Page 105 of Dark Flame

“We should go.”

“Scared for the ceremony?”

“More nervous.”

“It’ll be fine.” I stand, offering my hand to help her up.

She accepts it and stands, her chest close to mine. Her head falls back to look me in the face. “How do you know? You’re an active viewer of witches’ ceremonies?”

“Because I’ll murder them all if it’s not.”

She snorts as I take her hand to lead her from her old room, and then the house, except I wasn’t kidding.

Forty

HARLOW

I giveAlec the directions Carina gave, and he tosses me onto his back with a wicked grin, walking me down the path, past the mailbox with my name, and out onto the street without a peek back at the house that’s mine but not really mine.

“Close your eyes. Or don’t.”

The wind picks up, and colours become a muted blur of grey, black, and green lit only by the moon above. He’s moving much too fast for me to make anything out, and I think I scream his name, but that too is eaten up by the wind.

A moment later, it all dies down, and Alec stops in the middle of the forest. He crouches slightly and releases my hands so I can slide off his back.

Very few of the smiles Alec has given me have been genuine. Most were sneaky, the smile of a victor, which is essentially everything he’s been. But this time, there’s a lightness to his midnight-coloured eyes that makes the stretch of his mouth seem perkier. While his fangs are visible, his lips aren’t curled back, purposely trying to be threatening.

“Fun?”

“It was…something.” Something cool, if I’m really honest.

He points between the gathering of trees to the people mingling around in black cloaks, and all the happiness I was feeling dissipates for anxiety. I’m about to have a coven meeting for the first time ever. People will meet me. They’ll know I was gone and that I’m back. They’ll ask me questions. They’ll demand answers. They’ll?—

Two hands come down on my shoulders and pull me back into his otherworldly body. His hair tickles the side of my face as he dips into my neck, making me shiver at the telltale ghostly sensation of his fang sliding up my neck.

Relax. You’ll be fine.

“It always throws me when you do that—speak in my head.”

Worked, didn’t it? Got your mind off your stress. Say the word, and I’ll take you away.

“No. I want to do this. I’ve been looking forward to it all day.” Even if present feelings indicate otherwise. I step from beneath his hold and toward the—my—coven. When I’m between two trees, I whisper, “Thanks, Alec.”

My pleasure, Hellion. Go kick ass.

I step from the treeline, scanning the crowd for Morgan or Carina; people I know, while hoping everyone else doesn’t notice me. There are dozens of people gathered in mini groups, talking amongst themselves.

A woman breaks away from a group, immediately followed by a guy holding a black cloak in his hand. When realizing they’re Carina and Jasper coming to mob me by the treeline, only a dozen feet from where Alec waits, my lungs breathe easier. They position themselves so others don’t have a clear line of sight.

“Hey,” Carina greets. “Mom mentioned you might be overwhelmed if we start approaching everyone, so if you wanna stay back here for a bit, we can. She understands. They don’t have to realize you’re you until she begins the circle.”

“That’d be good.” I cast a grateful glance towards Morgan, who’s off to the side speaking with two other women but watching me from the corner of her eye.

Jasper hands over the cloak, which looks like a smaller version of the one he’s wearing. “Here. It’s yours to keep. Every Highridge Coven member needs a ceremonial cloak.”

“Thanks.” The material is thick and heavy, but soft. I find the top and loop it around my neck, tying it together.

“Look at you, all grown up and ready for your first coven ceremony. Aren’t you so proud?” Carina blinks wide, dramatic eyes up at her cousin, who merely shoves her arm, chuckling.