Page 57 of Tricky Magic
“And I smell like Ellea because someone had to go over there and make sure she was invited to tonight.” Sam leaned in closer to where Ros’ face was pressed into the couch again. “I smell like her because she was all over me, and…”
He was cut off as Ros sent a stream of shadows to choke him and cover his mouth. Sam still laughed and fell to the floor as Ros stood over him, glaring.
“Excuse me?” he yelled.
Sam only raised an eyebrow as if to sayyou are suffocating me and expect an answer?
Ros bent over him and grabbed him by the shirt. His shadows disappeared, and Sam smiled up at him. He leaned to the side, glancing at Ros’ bulge, and raised another eyebrow at him. “You’ve got it bad, buddy.”
“What were you doing with her?” he seethed in his face.
“Okay.” Sam raised his hands. “I misjudged this slightly. I only hugged her, aggressively. Nothing sexual, I promise.”
Ros slowly released him and took a steadying breath.
“She’s not even mine and I’m acting like an idiot. I can’t even truly have her,” he said, letting him go and running a hand across his face. “She’s coming tonight?”
“A Mabon gift just for you,” Sam answered with a smile. “Don’t let demon curses ruin my fun. It will work out. Now, let’s try to find something for you to wear besides dark jeans and flannel.”
* * *
Ros pulledat the dark sweater that Sam had made him wear. His hair was clean and brushed, his beard slightly tidy, and he still wore his signature dark jeans. Sam had attempted something called a ‘blow out,’ but when Ros threatened to strangle Sam’s dick with the hairdryer’s cord, he’d decided it wasn’t needed. “I love the way your hair curls anyway,” Sam had said.
He still didn’t understand what the big deal was. If Ellea wanted anything to do with him, she would have visited, reached out to him, anything. But there had been nothing. Maybe it was a good thing she wasn’t seeking him out; this wouldn’t go as far as he wanted. He growled at himself as he sat in his truck in Sam’s driveway. It was lined with cars, trucks, and bikes, and two horses grazed in the front paddock. Torches lined the dirt road since it was a new moon and the sky only held stars.
Ros found the courage to step onto the road and head toward the large field that already held about fifty of the town’s residents. He took his time and stopped at the edge, looking through the treeline.
He loved it here. There were wolven, vampires, witches, shifters, and anything you could think of, all free to mingle however they chose. Children chased glowing butterflies nearby. Ros blinked; he had never seen butterflies like that before.
Ros’ eyes followed them as they circled a head framed by long, loose curls. Their glow set off her freckles, and Ros forgot how to breathe. She wore a loose cropped sweater over a black paneled dress. She had on her black flat boots, and she looked...perfect.
“She got here about an hour ago and has been entertaining everyone with her magic,” Sam said as he came up behind his friend. “Devon should be here soon. I can’t wait for him to meet her.”
Ros couldn’t remove his gaze from her. He cleared his throat. “I still don’t understand what her magic is,” he said quietly. The butterflies shifted to bats that trailed flames behind their wings. “I have been here for over a thousand years, but I have never come across someone like her.”
He tore his gaze away and looked at his friend.
Sam didn’t answer; he was looking past Ros.
“I can’t believe you couldn’t pick me up at the airport,” a new voice said.
He had such a unique accent; it could only be Sam’s partner, Devon. Sam smiled wide and walked over to greet his long-lost boyfriend.
Devon was a few inches shorter than them but just as strong. He was a witch who had lived in every place imaginable. He had also chosen not to settle on one type of magic, refusing to only wield the magic inherited from his family. It only gave them another thing to hate.
“Well,” Sam said, then planted a kiss on his cheek. “I’m sorry someone”—another kiss on his forehead—“decided to fly”—another kiss—“one of the worst airlines imaginable.” Then he kissed him about five times on the lips. Ros cleared his throat.
“Don’t even give me grief, princeling.” Sam said to Ros. “I’ve had to be around your boner for the past month. Let me kiss my boyfriend in peace.”
“A boner?” Devon’s hiss was teasing. “Can the old man still get it up?” he said with mock shock as he left Sam’s side and walked up to Ros.
“Welcome home, Devon,” Ros said and smiled at him. He slapped him on the shoulder extra hard to make sure he knew that the old man he was poking fun at wasn’t shriveled and in the ground.
Devon gave him a huge smile and slapped him back. “So who has you popping boners?”
“That one,” Sam said, pointing a finger to where Ellea stood with even more children, taking requests and creating things from thin air. They were gathered around her and shouting for her to create every creature imaginable. Ros had never seen her with such a smile on her face.
“Fucking Hel,” Devon cursed. His hand covered his mouth, and his eyes went wide. He even looked paler than before.
