Page 57 of Things Get Dark

Witches are vessels, weavers and creators. The little blossoming belladonna before me is a veritable tapestry of magic. It was there. Entwined into her blood, looped through her flesh. Buried deep inside her. She was a legacy witch, someone who has had power passed down. Hmmmm, curious.

Summoning her closer, my eyes are drawn to what look like…knots. Tangles and snags in the weaving of her fabric.

With a flick of my wrist, I tug on one of the threads, willing the knot to come undone, but it doesn’t budge.

“Oh,” I sigh softly as I examine the knot closer. It’s being bound by another’s magic. Her powers are being dampened deliberately. “Thatisinteresting.”

What powers lurk inside her that someone would bind her so tightly that she, and others, cannot even sense the magic flowing beneath the surface. Who has done this to her?

“What?” She moves her dainty hands over her body as if she’s checking for something, not realizing that I am looking beyond the physical.

This close, my nose catches hints of something earthy and rich. It reminds me of the forest after the rain, when the sun breaks through the boughs to bathe the soil. I want to revel in it, taste it on my tongue. Why does she smell like…life?

“How about we make our deal something a little less soul-destroying?” Biting the inside of my cheek, I let my eyes flutter shut as I inhale deeply. When I open them again, she’s inched even closer. Green eyes locked on mine. “I will work with you to access your powers, in exchange for a look at your family grimoire.”

The witch narrows her eyes, crossing her arms. “Why are you being so generous?”

“Because knowledge is power. Also, I’m unsure where this little agreement is about to lead us.” I play with a lock of my hair, wrapping the pink strands around my fingers. Twirling and un-twirling, while she continues to glare. “The payoff will be better if you become powerful. Then we can strike a bigger bargain.”

It’s not a lie. If I can de-tangle the mess she’s in, more magic and power will move through her and I can harness some of that. Feed off it, even.

My tail swishes behind me, drawing her attention. “How does that sound, Poppy?”

Her focus snaps back to me. “How do you know…”

“Demon. Powerful demon.” I wave my hands, as if I’m performing some sort of magic trick—et voilà, here’s the rabbit from my hat kind of shit. Snorting, I finally admit, “And it’s written on your notebook.”

There are stacks of books piled up on the floor and on the bedside table. Several of which have her name, neatly written in cursive. Poppy Alderidge. I may not know her, but I know of herfamily. They’ve worked with demons for centuries, which means her family spell book is no doubt filled with delicious little snippets of power.

Tilting her head, I see the corner of her mouth lift ever so slightly. She finds me amusing, even if she isn’t ready to admit it.

“Now,” I say, spreading my legs in readiness for her. “We need to seal the deal. Come here.”

Chapter Three

Poppy

My skin feels likeit’s on fire, an ugly blush spreading across my cheeks. I can’t see it, but I recognize the familiar burn. Why am I reacting like this to her? Is it because she’s a demon? Does she have some sort of power over me?

Her smooth legs are bare, the sheer fabric falling between her thighs as she moves. It covers her, but there’s still too much soft pink skin exposed for me to be comfortable.

Rubbing my forehead, I sigh. “I don’t even know your name.”

Her tongue flicks out over her bottom lip, and for a moment I wonder if she tastes of salt from her cocktail. Deep pink eyes flash as she teases, “You can call me whatever you like, my little thundercloud.”

Closing my eyes and balling my fists, I swallow down the frustration washing over me. “Stop calling me weird names.”

“No.”

“What?” My eyes snap open, and I hate the way my throat tightens when I see her grinning at me like some sort of self-satisfied cat. “When someone tells you to stop, you should.”

“Why?” She perks up, making her tits bounce again. Her eyebrows raise and I bite my tongue, trying not to stare. There’s something about her that has my brain struggling to focus. It’s like she demands all of my attention just by existing. And sitting mostly naked on my bed.

“Because you’re supposed to!” Shaking my head, I run a hand through my hair. The blast of power from earlier had turned it into a bird's nest. My black curls are messy and tangled. Great.

“Sweetie, I am a demon. I don’t have to do shit.” She cackles before grinning widely. “Now, my grumpy little goblin, kiss me and close the deal.”

“K-k-kiss you?” Her smile gets even bigger when my voice cracks.

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