Page 22 of Which Witch Is Wicked?
“What the fuck were you thinking, Claire?” Aerin’s cold anger swept upward to where Claire stood on the roof, a soaked, chilled mess thanks to Moira’s shower. “Inviting him onto our property?”
“What the hell does it look like?” she shot back as she gathered the rest of her clothes and made her way to her bedroom window. Her well-intentioned sisters had just cost her what could have been the most incredible night of sex in her life.Theywere pissed?
Shewas furious and embarrassed. She climbed inside, ignoring Kai’s chastising look as she stomped out into the hall and met her sisters near the bottom of the stairs. “Why can’t you stay out of my business? Dru wasn’t hurting you. He wasn’t hurtinganyone.”
Moira widened her eyes in a surprised gesture, while Aerin’s expression flipped from ire to concern. “Are you sick? Was Julian here with Dru? Did he touch you?”
“She’s not sick,” Tierra interjected. “It’s what I feared. Look at her. Flushed cheeks, dilated pupils. She’s…in heat…for lack of a better word.”
“Heat?” Claire’s question came out as an impatient barb.
“The fuck?” Aerin folded her arms over her white silk robe. “Would you care to explain?”
Tierra twisted one of her loose curls around a finger as though she hesitated to clarify further. “Claire’s behavior is my fault.”
“Have you all gone mad?” Claire tossed down to the lot of them. “My actions are not your fault. I make my own choices and pay my own consequences. I was about to have the most exquisite sex in my life, and you all ruined it. The only fault lies in your decisions, not mine.”
Tierra cleared her throat as though that would wipe out Claire’s declaration. “It has been known to happen from time to time…
Meaning, throughout history some witches will…”
“Oh my God. Out with it already.” Aerin exhaled her displeasure, and Claire heartily agreed with her.
“Fine.” Tierra pulled her finger from her curl. “When Earth witches become pregnant, things around them can display increasing degrees of fertility. That’s why the grass needs to be mowed a couple of times during the week instead of once and why the rhododendrons have a riot of blooms this year.”
“Oh my gawd,” Moira exclaimed with a look of absurdity. “You’re making us all horny?” She glanced at each of her sisters. “I don’t think
I’m horny. Are you?”
Tierra wrapped her lips inward as though that would keep the hell yeah expression from her face.
Aerin turned her head toward the big bay window that looked out toward the Sound. “Not even.”
“You all are insane.” Claire stared at her three sisters whom she loved dearly, but, at the moment, would like to throttle.
Aerin faced her with a sardonic look on her face. “I beg your pardon. I’m not the one who diddled herself on the rooftop for a Horseman who’d like every other one of us dead. I’m also not the one who’s soaking the carpet.” She slipped her gaze to Moira. “Nice way to turn the hose on them, sis.”
Moira grinned. “Been practicing that.”
“It’s pretty amazing,” Tierra agreed.
Claire ground out a frustrated snarl. “Fine. Stand around and congratulate yourselves on how wonderful you are. I’m out of here!”
“Stay away from him, Claire,” Aerin called as she ascended the stairs. “The least you’ll get is trouble. You may end up with more than you can handle alone.”
Claire turned an accusing glare on Tierra. “You mean like knocked up with Death’s spawn that may or may not be the Antichrist?” She held up a hand as she continued upward. “Spare me the lecture.”
“I’ll talk to her tomorrow,” she heard Tierra whisper as she reached her bedroom door.
Inside, Claire closed herself away from the rest of the world, her anger dissipating with each passing second. She peeled off her wet clothes in favor of a snuggly black hoodie and yoga pants. She threw a forceful glance at her fireplace and flames roared to life causing her to take a step backward.
“Whoa,” she whispered. Her ability to conjure flames had always required more concentration in the past. Something had changed. Had her residual anger at her sisters given her extra power? Or maybe leftover passion from her…encounter with Dru?
She sat cross-legged in front of the fire and towel-dried her hair. Kai climbed onto her lap and curled into a ball as she worked through the snarls, bringing a measure of calm and reassurance to her.
“I know. I should have listened to you,” she said to her familiar. “Then I wouldn’t be all wet. I also wouldn’t have experienced that amazing connection with a man I’m supposed to hate.”
Kai lifted his head and met her gaze as though to question her sanity.
