Page 81 of Of Fate & Forbidden Desire

“Well she needs to hurry up.” I chuntered, before Dina could answer my mother.

“Maybe I should go?” Dina offered, making me angrier that they’d made her feel unwanted.

Tightening my grip on her arm, I made things even more awkward and declared proudly, “Don’t you dare, it’s a party, why shouldn’t we get to enjoy it together?”

After a few minutes of silence and awkward looks, Ally piped up, “Sooooo? Who wants a drink?”

“Me, definitely me,” I said, with a grateful smile at her. Shaking my head at my family, I turned to stride towards a long table full of bottles.

I looked over all the different bottles, selecting a couple that would make a tasty cocktail. Grabbing me and Ally a disposable paper cup I got to work, mixing rum manhattans and passing them round. The liquor warmed my throat as it burned on the way to my stomach and once my cup was half empty I let out a satisfied sigh.

Ally cautiously sipped her own drink, before humming in delight and taking a larger mouthful as she turned to look out over the crowd. Mirroring her action, I took in all the dancing couples as some children squealed with delight and darted past us. Looking to the right, a wisp of darkness caught my attention. It looked like a shadow but couldn’t have been; the lights from above chased all the shadows away. Frowning, I left Ally to appreciate the solstice celebration and weaved between the dancing members as I followed more black wisps.

They led me through the crowd and across the field to the edge of the floating lights. Beyond was dark, with only the stars peeping down. “What’s brought you out here?” Dina asked, making me jump as I didn’t realise she’d followed me.

“I don’t know, call it a feeling.” I replied, narrowing my eyes and staring out across the seemingly empty field.

“Come on, let’s go back.” Dina suggested as my eyes adjusted to the dark.

“You should listen to your friend witchling.” A voice, smooth as silk, said to my left, making my head turn in its direction.

“Who are you?!” I demand, still searching the darkness.

“A monster,” the voice laughed back at me, “A destroyer of all that is good and happy.”

“I don’t believe that.” I snapped, as a dark shape materialised and the dark haired, blue eyed Shadow Fae stepped in front of me. “What do you want with Ally?”

I studied the man closely, wondering what it was that drew my friend to him. Shadows twirled around his lithe frame, but I knew it wasn’t just his devilishly good looks that had Ally blushing anytime he came up in conversation. The shadows seemed thicker around his head, almost crowning it.

“Maybe I want to steal her virtue,” he sniggered as my eyes narrowed. The shadows seemed to be seeping into his head.

“What’s wrong with you?” I blurted out, not taking my eyes from his head, as the shadows intensified.

“Everything, nothing,” he said, not making any sense.

Irritated by his answer, my eyes flicked down to meet his own and found they were wider than before and he seemed to be studying me as much as I studied him. “There’s something wrong with your head.” I told him bluntly.

“What do you mean?” His eyes narrowed in suspicion as I acted without thinking, summoning my connection to my spirit magic. Focusing, I wrapped it around his head, covering all the shadows with the light silver magic until he looked like he was wearing a sparkly silver bandage.

“What have you done?” he asked, his voice different this time, somehow lighter than it had been seconds ago. Meeting his gaze, I also found his eyes seemed brighter. “Answer me Witch.” He snarled, making Dina bristle at my side.

“I don’t know, help I hope,” I stammered out, shocked that my magic had even done as I asked. Whatever that was.

“I can’t feel them or hear him.” Ally’s stalker said quickly, flashing me a wary look, “What are the witches planning with Ally?” He quickly asked.

“They’re going to attempt to break the block on her magic.”

“When?”

“At midnight.” I said, eliciting a growl from him as shadows wrapped around his body, “I’ll break it myself.”

And with that he was gone. I’d just turned to Dina, when chaos began to unfold from the centre of the field behind us.

Couldn’t we just have one minute of normal?I asked myself as we both turned towards the gathered Coven. Sharing a glance we took off running, Dina keeping pace with myself until we reached the drinks table where I’d left Ally not too long ago.

Everyone seemed to have stopped moving and created a circle. Shoving my way through using my elbows, I stumbled to a stop just in time to see the dark haired man holding Ally to his chest, his hand wrapped around her throat.

“Ally!” Jace screamed from somewhere in the crowd as she nodded and shadows wrapped around them. As quickly as the shadows arrived they were gone, taking Ally and her dream man with them.

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