Page 88 of Bewitching Her Monsters

“Me… attack?” She looks at me, imploring me to believe her with a desperate expression. “I wasn’t working with Rob—at all. Wait, do you mean supes as in supernatural beings? Like an incubus?”

“Yes, supes, as in supernaturals,” he confirms.

“I’mnotlosing my mind?” she breathes out, mostly to herself.

Maxum sighs and momentarily looks as though he will reach out and caress her hand. “And you… are a witch.”

“That’s what Osen calls me. Little witch.” Jade waves her hand dismissively. “But I don’t have magic. I would know, wouldn’t I?”

“You aren’t particularly powerful. Or maybe you’ve suppressed your magic for so long it barely registers,” Maxum explains. “But you have a particularly interesting gift—mediumship.”

“Spirits of the dead… like your friend,” she says, not completely denying her ability.

I take it as a good sign that she will handle the transition from a norm to part of the magical community.

“Yes,” I confirm. “Osen has communicated through you, which, as a supernatural being, he shouldn’t be able to do.”

“Wait…” Jade grips my knee.

My body lights up that she would want to touch me at all. But I remind myself she doesn’t know about my deceit yet. She doesn’t know I’m a monster.

“Are you suggesting that Rob is some sort of supernatural being?” Her eyes widen, and she looks like she’s about to run if we tell her yes.

“Our best guess is that he’s a warlock,” I answer and clasp my hand over hers, hopefully comforting her.

She stares at our joined hands. “I’m confused. From what I’ve gathered from Osen and now you, you don’t like witches and warlocks. So why do you care if I live or die? Is it only because I can talk to Osen?” She pulls her hand free from mine and tucks them under her arms.

“It’s the reason we didn’t kill you already,” Calder finally chimes in.

Thanks, dickhead.

“So if I can no longer give you access to your friend, you plan on killing me?” Her eyes glaze over as if she’s witnessing her future death scene. Maybe she is filling in the blanks of how we’d do it, recalling something from Osen’s memories.

“We aren’t going to hurt you,” I promise.

Jade turns to me, tears welling in her eyes. “This was all a lie.” Then she looks up at Maxum. “The whole dating thing was just a ruse to have access to your friend.”

“Not for me,” I say, but it sounds weak after all we’ve just told her.

“It makes sense now. You hate witches, meaning I’m your enemy. But you can’t kill me, since I have a link to someone you want back. So you’ll spare me… until Osen’s spirit moves on.”

I can almost see her emotionally detaching from this situation. It’s a solid and proven defense mechanism.

“I don’t hate you,” I explain. “But yes, I don’t like witches in general.”

“We allhatewitches,” Calder grumbles.

“But that’s only because witches have hurt us in the past,” I say, trying to explain our stance. “Witches and warlocks have declared war on supes… over and over throughout the centuries. Well, the extremists have been the problem.”

“You know the rest will fall in line when the battle truly begins.” Calder paces the room in agitation.

Maxum is oddly the voice of reason and says, “Witches and warlocks are just as complex as supes. Not all of them will follow the Witch Council or ASO blindly. I have known some witches who have turned against their own covens and fought them when their covenmate’s methods have gone too far.”

Interesting that he rarely mentions these outlier witches. Why is he doing it now? Perhaps it’s for Jade’s sake, letting her know this doesn’t necessarily have to be us versus her.

“I don’t want to hurt anyone.” She lifts her head in an act of defiance. “I even helped Osen when I wasn’t sure if it was in my best interest. I fed him to give him power.”

My monster is jealous as fuck that Osen has been with her. Rationally, I know it was probably to help Osen get stronger, and the act might be what saved Jade’s life.

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