My familiar has broken the barrier between me and the magic I was destined to control.
I’m barely cognizant when I feel Gordy wiping me down. Lucidity slowly returns to me, and I squirm. This turtle man is being so gentle. Time doesn’t exist when I’m with him, and in theblink of an eye, he’s curled up around me. We’re both dry and clean with the sheets over us.
“Thank you,” I murmur, as sleep rapidly overtakes me.
“I should be thanking you,” he whispers through a yawn. His face nuzzles the back of my neck. I’ve never been this comfortable before. “You made my first time special.”
“More than special…mm…it was right.”
He hums and kisses me again. “Sleep tight, my love,” he whispers.
“My love…my…”Familiar. I know with every fiber of my being that fate has brought me my familiar, the legendary Ruby Turtle. I say nothing else as I drift back to sleep, basking in the warmth and safety of the man I’ve fallen in love with.
CHAPTER 20- GORDY
THE SUMMER GREENERYpasses us by as Seb drives down the road. My gaze tracks the houses and streets of Cosmo through the passenger window. I hum in contentment, happy to be so comfortable in the city that I’ve quickly claimed as my new home.
But the happiness might be from me losing my virginity.I’m not a virginal turtle anymore, woo-hoo!While I couldn’t be more thrilled, I’m keeping it quiet for now. Everyone in the greater Boysen House coven can tell that he and I are seeing each other, so there’s no need to kiss and tell. I’m just happy things have fallen into place. And I’ve fallen for him.
“You good, man?” Seb asks.
“Yeah.” I sit up straight and play with my seatbelt.
“You keep sighing, and your tail keeps wagging.”
My cheeks prickle with embarrassment, and I focus on keeping my appendage still. “Sorry.”
“No, it’s cool.” Seb grins at me before refocusing on the road. “I’m happy for you, bud.”
I bristle, but deep down, I’m flattered. I’ve never had friends with whom I could talk about romance. Mostly because my only real friend was Speakeasy, and there was no romance to speak of. Seb has been my number one confidante, other than Loxley.
And he told me he’s fated to Kai, a mage of similar power to me. So he should have some insight into what’s gnawing at my chest. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Always,” he replies.
“Aren’t you, and I guess, Kai…aren’t you scared?”
“What?”
“There are threats everywhere.” My hands toy with the seatbelt as we approach Boysen House. “Threats I’ve never heard of. And threats of losing control over magic I didn’t think were possible.”
When he parks the car, he shoots me a serious look. I continue, “Aren’t you both scared of the other person getting hurt in the line of wizard duty or something?”
Seb ponders my words, then nods. “There is, for sure, a lot to think about. I used to believe I was one of a few witches on the East Coast, but as it turns out, there are whole networks of magical beings. The mystical world is so much bigger than I previously thought.”
He stares out the windshield and taps the steering wheel. “Sure, there are dark forces out there. But there are good forces, too. Being a witch has always been about protecting our community, and we’ve found allies we can trust.”
When he looks at me, a soft smile grows on his face. “Together, we can prevent harm. Supporting our loved ones during the rough times is all we can do.”
I nod and let his words sink in. Seb may be the same age as Loxley, but he seems wise beyond his years. Then again, he’s dating my sage, older ancestor. “Speaking of loved ones, I’m gonna go pick up Kai from the portal mansion.”
That’s right, Kai is on some mission with the Union. After unhooking my seatbelt, I get out of the car. With a wave, Seb drives off. The five-minute walk down the block to Boysen House gives me plenty of time to shift into my human guise. As I get closer, a smile grows on my face.
It’s been a whole week since Loxley and I had sex, and I miss him. Sure, we’ve been chatting and playing video games every night, but it’s no substitute for the real deal. He’s enjoying hisnew job, and I like mine, too. It seems like he has no plans to leave Cosmo, even if he doesn’t pass the next competency exam.
All this commuting back and forth across town is annoying, even if it’s only for date nights. Maybe I can ask him to move in with me down the road? Their house has two new witches, so it’s not like the coven will have a deficit.
The thought of sleeping with him regularly sends a rush of excitement up my shell.“My mate,”my inner turtle growls. There it goes again, that voice inside my head roaring at me, begging me to declare my devotion to Loxley. That passionate spirit was so loud when we had sex, and now it yearns to be by Loxley’s side forever.
