“You put LoJack on my ring?” he asked, teasing her.
“Not quite. If you go missing, Brandy or I can scry for you with little difficulty, as we’ve charmed it with a drop of each of our blood.”
“Blood?” Snippets of his dream flooded him. “I wonder if that’s what I dreamt. Makes sense now.”
Serena’s lips pursed. “Tell me about the dream.”
“Not much to tell. I saw blood on a woman’s hand. It wasn’t a clear image, so I can’t tell you more.”
Serena nodded. “That selenite wand you used downstairs, it’s yours. Use it to meditate before bed, and keep it near you. It should help clear those dreams, especially if they’re premonitions. I also have some white sage and palo santo for you to take home. Cleanse your apartment daily, if not weekly. If you run out, you know where to get more,” she said with a saucy wink.
Ethan laughed and gave her hand a squeeze before running his thumb along the skin between her thumb and forefinger. “Thank you. I used to think something was wrong with my mind, but you’ve opened this new world to me.”
The invisible string between them shortened, as he found himself leaning toward her. Her mouth was calling him home. A puff of breath fanned his lips when his cell phone startled them apart. He inwardly cursed at the poor timing. “Sorry,” he muttered, his gaze still taking in each minute detail of her mouth as he shoved his hand into his pocket.
Serena gave him a short nod. Her lips pulled into a thin line, and her shoulders raised to nearly her ears. Forcing himself to check the screen, he sighed. He swiped at the green icon and pressed the cell phone to his ear as Serena gathered their teacups.
“Yeah?” he snapped. He’d spent a full month away from her, unable to think about anything but her, and just when he was seconds from finally tasting her lips, his brother interrupted.
“Everything all right?” Max asked, and his concerned face flashed in Ethan’s mind.
Ethan stood, unable to remain seated while he felt like a caged lion. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he stood before the window and the breeze ruffled his shirt. “Yeah, everything’s fine. What’s up?” he asked, speaking in a more agreeable tone.
Max paused for a second before accepting Ethan’s words. “You’re home, right?”
“I’m back, if that’s what you mean.”
“Yeah, that’s what I mean. You don’t happen to be free to come by the clinic in the next hour or so, do you?” Max asked, his voice sounding a little strange.
Ethan glanced at his watch before turning to face the direction Serena had disappeared. He did not want to leave but knew Max’s interruption was probably for the best. “Yeah, I’ll be there.”
“Thanks, see you soon.”
Max ended the call, and Ethan examined his new ring. It was masculine, and the energy it emitted vibrated along his finger. Closing his fist, he sucked in a breath before releasing it slowly.
When he opened his eyes, he felt not only better but found Serena watching him. His chest clenched for an entirely different reason at the sight before him.
“Sorry, it was Max.”
She nodded. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, he wants me to come by. Didn’t say why, but—”
“You have to leave. I should reopen the shop. Let me get the rest of your things,” she said, and before he could take another breath, she slipped down the stairs.
His head fell back, and he stared at the stark-white ceiling. Ethan took a few more calming breaths before taking the stairs two at a time. Serena paused for the briefest second and plastered a smile on her face. It did not look right, unlike the genuine ones she’d given him earlier.
“Did I do something wrong?” he asked.
“No, why would you think so?”
He studied her a moment, and the hope he had been filled with vanished. “Sorry, I must be imagining things. Damn jet lag really messes with you.”
She offered him a tight smile and nodded toward the box in her hands. “I put the selenite wand in there. I suggest you take ten minutes out in the morning and in the evening to practice. The shop is closed on Tuesday, so we can meet up then to test your gift. Remember—”
“My mind and gifts are extensions of me. I need to treat them like muscles and give them proper exercise,” he said, imitating her.
“Such a pain in my ass,” she muttered, but there was no anger behind her words.
