Page 40 of Chasing Stripes (Enchanted Falls #3)
FORTY
A rtemis didn’t need to turn around. Her body reacted instantly, the handprints at her waist blazing so brightly, they illuminated the tabletop. Her drink transformed from emerald to molten gold, practically radiating light.
“Oh my,” Bryn giggled behind her hand. “That’s quite the reaction.”
Heart racing, Artemis chanced a glance over her shoulder. Bartek stood in the doorway, flanked by Haavi, Rust, and a tall man she assumed must be Artair. His eyes found hers immediately as though drawn by an invisible thread.
The entire bar seemed to react to their connection—glasses tinkling faintly, the magical candles overhead swirling to create a spotlight effect between them.
Bartek froze mid-step, his companions noticing his reaction and following his gaze. Rust smirked, nudging Haavi who grinned knowingly.
“That,” Thora whispered beside her, “is NOT casual interest. That’s pure mate recognition.”
Unable to look away, Artemis watched as Bartek said something brief to his friends before making his way toward their table. The crowd seemed to part naturally before him, shifters and magical beings alike sensing the charged energy surrounding him.
“Ladies,” he greeted them, his deep voice sending a shiver down Artemis’s spine. His eyes, however, remained fixed on her. “Mind if we join you?”
“What a coincidence,” Kalyna’s voice dripped with innocence that fooled no one. “We were just talking about you.”
Thora kicked her under the table, but the damage was done. Artemis’s cheeks burned.
“All good things, I hope.” Bartek’s lips curved into a rare, genuine smile that transformed his usually serious face.
“Mostly,” Artemis found her voice, surprised by her own boldness. “Though your childhood tiger shift photos came up.”
His eyebrows shot up. “There’s no way—” He turned accusingly to Bryn.
The bear shifter raised her hands in surrender. “I have not shown anyone those pictures...yet.”
“Gloria mentioned them last week,” Kalyna supplied helpfully. “Apparently, you were quite the adorable cub.”
Bartek’s friends had reached the table, pulling up extra chairs. Rust slid in beside Kalyna, dropping a casual kiss on her temple.
“Are we discussing Bartek’s embarrassing cub years?” Haavi asked eagerly. “Because I have stories that would make his fur stand on end.”
“Another word,” Bartek growled, “and I’m revoking your position as my right hand.”
“You’d be lost without me,” Haavi replied cheerfully, completely unfazed by the threat.
As they settled in, the group naturally reorganized, creating space for Bartek to sit beside Artemis. The moment he slid into the booth next to her, the handprints flared even brighter, and she felt her magic surge in response to his proximity.
“I apologize for my mother’s not-so-subtle matchmaking,” Bartek murmured, his voice a low rumble only she could hear.
“I liked it,” Artemis admitted boldly, her hand daringly touching his where it rested on the table. “I liked all of it.”
The handprints between them pulsed in unison, creating a visible golden glow beneath the table that their friends pretended not to notice while exchanging triumphant glances.
Watching Rust and Kalyna’s easy intimacy, the way Thora and Artair communicated with mere glances, Artemis found herself imagining a future where she and Bartek might share that same comfortable connection. The thought didn’t frighten her as it once might have.
Conversation flowed around them, but Artemis remained acutely aware of Bartek beside her—the heat radiating from his body, the faint spice-and-forest scent that clung to him, the way his shoulder occasionally brushed against hers when he reached for his drink.
When he brushed a strand of hair from her face, all the drinks on their table briefly levitated, startling a laugh from Bryn.
“Your magic is responsive tonight,” Bartek commented, watching the glasses settle back down.
“It has a mind of its own lately,” Artemis replied, deliberately not mentioning that it only happened around him.
His knowing smile told her he understood exactly what she wasn’t saying.
As the evening progressed, Artemis found herself relaxing into this unexpected dynamic, enjoying the easy camaraderie between their two groups of friends. She belonged here, she realized. Not just in Enchanted Falls, but in this circle, with these people who accepted the magic that sparked between her and Bartek as something natural and beautiful rather than strange or frightening.
It was during one of these moments—watching Thora laugh at something Artair whispered in her ear—that Artemis felt a sudden chill. The fine hairs on the back of her neck stood up, a warning prickle that her fae senses recognized instantly.
Someone was watching them.