Page 2 of Her Curves, His Fate

Nora sighed, realizing that her reputation in the small magical town had taken another hit. She knew that even if she lived to the ripe old age of one hundred, she would still be remembered as the witch who couldn’t control her powers. But she also knew the townspeople would always have her back—with outsiders. Plus, she’d given them another good laugh.

“All right, everyone,” she announced, forcing a grin onto her face as she clapped her hands together. “Next round is on me!”

The cheers that erupted from the crowd were loud enough to shake the rafters, and Nora couldn’t help but smile genuinely as she got back to work, determined to make the best of an awkward situation.

“See? You’ve got some good magic in you.” The other bartender working with her that night came up from the floor, setting a tray of empty glasses on the counter. He was of elven descent and went by the name of Dil. He was pansexual and had earned the reputation of the village hoe, willing to sleep with anything that paid him any attention. His silvery hair shimmered in the dim light, and his emerald green eyes sparkled with warmth.

“Thanks, Dil,” Nora replied, smiling gratefully. “I just wish I could control it better.”

“Control is overrated,” Dil chimed in gruffly, wiping down the counter. “What matters is your heart and your intention. And you’ve got plenty of both.”

“Maybe, but I still want to get better,” Nora insisted, her jaw set in determination. “I need specific goals. I want to learn more spells, perfect my potion-making, and maybe even pick up a few tips from Farrah Noire.” Farrah was a relative of Nora’s mother and was the town’s proclaimed magical fixer. If magic was broken, Farrah could fix it.

Unfortunately, she hadn’t been able to help Nora. Yet. Just like Dil, Farrah assured her time and time again that she wasn’t broken. That there was a reason her powers hadn’t manifested completely and why her control was so wacky.

“Sounds like a plan,” Dil agreed, nodding approvingly. “Your mother still makes ou practice for her?”

“Yes,” Nora admitted with a sigh. “You would think she would have given up by now.”

Ever since her powers first manifested at age seventeen—about fifteen years later than most witches—her mother made her do daily magical lessons that Nora found frustrating and futile. Her powers, what little she had, had manifested as flying objects whenever she grew angry or excited. It was obvious to everyone—except her mother—that Nora had latent powers. Which, besides her curvy figure, made her different. Most supernaturals were the very ideal of perfect—beautiful and slender.

Two things that had also passed Nora by. While she was attractive, she didn’t have that old-world beauty that vampires exhibited. Nor did she have the athletic build of female shifters. Nope, somewhere in her family tree was a curvy, plain Jane—and Nora had to be her reincarnate.

She’d read that a witch’s powers were tied to her emotions and soulmate bond. Supposedly she would never truly master magic without meeting her predestined partner. Soulmates were rare, especially for someone like Nora - a curvy, outspoken woman in a small town. What were the chances her true love would just show up on her doorstep?

Nora sighed, her confidence flagging. A little romance would be nice, if only to distract her from constant magical pressures. Her sharp tongue and sarcastic nature had ruined her last relationship. But sometimes a girl just wanted someone by her side, despite her flaws.

For now, she was on her own in this struggle to control her unruly powers. Nora vowed to keep practicing, even if progress was slow. She had to believe that one day, with enough hard work, it would finally click. Her magic flowed within her, waiting to be mastered. She would find a way to tame it.

New Haven wasn’t a typical small town. From its very founding, it had been a haven for supernatural residents seeking sanctuary. As a result, most locals had some magical abilities, even if minor. But after all those long years, Nora had little to show for her mother’s tedious lessons. She loved her mother, but sometimes she just wanted to tell her that enough was enough.

Dil chuckled. “She’s a mother. They don’t know the meaning of the word stop.”

Before Nora could even take a breath, a group of witches came up, ordering six Eye of Newt Elixirs. It took her only minutes to make them up—the old-fashioned way, with no magic. She might not know how to cast a spell without it backfiring, but she could mix one hell of a cocktail.

“Busy night,” Nora remarked, her eyes darting through the crowd.

“Indeed,” Dil winked. “In fact, I’m getting a little niggle that something big is on the horizon.”

Nora laughed. “That’s probably just you wishing for something big to come to you.” Dil would sleep with anyone—or anything.

“Yeah, but it’s something else,” he said, his face turning serious. “I’m not sure, but something is coming our way.”

Nora raised an eyebrow. Dil’s instincts were rarely wrong. If he sensed something major was headed their way, she believed him. As long as it didn’t disrupt her already turbulent powers, it would be a welcome change.

“Well, whatever it is, bring it on,” Nora said with a wry smile. “Things have been a little too quiet around here lately if you ask me.” Secretly, she hoped whatever was coming their way, it might be the key to controlling her powers. She was tired of being the town failure.

Another group of patrons rushed the bar. She took the orders as fast as she could, not even bothering to try and speed things up with her magic. That had been a lesson she’d learned the hard way. She deftly mixed and poured drinks with an ease that made it seem like second nature.

“Go ahead,” Dil urged. “Try a little magic.”

Nora gave him a weary look. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, you got to practice on someone, and why not these creatures? They’re already half drunk, they’ll never notice.”

Nora nodded. Maybe she was more capable than she thought. And with the support of Dil and her mother, even Theo, who knows how strong a witch she could become?

Nora swirled her fingers, deftly causing three shot glasses to levitate on the counter. The night was still young and her magic, for now, was working spot on. Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she glanced over at a group of patrons eagerly anticipating their drinks.