Page 15 of Spellbinding Spirit

Cat looks down at the letter again, her fingers tracing the edges. “Did you stay because he asked you to?”

Anotherknock knock. Yes.

I shift uncomfortably. Cat looks over at me, her eyes shimmering. “She’s been here all this time,” she whispers, her voice breaking slightly. “Waiting for him.”

“Cat,” I say gently, unsure what to do. But she’s already sitting straighter with a new determination in her eyes.

“I think we need to try something else,” she says, pulling herself together. “A medium I worked with once said it’s possible to call someone through strong emotional ties. Maybe if I focus on George we can bring him here.”

I open my mouth to protest but the look on her face stops me. She’s clinging to this like it’s her one opportunity to talk to help Sally, and who am I to take that away from her?

“Alright,” I say, leaning back. “Go for it.”

Cat closes her eyes and holds the letter tightly in her hands. She takes a deep breath and begins to speak, her voice low and steady.

“George, we’re here with Sally. She’s waiting for you just like you asked. Please, come through if you’re out there. Let her know you’re here.”

The air feels heavier somehow, thicker and the darkness is closing in. Cat repeats the words but with a quieter, more pleading tone. I watch her and feel useless. I wonder if I should say something or do something. But nothing happens.

Minutes pass. The attic remains still and unchanging. No knocks, no voices, nothing. Cat opens her eyes and slumps her shoulders as she sets the letter aside.

“I thought it might work,” she says softly, letting her hands fall to her lap. “I thought... maybe...”

“Hey,” I say, scooting closer to her. “You tried. You’re doing everything you can.”

She nods but her face crumples slightly and it pains me to see her like this. For all her confidence and level-headedness, Cat wears her heart on her sleeve. She wanted this, she truly believed she could make it happen. She wanted it for Sally and for George, and the disappointment is written all over her.

Without thinking, I reach out and touch her arm. “Cat,” I say gently, “you can’t fix everything. But you’re giving her something she’s never had, someone to listen. That matters.”

She looks at me then, her eyes searching mine, and something shifts between us. The closeness that’s always been there, comfortable and familiar, suddenly feels charged, electric. Idon’t know who moves first but suddenly she’s leaning into me and I’m meeting her halfway.

The kiss is soft and tentative at first like we’re testing the waters. But then her hand slides up to my shoulder and I feel myself pulling her closer, like I’ve been waiting for this longer than I realised. It’s different from last time, less impulsive, more... certain. It feels like I’ve waited centuries for it.

Something is driving me and whatever it is I don’t want it to stop.

Chapter 7

Catherine

Imelt into thekiss, my whole body humming with desire. Our lips move in perfect sync and each touch sends waves of pleasure coursing through me. It’s a slow seduction, a culmination of years of friendship and unspoken longing.

When we finally break apart our foreheads rest against each other as we catch our breath. Sebastian’s eyes search mine for any sign of doubt or hesitation in the dim light of the torch. Buthe won’t find it. There’s no doubt in me that I want this. That I need this.

“I didn’t realise how much I wanted this… but I do. I need this!” he whispers hoarsely.

A smile tugs at the corners of my lips as I brush my thumb across his cheek. “Me too,” I whisper back.

The world around us fades away as we lose ourselves in each other, our bodies pressed close together in the darkness. I can feel his hard cock straining against his jeans and a wave of need washes over me.

Sebastian moves closer and my heart rate spikes again. I pull on his shirt and he strips it off. The cold doesn’t seem to bother him anymore. He smells faintly of sweat and something woodsy. My fingers itch to trace the lines of muscle and when I slide them over his warm skin he groans. That’s a noise I’ve never heard him make before.

“Cat,” he hisses and I meet his eyes at last. They’re dark with something I can’t quite decipher.

“Yeah?”

“Are you okay?” His voice is low with a touch of vulnerability that makes my heart ache.

“Of course,” I say automatically but then add more honestly, “I don’t know. It feels all so natural, like I wanted this for years. And I don’t know where this is coming from.”

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