Page 41 of The Witch's Pet

Butwhyis she playing with my hair? Is she doing this absently because I happen to be in front of her? Or maybe this is how she treats everyone she feeds off of, buttering them up before she consumes them. Or…

Or she could be flirting with me. Seducing me.

My heart beats faster. Blood rushes to my face, making my lips numb.

I have to remember who I’m dealing with. I can’t be attracted to her. I can’t trust her.

And I can’t trust the feelings I have when she touches me.

I blink the screen back into focus, scanning the emails from Elizabeth. There are six, and the first was received January 7, 2004. I open it with clumsy fingers.

A jolt of victory shoots through my chest. “Elizabeth asked Maya to come pick up family heirlooms.”

Julia goes still, and her fingers stop toying with my hair.

I scroll down, scanning for an address. “Crap… Maya said she’s not interested in joining any covens, given what happened to the other witches in her lineage…whatever that means…” I get to Elizabeth’s final reply, and my breath catches. “Wait.If you change your mind, here’s where to find me.Julia, it’s her address!”

“Perfect,” Julia says, a rare note of elation in her voice.

I grab a notepad and pen, scribbling the address with a trembling hand. “Do we need anything else?”

Before she can answer, the lock on the apartment door clicks.

We both freeze, eyes widening.

Maya is home.

12

Julia

Theapartmentdoorrattlesas Maya tries to enter, only to be stopped by the three bolts.

We’ve run out of time—but Elizabeth’s address might be enough to lead us to Rebecca.

“What should we—” Hannah begins.

Shunk.The top bolt slides open on its own.

We look at each other, eyes wide.

Shunk.The middle one slides open.

Not a witch, Maya?I think, my skin tingling as her magic hits me like fog rolling in.

Damn it all. I should have known she was lying. Should have smelled the way she expertly suppressed it. She has the power of the Kwan family in her blood, and I’m willing to bet that magic has never skipped a generation.

I raise my palms for a fight, but the gesture is laughable. Even blasting open the door was an effort, and I doubt I could fight so much as a rat right now.

Hannah’s eyes dart around the room. She grabs my arm and pulls me toward a door. “Balcony.”

Hm, yes, fleeing is wiser.

Shunk.The third bolt slides open, and I hurtle after Hannah into the cool night air.

Hannah quietly shuts the door behind us just as the front door’s hinges creak, the sound filling the small space.

“Who’s here?” Maya calls out from beyond the closed door, her voice rough and menacing, not at all like the scared victim we cornered in the alley.