Page 71 of Hot in Witch City
I had to go back to the way I was before—having fun, avoiding relationships, and keeping my life simple.
Before Sebastian.
That way I wouldn’t have to deal with these confusing, unfamiliar feelings. Sure, I’d felt wonderful around him. It felt good to be wanted and cared for. To have someone think of you in a much more positive light than you ever thought of yourself. Even his crazy possessive, protective streak had started to grow on me.
But mates? Meaning—forever?
That was insane. Terrifying. I had to put it out my mind.
That afternoon,I went for a walk on the beach with my mother. The ocean breeze was strong enough that it snapped our hair around our face at times.
After we spoke about innocuous observations of the weather, she asked, “Who do you spend your time with when you’re not working?”
I grimaced. Lately, it had been with Sebastian until that had fallen apart. “I often hung out with staff at the club, but my friend Nova returned to Salem recently, so we’ve been spending more time together.”
“Tell me about her.”
I shrugged. “She’s petite, has auburn hair, and is a witch. Only she couldn’t do magic until recently.”
“Why is that?”
“Oh, it’s a long story.” I brushed it off with a wave.
“I have time,” she replied.
“Not much to tell. She didn’t think she could do magic.” I shrugged.
“I wonder why,” my mother asked, interest gleaming in her eyes.
A pang of hurt churned inside. Why was my mother more interested in Nova’s magical abilities than my own? Something was off. Was it weird jealously on my part or something else?
“No idea,” I lied.
“Oh, surely you do,” my mom persisted with a tap on my arm and a persuasive smile.
The bullshit radar was up and engaged. “Why are you so interested in my friend’s magical ability?”
“I’m a siren. Naturally, I’m interested in magic.”
Was that a natural interest for sirens? Maybe I was being far too sensitive because my mother asked an innocent question about my friend. This was a typical mom question, right? It wouldn’t be the suspicious scrutiny that my father had often adopted.Who are you going to be with? Where are you going?
“We’re in Salem. There are plenty of witches here, so plenty of magic. Her aunt had been persuaded to put a block on Nova’s abilities when she was little, and she wasn’t aware she could use magic until her aunt died.”
“Fascinating,” my mother said with a gleam in her eye.
Once again, a pang of jealously twisted inside. Couldn’t she show more interest in me?
After spendinganother night in the beach house, evading Jakob’s attempts to get together once more, I lay alone in my bed and thought of Sebastian. I hadn’t been able to shake the yearning to be with him.
A part of me longed to see him again. To care for and protect him the way he’d often done for me. To shield him from the pain I’d caused him—and myself.
My heart thumped. What had he done to me? Did he make me feel—like him?
No, no, no.I rolled onto my side, covering my head as if I could force my feelings away. What were these emotions? And what the hell was I supposed to do with them?
Could it be—love?
I shook my head. Why would I think that now while I was here trying to explore my siren side? Maybe I’d decide to leave Salem and swim away with my mother and her pod. We could be adventurous and free, living without complications.
