AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Drew and Carmon choked.
“She didn’t just call him…” Drew began.
“Oh, yeah. She did.” Carmon stared at me with wide eyes.
Each man began to stand slowly, keeping their eyes on Jeff. He’d said no one called him by his full name, but their reactions said that when anyone did, it wasn’t good. Luckily, I wasn’t just anyone.
“Oh, sit down.” I waved my hand at them until they sat.
Jeff held his hand up, eyes still closed. “High five, Noodles.”
“Are you ever going to explain that name?” Nathaniel groaned.
Jeff opened his eyes, and the twinkle told me to prepare myself. Instead of letting myself take any more embarrassment, I turned the tables on my Consort.
“Jeff threw a bowl of water and cooked noodles at me this morning at five o’clock, which was after he’d set his alarm to wake me every hour from one o’clock on, which was after he intentionally humiliated me at dinner.”
“Which,” Jeff spoke up, “was after you poisoned me yesterday morning, but I think you got me back for the other stuff when you used your magic to throw me off the balcony this morning.”
We stared at each other, trying not to smile while everyone else just stared. When we couldn’t keep the smiles away, we burst into laughter, no doubt causing mass confusion around the room.
A throat cleared. “When you guys are ready to pull yourselves together, we’d like to figure out what’s going on.”
After Carmon’s words, we did try harder to stop laughing. It was tough, but we did it. We were exhausted. I was proud of us for not laughing harder.
Jeff sat us up and pulled me onto his lap. “I guess I should explain a few things.”
“Ya think?” Carmon asked with sarcasm.
“Tessa is the daughter of Nate’s late friend Lorna, the same Lorna who attacked us with Nate and Abby when we were five. Nate never told Tessa what happened.” Jeff glared at Nathaniel, who looked sheepish. “She thought we’d murdered her mom, so she came here with a vendetta. She poisoned and threatened me, but I did do those things she accuses me of, making me no better than the hurting girl who didn’t know the truth. Nate reminded me this morning that we age differently, and that Tessa is young for a Witch. I messed up.”
I looked at him, and his eyes were filling with moisture. “I’m so sorry, Tessa.” A tear slid down his cheek. “I messed up, and I’ll make it up to you.”
Smiling, I rested my hand against his cheek. “Pretty sure that saving my life makes up for before.”
“I couldn’t let my girl stay hurt.” His eyes warmed in happiness, and my smile grew.
“Your girl?” Nathaniel looked shocked.
Time to get serious. I climbed from Jeff’s lap and sat beside him closest to Nathaniel. He was my father for all intents and purposes. Hopefully he’d be happy with the news.
“Jefferson Lanshay is my Consort, Nathaniel.” Carmon and Drew looked uncomfortable again, but I liked Jefferson’s name, so I planned to use it every now and then.
“How can that be?” my mentor asked. “He’s not a Witch, and you’re barely of age, if you are.”
“I don’t know,” I answered. “All I know is that Lady Life knew before we did. That was why she gave that speech before you spoke. Jeff’s Love element has been reacting to me the same way a Witch’s magic would. It’s inside me, Nathaniel. I feel it. It also explains why his element reacted to mine like it did in the elevator.”
Nathaniel thought about it and nodded his head. “Yes, it does. His element would have thought you were giving yourself to him and would have tried to tie you together. I didn’t know he could be your Consort, or I’d have seen the sign.” He looked between the two of us. “You’ve had a rough start.”
Jeff snorted. “Yeah, but we’re going to be okay. We’ve decided we’re friends. We can start there.”
He took my hand and gave it a squeeze.
“Nate,” Carmon cut in, “you said Tessa is barely of age to have a Consort. How old is she?”
“I’m thirty-three,” I answered for myself.
“But,” Nate continued, “we age differently than you. Tessa is about sixteen in your years.”
