Page 30 of Tricky Magic
One of the wolven had blocked her from the others on the dance floor, placing his greedy hands all over her small body.
“Well, she is a witch.” He nodded to the elderly wolven leaving the floor looking like someone had just stolen his girl. “Old Ernest doesn’t seem to be happy at the moment.”
“This isn’t about some young girl provoking a wolven, Rosier. Clearly, magic is burning up inside her; no one drinks that much with the ability to function,” Sam retorted.
“That doesn’t look like functioning.” Ros watched her push away from the handsy wolven and stumble somewhere to the back, probably looking for a bathroom to throw up in.
Sam grunted. “I am being serious, and you may have a point. I don’t remember who her father was, but her mom was a seer, I know that much. It shouldn’t be hard to figure out what kind of magic she has. But it’s been a while since we’ve had a strong witch in the area.” Sam looked thoughtful, and Ros wondered how dangerous she was. She could be dangerous and malevolent, or she could only be a girl, careless with her powers. Sometimes, that was equally as dangerous.
“Regardless of her parents, you’re right. Even a strong witch shouldn’t be able to burn with that much power.” He looked back at Sam, who had ano shitlook plastered on his face, and patted him on the back. He was going to go find where the little witch had gone. “Thanks for calling, Sam.”
Ros faintly heard a“good luck,”muttered to him as he headed away from their dark corner. He quickly picked up the smell of blood oranges, tequila, and…
Fuck,he groaned inwardly.A sweaty wolven scent was mixing with hers. He continued to follow the trail, heading to the back of the bar, and heard words being exchanged as he came to the back door.
“Don’t be a tease, we were having fun,” a gruff voice said.
“I was having fun, and you were being grabby.” Grunts punctuated her words, conjuring up an image of her small body trying to push away the intimidating wolven.
Ros crept through the door and snuck into the shadows of the back alley that ran behind the bar. He didn’t like what he saw, but then a smile spread across the witch’s face. Why was she smiling at him if he had his predatory hands all over her? She couldn’t be into him…
“That’s right, sweetheart. I knew you were playing hard to get,” he replied, his hands creeping under her shirt.
“No, I remembered, that I’m stronger than you and don’t need to take your creeper crap,” she said. But she hesitated, his hands still groping her, as if trying to find the strength she spoke of. She shoved him away, but it only seemed to make him mad. He slammed her against the wall.
“Now play nice, and let’s have a good time.” His lips were too close to her neck. Ros was about to step in when she smiled wider.
“No means no. I think you need to learn to keep your hands to yourself.” She shoved him for a moment longer, but it didn’t budge him. It seemed she had finally given up, her hands falling back to her sides as she grimaced and turned away from his assaulting lips. She closed her eyes and took a breath, then the man began screaming.
She hadn’t done anything that Ros could see, but the six-foot-tall wolven fell to his knees, screaming at his perfectly normal hands. Ros didn’t understand. Nothing was wrong.
“My hands!” he screamed.
“Learn to keep them to yourself, and maybe you will get them back.” With one final distasteful look, she stumbled down the alley toward the front of the bar.
Ros stood there and watched for a moment as the man’s screams seemed to flicker, as though what he was seeing didn’t seem real. He got closer to investigate more.
“What’s going on?” he asked the man still on his knees. He was panting now, but seemed to be settling. Then he looked up at Ros, and his frightened expression turned to one of anger.
“I’m going to kill that bitch. Putting things in my head...” He tried to stand, but Ros put a firm hand on his shoulder.
“Calm down. What did you see?” he asked.
“Calm down? My hands were ripped off and gone, blood squirting everywhere,” he said through clenched teeth. “I will show that bitch who she’s messing with.”
He tried to get up again, but Ros held firm and grabbed his hands with his free one.
“That’s a strange trick,” he said while peering down with mock interest, examining the perfectly fine (gross, but fine) hands.
“She is going to learn a lesson,” he said to Ros. Ros only smirked down at him.
“Now, now…I don’t thinkyou’velearnedyourlesson,” he said calmly. The man only blinked up at him, as if Ros should understand that the girl needed to pay. Ros snarled in the man’s face as he gripped his hands hard. The sound of crunching rang through the alley. Flames lit up the darkness, then the wolven was screaming again, but this time it was real. Ros had crushed the man’s hands and then lit them on fire. No predatory man deserved to continue to breathe in this realm. If the witch wasn’t strong, if he hadn’t been there…he couldn’t think about it. Ros grabbed him by the face, prying his mouth open, and terror-filled eyes looked up at him. He only smiled and sent his shadows down the throat of the man who had to learn his own lessons. He clawed at Ros’ relentless grip as his screams turned into gags. It didn’t matter; he would be very dead in moments.
The flames that still coated his hands didn’t hurt Ros, they only caressed the skin of their wielder, ready to do any deed he asked of them. A darkness whispered over Ros’ shoulder as the man before him slowly gave up the fight. He released his flames to quickly burn up the dead asshole. In moments, a pile of ash scattered across the alley. Ros left it behind, heading in the direction of the witch. He grumbled, “See you in Hel, you piece of shit.”
* * *
The witch was stillon the property, stumbling around with her phone and car keys in the air.
