Chapter 16: Strange Magic

SERAPHINA

The events of last night were still fresh in my mind as I moved my sore legs. I was regretting the physical exertion of the past twelve hours, just before Garrick and I resumed our walk through the snow.

We were on our non-date, an outing I had agreed to with some reluctance.

Despite my mind being preoccupied with thoughts of another man, the outing was going surprisingly well. Garrick was not just a perfect gentleman, but he was also quite funny. He kept me entertained as we navigated through stalls selling trinkets earlier in the day, making it difficult not to enjoy myself.

He now led us through the town to a small park that was hidden away from the buildings, where we admired statues and the beautiful scenery.

“Here.” Garrick’s gloved hands brushed against mine as he handed me his thermos of hot cocoa, giving me a sweet smile.

I tried to return the smile as I looked at Garrick, trying to feel something other than thoughts of Aleksandr. I wondered if I had slept with my husband’s murderer, or if Aleksandr had finally lost whatever minor interest he had in me.

At the same time, I was trying to convince myself that nothing about what happened really mattered, except for the brief moments we had shared.

Sure, he had been incredibly sweet immediately afterward, but a peck on the cheek and some light cuddling after sex in a storeroom wasn’t exactly my idea of romance. Even if he did deliver me home with another fervent kiss at the door.

“Thank you,” I said gratefully, taking a long, slow sip as my eyes wandered to the frozen fountain near a bench. I thought about asking to sit down, but I was worried it might send the wrong message. Garrick had managed to make me forget about all the burdens weighing me down for the past four hours, something I was grateful for.

However, the idea of getting physical with another man so soon didn’t appeal to me.

“So, what did you think of the ice carving?” Garrick asked as I handed back the thermos, which he tucked back into one of his large pockets.

“Are you kidding? It was amazing. Especially the one with the swans! I thought its neck was going to snap from the saw. It looked so delicate, and the saw was vibrating like crazy even though it was so small.”

Garrick laughed. His joy lit up his face and made him even more attractive than I had initially thought. In the two days since I had last seen him, he had gotten a haircut. With the sparkle in his eye and the lightness in his features, Garrick was far from the brooding man I had initially thought him to be.

The more time we spent together without discussing business or focusing on grief, the more I had to admit that he seemed as genuine as he was thoughtful and kind.

“Every year, I’m amazed. Last year, I really thought this carving of a giant salmon leaping out of the water was going to win. Then, at the last minute, it cracked from the mouth down to its tail.”

“Wow, that’s crazy.”

“I know, especially since it looked like a solid piece at the point of the crack. Ice carving is a difficult sport and an amazing art. My brother used to enter the amateur rank and actually won some medals.

“So, it just kind of became a tradition for me to go. It was nice to have company again.”

I tilted my head, curious, since he hadn’t really mentioned any of his family before. “Where is he now? Didn’t he want to compete in regular competitions when he got older?”

He tilted his head, as if considering how to answer, before taking a sip of his cocoa. “People change. As I’m sure you’re aware…”

Our eyes met, and a moment passed between us like unspoken words. It was as if he was silently acknowledging my being a witch.

While I didn’t remember my childhood well, discovering magic would have indeed been a significant change.

If I could remember it.

“I know what you’re referring to, and to be perfectly honest, I don’t really remember what it was like before I became a witch,” I said. My eyes left him to look ahead at the path, my cheeks flushing. The only people I admitted this to were Jack, Damien, and Marcus.

“I have memory issues from my childhood that I’ve been working through with my therapist.”

“That’s…” Garrick seemed surprised and a little taken aback as he ran a hand through his hair. “Didn’t Jack ever think to…help you with that? I mean, not to be rude, I just mean—”

“No, you’re right. Witches, especially a collective or one with my husband’s reputation, have a lot of influence over the natural order. But whatever’s wrong with me, it just isn’t something that can be fixed, I guess.

“It’s not like I didn’t have my turn in the coven for help. Some things that are broken in nature just stay broken.” I looked up at some of the icicles forming on a lamppost we were walking under, enjoying the way they reflected the orange and pink hues of the sunset.

The overhead lamp clicked on, ruining the effect.

“Is there anything that you do remember? Specifically? Is that why you work with a therapist?” Garrick asked curiously, slowing his pace.

I nodded thoughtfully as I matched him, looking ahead at more lights twinkling on. They cast a beautiful orange-yellow glow among the icy blue and purple branches. The sun was starting to set, even though it was still early in the evening.

It was a sign that we were getting closer to the days of darkness that marked our true winter in Alaska.

“My first memory is of a garden. I was barefoot, wearing a white dress, and holding my mother’s hand. Then there was this woman who looked like my mom standing next to her, but she wasn’t my mom. She just…handed me off.” I shrugged, a small smile playing on my lips.

“There’s a lot to unpack in therapy, I guess. But I’m not really good at digging up any childhood memories that don’t give me weird nightmares. What about you? What was your childhood like? Being one of the…supernatural kind?” I asked, stumbling over the last two words.

Garrick raised an eyebrow, a look of concern crossing his face as he studied me. The silence between us was deafening in the dimly lit park, the shadows from the nearby trees creeping closer to our bench by the pond.

“Are you asking how I know about witches? Or are you suggesting I’m something less than human?” he asked.

Warning bells rang in my head, his expression turning serious.

“No, I just…Jack—”

Garrick cut me off with a smile. “Didn’t tell you anything, I see,” he said. He paused, rubbing his chin before squaring his shoulders. “You’re not wrong, Seraphina. If I had been human, I probably would have been a dead man a thousand times over.”

He confessed, a sheepish grin tugging at his lips, even as a sense of alarm prickled at the back of my neck.

“I am indeed a supernatural creature.”

“As a werewolf, it’s natural for me to say certain things. But maybe I scared you when we first met? I keep trying to run over what I said in the restaurant that made you run.”

I tried to hide my shock at his revelation, taking a moment to sit on a nearby bench.

“It felt like a date. Like now.”

“It’s not, and this doesn’t have to be either. For now, we can call this an outing between friends, or even associates who enjoy each other’s company. If that’s okay with you?”

A strange, warm feeling filled my chest as he looked at me, my cheeks flushing as I tried to decipher my feelings.

I knew that friends weren’t exactly what I wanted to be. He was just too kind and warm.

~Remember, Seraphina, he’s the leader of a known drug smuggling operation.~ I reminded myself as he sat down next to me on the bench.

His mere presence made me want to scoot closer and soak up his warmth.

“That’s probably for the best,” I admitted, casting my eyes anywhere but his face, swallowing hard.

“My main focus right now is to find Jack’s killer.”

“We need to figure out who might have some leads. You mentioned the police did their usual investigation, but I’m guessing you also paid for some extra help?”

“Besides my own coven, yes. They didn’t find a weapon, which made the case difficult. It also seems like Elis is avoiding me. I tried to catch him in the morning at the pottery shop. But Chen decided to pay me a visit with some threats.”

“What kind of threats?” Garrick asked, his tone dark and serious.

This sent a small thrill up my spine. I was surprised at how serious he sounded.

“Nothing I couldn’t handle,” I admitted, pulling at my hat to readjust it.

~Oh. Shit.~ My body tensed as a wave of sexual energy washed over me, our proximity igniting something within me, not to mention his defensiveness.

Garrick seemed to feel it too. His eyes took me in as he looked over at me.

There was a strange, beautiful golden hum in the air as his gloved fingers brushed my arm.

I smiled up at him, trying to reassure him that I was stronger than I looked.

Garrick moved closer, brushing my hair back from my ear.

I kept my gaze locked on his, unable to look away.

~This is all magic,~ I tried to remind myself as I saw a golden glow follow his fingers.

But it was like shouting into a storm. I knew that all magic, especially something this sexual, was based on more than ~just~ magic.

It needed something to feed on, and mutual attraction or desire would only amplify it.

It was like the obsessive drive of ants to serve and protect their queen. It was as if the magic humming around me was releasing some kind of pheromone.

“Thank you,” I managed to say, my voice coming out a bit higher than usual.

My heart was pounding in my ears. “I’m glad I have someone looking out for me.”

The words felt hollow, even though I knew they were true in some sense with Garrick.

I was a strong woman, something I’d been trying to convince myself of since Jack’s death. As comforting as it was to have a big, strong man like Garrick to lean on, that wasn’t who I was.

“I’m happy to look out for you, in any way you’ll let me,” Garrick said, his voice rough as he moved closer.

Garrick gently tilted my chin up, his eyes asking for permission as they met mine.

With a held breath and parted lips, he gently pressed his lips to mine.

It was a small, innocent gesture. But it was anything but innocent.

Fire immediately spread from my lips, through my chest, and down to my core.

An electric pulse shot through my fingertips and toes, accompanied by a melodic hum.

Butterflies and bees buzzed in my chest and ears. I couldn’t resist the pull any longer.

I leaned in, returning his kiss with fervor.

Our lips found each other again, my gloved hand clutching his jacket, pulling him closer.

I yearned to melt into him, to feel the safety he always seemed to provide.

Garrick’s eyes momentarily flashed a peculiar golden color, a low growl rumbling in his throat as my tongue traced his lower lip.

I nipped at it gently as I pulled back. I was helpless against the allure.

Like two teenagers making out in a park.