Page 39 of Outlaw Witch

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“Mind if I inspect yourblood, Fabian?” I joke softly, hoping to put him at ease. He smiles, although it’s a little stiff and I can see Zeph sitting forward in his chair like he’s preparing to leap between us and defend his buddy if he needs to.

When Fabian gives me the nod, I summon up my magic and focus it on the blood flowing through his veins. I’m out of practice from using this kind of magic and other than using it on those witches by the waterfront, it had been nearly a year since I last had any need for it.

My magic erupts out of me and I feel the familiar warmth in my lower chest. I close my eyes and let myself sink into myself. For a moment, I can feel the pulses of everyone in this building. Hundreds of them, all battering away like butterfly wings. I pull my attention back to this room and can feel the slight elevation of Zeph’s heartbeat as he no doubt prepares to launch himself at me like an angry bear. It’s strong and steady, not unlike the man himself.

I then focus on the mage sitting beside me, feeling the erratic heartbeat slamming away inside Fabian’s chest. Opening one eye, I glance at him in concern. His heart’s going a mile a minute and I wonder if it’s the situation that’s stressing him out, or if it’s always like this.

He’s got his own eyes closed, so I decide that it’s another thing to add to my list of things to ask him later. I then sink back inside myself and let the magic flow out of me, putting all my attention on the blood surging through his veins.

It’s thick, viscous and dark, like nothing I’ve ever seen before. I gently prod at it with my magic, just to see how it reacts.

Turns out it doesnotlike to be prodded.

It rears up like a tarry tidal wave and I’m sure it fucking hisses at me, like a wild animal that’snotat all happy that it’s caged up inside Fabian’s body. His entire body is filled with this darkness that feels malevolent.

It’s pulsating with a dark power that frankly scares the shit out of me.

Pulling back once again, I blink my eyes open and try once again to school my expression into one of cool blankness.

Clearly, I suck at that because I instantly have both Fabian and Zeph jumping on me.

“What? What’s making you pull that face?” Zeph barks at me. “You look like you’ve been sucking on something nasty.”

“It’s bad, isn’t it?” Fabian’s more reserved, almost like he’s resigned to it.

“I think maybe we need a break and some snacks,” I say. “It’s been forever since breakfast and I’m pretty sure you need to eat more than usual.”

Since you have a malevolent entity that’s taken up residence inside your body.I think that last part; I don’t say it out loud. But I’m pretty sure Fabian gets the picture from his somewhat abashed smile.

“And while you’re feeding me,” I continue, earning me another irritated scoff from Zeph. “You’re going to tell me exactly how the fuck you wound up with a blood curse. Especially one as nasty as this.”

Fabian groans slightly as Zeph jumps right in to react to my comment. “It’s bad? Worse than other blood curses you’ve seen before?”

I get to my feet and dust off my pants, even though there’s no need. I kind of feel like I need a shower or a vat of eye and brain bleach after witnessing what I just have. I feel... tainted, just having poked at it. Fuck knows how Fabian is acting so casual when he has thatthingliving inside of him.

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