Chapter Fifteen
Akasha LaVey
Learning About Myself
After our declaration of love, Korvin slips into bed behind me and cuddles me through the night. it isn’t about sex, even though I’m sure both of us would happily fuck each other’s brains out. This is about connecting and showing affection without getting naked. Weird concept, I know, but I have never felt so special and cherished in my entire life.
Once we wake to the new day and the bright sunlight coming in through the open drapes, we shower together, taking care to wash each other before getting dirty all over again. Korvin fucks me against the white tiles until I scream, and then we have breakfast.
A knock at the door draws our attention. I lift a brow in his direction.
“I don’t know anyone in Brooklyn,” I say with a smile. “Must be for you.”
He walks toward the door with a grumble. “No one visits me.”
“You’ll have to get used to visitors,” I say with a laugh. “I’m a social person. Maybe it’s Ari.”
He shakes his head, trying to hide his own smile as he opens the door. His immediate frown lets me know it isn’t someone he wants to see.
“What do you want?” he asks right before Krishka, the witch from last night, ducks under his arm.
“Chill out, Grumpa. I’m here to see your witch.”
I can’t hold in my giggle at her nickname for him, which only earns me a scowl.
“She needs more rest,” Korvin says to her.
“She needs to listen, then she won’t have to rest,” she retorts as she reaches me where I’m drinking my coffee at the breakfast nook. “Besides, we are running out of time. She needs to master her element before I can teach her anything else or she won’t be able to control the fire.”
“My element?” I ask, intrigued.
“You’re a fire witch,” she says with a bounce of her eyebrows. “Shifters can smell their mates, I can smell elemental witches.”
I wrinkle my nose at her. “So, I smell like smoke?”
She laughs, packing items on the counter she pulls from her shoulder bag. “Not at all. Each elemental witch’s scent is unique. Yours is more like s’mores. You know, caramelizing marshmallows.”
“That’s not so bad.”
“It wasn’t,” she says giving me a side eye. “That is, until you depleted your reserves. “Then it turned to a burnt sugar smell.”
“Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize, I was the same when I first realized my power. But you’re still new to all of this,” she says motioning with an outstretched arm. “You need to learn how to replenish and use your energy without killing yourself.”
Korvin snorts from the doorway.
“I’ll be teaching your mate the basics, you’re welcome to leave if you won’t be supportive,” she snaps.
“Witch, don’t start…”
“Stop!” I cut in. “I don’t know what it is with the two of you, but cut it out! You’re giving me a headache.” Both look chastised so I continue. “Korvin, please go do some shopping. We have nothing except coffee in this place.”
He gives me a dubious look and I smile in return.
“I promise to listen to Krishka and not overexert myself. And you’ll only be gone for an hour so you can check on me when you get back.”
“Fine,” he grumbles once more. “But I will be more than grumpy if something happens to you while I’m gone.”
“O ye of little faith,” I say kissing him on the lips as he walks past us. “Nothing is going to happen to me.”
He closes the bathroom door to get dressed and I offer Krishka some coffee. I’ve barely handed her the mug when he walks back out. Dressed in dark blue jeans and a dark green t-shirt, he looks good enough to eat. He grabs his keys and wallet off the counter before kissing me passionately and then walking out the door. I know he won’t be gone for long. It’s not in his nature to stay away from me.
With a blush I turn to the other witch. “What are we doing?”
She rubs her hands together. “I’m going to teach you basic spells. Each day we will practice something new until you are ready to cast the protection spell we need. Don’t worry, you won’t cast that big a spell alone, my coven is just too small to do it on our own.”
“How many people are in your coven?”
“We are five witches and two warlocks. Of the seven of us, only four are natural witches and the rest have been taught because they had latent abilities. We need a powerful natural witch to lock in the final step of the spell.”
It’s a lot of information to take in at once but I am equal part scared and excited.
“Teach me. I am yours to mold.”
“Have you ever used your firepower?”
“Not that I am aware of, but some things are starting to make sense now that I have more information.”
She chuckles. “Okay. I want you to focus on the candle in front of you. Repeat these words until you can light the wick. Illuminare noctem .”
I stare at the pure white tapered candle, making sure to focus only on what I am doing.
“ Illuminare noctem .”
The flame erupts immediately, dancing in the slight breeze coming through an open window.
“This is going to be easier than I thought,” she says, impressed.