Hex

by Kali Emerson

  “No…I think it's been too long.”

  I plunged my lips onto his and we met in a passionate kiss. The full, soulful connection I felt was unlike anything else I'd ever felt. I could feel his vibrations radiating through my body still. It was different from before. Somehow our connection grew even stronger.

  Suddenly my soul was halfway out of my body and so was his. We were suspended somewhere between the Astral Plane, and Earth.

  My vision went dark and he was gone, though I could still feel his body under mine. His hands still lingering on my back and connecting through all of our nerve endings. I leaned forward and touched my nose with his. We stayed like that for a minute.

  I loved Alex so much already.

  I moved his shirt up exposing his hard chest, and pulled his shirt the rest of the way up and over his head. I tossed the shirt next to us on the couch. I was thirsty for a closer intimacy. We had sex often, it was good and passionate. But the way I felt at that moment, I knew it would be something more impressive.

  Alex kissed me down the front of my neck and down my chest. I moved one leg off of him and laid back down on the couch. While he was hanging over me I tugged his pants down around his thighs, pulling them all the way down.

  He brushed my hair out of my face, and gave me a gentile peck on my lips before going down. I was sensitive still from earlier, so as soon as I felt his tongue my body tensed. He scooped his arms under me so my hips were slightly pushed into the air as he continued, deliberately teasing me.

  He got into a rhythm and I pressed my legs out, the cold air hitting my inner thighs. He got me so close to another orgasm, then stopped when he felt that I was reaching my tipping point.

  I was ready for him to be inside of me. I wanted him more that I had ever wanted him…or anyone before that. He sat back down on the couch and moved me so that I would straddle him again. My leg swung over him and I sat facing him. He was pulsating beneath me as he pulled me in for a lust filled kiss.

  He steadied himself with his hands under me and when he thrust upward I felt his energy penetrate me and spread through my body. The feeling was so intense I could barely stand it.

  The energy started to radiate outward, surrounding us in a bubble as we moved together. I'd been able to see other people's aura, but nothing like this. It was complete, pure energy outside of the aura. I looked up to see a plum indigo light show. They were melted together, enclosing us as we both reached our peaks. Our bodies and souls connected as one.

  Everything had been drained from me physically and mentally. I stayed slumped onto him for a long time. He held me with his arms around my back. Neither of us cared how drenched in sweat we had become. I buried my head in his shoulder and let my face rest there, breathing deep and hard.

  Then, our slick bodies slid off each other and I landed on a heap next to him on the couch. I watched the energy dissipate, and I looked at Alex who was watching me lay there, naked.

  8

  I shared my life with only myself up until that point. I didn’t even really allow Fiona to be fully a part of my lifetime of ups, and downs. She’d been a bystander watching me fall down, not knowing the full extent of the fractures appearing under the surface. I learned how to shut her out of my emotions, so that she couldn’t pick up on what I was feeling as easily as she could someone else.

  It was for both of our benefits because I didn’t have to tell her everything, and she didn’t have to feel the deep, dark, things that I’d let plunge into my secret self. If she knew everything I’d thought, she would have run away a long time ago. Though, I think part of the reason why she stayed was because when she was around me, she didn’t feel what I felt. It was a relief.

  The morning before I was supposed to meet her, I started to panic. I wanted to back out and figure it out on our own. It would be the first time I came to her with all of the information. I had to tell all of it to her. It was the first time I would be nervous to confess something so completely. She would know about it all.

  It wasn’t because she was my friend, it was because we needed her to help us. It wasn’t the same, and part of me wished it wasn’t that way. I wanted it to be because I loved her so much, but it was an act of selfishness instead.

  I raced around the apartment, trying to decide what I would say to her. Alex was still asleep when I started to get ready. So I recited lines by myself while I got dressed. He had a later start than I did so I just quietly tiptoed around the bed trying not to disturb him. He had a new deadline from his literary agent for the second issue of his comic book, and he had been up late writing the night before.

  I chose black yoga pants with pockets that laid against my thighs, and a plain black long sleeve shirt that exposed a sliver of my stomach. It was cold outside, so I chose my thicker black gym shoes and a long black cardigan. I peeked out the window to make sure there wasn't any snow on the sidewalks.

  I glanced in the mirror and decided I looked a little plain so fumbled with my jewelry box drawer and eyed a simple silver.A crescent moon necklace my Gran gave me when I turned twelve. I had enchanted it to be a protection talisman.

  I found my sunglasses on my dresser and threw them on my head. I looked in the mirror again, grabbing my nude lip gloss, gliding in across my lips. My pack of cigarettes and a joint were already waiting for me next to the ashtray for recent, late night smoking sessions.

  The ceramic piece made a clunking noise as I moved it from one end of the counter to the other. The window that sat in front of my sink was closed and locked, so I opened it to let in the crisp breeze. I pulled a cigarette out and lit it, inhaling deeply. Then holding up the joint I lit the end as well, before swapping it between my lips. I puffed deeper than the cigarette, with the same breath.

  I turned my head at the creek behind me coming from the bedroom doorway. It was Alex half clothed with a fuzzy navy blue robe thrown over his broad shoulders.

  “Did you plan on inviting me?” He rubbed his eyes and started walking toward me.

  “No.” I was honest. I wanted that moment in the morning to myself to collect my thoughts. He crept next to me anyway, and pulled a cigarette out of my pack, lit it, and set it back into the ashtray.

  He leaned against the counter right next to me and tilted down, kissing my hair.

  “I love you.” He said it quietly. I wouldn't get tired of hearing him say it. He'd said it a thousand more times the night before.

  “I love you too.” I felt my eyes getting heavy from the smoke, if I had anymore I'd be too high to drive. I turned, and smashed my cigarette in the ashtray and handed the joint to Alex. I needed to leave because I had planned on meeting Fiona soon, and didn’t want to be late.

  My foot barely hit the floor in front of me before Alex grabbed my arm and pulled me back into him. Standing up and facing him, my nose just below his collar bone. He leaned down to my level, and our lips met. His hand rested under my chin, lifting it up slightly.

  “I have to go.” I whispered against his lips and then backed away. I really didn't want to leave him. We would just stay in bed together all day, getting high and fucking. Something pulled me to stay, and I couldn’t tell if it was my intuition or just my intense craving for his mouth on mine. I didn't think he could see how badly I wanted to stay behind.

  He watched me pull away and grab my bag from the counter. Then his eyes shifted to my butt as I unlocked the door, opened it, and closed it behind me.

  On my way to Mugs I zoned out. I couldn’t remember which route I took to get there, the high was more intense than I thought it would be. I parked in my usual parking spot on the street, and walked into the buzzing cafe. Fiona was sitting on the far right of the room waiting for me where we usually sat. I meandered over to her and sat in the chair next to her. My chair squeaked as I sat down.

  “Hey” I spoke first.

  “Hi.” She fiddled with a mug that had Santa holding the ropes to the sleigh, flying over a little village.

  “So what's been go
ing on with you?”

  “There's a lot to explain so just bare with me.”

  She rotated her cup and took a sip, interested in what I was about to spill. She was always interested in the newest gossip, a bad habit she picked up while on the cheerleading squad in high school.

  “Alex told me he loves me.”

  Fiona choked on her coffee and slammed her cup down spilling some.

  “What?”

  “I know.” I smiled.

  “That's so soon, don't you think?”

  I remembered what Alex said, about having our own timeline.

  “No.”

  The waitress approached our table and handed me a menu.

  “Can I just have coffee for now?” The waitress nodded and walked off.

  “What else? That can't be the only thing that's happened, we haven't talked in like a month."

  She was right, there was a lot more to explain, but I didn't know where to start. The waitress came back right away, with a larger mug that was red with an elf hat on it. Just as she sat it down, I felt a familiar tingle of energy in my fingers. I hadn't been trying to, but it was there.

  I collected my thoughts for so long that morning before I left I thought I was prepared. But, nothing could have ever prepared me for what happened next. The mug started to jingle and the table slightly vibrated, too. The cup lifted slightly off the table so I grabbed it and brought it back down with a bang.

  “What?” Fiona's eyes were still fixated on the now stationary object.

  “How did you do that?”

  I didn't know how to answer that because I didn't even know myself. My breath became heavy. More electricity through my body that time, rather than just my finger tips. My bottom came up from the chair, only a few centimeters, but enough to be worried that someone saw. I looked around the restaurant and no one had noticed but Fiona.

  “What the fuck?” She exclaimed, jumping back and out of her chair. She quickly looked around and sat back down.

  “Sh. Keep your voice down, we're in public.”

  “Is this what you wanted to tell me?”

  “No.”

  She scoffed. What was going on? I didn’t know how to react to everything that was happening. My magic was suddenly so much stronger and uncontrollable.

  I thought about the soul crushing connection that Alex and I felt the night before. It couldn’t have been a coincidence that I felt that sudden swell of energy build up in me and let itself out. He could have been experiencing the same thing. I needed to go make sure that he was okay. A fire raged in my fingertips as I felt more energy flow. It was stronger than before and I needed to get out of here, before something bad happened exposing us all.

  “I need to leave.” I looked back at Fiona who already had her bag hung across her body. She knew what I was thinking. There was no way I would be able to leave her behind.

  “I'm coming with you.”

  “Okay.” I didn't argue. I threw a handful of 5's onto the table which was more than enough for two coffee's and a tip but I felt bad about walking out on the waitress. When we got outside it was pouring, out of character for the season. I had to shout for Fiona to hear me, even though I was right next to her.

  “GO TO MY CAR!” I yelled through the static. I would take her back to get her car later. The car beeped from a few feet away and we both jumped in slamming the doors behind us. The rain splattered the sidewalk while the grass was slick, and wet with melting snow. I turned on my windshield wipers spewing droplets to either side of my SUV.

  It was silent in the vehicle except for the violent swishing of the blades on the windshield and the rain banged heavily against the metal.

  “You have to tell me what the hell is going on.”

  “I need to call him.” Fiona's eyes rolled so hard I thought they were going to spin out.

  “Then I will tell you what's going on.”

  I pressed his number on my phone and the line rang, but no one picked up. I pressed it again, but that time it only rang twice before I heard his voicemail. I threw my phone down into the cup holder and shifted the car in drive without my seat belt secured. Something happened to him too. I could feel it.

  I felt it right below my heart, It was a drop that lingered even on the deepest of breaths. I whipped out of the space, taking off quickly. I was driving faster than I needed to.

  Fiona’s body shifted and slammed against the car door with the sharp turns.

  “Woah, what the fuck…where are we going?” Fiona yelled while grabbing the sides of the seat. She put her seat belt on hastily.

  “My place, I think something is wrong.” I hit my turn signal and pulled into the left turn lane. I only sat for a second before the light turned green.

  “Something happened last night, that I couldn't quite figure out. I mean…I had an idea of what it was.” The vehicle jolted forward to clear the intersection. The road was slick so we slid slightly. It was so unlike Alex not to answer his phone like that. Even if he had gone back to bed. The houses blurred as we sped past, I flew over several speed bumps that made us bounce up and down in our seats.

  “Slow down…PLEASE!” Her voice cracked as she pleaded, but I couldn't slow down. I had to get there fast. Something in me was telling me I needed to get there.

  When we were in the kitchen together, I should have listened to my gut telling me to stay home. It wasn't just a whimsical fantasy I was whipping up in my head, but an internal warning to stay home. My higher-self knew before I did with a lot of things, and I needed to start listening to her better.

  “You have to tell me what's going on, Mara.” She begged me to tell her. I couldn't keep it in any more, especially because I didn't know what we would walk into when we got there.

  “At my dad's restaurant there were three people that approached us with a blank business card." I turned another corner and gravity sent us both sliding to the right.

  “The Coven of the Witches” She knew right away and I could tell by the way her face turned.

  “My mom told me about them. They are a bad bunch of witches.”

  I turned another corner and we slid to the left. My building was coming up on the right and I was surprised we'd gotten all the way there without getting pulled over. I had been driving at least forty-miles an hour down all the tiny streets of Boston.

  “They are only made up of witches with extraordinary gifts.” It made sense then, why they told us we were special. They knew something would trigger the acceleration of our magic.

  “What would they want with us?” If I was extremely gifted somehow, being able to manipulate energy would be an appeal to people like them.

  “It's that gift. They are not good, Mara.”

  Alex's vehicle was still parked outside. I jumped out of the vehicle so fast, I couldn't remember if I closed my door behind me. It was still pelting rain and the sidewalk was filled with ice puddles. My feet got soaked sprinting to the front door. I struggled to get my keys out and into the lock. I thought about buzzing, but if he was incapable of letting me in I would have just wasted time. I finally got the right one and shoved it into the lock. The key turned without a hitch and I pulled the door open far enough for Fiona to catch it behind me.

  I ran up the three flights of stairs in a few stomps, with Fiona in tow behind me. I stopped at my door, dead in my tracks. The lock was frozen. Ice surrounded the entire metal piece. My head raced trying to think of a way to break away the mysterious ice, so I could open the door.

  “Use the key tip.” Fiona was winded behind me from running. It was a good idea so I held the key between my fingers and slammed it hard.

  The ice cracked a little bit. I lifted my hand again and as the key hit, the ice fell down like glass onto the floor. I fumbled with my keys again and finally got them into the keyhole, unlocking the door and flinging it open at the same time.

  Everything was in slow motion. I saw each strand of my hair as it ripped around me from the force I used to push the door open.
My hand dropped to my side and my keys crashed to the floor. Horrifying thoughts flashed through my brain. I thought about Alex laying on the floor lifeless. My eyes welled up as I contested the insane thoughts. I couldn't go in there alone, and I was thankful that Fiona was there with me. I looked in, the entire apartment was covered in ice. It was thick and powder blue coating everything. Icicles hung from the ceiling and small flakes of shaved ice drifted down making it look like snow.

  What had he done?

  “Alex?!” His name echoed through the halls. I searched for a sign that he was still alive.

  “Don't come in here.” I heard a small cold voice coming from the bathroom. A wave of relief flooded me. He might still be injured but I was thankful he was alive. He sounded like he could be hurt, so I stepped in attempting to run in to him but I slipped and fell. I got back up quickly and steadied myself against the wall.

  “I'm coming in.”

  “No.”

  I went in anyway, balancing against the cold wall. There was less ice on the walls than on the floor, which was like an indoor skating rink. Fiona stayed on the other side of the doorway. I turned the corner toward the bathroom, only a few more steps and I would be where Alex was.

  He looked up at me standing over him and sat up scrunching his knees into his chest. I didn't see anything physically wrong with him. He only looked slightly emotionally damaged. I knelt down to his level and placed my hands gently on his arms.

  "What happened?' I adjusted my weight so that I was sitting in front of him instead of crouching down.

  I grabbed his face, and traced his cheek bones with my thumb. The closer I got to his face I realized he wasn't emotionally damaged at all. He was laughing. At first I thought it was kind of maniacal, but he was genuinely excited.

  I backed up a little bit to give him space.The fear I felt started to melt away with the ice that was left on the floor. I was a little bit relieved that he didn't find the situation as alarming as I did.