Page 9 of Faerie Gift

Looking at his eyes, at the earnest desire to help me, I finally opened my mouth and said, “Yeah, sure.”

Yeah, sure. I instantly knew I shouldn’t have agreed so quickly. Biting my lip, I tried to tell myself it was going to be fine if he messed this up. I could always go to Nurse Julie and see if I could get her to fix the damage. It wasn’t the biggest show of confidence but my agreement seemed to light something inside of Mike.

His smile loosened, face relaxing as his fingers probed lightly along my skin.

“Thanks for trusting me with this.”

He closed his eyes, his lips slightly parted. As he spread his hands above my ankle, magic flowed from him and seeped deep into my skin. He began to chant under his breath. And I felt my muscles untwist, unwind, and I knew he’d reversed whatever it was Persephone had done to them. A low heat spread from the area as surely as though I’d held my hands in front of the fire. A comforting warmth, the sun on a mild spring day. My favorite sweater fresh out of the dryer.

So this is how it could be.

I wasn’t sure where that thought came from, but I knew I’d remember this moment for the rest of my days. I’d remember this boy, this young man and what he’d done for me, his friendship and his kindness.

“There.”

Mike opened his eyes seconds later, the green more intense than I remembered and the energy around him crackling. Pointed ears poked out through his hair but I wasn’t focusing on his ears. Or his heritage. I was focused on those lips and how I wanted them on mine.

“Better?” His voice had dropped into heartbreak territory and I felt myself slip even further.

“Much better,” I agreed. Then cleared my throat because the syllables came out in a low growl.

He’d gotten better with his spells. Certainly much improved from the last time we’d been in classes together. I filed the information away for later. Maybe he’d been practicing over break?

“Any lingering pain?” he asked. “Can you move it like normal? Or does it still hurt?”

I could feel his magic tickling along my ankle. Oh yes, definitely like sunshine on a warm spring day, the same image I got when I looked at those eyes. Something inside of me rose and I found myself shifting closer to him, shaking my head. “No.”

That one sounded more like a whisper.

“How do you feel, Tavi?” Mike continued in an eerily similar whisper.

How did I feel? Like I was floating on a cloud and I didn’t want to come down. Oh, man. Was his face closer to mine? I couldn’t tell anymore. My body erupted in goose bumps while my insides went bonfire hot.

A few inches further and we would be touching.

A kiss…

I wanted it.Badly. More than I wanted anything else in my life. My gaze dropped to his lips and the way his tongue darted out to wet the lower one.

Someone save me now. Because I was about to do something stupid.

Mike pulled away at the last moment, as the sound of cars driving up the long, winding driveway were an unwelcome interruption. I jerked back from him as though using the extra space to make up for what I’d almost done.

“Did you hear something?” I said.

Across the lawn, I could no longer make out the sounds of the game. The others must have stopped soon after we came inside. Mike stood in a flash, holding out a hand to help me to my feet.

“That doesn’t sound right. We better go and see what’s happening,” Mike stated.

His hearing was good but mine was better. Still, in this case, he was right. We weren’t just hearing a single car, or even a couple of them. This sounded bigger, larger.

He retained hold of my hand for a second longer than he should have as the two of us walked down the hallway. I still hadn’t put on my shoe. I didn’t care. My curiosity had got the better of me, the way it must have with the rest of the students who’d been playing the game with us.

We heard them filing inside behind us, all making our way toward the academy’s front door.

A glance at the wall clock showed me it was close to midnight. What would anyone be doing driving up here atmidnight?

“I wonder what’s going on,” Mike said under his breath.

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