Chapter 1
It only made sense that certain protocols needed to be followed when attending a supernatural speed dating event: like how long you could check someone out for it to be considered socially acceptable. Three seconds, maybe four—tops.
When Gillian Howe tried to imagine sounding clever to a complete stranger in the span of five minutes, her stomach twisted into knots. Of course, there was the drink rule to consider. How many should you consume? One probably wasn’t enough to take the edge off. Two might loosen you up enough to keep from getting tongue-tied during the stretches of awkward silences. By the time you got to three and were well on your way to getting sloppy drunk, it wouldn’t matter anyway.
Fortunately, she didn’t have to worry too much about it or go through the paces of said mini-dates. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t do her part from the sidelines.
Tonight, her job was to match each of Hoboken’s fourteen supernatural and human singles brave enough to attend this event with a card from her tarot deck. And for those lucky enough to find a match, they were eligible for a full couple’s reading.
Her breath caught as she glanced around the W’s hotel lobby, struck by the cool, modern décor. One wall was comprised entirely of glass and the other of sleek wood paneling. Enormous rectangular fixtures, shimmering with black and silver lights, hung like floating sentries from the ceiling. Black leather chairs and cushioned benches with red pillows were artfully displayed on top of a black marble floor.
The room started to fill up with human and demon males dressed in fine cut suits. The only trouble with the latter–hot as they were–was that most demons had egos even bigger than their hulking physiques.
The ladies looked chic decked out in little black dresses, while some wore glittery tops with leather pants and uber-high heels. One by one, they made their way over to the bar, and like the rest of the living room, it was blinged out in silver and black. Sinatra crooned from overhead speakers, setting the perfect mood for the evening.
Instinctively, Gillian tugged at the hem of her short, black lace dress, starting to feel a little self-conscious. She’d gotten a steal on it, even by H&M’s standards. The deep V in the front was currently being held together by a safety pin and a prayer, but it was all she could afford at the moment.
“What constitutes as clever first date conversation anyway?”
Gillian recognized the soft, feminine voice. She turned toward her business partner and best friend Saje. They ran a small magick shop with a group of other witches from their coven.
She took a seat next to her on a red banquette. The familiar aroma of Saje’s perfume filled the air. Even that didn’t relax Gillian.
With damp hands and her heart racing, Gillian placed several tarot decks on one of the small lacquered tables and began to shuffle the cards. Magick, pure and bright, pulsed beneath her fingertips. Gillian looked up. “I think I’m the wrong person to ask, but I’m guessing, ‘do I have spinach in my teeth’ is probably a major no-no.”
Saje chuckled, easing some of Gillian’s tension away. Different colored strands of beads adorned Saje’s neck. She wore a flowy print dress that complimented her petite frame and high wedges on her feet. Her outfit screamed Boho-chic, and perfect for cohosting a speed dating event. She opened a small cooler and unloaded a cocktail shaker and mason jars filled with pink colored liquid. A mischievous gleam flashed in her eyes.
“Trust me, anyone who drinks some of my special brew will be inclined to follow their deepest desires, and see hearts and flowers in their eyes, not spinach.”
“I always wondered where the adage ‘love is blind’ comes from. Now I know.” Gillian cut the decks and began arranging her cards face down in a diamond pattern.
“Don’t let your cousin Brooke hear you say that. I’m sure it would be considered sacrilege in some dating ritual handbook.” Saje shot her an evil grin as she pulled a hair tie from her wrist and swept her long, dark hair up in a messy bun.
“Funny, I didn’t know there was one.” But if anyone had a copy, it would be Brooke. Speed dating for charity was her baby. Coined matchmaker to the millennial crowd, Brooke believed everyone deserved love and that one perfect person was out there, once the stars aligned and timing collided with physical attraction in some cosmic way. Gillian, on the other hand, wasn’t so sure.
“Brooke’s the eternal optimist in the family. She got the gene I never inherited,” Gillian said with a smirk. “Seriously though, what have you brewed up for us tonight? Nothing too potent I hope.”
“It’s a special blend of lavender, crushed rose petals, grapefruit juice, and a pinch of vodka.” Saje gave her a reassuring smile. “Trust me, there’s nothing to worry about. I used a spell for general romantic feelings to blossom for those who are already into each other. This will just give them a gentle push so they can see through the clouds of their self-doubt. Think of it as a way to make their potential match’s clear. As long as we’re on the subject of love, have you ever considered…”
Gillian shook her head, amused. “Hey, I thought Brooke was the official matchmaker for the night. Besides, I want tonight to be all about the charity.” Now that everyone in their friend group seemed to be pairing up, her love life continued to be a hot topic amongst her coven mates. They’d been planning this night for months, selling tickets and posting the event on their websites and social media. The purpose was to raise funds for Gillian’s charity, Hope Club, along with their corporate sponsor, Kurt Lawrence of The Lawrence Cancer Support Network. The cause was near and dear to Gillian’s heart. Gillian knew what it was like to watch a loved one get sick and feel helpless. At least now she could do something proactive. Besides, this event would serve as a great promo for their magick shop, not to mention fodder for her weekly podcast–Eat, Tarot, Love.
After Gillian lit seven votive candles for luck, she spread some business cards and pens with the charity logos on the table. She glanced at her watch and then at Saje. “We’d better finish setting up. This party’s about to go full gear any minute now. Let me help you.”
When she bent down to pull a funnel from Saje’s bag, her heel slipped off her foot.
“I love the outfit, especially the shoes.” Saje pointed to Gillian’s feet. “Although, they do seem a tad big.”
“Sorry, I should’ve asked first, but they matched the dress.” Gillian adjusted the strap on her borrowed stiletto. Saje was the only one in their coven whose feet were bigger than hers. That’s what you did when you lived with a house full of women; you shared everything, nothing was off-limits, and closets were no exception.
Saje tilted her head to the side. “Are you okay? I’m picking up on some major stress vibes from you.”
The question made Gillian’s skin flush with a mist of nervous perspiration. The trouble with having a psychic for a best friend was you couldn’t keep anything to yourself. “Sorry. I guess I’m a little off my game tonight.”
This was the first time they’d done something like this, and Gillian was still uneasy about the whole thing. She’d stayed up half the night tossing and turning, not able to pinpoint exactly what was off. Now she felt like a total zombie. She’d used half a tube of concealer to cover the matching luggage under her eyes.
But that wasn’t the only thing keeping her awake. She couldn’t shake the sense of emptiness and longing that twisted inside her. Pushing her uneasiness to the back of her mind, she refused to venture into a dark place tonight.
“This is supposed to be fun, remember?” Saje unscrewed the tops of the mason jars, and together, they went to work filling wine glasses with her potion.
