Page 2 of Stolen Oath
“We were happy.” A tear glistened in her right eye that rolled down her cheek and I tracked every twitch of her muscles like a hawk. “I was his world until she came along and convinced him they were soulmates. She must’ve given him a potion or something. I need him back.”
“Because he is your soulmate? Not hers?”
The shop disappeared into a blurry fog when I focused solely on her, and in slow motion I watched her chest expand as she took a deep breath while another tear rolled down her face. My problem was, the sadness which usually pulled at my heartstrings as customers asked for my aid was missing from her hooded gaze. Instead, rage lurked in her irises, calling to the magic inside my veins to come to the surface and burn everything in my path. My intuition reacted to her deceit immediately.
“Yes.” The young woman lifted her hand and casually tucked a strand of strawberry blonde hair behind her ear. The bracelets on her forearm slid down and tinkled in the silence that hummed in my ears. “Mine. Not hers.”
And there it was, that cunning glint in her eyes. If I wasn’t watching her as closely as I was, I would’ve missed it.
“You don’t need a love candle for that.” Leaning back casually so she doesn’t notice I was trying to distance myself from whatever was off with her, I gave her a practiced smile. “I have something better. Wait right here.”
Her face cleared and the sadness she faked horribly was replaced by triumph, instantly.
Should I have kept my nose out of her business? Probably.
Was it my job to teach her a lesson? Absolutely not.
Was I going to stick my nose in her business and teach her a lesson she will never forget nonetheless? Hell yeah, I was.
You don’t get to play with people’s lives and get away with it.
Not if I can help it.
My flats whispered over the tiled floor as I rushed to the back of the store where my candles waited their turn to be displayed. Not wasting time, in case I changed my mind, I practically snatched the multicolored one from the top of the box it was perched on. The patterned texture of the purple wax rasped over my fingers almost in a loving caress when the traces of my magic I’d left in it reacted to my presence. I glanced down at it, checking that the black and red inside layers were a perfect thickness out of habit and my thumb rubbed the black tourmaline stone pressed on the outside layer at the center, making sure it won’t wobble or dislodge. It wont do any good if the stone is not on the candle when it does the reverse spell it was meant to do.
The curtain grazed the exposed skin on my back where the tank top didn’t cover it when I returned to the front of the store and I shivered. Another chill crawled up my spine at the voracious look the woman had while her eyes were glued to my hand holding the beautiful candle.
A small tug curled one side of my mouth at her expression.
“What is it for?” she breathed out in anticipation, already reaching outward with her greedy fingers so she can touch the candle.
“This one will restore everything the way it was,” I said proudly and truthfully. “No need for rituals, full moon, or chanting. Just go home, light it up, and say thank you.”
Without looking away from it, she waved her credit card at me and snatched the candle hard enough to leave wax under my fingernails because I didn’t release it fast enough. A sensation I couldn’t name poked its head up inside me but I pushed it away. There were more important things to deal with than horrible humans like the one impatiently waiting on me to finish the transaction.
So engrossed in my thoughts, I didn’t notice we were not alone at the register anymore. My heart skipped a beat when I lifted my head to hand her her card with the receipt and a storm blue gaze captured mine like a snare.
“Thank you so much, sister.” The woman yanked her card from my fingers but I couldn’t look at her if I tried. Instead, I blinked at the person standing behind her. “Namaste,” she spat at me, and then she was gone.
“Let me guess, that was not a love candle?” Dimitri glided closer and casually leaned on the counter. The scent of citrus and musk tickled my nose and my belly tightened in reaction to his nearness sending butterflies into a frenzy in my lower belly.
“How long were you standing there?” I had to clear my throat because I sounded breathless to the point of embarrassment and ducked my head so I could hide my face with my hair.
“Long enough to know that poor guy is not her soulmate?” He murmured the statement more like a question and his eyebrow cocked up as he side-eyed me. Transixed I peaked at him through the strands of hair covering half of my face. “Or that the candle she bought is not a love candle.” A small smile played on his lips. He spoke as if he was reprimanding me, yet he never said anything of the sort, remaining quiet and watching the woman walk out of the store with the candle.
“You trust my judgment?” It’s not like I wanted his approval or anything, but my tone suggested that I very much did.
“To a point, yes. I trust this too.” He tapped his nose with his forefinger and a braided, leather cord dangled from his wrist that hit me like a punch to the gut. “I can smell a lie from a mile away.” Wolves gave each other promised leather cords to wear on their wrists when they were engaged. My jaw clenched tight enough to grind my molars and of course the alpha didn’t miss my reaction. I was grateful he chose to let it slide since I’ve already embarrassed myself in front of him more times than I’d like to count. “What does the candle do?” He searched my face while I composed myself to answer him without squeaking like a five-year-old.
“It restores the balance. Everything she has done to tweak anyone’s mind or actions, or any negative energy she sent out will return to her… tenfold.” My shoulder twitched in a half shrug like it was nothing, though it was anything but. “I hope she shopped elsewhere for anything she’s done until today. It’ll be horrible to know I’ve unintentionally helped her do bad things to people if she has been buying her tools in my store.”
“Vicious, Miss McCullough.” The grin brightened his face so much it made it look almost boyish.
Yet there was nothing boyish at all about Dimitri Bell.
“I don’t like it when someone tries to mess with people and their free will.” My tone was sharp and short, maybe even a tid bit louder than intended. I found myself defensive for some silly reason. “People should not be forced to do anything they choose not to do. Not if I can help it, anyway.”You shouldn’t do anything against your will either,- but that part I kept to myself.
Dimitri sharpened his gaze on me and stayed silent long enough to make me want to squirm where I stood. I resisted with everything in me and watched fascinated as something clicked behind his stormy irises as he either made a decision or I confirmed something for him. Whatever it was, I truly believe that very moment, for better or for worse, sealed both our fates.
