Page 22 of Wicked Witchmas: Elara & Tripp

Her anger brought with it a thick line of dark thunderclouds. Everyone but her glanced up at the first rumblings.

“You wereengaged, and she loves you,” she continued, oblivious to the brewing storm.

“Elara! Please leave it alone.” Payton was frantic, and Dailey watched her through narrowed eyes.

“No. He can’t treat you like that. None of them can!” Elara stalked to her sister’s side and gripped her hand. “Aren’t you sick of it? I know I am. What do you want, sissy?” she asked softly.

“To take away the love he feels,” Payton said in a low voice. “I don’t want him to hurt anymore.”

The heavy scent of cloves filled the air, and on the current, Tripp detected a faint purple light. Before he could put a stop to the spell, it encircled Dailey. His expression blanked, and his eyes turned from their brilliant silver to a dull cement color. For a heart-stopping moment, the officer’s face grayed, and Tripp thought maybe Elara had accidentally stolen the man’s life force. But with a deep, gasping breath, Dailey’s color returned to the sunkissed tan it was prior.

“Go away, Dailey,” Elara ordered. “Leave my sister alone.”

Still dazed, he tipped an imaginary hat in her direction, then wordlessly strode away.

The incident assured Tripp that Elara had a fundamental understanding of what her new magical footwear could do. Retrieving them, however, just got a whole lot trickier.

“Fuck.” He wanted to bang his head against the wall. His mother had a lot to answer for, and although not Tripp’s primary problem, he had to remove the curse Elara activated for Dailey.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Tripp Nightshade.

What was he doing hiding in an alley with Payton yesterday? Whatever it was, he’d triggered Dailey’s green-eyed monster. Elara hadn’t gone far before she’d gotten the courage to turn back to tell Tripp where he could shove those damned dildos. The second she spun around, she saw him and Payton duck between the buildings like shady co-conspirators. From her vantage point, Elara could see it also sent a red flag up Dailey’s pole. He’d missed her approach, but she’d overheard everything, including the pain in Payton’s voice.

And that wouldn’t do!

With a wave of outrage came a feeling of empowerment, and she’d confronted him on his lie. Anyone with eyes in their head could see his tortured expression and how his attention never wavered from Payton. He was a man obsessed—and hurting, like her sister. Yet he would never understand that his overbearing attitude was the problem, in addition to his mother.

Mayor Mary-Alice Cobb was a royal bitch. As a member of Witchmere’s oldest family, she believed her ca-ca didn’t stink, but in her arrogance, she dealt out the worst-smelling crap imaginable. And she’d heaped it by the ton on Payton, whowasn’t good enough for her precious boy. Dailey had never been able to see it, which made matters worse and Payton miserable.

He had viewed his holier-than-thou directives as helping Payton rein in her inner wild child, but he’d controlled her to the point of rebellion, where escape had become a driving need. She’d fled their wedding and Witchmere, leaving Elara alone with no one for two years.

Elara hadn’t expected him to listen to her when she ordered him away. Nor had she expected Tripp’s vehement reaction afterward.

“You’ve got to stop using magic,” he’d warned. “You can’t eventhinkin terms of wishes or the like.”

“What are you talking about?” Her unease had grown to a sickening degree, causing her stomach to churn. “I didn’t use magic. I?—”

“Youdid. Trickster magic, and trust me, it won’t be without consequence. We must figure out a way to undo it, and fast, or there could be lasting effects.”

His condemnation stung, and she’d have wished him to the North Pole if he hadn’t cautioned her against it. With a glare for her boots, he’d left her alone with a very shaken Payton.

And her sister now refused to speak to her.

What had she done so wrong? Stand up against a bully? Elara had asked her sister the same question and received a disbelieving stare.

“Dailey Cobb is the furthest thing from a bully that exists, El. If you thought about anyone besides Tripp Nightshade, you’d see that.” Fury had vibrated in Payton’s voice and caused it to shake. “He’s hurting because I left him standing at the altar. And he has the right to be angry. Hell, you and I would be enraged if it had happened to either of us. Considering that’s the first time he’s seen me since then, I’d say he was pretty damned restrained.”

“Payt—”

“No!You don’t always know what’s best. You onlythinkyou do.”

Left with egg on her face, Elara had trudged back to the bookstore to comfort Florence, who hadn’t been in the mood to speak to anyone and sent her home. Now, here she was, hiding like a coward. Why was everyone against her suddenly? Yes, the attention was a massive change from being ignored, but still, it hurt to be misunderstood.

Even Hex was giving her a wide berth today. Usually, he’d weave between her ankles, but the look of distaste he gave her boots was off-putting. Whenever she approached, he ran away and jumped up on the counter.

Feeling as if she’d lost her best friend, she decided to avoid people at all costs.

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