“What?” he looked confused as he turned to me. “She says we do it when we get mad,” Nick answered. “What does that even mean?” Rene asked me. I was
glad the conversation turned away from Luca hitting on
Gia. I could still see him staring at her while Rene was
talking to me. She was staring back and smiling. Nat had a
nasty look on her face.
“Well,” I started. “I noticed when Nick got upset in
Mexico, his chest made this rumbling sound. Like the
beginning of a growl or something. I think it’s cute.” “Cute? Weres are anything but cute when they get
pissed,” Dash cut in.
“Yeah, she actually laughed at me a few times,” Nick
shook his head.
“Of course she would. My girl, Sof isn’t afraid of
anyone,” Dash said.
“Not to interrupt this amazing conversation, but I’m
starving,” Nat announced. “Luca? You haven’t even
brought us chips yet.”
“Oh, huh?” he turned around. “Oh, food? Sure. What
do you want?”
Everyone ordered, but Luca didn’t write anything
down. “You don’t write it here?” Gia asked.
“Nope, it’s all up here,” Luca pointed to his head.
“Memory spell,” he grinned. “Hey, weren’t we supposed to
get together?” Rene growled, but Luca ignored him and
kept talking. “Rosetta said something to me about you
coming to town and wanted us to meet.”
“Sὶ, we were supposed to meet last night, but she told
me you were working,” she smiled.
“Did she seriously just bat her eyelashes?” Nat
whispered in my ear. “Ack.” I elbowed her to be quiet. “Well, I’m off in an hour if you want to do something
tonight. A movie at my house maybe? That way we can talk
too.” Nick tried to stifle a laugh.
Dash said, “Dude’s got some big ones, if you know
what I mean.” Nick couldn’t hold it in any longer and
laughed out loud.
Rene growled again, “She’s actually with me, Luca.” I
could tell he was trying really hard not to yell at my
brother.
“You’ve known her for all of ten minutes,” Luca
argued. “Let her talk for herself. What do you say?” he
asked Gia.
She didn’t even flinch, “I would love to, but as Rene
said, we are together tonight.” She put emphasis on the last
word. “Perhaps another night.”
“What a…” Nat started and then stopped herself. To
Rene’s credit, he didn’t say anything, but the look on his
face said it all.
“So, Luca. Food,” I cut in to diffuse the situation. “Oh sure. Be right back with chips for Mademoiselle
Nathalie.” He bowed again.
Nick tried to shift the conversation. “We’re going to
Italy,” he announced.
“What? When? Will you be back for the ceremony?”
Nat rambled.
“Well, we’re actually leaving tomorrow night,” I
started.
“What? Since when?” Nat asked, surprised.
“Since right before we came here. Nick wants to go on
a real honeymoon, so I picked Italy. I want to see where my
parents came from.”
“So jealous,” Nat frowned. I knew neither she nor Jack
had the money to go anywhere after their ceremony. Jack could sense her disappointment. “Maybe at the end
of summer before school starts. I might have enough saved
by then.”
“Oh, no, it’s fine. I just want to be with you. I don’t
care if it’s just in our apartment as long as we can be
alone,” she grinned. Jack actually blushed. Luca showed up
with chips, salsa, and drinks for everyone. He winked at
Gia before leaving, but Rene didn’t notice.
“Wait, did you get a place already?” I asked.
“Oh yeah, I didn’t get a chance to tell you yet. So that
one apartment at your complex was already gone, but a
new one is opening in a week. Perfect timing.”
“Yay! We’ll be neighbors. Which building?” I asked. “You won’t believe it, but it’s the one across from you
guys,” she said.
“Wait, as in the building across, or the apartment
across?” I asked.
“The apartment,” she squealed like a little girl. I
couldn’t help myself and squealed with her.
“You two are so immature,” Dash said.
“Did you seriously just say that with a straight face?” I
asked.
He laughed. “Yeah, good one, huh?” I shook my head at
him.
“Hey, maybe while you’re in Italy you can find
something,” Nat changed the conversation again. “Something?” Gia asked.
Nat looked annoyed, so I answered. “Well, when Nick
and I first got together, we both felt like something was pulling us to one another. Like maybe it was our destiny, or
whatever you want to call it, to bring our people together.” “Oh, I see. And you are trying to find a prophecy?” she
asked.
“Why? Do you know something? No one said anything
about a prophecy. Does Rosetta know something? Has she
told you?” Nat battered Gia with questions, leaning as far
across the table as she could.
“Relax, Nat,” Jack put his hand on her arm.
“What?” she glared at Jack. “She knows something. I
can tell.” Nick elbowed me like I was supposed to do
something, but I didn’t respond. I wanted to know the
answers to Nat’s questions as badly as she did.
The entire table was staring at Gia silently in
anticipation. Luca showed up with our food just then. As
hungry as she was, Nat gave him a death look, like he just
interrupted the most important thing in the world. He didn’t
notice her because he was too busy brushing Gia’s hand
while he put her plate in front of her. She smiled at him. “She is seriously pissing me off now,” Nat whispered in
my ear. As soon as Luca left, she said, “Well?”
“Oh, well. No, I have not heard anything. Rosetta does
not tell me these things. I only use the word ‘prophecy’
because it sounds like something that would be in one.”
She smiled innocently.
“Whatever,” Nat mumbled as she rolled her eyes at Gia.
It was quiet after that while everyone started eating. “Have
you found anything in the book yet?” Nat asked me after a
few minutes.
“No, I haven’t looked through it for a few days. Things
got busy with finals and graduation. I think I’ll take it on
our trip.”
“What is this book?” Gia tried to sound nonchalant
when she asked.
“Not really your business,” Nat snapped out.
“Nathalie, what is your problem?” Rene asked. “Well, none of us know her and she’s suddenly
interested in why Nick and Sofia got together,” Nat
answered. “Why should she care?”
“I am only curious because we still mostly stay away
from each other in Europe. We do not mix with them,” Gia
interjected.
Something still felt off about Gia, but I was trying to
give her the benefit of the doubt. She seemed nice, but she
was also flirting with my brother while
on a date with
Rene. “See,” Rene said to Nat. “She’s not used to this. And
a month ago, we weren’t either. Or did you forget that your
so-called friend tried to kill my Alpha?” Nat was suddenly
very interested in her food.
“Is that Ky?” Gia asked. Nick growled loudly. “So, yeah, his name is kind of a bad word around here,”
Dash said. “But yeah, that’s who he’s talking about. He and
his brothers attacked Nick and Sofia in the woods a couple
nights before their binding ceremony.”
“What happened?” she asked.
“Why do you care so much?” Nat looked up at her. Dash ignored her and continued the story. “Nat knew
they were planning something because Jack told her.” Jack
looked down at the table. He still felt awful that he had
been a part of the initial attack even though he never cast a single spell that night. “Sofia, Luca and Nat did some kind
of spell to protect Nick, or something like that.”
“It was a protection spell,” Luca said as he walked up
again. “Did she tell you the part about where she destroyed
everyone by herself yet?”
“No, I didn’t get to that part yet,” Dash said.
“By yourself? How many were with him?” Gia asked. “It’s really not a big deal,” I interrupted. It didn’t feel
right to tell a stranger the details of something involving
my magic. I didn’t necessarily want people outside our
small group to know about it. Until the attack, no one but
Luca, Nick and Nat even knew I could use magic on my
own.
“Hell yeah it is,” Dash said. He turned back to Gia. “So
anyway, Ky, I mean the bad guy, tried to use some water
stuff or something.”
“You’re getting it wrong, moron. You don’t know
anything about magic. Let me tell it,” Luca interrupted. He
smiled down at Gia. “So, what they told Nat was that they
were going to take away his ability to shift.” Gia didn’t
look at all affected by this. “But he surprised them in the
woods and used War Water. He wanted Nick dead.” Gia
looked surprised at the mention of the War Water spell.
“But he didn’t know Sofia’s secret.”
~Chapter Seven~
“A secret?” Gia asked.
“Okay, can we be done with this already?” I begged. “No way, it’s a cool story. Keep going, Luca,” Dash
said.
“Well, it was like the spell bounced off Nick. He and
Sofia were holding hands, and how’d you put it, Nick? You
felt her magic?”
“Yeah, something like that,” Nick said. He could tell I
was uncomfortable and didn’t offer further explanation. “He tried to break their love with another stupid spell
when the first one didn’t work, but Sof deflected it,” Luca
continued.
“What? How?” Gia was way too curious.
“She’s strong on her own. So Carlo and Angelo tried to
attack Nick, but he went and punched Ky in the face.
Angelo and our friend Marco tried to curse Sof at the same
time,” Luca continued.
“But guess what happened?” Dash said eagerly. Gia just
shook her head. “She blew Marco away, blinded Angelo,
and busted up Carlo’s knee. Like all at the same time.” “I wouldn’t go that far,” I interrupted. “It really wasn’t
a big deal.”
“Of course it is. You’re like the baddest witch I know.
You saved my boy,” Dash argued.
“He was doing just fine handling himself,” I disagreed. “Enough!” Nat shouted. “Leave Sof alone. Obviously
Nick is uncomfortable listening to this, and so is she. And
they lived happily ever after. The end.” She glared at Dash
and he quit talking.
“I think that’s my cue,” Luca said. “I still have one
more table.”
I pushed Nick out of the way so I could escape the
booth and almost ran to the bathroom. He started to come
after me, but I heard Nat say, “Let me.” She followed me
into the bathroom. As soon as the door was closed, she
wrapped her arms around me. I buried my head against her
shoulder and started crying. “What is that chick’s deal
anyway?” Nat said. “Something is off. Why is she so
curious? I don’t buy this whole ‘oh-we-don’t-live-like-thisso-I-want-to-know-what-it’s-like’ crap.”
I pulled back to stare at my friend. “I sense something
too, but I don’t know what. Is it just because she’s a
goddess and we feel threatened?”
“Hell no,” Nat said. “I know my Jack only has eyes for
me. And Nick would throw himself in front of a train for
you. As far as he’s concerned, you hung the moon and stars.
I just don’t like her. Why is this twenty year old woman
latching onto Rene? And then she’s totally flirting with
Luca! What a skank.”
“Yeah, I’m not happy about that. I’m going to tell Luca
to back away from that one. I don’t even like the idea of
Rene dating her. How long is she even here? Maybe it will
just be a short fling.”
“I think I heard her say something about being here all
summer. Ugh,” Nat rolled her eyes. There was a knock on
the door before Nick let himself in.
“What is with you and girls’ bathrooms?” I asked,
remembering the time he followed me into one at school
when I was upset.
“Tap out,” Nat said as she ducked under his arm out the
door.
I practically collapsed in Nick’s arms. He didn’t say
anything for a minute. “Are you okay, Bella Mia?” he
whispered as he ran his fingers through my hair.
I looked up at him. “I’m fine. I just don’t think we
needed to replay that horrible night in great detail for
someone none of us even know. She shows up out of the
blue and latches onto someone she knew was a werewolf. If
she doesn’t associate with any back home, why is she
suddenly attached to one at the hip?”
“Maybe she just wanted to try something new, like your
mamma said?” Nick tried.
“Yeah right,” I said. “She acts all sugary sweet, but
something doesn’t feel right. And no, I’m not jealous.” “I wasn’t even going to suggest it. You know you have
no reason to be. I only have eyes for my wife. Now, let’s go
back out, finish up dinner, and go home to pack.” “Oh yeah,” I actually smiled. “I almost forgot. This will
be so amazing.” He kissed the top of my head and we left
the bathroom. I didn’t say anything or even look at Gia
when we sat back down. I munched on chips and talked
excitedly with Nat about all the things I wanted to do on
our trip.
“You’ll be back for the ceremony, won’t you?” she
asked.
“Of course! You’re almost my sister. I wouldn’t miss it
for anything,” I answered.
“A ceremony?” Gia butted in.
“Yeah, Jack and I are getting bound. Friends only,” Nat
snapped. She turned back to me and we briefly talked about her dress. She was still trying to decide if she wanted to wear a traditional witch’s shift or if she wanted a wedding
dress.
If Gia was offended by Nat’s behavior, she didn’t show
it. She and Rene stood to leave. “We’re off to a movie,”
Rene announced.
“Good riddance,” Nat mumbled under her breath. I
elbowed her in the arm.
“I still think you should wear a shift,” I said, turning
back to our conversation.
“If it’s as see-through as yours, Jack is in for a treat,”
Nick added.
“What’s this?” Jack’s face lit up. “I’m all for seethrough.”
“It wasn’t completely,” I argued.
“Enough,” Nick grinned and wiggled his eyebrows. “Then, I vote yes on that idea,” Jack winked at Nick. Nat lightly punched Jack in the arm. “You don’t get a
vote,” she said.
“Well, we really should go pack,” I said. “But I can
come over tomorrow before we leave if you need help.” “Nah, just go off on your magical honeymoon and I’ll
see you when you get back. But call me the second you
land so I can hear all about it.”
“Of course,” I said. “Ciao.” I kissed Nat and Jack both
on the cheek as we headed out the front of the restaurant.
I decided not to call my grandparents to tell them we were coming. I wanted it to be a surprise. They had only been to the States once when I was a little girl, but we talked with them through the computer once a month, so I knew them well.
“I still can’t believe we’re doing this,” I said to Nick while I was packing my pink suitcase on the bed.
“I’m looking forward to meeting your nonna and nonno. Do they speak any English?”
“Nope. So I’ll get to listen to you speak Italian non-stop for a week,” I grinned.
Nick laughed. He knew how much I loved it when he spoke to me in Italian. It was almost like I could feel his words. “What do they think about us?”
“When Mamma called Nonna a few days after our ceremony she didn’t even seem surprised. Hey, do you think she knew something about us? Like maybe it talks about it in her book?”
“I’m confused. I thought the book you have was her book?” Nick scrunched up his forehead like he was thinking too hard.
“No, Mamma’s book actually came from her bisnonna. Nonna gave it to her when they left for America.”
“I’m still not following,” Nick said, sitting down on the bed to face me.
I stopped packing and sat next to him. “Okay, so most witches have their own Book of Shadows.”
“Book of Shadows?” Nick interrupted.
“Another name for a spell book,” I answered.
“Do you have one?”
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