Chapter 16 Aurora #2
Salvator’s quick recovery and lack of terror made Aurora pause.
How had he held his own against the paranormal?
It was difficult to imagine even a seasoned human criminal being unflappable in the face of a real-life ghost. But then, Aurora couldn’t imagine what Salvator’s life had been like. Maybe nothing fazed people like him.
“Do you think anyone else saw your magic?” Gia asked.
“You mean your magic.” Aurora smiled, but Gia didn’t follow suit.
“I doubt it. The SUV blocked us, and to be honest, humans naturally frame anything they see within the confines of how they believe the world works. Unless it’s impossible to ignore.
All anyone would have seen was a man falling into a vehicle and shouting when he touched it. ”
“But you revealed yourself.”
“In the bright sun. I bet people across the street didn’t see more than a shiny ripple.”
Gia frowned. “It’s not like it matters now.” She rubbed her head again. “Fuck, I think I’m getting a migraine.”
Aurora wished they’d at least made it to the apothecary. “Do you need to lie down?”
“It wouldn’t hurt.” Gia settled on the couch, looking at the ceiling.
Aurora floated above her, hovering flat on her stomach in a mirror of Gia’s position.
Gia smiled at last. “Thanks. Now I don’t even have to turn my head.”
Aurora echoed her smile. “No problem. Feel free to close your eyes.”
Gia did, lines creasing her forehead and betraying how far from relaxed she really was. “I can’t deal with this right now.”
“You mean a headache?”
“A migraine. If I black out and Salvator returns, we’re screwed.”
Fuck, they really should have run somewhere else, but returning here had been reflexive. Aurora hadn’t questioned it at the time.
“I was bound to get a migraine when I couldn’t afford it. That’s the other reason I stayed. I believed I couldn’t cope on my own.”
Aurora’s brow furrowed. “People get migraines all the time. I’m not trying to minimize your experience, but it seems like a manageable condition.”
“You’d think. But what happens to me is different. No one can explain it.”
Which was why Gia had asked if it could be magic.
The temperature in the room seemed to drop, and a sense of foreboding snuck up on Aurora.
No, Gia couldn’t be cursed. Lilly had checked.
Gia’s father was a mobster, not a witch.
A rare medical condition wasn’t out of the realm of possibility, but Aurora’s regret over not making it to the apothecary doubled.
“How long until the pills take effect?” she asked.
Gia shrugged, eyes still closed. “Depends. They don’t always work.”
“Did the stress of today trigger it? Should I stop talking?”
Gia cracked an eye open. “You can talk. Stress isn’t always a trigger. I didn’t get a headache the night I ran away, even though I was stressed. Sam drove for days without stopping.” She paused. “Was she using magic?”
“I don’t know Sam personally, but not needing much sleep is a vampire thing.”
Gia hummed thoughtfully. “Weird. Sam didn’t fry in the sun… I think it’s getting worse.”
She must mean the headache, which had to be terrible if even discussing vampires was on the back burner. Aurora would explain the realities versus myths later. “What can I do? Should we call Lilly?”
A sharp tapping sounded on the door, and they both froze.
Aurora drifted over and checked through the peephole. “It’s the neighbor.” A flare of annoyance sparked in her chest.
Gia groaned. “Pretend no one’s home.”
Viv knocked again, but after a minute, she gave up and disappeared. Aurora returned to the couch.
“How are you feeling?”
“Not great.” Gia sat up, a determined set to her jaw. “But we should move while I’m functional. Get out of here and hide from Salvator. My family used my condition to trap me, but they were wrong. I can find a way deal with this.”
Aurora floated closer. “We’ll get through it, I promise.”
Gia gave her a thin smile. “Let’s try the apothecary.”
Aurora nodded. “Can you book a ride? Lilly could meet us there, and we can figure out where to go next.”
Gia stood. “I don’t have a credit card, so I can’t use any rideshare apps. I suppose I could call a taxi and pay cash.”
“Let’s do that.” Aurora flew over to the window to see if Trey or Salvator were lurking. She spotted no one.
“I might lose consciousness while we’re out. If I do, will you be able to help?” Fear flitted across Gia’s already strained expression. It hurt to see, but she was bringing her worries to Aurora, being vulnerable, and Aurora wouldn’t let her down.
“I’ll be there with you. Being a ghost isn’t ideal, but I promise I’ll everything in my power to keep you safe.”
Gia cocked her head. “Do you think you could, you know, go inside me and control me while I’m unconscious?”
Aurora jolted. “It’s one thing to channel your power when you’re aware. We connected by accident. I’d never invade you.”
Gia gave her a pained smile and stood. “I know. You have my permission, so it’s not an invasion. Worst comes to worst, you’re free to take over.”
“Really?” The trust shocked Aurora, especially after how guarded Gia had been since they met.
“Yes, really. I like the sound of channeling, rather than possessing. Like you’re helping me rather than hijacking me to do your bidding.”
“That would be despicable.”
“Is something like that possible?”
“Witches can’t possess people, but we can channel each other. Usually, it requires a blood exchange and goes both ways. Since I’m not in my body, things are a bit haywire.”
Aurora had never thought she’d power-share with another witch.
Most witches didn’t. Even the Nightingales, who were into blood magic, didn’t channel.
They stuck to using someone’s blood like a spell ingredient so the caster wouldn’t have to give anything in exchange.
It was a nasty practice, and had made Aurora suspicious of any kind of power sharing until now.
With Gia, sharing was another thing entirely. If Aurora had her magic in this form, she wouldn’t hesitate to lend it.
“I’ll feel better knowing you can step in if we need it,” Gia said as she went over to the kitchen, grabbed all the cash from the cereal box, and shoved it in her backpack.
Aurora’s chest expanded. “Of course. And when this is all over, I’ll teach you to use your magic yourself.”
Gia opened a door leading to a laundry nook and grabbed what appeared to be more cash from behind the washer.
“I’m a long way off doing anything with magic.
But yeah. You should teach me when we aren’t running around hiding.
Let me grab the rest of this”—she waved the thick stack of money—“and we can go.”