Page 55 of A Touch Charmed

“Those side effects are going to change things,” I said.

“I don’t want those damn side effects. Fuck.” He rubbed his hands over his eyes. “That first time our magic activated when we touched, she looked at me like she wanted to tear off my clothes and jump on my dick. But it wasn’t her, you know? She doesn’t really want me. How am I supposed to deal with that shit?”

“It sucks.” I thought back to when Thora’s magic had overwhelmed her. I wanted her more than I’d ever wanted anything in my life, but she hadn’t been the one in control. Saying no to her had damn near killed me. I fully understood Donovan’s position and didn’t envy it a bit. “Sorry to say, but you can’t avoid touching her forever, my friend. The curse is coming for the two of you next. Mark my words.”

“What makes you say that? It could go for any of the other pairs.”

“Nah. The six of us here are the only ones who have used our magic. We’re the threats. Not to mention, its next step is to trap us here. My guess is by forming a barrier of some kind in the ocean. And who is the only one who could put up a fight underwater?”

“Huh.” Donovan nudged me. “You’re a lot smarter than you look.”

“I’ve been telling people that for years. No one listens.”

He let out a laugh and slapped me on the back. By the time we went back inside, Violet had gone to bed in one of the guest rooms. Probably to avoid Donovan. Since he couldn’t do anything about Violet tonight, he said goodnight to everyone and left with Sandy.

Audrey, Wes, and Thora sat in the living room. The three of them laughed while they traded stories about the last seven years. The way Thora just fit everywhere I fit, so perfectly, settled the uneasiness that had sat on my chest since the curse’s last attack. I had no doubt in my mind that all of this was worth fighting for.

And I had no doubt we were meant to win.

Chapter 16

Thora

FinnandIspentthe next few days doing a different sort of planning. I hadn’t confronted my stepfather or talked to my mother after I learned about Dante. But after the town hall meeting, there would be a confrontation that I wouldn’t be able to put off any longer.

Once the meeting was over, Finn and I planned to go back to his place for the night. We’d continue to stay with Wes and Audrey, but we wanted to have our own stuff at their place. Plus, he wanted to take care of a few things around the house before we left it for however long it would take to defeat the curse.

Audrey believed it wouldn’t come for us again unless it could launch a larger or more calculated attack—since we’d already proved we could handle its latest effort—and it would likely aim for me and Finn again.

There had been no sign of the forked-tongue man. No sign of the curse he carried with him either. I hadn’t come any closer to figuring out his identity. There were no records or conveniently preserved diaries from three hundred years ago. The first written accounts of the legend were housed under glass in the wax museum, dated a hundred years after the island had been abandoned by most of the original descendants.

Anything that might’ve been hidden in the oldest house on the island had been lost weeks ago when the curse sent Selene and Ella’s home tumbling into the sea.

Wes hadn’t let Audrey out of his sight since the beach attack. She reopened her shop and Wes insisted on spending the day glaring at anyone who walked through the door and making them stick out their tongues to confirm they weren’t forked. She said it would’ve been better if she’d stayed closed, with the way he drove away customers.

I had more on my mind than the curse though.

Tonight, I’d be taking an important step that would put me in full opposition to my mother and stepfather. Nerves had my muscles bunching up. When I’d thought Warren Chase was my father, I just wanted him to be proud of me, to show he cared in some way. Even knowing I wasn’t his, he could’ve given me that. He robbed me of the chance to have a father in more ways than one, and robbed himself of the chance to have a daughter.

I would’ve loved him if he’d let me. That would forever be his loss.

Residents stood in small clusters in the town hall parking lot while we waited for them to open the door. Several people held steaming paper cups of coffee, and the warm scent of roasted beans drifted in the air. It was a crisp night. I pulled my light green cardigan tighter around me, using it as an excuse to keep my hands busy. The sun had set not too long ago, painting the sky in the rich blue hue of dusk. The stars seemed to go on forever.

Finn rubbed the tension out of my shoulders. “You’ve got this. I’m right here with you.”

I gripped his forearms. Holding onto him, feeling his solid strength, steadied me. “He’s going to fight. I’m worried he’s going to take out his frustration with me on you.”

“He can’t hurt me, gorgeous.” He pressed his lips against my forehead, pushing a light blue breeze of energy into me. “No one can as long as I’m with you, remember?”

Olivia stood at the outskirts of the gathering crowd. Her gaze darted between me and Finn, her eyes wide with fear. Good. She had a reason to be scared. “Give me a second.”

I excused myself and marched toward her. She parted her lips, but before she could spew any more lies, I grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the gathering crowd. We’d attracted attention from both the people who’d heard what happened by the Ferris wheel and the people who’d sent me oh-so-concerned texts seven years ago.

“Let go of me.” She yanked her arm out of my grasp. “What are you doing?”

“I just want to talk.”

She looked at me like I was thumping a baseball bat against my open palm.

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