Page 24 of Witch's Rebirth
"Only if you promise not to be one either." I took his face in my hands. "Because I mean it. You act like I'm the most important part in this whole thing, but I truly don't know how to go on without the three of you with me."
His eyes flickered down as his fingers skimmed across my low belly. He sent a gentle pulse of energy through my belly and it bounced back against his palm. It almost felt like a kick but I knew it was still to early to feel that. Could she sense and mimic magic, though?
I laced my fingers through his, knowing what he was about to tell me, but he said the words anyway.
"No matter what happens to us, you go on forher," he said.
11
DEJA
Ash cloaked us both in shadow before we walked about a mile through the woods to the edge of a clearing. Following his lead, I scrambled up a large boulder to see without having my view obstructed. The boulder made for a small cliff edge that hid us well, even without shadow magic.
Seth sat on the ground in the middle of the clearing, looking worse for wear. He had a black eye again and he clutched his ribs with a painful grimace as he took in wheezing breaths.
I looked at Ash, not bothering to hide the concern on my face.
What the hell did you guys do to him?I demanded through my aura.He looks worse than he did in the basement.
Sal gave him the black eye, he admitted.He seems to enjoy doing that. But honestly the rest is just a show. And might I remind you love, that part was his idea.
I didn't argue but the twisting in my gut remained. I hated everything about this plan. It should have been just me and Diana fighting it out to the death. None of them should have had to be involved.
Speaking of my psychotic old cunt of a grandmother, she was nowhere in sight.
Sal? Raum?Ash asked like he read my thoughts.Any sign of her?
No visuals yet but I'm pretty sure I smell her,Sal answered.I smell a lot of blood, old and dried. Fuck, is she bathing in that shit? It seriously hurts my nose.
Raum chuckled, sending pleasant, soothing vibrations through my aura before Sal spoke again.Nona just confirmed she smells it too. The old bitch is definitely close.
Remember no one acts until my signal, Ash told everyone.
And so we waited. And waited.
Is she fucking with us?Sal demanded angrily after about a half hour.She is definitely near. Why isn't she coming out to talk to Seth?
She might be waiting to see if he has any backup. It's a clever plan, honestly,Ash answered.
She knows how to get people frustrated,I added.Don't let her get under your skin, lion.
Seth?Ash asked.Can you read her shadows now without her knowing? To get a sense of what she's feeling?
The stormy-eyed man was silent for a moment, but I saw his eyes roll back and close for a moment out in the clearing. If no one knew better, he looked like he was losing consciousness from his injuries.
It's gotten murkier, it's so hard to see. His frustration was palpable.I can still tell that she's happy as fuck but I'm getting even less details than before. The blood magic is really driving her mad. Be careful everyone. This bitch will be unpredictable.
You be careful too,I directed my thought at him before I could stop myself. A warm, fuzzy feeling passed from his aura to mine.
Aww, thanks for caring, sweetheart.His mental voice oozed with sarcasm. Annoyed and a little embarrassed, I closed off the connection between our auras.
Fuck me in the ass with a rusty spoon, Raum declared.Can that really be her?
Across the clearing from us, a woman emerged from the edge of the woods, approaching Seth. I narrowed my eyes, squinting at the figure several hundred feet away. It couldn't be anyone else but this woman had dark hair and looked to be in her forties. As she got closer, my pulse hammered with horror as I recognized Diana's nose, lips, and chin. Itwasher but holy fuck!
It's the fucking blood magic,Ash said bitterly.She's going insane and losing control but it's making her look younger. That's why it's so dangerous. Not only does it kill with horrible consequences but the side effects are addictive.
"What do we have here?" she said with saccharine pleasantness as she approached Seth. "Someone who realized the errors of their ways, perhaps?"
