“I’m dealing with a bit of a predicament.”
“If it involves your snail-paced chopping, then yes, we certainly do have a problem,” Sarah retorted, her back turned to Vanessa.
Vanessa had been back for two days now, after dropping Gary off at the client’s company. She was currently assisting her fellow witches with dinner—a task that was always a challenge, given they were feeding thirty women who seemed to be perpetually PMSing.
“I apologize. You know I’m the world’s worst cook,” Vanessa admitted, still struggling with the carrots. “But that’s not the issue at hand.”
Sarah must have detected the desperation in Vanessa’s voice because she immediately stopped what she was doing and swiveled around to face her.
“What’s troubling that big brain of yours?” she asked, brushing a stray lock of hair from her eyes.
Vanessa leaned into the touch, savoring the sensation. It had been ages since she’d felt loved, even if Sarah wasn’t her actual family.
Vanessa exhaled the breath she’d been holding, her nerves on edge. “While I was away on the last assignment, I encountered some complications.”
Sarah’s face fell instantly, her eyes reflecting fear. “What happened?”
Vanessa looked down, too scared to meet her gaze. “I might be… mated to a werewolf.”
Sarah let out a small laugh. “Ha. Good one. Now, what’s really bothering you?”
Vanessa met her gaze, remaining silent. She watched as a range of emotions crossed Sarah’s face—first a smile, then a frown, and finally, anger.
“That’s impossible.”
“I know. He was the one who rescued me from the cell. He was acting quite possessive at the time,” Vanessa confessed, too frightened to mention the kiss. “I put him under a temporary sleep spell and managed to escape. But the issue is, he tracked me down in Florida.”
Sarah took in the information, her gaze still fixed on Vanessa. The silence that followed made Vanessa even more anxious, so she dropped her gaze to the floor. Suddenly, Sarah released her and bolted out of the kitchen. Vanessa was too taken aback by her reaction to follow.
Vanessa continued her work, her mind wandering to why Sarah had run off. Had her confession confused her? Or perhaps Sarah thought Vanessa was lying.
Just as Vanessa was finishing up with the carrots, she heard Sarah reenter the kitchen. She looked up to see Sarah holding a book. It was bound in brown leather and tied with ropes. It looked ancient and well-worn, a layer of dust clinging to it.
As Sarah placed it on the table, Vanessa moved closer, curiosity drawing her in.
“What’s this?” she asked, intrigued.
“This, my dear”—Sarah tapped the cover—“is a compilation of ancient magic. The spells in here haven’t been used for over five hundred years.”
Now Vanessa was puzzled. “What does this have to do with the werewolf?”
Sarah opened the book, sending a cloud of dust into the air. Vanessa coughed as she inhaled it, waving her hand in front of her face. “You could’ve at least dusted it off a bit.”
“I’m sorry my attempt to help you is causing you inconvenience,” Sarah retorted sarcastically.
Vanessa just rolled her eyes.
“So, how exactly is this going to help me?” Vanessa asked.
“This book was begun by the very first witch, Nix. She wanted to ensure that future generations could defend themselves and learn new spells. The spells in here are so ancient, most of the ingredients are extinct.”
Vanessa was taken aback. This was the first time she’d ever heard of a book this old. Even the ones from her own time had been lost or destroyed.
“So, what’s the story with Nix?” Her curiosity was at an all-time high.
“The tale is that she fell for a god but was killed by a jealous ex who still had feelings for her. Legend has it that the god was so heartbroken he wiped out entire continents.”
“Wow, that sounds like a terrible soap opera.” Vanessa couldn’t help but make the comparison. Who doesn’t enjoy a good mix of drama, romance, and betrayal?
“You’re not wrong. But remember, this is a story that’s been passed down through countless generations. It’s probably been twisted along the way.”
“A girl can dream, right? I could use a little drama in my life,” Vanessa declared.
“Be careful what you wish for, Vanessa. You’ve already got your fair share of drama. Need I remind you about your wolf?”
Vanessa rolled her eyes at Sarah’s comment. She knew she was right.
“So, how is this book going to help us?” Vanessa decided to change the subject.
“There’s a spell in here that can reveal if you’re truly his mate,” Sarah explained.
Vanessa took a moment to consider this. The problem was that old magic always came with a price, and using it for something so trivial didn’t seem worth it.
“And is it safe?”
“Well…” Sarah’s expression made Vanessa’s stomach drop. She looked at her with a sense of pity. “That’s where it gets complicated.”
Sarah continued to flip through the pages until she found the one she was looking for. From Vanessa’s vantage point, she could only catch a glimpse of the words. They were faded and written in a foreign language.
Vanessa watched in silence as Sarah scanned the page, her finger tracing the words. The reason Sarah was the coven leader and not her was because she had a knack for ancient languages. Every witch was born with a unique gift, in addition to their magical abilities.
Vanessa felt like she got the short end of the stick since she didn’t have a special gift. Sure, she didn’t age, but she didn’t consider that a gift.
“So, what does it say?” Vanessa’s silence was making her nervous. It couldn’t be good news.
Sarah abruptly closed the book, preventing Vanessa from getting a better look.
“Never mind. The spell won’t work.” She moved the book out of Vanessa’s reach, avoiding her gaze.
“Why are you lying? I can tell you’re hiding something.” Vanessa followed Sarah as she walked into the library.
Suddenly, Sarah spun around, too quickly for Vanessa, and Vanessa bumped into her, causing her to lose her balance and fall backward. Vanessa reacted quickly; her instincts kicked in as she managed to grab Sarah’s arm, pulling her back.
The sudden movement caused the book to slip from Sarah’s hand and fall to the floor, its pages scattering around them.
“I’m sorry,” Vanessa mumbled as she bent down to pick up the book, Sarah doing the same. They worked in silence, and Vanessa could tell that Sarah was keeping something from her.
As Vanessa picked up the last page, Sarah reached out to her, her fingers wrapping around Vanessa’s wrist. She stood in front of her, looking down at Vanessa with a loving gaze. Her eyes welled up with tears as she pulled Vanessa into a hug. Vanessa wrapped her arms around her waist, both of them just holding onto each other.
Sarah was the first to pull away. Something was wrong, and Vanessa knew it must be serious.
“Come sit with me.” Sarah gestured to an empty chair as she took a seat in the one next to it. Vanessa did as she was told, sitting next to her but keeping her gaze on the floor.
“The spell would work, but the cost is death. It’s a simple procedure, and if you are mates, it would be revealed. The problem is, if you’re not, you will die,” Sarah confessed.
Well, that was not what Vanessa was expecting.
