Page 29 of These Witches Don't Burn
“Fuck off, asshole.”
Nolan glares at me, but before he can say anything else, someone steps between us. All I can see is his height and dark hair. “Back off, Abbott.”
“It’s not my fault they’re so—” Something shatters in the other room, drawing Nolan’s attention. He casts a final glare at the three of us before storming away. “You better not break anything!”
The guy turns to us. “You okay?”
I’m relieved to see a familiar face. “Yeah. Thanks, Benton.” The heat in the crystals fades, and a sinking feeling pulls at my gut.Oh no.Panic bubbles up my chest.Did the crystals make Morgan kiss me?Shit, shit, shit.
Morgan fidgets beside me and won’t meet my eye. “That guy, Nolan, he has this video on his phone...”
Benton scowls. “I’ll take care of it.” He offers a brief smile before hurrying after Nolan.
With the boys gone, Morgan and I find ourselves alone in the kitchen. The energy in the room has shifted, an uneasiness settling in the space between us, and I don’t know how to bridge this gap. How do you ask someone about their hobbies after your magically induced make-out session is interrupted by a future frat bro?
Thankfully, Morgan’s braver than I am. She breaks the almost unbearable silence. “Do you think your friend will be okay?”
“Benton?” I nod. “He’ll be fine. He actually earned his black belt a few months ago. Nolan’s the one who should worry.”
“Good.” Her tone is harsh, and her hands clench into fists. “I hope he kicks his ass.”
“He probably won’t have to,” I say, watching the way her anger makes her arms shake, like she’s ready to deck Nolan herself. “Though I do agree with you. He totally deserves it. He actually got punched in the face last weekend for being an ass.”
“Really?” Morgan lights up at the idea, but then her brow furrows. “If he’s such a jerk, why did so many people come to hisparty?” She nods toward the living room, where a horde of teens balance cups of beer while they dance.
I point to the hard lemonade in her hand. “The free booze?”
“Fair point.” Morgan flushes, her cheeks turning an adorable shade of pink as she traces her finger along the lip of her bottle. “I’m sorry, by the way. I swear I’m not usually that forward.” She shakes her head, like she’s confused by her actions. “I’ve never kissed someone without asking first. I have no idea what came over me.”
“It’s okay.” I try to smile, but her words are a reminder of my guilt. I never should have asked Veronica for the stones. They’ve done nothing but mess with innocent Regs. I don’t know why I thought it was a good idea to try to find a Blood Witch on my own. Mom was right. I’m not ready.
Besides, there may not evenbea Blood Witch in Salem. The scrying with Veronica seemed to prove there was, but I should have known better than to trust her. She probably faked the whole thing. Besides, Evan admitted to the animal sacrifice. That was a Reg ritual, just like my grandmother said.
But what about the runes?
“I mean, it’s really not okay, but I’m glad you’re not mad.” Morgan’s words pull me from my runaway thoughts. She fusses with the simple metal ring on her middle finger, twirling it round and round. “So... I realize that dipshit ruined whatever vibe we had going on, but I’d still love to get your number.”
“My number?”
Morgan’s cheeks flare red. “Yeah. I mean... Gemma said you dated girls. I thought maybe we could go out sometime.” When I don’t immediately answer, Morgan backpedals. “Or wecould be friends. I’m new here and it’d be good to have friends before classes. And I—”
“Morgan?” I say, interrupting her.
“Yeah?”
I can’t keep the smile off my face when she looks up from spinning her ring. She’s flustered and rambling and it’s adorable. I just hope whatever’s happening between us is still there when these damn crystals are gone. “I’d love to go out sometime.”
Morgan hands me her phone, and I add my name and number. I want to say something witty, but my brain won’t cooperate. Instead, it plays back an endless reminder of how much I fucked up today.
“So,” Morgan cuts in, fighting through the awkward silence a second time. “Should we go find Gemma? Or maybe someplace quiet to talk?”
My heart sings at the possibility of spending more time with her, but I need to get rid of these crystals first. Before I can respond, power shimmers across my skin. Bright and angry.
Morgan turns back toward the living room. “Do you smell smoke?”
The energy in the air brightens at her suggestion. Fear rips through me, puncturing a hole in my chest.
“We have to get out of here.”
