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As they moved away from the crowd, she noticed glances that nearly every vampire cast her way. Before they moved into his office, a few of the lingering ones in the hallway glanced also, but their eyes moved over her shoulder. They weren’t watching her. They were watching Roane. She saw respect in them, and all of them stood taller. They squared their shoulders back when Roane moved past.
This was their leader. She had never considered him before, during the brief moments when she heard him converse with Davy, but she was overwhelmed with butterflies now. Her palms got a little sweaty and her eyes went wide. When he closed the door behind him, the air seemed so intimate, so private. No wonder Davy was head over heels.
This vampire was unlike any others that she had met, not that she knew many. There had been that one with orange hair—never mind. She wasn’t there to daydream. And Davy’s boyfriend started to look impatient, like he was waiting for something. Then it clicked.
“Did you ask me something?”
A shadow of a smile graced his features. It transformed him. He had seemed intimidating before, but with that slight hint of amusement, his features were breathtaking. Sharp cheeks, intense eyes, a full mouth, and that cleft in his chin . . . Brown swallowed and looked away. Davy’s boyfriend. She needed to keep telling herself that.
Then, again, she realized the room was heavy in silence.
She closed her eyes in frustration. “I’m sorry. What did you say again?”
The smile faded, and he clipped out, “Have you worked on your magic since the attack?”
Her stomach twisted over. The ‘attack’ had been months ago, long, long months ago. Every day she tried to get her magic back, but nothing worked. Even the slight amount she could use before was gone. She felt human, only human. No magic. Nothing. She was useless.
“No, I haven’t. I’ve been trying, but I think I used it all up. I don’t think there’s any more in me.” Her lip trembled.
Roane narrowed his eyes. From what Davy had said, the girl had an unlimited supply, getting to it was another matter.
“Somehow,” he murmured, “I don’t think that’s the case. Keep trying.”
She glanced from under her eyelids and quickly looked away. “My sister is the one with magic. Only one of us gets the family blessing.”
“Look.” He sighed. His hand curled around the back of the chair he stood behind. “You have magic. Davy said that it’s in you. I trust her. You should, too.”
She squeaked, and her eyes widened. “I do! I trust Davy with my life or I would if she were here . . . When is she coming back?”
He never blinked, and he never looked away.
“I mean . . .” She hung her head. “I was wondering about—if you had found her.” She looked back up. Hope shimmered over her face. “I’d like to help. Can I help?”
“If you have magic. That’s why I called you here.”
“Oh! Yeah, that makes sense. I was wondering, well, I wasn’t wondering but I don’t know. I mean . . . I’ll keep trying. I’ll always keep trying. I feel it’s there. Davy said it is, and I do trust her. She’s my best friend. I know she has that other girl as her best friend, but she sorta betrayed her, so I don’t trust—”
“Stop. Talking.”
She clamped her mouth shut.
“It’s why I called you. Your magic is blocked, and I have another witch for you to meet. He might be able to unblock your magic.”
“Really?”
He nodded and the door opened. A man with long brown hair, frizzy and curly, floated into the room. He wore a gray tunic, and long strings of beads wrapped around his neck. A jewel was placed above his lip, underneath his nose. His eyes were dark, and black makeup was encased around them. He studied her, up and down.
“Mavic, this is Sarah Bright.”
She thrust out a hand. “You can call me Brown.”
The man ignored the offered hand and turned his head. “You insult me, Changeling. I am no more a witch than you are a blood-sucking creature.” The young man gave her a gentle smile. “I am a sorcerer, but Lucas refuses to acknowledge my status. He feels it is too threatening to the world.”
He brushed back a wave of curls and tucked it over his shoulder. He offered his hand and Brown gasped when they touched. A night sky filled her vision with shooting stars that soared at her. Underneath them the ocean roared and waves crashed against each other. Her nose twitched. A whiff of a campfire mixed with incense teased her nostrils.
“You’re a sorcerer?” Goodness.
He nodded and then cast Roane a hard look. “You didn’t tell me she was a Bright.”
