. I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. I stood and turned away from the table…and that was when I noticed it.
The empty restaurant.
This woman had intentionally waited until no one else was around to leave just so no one would see my outfit.
A volcano burned inside me.
They had no idea who they were playing with, but they were about to find out.
Chapter Fifteen
DEACON
Of all the dangerous things I’d faced in my life – in the last three months – none of it scared me more than the fury boiling inside of Emersyn the whole drive home. And as we rode the elevator up to the penthouse I couldn’t miss the metaphor.
I knew she’d been embarrassed and furious when we got to the restaurant, and I totally understood. Caroline had intentionally sabotaged her. There was no question about it. I still couldn’t believe she’d done that to her. Caroline. One of my oldest friends. Of everyone in New York she was one of the few I actually liked. Her parents were almost as wealthy as mine, so she understood what it was like. Her father was the other Major, and her mother was also the Lead Page of Manhattan, so she was understood the clout that came with the title. And the pressure to be perfect, especially in public. She was the only one of my friends who could say that. So the fact that she’d set Emersyn up like that blew my mind.
If it had been literally anyone else I wouldn’t have trusted them.
I glanced over to Emersyn and wished I could talk to her. I wished a lot of things…like taking back the entire day and starting over. I’d never had a serious girlfriend and never one I actually cared about enough to bring home. This was a whole new ballgame for me and I was already losing. I looked
down at my hand at the red marks and sighed. I wasn’t mad at her for it. It was an accident. She was angry and her magic came out, yet she still held ice to my hand for an hour.
I didn’t deserve her. But I was damn sure going to figure out how to change that.
My burn? No big deal, my mother had a whole apothecary of concoctions for just about anything…except bad behavior. I ran through a list of things in my head of what I could say but none of it felt right, and all of it began with I’m sorry. The elevator stopped and my pulse skyrocketed. I took a deep breath. Just talk to her.
The second the elevator doors opened on our floor Emersyn bolted.
“Emersyn, please. Wait.” I cursed and chased after her. “Emersyn.”
“I’m getting the hell out of here the second Tegan can portal here and not one single second longer,” she yelled without slowing down or looking back.
Shit, shit, shit. “Em, please. Just talk to me.”
She spun around and her golden eyes were brighter than the sun. “Now you wanna speak? Where have you been all damn afternoon?”
“I – I…” I sighed and threw my hands up. “Okay I haven’t handled today well but—"
“You know, I came here because I thought you deserved better than the way I’d treated you.” She stomped closer with her hands balled into fists at her sides. They both glowed like the full moon. “I felt horrible for how I was when we first met. But none of that was even close to what the four of you have done to me in not even a full day.”
“Em, you weren’t that bad to me. You were just a little cold—”
“EXACTLY, Deacon!” She yelled and smoke billowed from under her feet. “I have never been more disrespected in my entire life. You walked me in here like I was the most important thing in the world to you then let your family shit all over me.”
The Fire Witch (The Coven: Elemental Magic Book 7) Page 7
