18. Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Eighteen
B ack at the old lady's house, Hailey is mashing up a handful of the ingredients, while I go through the incantation. I had read about the spell before, but actually doing it made me feel close to the mission.
The spell section of this book explains the ingredients, the action, and the warning. Reading the form of action, I skip the warning altogether as I feel the skeptical part of me emerge, demanding I stop. Dismissing the bad possibilities, I stand up and move to Hailey.
Coming closer, I notice her mixing in the other ingredients before turning to face me .
I pick up a bag of blood from the small table and tear a small crack with my teeth before taking a long gulp. On the way here, we visited my hotel room to take as many packages of blood as possible. At first, Hailey didn't understand why, but after I told her I'd better be full before drinking her blood, she helped me take a few bags just in case.
“So, have you done this before?”
Swallowing the blood, I take out the empty bag before replying, “No.”
She leaves the wooden bowl, turning to fully face me.
“What? How are you sure it’s going to work?”
I’m confident it would. People like me, don’t wish for things to happen, no. we create opportunities that lead to the things we want. That’s why this is going to work, because there is no other way around it. It’s that simple. “It’s going to work.”
“You talked about all that stuff like you had done it before. How can I know that it’s going to work?”
“You’re going to have to trust me.”
“That’s easy for you to say. You have nothing to lose here.”
I step closer to her, way too close. “I have everything to lose,” I say slowly, feeling her heat matching mine. She smells so delicious, especially when she fights. If only she knew what a turn-on it is. I bet it would make her even more feisty.
Caging her with my body, I repeat slowly, “I have everything to lose.”
“Okay,” she whispers as her eyes grow bigger.
“We should start the spell,” I say, and she nods before moistening her perfect lips with her tongue.
Taking a step back, I move to sit on the couch at the center of the living room. She takes a seat at the far end, so I speed up to her. Her surprised look makes me chuckle.
“You know that for this to work we can’t sit far apart.”
“I’m not sure what to do,” she confesses.
"Just try to relax."
“Easy for you to say.”
"Look at me." She straightens her gaze. Her eyes are a storm of green, a mix of fear and desire. I get a little closer to her. Her warm breath caresses my face. "You smell so sweet," I whisper, and her eyes widen. She swallows before blinking her long eyelashes. Seeing her cowering beneath me causes my primal instinct to awaken. My cock hardens, and I find myself irritated to the core.
She is also aroused. I see it in the curiosity that passes through her eyes. She fights it, but the closeness between us is stronger than any wall she puts up for herself .
Without warning her, I press my lips on hers and grab her for a kiss. She is warm, hot, and responsive. She opens her mouth, and I deepen the kiss, needing more. Her sweet taste drives me crazy, making me wonder what her blood will taste like. I bet it’s like the forbidden apple in Eden.
It doesn’t take her long to take control, and soon we’re both fighting for the next breath.
Her hands skim over my suit, pushing it away until it falls to the ground, while I trace her shoulder blades, needing to touch every inch of her.
Until she stops. She breaks the kiss, pushing me away. “We can’t do this. We can’t be distracted. I need for us to begin, okay?”
Trying to compose myself, I move a bit farther away. “At least you’ve loosened up.” Smirking, I wait for her to react, but all she does is flash me those big eyes while pouting.
“As you wish.” Disappointed, I play her game. “Where do you want me to bite you?” My question takes her off guard as she starts to splutter words I don’t understand. “Your neck or wrist?”
“Umm, my wrist,” she replies, reaching out her hand to me.
Holding her wrist, I plant a kiss. “Think about your grandmother. ”
She nods, and I take that as my cue. Locking my mouth on her soft skin, I stretch out my fangs, all the while looking at her. Shit. It’s even worse than I thought. Her blood sings to me as I drink and drink.
She closes her eyes as a soft moan escapes her lips.
I need to stop, but I can’t. I need more. Just a few drops more. I feel her skin becoming cooler as I fight myself to stop.
“Please,” she whispers, making me even harder. Knowing she enjoys it sends me into a whole new place. “Ahh, John.”
You will drink her dry. Stop , the rational side of my brain demands. And I stop.
She lets out a strangled breath as I detach my fangs and lick the wound.
A sick part of me is content that she is marked by me, and a growl rumbles out. She is mine . She tries to pull her wrist to her, but I stop her. I need to be close.Leaving a trail of kisses, I move up her arm to her neck until I come face to face with her confused expression.
"Does it still hurt?" I whisper before pressing a light kiss to her lips.
Her eyes are a war between pain and desire. "Not that much," she says breathlessly .
“You will feel better, it’s just…” Too much? Erotic? While searching for the right word, she nods, and I’m thankful for that.
“I can offer you some of my blood to speed up the healing process,” I suggest, moving off the couch, needing to put some distance between us. Though, if I’m honest, that will probably be pointless. I can feel her in every fiber of my body. She is everywhere. Consuming me.
“I should start doing the spell.”
“Do you feel my power?” she asks, composing herself as she straightens up. At her question, I start to concentrate on her blood as I feel a tingle spreading inside me. Her witch blood corrupts mine in the best way.
“Yes, I feel the power.” I exhale, feeling a fullness inside me that I didn’t know I needed.
“How does it feel?”
“Confusing, but in a good way. It’s like a hole inside me is now full. It’s a warm feeling.”
“That’s how I felt. But now that the euphoria from the bite is gone. I feel empty,” she confesses.
“I should start doing the spell.” I repeat.
Moving to the table, I pick up the bowl before drinking the juice from the mixed ingredients. Feeling the bitter taste slide down my throat, I turn back to find Hailey standing before me .
“Do it, please. I need to stop feeling the void of my magic.” Tears cascade from her eyes, wetting her pink cheeks. “It’s worse than just not being able to access it. Way worse.”
A tug of discomfort spreads inside me. For some reason, seeing Hailey in pain makes me uneasy. I don’t know if it’s the blood connection we now share, but I can’t ignore this deep need to comfort her. I take a step forward but stop midway. No. What will help is finishing the spell.
Holding the note tight, I read the Latin words loudly. “By the power given to me, I command the moon to release the blood that now flows in my veins. By the power given to me, I command the stars to move or allow blood to be avenged. By the power given to me, I command the sun to warm the blood within me and allow it to have its freedom.
I then repeat seven times, "Power is power when there is magic in it.”
Suddenly, the light goes out.
“Is it done?” She asks.
“You tell me.”
“I don’t know. I don’t feel anything.” Her voice drips with disappointment.
“Maybe there’s a delay.”
“I hate waiting. Maybe you didn’t do it right.”
“I did it perfectly. ”
“Of course you did. Because how could you not,” she snaps, pacing toward me. Even in the dark, she is exquisite. She bites her bottom lip, sucking on it, making me snicker.
“What’s so funny?” Her voice is rising.
“You are.”
“You are infuriating.”
“And you are annoying, in the best fucking way.”
“Argh, I hate you.” She takes another step towards me as I take a step back when a small light to the left lights up. As she takes another step, another candle lights, and then another.
“Now you’re using my power! You used me all along. I can’t believe how stupid I was. I knew to never trust a vampire and I did it anyway!”
“Hailey, stop,” I say, taking hold of her shoulders. “Look, it’s all you.”
She stops, wiggles out of my hold, and looks at the candles around us.
“I did this?” she asks, closing her eyes. When she reopens them, her smile is so big it lights up her face. “Dearest stars, I did it. I feel it. I feel the magic.” After a few seconds, she starts mumbling, and then suddenly, all the lights in the room turn off for the second time.
“I have night vision,” she declares. Leveling her stare, she looks deep into my eyes. The air around us turns too thick as she searches my soul. I need her to stop. She can’t do that.
Closing my eyes, I push her away from my subconscious.
“I’m sorry,” she says breathlessly. “I just… I don’t know why I did that.”
“Stay out of my head.”
“I don’t know how I even did that. I’m sorry. Now that I have my magic, I think I feel you.”
“It’s because of the spell. It will pass,” I say, and she nods.
“Do we know how long I will have my magic for?”
“Not sure. We should wait to see how you feel when it wears off.”
“Okay. So, what do we do now?”