Page 64 of House of Ruin
“Of course it is,” she said instead, tilting her head to the side. “And you’re lucky enough to reap the fruits of my labor.”
Blaze huffed a laugh, flicking the butt of his cigarette and closing the window. “You didn’t tell me to bring anything. Do you have everything we need for the spell, Black?”
“Sure do.”
Alecto placed her cup on the windowsill and rose from her seat. On her writing desk earlier, she’d lined up the winter birch leaves, siren’s nail, and red clay they’d need for the spell.
She picked up her notebook, looking for the spell that Jolene had written for her when she felt it. Blaze’s presence, the heat radiating from him, sinking into her back.
Despite her better judgment, Alecto’s body reacted to Blaze immediately. Goose bumps skittered over her skin, the hair on the back of her neck rising.
And when the tips of his fingers found the small of her back, a warm wave flushed through her, settling at the very tips of her breasts.
“Well, this one’s gonna be quick,” Blaze said, looking at the notebook from over her shoulder.
“If we manage to pull it off on the first try.”
Which they wouldn’t. Alecto would make sure of it.
Alecto turned to meet his naked chest at her eye level. Blaze didn’t seem to know how to button his shirts all the way. Ever.
“Will you get the bowl from my closet?” Carefully, Alecto tilted her head forward, hooding her eyes just enough so she was staring up at him through her eyelashes. Blaze’s throat bobbed, the muscle in his jaw ticking. “It’s in the shelf at the very top.”
It took some time for Blaze to spring into action. When he turned his back on Alecto and hurried towards her closet, she couldn’t hold the satisfied smile in.
When Blaze came back with the bowl, Alecto set it in the middle of her desk and put all the ingredients inside.
“Fetch the ivy, will you?”
Blaze obliged, bringing the planter to the desk.
“Give me your light,” Alecto instructed, offering Blaze her palm.
He passed her his metal lighter, which was heavy in her hand, and Alecto lit one of the leaves, dropping it inside the bowl. The rest of the ingredients caught fire almost immediately.
“Repeat with me.Porashio.”
They both chanted for a while, Alecto focused on the fire and the pink flame devouring the contents inside the bowl. This spell was foolproof. Jolene knew her shit when it came to nature better than anyone else in Venefica.
Yet the spell Jolene gave Alecto for growing the ivy required a witch’s tear. An ingredient she so happened to miss mentioning to Blaze.
“Well, this doesn’t seem to be working,” Blaze said when the flame died down, leaving a bundle of ash behind.
“No, it doesn’t.” Alecto sighed, crossing her arms.
Blaze yawned and walked over to sit on her bed. “I thought you were supposed to be good at this, Black.”
Alecto scoffed, turning to him. “And I am, moron. But it takes two for good teamwork. Not that you know anything about that.”
A lazy grin stretched across his face, and he leaned back on her bed, his palms braced on it. “Well, I know about a certain type of teamwork we’re real good at.”
His eyes measured her from head to toe. It was all going according to her plan.
Make him come to you, thinking he’s in control. But don’t just be a damsel in distress. Show him some initiative when the time is right, Galliano claimed in the chapter that went over her strategy of getting men interested.
Keeping Blaze’s gaze, Alecto walked over to him, settling between his thighs. His eyes fluttered closed when she ran her fingers through his hair. It was always so fluffy and soft.
“Well, last time a bit of sex magic worked,” Alecto observed, her voice light, contemplating. As if she were truly looking for the best way to solve their issue, ready to consider every single option.
