Page 239 of Castings & Curses

“They’re waiting for us,” I whispered, not wanting to stop whatever this was.

“Let them wait,” he growled, dipping me back as he plundered my mouth.

That kiss left me dizzy. When our lips parted, Arlo held onto me for a few seconds longer and I was grateful. I’d likely have melted into a puddle oftake me now gooat his feet if he hadn’t.

“Get dressed. Come out when you’re ready,” Arlo whispered, trailing petal soft kisses across my chin, cheek, nose, and forehead.

I nodded, unable to use my words just yet. And he left me standing there, in my now wet undies. It took me a few seconds to snap out of my lustful haze, but I managed. After a quick rummage through my drawers I donned a pair of fresh panties, full cotton briefs—no thongs for this sizeable ass, thank you very much—and a loose fitting summer dress, then I headed to the kitchen.

The atmosphere was tense, to say the least. I walked over to the window, opening the thing, just so I could breathe.

Arlo watched me from his seat beside Mabe, and I noticed an empty chair on the other side of him. He nodded to it, and I grinned. He wanted me next to him, and that made my heart positively sing a little.

The front door opened and in walked Maia and Enok. The last couple we were waiting for. The platinum-haired air witch took in the full kitchen, eyebrows raised as she turned to me.

I admit, I was nervous. Everyone else had a certain degree of firepower I did not necessarily come with. Earth magic could be violent, for sure, but mine was not. I was a grower. Life thrilled me, filling me with joy. A born nurturer, that’s what my parents said, and though they did not share my elemental powers, they appreciated the nature of my magic.

I looked around, quickly noting that someone had cleaned the kitchen. Tears filled my eyes as I turned to find Enid watching me nervously.

“Before we start,” the shy witch said. “I wanted to thank you, Jade, for saving me from the, uh, accident.”

“No way, you don’t have to thank me. It was my fault. I’m just sorry we won’t have any tomatoes—”

“No, we do have them!” she exclaimed and grinned as she pulled open one of the cabinets revealing ten unharmed jars of cherry tomatoes.

“You saved some,” I whispered, covering my mouth as I teared up.

It was silly, but it touched me that she took care of my harvest while I was out. She must have sealed the jars I’d packed but hadn’t had a chance to finish the canning process when the pot blew up.

“I hope I did it right, I followed instructions for a simple water bath. I didn’t really trust another pressurized method after the whole kablooey incident,” she said and shrugged.

“Kablooey?” Mabe scoffed, and I gave the witch a warning look.

She shrugged, but dropped her gaze and I breathed a little easier. It was going to be a hard sell, getting my roommates to accept the blood witch. Never mind the unflattering lore surrounding such magical beings, but the fact was, Mabe had caused some friction with Tana and her mate at one point. It was my belief she’d done it to get a rise out of the fire witch, and not because she’d harbored feelings for the dragon hybrid sentinel.

“Wise choice,” Arlo murmured and took my hand in his as I settled back in the chair.

That tiny public gesture meant more to me than I wanted to admit. I had no idea what the wizard and I were to each other. Two stolen kisses did not a relationship make, even if he was amenable to holding my hand in front of my friends.

Gulp.

“Okay, so we all know the Council of Covens is keeping a lid on the whole magic problem we are facing,” I began, pausing a moment.

Public speaking was not really my thing, and it was bad enough I had a small complex about the fact these witches, and the men present, were all warriors of a sort. Even Enok Zell, who was more scholar than swordsman, had proven he was up for any battle, especially one where his mate was being threatened.

What could I do?

Ripen some peaches on the vine. Shake a few rocks loose from a hill. My magic was not curated for battle. I was most valuable in a garden or a farm, saving a rain forest or something like that. But I would do what I could to help my friends, and all supernaturals.

If that meant finding out why a blood witch craved my magic, I would. And if it meant expanding my friendship circle and protecting a witch who had no one else looking out for her, I would do that too.

“Those bureaucratic bastards are lying to the whole magical world,” Brandon growled.

“Jade, are you sure you should be talking about this now,” Tana said, her gaze going to Arlo and Mabe.

“It involves them too, Tana,” I replied.

“I agree,” Rio said. “But, Jade, you were just seriously injured. I mean, Enid described what happened. She said you had dozens of cuts on your back, and glass shards from the exploding jars were deeply embedded in your back. How are you not just screaming in pain?”

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