into the distance. God, I miss that face. And I hate myself for missing it. “Look,” I say, showing Luke my palms and backing up, “this was clearly a bad idea.”
And then somehow, without me seeing it, Luke closes the distance between us and grasps my wrist. “Don’t go,” he says and I know in that instant that I won’t.
The contact of his skin against mine brings with it the ever familiar rolling, purple fog, creeping up my arm and feeling ever so comfortable. Now that I can recognize it as his magic greeting my magic, I have to wonder how much of me falling for him was the product of a spell and how much of it was that a basic part of me recognized the same basic part of him and it was good.
I sigh.
I’m frozen.
I’m still just an awkward girl, stuck in her own head, lacking the skills she needs to navigate tricky conversations.
With his hand still gripping my wrist, Luke pulls me close and wraps the fingers of his other hand around my other wrist. “When I agreed on the double date at Flannigan’s, you were nothing more than a favor I was doing for Carter. But the moment I saw you, Zoe,” his hands tighten on my wrists, “the moment … ” Luke swallows. “I could tell that you and I were the same and that you were in more trouble than someone like you should have to deal with.”
I’d like to say that I’m still feeling all strong and independent and indignant but his words are melting me. The tension I was holding in my arms and shoulders to keep distance between us is bleeding away and I’m sinking into him.
“And then I got to know you, the real you, the person who was so deeply buried by all the spells and counterspells Becca had on you and I … dating you wasn’t just a favor anymore. It was a pleasure. A hugely selfish pleasure.”
“If it was such a pleasure, then why didn’t you help me?” There’s a needy whine in my voice that makes me cringe.
“I did. I tried. I did what I could without risking my position.”
And just like that, all the melting and sinking and softening towards Luke hardens right back up again. “Your position? What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
Luke drops my wrists and leans back on the tree, crossing his arms over his chest. The relief I feel at being out of his grasp is instant and rivaled only by my desire for him to touch me again. “Noah told you about the ranch?”
“A little.”
“He and I went very different ways.” Luke looks off towards the moonlight and I swear, his eyes glow a faint red. I’m thrown back to that night I started transitioning, that night he raced towards me at inhuman speeds. I shudder and take a step back.
“Noah told you how dark magic just creeps into you and takes over?” I nod. “It only sucks if you fight it, Zoe. If you give in, it’s absolutely beautiful.” He looks back to me and it’s clear I didn’t imagine the whole red eyes things. They’re crimson and as much as I’d like to look away, I can’t. “Zoe. You and I? We’re the same. Can’t you feel it? Haven’t you felt it?”
Luke reaches out and grasps my hand and there’s a pulse of power and wind blows our hair back off our faces. It’s like the lights fade and we’re standing on a stage in the spotlight, just the two of us. He slides his hands up so they’re palm out, and I press my palms to his and our magic seeps outward, dark and sultry and filled with possibility. It drips to the ground in black clumps, dispersing with little crackling sounds. For the first time since I’ve been living at Windsor Manor, I can feel the tiger pacing inside me, roaring and snarling, so frustrated and upset she’s making me antsy.
I look up at Luke and find myself staring at his lips, watching his mouth move as he whispers something to me: “Just give in, Zoe.”
Oh, I could meet him like this night after night. Get answers to the questions Noah won’t touch. I’ll use Luke to understand my dark side because part of me knows I
And then somehow, without me seeing it, Luke closes the distance between us and grasps my wrist. “Don’t go,” he says and I know in that instant that I won’t.
The contact of his skin against mine brings with it the ever familiar rolling, purple fog, creeping up my arm and feeling ever so comfortable. Now that I can recognize it as his magic greeting my magic, I have to wonder how much of me falling for him was the product of a spell and how much of it was that a basic part of me recognized the same basic part of him and it was good.
I sigh.
I’m frozen.
I’m still just an awkward girl, stuck in her own head, lacking the skills she needs to navigate tricky conversations.
With his hand still gripping my wrist, Luke pulls me close and wraps the fingers of his other hand around my other wrist. “When I agreed on the double date at Flannigan’s, you were nothing more than a favor I was doing for Carter. But the moment I saw you, Zoe,” his hands tighten on my wrists, “the moment … ” Luke swallows. “I could tell that you and I were the same and that you were in more trouble than someone like you should have to deal with.”
I’d like to say that I’m still feeling all strong and independent and indignant but his words are melting me. The tension I was holding in my arms and shoulders to keep distance between us is bleeding away and I’m sinking into him.
“And then I got to know you, the real you, the person who was so deeply buried by all the spells and counterspells Becca had on you and I … dating you wasn’t just a favor anymore. It was a pleasure. A hugely selfish pleasure.”
“If it was such a pleasure, then why didn’t you help me?” There’s a needy whine in my voice that makes me cringe.
“I did. I tried. I did what I could without risking my position.”
And just like that, all the melting and sinking and softening towards Luke hardens right back up again. “Your position? What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
Luke drops my wrists and leans back on the tree, crossing his arms over his chest. The relief I feel at being out of his grasp is instant and rivaled only by my desire for him to touch me again. “Noah told you about the ranch?”
“A little.”
“He and I went very different ways.” Luke looks off towards the moonlight and I swear, his eyes glow a faint red. I’m thrown back to that night I started transitioning, that night he raced towards me at inhuman speeds. I shudder and take a step back.
“Noah told you how dark magic just creeps into you and takes over?” I nod. “It only sucks if you fight it, Zoe. If you give in, it’s absolutely beautiful.” He looks back to me and it’s clear I didn’t imagine the whole red eyes things. They’re crimson and as much as I’d like to look away, I can’t. “Zoe. You and I? We’re the same. Can’t you feel it? Haven’t you felt it?”
Luke reaches out and grasps my hand and there’s a pulse of power and wind blows our hair back off our faces. It’s like the lights fade and we’re standing on a stage in the spotlight, just the two of us. He slides his hands up so they’re palm out, and I press my palms to his and our magic seeps outward, dark and sultry and filled with possibility. It drips to the ground in black clumps, dispersing with little crackling sounds. For the first time since I’ve been living at Windsor Manor, I can feel the tiger pacing inside me, roaring and snarling, so frustrated and upset she’s making me antsy.
I look up at Luke and find myself staring at his lips, watching his mouth move as he whispers something to me: “Just give in, Zoe.”
Oh, I could meet him like this night after night. Get answers to the questions Noah won’t touch. I’ll use Luke to understand my dark side because part of me knows I
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