Chapter 13 #3
‘Aiden, I can see it’s been finished.’ She traced her fingers over the stylised heart that twisted through his other tattoos. ‘It’s lovely.’
‘Glad you like it. I think it’s your fault.’
‘My fault?’
‘It started happening recently. Since you and I… The magic did it.’
‘That’s a thing?’
‘Seems it is. Turns out the ink includes vegetable glycerine and witch hazel.’
‘Both things you use in the kitchen?’
‘Yeah.’ He nodded.
‘And you think your magic made your tattoos change. Because of me?’ She shook her head, smiling. ‘This is all so amazing to me still.’
He rubbed his nose and lips against her shoulder and neck, and kissed her behind the ear. ‘You’re what’s amazing, Mia. Or is it Camilla?’
‘Definitely not.’ She sighed happily and let her eyes drift shut.
‘I don’t understand why, after the things that we just did…’
‘Things that I very much enjoyed.’
‘…that you won’t let me know what Mia’s short for.’
She opened her eyes to look at him. ‘But that’s your problem. I enjoy tormenting you.’
‘You’re going to tell me eventually, you know that.’
‘Maybe I will, maybe I won’t.’
‘I could torture you, you know. Tease you until you’re begging to tell me.’ The low threat in his voice made her shiver in the most delicious way.
‘Just remember, two can play at that game.’
Aiden chuckled and tugged her more tightly against him. ‘You really do give as good as you get.’
‘Warned you about that months ago.’ She kissed his neck. ‘You should have listened then. And speaking about you listening to me, I wanted to talk to you about our next date.’
‘Oh, you think we’re having one, do you?’
‘Don’t tease me, I’m too comfy to move right now just to teach you a lesson.’
‘Sorry.’
‘Besides, of course we’re having another date. I’m not the type to do one-night stands.’
‘No?’
‘Nope. Tried it once with a guy – supposedly a one-time bit of fun – and months later he’s still hanging around. Really awful sort. Rides a motorbike, secretive, hangs out in empty woods, threatens to torture people. Refuses to take no for an answer about some things.’
‘He sounds dreadful.’ Aiden laughed, glad they’d found their normality again. ‘So, our next date? Isn’t it the turn of this awful, bike-riding, ne’er-do-well to plan it?’
‘Oh, are we back to keeping score?’
‘Well, if we were, by my count you’re two or three mind-messing explosions ahead of me.’
‘Careful. Wind me up enough and it’ll be more than that…’
‘Hey, so long as you don’t mind me watching… Video calls could be really good on the nights I can’t stay… Ow!’
‘I warned you before, Katie told me I should smack you when you misbehave.’
‘And here I was thinking you like my “misbehaving”. So, what is it you were thinking for our next date?’
‘Actually, it kinda involves Katie. Now she knows, she wants a double date.’
‘Oh, wonderful. Because she doesn’t get enough time to grill me alive at Glimmers.’
‘You’d have me to protect you.’
‘I might need it!’ He chuckled and drew her closer. ‘But, if it’s all the same to you, I might have a better idea. What are you doing next Saturday?’
‘Isn’t that Halloween?’
‘Yes. Which would mean it’s also the Samhain ball at the Mansion Hotel. Which, from everything I’ve heard, is something incredible.’
‘You know, I’ve vaguely heard of that for years, but I’ve never really fancied going…’ She trailed off as her brain caught up. ‘Oh. This is a magical thing, right?’
‘Gifted and awake only.’ He nodded. ‘What do you think? Will you come with me?’
‘To a very public event involving a whole subset of my community who I’ve only just learned existed?’
‘Put like that, it does sound like it could be a bit much…’
‘It sounds amazing.’ Her smile sent a flicker of the earlier light and heat flushing through him. ‘I’d love to. But what on earth does someone wear to her first Hudsbury Samhain ball?’
‘Fancy dress, apparently.’
‘I’ll ask Katie.’
‘You are late!’ Katie grinned at Mia as she hurried up the stairs in Glimmers and to the flat above, hoping the flush from her cheeks had faded.
‘Hi, Mia!’ Ophelia called from the flat’s little kitchen. ‘I’ll be out in a min.’
‘Evening! No rush.’ She turned back to Katie. ‘Sorry, Aiden came round for dinner and…’ She flushed as her stomach rumbled, reminding her that dinner had ended up partly on the floor when he’d lifted her onto the table instead.
‘And you decided that instead of being on time to meet your lifelong friend, who is helping you with a favour, you’d be late so you could bibbity-bobbity-boink?
’ She leaned forward with a wicked grin and tugged something out of Mia’s hair.
‘Though I have to admit I’d usually choose a good shag over lettuce too. ’
Mia blushed a bit, but brazened it out. ‘Can you blame me?’
‘Not a bit! I’m thrilled for you, I really am. You know that. But Aiden? You know you’re getting stick from me for picking him.’
‘You know I was nicer to you than this when you first introduced me to Ophelia.’
‘Yeah, but you always were the nicer, kinder one of us. And it is Aiden.’ She cackled. ‘But seriously, so long as you’re happy, I am too. You know that.’
‘I do.’ Mia leaned against her friend’s shoulder. ‘Love you, Kitikat.’
‘Love you too, Mimi.’
‘Can I ask you something?’
‘Sounds interesting. You don’t usually ask me first. What’s up?’
‘Well.’ She glanced to the kitchen and lowered her voice. ‘You’re not magical and you’re with Ophelia.’
‘Yeah?’
‘Is it different for you, being with her, than it was with others who weren’t magical?’
‘Of course it is.’ Katie laughed. ‘Most non-gifted people don’t have to share their home with someone who has full conversations with a cat who you can’t hear or put up with appliances that randomly become possessed or enchanted. And that’s before you consider the spells…’
‘Really? Possessed appliances?’
‘The toaster oven was the worst.’ Katie shook her head.
Mia filed that thought away to ask about later. ‘I meant, like, intimately…’ She felt the blush start to rise.
‘Do you mean like using spells and stuff for sex? Because there’s a few tricks Ophelia has…’
‘No, that’s not what I meant. Hang on, really? You can use magic for… Actually, no. I’m not going there.’
Katie chuckled. ‘What are you trying to ask, Mimi?’
‘I don’t think he’s spelling me… not deliberately…
but it’s so intense. Everything becomes colour and sound and sensation – even the things that usually aren’t that – and it’s like I can feel what he’s feeling and it feeds into what I’m feeling and it just keeps getting more and more until…
bam!’ She exploded her fingers, trying to demonstrate what she couldn’t explain.
‘Wow. So bibbity-bobbity-boink-bang! No wonder you were late. I almost feel a bit jealous. That sounds incredible.’
‘It really is. But… you don’t think it’s just a magic thing?’
‘No. But you could ask Phe…’
‘No! I’d be too embarrassed.’
‘I’ll ask her for you.’ Katie shrugged.
‘No! Why don’t you tell me about this ball I’ve agreed to go to, instead?’ Mia wanted to change the subject. ‘And why I’ve dragged over that truly awful bridesmaid dress I’d hoped to never see again. Because there is no way I want to be seen in public in lilac satin again…’
‘Oh, we’re going to have some real fun with this.’ She grinned evilly and produced a pair of sharp scissors. ‘A few alterations to start with, and Ophelia’s help.’
‘Really?’
‘Yes.’ She came out of the flat’s little kitchen, holding a toasted sandwich and mug. ‘I had a feeling you might be needing this.’
‘Thank you.’ Mia appreciated that she didn’t tease her like Katie did.
‘Sorry it’s not very exciting, but you know what I’m like in the kitchen. Cheese and ham in the toaster oven is just about my limit.’
‘It’s great, thank you.’ Mia hesitated when she took the plate. ‘You don’t mean the possessed oven, do you?’
‘It’s fine. We rehomed that visitor to Edward long ago. Last I heard it was happily helping on his ghost tours and haunting puppets in the theatre.’
Mia shook that thought off and concentrated on her delayed dinner. The cup, when she took a sip, was filled with fragrant, herb-laden tomato soup. ‘This is delicious. You undersell your talents.’
‘What is it?’ Katie peered into the cup.
‘Soup.’
‘Interesting choice.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I didn’t make the soup,’ Ophelia explained. ‘The cup did.’
‘You mean it’s an instant soup? Which brand? It’s delicious.’
‘Not exactly. It’s a cornucup.’
‘A cornucup?’