she found herself captivated. Her breath caught
in her throat as he gave a smile that was as devilish as his evil roots.
He regarded her a moment, giving her a once-over before
curiosity filled his dark eyes. “If you’re a witch, why haven’t you,” he waved
his hand over her, “changed your clothing?”
At the reminder of her magical flaws, her cheeks warmed. The
spell he suggested was, in fact, the simplest of magic. She considered lying to
save herself from the embarrassment, but why bother? A demon had no right to
judge her. “Because I’m a terrible witch.”
One sleek eyebrow lifted. “How so?”
A breeze filled the air, causing leaves to flutter down from
the tree above, making her slightly chilled in her wet clothes. “My powers are
on the fritz. I can command the earth element, but when I do, something horrible
happens.”
His eyes twinkled. “Show me.”
“That’s not a good idea.” She scanned the area and while
only a couple of warlocks stood by the café and a few werewolves across the
street, this seemed dangerous. Turning back to Zeke, she admitted, “It’s best I
don’t use my magic.”
He closed the distance between them, studying her from head
to toe. “But you are a witch.”
To call her a witch was akin to calling a black cat white.
“Yeah, that’s the problem. I’m only a half-witch.”
He snorted, folding his arms over a thick chest. “There’s no
such thing as a half-witch.”
“Wanna bet?” she countered.
The side of his mouth curved. “Go on.” He leaned against the
wrought iron lamppost and waved her on, which flexed the muscles in his biceps.
“I’m not worried. Show me.”
She cleared her throat, a little stuck on the sight of his
flexing muscles, before she gave herself hell for looking at a demon that way.
Focusing off him, as well as realizing he wouldn’t relent until he saw her
flaws for himself, she focused inward. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
He winked. “Little witch, you couldn’t hurt me if you
tried.” Pointing toward himself, he tilted his head. “Demon, remember?”
There was that.
Besides, even if she had perfect magic, she still couldn’t
injure him; exactly why witches feared demons. Although this demon wasn’t
typical, was he? With that thought on her mind, and not wanting to prolong the
moment, she shut her eyes. Years had passed since she called to her element and
she wasn’t confident earth would respond.
Perhaps some of her agreement had been because it almost
felt like the final act of defiance. Her magic had been wonky since birth and
her ex, Layton, had been right—her spells only caused trouble. Now she was free
of him and could conjure magic whenever she wanted. That was, when alone and
not for anyone to witness her mishaps.
Warmth began to fill her veins, instantly reminding her of
how intimately her magic touched her, bringing forth a world of guilt.
Abandoning her element had been the hardest thing she’d ever done. But what
else was she to do?
As a heat wave rushed over her body and settled into her
chest, happiness spread through her equally as powerful. The earth element
appeared as elated as she was to reconnect. When the breeze picked up and
turned into a stronger wind, fluttering her hair, she concentrated on her
clothes. She pictured each article of clothing in her mind and switched that
piece of clothing with something new.
With a skirt and corset strong in her mind, the blast of
heat in her veins burned wicked hot until it vanished and the wind returned to
a gentle breeze.
Only a second passed before Zeke burst out laughing.
She snapped open her eyes, caught sight of him staring at
the ground and then she followed his gaze. The moment she spotted the tiny
round glass jar, she groaned. “See.”
“I do see.” He picked up the container, pulled out the cork
and lowered his nose to the glass. “It smells like vanilla with a hint of
almonds.” After he closed the jar again, he smiled at her.
in her throat as he gave a smile that was as devilish as his evil roots.
He regarded her a moment, giving her a once-over before
curiosity filled his dark eyes. “If you’re a witch, why haven’t you,” he waved
his hand over her, “changed your clothing?”
At the reminder of her magical flaws, her cheeks warmed. The
spell he suggested was, in fact, the simplest of magic. She considered lying to
save herself from the embarrassment, but why bother? A demon had no right to
judge her. “Because I’m a terrible witch.”
One sleek eyebrow lifted. “How so?”
A breeze filled the air, causing leaves to flutter down from
the tree above, making her slightly chilled in her wet clothes. “My powers are
on the fritz. I can command the earth element, but when I do, something horrible
happens.”
His eyes twinkled. “Show me.”
“That’s not a good idea.” She scanned the area and while
only a couple of warlocks stood by the café and a few werewolves across the
street, this seemed dangerous. Turning back to Zeke, she admitted, “It’s best I
don’t use my magic.”
He closed the distance between them, studying her from head
to toe. “But you are a witch.”
To call her a witch was akin to calling a black cat white.
“Yeah, that’s the problem. I’m only a half-witch.”
He snorted, folding his arms over a thick chest. “There’s no
such thing as a half-witch.”
“Wanna bet?” she countered.
The side of his mouth curved. “Go on.” He leaned against the
wrought iron lamppost and waved her on, which flexed the muscles in his biceps.
“I’m not worried. Show me.”
She cleared her throat, a little stuck on the sight of his
flexing muscles, before she gave herself hell for looking at a demon that way.
Focusing off him, as well as realizing he wouldn’t relent until he saw her
flaws for himself, she focused inward. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
He winked. “Little witch, you couldn’t hurt me if you
tried.” Pointing toward himself, he tilted his head. “Demon, remember?”
There was that.
Besides, even if she had perfect magic, she still couldn’t
injure him; exactly why witches feared demons. Although this demon wasn’t
typical, was he? With that thought on her mind, and not wanting to prolong the
moment, she shut her eyes. Years had passed since she called to her element and
she wasn’t confident earth would respond.
Perhaps some of her agreement had been because it almost
felt like the final act of defiance. Her magic had been wonky since birth and
her ex, Layton, had been right—her spells only caused trouble. Now she was free
of him and could conjure magic whenever she wanted. That was, when alone and
not for anyone to witness her mishaps.
Warmth began to fill her veins, instantly reminding her of
how intimately her magic touched her, bringing forth a world of guilt.
Abandoning her element had been the hardest thing she’d ever done. But what
else was she to do?
As a heat wave rushed over her body and settled into her
chest, happiness spread through her equally as powerful. The earth element
appeared as elated as she was to reconnect. When the breeze picked up and
turned into a stronger wind, fluttering her hair, she concentrated on her
clothes. She pictured each article of clothing in her mind and switched that
piece of clothing with something new.
With a skirt and corset strong in her mind, the blast of
heat in her veins burned wicked hot until it vanished and the wind returned to
a gentle breeze.
Only a second passed before Zeke burst out laughing.
She snapped open her eyes, caught sight of him staring at
the ground and then she followed his gaze. The moment she spotted the tiny
round glass jar, she groaned. “See.”
“I do see.” He picked up the container, pulled out the cork
and lowered his nose to the glass. “It smells like vanilla with a hint of
almonds.” After he closed the jar again, he smiled at her.
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