“…is Emersyn, my girlfriend.”
I blinked and forced a smile onto my face as Deacon pulled me up beside him. But it took everything inside me to keep that game face on as I looked upon the group of people in front of me. They were beautiful and perfectly thin, even the guys. If I hadn’t known any better I would’ve assumed they were college students.
“Well hello there, beautiful,” a good-looking guy with dirty blonde hair and a scruffy face said with a grin that made me tighten my hold on Deacon. He stuck his hand out. “Noah Kincaid.”
Before I could shake his hand another guy stepped in between us. This one had hazel eyes and Gucci loafers with a matching belt. He took my left hand in his and kissed my knuckles. When he pulled back he wagged his eyebrows. “Oliver Fitzgerald, pleasure to meet you.”
My stomach rolled and I yanked my hand away.
There was a deep laugh and then a guy dressed in all black pushed past them. This guy was extremely attractive, with bright blue eyes and dark hair. He had that wild expression that reminded me of Tennessee, but in that knock-off, discounted version. He looked me up and down then shook my hand. “I’m Liam Westwood, and you are exquisite.”
“Alright, that’s enough with that,” Deacon grumbled. “Save your creepiness for the girls inside and not mine.”
“Yeah, way to make her uncomfortable, you pervs,” a feminine voice said from my right. When I looked over I found a bombshell of a girl with curves in all the right places and bright candy apple red air. She pointed to her chest, right under a massive diamond, and said, “I’m Scarlett.”
“And I’m Olivia,” a pretty girl with long brown hair and hazel eyes said. “The much cooler of the two Fitzgerald children.”
Kincaid. Westwood. Fitzgerald. What kinds of names are these? I groaned internally and hoped it didn’t show on my face. These girls were physically flawless. Their dresses were tighter than mine and showing off a whole lot more skin.
“Caroline,” Deacon said in a low voice.
My heart fluttered. Anxiety rolled through me like a tsunami. I’d forgotten for a moment that she’d be there. I licked my lips and tried to remain calm.
“Hello Deacon…Emersyn,” Caroline purred.
I turned toward her voice and kept my smile in place. There was no way I was letting her know she got to me. “Caroline, hello again.” Fake it ‘til you make it, Em.
Deacon cleared his throat and pulled me close. “So, guys, Greenwich Village? Since when do you leave the Upper East Side?”
“It’s a brand-new club in town, and everyone is talking about it.” Scarlett shrugged. “My current boy-toy on the side works here.”
Deacon’s eyebrows raised. “I didn’t realize you went for guys who had to work.”
Her honey colored eyes swept over me then went back to him. “Slumming it can be fun for a bit once you dress it up.” She grinned then sashayed toward the door, waving for us to follow.
The rest of the group chuckled like there was some joke I missed then followed after her. I turned to go with and almost groaned. Each of the three girls had red soled heels on and dresses that barely covered their asses. My outfit matched theirs and I hated it. Wait. Once you dress it up? She meant me. That was a dig at me. I was the unworthy peasant girl who was dressed up.
Deacon hugged me tight to his side and pressed his lips to my temple, then whispered, “Ignore her. She’s a hot mess.”
I chuckled and let him lead the way inside. To my surprise we walked right in, right passed the bouncer checking IDs at the door and the line of people waiting to get in. Eight underage teens just strolled into a nightclub and not one person looked concerned about it. New York is a strange place.
Inside the place was so jampacked with people I had to walk behind Deacon instead of beside him. I fisted his black silky sweater and held on tight. Neon lights flashed from all around. The noise was deafening. People screamed all around us, not in fear but in conversation. Music blasted but the thumping bass was so loud it drowned out the song itself.
It seemed like we walked for miles before the crowd lightened up. But when we stopped I realized why. We were in the VIP section, separated with a velvet rope. The DJ was shouting through a microphone but his voice was too mumbled to hear a word. We’d only just walked in and I was already dying to leave.
Then I heard something I never in a million years expected to hear in New York City.
Country music.
Garth Brooks country music.
“Oh my, God,” I whispered and spun around to the dance floor.
“Ew. What is this place?” Olivia whined. “Scarlett what have you done?”
“Holy shit,” Noah said with a laugh. “Are they line dancing?”
Yes. Yes, they are and it’s amazing. Finally, something that makes sense to me.
Chapter Twenty-Four
DEACON
Emersyn’s face lit up. A wide grin spread across her face and it took my breath away. Her golden eyes sparkled like sunlight. I had no idea what prompted my friends to go across town to a country western bar, but they had just made my girlfriend’s night.
I chuckled. “You like this place?”
“Oh yeah,” she said then looked up at me with flushed cheeks. The song changed and she gasped. She spun back to face the dance floor then bounced and clapped her hands. “Oh, oh, oh! I know this one!”
And then…she was gone.
She charged out of the VIP section and raced the short distance to the dance floor. Everyone out there was in a row doing choreographed moves in sync with each other and the music. So this is line dancing. It looked complicated. They kicked and hopped, then stomped and spun in quick circles.
“What is she doing?” Scarlett snapped and moved to stand beside me at the wooden ledge.
Olivia groaned but it sounded like a strangled animal. “She is not going out there to try. Tell me I’m imagining things.”
But she wasn’t. Emersyn didn’t even hesitate. The second she stepped onto the shiny wooden dance floor she jumped in line between two women and spun in a circle at the same time they did. My jaw dropped. She really did know this one. Literally. When they kicked, she kicked. When they dipped and turned, she dipped and turned. And all in her Louboutin heels.
Actually, she kind of looked ridiculous in her tiny black dress and sky-high heels that went up to her thigh, since everyone else was pretty much in jeans and flats. But she didn’t seem to notice or at least, she didn’t care. She was incredible. Her blonde hair whipped around as she spun in tight circles.
“Boot scoot and boogie?” Oliver shuddered. “What hellhole dimension are we in?”
The whole group of dancers was facing us now and the smile on Emersyn’s face took my breath away. She looked so happy. My heart soared with pride. That was my girl. She didn’t care that she looked completely out of place. She didn’t worry what my snotty so-called friends thought. It was a side of her I hadn’t seen before but I loved it.
Some drunken guy with beer belly and too much chest hair stumbled up to the rope and ran his fingers down Scarlett’s arm. He wagged his eyebrows. “You are finger licking good, blondie.”
She smacked his arm away and snarled. “Interact with your eyes only – unless you’d like to lose them.”
“Ew. Ew. Gross. Can we go now?” Olivia wrapped her arms around her waist and pouted. “Caroline, this is not what we had in mind.”
“Yeah, let’s go.” Caroline grimaced then rolled her eyes. “The plan is not working.”
Emersyn threw her head back and laughed.
This is exactly what I had in mind. It didn’t matter what the plan — wait. I frowned and looked over to my group. Normally, I hated using my gifts on my friends. It felt wrong. Being able to sense what people wanted was only a gift I wanted to use on my enemies. But something about their sideways glances sent a cold chill down my spine. I pushed my magic. Oliver and Noah’s desires were X-rated and aimed at the girls walking by in cutoff jean
shorts. Nothing new there. Liam’s focus was on Olivia, and it was definitely not platonic.
I looked to Olivia to see if she wanted him back but she was annoyed and itching to leave. Scarlett and Caroline were focused on Emersyn…and their desires were malicious. Then it hit me. This was a joke to them. They knew my girlfriend was from the south so they brought her to a country western bar with the intention of mocking her.
But the joke was on them…because Emersyn was loving it.
“Deacon!” Scarlett hissed in my ear and smacked my arm. “Hello, we’re talking to you.”
I arched one eyebrow. “What?”
Caroline rolled her eyes and flipped her red hair over her shoulder. “Let’s bail. This place sucks.”
“Okay.” I stepped back and gestured toward the walkway. “So go.”
Caroline’s cheeks flushed. “What?”
The rest of my friends grumbled and whined. They begged me to leave, tried to convince me how terrible the place was.
I pointed to my soulmate on the dance floor. “Look at that smile on her face. I’m not doing anything to change that. You can go, or stay, makes no difference to me.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
EMERSYN
Three line dances later I skipped back over to Deacon…so he wouldn’t notice I was limping. Stiletto heels were not made for this kind of dancing. I was breathing heavy and there was definitely sweat dripping down my spine, but I couldn’t get the smile off my face. I hadn’t line danced in months. There was a local place back in Charlotte that my mom and I used to go to at least twice a week to dance. I hadn’t realized how much I missed it.
Deacon grinned as I leaned against the wooden railing across from him. “Buttercup, you are incredible.”
My cheeks were on fire. I knew I was blushing but I didn’t care. “Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.”
“I’m glad you didn’t,” he said with a chuckle. He held a drink up toward me. “You must be thirsty, it’s water.”
My mouth watered. I smiled and took the glass, then chugged the entire thing. “Oops.”
“Emersyn, your feet must be dying.” Olivia shook her head. “Why haven’t you switched your shoes by now?”
I frowned. “I didn’t bring another pair…?”
Scarlett giggled. “Deacon, are you dating a Sapien and didn’t tell us?”
“You can use magic, Em. To change your shoes.” Olivia leaned forward and pursed her lips. “Or maybe you can’t. It does take a high level of skill. Liam, be a doll and give Emersyn here something a bit more comfortable to dance in.”
Deacon shook his head. “That isn’t necessa—”
“On it!” Liam waved a wand I hadn’t seen him holding at my feet.
I gasped as my toes were surrounded by something fuzzy. And warm. I looked down and my eyes widened. He gave me lime green dinosaur slippers with big orange claws. They were the most ridiculous thing I’d ever seen. He’d obviously done it to bully me and make me look foolish. But joke was on him, these were super comfortable. And there was no way I was letting them know their actions were hurtful. I was going to roll with this regardless of what they did to me.
Olivia and Scarlett giggled and pointed at my feet.
Caroline rolled her emerald green eyes. “She likes them,” she whispered to her friends, not realizing I heard her.
Back at it, Caroline? Don’t let them see. I wiggled my toes and looked down at my feet. “You know, I think we should get Tennessee a pair of these for Christmas.”
Deacon spit his drink.
Olivia’s eyes snapped to me. “You know Tennessee?”
Oh right, they don’t know who I am. It was kind of nice keeping that secret, even if it was a bit shady. I shrugged. “Doesn’t everyone?”
Deacon threw his head back and laughed. “Oh Goddess. YES. Oh my god. Hold on, I need to order these right now.”
I grinned. “See if you can get one green and one blue, ya know, so he matches.”
Deacon dropped his head to the ledge. His shoulders shook as he laughed. He picked his head back up and his eyes had that wild spark in them I loved so much. “So he matches. So brilliantly wicked.”
Olivia narrowed her eyes as she looked back and forth between us. “Shouldn’t you ask his soulmate first?”
“And ruin the surprise for her?” Deacon scoffed. “Tegan will love it. She’ll make him wear them while shirtless.”
I threw my hand over my mouth and giggled. I’d been joking. These mean girls were bullying me so I said the first thing I could think of to pretend like it didn’t bother me. But now, it was definitely going to happen. And knowing Tennessee, he’d probably love them, too. He was such a weirdo like my sister.
An old Eric Church song came so I glanced over my shoulder to see if they were doing the same dance I knew. It wasn’t, but it was close enough I wouldn’t get run over.
Deacon took the glass out of my hand. “Go dance,” he said softly.
I bit my lip and ran out there. I’d never expected to find line dancing in New York, and I couldn’t believe I didn’t pack a single pair of cowgirl boots. Though, the slippers were much easier than the heels. I liked those heels, I need to have Deacon switch them back later.
I was just getting the hang of the dance when the song suddenly changed, about a minute too soon. The DJ cursed as it switched to Kenny Chesney. The dancers just shrugged and started the new dance. This one I really didn’t know but I was determined to try. Thirty seconds later the song switched to Carrie Underwood right in the middle of a spin. I stepped out of my turn and my feet slid on the polished hardwood sending me sliding across the dance floor.
My breath left me in a rush. I flailed my arms around to try and slow down but it wasn’t working. Just as I was about to smash right into the DJ booth a massive tower of a man jumped out in front of me and caught me. I slammed into his chest with a thud.
“Sorry, Sorry!” I said quickly and stepped back. I didn’t mean to laugh but it just slipped out. “I think it’s the slippers.”
He shook his head and snarled. “No, some jackass spilled powder on the dance floor. Here let me help you.”
I looked down at the ground as he took my elbow and sure enough there was a huge track of white powder on the floor. Some jackass. That hadn’t been there before and I knew exactly how it got there. I peeked over to the group and found Noah tapping his wand on the ledge. Deacon reached over and snatched it out of his hand and said something but I was too far away.
It’s fine. Don’t let them get to you.
The nice man who played bumper cars with me slid me all the way across the dance floor to where my friends were. Scratch that, to where Deacon was. The rest of them could go to hell.
I smiled up at my savior and then I noticed the red mist hovering around him. Deacon had used his magic to save me from across the dance floor. Warmth spread through my body. “Thank you, sir.”
Deacon waved his hand and his magic disappeared. “Yes, thanks.” then glared at the others.
I pushed my shoulders back and stepped off the dance floor. “These things were made for hardwood floors. It’s like skiing.”
“Have you ever been —" Deacon gasped. His eyes widened. “What happened to your —what the hell did you do to her?”
My heart stopped. What? I looked down at myself but I looked normal, aside from the slippers. His friends burst into giggles. They high-fived each other.
Deacon sighed but it sounded more like a growl. “Your hair is blue. Olivia or Scarlett put a potion in your drink. I’m sorry, they’re assholes. I didn’t think they’d stoop to this level. I’m sorry.”
“My hair is what?” I dug into Deacon’s front pocket and grabbed my cellphone, then opened up the camera app. My jaw dropped. It was hard to see in the dark with only neon lights but it was definitely blue.
“It’s not permanent, it’ll wear off soon.”
I looked up to Deacon and forced a laugh. “So I’m like Cinderella? My hair
will turn blonde and my heels will come back on our way home?”
Deacon opened his mouth but I cut him off with a kiss to his forehead. “I’m going to the bathroom, I’ll be right back.”
I didn’t wait for his response or to ask one of the girls to come with. A moment alone was the goal. I scurried through the crowd then slipped past the long line for a toilet to the sinks. One quick glance told me I hadn’t been followed. I sighed and looked at myself in the mirror.
My cheeks were flushed and sweat beaded my forehead. My makeup was still looking fierce. The shiny nude lipstick was a tad plain yet I still felt feminine and pretty. Annnnnd my hair was bluer than a cloudless summer day in Florida.
“Oh my god, I love your hair!” The girl beside me nodded. “So badass.”
I saw myself blush in the mirror. “Thanks, it’s new.”
As the girl left I stared at my reflection...and my long, wavy, wild blue hair. It actually was kind of badass. I pulled my phone out and opened the camera. The bathroom was full but I didn’t know any of them and I’d already seen three girls snap pics while I was standing there. Back home in Charlotte my girlfriends were obsessed with bathroom selfies, so I used to take them a lot. Now it felt foreign and weird. But this had to be documented. I pulled on my old ways and fluffed my hair up nice and pretty...then pointed the camera at the mirror and snapped a pic while making a funny face. I looked at the result and rolled my eyes.
These rich brats and their magical pranks. I needed to have my vengeance, not right away but when they weren’t expecting it. Except I wasn’t sure how. I needed advice. And I knew just who to ask. My real friends.
I opened up the text thread for the entire Coven and inserted the pic with a message saying, Deacon’s “friends” have been playing pranks on me tonight...slipped a potion in my drink and now I’m a blueberry. Retaliation advice is needed. Please give me your most wicked ideas.
The Fire Witch (The Coven: Elemental Magic Book 7) Page 11