Page 32 of First Ritual

I turned my head to break away from that awful feeling they inspired. Musician’s fingers gripped my chin and brought me right back.

“Why did you consider coming to the coven to be a stupid act?” he asked softly.

I rolled my eyes. “Have you considered that was a pickup line? One I’ve used before, in case you think you’re special.”

His nostrils flared. “No matter how pretty those eyes of yours are, I suggest you stop rolling them.”

I smiled. “I can send you a list of suggestions if you like. Top of the list is ‘let go of my fucking chin.’”

He released my chin but didn’t back away. My body hummed with his closeness. Lucky nothing else appealed about him except primal attraction or I’d be in trouble. “Why are you here?”

“To join the coven.”

He hissed, “You’re lying.”

“Then why would I consider leaving after what I found out today,” I snapped.

He sucked in a harsh breath, retreating to the door in a near blur.

I watched his heaving back. “Astar? You crying again?”

“What magic do you have?” he said. The low, menacing voice would’ve frozen my blood if it didn’t have a higher freezing point from the alcohol.

“Huh? You mean my affinities?”

He didn’t face me.

He didn’t answer.

Chaos. “I’m guessing you didn’t come here to get in my bed if you’re hanging out by the door,” I joked. “In which case, you can go. I’d like to sleep.” Not that I would sleep, but maybe I could manifest the future I wanted by saying the words.

Wild glanced at me. “I can get in your bed, Tempest. But I do once. I do uncomplicated. Unless that tempts you, the answer is no.”

I tried to understand why his power was vibrating. The words had rolled off his tongue. He’d said them hundreds of times, if I had to guess. Yet his tone and that vibrating magic… “Who are you trying to convince?” My voice was barely audible.

Wild didn’t budge his focus for a time. He didn’t move at all aside from the rise and fall of his chest. When he did move, it was to look at my quipu on the dresser, then to my duffel, and finally to me on the bed.

He arched a brow. “Congratulations, Tempest.”

My eyes narrowed. “For what?”

“I find myself very curious.”

I stilled.

Curiosity may kill the cat, but for a grimoire, curiosity motivated them like nothing else. Curiosity was their strength and their curse. His mind wouldn’t stop turning over the mystery until solving it.

He could just be messing with me to gain the upper hand.

I tried for casualness. “There’s nothing to be curious about, Astar. I’m not interested in you. Is that so hard to grasp?”

A smile quirked his lips, yet no trace of humor lent it warmth. “You’re defensive again.”

“Pissed off, more so. Look. You stay in your corner, and I’ll stay in mine until I leave.”

“Until you leave?” Wild’s smile dropped faster than Rooke’s cleaning cloth on a dirty surface.

Did I say that aloud? “Look, don’t drag me into your grimoire question bullshit.”

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