Page 28 of A Witch’s Guide to Love and Poison

28

‘I don’t know how,’ Bisma said automatically, but that wasn’t true.

She did know how to dance. A few years ago, back when she snuck out to the festival dance to see if her poison on the village boys had worked, she stayed and watched, yearning to join in the revelry. She had watched enough to learn.

She would hum the music to herself and dance in the Enchanted Forest, eventually teaching her sisters, and they would all dance together. She missed her sisters with an ache, and perhaps that was what made her hesitate, now.

‘Please,’ Xander said, holding out his hand.

She lifted her hand to take his, but then she looked around at all the people who would watch and judge.

Xander stepped forward. ‘Focus on me,’ he said. ‘Just on me.’

So she did. With a smile, he swept her off her feet—literally—twirling her in the air, which got a surprised, delighted laugh out of her. People turned to see, but by then she really didn’t care.

They joined the group of people dancing. The music was upbeat and loud. The steps to the dance were quick, but she remembered them. They all danced in a line, moving their feet and hips, clapping along with the music, then spinning with their partners.

Then the music shifted, and she didn’t know the dance, but with Xander beside her she had nothing to worry about.

‘Just follow me,’ he said.

She was a quick learner and had soon learned all the steps, moving with Xander flawlessly.

‘That’s my girl,’ Xander said, twirling her, and she grinned.

They danced and danced until they took a break to get some drinks. As Xander went to get them, she sat on the side, waiting, until she spotted Haru, who was sulking in a corner.

She walked over to him.

‘Don’t be sad,’ she said, squeezing his arm. ‘Luna will be alright soon.’ She had told him about Luna taking the freeze potion the last time she was in town.

‘I hope so,’ Haru replied, sighing.

Xander returned with two goblets, handing her one, and she waved goodbye to Haru. They walked to the side as she took a sip of her drink.

It was cold and fizzy, tasting of spiced maple and sugared oranges. She had never had anything like it, but it tasted wonderful. The bubbles popped in her mouth, making her giggle, and Xander laughed, too, as if they were both in on a secret, which perhaps they were.

Standing beneath the lights, she gazed up at him as music played all around them. Everyone else was dancing to the slow song, but they were both simply standing and looking at one another. Xander finished his drink, watching her over the glass, and she looked at the long line of his throat as he swallowed, his tongue as he licked his lips.

She set her glass down unfinished.

‘Do you want to dance?’ Xander asked, putting his glass down. His voice was raspy.

‘I’m all danced out,’ she replied.

‘I don’t really want to dance,’ he admitted, eyes sparkling. ‘I just wanted an excuse to hold you.’

She laughed, feeling fizzy even though she was no longer drinking. ‘Well, if you’re looking for an excuse …’

She stepped into his waiting arms, and they started dancing, swaying slowly with the music. Her arms wrapped around his neck, while his hands were warm and steady on her lower back.

She yearned to slip her hands into his hair; it would be so easy. Bisma scanned his face, taking in every little detail as if seeing him for the first time.

A slow smile spread across his face. ‘You’re staring.’

‘Just checking to see if your beauty routine worked,’ she replied.

‘Did it?’

‘Yes,’ she breathed.

‘Oh, thank god.’

She threw her head back and laughed, and as she did, she saw the lights hanging above them. Everything was golden against the night, a juxtaposition of light and dark, and he was the brightest light of all.

Bisma began playing with the ends of his hair, unable to help herself. They were so close now, their bodies pressed together. She felt the heat of his skin. She could almost feel the pound of his heart.

They were aligned, moving together to the music. It was an effort to keep her mouth away from his as their feet moved slowly, swaying. She could almost taste the cloves on his skin.

She wanted to kiss him and could see he wanted it too. His gaze dropped to her lips, his eyes growing darker by the moment. He clenched his jaw as she inched closer, her nose grazing his.

He took a shuddering breath, and they stopped dancing. She stood on her tiptoes, lifting her head to meet his, anticipation thrumming within her.

Just as her lips brushed his, he let out a strangled gasp and stepped back.

Oh, Forest. Had she misread the situation that badly?

Her heart hammered. Clearing her throat, Bisma looked around, the noise of the gathering coming back to her. Suddenly, everything felt too bright—bright enough to burn.

‘Maybe we should get back to the greenhouse,’ she said, her voice high.

He opened his mouth, about to say something—but then he pressed his lips into a line, clenching his jaw, and nodded.

Taking a deep breath, Bisma exited the town square, Xander trailing behind her. She thought she felt the phantom touch of his hand at the end of her hair, along her dress, but she didn’t turn.

Walking away from all the noise, they made their way to Xander’s neighborhood, cutting through the back to reach his greenhouse at the back of the Chapman Estate. The minute they entered, Xander discarded his coat, throwing it onto a chair. He ran a hand through his hair, making it messy.

He was agitated, but she couldn’t understand why.

‘Maybe I should go,’ she said, though she didn’t want to.

His eyes widened. He crossed the room in two strides and caught her hand.

‘No, don’t,’ he said, his voice low. He drew her near. ‘Back there … I wanted—I want to. But I didn’t want you to think that’s why I asked you to the dance. I know it’s largely regarded as the most “romantic” night of the year, to put it delicately, but that wasn’t my intention—I just wanted to dance with you, spend time with you. See you laugh. And I know you don’t want to be flaunted in front of the whole village—’

He was speaking quickly, his cheeks pink, and she realized he was nervous. Oh! She was so used to confident Xander, with his endless flirtations and clever remarks; this version of him was impossibly endearing.

Her chest glowed with warmth.

‘It’s alright,’ she said, smiling. She saw his pulse racing in his exposed throat. She wanted to press her lips just there. ‘I know that wasn’t your intent, but if you’re quite done with all your good intentions …’

She put her hands on his shoulders, moving them up to his neck. He was trembling, and she rose to her tiptoes again, pressing a kiss to his throat feeling his pulse beat against her lips. He gasped.

‘Actually,’ she said, opening her mouth to run her teeth over his skin. His eyelids fluttered, his head tipping back. ‘If you have any bad intentions, I really wouldn’t be opposed …’

His gaze snapped to hers. ‘I don’t want to pressure you,’ he said softly.

She gave him an incensed look. ‘Why are you arguing with me?’

He blinked, her words sinking in. ‘You’re absolutely right,’ he said, as if in a daze. His eyes were dark.

‘Aren’t I always?’

He did not waste another second. He seized her face with both his hands and crushed his lips to hers.

Finally , her body sang.

He lifted her up off the floor, and she yelped in surprise but kissed him back. Her legs wrapped around his waist as he continued to kiss her, surely bruising her mouth, but she did not care.

‘Bis, there’s something I want to tell you, to show you,’ he said, breaking away, but she hardly heard him. The moment his mouth was gone from hers, she wanted it back again. She pulled him closer, kissing him again, and he forgot whatever he was trying to say.

He walked her to the bed, then promptly deposited her there, and she laughed against his open mouth, positively giddy. She had been numb for so long she had forgotten what this felt like, but now it was all coming back, coming alive, every beat, every pulse, every inch.

His body slid over hers, a wondrous weight. She undid the buttons of his waistcoat, and he shrugged it off. He tasted like spiced maple sugar, and she felt fizzy all over again.

‘I’ve wanted to do this for so long,’ he breathed, kissing her jaw, her throat. ‘I almost did so many times.’

‘You should have,’ she said, her fingers tightening in his hair.

‘Suppose I’ll have to make up for it now,’ he said, making her gasp with the way he kissed her just above her beating heart.

‘Is that a vow?’

He brought his face up to look into her eyes. ‘All my vows are yours.’

Her heart soared. She pushed him off her, turning with him so she was on top. He sat up, and she straddled his lap, running her hands through his hair as his long, elegant fingers moved across her skin, pressing deep enough to hurt, yet still gentle.

She knew he would not hurt her. He was handling her with care still, even as she felt how desperate he was, how much he wanted her.

His hands slid up her thighs, slipping beneath her dress, and she ripped his shirt off.

‘Hope you didn’t like that one,’ she said, throwing it aside.

‘I rather did,’ he replied with a laugh. ‘Though not nearly as much as I like you.’

She laughed, and then he grazed his teeth against her neck, which promptly made her stop laughing. She closed her eyes, body aflame as her hands roamed over his chest. There was so much to touch and explore.

His skin was hot, burning hers, and his heart was beating wildly fast.

Too fast.

‘Your heart is beating rather quickly,’ she managed to say.

‘I wonder why,’ he replied, words slurring. His hands were on her waist, fingers digging in as he pulled her even closer. He sucked on her jaw, and she couldn’t think straight.

‘Xander, wait,’ she gasped. Despite how heavenly this all was, something felt wrong.

She opened her eyes the same time he did, and he let out a startled cry. She shifted off his lap, and that was when she saw.

The veins of his forearm were dark blue.

Her face must have been horrified, for he looked down. His eyes widened with alarm.

‘Shit,’ he said.

Her hands were red, hot from his skin; she hadn’t even noticed. ‘No. No, no, no .’ She scrambled off the bed.

Xander fell back on the bed, groaning, and Bisma rushed to find the freeze potion, but she was shaking.

He cried out with pain and the sound speared through her.

‘Xander, hold on!’ she called, her voice high.

Where was that blasted potion?

She moved aside ingredients and herbs, rummaging through bottles, until she found it.

She rushed over to him and hauled him up, holding his head in her hands. His mouth was clamped shut, his jaw clenching against the pain. He was trembling.

‘Drink,’ she ordered. ‘Please.’

He forced open his mouth and she emptied the potion into his mouth. Some of it dribbled down his chin, but he swallowed the rest of it. She hoped it was enough.

‘Bis,’ he whispered, before his eyes closed. He felt heavy, frozen, still, when only a moment before he had been so alive. She laid him down gently.

Taking in a shuddering breath, she stood.

Bisma was completely and utterly alone.