I bite my lip, studying the familiar features of her perfect face. Her eyes, her nose, her lips.
She leans in.
I don’t pull away.
I’ve missed her too much to say no. And I need the comfort of her lips on mine right now.
So I lean in to meet her.
Her lips taste like peppermint tea and simpler times. I sigh into her mouth and melt into her, wishing we could go back to normal. Her soft hands brush over my bruises and scrapes, gently and reverently. It’s the sort of caress Julia has never offered—healing instead of bruising.
Can I pretend Julia never happened? Can I forget her taste, her magic, the way it feels when she touches my skin?
Something twists in my chest. Her dark eyes and predatory smile flash across my mind’s eye. And suddenly Riley’s kiss feels too soft, too sweet—nothing compared to the way Julia kissed me like she wanted to devour my soul.
Why do I want that? Shouldn’t IwantRiley’s gentleness instead? I’m not supposed to want the monster over the sweet girl who’s here making sure I’m okay.
But Julia is all I can picture. Her hands and mouth are all I want. As terrifying as that is, it’s the truth.
I pull away and stand up, breathless and dizzy. “I can’t do this.”
Riley stands too, stepping in to cup my cheeks tenderly. “I don’t expect you to forgive me right away—”
“This isn’t about forgiveness.” I step back, wrapping my arms around myself. “There’s a literal magic spell connecting me to someone else.”
“That spell isn’t love, Hannah. It’s supernatural dependency.” Her tone is surprisingly sharp.
“And what we had?” I snap back. “Was that real, or were you playing a part?”
“It was real. It still is.”
“Then why does it feel like I never knew you at all?”
Riley’s face falls. “Because I was trying to protect you from this world. From witches like—” She stops herself, but I know what she was going to say.
“Witches like Julia?”
“She’s dangerous, Han. Whatever you think you feel for her, it’s not real. Sanguine witches feed on more than just life force. They feed on desire. She’s probably already started changing you, making you want things you wouldn’t normally want.”
The truth of it hits like cold water. Have I been corrupted? Is my attraction to Julia just another symptom of her influence?
It’s possible. Probable, even. What else would explain how much I want her to mark me up, to claim me and feed on me until I’m gasping for breath?
Riley’s warnings should terrify me. Logically, I know that.
But Julia is the most powerful person I’ve ever met, and when she looks at me like I belong to her, I’ve never felt more alive. I want to know more about who she is, and I want to do more than kiss her.
“I need time to figure this out,” I say. “This is all a lot to process.”
Riley nods, though disappointment is written across her features. “Be careful with her, Hannah.”
I nod firmly and say nothing more. She hesitates, then takes her cue, leaving me alone with her warning lingering in the air.
But even knowing how dangerous Julia is, even with terror coursing through my veins, I can’t help my attraction to her. Watching her exert power over other people, making men and other witches fear her, is more exhilarating than anything.
Moments after Riley’s footsteps disappear beneath the rustling leaves, the binding spell eases its grip suddenly, loosening in my chest.
My breath catches. Julia must be coming closer.
