Page 43 of The Fang Arrangement (Celestial Witches #2)

W hen I close the door, Warin is on me in a second, pushing my back against the door as he kisses me senseless.

“You mean it?” he asks.

“Why would I want a family name that doesn’t want me?” I ask him.

“I want you, more than anything I want you,” he says, his forehead pressed against mine.

He would do anything for me, and I suppose this needs to be me doing anything for him. I’ll just have to live without magic, without Gus, maybe without my friends.

I’m panting heavy as a knock sounds on my door. I groan, not wanting to deal with my family anymore.

Warin’s brows are furrowed which makes me more confused as I break out of his grasp and open the door.

It’s Samantha with Gus eating popcorn in her arms.

“Oh, my fuck. Take him. He wouldn’t stop nipping all of us, I’m guessing, because he wanted to see you. Either way, take the gigantic menace,” Samantha says.

Her arms are outstretched with Gus, and he nips her fingers one last time as I take him.

“Oh also, I may have threatened to drain your grandmother dry,” Samantha says with a grin. “Well, I have much more interesting things to do. See you at home, I guess,” she says with a shrug before running away.

I didn’t even get a word in, but I look down at Gus with an arched eyebrow.

“Nice to see you, too. Thanks for checking in with your familiar after being kidnapped and nearly turned into a vampire. Plus, menace is a compliment. But seeing as I don’t speak undead, I had to get their attention somehow. I think I have a solution to your little problem.”

I glance over at Warin, who has no idea what Gus is saying.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re not gonna like it, but it’s way fucking better than being turned into a vampire.”

My eyebrows raise in surprise.

“You found something in the grimoires?” I ask him.

“Worse. We need to pay Sarephine Fontenot a little visit.”

“Sarephine?” I question.

“The psycho witch that specializes in familiar magic. She sent me to you, Walter to Violet, Scarlett to Iris. She’s in charge of bringing our souls into these forms and connecting us with the right witch. She’s straight up crazy, but good at what she does.”

“What’s he saying?” he asks.

“Tell him he owes me a life of luxury for what I’m about to do, ” Gus says, and I put my hands on my hips, not answering Warin.

“Why would the familiar witch have anything to do with Warin being a vampire and me a witch? And why now are you telling me where you came from?” I ask Gus.

“Sarephine is…unhinged. But the magic is strong and would work for the situation. As long as you are alive, I’m tethered to you, never aging, never changing.

What if she could do the same for you and my rich, slightly annoying step daddy?

Plus, I can’t have you turning into a vampire or else I’ll get reassigned to a new witch. ”

I sigh at him and then I really think about it. What if instead of me being a vampire we could link our lives together?

“What am I missing?” Warin says.

“Gus thinks that this nomadic, psycho swamp witch might help us. Maybe instead of me becoming a vampire, she could tie us together like witches are to familiars.”

“My job here is done,” Gus says, scurrying to the couch. “No way am I going to that place again,” he sighs.

“Oh, you’re absolutely coming with us,” I say back and he lets out a pained groan.

“Why would this witch help us?” Warin says.

“She’s broke as a joke. Make her an offer she can’t refuse,” Gus says.

“Gus says she needs money,” I relay to Warin, and he nods his head, like that’s a simple solution.

“Then let’s go. Right now,” Warin says, ready to make this connection between us official.

We haven’t even said the words yet, and here we are ready to beg a swamp witch to tether us together forever. Totally normal.

I grab Gus, he claws into the couch but eventually I get him free and we get back into the SUV.

Against his will, Gus tells us how to get to Sarephine Fontenot’s swamp.

It takes us hours, and I’m not even sure what we’re on is considered a road. It’s the dead of the night, and I wonder if she’ll even see us.

As we pull up, there are bright eyes everywhere. Raccoons, cats, foxes, and alligators?

Gus groans next to me, like being back here is horrific.

When we pull up to the house, lights immediately turn on, and a witch with braided gray-white hair, wearing a blue muumuu, and holding a mangy cat, comes to the front porch.

The wood is cracked and worn, and she holds her wand tightly in her spindly fist.

She doesn’t immediately acknowledge us, instead she zeroes in on Gus.

“My Augustus, have you come back to me?” she asks.

Gus curses under his breath and the old woman laughs.

“You always were a little shit. What does your witch and her vampire want?” she asks, again to Gus, not us, the talking people right in front of her.

“They want their lives tethered together like a familiar is to their witch,” Gus says.

The old crone laughs, the cat in her arms trying to get free, but unable.

“Why in the world would I offer that?” she asks.

“The vampire is rich,” Gus tells her, and her demeanor changes. “I know it’s not cheap feeding all your wayward familiars waiting for witches to be born. Not to mention I don’t think you’ve changed your nightgown in over a decade,” Gus says.

I squeeze his middle, and he yelps.

“What he was rudely?—”

“Shut up, witch,” Sarephine says, looking back down at my raccoon.

“Tell her I only talk to familiars,” she says to Gus, even though I’m standing right here.

Warin looks skeptical next to me, like maybe he wants to strangle the swamp witch, but this is the only lead we have.

It’s this or I make the decision to never see the sun again, never use magic, untether myself from Gus and my coven.

“Five million and some of the vampire's blood,” she says.

“Done,” Warin says quickly.

“Ten million and some of the vampire’s blood,” she updates her offer.

“Done,” Warin replies again.

“Fine. We do this now. Gladis, go get mommy’s banking information,” she says, putting the cat down, who trots back into the house.

The cat comes back with a piece of paper in its mouth, and Sarephine hands the paper to Gus, who then hands it to Warin.

Warin pulls out his phone, clicking away at an unreal speed.

“The transfer is complete.”

“Your blood vampire,” she says.

“Blood after the spell,” he retorts.

She pinches her lips, but tilts forward.

“Tell them to come to the porch,” she says to Gus, even though she was talking to Warin about money. This woman is totally cracked out and I wonder if we’re getting scammed.

Gus holds on to me for dear life, like this woman might snatch him up and add him to her little collection of creatures.

“There’s no guarantee this will work. I’ve only tied magical creatures to witches before,” she says, of course after she has her money.

Awesome. I’m going to be a fucking vampire.

“For the spell to work best, I need to understand their intentions. It’s how I pair familiars with witches, understanding their signatures.

Since he doesn’t have a heartbeat,” she says, tapping her finger against her chin.

“Blood, I will sense the connection in the blood,” she says, grabbing a bowl that really looks like it needs to be heavily washed from the porch.

“Augustus, tell them to put their blood in the bowl,” she says.

“ You heard her, ” Gus says.

Warin bites his wrist, putting his blood in the bowl first, his wrist heals immediately, and he grabs my wrist, lightly pricking it with a fang and I add mine.

Sarephine gasps when they combine, and she holds it up to her nose.

“I’ve never seen such a connection,” she says.

“Maybe this was a bad idea,” Gus says quietly.

“A verbal confirmation will make the spell stronger,” Sarephine says manically, as she stares at the blood. “Tell them to state their intentions out loud,” she directs Gus.

“Again, you heard what she said.”

Warin takes a step closer. The old porch creaking with each step. He grabs my waist, since I have Gus in my arms. It’s probably the most vulnerable I’ve seen him as he looks down and back up at me.

“My love started for you the moment you walked into my bar. I know you don’t remember that night, but I made a vow to protect you every day since then.

I hold true to that vow, but it’s more than that now.

I not only love you because fate destined us together, but because of who you are.

” He steps even closer, Gus squished between us.

“I never thought I would see the sun again, but you are the brightest thing I could have ever asked for in my life. You are beautiful, brilliant, funny, and don’t put up with my shit.

I love you for you, Ember, and I don’t care what forever looks like, as long as it’s with you.

I promise to protect you, care for you, and put you first,” he says as he cups my chin.

My eyes are watery as I lick my lips.

“I’m not sure how we got here, but I’ll admit that I was starting to have feelings for you well before we shared blood.

I just didn’t want to admit them to myself.

No one has made me feel more confident than you do.

I know that your past is complicated, and the future might be too.

But there’s no one else I want to walk this life with other than you.

I love you for your faults and for your charms. You’re persistent, generous, and thoughtful.

Ever since I was a little girl, I dreamed I’d have a fairytale romance and while it might not be conventional, it’s more than I could ever dream of. I love you, War,” I say.

He leans forward, Gus protesting between our arms as Warin kisses me.

I feel it then; the magic surrounding us as Sarephine chants. It’s not in English and I wonder how she was imbued with this magic, but it doesn’t matter.

Our lips don’t part as the magic washes over us, connecting us forever. It’s like a tether wrapping around my heart and latching on to Warin’s. Our life lines become one, my soul forever tied to Warin’s immortal life span.

Every nerve ending in my body cools a few degrees, and when we finally part from our kiss, I can see it in Warin’s eyes.

He rubs his chest like he feels it too.

“Give this to the vampire and tell them to get the fuck off my property,” Sarephine says, handing a vial to Gus.

My familiar’s hands are shaking and I wonder if the magic has somehow trickled to him as he hands the vial to Warin.

Warin doesn’t look at the other witch, and barely looks down at what he’s doing as he fills the glass with his blood, his eyes never breaking away from mine.

“Tell them as long as the vampire lives she lives, she’s frozen in time, blah blah blah. Oh, and Augustus? Whenever he gets staked and they both die, you belong to me,” the witch says, cackling.

Gus’s eyes go wide, and he clings on to me for dear life.

Warin shoves his blood into Sarephine’s hand, and grips my waist, as he leads us off the precarious porch and back toward the vehicle.

None of us speak until we get in the car.

“I told you she was fucking insane,” Gus says, and Warin immediately turns into the backseat to stare at Gus.

“You heard him?” I question and Warin looks back at me with a sigh.

“I suppose we’re all connected now,” he says, placing his hand in mine.

“Don’t forget about me,” a female voice says and my eyes go wide.

“Just me, you, a raccoon, and a bat,” Warin says deadpan and I laugh.

Gus however doesn’t find it too funny as he grumbles in the backseat with his road snacks.

“My life is quite literally in your hands,” I say, and he brings my hand to his mouth, kissing my knuckles. I haven’t let everything tonight sink in yet. I guess I won’t age anymore?

“Finally, a real reason worth living,” he says, placing my hand back in my lap.

Maybe it’s not the fairytale where we ride a horse-drawn carriage into the sunset. I think I was always meant to ride off into the darkness in a bullet proof SUV, anyway.