2. Rule #2 Never Trust Someone With No Aura

Rule #2: Never Trust Someone With No Aura

Zoe

Standing outside the gym, I took one last puff of my vape before I went inside to face my insufferable best friend. The smooth feel of the peach flavored smoke tingled in my throat, filling my lungs and calming me. Not the healthiest habit I'd admit, but my mental health was in shambles and it kept me relatively sane.

"You're late," Lewis said as I let the gym door swing closed behind me.

"You're lucky I'm even here."

"I know. Thanks for this. It's a big group today or I wouldn't ask," he said, throwing his arms around me in a bear hug that I returned. I pulled away and leveled him with a look that said we both knew that was bullshit. He could have asked any of the other trainers.

"I worry about you," he said as he released me and we walked into the gym proper. The ground floor consisted of a main room filled with soft mats. There were two rooms at the back where we trained smaller classes or were used when we had one-on-one clients. A set of metal stairs led to a mezzanine level where we held weapons training.

"Well, don't. I'm fine," I replied, as I headed toward the locker rooms to store my bag and get changed.

He gave me a long, silent look calling me out on my own bullshit which I ignored. I was really good at ignoring my problems.

When I came back he stood where I'd left him, with his arms crossed over his broad chest, apparently not ready to let this go.

"I don't need anyone," I said, doubling down on the lies.

"You don't trust anyone," he replied. "Except me."

"Hmm," I replied, not bothering to correct him. I did trust Lewis to a certain extent, but not entirely. I didn't trust him with my whole truth. To be honest, I wasn't sure how he would react to me being a witch. Would he toss me out like trash the way everyone else did who eventually got to know me? I couldn't be sure. So I wouldn't risk it.

I was saved from answering him when the door opened and a couple of young girls walked in, my face lighting up in a genuine smile. They seemed to be around fourteen years old and training young girls was what I loved. Teaching them to defend themselves and stand on their own so that they would never need anyone else to save them. I knew first hand how important that was. High school could be a war zone. Life was even worse.

"Hi!" I said, walking over to them. "Are you here to train?"

"Hi! Yeah. We've brought our forms," one of the girls replied and they both handed me the permission slips their parents had signed.

"Let's go then."

As much as it pained me to admit it – and I never would admit it to him – Lewis was right. I felt better after training. And even though he said I wouldn't have to, I ended up giving a beginners class to the rest of the girls who had joined. I couldn't help myself. There was no way I wasn't going to share what I knew. And it was a great way to get them coming back. Give them a taste of that power and independence, and they'd be back for more.

I took advantage of the steady shower pressure and hot water at the gym then changed into a pair of black jeans, a cropped t-shirt and shrugged on my leather jacket before heading home.

As I walked by Lewis's office, he called out to me. "Zoe. Come in here for a minute, please?"

"Yes, boss?" I replied, popping my head in his door. He rolled his eyes at that.

"Do you mind hanging around for a bit? I have a new trainer coming in and I want your take on him."

"Why do we need another trainer?" I asked, dropping into one of the brown leather chairs in front of his desk.

"He's a jiu-jitsu trainer," Lewis explained.

I frowned. "But we're a Muay Thai gym."

He leaned against his desk, crossing his feet at his ankles. "And businesses need to expand if they want to grow." He booped me on the nose and I smacked his hand away.

"Jiu-jitsu's the ultimate white boy sport," I groused, rubbing the tip of my nose.

Lewis rolled his eyes. "Don't be mean. It's legit. And the white boys will pay handsomely."

I laughed. "Too true."

Lewis had always asked me to get a reading on new hires. I was able to read someone's aura, but of course he didn't know that. He just trusted my intuition. But my readings had been wonky lately. Another side effect of being banished from my coven. But I couldn't tell him that.

A voice rang out from the gym. "Hello?"

"He's British?" I hissed .

"Yes. Keep your panties on," Lewis hissed back as he led the way out of his office.

Lewis walked up to a tall, handsome man with short, wavy, brown hair. Holding out his hand, he greeted. "Daniel. Hi. I'm Lewis. It's good to meet you."

I used the chance to take him in. His sharp jawline, perfect lips and annoyingly high cheekbones made my lady parts tingle, but it was the mischievous look in his forest green eyes that had my guard up.

"Hi. Good to meet you too."

"This is Zoe. She's one of our Muay Thai trainers."

Daniel's eyes darted to me and he extended his hand in greeting. A little shock went up my arm when our fingers touched and I pulled back sharply.

"Sorry. Static," I said, shaking my hand.

"Rubber mats." He nodded to the floor we stood on, his eyes sparkling with mirth.

"Huh. How about that," I replied.

Daniel's nose twitched and his eyes roamed my body from head to toe. His slow perusal had me squirming and I hated the way I couldn't control how my cheeks heated.

Lewis cleared his throat, drawing our attention back to him. "Yes, well. My office is this way."

Daniel strode ahead of us and Lewis gave me a look that screamed What the actual fuck was that?

I shrugged in reply. Because I had no answer for him.

"Have a seat," Lewis said, gesturing to the chair that I had been sitting in a few minutes ago. I perched against a wall, rather than sit next to him. Once again, Lewis shot me a questioning look that I ignored. I couldn't get a read on this guy.

Nothing .

No aura at all.

I wasn't sure if my magic was completely fucked or if it was something else. At this point, neither was out of the question.

Crossing my arms, I listened to their conversation as they talked about contracts and schedules and whatever other things that they needed to discuss. I didn't need to know the details, that's not why I was here. But the longer I stood there, the more anxious I felt. I still couldn't get a reading on him. So I had to trust my gut. Unfortunately for Lewis, my gut said trust nobody.

"Zoe? Anything?" Lewis asked, drawing me from my ever darkening thoughts. A smirk blessed Daniel's stupidly gorgeous face, as if he knew I hadn't been listening to a damn word.

"No. Nothing from me."

"Great," Lewis said, standing up and shaking hands with Daniel across the table. "Welcome to the team. We'll iron out the schedule next week."

"What?" I said. Lewis hadn't even waited for my opinion on him.

"I start next week," Daniel said as if I was an idiot.

"Yes, I'm not hearing impaired," I snapped. All that did was make him grin, making his dimples pop. And what a beautiful sight that was.

"Well then, I look forward to working with you, Zoe." The deep timber of his voice had goosebumps skittering across my body. It had been a long time since I'd been this affected by a man.

He stepped up to me and I had to crane my neck to meet his gaze. He held out his hand and I stared at it long enough for it to be considered rude before shaking it. He took a deep breath, and his forest green eyes flashed as if he recognised me. But the look disappeared as he smiled broadly once again, then took his leave.

"What the hell was that about?" Lewis said from behind his desk .

"Me? What about you? You just hired him without even consulting me!"

"I asked you if you had anything. You said no!"

"We usually trade notes afterwards. Not while they're still here!"

"You usually give me some sort of sign though!"

Our voices were going up an octave every time we yelled at each other. Bickering like kids.

"Was my demeanor not enough of a sign?!"

"You're like that with every new person you meet!" he said, flinging out his arms in exasperation.

"Oh my god!" I yelled, falling into the chair Daniel had just vacated. It was still warm from where he sat.

"Well. It's too late now," Lewis said. Then after a beat, "What are we having for dinner?"

"Sushi. You're buying," I grumbled.

"Obviously."

An hour later we were sitting on my creaky, old couch with a platter of sushi that could feed an army. The restaurant didn't even bother giving us the extra chopsticks anymore. By now they were well aware it was only for the two of us. We ate in relative silence as we watched a documentary on orca whales off the coast of Canada who hunted with the wolves on land.

"Those psychotic sea pandas really are something else," Lewis said with a grimace.

"I know," I replied gleefully .

He gave me a side eye. "You're far too happy about that seal getting murdered."

"It's the circle of life, Lew. If they don't keep the seal numbers down, they eat all the fish. If the seals eat all the fish, there won't be any for the eagles. The Bald Eagle is endangered, you know."

"That was a baby seal, Zo," he admonished.

"Nobody told the mother to float in the ocean."

"I worry about you sometimes."

I just popped another salmon rose into my mouth as we watched the orcas hunt.

"Did you really get a bad vibe from Daniel?" he asked after a while.

"No. I got nothing to be honest. Which was strange for me."

"Yeah, it is. Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine. Stop asking."

At that moment, my whole apartment buzzed and the power went out.

"You really need to get a new fucking apartment," Lewis muttered in the dark.