Tasting The Enemy

Elaine POV

“What do you think you are, part witch?” Azaire asked.

I nodded. “What else creates fire and ice? Dad broke sacred law maybe that’s why he never spoke about my Mom.”

“You said he doesn’t talk about Blazer’s Mom either is he a hybrid too?”

“No,” I frowned. At least I didn’t think he was.

“The Ryker family drama keeps getting deeper and deeper,” Azaire sighed as he collapsed on the couch.

“Thanks,” I frowned.

He cupped my thigh and squeezed. “I’ll take you with your drama every day of the year.”

“I don’t want the drama. All I wanted was to go to medical school and make a difference even a small one, Azaire.”

His hand left my thigh and cupped my cheeks. Azaire held my gaze. “You will. I’ll be there every sleepless night and before every test. We have to make sure you’re safe, first. Which means taking care of Avena and Neel but I can handle Neel right now.”

I caressed his arm. “Don’t please.”

“Touching another man’s mate is the ultimate crime. He’ll pay for it.”

“Let’s not talk about him, babe. Tell me about Rae. All I know is she’s a witch you trust.”

Azaire blew out a breath. I crossed my legs on the couch and waited for his response.

“Rae was my brother’s girlfriend. She was our childhood friend. I’ve known her my whole life. She’s been through a lot too. She lost my brother and her sister abandoned her. I’m proud of her for making it this far.”

“Azaire, now I feel worse that she’s being attacked.”

“The only one to blame here is your Dad’s weird ass witch.”

How would I confront my Dad about this? I felt lied to my whole life. Maybe this was why he never cared about me. I am the product of a forbidden union. In reality, he shouldn’t have had me and that stung. His wife must have known my Mother wasn’t a wolf it just added insult to injury.

***

I knocked and waited outside Rae’s apartment. Azaire had duties to handle in the pack so I came alone.

Rae answered minutes later. She locked the door with a dozen locks after I got inside.

“Does that help?” I asked.

“They’re magical locks. Last time only two were broken but the others held out.”

I cringed. “Sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“But if I hadn’t come here…”

“If you hadn’t come Azaire would have been running around like a headless chicken all night.”

Yeah, he might have. Rae led me to the dining room. At first glance, it looked like a dining room with a round table five chairs and a cabinet against the right wall but at closer inspection, there were tarot cards on the table and bottles of herbs in the cabinet.

“Have a seat. We just have to figure out if you have magic.”

“What happens if I do, Rae? I’ll be an outcast!”

She smiled. “Just because hybrids are rare doesn’t mean they’re bad. I was in love with a wolf. Our baby would have been a hybrid. Sometimes I don’t understand why the goddess has to curse our offspring. They’re born out of love.”

I smoothed my hands. “I don’t think that was the case for me. I don’t even know my Mother’s name let alone her face.”

Rae covered my hands and smiled but she drew her hand quickly as if she’d been burned by a hot stove.

“Ouch!”

“What’s wrong?”

“A jolt of energy. Okay, let’s do this. I need you to hold this crystal.”

Rae gave me a smooth white crystal in the shape of a pebble.

“It lights up when it detects magic.”

The white stone turned neon blue. It burned my palm and I dropped it.

“Is it supposed to burn?”

Rae shook her head. “No, it’s just supposed to glow. Maybe your magic’s countering it.”

“I don’t know how to use my powers.”

“I can help. Since I was attacked I started taking my powers seriously. So I can teach you.”

“You mean it?”

Rae smiled and nodded. “And honestly I could use a friend. Azaire and his brothers are nice and all but I need a girlfriend.”

“Ugh, I know what you mean. I grew up with two older brothers who never let a guy two feet from me.”

I felt like I made a friend, not a fake one who sleeps with the fiancee you didn’t want behind your back. She gave me a book of spells and told me to practice a small levitation spell on a pot.

“Hard as stone but as light as air?” I recited the words.

“Sounds dumb but it’s a beginner spell. Just feel it and focus on the pot.”

I nodded and narrowed my eyes on the sunflower pot. I must look like I was trying to take a shit. I uttered the spell again and willed the pot to fly with my mind. Suddenly the pot rose off the table.

Rae and I gasped then the pot shot to the ceiling and shattered. Dirt flew across the dining room and landed in our hair too.

“Too much power,” Rae said.

“Sorry.”Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

“No, it’s good. We should try something else.”

“Ou what about teleportation?”

“I don’t want to lose my dining table.”

The windows shook then the table bounced violently. The objects in the cabinet smashed against each other. Rae and I stood instantly and looked around.

“They’re here,” Rae’s voice cracked.

“What do we do?” I asked, reaching out for her.

“You should go. They must have felt your magic when you used it.”

“I’m not leaving you. Look at this place.”

The windows cracked and the dining table had moved to the other corner of the room.

“I’ll handle them. I’ve been doing-”

I grabbed her arm. “We’re friends now we’re leaving together!”

The dining room window burst and the one in the living room. Rae grabbed my arm and we escaped through the kitchen back door as a whirlwind blew into the house.

***

“Will you be able to go back?” I asked as we marched up to the Shaw mansion.

Rae sighed. “My house is probably a mess! I’ll have to assess.”

Rae and I paused in the driveway.

“Whoa, are they having a party?” She asked.

I shook my head. This was the last thing I needed to happen. “No, my Dad’s here.”