I just glared at the two of them before muttering, "If my sister sees it, are we getting arrested?"
"No?" they both replied but sounded completely unsure.
"Uh-huh," I concluded.
Illegal stuff. Rebellion. Fun.
"Great. Marianna says we're being rebellious and is enjoying the idea."
"We're not." Connor sighed. "Here in Switzerland, they call it flowers. They use it for a bunch of stuff medical-wise, but it has many effects, including calming properties. That's what I mixed into the marinara sauce."
"That's why we’re so relaxed?" I concluded. "Then it's awesome!"
"With control," Jax reasoned. "It's hard to get at Witchling."
"Why?" I inquired as he opened the box up to reveal the rolled-up bundles that reminded me of cigarettes. "Looks like a cigarette. Just a bit bigger."
"Its effects are rather addicting," Connor elaborated. "It's like being on cloud nine whenever you smoke it."
"Plus, anything that’s in the 'smoke' category seems to be a big no-no at Witchling Academy."
I was going to say something, but I held my tongue. Connor noticed.
"What were you going to say?" he inquired, which got Jax's attention.
"Well, it's a bit uh...savage in nature," I admitted, using one of those terms Mia and Miya enjoyed from some song. I swear whenever I chilled with them for even a day, they ended up being bad influences.
"Say it," Jax encouraged.
"Only if you won't take my flower roll away," I whined.
"Flower roll!" Connor chuckled. "Yup. We're calling it that."
"Brianne," Jax pressed, and I groaned before Marianna butted right in.
"Doesn't that include you? Smoke likes to follow you," I declared with a sassy tone to my voice. That had Jax staring blankly at me while Connor gawked and slowly reached over for the box.
"I'm just going to take this and exit the hot tub before it gets too hot," he declared and literally scurried out before the water literally went scalding hot.
"See?" I dramatically emphasized as I lifted my hand up to gesture to the steam brewing around us. "Smoke’s always following you around."
"Bitch," he scoffed, and I laughed because I knew it was Jaxsin, even with the absence of black in his eyes. "So you're learning how to flawlessly switch too, huh? Jealous of my skills?"
"You're annoying," he grumbled. "Shut up."
I moved right against his side. "Make me?"
The look he gave me would cause static malfunctions if we didn't rein in our magic that seemed to spike up at the sudden challenge.
"Hmm. If you guys are going to take this heated argument to the bedroom, I'd happily enjoy watching," Connor offered. "Though I'm keeping the flowers."
That snapped Marianna out of it as I gasped and looked over to him. "Hey! I didn't even get to blow the flowers!"
Connor was trying hard not to show his delight before he arched an eyebrow. I was going to ask him what, but my chin was grabbed, and I was forced to look back at Jaxsin, his eyes back to their hollow blackness.
"Get back here," he growled in a deep, commanding voice that made me gawk in pure innocence and encouraged Marianna to step right back in for round two.
"I don't take orders from-"
He tugged me forward, his lips smothering mine in a desperate kiss that was beyond sizzling. The water was literally boiling without the jets. Instead of submitting, I fought against his lips, trying to steal control, which only led to a biting kiss match.
We were tugged apart then and literally lifted out of the tub like gravity had stopped working.
"Can you two chill?" We snapped out of our dominance match to glare at Connor, only to notice how dark his eyes were, while one of his eyes practically twitched. "I can't stand your emotional chaos of attraction anymore. Take a break or I'm throwing you into the frozen pool."
Jaxsin merely stared at Connor, his eyes assessing this new influence, but I smiled almost maliciously. "Oop. Someone like us. Who might you be, sexy teddy bear? Mr. Jealous?"
The way Jaxsin looked over at me had Marianna running away in glee and left me in a state of bewilderment. "I really want to figure out what's going on.”
Returning my eyes to Connor, I added, "Connor? Is that you?"
"Connor's taking a chill pill."
"Then who are you?" Jaxsin demanded. Connor frowned before tossing Jax back in the hot tub, which left him spluttering while Connor literally put me on his shoulder.
"Uh? Mr. Darkness Teddy Bear. Where are you kidnapping me to?”
"To the icy pool so I can keep the smoke summoner behind."
"Hey! She was my woman before you, imposter!"
"Whatever," he brushed off Jaxsin’s comment. I frowned and wiggled my legs, which forced Connor to pause from his attempt to walk away before I slipped from his hold and moved to face him with a serious look.
"Seriously," I voiced with a stern tone before placing my hands on his cheeks. "Are you like Marianna and Jaxsin?"
"What's it to you, cutie? Gonna keep making me hard and jealous?"
"I mean, I could," I voiced, just because I didn't like his tone. "Or you can just say you're turned on and want to join in?"
That silenced him as Jaxsin muttered, "And yet I have communication problems. Fucking cunt."
"What did you say?" I gave him a warning look, which was more than enough to make him cringe and actually mutter an apology. "Sorry."
"You're forgiven," I concluded before something came to my mind.
"Wait." I turned my full attention onto Connor. "Zephyr?"
All I got was a stare, which was more than enough of an answer. "I'm right, aren't I?"
His eyes began to shift back to those normal onyx spheres, the shift almost making his eyes look greyish silver.
"What...just happened?" Connor inquired.
"Too hot," Jax groaned, which brought our attention to him as he pulled himself out of the tub. "Fuck. This back and forth business is dangerous."
"The pool option kind of seems tempting now," I admitted as Jax reached us. "As long as it stops me from being dizzy."
That got Connor out of his daze, his arm reaching out to secure an arm around Jax’s waist. "We're not even drunk yet and you're pushing yourself into getting a fever."
"It's Bri's fault," he huffed in response to the scolding.
"I was minding my own business, wanting to blow some flowers," I stated innocently but moved to Jax's side to lift his arm to rest along my shoulders. "I'll help!"
"The culprit of our downstairs struggles," Connor concluded.
"Downstairs?" I tried to think of what he meant, but it wasn't clicking in.
"To the pool," Jax encouraged sluggishly.
"Oh, shit. Jax. Don't pass out!" I shrieked before we promptly moved to the pool.
"Looks like this romantic date went south," Connor concluded.
"At least it was fun," I voiced as we finally reached the pool and slowly began to enter it. We took our time so we could adapt quickly, and soon Jax was sighing in relief.