AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My eyes start to sting as the seriousness of the situation washes over me. Witches are trying to kill the king and quite possibly want to get their hands on Jesse. A witch happened to be on my flight, in the seat right next to me, and somehow talked me into drinking her special tea, which put me to sleep while she cast God-knows-what kind of spell on me in the meantime.
“Why were you at the airport?” I ask, going with the easiest of the dozens of questions spiraling through my mind right now. “Did you know I was coming?”
He shakes his head. “I got word that the leader of a powerful coven from the east coast was flying in today. I was hoping to spot her and follow discreetly to see why she’s here and what she wants. Imagine my surprise when I saw you walk through the doors, instead.”
“This coven leader,” I say, focusing on his purpose and not my unwanted appearance. “Do you think it could be Theodora?”
“Maybe,” he says. “That’s not her name, but she could’ve lied to you. Or it could be someone else, entirely. Either way, we need to get you to someone who can figure out what she did to you and possibly undo it.”
“Who would be able to do that?” I ask, dread roiling in my gut.
“Another witch,” he says softly. “She’s always been neutral, not joining her sisters in the war against my kind. She helps both sides when she can, and she’s assisted my father on many occasions. We can trust her.”
Jesse leans back against the seat and puts his arm around me, tugging me close against his side. I rest my cheek on his chest and watch the palm trees zip by outside his window. I’ve never been to California, but I can’t even enjoy the view.
Not until I know what Theodora, or whoever she is, did to me and whether or not I’m going to be okay.
Soon enough, we pull into the driveway of a small house with stucco walls and red clay tiles on the roof. Jesse climbs from the car and is opening my door from the outside before I can even twist myself around to touch the handle. As he helps me from the car, the front door of the house swings open, and a woman steps out onto the small porch.
I study her as we move forward, and her violet eyes seem to study me just as carefully. She looks younger than me, but that means nothing. For all I know, she could’ve cast a spell on her bathtub to make it a fountain of youth, or something. Her long, dark hair is wild with tight curls, and she runs her hands over it in an attempt to tame it as we approach.
“Tamelen,” Jesse says, “this is Eden. She’s very important to me, and someone cast a spell on her without her knowledge or permission. I need your help.”
Tamelen’s purple eyes widen as they roam down my body and back up. She flicks her gaze to Jesse and cocks her head.
“How do you know a spell has been cast? I do not sense any magical residue,” she says, her voice thick with some kind of accent I don’t recognize.
“I tasted it on her mouth,” Jesse says, and Tamelen’s eyes flash back to mine.
“And her blood?”
“No,” Jesse says. “I only kissed her. She said a woman named Theodora gave her tea on the plane, and she doesn’t remember anything else until she woke up in L.A.”
Tamelen nods and moves aside, motioning for us to precede her into the house. Jesse holds my hand as we walk across the foyer and head into a small, cluttered living room. Bead curtains cover the windows, and glass spheres, colored crystals, and other breakable knick-knacks cover every available surface. Jesse sits on the couch and pulls me down next to him, keeping our thighs closely pressed together.
He may say he trusts this self-proclaimed-Switzerland of a witch, but it’s obvious he doesn’t. Not completely.
Tamelen walks over and points to the couch cushion on the opposite side of me. “May I?”
“Yes. Of course,” I stutter, my breath hitching in my chest as she sits on the edge of the sofa and takes my hand.
“Sorry,” she says quietly, “but I need the physical connection to perform the sweep.”
“The sweep?” I ask.
“To determine if there is magic inside you, if it’s harmful in any way, and what the witch’s intentions were when he or she cast the spell.”
I look over at Jesse, and he nods. Turning back to Tamelen, I wobble my head. She takes that as an affirmative answer, tightens her grip on my hand, and closes her eyes. The hairs on my arms stand on end when she starts to chant, and my heart pounds against my ribs as static electricity flows over my skin.
Jesse must sense my unease because he tightens his grip on me and whispers in my ear. I can’t hear the words over the whooshing of my blood, but his tone is encouraging and supportive. I try to relax against him, but the heat between Tamelen’s palm and mine is passing uncomfortable and headed right for fuck, that hurts.
And just when I think I can’t take it anymore, she releases me. The energy coursing through me dissipates, and I’m left feeling a little bereft. Like I should scream at its loss. Or cry. Or both.
“Here. Eat this,” Tamelen says, handing me a piece of colorful hard candy. “That will help bring your blood sugar back up and get rid of that desire to lock me in your closet so you can get a hit of the power whenever you desire.”
My eyes widen a bit, and she laughs. She read my emotions like a book, and apparently, they’re normal.
“It’s a common reaction,” Jesse whispers.
