Page 45 of Wicked and Wild

“What?Butthen why didn’t youwarnme?”Hannademanded.

“Because, my dear…”Lunapatted her cheek. “Thecardsalwaysforetell trouble for you.Andthey always have.YourGiftis too extreme for you to live a normal life,I’mafraid.”

“Iwon’t live any life at all if this…this demon thing gets me!”Hannaput a hand to her throat. “Hesaid that the next time he came to meIwould beg him to…to take me.”Sheshivered with disgust. “Youdon’t think…is this lust curse he put on me really going to work?”

“Idon’t know.”Heraunt looked at her carefully. “Areyou feeling extra, er,amorousright now?”

“Idon’tthinkso,”Hannasaid, frowning. “ButI’vebeen so upset from the minuteIwoke up.Isthere any way to remove it?”

“Mydear,Ican’t evenseeit,”AuntLunareminded her. “ButI’lllook in myWiccanbooks and see ifIcan find any kind of spell or ritual that will remove ill-intended magic.Ofcourse, most of those spells are meant to remove magic cast by another human—nota demonic being.”

“I’mso afraid he’s going to get me,AuntLuna.”Hannaclutched her aunt’s hand. “Whatif he comes for me tonight?”

“Idon’t see how he can—we’re above theEarthlyrealm here,” her aunt said calmly. “I’msorry he marked you,Hanna, butIthink that coming up here to theMotherShipwas the best thing you could possibly have done.Youshould be removed from his influence here which means you’resafe.”ShesqueezedHanna’shand for emphasis.

“Do…do you really think so?”Hannaasked hopefully.

“Ireally do.”Heraunt gave her a hug. “Ican’t tell you how muchI’velonged for you to come up here whereIcan keep an eye on you!Iwish your sister would come too, butIknow she has her own life.Andnow, at least, she’s mated to aKindred, soIknow she has a protector who will always shield her from harm.”

“Butwhat about my life down onEarth?”Hannaasked. “AmIjust supposed to abandon it?”

“Mydear…Idon’t want to be rude or belittle you in any way butwhatlife?”AuntLunasaid gently. “Iknow you once hoped to teach at a university, but you haven’t been able to finish your degree and now all you seem to do is go from job to job, each one worse than the last.”

Hannawanted to protest, but she knew her aunt was right.Shethought of the miserable waitressing gig atDenny’swith her horrible manager and the rude customers and awful hours.MaybeAuntLunawas right—maybe shedidbelong aboard theKindredMotherShip.

“Ireally think you’re going to like it here,”AuntLunatold her. “Thereare very few shades and spirits here—most of theKindredgo immediately to the afterlife to be with theirGoddessas soon as they die.Andthose that do remain are peaceful and content.Sothere will hopefully be far fewer distractions here—you might even be able to resume your studies.”

“Iguess so…”Hannastill had a few doubts. “But…won’t it be weird, me being the only single woman on board?Imean, aren’t all the otherEarthwomen up here mated toKindredwarriors?”

“That’strue, they are,”AuntLunaadmitted. “Butyou never can tell…youmightmeet aKindredwarrior of your own.”Shewinked atHannaknowingly and put an arm around her shoulders to give her a little squeeze.

“Maybe,”Hannasaid doubtfully. “ButIcan’t help thinking they’ll all just thinkI’mcrazy—the way human men do.”

“Mydear, that is simplynot true,”her aunt said firmly. “Ipromise you, theKindredaremuchmore open to the idea of the supernatural than human men are.YourUncleBruinhas never doubted myGiftonce!”

“Ofcourse, it helped that she read my cards and told me completely accurate things about my life and my past that onlyIknew the first time we met,”Bruinrumbled, coming into the room with a tray filled with tea things in his large hands.Hesat the tray on the decorative table in front of the couch. “IhopeI’mnot interrupting?Iwould have knocked butIhad my hands full.”

“No,Ithink we’re about finished with the hard stuff.”AuntLunaraised her eyebrows atHanna. “Aren’twe, my dear?”

“I…guess so.”Hanna’shand went to her forehead involuntarily. “Idon’t suppose there’s any way to tell if this, uh, thing is going to suddenly start, um, affecting me?”

“Onlytime will tell.AsIsaid,I’lltry to find a spell to remove it.Inthe meantime, have some tea—it will make you feel better,”AntLunaurged, as she pouredHannaa cup of the steaming, fragrant liquid.

“Youalways think tea makes everything better,”Hannasaid, smiling despite herself.Heraunt was a firm believer that almost nothing couldn’t be solved with a hot cup of tea.

“That’sbecause itdoes,”Lunasaid firmly. “Nowdrink up.Andlater on, maybe we can introduce you to some of the eligible warriors aboard the ship.”Shelooked up at her husband. “I’vebeen tellingHannathatI’dfeelsomuch better if she had aKindredmate to protect her.”

“Notyet, please,”Hannasaid quickly. “Idon’t feel ready for anything like that right now.”

“No, of course not.Forgiveme for rushing you,”AuntLunasaid. “Ijust want you to have aProtector, my dear.Someonewho will keep you safe and make you feel loved and cared for.Someonewho willcherishyou.”

Forsome reason the image of the handsome warrior with the mismatched eyes crossedHanna’smind, but she pushed the thought firmly away.Menlike that didn’t date women like her, she told herself.Theydated leggy supermodels andInstagraminfluencers.Therewas no wayMr.Tall,DarkandHotwas going to have an interest in plus-sized her.Infact, she would probably never even see him again.

Shehad no idea how wrong she was.

7

HANNA

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