Page 37 of Blood and Hexes

He watched the object of all his woes stride across the valley between Night Hill and the Wolvswoods. The lake, still under a cloud of mist, reflected the green, moss-covered landscape. It was beautiful as always, but Mikar couldn’t pay attention to the autumn landscape. Not when she was here. Her thick, dark hair flying behind her in waves, Diana was a vision. He could smell it from here, the wind carrying her heady scent to his nostrils. She was autumn leaves, white musk, blackcurrant, and warm vanilla. He woke each night after dreams and nightmares where he took a bite.

Why was he this fixated on her?

Even now, he wanted nothing more than to cross the distance separating them and take her unforgettable mouth.

Mikar was used to the shadows. Whether his job was murder or protection, they were his companions, his allies. He moved too quietly for anyone to notice him—prey or charge. At least, until Chloe. From the very start, she'd sensed his presence and turned toward him when he'd observed her, even though her human senses shouldn't have been that astute. And now, there was Diana. It didn't matter how silently he walked, how synced his movements were with the soft brush of the wind. When he arrived, she always spotted him, held his gaze, acknowledging him, before returning to her affairs.

When he replaced Ruby's shift around Chloe this afternoon, the girls had been at the lakeside, putting decorations and buffet tables up. They were preparing for Halloween, he realized, surprised.

It had been centuries since they'd celebrated the holiday in Oldcrest. The students had parties in their dorms sometimes, but no one on the hill had ever attended.

Back in the day, when the castle at the foot of the hill had housed a clan of witches, Levi and the other residents of Night Hill had held celebrations in their honor. In return, the witches used to throw a Winter Solstice ball in the castle. Always one for a party, Mikar had sorely missed both traditions. He wondered what had brought this on. He hadn't heard anything about Samhain being reinstated. Yet the high heap of dry wood, surrounded by stones marked with runes, was unmistakably part of the traditional Samhain celebrations they used to have.

He could practically taste the excited energy on the lakeside. Blair, Gwen, Chloe, Greer, and Diana were having a hell of a time preparing the fair. Mikar was used to missing the fun when he was on duty, but today, he didn’t want to stay at his post. For once, he hated the shadows.

Mikar could technically join them, if he so wished, but it wouldn’t be wise. He saw more from a remote point. He only stuck close to Chloe when there was another guard nearby, surveying the surroundings. Plus, he attempted to give Chloe some privacy and time with her friends, when he could. He doubted she very much liked having someone shadow her every step night and day.

She put up with the consent surveillance to appease Levi's worry. A worry that wasn't quite as justified as it had once been. Chloe used to be vulnerable. Now, not so much. Mikar hadn't realized how little use he was until her sparring round with Diana.

The soft mortal was no more, though Chloe still wore her face.

"Should we move the pyre?" Chloe asked, doubtful, assessing their work. "It seems a little close to the woods. What if it caught fire?"

Diana dragged a hefty dead tree trunk behind her. "That's why we have witches. Gwen can keep an eye on it. You're a weather girl, right?"

The witch grimaced. "That'd be me, but while it's my core strength, I'm not very good at controlling it. I'm as likely to call some hail as rain. Way to ruin a party."

Diana laughed. "That'd be because it's your core strength. The stronger the power, the wilder it is. You're under twenty-five, right?"

It changed from individuals, but as a general rule, witches entirely came into their power around that age, when their brain was done fully developing.

"Twenty-three," Gwen replied. "Not very far off."

"It'll all stabilize later," Diana promised, her tone both soothing and matter-of-fact.

Chloe titled her head. "It sounds like you speak from experience. Are you a mage?"

Diana's expression didn't change, but unless Mikar was very much mistaken, she was schooling it into neutrality. His attention was entirely focused on her. Part of him wanted to step out of the woods, but he guessed that she'd be even less likely to share much if he was obviously paying attention.

"I don't have much experience, actually, but I know the academics."

Chloe had caught her guarded expression, and nosy as always, she pushed. "So, you don't have magic?"

Diana smiled. "I didn't say that. I'm a Helsing."

That reply confused Chloe, but not Mikar. The elder Helsings he’d known back in the day had been magic users of some description. He couldn’t remember exactly what they did. There were rumors that they’d held powers over life and death itself, but he very much doubted that.

"Alexius doesn't have magic," Chloe pointed out. “Well, not the usual type. He does alchemy, right?"

"Right." Leaving it at that, Diana retrieved a sharp ax from the ground and started to hack at the trunk, each of her blows cutting deep.

In no time, she had the tree trunk cut in two long pieces. She returned to the woods, passing close to Mikar without sparing him a glance, though everything about her demeanor said she noticed him. She was bristling, and holding her chin high in defiance.

Mikar was irritated and entertained, as usual. Her apparent distaste didn't wound so much as challenge him. He knew why she acted this way: he'd kissed her, and that pissed her off.

It pissed her off because she'd kissed him right back.

Diana was used to being in charge, of controlling everything. Nothing about their kiss had been controlled. Mikar had learned his lesson, though. He wasn't going to do it again. Not because he didn't want to feel her warm, silky skin, and certainly not because she didn't desire him. She did. He felt it, saw it, smelled it. But he wasn't going to make another move because she'd fled up the stairs last time. If he pushed, she might get the hell out of Oldcrest.

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