Page 2 of Witch's Spark

“Yes.” She channelled as much begging into her eyes as possible, and it evidently worked, as Reese lowered his hand the rest of the way and touched her cheek with one gentle finger.

There was probably about a second of enjoyment before the pain hit. Sharp needles dancing across her cheek, around where their skin touched, but spreading out even further. The worst bit was that it wasn’t just skin on skin that was the problem. They’d tried using gloves, but the result had been the same. It was more to do with there being any connection at all.

Reese pulled away as a single spark ignited before Faye’s eyes, and fell to the floor, fading as it went. Just another reason she knew that there was something wrong with their bond. She sparked, just like other witches did when they touched their mates, but it was only one, and only lasted for a moment, before fading into nothingness.

She could live with it. So long as their bond didn’t do the same.

Chapter Two

Penny almost skipped out of the bakery, taking a large bite of her pastry as she did. She got a funny look from a passing business woman, but shrugged it off. She ran daily, she deserved a damn pastry, even if she was still in her workout gear.

Running daily was a little bit of an understatement. She pretty much exercised all day, every day, which was unsurprising given she was a yoga instructor.

The walk to her studio was only a short one, but she still enjoyed it as a good cool down. Even so, she was looking forward to a hot coffee when she got in. It was really the only way to perk her up.

She was humming along to herself, in a complete world of her own, and almost ran into the woman waiting outside the door. She jumped back, thankful she hadn’t gotten a take-out coffee, otherwise it’d have ended up all over her, and that would never do.

“I’m so sorry,” the woman said, reaching out a hand to try and steady Penny, even though she hadn’t actually fallen.

“No need to be sorry,” Penny said, flashing her a beaming smile while studying the woman in front of her.

She was slim, but curvy, with wavy dishwater blonde hair that framed her face. But it was the other woman’s eyes that got Penny the most. They were so sad. Like the sorrow of a hundred people lived in her. Something within Penny longed to make her feel better. There was just a part of her that felt like the woman was calling out to her. So much so, that she nearly reached out to touch her, but pulled back at the last second. Mostly because it would be a bit weird to do that to a stranger, and the last thing she wanted was to make the wrong impression on someone she didn’t know.

“Can I help you?” Penny asked, flashing another smile. Yes, this woman was calling to her, in a way that no one ever really had before. Penny had never minded if the people she went for were male or female, so long as there was some kind of connection between them. Even so. It all paled in comparison to the reaction the blonde was having on her.

“Oh, sorry. I’m Faye, I’m here for the yoga session. I think.”

“You think?” Penny laughed a little, but mostly to hide the effect that Faye’s name had on her. She was heating up all over, and if that was what a name would do, she dreaded to think what other things would.

“Sorry, yes, I am.”

“Do you always apologise so much?” she asked, cocking her head to the side and watching as Faye chewed on her bottom lip.

“No,” the other woman admitted.

“Huh.”

“But I am here for the yoga. It helps with stress, right?” She looked hopeful, like there was far more resting on this than just the release of life’s daily stresses. Penny looked her up and down again, appreciating the long toned legs that were already clad in workout gear. She’d relieve this woman’s tension any day. Catching the thought, she scolded herself. That wasn’t acceptable to think about anyone. Particularly someone she didn’t know. What was wrong with her today?

“I just need to open up and grab myself a coffee, but the class starts in maybe half an hour.” She pulled the key to the building out of her bag and slipped it into the lock, the action really not helping with the direction her thoughts were taking. Seemed her mind was really in the gutter.

“Oh, I’m early?” Faye seemed hesitant, like she really wasn’t sure of herself. It was endearing.

“A little bit, I must have listed the time wrong on the website.”

“I don’t think you did,” she sounded more certain this time, which was interesting. Seemed that when she was defending someone, her fight came back. Or just came to front, Penny guessed. Technically, she’d not had any fight at all up until now, so it couldn’t come back. Odd thought there. It was almost as if Penny already knew the woman. Which didn’t make any sense. She’d have remembered if she’d met this blonde beauty before.

“How can you be so sure?” Penny teased, knowing full well the time on the website were correct. She checked them almost daily as a force of habit. Mostly to avoid this kind of situation happening. Though she wasn’t going to complain too much.

“I like to be early,” Faye muttered, looking away. Okay, so there was clearly something else going on there. Maybe if she got the woman a drink, and took her into the yoga room, she could get her to relax and tell her more.

“I get that.” She opened the door, and waved the blonde through, pleased when she didn’t protest and made her way into the building that was dark, cold, and smelled of stale sweat. On second thoughts, maybe it wasn’t the best place to take her.

“Oh, it reminds me of dance lessons,” Faye said, looking around the hall as Penny turned the light on.

“You dance?” Penny’s heart leaped. Next to yoga, dance was what she’d wished she could do. There was something about the grace of the body moving that she just loved and appreciated.

“I used to.” Faye trailed her hand over the bar along the side of the room. It wasn’t used much, from what Penny could tell, only when the little children came for their ballet lessons. She’d watched once, and her heart had melted. She’d love kids one day, but they weren’t possible for her kind. Not even with her mate, which sucked spectacularly.

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