15. Burning

Burning

And Other Things Bitch Witches Should Do

I bang my head against the desk—lightly, but enough to vent some of the frustration that's boiling up inside me. Everything about today has been… too much. Between the whole hex transfer with Sebastian and the fact that my name is now literally carved onto his skin, I can't think straight. And it's not just that. There's also Derek—who I actually want to be with. Even though we haven't made anything official yet, the guilt of being attracted to Sebastian is gnawing at me.

I groan, rubbing my temples. What the hell am I doing?

Then there's the fact that one—or possibly both—of them is lying. The whole mate situation makes no sense. Derek's wolf, Sebastian's blood call... it's impossible for both of them to be right. And yet, here I am, stuck in the middle of it.

But what really gets under my skin is that Sebastian can't lie to me now. Not without suffering. That binding hex was supposed to be for my revenge plan, not for him to start spewing things like my blood sings for him. He only said that after I carved my name onto him, which means... could it actually be true?

I groan again, slumping over my desk. This is agony. Why couldn't I just have a normal, drama-free day? Oh, right, because I'm me.

The one silver lining? Phase four of my revenge plan practically jumped ahead of schedule. Kyla's perfect boyfriend is no longer under her control. Sure, technically he's now bound to me, but I'm not planning on commanding him around anytime soon. I mean, I could —the thought has crossed my mind more than once, and I won't lie, the idea of messing with Kyla through him would be deliciously fun—but it's not happening.

No, for now, Sebastian can stay under his own command, and I'll figure out the rest of this mess as I go.

As I slump over my desk, trying to figure out how to unscramble the disaster that is my life, I hear a ding . It's not from my phone, though—it's from Kyla's duplicate phone. The bright pink cover stares back at me, mocking my predicament.

Curious, I unlock it and check the message. It's from Kyla, of course, and she's texting one of her friends. Bethany.

Seb's not answering my calls again. So annoying!! he's doing it on purpose i know it.

I frown, my pulse quickening. I can feel the tension building as I keep reading.

maybe he's busy?

Bethany. I can't remember exactly what she is, but I know she's close to Kyla. Too close.

no!! he does this all the time. he needs to be reminded who is in charge here. pick me up!

lets head to his place

i think ill put a cigarette out on his back again. that should remind him!!

My stomach drops. She what? My hands freeze over the phone for a second, panic rising as the pieces fall into place. She's serious —she's going to hurt him.

Without a second thought, I grab my own phone and call Sebastian. He picks up on the second ring, his voice annoyingly casual, as always.

" Well, isn't this a nice surprise, " he says smoothly.

"Zip it," I snap, not in the mood for his banter. "You need to get out of wherever Kyla might find you. She's on the way, and she's pissed. She plans to hurt you."

There's a pause on the other end, then he lets out a slow breath. "Technically, I can defend myself now, remember? No more binding hex. He's quiet for a moment, then he speaks, his tone more thoughtful than I expected. "You know… if I just play along, let her think she's still in control, it could be an advantage to you, Zaria. She doesn't need to know anything's changed."

My stomach twists in horror. "Are you out of your mind?" I practically shout. "You think letting her hurt you is somehow a good plan? No! Absolutely not. You don't have to do anything for my benefit. Just get the hell out of wherever you are before she gets there."

I hear him chuckle softly, as if my panic amuses him. "Relax. She's probably just going to burn me again. It heals."

I can barely breathe, the idea of someone willingly enduring that kind of pain making my head spin. "Sebastian, no! You need to leave. Now. I don't care how fast you heal. Don't let her near you."

He sighs dramatically, but I hear the resignation in his voice. "Alright, alright. Your wish is my command."

Before I can respond, the call ends, and I'm left staring at my phone, still shaken by how casually he threw the suggestion out there. He actually thinks that's okay. He actually thinks that could help me.

But I'm not okay with it. Not at all.

I hear the knock on the door and glance at my phone. It couldn't possibly be Sebastian, I think, not even a vampire can get across town in a few seconds. Still, the timing makes me nervous. I hesitate, then open the door.

Relief washes over me as soon as I see Derek standing there, looking as casual and comforting as ever. I let out a sigh I didn't realize I was holding. "Oh, it's you," I say, leaning against the doorframe, sliding into my usual banter. "I thought the knock might be someone important."

He smirks, not missing a beat. "And here I thought I was the most important person in your life."

I roll my eyes, but my lips twitch into a grin. "Only because I haven't found anyone better yet."

Derek laughs, stepping inside. "Give it time. You'll find a way to screw that up too."

I pretend to look wounded. "Wow. Insults? And here I was about to compliment you on your impeccable sense of timing."

"Yeah, right," he says, settling onto the bed. "Nice try."

I close the door and turn to face him. "Everything okay with your dad?"

He waves it off, shaking his head. "Oh, yeah. The argument started over the proper way to roast a turkey and spiraled out of control from there. But after a few beers, Dad and Uncle Pete settled down. Crisis averted."

I can't help but chuckle, relieved it wasn't anything serious. "Good to hear. I was worried for a second there. You know how intense turkey debates can get."

Derek smiles and stretches out on my bed, leaning against the wall. "So, what have you been up to? Hopefully not getting into more trouble?"

My stomach flips at the memory of Sebastian—his words, the kiss, and everything that followed. I force myself to push it aside, at least for now. "Oh, you know, just the usual—banging my head against the desk, trying to remember spells that probably won't save my year. The usual."

He raises an eyebrow. "You've got a lot on your mind. Figured I'd hang out and keep you company. Maybe even nudge you into working on your grimoire instead of getting distracted."

Distracted. Yeah, you have no idea. I nod, realizing he's right. Sebastian has been my biggest distraction lately, and I need to focus. "You're right," I say, picking up the stack of books from the chair by my desk and placing them on the floor. I sit down, grabbing a pen. "I've been procrastinating long enough."

Derek shifts on the bed, getting comfortable as he starts scrolling through his phone. He's quiet, but his presence is grounding.

My mind, however, is anything but grounded. I can't stop thinking about Sebastian. About the kiss. About him telling me I'm his blood mate. Should I tell Derek? The thought spirals through me like a storm. I feel guilty keeping it from him, but how do I even explain it? The whole thing is a mess.

I tap my pen against the desk, debating with myself. I'll write for a bit first, I think, and if I get too distracted, I'll tell him. Or maybe I'll suggest we go out for dinner and break the news gently. Hopefully, he won't be too upset.

For now, I put my focus back on the blank page in front of me.

It's about thirty minutes later, and I'm starting to get into the rhythm of writing in my grimoire when there's another knock at my door. I blink, a bit confused. Derek's already here… who else could it be?

Without thinking, I call out, "It's unlocked!"

My throat nearly clenches shut when the door opens and, of all people, Sebastian strolls in. He closes the door behind him, and the sound of the latch clicking feels ominous, like the beginning of some bad horror flick. Great, just what I need—vampire drama.

Derek immediately hops up off the bed, his body language shifting from relaxed to defensive in seconds. "What the hell are you doing here?" he snaps, glaring at Sebastian like he's ready to throw him out the window.

Sebastian, of course, looks completely unfazed. In fact, he looks almost amused, his signature smirk already in place. "I could ask you the same thing, Derek," he says coolly. "Non-dorm students aren't supposed to be in the dorms on weekends, last I checked."

Derek's nostrils flare, his hands curling into fists. "Zaria's my friend," he retorts, standing his ground. "I'm allowed to visit my friend." I roll my eyes, half hoping that the heavens open up and give me some divine answers, but instead, all I can think is, Maybe it was eating my mom's last slice of ‘turning 50' cake… Yeah, that's probably it. That cake was cursed.

Sebastian scoffs, shifting his glare back to Derek. "Some friend you are. Have you even bothered telling Zaria the truth about Sam?"

Derek looks genuinely confused. "What the hell are you talking about?"

I straighten up. "Yeah, what truth?"

Seb's eyes narrow. "Sam was the one who swapped Zaria's grimoire with the blank book and handed it over to Kyla. And you were her boyfriend. So, either you're in on it, or you're just an idiot."

Derek's eyes flash with anger. "Go fuck yourself. You're Kyla's boyfriend. If anyone's playing double agent here, it's you." I'm trying to process the bomb Sebastian just dropped about Sam, but the two of them keep going at it, their voices rising with every second. "Zaria's my friend, " Derek snaps, his voice hard. "Long before I was Sam's boyfriend. And, for the record, now her ex ."

Sebastian's grin is all teeth. "Doesn't change the fact that I'm bound to Zaria now, thanks to the hex. So, I literally can't lie to her."

"Yeah? Well, my wolf knows Zaria is my mate. I can't hurt her either."

Seb's smirk turns into something colder. "Your wolf's a liar, then, because Zaria's blood is calling to me. She's my mate."

They both launch into another round of accusations, talking over each other, and I feel my frustration bubbling over. This is absolutely ridiculous.

Without thinking, I grab one of my empty cauldrons and drop it on the floor. The sound echoes through the room like a gunshot. Finally, they stop, turning to look at me as if I've just cast a spell.

"You ladies finished with your little catfight yet?" I ask, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Can I say something now?" I cross my arms, glaring at both Derek and Sebastian, who still look ready to pounce at each other's throats. "Alright, you two need to chill. Because there's no way I can be both of your mates, and I'd appreciate it if you'd stop acting like I'm a prize you get to fight over." They both open their mouths to protest at the same time, each insisting that they're my mate. But I cut them off, raising a hand. "Enough. You both have good reasons for saying what you're saying, but I'm a witch. I can't feel mate bonds like you guys can, so I can't just accept either of your claims right now."

They start bickering again, voices rising as they talk over each other, and my patience wears thin. Before they can get into another shouting match, I grab my phone and scroll through my contacts, finding the one person who might be able to clear this mess up. I dial Hazel.

The phone rings twice before Hazel's chipper voice comes through. "Zaria! Hey, what's up?"

I sigh in relief. "Hey, Hazel. Sorry for the random call, but I have an essay question, and I know only someone as brilliant as you can answer it."

There's a playful pause. "Flattery will get you everywhere. What's the question?"

I put the phone on speaker and glance at Derek and Sebastian, who've gone quiet, clearly listening. "Is it possible for someone to have more than one fated mate?"

Hazel doesn't miss a beat. "No." I throw a pointed look at both boys, my eyebrows raised. See? But before I can say anything, Hazel continues. "Unless…"

My heart sinks. "Unless what ?"

"Well, if the mates are from different species, it's possible.

"So, hypothetically speaking here… one is a shifter and one is a vampire? Both fated to one hypothetical witch?"

"Exactly! Yeah, they could both be fated to the same person. Witches, of course, don't technically have mates, but vamps and shifters do, so… yeah. In that case, they could both claim the same girl as their mate."

I groan, running a hand through my hair. "What happens then?"

Hazel hums thoughtfully. "The girl would need to pick one, or choose neither. But there's a big risk with that first option."

"What kind of risk?" I ask, feeling my stomach twist.

"If one of them marks the girl, the other becomes a rejected mate," Hazel explains matter-of-factly. "Rejected mates never feel whole. Some spiral into depression or worse. Suicidal tendencies are common. It's not pretty." I feel like I'm going to be sick, but Hazel continues, her voice still bright. "But hey, there's another solution, if you're willing to think outside the box."

I sigh. "What is it?"

"Well, the vampire and the shifter could both mark the girl at the same time. Why settle for one when you could have both?" Hazel laughs, clearly entertained by her own suggestion. "That way, everyone wins!" The call disconnects before I can respond, leaving me staring at the phone in stunned silence.

Slowly, I turn my gaze back to Derek and Sebastian, who look like two kids caught stealing cookies before dinner. "Don't even think about it," I say, my voice flat.

Both boys look at me, guilt written all over their faces. It's clear the idea had crossed their minds, but I'm not having any of it.

Why, oh why, is this my life?