Page 5 of Untraced Magic
It was one place you never went out alone. Not without the element of magic in the palm of your hand. The thought reminded me of the stunning brunette I’d seen walk past the garage earlier that day. Dare I say it, she’d sucked the air from my chest and rendered me immobile for longer that I’d like to admit. I’d come so close to costing myself a month’s wages in repairs from the distraction under the hood alone.
Not that she was aware, but I’d watched her, hidden in the shadows of my workshop as she continued down the street. She had to be new to town, I hadn’t seen her before. And I knew most people.
After locking up the garage, Max headed off in the opposite direction, with Wes and I jumping into the van I’d converted into a mechanic-on-the-road type thing. He slid in beside me, resting his boots up on the dash.
“Get those fucking things off there, would you?” I ordered, slamming the van through the gears out of the drive. It was hard enough keeping the work van tidy without him adding to the mess.
He parked his feet back on the floor and wound down his window, his hand riding a wave in the air. “Ty, you seriously need to get laid.”
I flicked him the bird.
He was fucking right. I hadn’t touched a woman in years, but I couldn’t care less. He knew he’d hit a nerve. And about my history withher,the human who I’d let into our world. But that was just how our friendship was.
In some ways, Wes and I knew each other better than we knew ourselves.
The last of the day’s light filtered over the town as we made our way down the narrow streets of Cutters Cove. Although we rarely saw it, the sun always set early here. But it also meant trouble came out to party earlier, too.
I pulled the van into our drive and cut the motor, walking up the path toward the house we shared. There was nothing special about it from the outside, just your everyday split-level home. I’d been saving for years to buy it, then converted the lower level into a basement-turned-man-cave as the years went by.
It had quickly become a popular gathering place among our close friends.
Discarding my boots at the door, I headed through the open-plan living area and down the hall to the bathroom, needing to freshen up. Stepping out of my coveralls, I threw my clothing into the laundry basket and turned on the hot water, sliding under the steady stream of heat.
I had a thing about showers.
If it wasn’t hot, I wouldn’t come out clean.
A dewy mist filled the room as the water carved a pathway over my back, its heat like jagged razors branding my skin. It sent a shiver down my spine, and the hairs on my arms stood on end.
Running my hands through my hair, my eyes closed as I thought ofher. Ava, and her dark irises that used to look up at me when on her knees. She’d been my girlfriend for over two years, much to the disgruntlement of the supernatural community.
It wasn’t the thing to do, fall in love with a human, and I hadn’t been popular. I’d sworn her to secrecy when I’d told hereverything. Of the beings that exist inourworld.
My fist connected with the shower wall, sending pain through my knuckles in protest. I splayed my palms flat on the tiles as water sprayed over my face, shaking my head as if to clear my mind.
Like it could heal my haunted heart.
Fuck.She’s dead. Get a grip.
Shutting off the water, I reached for a towel, wrapping it around my waist.
“Come and get a look at this,” I heard Wesley say as I shut the bathroom door behind me.
Making my way into the living area, I spotted him looking outside where he nodded towards Betty’s old house next door.
Through the window, a woman with long dark hair danced to a muted beat, oblivious to her audience. Her curves swayed with seduction and ease as she danced around what I knew was Betty’s old living room.
When she turned to the side, I recognized her as the woman I’d seen outside the workshop earlier. Her jeans had hugged her in all the right places, those same jeans now sending the both of us into a trance of our own, seducing us in silence, every move of her hips commanding our attention.
I tore my gaze from her, turning back to Wes.
I arched a brow. “Human?” I asked.
Brows furrowed and eyes squinting, I knew Wes was trying to get a read off her. “Unsure.” He slowly cracked the knuckles on his fist. “I think we need to invite our mesmerizing little neighbor over tomorrow to find out.”
I didn’t object. With his sensor gift, Wes could feel magic near him through intuition or touch, and when new neighbors were concerned, it came in handy knowing who or what had moved into our neighborhood.
I turned on my heel, waving over my head. “Do your thing. I’ll invite the guys and give Skye a call. She’s just moved back to town.”
