by Ariel Hunter
I realized I had never been kissed by a man before. All the others had just been boys. Callan had just awoken something entirely new.
I closed my eyes, nestling myself in the covers and pillows, trying to will myself to sleep, to escape from the rushing of heat still pillaging my body. I turned over and over from side to side as I struggled to remove the memory of his hand on my neck, my back, his lips on mine . . .
I breathed out deeply, wiping restless sweat from my forehead, coaxing myself into sweet sleep.
I should have known better than to hope for anything sweet.
Chapter 4
The bars of the cage were fiercely hot as I clung to them. I expected them to be cold, but the steel burned me. I jerked back and rubbed my hands together. The skin had sizzled as I touched it. I looked up at the chain hanging above me, thick and anchored somewhere far above. I twisted around in the cage, seated on my knees, careful not to touch the bars as I tried to get my bearings.
What had happened? Where am I? How had I gotten here?
A shivering mist surrounded my cage, but I could see a dark figure walking toward me, his form shifting in the mist that whipped by his figure.
“Marnie McTavish. I’ve been so anxious to meet you.”
The figure stopped just on the outskirts of the mist, a silhouette, dark and gloomy. I couldn’t make out his face, but it was definitely a man, well-built shoulders, seemingly athletic. His voice was deep, alluring, and had an echoing melody to it, almost as if more than one of him was speaking at a time.
It was the Collector. I knew it was.
A chill ran through me, quivering up my spine and wrapping around my throat.
“Let me go!” I reached out to grab the cage again. “Fuck!” I jerked my burnt hand back. The Collector chuckled, his laugh bouncing off the mist and seeming to circle all around me, coming at me from all sides.
The searing pain in my hand seized all the way up my body and ignited the fear that was embracing me. The smell of burnt flesh made my nostrils curl and my stomach roil. My heart was skipping so quickly that I was afraid it would rattle out of my skeleton. I tried to take deep breaths, but the bars of the cage seemed to be getting closer and as they got closer, it got hotter. It was getting harder to breathe. My pulse was beating faster and faster. It was insufferable.
I can’t die here, I can’t die here, I can’t die here.
“I’m going to harness your power, Marnie.”
The cage bars sizzled against the skin on my arms and legs as they pressed into me when I tried to wiggle away from them, first on one side and then the other. I wanted to vomit from the blinding pain and disgust. My heart was thundering, and I knew I was going to die.
Somehow it was so much worse than I thought it would be.
The Collector’s laugh echoed again, circling all around me. “I’m going to make myself a white warlock.”
The dark figure took a step closer, beginning a chant, the mist clearing. My vision of what he looked like began to clear as the cage grew even tighter. Just as his face became more visible, the bars seared into my skin all over and I grabbed them to fight their assault. I screamed in agony.
And in a flash, it all disappeared.
Hands were on my shoulders shaking me.
I tore my eyelids open and stared at Callan’s worried face. I sat straight up and grabbed him, afraid it would burn and relieved it didn’t. He clutched my arms.
“You’re safe here, Marnie. You’re all right. You’re safe.”
I sucked in air, breathing deeply. I stared at my arms, checking them for burns. I looked at my palms. There were no sizzle marks. But the smell of my skin burning had been so real . . .
I looked at Callan, wide-eyed. He brushed his hand down my arm gently, soothingly.
“You were screaming. Are you okay? What were you dreaming about?”
I swallowed deeply, shaking my head, trying to clear the images. The shadowy figure in the mist, his melodic, sinister voice, the knowledge of my death . . .
“I’m sorry I was screaming. I didn’t mean to wake you, or worry you . . . It was, um . . . I was in a cage. A hanging cage. I couldn’t see his face, but I know it was the Collector. He trapped me. He said he was going to harness my power and become a white warlock. It felt like . . . it felt like I was going to die . . .”
Callan sighed and rubbed my arm again. He rubbed his face and then looked at me intently. “You couldn’t see what he looked like at all? You didn’t recognize his voice?”
I shook my head.
“Hmm, that’s okay.” Callan frowned and looked away. Why so many pointed questions? Then he smiled at me, as if to reassure me. “You’ll be okay. It was just a nightmare.”
The way he said it made me think that he really believed it was something more.
“It felt so real, Callan. Like, really real. When you woke me up, I was afraid you would burn me. I mean, I checked myself for burns, from the cage that I was hanging in. I just—it was so real.”
“Nightmares can be that way sometimes. You’ve been through a lot recently.” Even though Callan was still rubbing my arm and his words were intended to reassure me, both sounded like weak, lame attempts at passing off something that he seemed to be taking more seriously but was reluctant to talk about.
But then, I might just still be reeling from the emotional content of the dream.
Of course, it wasn’t the first dream that seemed incredibly real since getting my witch powers.
“Are you okay? Do you want me to stay in here with you?” I lowered my gaze at him a little, frowning, and he held up his hands with a little laugh. “I can sleep on the floor.”
I laughed with him, still a shaky sound. I shivered as the dream sank back into my thoughts. Maybe I did want him to stay in my room. “No, no. I will be okay. Thank you, though.”
“Okay. Do you want me to get you some water or tea to help you go back to sleep?”
I thought about it for a second, but then told him no. As he was getting up to leave, I asked, “What do you know about Seers?”
Callan stopped at the door and turned around. He paused and spoke slowly, deliberately, as if he were being very careful about each word.
“They are extremely rare.”
“Pink magic is rarer.”
“That’s true, but even if you are a Seer, the future isn’t set in stone. Oftentimes, Seers have their visions clouded by their own subconscious. Especially visions they receive during dream states.”
“Yeah, but you can’t be sure how clouded it is, can you?”
“I can be sure because I’ll never let the Collector get a hold of you. So I’m certain that the dream you just had is just a manifestation of your anxiety. Not a vision.” The way he said it made me think that he really did believe his words, but it didn’t fully quiet my unease. He seemed to sense that. “If you’re worried, we can look into having you tested as a Seer. If you are one, you’ll need more training.”
I almost regretted saying anything after his last words. The last thing I wanted was more training, especially from a source that would be outside Callan. He was at least adjusted to how much pushback I gave. Someone else assigned by the Council might not be so easy to get along with. I realized in that moment how confusing it all felt. To not want training or to be a part of this life, but to simultaneously want Callan to be the one to teach me, even if I was a pain in the ass most of the time. I didn’t mean to be. The fact that we had an arranged marriage made things a bit more complicated in a lot of ways.
“All right, well, thanks.” I sank back down into the bed and Callan nodded as he left the room. “Please leave the door open.” He paused, and then kept walking, doing as I asked.
I doubted he would do much about the Seer testing, anyway. Besides, that seemed a pretty far-out thought, that I could possibly be a Seer. Pink magic was rare enough. How could I also have a gift for seeing the future?
It took me a little while to get comfortable with t
he idea of closing my eyes, for fear that when I did the same dream would greet me. I would prefer to be super tired in the morning after a lack of sleep all night than to have dreams of my potential demise greeting me every time I dropped into my warped unconscious.
Instead, I focused on visualizing the next waves I would take and let them rock me to sleep. I didn’t know the next time I would actually be allowed to go back out surfing with Anya, but if I could keep up the betting tradition with Callan, maybe I would win some chances back on my board.
And if losing bets with him meant kisses like the one we had shared earlier, maybe losing those bets weren’t such a bad deal either.
Chapter 5
“We’ve just been wondering what you’re up to,” Dulce said. Her voice held a touch of longing and a little bit of hurt too. I couldn’t help but feel bad about that. I could just imagine her at Boundless, taking a break as she readied for the shift to start, actually having gotten there on time, tying her apron around her middle, wondering what riffraff would be there tonight, and knowing that I wouldn’t be there behind the bar with my best friend. So instead, she had called me.
I hadn’t gone back to work to say goodbye. I just told Bruce that I wouldn’t be able to take shifts for a while. Dulce was a fantastic waitress and Anya was the best bartender anyone could ask for, but it was nice in a way that my absence was felt. I was sure Bruce would have to hire someone to replace me. Or maybe just promote one of the part-timers. I didn’t want to lose my spot entirely, but I had to admit, it was unlikely I would go back. Maybe ever.
But a small part of me liked that they didn’t just drop me like I dropped them. Even if I did have my reasons.
I didn’t know what my future held, but the pink witch stuff was pretty powerful and the eagerness and greed in the eyes of so many of the Councilmembers certainly meant that once they had their gold warlock train me, they wouldn’t soon want to release me back to the human world they despised.
And if my arranged marriage with Callan went through, which was an entirely different thought, then who knew where I might be.
Then there was the Collector to consider. I shivered at the thought of the dream and hanging in that cage of doom.
“I really appreciate your call, Dulce. I’m just really focused on school right now and don’t have much extra time. I really wish I could go out with you guys more often, or even come by Boundless.”
“What about tonight? Should be a good beach party. Humidity actually cools off after the bars close.”
Callan came striding out of the library, headed right toward me where I sat in one of the hammock chairs, swinging and looking out at the crashing waves. It was clear he needed to talk to me, and that the business was serious.
“I don’t think so, Dulce. I have a tutoring session super early tomorrow and—”
“Lame,” she drawled. “Just pull an all-nighter. I miss you, girl.”
“I know, I know. Hey, I’ll come by sometime soon, okay?” Callan stopped and stood right in front of me. “I gotta go now. So, I’ll catch ya later. Thanks for calling. It was really good to hear your voice.”
“All right. Talk to you soon.”
We hung up and I looked at Callan.
“Are you ready?”
“For what?” I pocketed my phone.
“I’m taking you to be tested as a Seer this afternoon.”
My mouth dropped open. “What?”
It had been over a week since my dream about being captured by the Collector. He hadn’t mentioned it in our other training sessions, and we had been working really hard together. I think I had actually been making progress. It was hard to tell sometimes.
“I was serious. If you are worried about your dreams being visions, then you need to be tested. The sooner we learn the truth, the better. If you are a Seer, then those types of magical calls of intention will just be interfering with your other magical training until they are paid attention to. I know someone that I trust who will be able to test you. Her name is Cassandra. She’ll have good advice about the next steps we should take if you are. Do you need a minute, or are you ready to go?”
“Umm, I suppose I’m ready.”
“Good.”
On the one hand, I was really glad he had listened to my concern and taken it seriously. On the other hand, I was really nervous. What could being tested as a Seer mean? First, I didn’t know what the testing involved, and if I was one, what would the training look like? Would it interfere with my training with Callan?
I hadn’t been able to get the dream out of my head and it had made for a tough week. Restless sleep, distracted training. I had talked it over with Anya and it had worried her, though I had tried to convince her it was just a nightmare when I realized the depth of her concern.
We teleported to a swanky neighborhood on the coast. Most Seers were pretty well-to-do from what I understood. They had the unique ability to work with the human world, though in a rather deceitful way. Everyone, supernatural and human alike, wanted their futures read. However, there were rules on what magicians were actually allowed to tell humans about their future. So, even if a Seer had the ability to tell a human something honest about their future, there might be a supernatural rule that forced them to lie. It was a pretty complicated process. It didn’t make them any less gifted in the presentation and mystery of it, though.
We walked up a lovely garden pathway lined with flowers to a white and blue beach style mansion with balconies overlooking the water. The Seer we were meeting was standing on the porch to greet us. I was stunned by how gorgeous she was. She was tall and slender, with long, flowing black hair and alabaster skin. She had deep blue eyes that had a bit of a lavender shade to them around the pupil. Her hands were fluttery and elegant as she gestured to us. “Welcome.”
Callan skipped up the steps to greet her, but rather than extending hands, Cassandra pulled him in and kissed him lightly on the cheek.
I felt an immediate flame of jealousy rush through my entire body and flame in my face.
I hushed it harshly and clenched my fists at my sides.
What the fuck? Jealousy? Where are you coming from? I demanded and breathed deeply. I forced a smile.
“Who is this, Callan?” Cassandra asked, holding her hand out to me.
“I’m Marnie,” I said lamely. Then thought better to add, “McTavish. Marnie McTavish.” She shook my hand lightly and gave me a quizzical look, then signaled for us to follow her. She seemed to glide along the floor in her lavender gown as she led us through the open floor plan to a rear patio overlooking the ocean.
“Cassandra and I dated a long time ago,” Callan whispered to me, ducking in close. I was surprised by his admission, while also feeling vindicated that he felt he needed to offer it. “I’m sorry. I should have told you.”
My eyes flashed at him without meaning to and I feigned a nonchalant shrug. “I’m sure she is lovely.”
“She really is, and she is a very gifted Seer.”
Another hot spike of jealousy hit me, and I wanted to groan. Instead I nodded like the little green monster wasn’t sitting on me, and I took my seat at the driftwood table on the patio.
“Callan, it is so lovely to see you. I know you have had many adventures since our paths last crossed.” Cassandra’s smile was sweet and oddly genuine.
“I have. I know you have had a lot happen in your life, as well. It took you awhile to find your way back to Eastbrooke.”
“It certainly did, didn’t it? It was a long time coming. But I’m happy here. The Seer community is very united. Though we are often at odds with the Council.” Cassandra nodded to me with that sweet smile that was endearing, much as I hated to admit it. I returned it tentatively because I immediately liked someone more if they were at odds with the Council too. Anyone that didn’t buy into the witch dogma was someone I was down to talk to. “But the Seers are all very well-connected. We are constantly finding ways to support each other.”
“That
’s actually what brings us here. Marnie has had a dream that she thinks might have been a vision. It concerns her enough that I was wondering if you would test her as a Seer.”
Cassandra looked at me inquisitively and asked a few questions about the dream. I relayed it to her quickly, trying not to relive the terrible emotion, fear, and sense of foreboding doom.
There was a gentle rumbling growl behind me just as I told her of the Collector saying he was going to harness my power. The sudden sound in close proximity made me jump.
Cassandra laughed and held up her hands lightly, saying, “I’m so sorry, that is Maely, my tiger familiar. Maelstrom, come here.” Cassandra whispered her fingers together and a huge white tiger slunk its way in between our chairs to sidle up to Cassandra’s knees. The tiger rubbed against its witch and purred into Cassandra’s hand. “She is usually not far from me, unless sent on a mission, of course.” Maely had piercing blue eyes that stood out starkly against her white and black-striped fur. She stretched and yawned, her sharply pointed teeth bared. It gave me chills when her claws clacked against the wooden patio.
“I am sorry for her interruption. Let me go get us some tea real quick, and then you can keep telling me about your dream.”
Cassandra disappeared into her house, leaving Callan and I to look out at the rolling waves as they crested against the shore. The tide was not far out, some thirty feet from the patio. Callan had sat quietly during all of Cassandra’s questioning, which I had appreciated. He was deferring to her in all ways. I wondered what her level of magical power was. A tiger was a formidable Seer companion, in my opinion, though I really didn’t know much about familiars.
Maely stretched and spread out into a lying position at Cassandra’s chair’s feet, wrapping her flicking tail around her body. Though she had a relaxed body, her eyes flicked from Callan to me and back constantly.