19. Ethan

Chapter 19

Ethan

I gasp awake and reach for empty air. “Wick!”

“I’m right here, my little witch.” He smooths the hair from my face. “I’m right here. I’m yours forever.” He leans in and kisses my forehead. “It worked. It fucking worked.”

My chest stings, and he stills my hand before I can scratch it.

“I’m sorry if it’s not what you wanted, but I bound you to me with a blood seal. It’s what Vi said to do, and I trusted her.”

“She’s smart.” My words slur a little and I can’t help the goofy grin when Wick comes into view.

“I thought I was going to lose you again.” Wick takes my hand and presses it to his lips. “You were so still.” He looks lost. “I never want to lose you again. You’re mine, Ethan. Mine. ”

His growl goes right to my dick, and it takes everything in me to will the appendage to stay the fuck down.

“And you’re mine, Wicky. No one else can have you.” I squeeze his hand and his tail swishes behind him. A different tail than I’m used to. I push to sit, but he presses me back down. “What happened while I was out?”

He gives me the rundown. Florence gave up their magic. They released Wick. Then Wick had to bind us before any of the witches had the chance to.

“Apparently, most of them were afraid of what might happen if they came into your room.” He rubs his cheek against my hand. “Honestly, I was afraid too, but I wasn’t going to let the magic consume you. I couldn’t.” He lets me go to pace. “And I know we don’t technically know each other anymore. But I want to change that. I want to?—”

He stops. “I… I don’t have a crossroads anymore. I can do anything and not worry about that obligation.”

I smile up at him. “What do you plan to do with your life?”

“Besides, love you every moment?” His tufted tail sways behind him. “I think I want to open a bakery.”

“That’s perfect.”

He throws his head back and laughs. “I’m—we’re free.”

“Knock. Knock.” Florence mimes on the door as they come in. “Just wanted to make sure you’re okay. Wick’s been hogging you for days.”

I groan. “How long was I out this time?”

The pair look at each other.

“You don’t wanna know,” Florence says.

“At least I had pleasant dreams.”

Wick’s cheeks blush again.

Vi zooms in and sasses me, but she’s happy I’m awake. She gives me the sweetest images of Wick by my bed and I reach out to scrub a hand through his hair. My lovely demon.

Rosco and Squid amble into the room as if they’re buddies now.

“Come here, buddy,” Wick holds out his arms and cuddles the raccoon.

I cock a brow.

Florence scratches Rosco under the chin. “Poor guy, Cordia rejected him. She’s sorry about it now, but he won’t have anything to do with her anymore, and I don’t blame him.”

“I adopted him,” Wick says with the biggest grin. “He’s so funny. Why would she give him up?”

“He really is a hoot,” I say. “He loves apples.”

“I know, and he gets into shenanigans at my place.” He noses the raccoon. “We’re the bestest of pals, aren’t we? And you like Frankie and Pumpkin, don’t you?”

Florence snorts before sitting on the edge of my bed. “Are you mad at me?”

“For what? Saving us all? No.” I squeeze her hand.

“I basically took your plan, but made it my own. Worked perfectly, I’d say. I have no magic to speak of and can still do exactly what I planned on doing in the first place. I have an application in to acquire a Hellhound, but we’ll see if I’m approved. I have a cute little log cabin where I’ll sell my herbal concoctions. I’m so excited.”

I rub at my head, taking it all in. “How long was I out for?”

“Two and a half weeks,” the pair say together.

“Ouch.” I drop back into bed and stare at my ceiling. “Hey at least we’re not getting ready for our wedding.”

“Nope.” Wick says. “And the best part is there’s still time before the next semester starts. We can go on an adventure. Get to know each other again.”

“We missed the masquerade party.” I pout, but I’m not that mad about it.

Florence grins and pushes to their feet to spin. “It went so well, Pike is doing one every month. At least until he and Lark get bored with them.”

Wick nibbles his bottom lip as he pats Rosco’s bottom. “I also may have mentioned that I was sad to miss seeing you at a party. So Pike said he’d have one every month until I was satisfied.”

“Can I kiss you?” I’ve never asked before because I never want Wick to think he’s less than if he never wants to be intimate.

Rosco scurries out of his hold, and Wick blinks back at me and leans in.

“Time for me to go.” Florence blows me a kiss. “Love y’all. See ya soon.” And they’re gone, all the familiars following them.

“I’ve wanted to kiss you for a very long time,” I whisper. “But I’m okay if you never want to.”

Wick licks his lips. “I want to. So badly. And some other things… sometime. After you’re all cleared by the healer.”

I thread my hand in his hair and pull him down gently. We breathe each other’s air for so long I think he wants to back out, but he presses his lips to mine and it’s everything. I swear a ribbon ties our hearts together. He moans and deepens the kiss, surprising me. He cups the back of my neck so gently as I paw at his shirt. More. I need more and lick at his lips, hoping he opens for me and he does. He pulls me closer in his embrace and it takes everything in me not to rub against him.

We’re gasping when he pulls away.

“Fuck. Fuck. We should definitely add kisses to something we do every day.” His hair is a mess and I love the look on him.

“I’m agreeable to that,” I say. “Wanna go again?”

He cages me in with his forearms and it’s the safest I’ve ever felt in my life. Wick gazes into my eyes. “You’re everything to me, Ethan Speller. Eternity is a long time, but?—”

“I’m human.”

Wick’s grin catches me off guard. “You’re bound to me, which means your life is linked to mine.” He kisses my nose over and over. “Van always said he hated the idea of us together because you’d die, but that’s not the case anymore. He’s ready to throw us a wedding if we want, but I told him it’s way too early for that.”

“You’re amazing, you know that.”

“Only because you believe I am.” Wick flops down next to me and pulls me into his arms. “Everything is possible because you believe in me. In us.”

I snuggle close and face him. “Kiss me again?”

“Every day. All day.” He leans over me and presses his lips to mine again and that’s where my grandmother finds us.

“Cough. Cough.” She fakes and Wick pouts as he plops back to his side against me.

“May I talk to Ethan alone?”

“No. I don’t trust you.” Wick gathers me in his arms and holds me so close I almost can’t breathe. It makes me giggle, and he snorts into my hair when he realizes.

My grandmother sighs and takes the chair Wick previously occupied. “Ethan. My sweet grandbaby. You’re the only family I have left.”

Wick growls, and it’s so fucking hot. “You should have thought?—”

“Wick, I got this.” I pat his hand and he nods in my hair.

“I’ll try to be good. But everything is her fault.”

My grandmother sighs. “It is. Everything. I take full responsibility.”

“You should,” Wick hisses.

“Wicky,” I whisper laugh.

“I wanted you to have everything I never did. And to do that, you needed power. I married your grandfather at eighteen. He was already thirty-two. We didn’t love each other, but he thought I was pretty and the Spellers needed heirs. Then he left me with two small boys to raise when he died a decade into marriage. Your father was my firstborn, and he was powerful . Then he arranged a ridiculous marriage with a witch outside our covens and you were born. They didn’t even love each other. Your mother died in childbirth because of me. She wasn’t strong enough to handle you.” Grandmother wipes at her eyes. “I still don’t know who killed your father, and I’m sorry. I wish he was still here. Your uncle wasn’t such a bad guy. At least not until he tethered his soul to that poor Fae boy.”

“Lark isn’t a boy anymore,” Wick snarks.

“Yes, I know. I’ve talked to him and tried to give him compensation for his time in Drake’s care, but he wouldn’t have it. I don’t blame him. I wouldn’t want anything to do with me, either.” My grandmother huffs. “What I’m trying to say is I’m sorry. I fucked up and should have let nature run its course. Perhaps your father would have chosen a different path had I not pushed him into coven leadership and he felt he had to produce an heir. Perhaps you and Florence would have chosen different paths had I not pushed you into your current life. I’m sorry. There’s nothing I can do to take any of it back. All I can do is beg for forgiveness and do better.”

“How do we know you’ll try?” Wick asks the question on my lips before I get the chance.

“Because I’ve already started the proceedings to change the leadership in Hex.”

“Really?” I say.

“Yes. We’ll have a council that represents all citizens of Hex and not just the witches. The first vote is in the new year to give everyone time to adjust to the idea. So far, no one’s fought me on it.”

“Did you turn Trever back into a human?” Wick asks.

“I did. And I paid him severance for his suffering.”

I wiggle away from Wick to sit on the edge of my bed. My grandmother’s eyes dart to my chest and I finally take the time to examine the mark Wick made on me. A heart over my heart. The edges are a little jagged, but I love it nonetheless.

“You won’t interfere anymore?” I ask.

“Never. I’ll be the doting grandma.” She crosses a finger over her heart and holds out her hand. “Pinky promise.”

“You believe her?” Wick says, trying to pull me back.

“I’m choosing to believe in her potential.” I lock my pinky with my grandmother’s and we shake on it.