Page 76 of Curses and Cauldrons

Snow crunches under my boots as I jog up my porch and open the door to my house. I’m already inside before it registers that I didn’t have to unlock the door. There’s a lamp on in the living room, and I stop short when I see what else is in there.

Anastasia Lexington is sitting on my couch, waiting for me. She’s wearing a low cut sweater and a pair of tight jeans. She’s posed herself in the corner, her chest out and legs crossed.

“What are you doing here?”

“I’m waiting for you.” She runs a hand down her throat and over her exposed collarbone.

“How did you get a key?” I don’t have time for this, and I definitely don’t have the energy to deal with this spoiled bitch right now.

“Really, Roman. Use your imagination. A beautiful woman asks for a key to the boss’s place. Do you really think anyone would question that?”

Someone is going to get fucking fired. Who the hell would think that’s acceptable? It doesn’t matter right now. I need to get back to Bram.

“Get the fuck out of my house.” I storm to my bedroom to grab another coat. When I walk back out of my closet, Anastasia is standing near my bed, rubbing her hand down the post at the footboard.

“Is it that Delvaux girl?” Anastasia sneers, and then collects herself like she didn’t mean to let the anger show.

I’m standing with a coat clutched in my hand, a frown creasing my brow. It takes a moment for my mind to fully register what she just said. How does she know about Josephine? I launch into a series of scenarios. None of them are good. My friends wouldn’t have told this woman about Josephine. Outside of the head of the Lumen coven who saw us when we stole the grimoire, no one else knows. Did she really say something to my coven? Why would they share that information with Tenebris witches? We’re supposedly mortal enemies.

“What is it you think you know of the Delvaux girl?” My lip sneers at her term for Josephine. As if her name’s not worthlearning. Anastasia should be so lucky to have someone like her in their life.

“What kind of world do we live in where you betray your coven with the very enemy we’ve fought against our entire lives?” Anastasia shakes her head in disappointment, her fingernail rasping down the wood of the bedpost. Her hand moves down her side and around her hip, dipping into her back pocket.

“Fought.” I laugh. “You make it sound like war. We avoid their side of the river and talk shit about them at coven gatherings, but we’ve never battled against them. Not in a magical way. Not in any way, really.”

Anastasia takes a step forward, her head angled to the side. “You seem to think you’re above it all. That you don’t have to play by the same rules as the rest of us. But you and your family owe me.”

“Owe you what? You need to get out of my house and forget the name Delvaux. I don’t ever want to hear it from your lips again.”

Anastasia launches herself at me, her hand slapping against my cheek.

“Are you fucking insane? What the hell is wrong with you?” There are many things as far as I can tell.

Her chin tips back and there’s a satisfied smirk on her face. My face tingles where her palm connected. I blink as the sensation spreads. For a second, I wonder if I can feel her touch. The idea repulses me. I’d rather cut my dick off than stick it in her, even if she was the one person I could fuck. No, it’s not her touch that I’m feeling. It’s something else.

“What did you do?” My words are slurred. The numbness inches over my face and moves down my shoulders.

“I’m doing what needs to be done. I’ll light this whole town on fire if we have to.” Anastasia steps back in front of me, grunting as my legs give out and I fall into her.

“You burned down Bram’s house?” My eyelids are so heavy they close without my permission. “You poisoned me?”

“Of course not.” Her voice wavers, or maybe it’s my consciousness. “It’s just a little spell. You’ll be fine.”

Except I won’t. Bram definitely won’t be okay.

“Fuck you.”

I barely hear Anastasia’s cooing response before I pass out.

40

JOSEPHINE

“Something’s wrong.” I jump to my feet, my magic burning in my chest like a primitive warming system.

I startle everyone lying around Ambrose’s living room. After Roman and Bram left, Ambrose declared that we were going to have a rom-com festival and pulled up an entire playlist of films that have been playing on the massive television. There was no chance any of us were getting any sleep except for Stellan, who, predictably, is asleep on the floor. Odie, Ava, and Piper are spread out on the couch across from me, Ambrose is in the wingback chair that must be his favorite, and Pen is on the other end of my couch.

“You don’t like Meg Ryan?” Ambrose frowns at me. “I’d say that something is wrong with you.”

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