Page 20 of Overwhelmed By Magic

Waking up bright and early on Monday morning to start my new position in my mother’s company is the last thing I want to do. Harlow was supposed to leave Friday evening or even Saturday morning but we ended up staying in bed all weekend, ignoring the world. I’m not sure how many times we told each other ‘I love you’ or how many times Harlow fucked my ass raw and then fell asleep inside me.

I can still feel the ghost of his cock slamming into me and the superficial teeth marks in my neck make me smile every time I run my fingers over them. When the alarm clock on my nightstand goes off, I slide from the mattress and make my way to the bathroom. I look myself over in the large mirror, laughing at the hickey on my neck and the several marks along my chest. It’s a good thing I have shirts to cover all of that. My mother will have an aneurysm if she sees it.

Continuing to inspect lower, my gaze lands on those stupid marks along my wrist. That pink essence is dancing around my skin again but there’s an added mark that I don’t recognize. Just below my left wrist, there’s a small design, ice blue in color, and reminds me of Harlow. Confused, I run my finger across it, Harlow appearing at my side seconds later.

“Babe, what is it? What’s wrong?”

I thrust my arm out to him, his eyes seeing the pink aura first and then the second mark. “What the fuck is this?” I ask.

“You have essence?”

“We’ll talk about that shit later. This.” I point to the blue mark and touch it again, Harlow’s aura darkening before it rights itself again. “Did you claim me?” I haven’t studied a lot of Magila history but I know enough about the basics. I just thought it had to be a conscious thing or was like some part of a ritual when it included a human.

“First, stop touching it. I keep getting called to you but I’m right here. Second, I claimed you when I met some of the other Magila at Grimrose Academy but I didn’t think that’s all it took. It absolutely—fuck.” He drags a hand down his face. “It’s about intent, babe. I didn’t even think. We said we were each other’s yesterday.”

“But we’ve always said that.”

“I’ve never claimed you before. Never said those words exactly to someone else or to you. Do you hate it? I-”

I shake my head. “It’s strange but knowing that you’re always here with me is nice. Especially when I have to deal with my mother this morning. I haven’t spoken to her all weekend.” My mood sours at the screaming I’m about to endure as I begin to wash up, ignoring the other elephant in the room.

“Are we going to talk about your essence now?”

“It’s not mine. It’s the spirits’. Don’t ask me how it works. I only noticed it a few days ago.” I don’t want to talk about the possibility of being a Magila or a Magila adjacent. In no world could that go well and while I might end up at Grimrose Academy with Harlow, I would have no idea what to do. I’m still human. Mostly. I think.

I try to continue ignoring that stupid fucking elephant in the room and only focus on the fact that Harlow has claimed me. I wish I could do the same for him but the essence I do have isn’t mine and I don’t want it anywhere near him. By the time I’ve fully showered and dressed, Harlow is leaning against the door barring my exit, arms folded across his chest. He looks pissed, his aura bleating around him like an angry cloud.

“Are you okay?” I frown at his question as he steps up to come, wrapping a tender hand around my neck and pulling me closer. “You keep everything so bottled up but I need to know that you’re okay, babe. You have that mark on your arm, use it. I don’t know much about how claims work but I’ll come. Any time. All the time. Fuck, I don’t want to leave.” He smashes his lips to mine, taking his time to devour me until my fingers are curling into his chest to keep him there. “Unfortunately, for several reasons that can’t happen. I have classes and you have a meeting with the school board.”

I pull away. “No, I don’t. I have to meet Mom in 30 minutes.”

“Swiped your phone from the void and there’s a mandatory meeting on campus in 15 minutes.” He wiggles the device in front of me and I don't even want to ask how he retrieved it from when he chucked it in there a few days ago.

That doesn’t sound good. I also can’t not go. I walked off in the middle of my speech and didn’t even complete the graduation ceremony. I might as well have told everyone to go fuck themselves so no doubt someone wants to speak to me about my behavior and how badly I represented the university. Or maybe it’s a ploy from my mother-

“Hey, big brain. Stop thinking so hard. Let’s get you to that meeting, alright?”

I kiss him again, savoring his taste until I have to pull away and start my day. This will be the first time in a really long time that Harlow isn’t actively at my side. I’m not sure how well I’m going to handle that, even with his mark on me.

Fifteen minutes later, I’m sitting across from Dr. Bennington, one of the school’s board members, and the chair of the psychology department. I’ve spent many classes with him and the man has always been a treasure trove of information. He’s become one of my favorite professors, someone who always indulges my endless questions.

He’s also the only professor who allows my need to know about Magila. The knowledge he passes on to me isn’t something most humans have or care about. They only want to be Magila but I want to know about them, understand them. I want to know what makes them tick and why Mother Nature has bestowed upon us such power.

In this room, however, seated next to the valedictorian, Victoria, I don’t feel the usual warmth coming from my favorite professor. Victoria gives off the same image she always does—perfectly manicured. She’s dressed in a full pants suit, a dark gunmetal gray accentuating her pale skin. Her usually free chocolate tresses are pulled in a high, straightened ponytail, the woman a beautiful picture of what down to business looks like.

I twist uncomfortably in my seat, tempted to run my fingers over Harlow’s mark. It’s an instinctive response, a need to have him beside me. However, the last time he was on campus, things didn’t go well so I keep my hands firmly planted in my lap.

“Skye, Victoria, thank you so much for meeting me on such short notice. I know that the graduation was unusual and I apologize for the disturbances we were met with. The Magila council should have waited outside but times were desperate, I suppose.” Dr. Bennington is trying to pull the blame from me but Victoria looks like she would murder me if she could. “I wanted to bid you two farewell personally, especially since one of you was my student for a while.”

Victoria scowls. “You asked us to come here to congratulate us? That happened the last week of the semester.”

“No, Victoria, I asked you here because an immediate need for two placements has arisen. These placements have been asked of other schools as well but it seems that only you two are qualified for what is needed. A position beneath Dmitri has opened up and someone with adequate knowledge of Magila history as well as science is needed. They always hire a well-educated human that has a little bit of experience but times have changed.”

I frown. I know that seat was occupied on Friday or at least I thought it was. Dmitri’s right hand is a coveted position but I can’t imagine it’s a nice one to have. From the few stories Harlow has recounted, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere near that man.

Victoria, however, doesn’t have the same sentiment. She’s all smiles as she leans forward, that high ponytail whipping back and forth. “Are you asking me to be his right hand, Dr. Bennington?” She majored in business, organization, and biochemistry. I have a lot of respect for her but no desire to feel jealous that she’s being offered that spot.

He nods. “Yes. Something came up with the last appointment and it is imperative that you start immediately.” He slides a small envelope to her with her name written in wonderful gold letters across the front. She snatches it and returns to her seat, all but bouncing off her chair. When Dr. Bennington’s attention turns to me, my heart drops into my stomach. His eyes are full of sadness and worry. “The other position requires a more personal touch, a sympathetic touch if you will, and a strong knowledge of Magila history. Skye, you were my first choice.”

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