AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I already miss her,” Elliot said as he dabbed my finger. “There, I think the bleeding has stopped.”
“Thank you,” I said, my voice softer than I had intended. “Your touch is very tender.”
Elliot stared at his tie as he folded it. “It was my pleasure.” His voice was as soft as my own. I wanted to stroke his cheek and put my arm around him.
Moe grunted as he struggled with the jar.
“Let me try,” Jag said, crossing over to him with a hand outstretched. He still wore his tiny shorts that clung to his ass. I forced my gaze away. I had more important things to deal with. Like if I was going to ditch these guys for their safety or not.
“No, no, I got it,” Moe said. “I just need a better grip.”
“Just give it to me. I know a jar opening trick,” Jag said.
“I can do it!” Moe insisted.
Ram stood with a jar of potion in his hand and stalked over to me. I stared him down. Well, I tried to. He didn’t back off. Elliot stepped sideways, putting himself partly between me and Ram, which I hadn’t expected.
“What is going on?” Ram whispered, even though Elliot would still be able to hear him. “The woods witch wouldn’t have given you enough waking and food potions to keep a legion of dragons flying unless she wanted you to do something. Quickly.”
I clenched a fist at my side. If only he hadn’t asked in front of Elliot. I needed to tell Ram the truth because I couldn’t open portals on my own, but I hadn’t decided yet if I was going to drag the others into this.
“I don’t know the thought processes of someone who probably turns mushrooms upside down and uses them as butt plugs.”
“They’d probably just turn to mush,” Elliot said. “Whatever the forest witch said… is it about the woman we saw in the portal? Your friend?”
Ram gave me a look that said, go on, tell him.
Elliot waited with those sweet, soft eyes. I glanced at Jag and Moe as they wrestled for control of the jam jar, each insisting he had a super-secret trick for opening them. The mate bond shimmered in the air from my chest to each of theirs, golden even in the dark of pre-dawn, like sunlight captured and made into ropes.
I knew the right thing to do was to lie and leave them behind. Keep them as far away from danger as I could.
They were brave, yes, but they weren’t witches or even conventional shifters. And I was dealing with magic so advanced, even Ram, Juniper, and I struggled with it. My attempts to bend portals and bubble dimensions to my will had already landed the ninety-three people of Free Jinx… somewhere. Dead, maybe. Or just lost.
But I didn’t want to go alone. Just yesterday, it would have been easy to ditch them and do everything on my own, like I was used to. Now, when I looked at Jag’s fierce eyes and mischievous smirks, or Moe’s bright blues and easy grins, or Elliot’s soft brown eyes and shy smiles, I felt like my heart was being hugged.
All cozy and safe and warm.
I didn’t want to feel cold again.
Apparently, even with all my power, strength, and bitterness, I was as defenseless to mate spells as a slug among salt.
“Alyssa?” Elliot said. “What’s going on?”
I met his gaze. Despite his apprehension about the mate bond, he stared at me as though I was the best thing he had ever seen.
It made my insides melt. So, I did the selfish thing, the thing that I knew would end up with him hurt. I told him the truth.
And I asked for his help.
“My friends and a lot of locals are trapped in bubble dimensions. We need to save them.” I looked at Jag and Moe. “You need to hear this too.”
Jag yanked the jar from Moe. “Let me show how it’s done, Jam Boy.”
I reached out with my magic and unscrewed the jar lid, dropping it into the basket.
Jag and Moe gaped at me. Without breaking eye contact, Moe reached out his hand and stuck a finger into the jam, lifting it to his mouth. “Mmm… apple.”
Jag heaved a sigh. “Now no one else can eat it.”
