by Cece Rose
I push my chair back a bit to give myself some more space. I don’t like how he’s looking down at me, so I tug my shirt up a little, paranoid he can see too much.
Having a curvy frame sucks sometimes. Clothes that cover and look modest on mannequins, almost always end up looking a little provocative on me thanks to my chest, hips, and ass. The rest of the world never lets you forget that as a curvy girl either.
“While I’m shouting at newbie for questioning my management, you decide that that is the opportune moment to do the very same?” he asks, scooting a little closer. Why do men have to sit with their damn legs apart? I am way too close to his crotch right now for comfort.
“I didn’t mean to question your management, it’s just that he’s new. Can’t you cut him some slack?” I ask, trying to keep my voice even and stay calm. My grandma always said you catch more flies with honey than vinegar, and Jay reminds me so much of a fly. Small, annoying, and pesky, they always fly around when you don’t want them near.
“And what about you, Saren? Should I cut you some slack too?” he asks, his voice dropping lower, and I shudder from the sound of it. Creep.
“Well, I don’t think I deserve to be sacked for sticking up for Gideon. He’s new. He’ll get the memo to keep his mouth shut and fall in line like the rest of the robots that work here,” I respond, cringing at the robot comment, worried I may get in trouble for that one, but he laughs
“I’m not going to fire you, Kayla,” he says, and I let out a relieved breath. “I mean, without you and Lizzy here, what else would I beat myself off to when I get home?” he adds, and I suck that breath right back in. He did not just say that. I choke on the air, and he laughs, like it’s all just a joke to him. Maybe it is.
“You really did not just say that,” I whisper in shock. He’s been crude before, but nothing so direct, so blatant. Other than at the work Christmas party anyway. Jay continues speaking as if he didn’t just hear me.
“If you really want me to give you a break, we could continue our fun from the Christmas party?” he suggests, and I instantly feel sick to stomach. I’d assumed he was too drunk to fully remember exactly what happened, other than me turning him down. I’m suddenly right back there, like it’s happening all over again. I can feel his hands grabbing my ass roughly as he tries to shove his slimy tongue into my mouth. I shove him off the desk, just as I shoved him off me that night. I’d grabbed Lizzy and left straight after, not in the mood to get drunk and be merry after that invasion of space. I look down, seeing his eyes blazing with anger from where he sits on the floor.
“Screw you, asshole,” I bite out, turning on my heel as I head for the door. His hand grabs my shoulder as I reach for the lock, trying to pull me back. I use my magic to unlock the door and pull it open, as I shove him away with my hands. “Keep your fucking hands off me!” I snap, storming out of the room. I realise just how loudly I’d shouted as I walk through the office, and my cheeks flame. Everyone is staring at me as I walk across the busy floor. I make my way to my desk, feeling like I’m doing a damn walk of shame as I grab my leather tote bag and coat.
“I’m leaving early,” I mumble to Lizzy, feeling my fingers itch, my magic wanting to slip out. I have to get out of here now, before it’s too late to hide it. The trouble I’d get in with the high coven is much worse than the trouble I’ll get in for leaving work early. So much worse. Lizzy nods her head and goes to say something, but I’m already walking away, heading for the exit.
Every single pair of eyes watch me as I push the call lift button and wait for the doors to open. I feel a small sense of relief when they finally do. Stepping inside, I keep my eyes down as I push the button for the ground floor. It isn’t until the doors shut, leaving me alone and unwatched, that I look up, catching my own eyes in the mirrored walls of the lift. A couple stray tears work their way down my cheeks; they’re not from sadness, but from anger. Fuck, I hate being an angry crier; nobody takes you seriously when you start crying. Swallowing thickly, I straighten my shoulders and quickly wipe away those damned tears rolling down my face. I don’t want any weakness to show once those lift doors open again.
Screw that asshole. I’m done with his shit. I’m a witch damn it, and I’ll be damned if I let a puny, annoying, creep of a human treat me this way. He won’t get away with this again. It’s every witch for herself now.
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Please continue reading for a short sample of Runes of Truth by G. Bailey…
Runes of Truth
(Out now for only 0.99 or free on Kindle Unlimited.)
“Are you sure you want to do this?” I ask, trying not to yawn with boredom as I hold my sword at my side, resting on it and staring at the Protector. He isn’t the typical type that come after me, that’s for sure. Usually Protectors are all posh assholes in shiny suits, but this guy looks like a fake-leather store threw up on him.
“You must die, and I will be the one that finally–” he gets interrupted in his boring, predictable speech when my phone starts ringing. I sigh in relief, not wanting to hear that speech again. I pull out my phone and see Hali’s name flashing. I answer it, placing it on loudspeaker, and resting it on the dumpster near me.
“Yeah?” I answer, looking back at the protector as he runs for me, his sword raised.
“Evie, when are you home? I’m starving, and you promised me Chinese tonight. The good stuff from Chingwa, not from the crappy one you like,” she says as I hit my sword against the protector’s, and swipe my leg under his, knocking him over. I kick his sword away from him, wondering why they even bothered sending this man after me, he is a worthless fighter.
“Yep, I won’t be long, and I’ll get that damn Chinese for you. Anything else?” I ask as the protector grabs my leg, calling his fire rune and trying to burn me. I laugh, leaning down, and grabbing his hand off my leg. I jump on him, placing my sword under his neck.
“Evie . . . what are you doing right now?” Hali asks, suspiciously.
“Err . . . nothing,” I reply, kneeing the protector between his legs as he tries to knock me off him. He whines, before coughing out in pain.
“I don’t believe that, but I want my Chinese, so I’m going to stay quiet. Later,” Hali laughs, and then the sound of beeping lets me know she put the phone down. Good, no fifteen-year-old should have to hear this.
“I could let you go, but only if you will tell me who sent you,” I say, already knowing his answer before he says it. They always say the same thing.
“Never. I would never betray my people. Protectors never betray their blood, we always protect,” he spits out.
“I’m your people, you idiot,” I try to reason with him, giving him one more chance.
“You are not,” he spits out.
“I’m a protector. I don’t want to do this, but you won’t give up, will you?” I sigh deeply before lifting my sword and shoving it through his heart before he can reply. His mouth widens in shock, and I pull my sword out, standing up.
“Death will find you, and we will never stop hunting you,” he crackles out, just before his soul light leaves his body, floating up into the sky. I remember the first time I had to kill a protector, and I saw the light of his soul leave his body. It scared me, but then I saw it as what it is, beautiful. That even an evil protector, has light in his soul. That no matter how many of my own people I have to kill to survive, there might be a little bit of light left in my own soul. At least I can hope there is.
“If only things could be different,” I say, disappointed in another one of my kind. I pull out my pen, from my pocket, and my little notebook I carry everywhere now, ripping out a page. I quickly write the same thing I do every time I have to kill one of them that come after me. I write my rune name, the very thing that they hunt me because of. The very thing that many people now fear, and yet I have no idea what it says. I leave the note on his stomach and pick my phone up before walking out of the alleyw
ay, and down the empty street.
“Crappy Chinese, here I come,” I mutter, wishing Hali didn’t love that place. They don’t do the bacon fried rice that I love, or anything with bacon in it. The place sucks. I keep my eyes down as I walk down the empty streets of the small Scottish town I live in. The people here don’t come out after dark, too scared of the possible demons around. Little do they know that demons wouldn’t be interested in a small town like this, it’s why I chose to live here. The flashing lights of the Chinese come into view, and I walk across the road, pulling the door open and hearing the ringing of the little bell. The middle-aged Chinese woman looks up, rolls her eyes at me, and looks back down.
“Hello to you, too,” I mutter, but the woman doesn’t reply to me. I grab a Chinese menu off the side, looking through it before looking back at the woman.
“I’m ready to order,” I say, getting her attention.
“Your child called and placed your order already, Miss Evie.”
“She isn’t my child, more like a pain in my ass. I’ll just wait then,” I grumble, putting the menu back in its place.
“A young girl like you shouldn’t be out on the streets at night,” the woman says, stopping me from walking away.
“Thank you for your concern, but I’m not afraid of demons.”
“No, your kind is never afraid of what they hunt,” she chuckles, as the bell rings behind her, and she walks over to get my bag of food before I can reply to her. Not many beings can sense what I am, and I’m quite surprised a human has. She hands the bag over the counter to me.
“How did you know?” I ask.
“My family have always been able to sense things. You should be careful at night, Miss Evie. Demons are not what you should fear,” and with those cryptic words she walks away, leaving me standing in the shop alone, wondering if she is mad, or possibly telling me the truth.
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