8. Warwick

Chapter 8

Warwick

Warwick

My heart pounds and I’m not sure how to calm it. My hands shake and Van leads me back to the couch with Frankie.

“He was… he was right there. I touched him.” Even if it was the briefest of moments. I touched him. My Ethan.

“I know. And you heard everything Florence said, right? Ethan doesn’t remember you. He has no idea about the last twelve years.”

“I know.”

Poe joins us and slides in next to Van. “Cordia is strong. I think she’s using his own magic against him. It’s the only way she’d be able to steal his memories.”

I nod, and despite everything against us, I have hope. “He was here. Florence said they’d tell him about me. He’ll come back. I know it.”

Van squeezes my hand and pats my shoulder. “I’m glad you got to see him.”

“It wasn’t enough.” I know last time I tried to infiltrate the Speller mansion there was a barrier I couldn’t cross and I’m sure it’s still there. “I need to see him again. Get a message to him. Something.”

Pike materializes in front of us. “I have a theory about that. When I teleported Florence back to the Speller house, I could get past the barrier. I think Cordia set it up for crossroads demons, but since I went through a change, my energy shifted. I don’t know that I can get into the house, but I can get inside the barrier.”

“Excellent,” I say. “That’s better than before.”

“Then why couldn’t Gabe find him when he tried the scrying spell? He’s not a crossroads demon.” Van says.

“Dunno,” Pike shrugs. “It’s not a great theory, but the one I have. We can see if Gabe can get through the barrier. If he’s willing.”

“Of course I’m willing,” Gabe says, bringing a tray of HellFire with him. “I think we all need a drink. That was a little chaotic. I like Florence.” He grins because, of course, he’d like the witch. Who wouldn’t?

“Flo is Ethan’s best friend. I like them, too,” I say.

“Anyway,” Pike says right before he swallows a shot. “When I dropped Florence off, I told them I’d meet them tomorrow at midnight. They said to meet them in the labyrinth since apparently Cordia never goes there. So I can take a message or something to him if you want?”

“I’ll gather a few things. Oh, and my phone number. Surely Cordia didn’t block that.” My heart races. Maybe I can hear Ethan’s voice again. We can talk at the very least.

“Sounds perfect,” Pike says.

“Ethan’s clever. I don’t know what he did, but I couldn’t tell it was him when he walked through the door. Those students from last week they had his essence. He must have blocked it.”

“His grandma is clever too,” Poe starts. “She let you two see each other, but the moment you touched?—”

“Don’t remind me,” I mumble. Frankie noses my hand and settles her head in my lap. Of everyone here, I think she’s the one that helps me the most when I need to calm down and right now, I need calm. “I’m gonna go home. Too much excitement for one night.” What I really want is to go to the Speller mansion and demand to see Ethan, but I’m sure Cordia has the place rigged. And what if she didn’t know he got out? I don’t want to expose him for being an escape artist.

“Take Frankie,” Pike says.

Lark nods beside him. “I think she’ll be sad if you leave now.”

“Thanks. I need someone to snuggle tonight.” In two seconds, we’re in my living room with the scent of cookies still in the air. “I think you and Gabe are the only two that get me.”

Frankie’s tail wags so hard it thumps a beat against the wall. She doesn’t seem to mind, though. I grab a few treats from the jar on my refrigerator. She eats them in two bites and yips before running to the sofa.

As much as I’m excited to see Ethan again, my heart still hurts because I can’t go to him. The Speller mansion has been blocked off to me for so long I don’t even have it in me to try.

“Come on, girl. Let’s go to bed. I’ll gather things for Ethan in the morning.” But before I do that, I snag a cookie from the counter and bite into it. Easily my best batch yet. I pack the cookies away so they don’t get stale. That’d be a tragedy.

Frankie gives a happy little bark as she follows me to my bedroom. The one thing I’ve splurged on in my apartment is my king-sized bed. With cozy, flannel sheets. Frankie hops onto the bed and gets comfy while I change into my silk pajamas. I just don’t feel right sleeping naked. According to my brother, I’m a weirdo, but whatever. We all like what we like and I love the way silk feels across my skin.

“I saw him Frankie. I touched him.” I pull Frankie close to cuddle, and she wiggles against me. I’ll see him again soon, I just know it.

Warwick—Age 17

He really keeps his promise. Two full years to the day and Ethan still shows up. As usual, he’s on this stomach reading one of his textbooks. This time it’s a chapter on advanced protection spells. Something I know all too much about as a demon. Everyone wants to keep us out.

I squat and point to the spell written out in his notebook. “You know, if you use salt instead of seaweed, you’ll get a better result.”

He tips his head and looks up at me with his pretty blue eyes. It’s like they can stare into my soul and I’d let him have it if he wanted. I shake my head. Where the fuck did that thought come from? He’s just Ethan. My Ethan.

“Why do you say that? I questioned Professor Belladonna, but he said,” Ethan drops his head and attempts to drop his voice, but it cracks instead. “This is how it’s done. Write it down.” He gives me the cutest grin with dimples. “I don’t believe him that seaweed would make a strong protectant. I’m also humble enough to know I might be wrong.”

“Seaweed, in this spell is definitely wrong.” I flip back a couple of pages in his notebook. “Now, if you wanted to use it in this one, protection from choppy and stormy sea water, then yes, of course it makes sense. But not as general protection.” I don’t know why I tell him, but every once in a while I correct his classwork. And every day I find I look forward to this little witch summoning me just for me to tell him no. Then he settles in and does his homework.

“Thank you, Wicky.” He scribbles in his notes, citing me as the source of his information.

My heart grows warm and fuzzy. What is he doing to me?

He re-situates to sit on his bottom and fiddles with some of the gravel at his side. He does that when he’s nervous. “My fifteenth birthday is in a few days. My grandma wants to take me on a trip out of town. I’m sorry I won’t be here for a few days.”

I shrug nonchalantly as I stand again. My tail swishes behind me, being the only thing to show my disappointment. “What do I care? You should move on, little witch. I can’t give you want you want.” At least not yet.

“Three more years,” he whispers as he cleans up his supplies. “Or I’ll wear you down before that. I just wanted you to know. So you wouldn’t worry.”

“Why would I worry?” It takes everything not to chew on my nails. I definitely would have worried.

Ethan eyes my tail, and he gives me another grin. “I know you’re really a softy inside. You always do this whole…” He drops his hands to his hips and pouts. “Macho act, but that’s not you.”

“It is. I’ve had to fight for everything I have. It comes with some baggage.”

“I know,” he whispers. “And my life isn’t all sunshine and lollipops, even though that’s what I want everyone to think. I’m strong. Strongest witch the world has ever seen, apparently.” He rolls his pretty blue eyes as if it’s the dumbest thing he’s ever heard. “And with that power comes experimentation.”

I swear my heart threatens to stop. “What?” I whisper and betray my whole “macho act”. “What do they do to you?”

One of his slender shoulders lift. “I try to block it out. But sometimes the coven tries to siphon magic from me and that fucking hurts.” His hand flies to his mouth. “Sorry.”

“I’m a demon. The word fuck doesn’t bother me in the least.” But his coven experimenting on him does. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

Ethan stares at me so long I start to squirm. With a huff, he drops back to his bottom. “Besides taking my magic. I don’t know.” He fiddles with one of his shoelaces. “And I know I’m being a big dick coming here every day, but…” He throws his head back. “You’re the only hope I have. I need you to take my magic and I don’t want you to forget about me. Plus, you’re really good looking, and I might have a teeny tiny crush.” He pinches his thumb and forefinger together.

My cheeks heat. “Uh, what?” It comes out harsher than I mean, and a cute, bright blush takes over Ethan’s pale skin.

“Seriously, you could be a model. I’d hang your pictures in my bedroom. And you’re so freaking nice to me even when you try to put on the air of indifference. The only person who’s as nice to me is Florence, and they have to go straight home after classes. So I come here. Where there’s a demon that watches over me and helps me with my homework.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

Ethan shrugs. “You don’t have to say anything. My grandmother says I’m too blunt sometimes. Sorry if I freaked you out.”

“No, I just… No, you didn’t freak me out.” I just don’t know how to form the words to explain what goes on in my head half the time. “You’re very sweet, Ethan.”

“But I’m not right for you. You have to have a demon partner. Am I right?” His smile falters.

“Nothing like that at all. I just…” I slide down to my bottom, too. My tail continues to swish behind me like it has a mind of its own. Some days it does. “Can I?” I hold out my hand and he hands me his. It’s so small in mine. “Before you showed up in my life, I thought I knew myself. I thought I was fully aromantic. I just didn’t care, and I was completely unbothered by it.”

“That’s Florence. They’re aromantic and asexual. There’s nothing wrong with it.” He squeezes my hand and my heart pitter pats.

I love him for saying it. “Romance, partnership, just didn’t appeal to me and I never felt like I needed it. I still don’t feel like I need it. But I can see myself with you and I don’t know how to feel about it. Most of my research points to me being demi-romantic. Just little things made me realize how much I love having you in my life. My bright little witch in my dreary days.”

His smile lights up my crossroads. “Coming here is the highlight of my day.”

Now for the awkward part. “And not to scare you away, but I’m either asexual, graysexual, or demi-sexual. I’m not entirely sure, but it’s not something I generally think about either. Everyone around me in the demon realm is always talking about their sexual conquests, and I’d rather sit there with my fingers in my ears. I’m attracted to you, you’re sweet, and I’d love to date you, but… we’re young.”

“You want to date me?” Ethan nibbles his bottom lip.

“Yeah, is that weird? I know teenagers date, but it feels weird to me. How does anyone know anything at this age?”

“We don’t,” Ethan laughs. “But it’s always fun to test things.”

“You’re not put off by ? —”

“No. Nothing about you is off-putting. Besides, I have my hand. I used a grapefruit once and, uh do not recommend. Kinda burns in the wrong way.”

I snort. “Noted, don’t fuck the grapefruit.”

Ethan’s pocket vibrates like it does every day at this time. “Gotta go.” He finishes packing his back. “I’ll see you in a few days.”

“I’ll be waiting.”