MagicalMistakes by Victoria Davies

peaceful lying there, listening to her even breathing.
When was the last time he’d been so relaxed? He couldn’t even remember.
    Ciar had no concept of how much time passed before Mikayla
inhaled deeply and opened her large green eyes. When her gaze landed on him she
smiled in unreserved welcome. Warmth filled him at the gesture. Had anyone ever
looked at him like that?
    “Hi,” she murmured, not bothering to grab the sheet that
pooled at her waist. “Can you change back yet?”
    He gave her a little whine in response.
    “Too bad,” she said. “We didn’t even scratch the surface of
what I want to do with you.”
    Ciar woofed in response, more than willing to pick up where
they’d left off once he could regain his own form.
    “Might as well get dressed,” she sighed, “since spending the
day in bed is not an option.”
    He watched her slip from beneath the covers as the familiar
tremors ran through him. They were faint, nowhere near the power needed to shed
his poodle form, but at least it was a good sign. A few more minutes and he
should be ready to strip off the sweater she was currently pulling over her
head.
    Mikayla dressed quickly and Ciar mourned the necessity. He
wished he could keep her in bed all day. Or all week. If it weren’t for this
damn spell, he’d never let her leave the bedroom.
    Of course, if not for the spell, he never would have made
love to her in the first place. He nearly howled at the thought.
    Mikayla was almost finished dressing when her sisters burst
through the door.
    Ciar growled at them instinctively. Mikayla he might
forgive, but her meddlesome sisters were a thorn in his side.
    “Hey guys,” Mikayla said . “Did you just get back?”
    Tamsyn nodded, glancing at Ciar. “Yeah, you sent us on a bit
of a wild ride last night.”
    “Are you all right?” Mikayla demanded, her concern clear in
her voice.
    Wyn waved her hand in dismissal. “What do you think? People
don’t call us witches for nothing.”
    “What did you find?”
    Wyn and Tamsyn exchanged a long look. “Well,” Tamsyn hedged.
    “Your solution,” Wyn said, obviously not sharing her
sister’s reticence.
    Ciar trotted to the edge of the bed, watching the
conversation. What was going on? Where had the troublesome sisters gone and
why? He glanced at his lover, not liking the idea of even more secrets.
    “We think we found what you were looking for,” Tamsyn told
Mikayla. “And she’s waiting downstairs in the kitchen.”
    Mikayla froze, still as a statue. The reaction troubled
Ciar. What had happened to put that bleak look in her eyes? She turned to him
and the expression on her face was like a dagger in his chest. He growled at
the sisters. Surely if they left he’d be able to change back. The electricity
surging through him was almost enough burst from his skin. He needed his own
body right now. Something was very wrong.
    “Who is it?” Mikayla breathed, not looking away from him.
    Tamsyn glanced at Ciar before murmuring, “His ex-fiancée,
Alina.”
    The world whirled around him. Alina? Had the sisters just
said Alina was here? The breath froze in his tiny chest.
    “Fiancée?” Mikayla whispered in horror.
    Ciar launched himself from the bed. His tiny claws scraped
against the wood as he bolted from the room.
    He was vaguely aware of Mikayla and her sisters racing after
him but he didn’t slow. Only one thought rang through his mind.
    Alina was here.
    * * * * *
    Mikayla raced after Ciar. When he burst into the kitchen,
she threw out her arms to catch her sisters before they could stumble into the
room and dampen the magic. From the hallway they watched the black smoke
envelop the little dog before Ciar stepped from the wisps.
    “He’s attracted to her,” she reported dully.
    “That’s a good thing, right?” Tamsyn asked.
    Mikayla couldn’t reply as she watched the woman waiting by
the sink turn and face the man behind her.
    She was radiantly beautiful. Her hair was as dark as Ciar’s
and