Tegan responded first. BLOODY HELL ITS AMAZING.
OH MY LAWD. YASSS. Royce sent with a gif of someone dancing.
Wait. Hold up. There’s a potion for changing hair color and I DONT KNOW ABOUT IT? Paulina said with angry emojis. Get me that potion.
Henley sent, Are we talking Russell Crowe in Gladiator vengeance or Anne Hathaway in Bride Wars?
Tegan, do NOT answer that. Tennessee said with the cry laughing emoji.
But BABE. I can sneak into their rooms tonight tooth fairy style!
Tegan I’ve got some ideas, come get me first, Willow said with the smiling devil face emoji.
Tennessee sent a gif of a guy shaking his head in defeat.
Emersyn... Easton sent, followed by, Just sleep with their boyfriends. That’ll get their attention.
Oh so THAT’S why you slept with all those girls? Lily shot back.
No, no, no. Let’s NOT do that. my dad said. I’m okay with bloodshed though.
Easton, your speaking privileges have been revoked, Cooper said.
You should ask Heather, she was pretty good at pranks back in school. uncle Kessler said.
Oh, is that what we’re calling it now? my mother said with winking emojis.
I plead the fifth, uncle Kessler said.
I laughed. Thanks guys. I needed this.
Twin, don’t worry. Willow and I have a plan. WE GOT YOU. #toothfairystyle
Tennessee, go with them. Timothy chimed in. Don’t let her kill anyone.
What if it’s an accident? Tegan asked.
TENNESSEE. Constance said.
What do you want me to do, put a leash on her?
ROYCE DONT SAY IT, Cooper shot back.
Royce sent back the smiling face emoji with a halo.
Wait, where’s Deacon right now? Henley asked. Did you leave him alone with those bitches?
GIRRRRRRL GET OUT THERE. Those girls want him bad. Royce said followed by a gif of girls twerking.
I just looked in Larissa’s notebook. That potion will wear off in twenty four hours. Chutney sent a pic of the handwritten note. But it says to take a shot of tequila and it’ll go away. Soooooo bottoms up!
Oh yea....gee...my hair is suddenly blue too... Braison finally jumped in.
Tegan, I just texted you their addresses. Deacon finally chimed in. Do your worst.
Each one of my Coven members responded with laughter, in gif and emoji form.
Thanks guys! You’re the best. Imma go claim my territory now.
I left the bathroom with a smile on my face and headed toward my group. As I got about ten feet away I noticed Scarlett leaning her elbow on Deacon’s shoulder. Olivia stood on the other side and ran her fingers through his longer blond hair strands. Caroline giggled then moved to stand in front of him, like she was about to straddle him. She reached out and hooked her finger on the necklace he had on.
Deacon jumped to his feet and pushed them all away. But they kept going back for more.
My blood boiled. Pure hot rage pumped through my veins. I wanted to summon my flames. I wanted to tell them off then kick their asses. But I was better than that. And it wouldn’t have mattered. It would only give them more ammunition against me later. They wanted me gone so they could have Deacon.
Except he was my boyfriend. And if I knew my sister like I thought I did, she’d be paying them a visit as promised.
I held my chin up and marched over. They could play their pranks on me all they wanted. I could handle that. But this was over the line. He was mine.
Deacons eyes widened when he saw me. He said something but I didn’t hear it. I pushed passed Caroline then stood up on my tip toes and pressed my lips to his. He leaned in to my kiss immediately, cupping my face and angling my head back. I fisted his shirt and pulled him closer, slipping my tongue into his mouth. Heat exploded inside me. For a moment I was lost in him.
I pulled back and licked my lips. “Let’s go home.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
EMERSYN
Deacon walked me to the guestroom then stopped right outside the door. He tugged on my hands, pulling me against his chest. “I’m sorry about tonight.”
I smiled up at him. “It’s okay, it was harmless and I actually had fun.”
“And you know Tegan and Willow are going to torment them tonight.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I chuckled and shrugged. Even though he was right.
He shook his head. “You’re incredible.”
I stood up on my tip toes and pressed my lips to his. He cupped my face and deepened our kiss. My body lit up like fireworks. Every inch of me warmed and buzzed with energy. Kissing Deacon was the best feeling in the world. I didn’t do it enough.
He pulled back far too soon. “Get some sleep, my beautiful blueberry.”
I giggled and gave him one more quick kiss, then stepped back. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.” He smirked and bowed his head then turned and strolled into his room.
I walked into the guest room I’d been given with a smile on my face. The pranks they’d pulled on me should’ve been embarrassing and it was. Yet somehow I was still in a good mood. Maybe it was having Deacon’s open support. Or maybe it was feeling like I was back home in my comfort zone.
Or maybe it was realizing that it didn’t matter what those people thought of me because I didn’t care. I had an entire Coven of people that cared about me and would do anything for me. Twenty-one ride or die friends that were really more like family. I’d never had that in my entire life. I’d never had friends I truly could count on. But now I had a whole extended family. And a soulmate. So what did I care if they pulled harmless pranks?
With that thought in mind I changed into my comfortable cotton pajamas that were definitely three paychecks too cheap for those friends. I slid into the comfy bed and stared at the ceiling. The room was quiet. Too quiet. And cold. I didn’t want to be in here by myself.
I wanted to go in with Deacon.
Not for anything...more...I just wanted to be in the same room as him. I was just afraid if I went in there it might be misconstrued and I didn’t want to lead him on.
I pulled out my phone and typed a text to Tegan, Royce, and Henley. Sooooo can I ask you a question...About Deacon.
He’s clean. You’re good to ride, baby girl.
ROYCE! Damn. That is not how you say that. Henley wrote, followed immediately by Though he isn’t wrong.
Where was my good to ride call, Royce? LOL Tegan sent followed by laughing emojis.
Royce sent the shrugging emoji. Blood tests only work for humans and partial humans.
Tenn just looks like a bad boy, you know he’s a good one.
Oh, I DO. Tegan sent several winky faces. Now, twin. What’s going on? How can we help?
Wait, did he fall asleep on you? Because I can tell you how to wake him up.
I pursed my lips and hesitated, but I’d already started the conversation might as well finish it. Idk if he’s asleep. I was given the guest room.
Wait what? Seriously? Aunt heather made you sleep in guest room? Royce asked.
Actually....deacon did. He said he didn’t want me to feel uncomfortable or pressured...
Well duh, he’s a nice guy. And he’s trying to do right by you, Em. Henley wrote, then added But he wouldn’t turn you away if you wanted it...
Em, he’s your soulmate. He adores you. If you want to sleep in his room with him then do it, whether it’s just to cuddle or more. Tegan said. That was your question, right?
I bit my lip. Yes. But I was afraid that climbing into bed with him now, after we’ve both gone to bed, might be misleading...
Baby girl. That boy may have been around the block a few times but he would never, ever overstep. Go get you some cuddles.
My brother is right. And even if it does mislead a tiny bit, that’s his problem not yours.
You cant actually mislead him, though. Part of the Devil’s magic is being able to sense wh
at people want. Tegan said, then another, he already knows you’re not ready for more. That’s why he gave you a separate room. If you want to share a bed then go in there. Let him decide if he can handle the cuddles.
I sighed with relief. Thanks guys. I’m going in there, wish me luck.
I jumped out of bed and ran over to the door. The hallway seemed quiet so I opened the door and poked my head out. Once I was sure there was no one lurking in the hall, I sprinted across and over to Deacon’s room. I didn’t let myself pause or hesitate, I just turned the handle and slipped inside. The door clicked shut and I spun around...and my breath left me in a rush.
His room was amazing. The lights were off but there was a soft blue flickering light from the television on the right. But my attention went to the two walls that were entirely glass. Directly in front of me were the city lights that looked out over the street. However, to my right, all I saw was Central Park. What a view.
“Emersyn?”
I jumped and looked to my left toward his voice...and my jaw dropped. Deacon was stretched out in his bed, in gray sweatpants. Shirtless. Heat filled my body like I’d stepped inside a volcano. My cheeks could’ve actually been on fire for how hot they were. He was beautiful, and perfectly sculpted like the statue of David. What. A. View.
Deacon sat up and the crystal of our soulmate glyph sparkled a bright blue. “Em?”
I jumped. Again. “I...umm...uh......” Pull yourself together woman. They’re just abs.
“Uh, Emersyn? You okay?”
I groaned and leaned back against the door. “Give me a second.”
He frowned. “For what?”
“To decide if I need you to put your shirt back on or if I can handle it,” I said before I could stop myself. “It’s a tough call.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “Well why don’t you tell me what you came in here for and that might help you decide.”
I took a deep breath then let it out as I whispered, “I wanted to cuddle.”
His answering smile told me I’d made the right decision in coming over. His grin continued to widen until it went from ear to ear. My heart fluttered and sent butterflies bouncing around in my stomach.
“Well come on then.” He hopped over to the far side of his king size bed then patted the spot he’d just been in. His grin firmly in place. “There’s a CSI marathon on and cuddles are the best companion.”
“New York, Miami, or the original?”
He scoffed. “The Original, obviously.”
I grinned and skipped over to the bed. Then paused. I’d never slept in a boy’s bed before. Those nights in Salem didn’t count. He’d been unconscious and I sat up most of the time. But this...this was Deacon’s bed. Like the one he’d slept in every night before he got Marked.
Deacon’s hand popped into my line of view and I jumped. When I looked up I found him watching me. His violet eyes were soft and his smile was warm. Stop being so afraid. It’s just Deacon. I put my hand in his and let him pull me up on the bed. I curled up beside him and laid my head on his chest...and all the tension in my body slipped away.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
EMERSYN
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Deacon chuckled. “What? I just looked.”
I narrowed my eyes but I couldn’t help but smile back at him. “No, you’ve been making a weird smiley face since we got on the elevator.”
“You just...” His cheeks flushed a soft pink. He shrugged. “You look really pretty today.”
“Oh.” It was my turn to blush. “Thank you.”
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but you look like a New Yorker today.” He chuckled and gestured at my body. “And those boots...my goddess, Em. Those are...”
I chuckled and gave him my best Giselle Bundchen pose- which probably looked ridiculous. But we were alone in the elevator so I didn’t care. “You like? Yeah?”
“Yeah,” he said with a chuckle. “I like.”
I looked down at my outfit and smiled. The heels may not have been my preference, but these thigh high Chanel boots were a new favorite. I’d paired them with black leggings and an oversized black sweater. I thought Heather might approve of my choice, not that she paid me any attention. I wasn’t sure why I kept trying to impress her.
“I’m just thankful your mother gave me the antidote for the blue hair.” Especially since she hates me.
He laughed. “I’m just thankful I got to see your face when you drank the tequila.”
“It was disgusting.”
“It was priceless.”
The elevator doors opened. Deacon took my hand and led me through the lobby of his building then across fifth avenue to the cobblestone sidewalk that ran alongside Central Park. The sun was shining and the sky was a pale blue. The temperature had warmed to a manageable degree.
“So what’s on the agenda today?” I asked as he led us straight into the park.
“Well...tonight is the gala at the Crescent Club.”
I arched my eyebrows. “The one where you and I are going to be honored, in front of the entire witch society of New York?”
“Yeah.” He grimaced. “I don’t think anyone will try to prank you tonight. They’re all actually afraid of my mother and this is her event, so I think you should be good.”
I shuddered at the idea of being humiliated in front of everyone. I immediately thought of the movie Carrie, then tried to shake that thought away.
“I did get a text from Tegan this morning saying her, Willow, and Cooper paid Caroline and them a little visit last night. She said they videotaped it.”
“Cooper went?” I chuckled. My brother could get inside anyone’s dreams, so I knew he’d had some fun with them. The thought put a little pep into my step. “Well, I look forward to seeing those videos.”
Deacon chuckled. “Galas up here are a rather big deal. People take them seriously. I don’t think we have to worry about that tonight. But I won’t make you go, if you don’t want to.”
“Of course we will go. This is important to you, besides how bad would we look if we didn’t show up to our own honorary ball?” I didn’t necessarily want to go but I wanted to make him happy. “Wait, does this mean I’ve got more shopping and makeovers today?”
He laughed and shook his head. Then he steered me toward a small cluster of people. “No. That’s over. Gala is later. Today, I wanna show you my favorite part of New York.”
I smiled. “Okay.”
“Starting with this.” He grinned and pointed to a rolling cart food vendor. “I usually start by getting a hotdog or pretzel, and a soda. What do ya say?”
My jaw dropped. “You. You leave your fifth avenue penthouse for a two dollar hotdog from a cart?”
He shrugged. “All the time.”
“I like it.” My stomach growled. I turned to the man and smiled. “Hotdog and a pretzel please, oh and a coke.”
“And I’ll have two hotdogs, with a sprite.” Deacon handed the guy some cash.
We took our snacks and walked down a paved sidewalk toward a little lake. “Thanks for lunch,” I said as we sat down on a bench beside the water.
“You’re welcome, buttercup.” He winked then took a massive bite out of his hotdog. Ketchup spilled over the edge and missed his jeans by an inch. He groaned. “Ohmygod that’s good.”
I took a bite and yeah, it was the best damn hotdog in my life. We were silent a few moments as we ate and enjoyed the nice weather but then I remembered some of the things I’d been confused about. “D, can I ask you some questions? About Edenburg and stuff.”
“Of course, shoot.”
“Well, Caroline told me a little about the four suits but I don’t quite get it.”
His eyebrows raised as he chewed. After he swallowed, he said “I keep forgetting you’re new to our world. Right so basically every witch’s magic falls into one of four suits, think of them as strengths or specialties. So when we go to Edenburg they tell us which suit is
our path then train us. Swords are the warriors, fighters. The Tennessee’s of the world. Cups are the healers and potionists, like Katherine and Larissa. Wands are spellcasters, they tend to be the wild ones who create spells so they can apply makeup with wands instead of by hand.”
I chuckled. “Like Caroline, Liam and Noah.”
“Precisely.” He took a sip of his sprite then sat it down. “Then there’s the pentacles. These are the witches who venture out into the human world and make sure the two species coexist peacefully. Now each of these suits have highly sought after careers: majors, minors, aces, pages, and knights.”
I nodded. “That was my next question.”
“Knights are Swords Suit graduates who work as hired security, be it personal or Coven appointed. Cups becomes healers, that’s the easy one. Wands all aim to be Lead Pages, there’s one per major city. Basically most talented spell slinger in the area, appointed by the Coven. Majors, minors, and aces are essentially same thing but Pentacles. They make sure humans and witches aren’t killing each other and humans remain clueless to our existence.”
“Wow. That’s a lot, yet still not enough info.” I chuckled. “Which Suit are you?”
“Pentacle, like my parents.”
I opened my mouth to ask a question when something bright pink flew right in front of my face. “What the hell was that?”
Deacon leaned back and smiled. “The reason I come here.”
“The reason you—” my jaw dropped. “Wh-what am I seeing?”
It was like someone had flipped a switch. What was once a group of pigeons strutting around in the grass were now lime green iguanas with wings and stripped tails. I didn’t know how else to describe it. The trees behind us rustled. I spun on the bench on found small orange cats with spikes on their backs wrestling with each other.
Deacon tapped on my arm. “Em, look,” he said and pointed behind me.
I followed his hand and my breath left me in a rush. The pond where kids were playing with toy boats was now a vivid turquoise. Dark and colorful creatures swam just below the surface. But my attention was zeroed in on the far side of the pond…where a herd of horses with massive sprawling wings hovered just over the water.
The Fire Witch (The Coven: Elemental Magic Book 7) Page 12