Page 18 of WitchCurse

“Finish the tea,” Seb instructed. “I’ll bring more in a bit. And Liam and I will throw something together for you. If we had known Zephyr had set up court in Bellingham, we wouldn’t have sent you there.”

I would have protested if not for the concern that getting too weak would drain more from Nick. “I’m fine,” I waved at Sebastian dismissively. He need not baby me. “He’s close because he desires you.” Zephyr had already taken all he could from me.

“Not even on my radar,” Seb said, his gaze finding his mate again and a smile forming on his lips.

“You say that until he’s flooding you with magic. Bedding the fae is an intertwining of sex and magic; that is why there are so many fae bastards in this world. You desire him when he’s close,” I observed.

Sebastian glared. “I can’t help that the kitsune wants magic. It wants to eat him, not fuck him.”

There actually wasn’t all that much difference in the two desires, but I didn’t point that out. “Is the baby wolf flirting with my scion?” He had a sweet smile that was very focused on Nick.

“Toby?” Seb looked their way. “Maybe? Toby is doing okay. He won’t hurt Nick.”

Very few could hurt Nick, not as long as I lived. I took a sip of tea and watched the interaction. The way Nick chatted and smiled, friendly to everyone around him. Part of it was a mask, long established and well worn. Part of it was simply Nick. He had a charisma that drew people close. He glanced my way, gaze firm on the teapot for a few seconds.

Drink.

I was drinking. The warmth of the tea buzzing through my bones, a tingle of magic, not too deep, but enough to make everything ache. I put on a mask of indifference, and poured another cup, raising it to him in mock salute.

“Let me get another pot brewing,” Seb said and made his way back to the tea shop.

Toby brought Nick a bowl of steaming soup and a giant sandwich on a plate. He arranged the food and a large cup of coffee on a tray, adding silverware and napkins. Ari appeared a moment later with a slice of cake, adding it to the tray and pointing toward me. Nick nodded, gave them both a friendly smile and waved to Liam. Ari went back to dancing behind the bakery table toward the back. Nick picked up the tray and brought it over.

“Will you pursue the wolf?” I asked Nick as he set the tray down and began unloading everything. I’d thought they’d find something months ago, as the two were often heads together deep in conversation, but Nick seemed to be keeping the wolf at arm’s length.

He paused a moment, then finished and returned the tray before sitting down. “Maybe,” he finally said.

I suppressed the rise of jealousy that spiked in my gut.

Nick handed over the cake. “Tea and cake. Like the old days, yes?”

I said nothing, but picked up a utensil, not actual silver, but not iron either, and cut off a bite of cake. Eating would keep me from saying things I shouldn’t. Unlike the rest of the fae, I had never demanded complete loyalty and obedience from my scion. But he had also rarely found interest in anything other than books.

That was telling in its own way. His focus on breaking our bond.

“Fixing your blight, not breaking the bond,” Nick corrected. He took a spoonful of the soup, blowing on it a bit as it steamed, then ate it, savoring the flavor. “This is great. Spicy. Would you like to try some?” He dipped the spoon and held it out. I shook my head. Mortal food did little for me. Without the lace of magic, it might as well be air. He ate the spoonful then turned to the sandwich. “Toby is getting better. The presence of the omega helps his wolf back down a little. He’ll be alpha someday,” Nick added. “As long as he doesn’t kill himself by fighting the other half of him. He needs something to unify his human side with the wolf. There is something different about him. He has magic. And he is not unkind. Do you find him attractive?”

I ate the bite of cake, surprised at the rich pop of flavor. Not like the chocolate cake, but more a citrus tang, bright like sunshine. Magic permeated the cake, making my tongue tingle, and I wondered how much the alpha had thrown into the slice. I cut off another chunk, savoring it a few seconds before digging into the rest.

“I would not begrudge you a relationship with the wolf.” It felt like a lie, though I knew it was the truth even if it hurt. My need for Nick was not jealousy that he find someone else, as much as loneliness that he was eager to get away.

“You didn’t answer the question.”

“Is he attractive? He is not unattractive.” Pretty was the wolf. Not the sort of fae pretty that meant he was hiding something malicious. He was young, but strong in ways that physical form could never show. Not like Nick with his thick muscles and warrior physique. It also seemed unfair to start something when we had already been cursed by fate.

“I agree,” Nick said. “But he’s also not ready.” He glanced back to find the wolf’s gaze focused our way. “He’s young. Too dominant, his wolf longs to fight Liam of all people, to claim Seb as his own. Though his brain, the human side, reminds him that Seb sees him as a child, someone to protect, never a lover, and even less so if he were to attack the alpha. He doesn’t actually want Seb, but the balance Seb’s power gives him. He is young and conflicted...”

“Because you’re ancient?” I mocked, thinking he was but a babe himself compared to me.

“In this room? Yes.” He took a bite of the sandwich. “Food…I had forgotten how amazing it can really be. Best thing about this world is I can eat like crazy, and since you’re using my energy, I don’t have to worry about gaining a million pounds.”

I had no idea what that meant. I was the one fated to become a monster and devour everything, not him.

“I’d trade with you if I could,” he said. It was something he had studied in the past, searching for a way to take on my curse himself, letting his end become the final swing of fate. Only it didn’t work that way. Not that I’d allow that anyway. “Shouldn’t have given me free will then, yeah?” Nick asked.

I glared at him over my cup of tea, thinking he should stay out of my head. The slice of cake was finished and it sang through me like fire. Just how much magic had they put in that?

Ari appeared with a bright smile and another slice of cake, taking the empty plate in exchange for the new one. “Here you go, Uncle Kiran.”