“Baby, if it were anyone else, of course I would want you there with me, but if you freeze up again, I’ll have to spend most of my attention on you to make sure he doesn’t get his hands on you again.You’rethe one he wants, baby. We can’t just hand you over to him. Let me do this for you. Forus.”
He held out his hand to me, and I stared at it for a long moment before finally reaching out to take it.
He looked surprised for a moment before giving me a smile that made my chest hurt as he laced his fingers through mine.
It made me feel like shit for all the times he’d tried to hold my hand before and I’d refused him.
Something so small and simple seemed to make him so happy, and I decided then and there that I would hold his hand as often as he wanted me to… just so I could revel in that gorgeous smile.
“Fine. But I still don’t like it.” I sniffed haughtily, and he smirked, using our joined hands to tug me into his chest.
“I know,” he hummed, skating his lips over mine softly. I inhaled his scent and kissed him back, skating my free hand up his neck and into his soft hair.
He allowed me to nip desperately at his lips, and his soft chuckle warmed me to my core.
“Just… be careful, okay?” I whispered, and he pressed his forehead against mine, nodding gently.
“I’m always careful, baby.”
He kissed me softly once more before untangling himself from me and giving me one of his annoyingly suave winks.
“When I come back, I’m fucking you out in the open.”
I laughed softly, shaking my head.
“When you come back, I’m fuckingyou.”I smirked, and his eyes shone with amusement.
Giving me one more quick peck on the lips, he smiled against me.
“Can’t fucking wait.”
The silver light of the full moon illuminated Howard Street cemetery with a pulsing glow.
Any spells done on a night like this would be backed by the moon’s energy, and I was feeling confident that we were at a solid advantage.
Giles Corey was sitting on a nearby marker, drinking his ghostly liquor and cackling maniacally.
‘He’s gonna get you, ha ha ha, he’s gonna get you, and I’m going to laugh.’
Rolling my eyes at the crazy ghoul, I leaned against a nearby tree and waited for Ares to appear.
My guardians were prowling the streets, ensuring we wouldn’t be interrupted by any of Raziel’s followers. I could feel their comforting presence as if they were a part of me.
Luna and Willow were leading a circle a few blocks away in the Burying Point Cemetery, where the memorial for all the witches who had lost their lives to the Salem trials hadbeen carved into stone.
It felt fitting, and I was sure Bridget Bishop, along with Willow and Luna’s ancestors, Rebbeca Nurse and Sarah Good, were keeping them in better company than I was with Giles Corey.
I knew the moment they had started the spell. Their magic flowed through the earth beneath my feet, using the underground network of mycelium to find me.
The soles of my feet grew warm in my docs, and slowly, the love and magic of my people began to throb and pulse through my body.
I tightened my grip on Gabe’s scepter as Ares finally made his appearance.
“Ah. Finally, I didn’t think you were going to show for a minute there,” I drawled lazily.
Ares just laughed.
“You’re a fool for coming.”
