“Yeah. Through the fireplace. That is so fucking cool, isn’t it? I didn’t know magic worked that way.”
“It’s crazy, I’ll give you that. I still don’t get how it works.”
“I don’t either and I’m pretty sure it’s one of those things if you think about too much, it’ll just hurt your head.”
“No kidding.” He steps up behind me, his warm hand landing on my shoulder. “Is this you?”
“Yeah. Wasn’t I cute?” I tip my head up and Ethan gives me a kiss before looking at the photo again.
“Do you remember this?”
“Nope. Well, I remember feeling like I belonged. But I have no memory of being in that dining hall.” I shrug, not wanting to dwell on it. I already have for long enough. I’ve come to an it is what it is state of mind. “Oh, I almost forgot. Your dad texted you last night and it didn’t seem urgent, so I didn’t want to wake you.”
“Yeah.” His hand slides off my shoulder and I wait a beat, my heart in my throat thinking he won’t elaborate. “That hunter who was supposed to show up for the training hunt last night is officially missing. The Order thought maybe he was sleeping off a bender, but they found his phone and his truck with no sign of him.”
“They have no idea what happened?”
“I’m sure he’s dead,” Ethan says a little too casually. I raise an eyebrow and he shrugs one shoulder. “I know you don’t like hearing it, but hunting is a dangerous job.”
“You’re right. I don’t like hearing it. Where did they find his truck?”
“In Mineral Springs.”
“Mineral Springs,” I repeat, trying to place the town since I’ve only been in the area for a few months. “That’s along Lake Michigan, right?”
“Right. It looks like he was on his way back to the Order Headquarters in Chicago and stopped for some reason. Could have come across a demon and went after it even if it wasn’t assigned.”
“Is that common?”
“If we come across something we handle it, even if we’re not paid to.”
“Right,” I say, hating the Order all over again. “Should we be worried?”
He gets a coffee mug from the cabinet and comes back to me, wrapping an arm around my chest. “Not any more than normal. If there’s a demon lurking nearby, I’ll handle it. We will handle it. Having my badass girlfriend does help level the playing field.” He nuzzles his head against my neck. “Thinking of you killing that ghoul last night is getting me all hot and bothered again.”
I laugh. “I’m glad watching me murder someone turns you on.”
“As long as that someone is a demon, eh…it would depend on the person and I’d find that hot too.”
“It’s a good thing I love a slightly fucked up man.” I spin around on the barstool and run my hands over his chest.
“I might be more than slightly fucked up,” he replies with a cheeky grin and kisses me again. We go about our morning. Ethan heads to the gym, and I get dressed and go into the library, thinking twice before I light a fire. If anything was sent magically, it won’t burn…I think. I slip the photos of Aunt Estelle in the back of my Book of Shadows, and settle on the couch, leafing through a book on magical self-defense.
The library is my favorite room in the house. I’ve always been a big reader, using books to escape. Growing up with the ability to see and hear spirits drew me to paranormal romances, though it’s funny how no one writes about vampires anymore now that they’re out of the coffin, so to say. I had times when I felt privileged to be able to experience things beyond the normal scope of vision, and times when it made me feel like an outcast. As a teen, I grew up reading about badass heroines who used their powers to save the day.
Now I actually can, though it’s not as easy as it is in some of the books.
My phone chimes with a text, and I reach over, picking it off the coffee table. Ruby’s name pops up and I get excited at once.
Ruby: Hey, Anora. I talked to the High Priestess and she wants to set up a meeting this evening if you’re free.
Me: I am!
Ruby: Great. I can pick you up around six and take you to the Covenstead.
Me: Thank you so much. What should I wear?
Ruby: Whatever you have on is probably fine. We typically wear black dresses to formal gatherings, but this isn’t formal. You will want to wear a coat at the very least. We have to walk into the woods.
I blink and remember walking with Aunt Estelle. It seemed like we had a far way to go, though distance and size can seem intimidating when you’re a kid.
Me: Okay. Thanks again. I’m excited.
Ruby: I’m sure! See ya later. Oh, and bring your familiar.
“You can come with,” I tell Hunter excitedly, setting my phone down. I run my hand over his head as he wags his tail. “Which makes total sense, but I’m so freaking glad.” Hunter nudges my hand with his nose and I bend over, wrapping my arms around him. “I’m a little nervous.” Hunter knows, able to sense my emotions better than I can sometimes, and reassures me it’s going to be fine.
“You’re right.” I straighten up. “Holy shit. I’m going to the Covenstead tonight!”
Floorboards creak as Nik comes down the back staircase. “Did I hear you correctly? The Covenstead?” He rounds the corner and stops at the threshold of the library. Dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt, he looks completely human. I couldn’t sense it at first, but the more time I spend with him, the easier I can pick up on his aura, which has a slightly different vibration than someone who’s not half-fae.
“Yes. Ruby—the witch I told you about during dinner last night—is going to pick me up tonight.” I close the Book of Shadows and get to my feet. “What if no one likes me?”
Nik makes a face. “You’re quite likable, I assure you.”
“Thanks. I never really cared about fitting in before, but I want to fit in with my coven.”
“I get it,” he says with a nod and I cross the room, following him into the kitchen, where he gets a chocolate chip muffin and tops it with whipped cream and a spoonful of sugar. My teeth hurt just thinking about taking a bite of that. “I was never privy to happenings inside the coven, but I’ve met my fair share of witches and warlocks. There aren’t as many of you left as there were hundreds of years ago, so just the fact that you are a witch is a reason for them to like you.”
“Good point.”
“Though, like anything, you’re going to come across witches you like and witches you don’t.”
“Giving out the good advice today,” I say with a smile and get a second cup of coffee. It’s still early but I’m already dragging, even with the excitement looming ahead of me. “Sometimes I forget you’ve lived like a century already.”
Nik laughs. “Sometimes I do as well.”
After adding creamer to my coffee, I go back into the library to get my Book of Shadows. I’ve gone through this thing in its entirety, and I keep going through it to try and commit as much of this to memory as possible. Not long after I rejoin Nik in the kitchen, Hunter lets me know that Ethan is close to home. I’m practically bouncing with excitement by the time he’s finally in the house, coming in through the backdoor of the kitchen.