Page 103 of Monsters in Love: Lost in the Underworld

The clock is ticking, and I’m running out of time before my guests get here.

But I have my supplies, and the spell is simple enough.

Thank Hecate, the incantations in this book aren’t in Latin. No pronunciation errors await me here.

But the book itself feels menacing.

Touching the spine makes my skin crawl and the way the pages crinkle send a shiver down my spine. I don’t know if that’s because Minnie tore out the page, or if it senses my intent to use it.

Bound in an eerie green leather, the pages are black, like they’ve been burned to a crisp.

The words on them are only legible to a witch’s touch.

I trace my fingers down the page, reading the spell silently once more. My fingertips come away smudged gray, like ash.

Popping the caps of all six bottles, I put pinches of my pre-made concoction inside. The beer fizzes for a moment before settling.

I glance at the clock on the wall. It hangs askew, but even after all these years, the hands tick around its face, and the time is always right.

My friends are startlingly punctual—six years of college will do that to a person—and I’ve no doubt they’ll be here on time.

Taking a deep breath, I read the words.

“Morning light and evening rush. Deal with the man for whom I can’t blush.” I swirl the bottles and watch the elixir glow before it settles back to the normal golden ale in brown glass. “Let his lust die and make his skin flush. Kill the soul of this unbidden crush.”

I stare at the bottles, half expecting them to bubble or… show it worked some other way, but there’s nothing.

Nothing to make him suspicious.

One more simple spell to crimp the caps back on and it’s done… for now.

“I hope this works.” Because the only other option I have is telling Dylan to cut it the hell out… and probably never speak to him again.

That’s the way Ishoulddo this. But I don’t want things to change. I just want my old friend back, the way things were.

Back before he started hugging me a littletoolong, or touching my hand in random moments.

“Do you think it’s going to work?” I ask Julia.

The lights flicker like I’ve just won a jackpot at a Vegas casino and I groan, tipping my head back.

It’s not an answer. She’s laughing at me.

“Iknow, but I’m desperate!”

And my time is up.

I hearthem before I get down the stairs, but I make a quick detour to put the beer in the gigantic bowl of ice with the other refreshments I’ve provided for this fake little seance.

The small group of friends I invited are still outside, waiting. All of them look back toward the cornfield where Minnie clears out the last stragglers.

“Hey guys!”

Margie and Jonas jump at my greeting. Dylan, Rose and Parry all look at me with amused, but suspicious, glares.

“Were you trying to scare us?” Rose asks. Her face is scrunched, distorting the butterflies she’s painted around her eyes. The whole month is Halloween according to her, so she’s spent every day in “discreet” costume. But it’s a Friday night and she’s actually wearing purple butterfly wings, too.

She’s got temporary orange hair dye streaked through her blond hair, yellow contacts and Hollywood sfx quality fangs.

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