Chapter 8
EIGHT
Emilia
It’s a busy night at the bar and my entire body is humming, riding the high of using my powers for the first time in over four years. The world feels brand new. I’m able to feel the threads of magic woven through everything.
Silas swears up and down that he didn’t do much, but I could still feel the warmth of his magic ghosting across my skin. It felt borderline erotic. I can’t explain it.
This makes me wonder about something my mom told me right after Chase proposed.
She said, “He will never understand how it feels, Emmy. Don’t dim your light so that his can shine brighter.”
Young and rebellious Emilia saw that as her mother being a bitter old woman. Things didn’t work out with my biological father. He left not long after I was born and my mom remarried by the time I was three. Dean has always been my dad, blood or not, and I think they are perfect together, but I still saw the comment as prejudice against my choice in partner. We didn’t talk until after the wedding.
I wish I could go back and grab myself by the shoulders and shake. If I had only seen the kernel of truth in it, past my desire to be loved and cherished after being overlooked most of my life. Part of me felt lucky to have him. A small town legend that can charm anyone he meets.
Except for Silas. I’m not sure why, but that makes me happy.
Gods, I can’t stop thinking about him. I don’t even hate having him around. Part of me looks forward to seeing him sprawled out on the couch in the morning, dead asleep, with his ears twitching.
“Number thirteen just twisted his ankle, he’s out in the third quarter and we’re down 3 points. We’re looking at a surge.” Carly Beth says, her voice low, settling next to me. “Emilia?”
I turn, “Yeah? Oh, isn’t that the quarterback? Shit. Okay.”
She grabs my shoulder, “Wait, there’s something different about you tonight. It almost looks like . . . Emilia, you’re glowing .”
My hand goes to my cheek, “I am?”
“Did you get laid?”
“What?! No.” I nearly knock over the bottle of tequila in front of me.
“Shame.” She replies, shaking her head, and ripping a page from her ticket pad and slapping it on the small opening to the kitchen, “Two bacon burgers and a side of onion rings.” She turns back to me, placing her hands on her hips, “I don’t know about you, but I am starving.”
“Don’t remind me.” I bend down and grab a couple beers, placing them on her tray, “It’s going to be a good thirty minutes before I can take a break.”
Carly Beth snaps her fingers at me, “Thirty minutes? It’s a date. Maybe then you’ll tell me what’s got you all worked up tonight.” She flashes me a brilliant smile and returns to the floor with the tray.
There’s no way I can tell her the truth.
It’s not that I don’t trust her. I just never felt comfortable introducing someone to the world hidden in plain sight. Imagine learning that magic is real and fairies and vampires exist, and in fact, one might even work the night shift at the post office.
I don’t have an actual confirmation on that one. Moonstone Ridge, despite its magical name, isn’t full of supernaturals as far as I have seen and no one is rushing to out each other.
Shouts erupt from the floor, and I jump, looking up to see the substitute quarterback running towards the ten yard line, hopping over the opposing team to roll into the end zone, scoring 6 points and giving us the lead again with less than two minutes until the fourth quarter.
Looks like it’s going to be a long night.
I smile and shake my head, taking advantage of the lull to put away the stray tequila bottles back onto the shelf behind me when I catch movement in the mirror.
No, no, no. It can’t be.
Chase walks through the door, searching like a bloodhound, until he finds me in the mirror. I can read his body language from here, the tense jaw, the emotionless stare. He’s pissed and making his way over to the far end of the bar. He’s waiting for me to make the first move, just like old times.
I rub my hand over the amethyst bracelet, my heart racing, wondering if Silas will get here in time if I need him. Should I call for him?
From the looks of it, Chase just got off of work. He’s still wearing his navy polo from the factory, which means he’s been able to keep this job at least. Unless that’s why he’s here.
With a couple of steadying breaths, I walk down the bar, stopping in front of him.
“Evening, Emmy.” He says, barely looking up from the plastic menu in his hand, “Are you still running happy hour or am I late?” He sets it down hard, finally pinning me with a glare.
“I thought we agreed my workplace was off limits.” I keep my voice low, touching the bracelet again.
He watches me, “You also agreed to be faithful to me.”
It’s so ridiculous that it makes my head spin, “What in the hell are you talking about?”
“I met your new guy. How long have you been fucking him?” He leans over the bar and I catch a whiff of alcohol, he’s been drinking, “Was it while we were still together?”
A crackle of magic pierces the air, and I turn to see Silas step out from the hall leading into the back room, his eyes filled with fire. How? He must have teleported somehow.
“I know good and well no one here in town would touch you,” he looks me up and down, “I’ve ruined you for everyone else.”
Silas searches around the room, then looks at me with a question in his eyes. It takes me a moment to realize he’s asking for permission.
I shake my head no.
“What are you looking at?” Chase’s voice cuts through the hollering and he turns, pushing off of the bar.
All this time, I have been keeping myself in the cage he built all those years ago. I’ve carried this guilt, knowing that I broke his heart. I stole away a future without his consent. That was never true.
This was never about love. It was about control.
“I never cheated on you.” I say, my voice shakes.
He looks back at me, his expression cold.
“I gave you so much of myself and got nothing in return. Somehow, I thought that was my fault. I wasn’t trying hard enough or compromising enough to make things work between us.”
The entire bar is paying attention now, their cheers have completely gone silent despite the announcer’s voice building to a frenzied pitch. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Mike, the bouncer, waiting to intervene.
I’m sure he’s being cautious because knows exactly who Chase is, but it makes me feel better knowing he still has my back. Everyone does.
I have been trying to break free of my ex for so long that I didn’t notice the friendships I had made by being myself. People like Carly Beth, who would stick up for me at a moment’s notice, not out of pity or some sort of obligation. Because we aren’t just coworkers, we’re friends.
“Do you really think he’s going to stick around?” Chase points to Silas, “After he finds out what you are.”
“I don’t care.” The laugh that bubbles from my throat surprises me, “I will never choose you again, Chase. You don’t own me.”
“Moonstone Ridge is a small town, Emmy, you can’t avoid me forever.”
“That’s where you’re wrong.” I fold my arms against my chest, “You just walked into my work and showed your entire ass on one of the busiest nights of the week.” I glance over to see Carly Beth, who watches us with a smile on her face. “You’re going to leave me alone, because I am sure I have enough witnesses to press charges.”
He scoffs, “For what?”
“Harassment, for starters.” Carly Beth chimes in, saddling up beside me.
Chase straightens, scanning the bar. He clenches his jaw, then leaves, dodging Mike on the way out.
Sound slowly filters back onto the floor and I turn to Carly Beth.
“Go,” she nods, holding her hand out and gesturing towards my half apron, “Take a break and I’ll watch the bar.”
I pull the strings, untying it, then place it in her hand, making my way out onto the floor towards the back hallway where I had last seen Silas. Remnants of his magic hangs in the air and since I haven’t felt another pulse, I know he’s here somewhere.
A piece of me relaxes when I see him leaning over the jukebox, his long-sleeved shirt stretching over broad shoulders. Again with the shoulders. The lights from the machine carve out his form, so he looks like a hero from one of my Harlequins.
I need to control myself. This is Silas we’re talking about.
Before I can speak, he turns to me and exhales a breath, his ears twitching in response to something.
“Wait.” I blink, walking towards him, “Did you just smell me?”
“Maybe,” Silas shrugs, standing up straight and shoving his hands in his front pockets, “It’s a wolf thing.”
“Okay, Jacob.”
“What?”
“Never mind,” I lean against the wall, feeling like my legs are about to give out. I didn’t realize how much I have been shaking until I stopped moving. It’s catching up with me all at once.
“Hey,” he takes a step forward, tilting his head, “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” I rest my hand on my stomach, “I just can’t believe I did that. How did you get here so fast?”
“Teleported.” He looms closer, “You’re looking a little pale.”
“I need to,” I flail my hand a little, losing my train of thought trying to stave off the panic attack, “is that part of the spell? The teleporting to my side when I’m in danger?”
“That’s one of my powers. Emilia, I think we should get you some air.”
“No, I’m okay, just talk to me. How does that work?” I make the mistake of looking up into Silas’ gold eyes.
Chase has never looked at me like that. Silas’ eyes are soft, full of compassion, but also hungry and searching.
“I step from one place to another,” he holds his hands up between us and puts them together, “Things just fold. The connection we have helps.” He gives me a smile, “You were brilliant, you know.”
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“How exactly am I looking at you, Emilia?” He reaches out and tucks my hair behind my ear, his fingertips lingering at my jaw.
There’s a silent dare to his voice that makes me want to push. To see how far it will take me.
“Like you want to kiss me.” I tempt fate.
Silas looks wounded, as though I uncovered some hidden weakness, his eyes flitting to my lips, “Would that be so terrible?”
“Only if you’re trying to prove him wrong.”
“Fuck. Him.” Silas growls out, lowering his head until his face is a breath away from my lips, “If I want to kiss you, it’s because I have done nothing but think about you since you left.”
He smells so good, like linen and citrus with a hint of sweat. I’m lucky to catch its ghost throughout the house, sometimes it clings to my skin just enough that I can smell him as I’m falling asleep.
Tonight feels magical, and I’m not going to miss my chance. All it takes is a lift of my chin to kiss him, a gentle brush, his lips are much softer than I imagined.
He huffs out a breath, all the muscles in his forearms go taut as he traces soft circles against my jaw with his thumb.
Silas cups my face with his hands, kissing me back. This time it’s not gentle. It’s ravenous, filled with the same longing and desire that I feel mirrored in my chest.
I grab hold of his waist, feeling his muscles tense under my fingertips as he steps closer, pressing me flat against the wall. His tongue brushes over the seam of my mouth, urging them open with a playful nip to my bottom lip that shoots straight down to my core.
He grips the back of my neck with reverence, not possession. I feel like something precious he’s trying to savor, and I’m taking my time memorizing the change in his breathing, the way he grabs my waist or threads his fingers through my hair.
I already know that I want this kiss to be imprinted upon my soul, something to dream about and long for whenever Silas leaves. Because this isn’t permanent.
It takes every ounce of my resolve to pull away from him. I already miss the soft touch of his lips, the tease of his tongue.
The sound of the football game filters in, snapping us both out of our trance and bringing us back to reality. It feels like I’ve woken from a dream.
Silas takes a step back, his eyes never leaving mine, filled with the same raw admiration from before, but now there’s concern knit into his brow.
“I should really get back.” I move past him, walking towards the bar. After two steps, I feel a jolt of magic and turn, “You can stay for the rest of my shift, if you want.” My voice trailing off.
He’s gone.