Once Bitten (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #1)(13)

“I’m not a vampire, though. I don’t need to take from others to survive.”

“Your energy calls like something that has never been human. It seeks something from me.” He shook his head in wonder but never took his eyes off me.

“The energy, it’s not always sensual,” I offered lamely. I didn’t know what to say, and I was feeling very ill at ease.

“No?” Arys raised an eyebrow, but a satisfied grin spread across his handsome features.

I did my best to fight the blush that crept across my cheeks. My face felt hot, and I wanted to offer any lame excuse just so I could escape the sudden awkwardness.

“Arys, I have to go. Duty calls.” Not exactly a lie, but he looked at me like he knew damn well I was making a getaway.

I had to, though. He shared so many of my abilities, and my power seemed to really like him. The metaphysical attraction had been progressing over time, and I didn’t fully trust myself around him anymore.

Needless to say, I skipped the sirloin steak dinner that I’d been anticipating. I made up for it by stopping by Swiss Chalet to grab a delicious chicken dinner on my way to see Lena.

She’s one of just two humans that Veryl works with. She’s a natural witch and a truly amazing spell caster. Lena was white witch to the core. All of her spell casting focused on things like healing, strength and protection.

Lena helped me learn how to focus, to concentrate. Without that, I couldn’t control the outcome. She taught me plenty of tricks for both accessing and grounding excess energy. Without her, I would most likely still be a bumbling fool with little control or skill.

A few times a month, Lena and I got together to work with energy. As a spell caster, her manipulation usually required the use of an object as a conductor and storage point whereas I tend to be my own conductor. Though she uses the energy in a different way than I do, we call and manipulate it the same way.

I truly enjoyed the time we spent on focal exercises and female bonding. Lena reminded me a little of my mom, and I valued our relationship.

The office building we all used as a base was dark, except for the one light that blazed in the kitchen, where Lena was making tea. We’d have the place to ourselves, which was just as well considering we were going to be playing with energy.

“Good evening, Lena,” I called from the entryway so I wouldn’t startle the older lady.

“Hey Alexa, how’s it going?” She smiled up at me when I entered the room. Her eyes sparkled, and she looked at least a decade younger than her fifty-three years.

“Pretty good. How about yourself?”

“Great, thank you. Just fixing a cup of herbal tea. Care for some?” Her long, dark blonde hair hung in a French braid to her waist.

“No. Thank you, though,” I said as I dug into my Swiss Chalet bag. “You’re not hungry, are you?”

“Oh, heavens no. I ate an entire pumpkin pie by myself for dinner.” She patted her small belly as if it were enormous.

“How’s the shop keeping going?” I asked. Lena owns a small magic shop on Whyte Avenue, in Edmonton, where she sells all kinds of neat new age gear, magic books, and trinkets.

“It’s great. I had to hire a part-time girl to help out a few times a week.”

“That’s awesome. Good for you.”

I sat at the table and chatted with her while I chowed down on chicken, potato and veggies. Dinner wasn’t quite as succulent as a rare steak, but it was still damn good. After a long moment of quiet satisfaction, I gathered my garbage together and headed for the silver trashcan.

I asked, “So what have you got for me today?”

“Just some of the focal exercises from last time. I don’t think there’s much more that I can show you. You’re a natural anyway.”

“Aw, that’s sweet of you to say.” My cheeks warmed in response to her compliment.

She shrugged. “You’ve such an uncanny ability. Some of us have to work really hard to achieve what comes so naturally to you.” She studied me thoughtfully, and I paused in mid-motion as I dug a piece of gum from my purse.

“What?” I asked when her brow furrowed in one of those worried looks that only a mother can wear.

She shook her head, and her braid moved like it was alive. “I don’t know dear. I do hope you’re careful though.”

Lena often expressed concern for me. In our world, no shortage of things can get you killed. Power and ability are just two of many.

“I’m always careful, Lena.” I tried to smile reassuringly, but she dismissed my phony attempt.

“Seriously, Alexa. Don’t let too many people know what you can do. It’s far better to be underestimated.”

I knew that firsthand. However, the real danger was those with similar abilities. I can’t hide my psi abilities from others with the same.

I leaned against the kitchen counter and crossed my arms over my chest. I watched as Lena pulled a small, blue velvet bag from her jeans pocket. She reached inside and withdrew a small green gem that I couldn’t identify. Lena had more charms and amulets than I had hair on my head.

“I’m just going to draw a small circle on the floor so I can energize these charms.” She shook two more gems out of the bag, one ocean blue and the other a deep purple.

She poured salt straight from the box on to the floor, which enclosed her in a protection circle large enough to sit in comfortably. I never joined her within it. Since I’d become a werewolf, I wanted nothing to do with that magical cage. Something in my wolf nature shied away from the magic of others. It gave me a strong sense of discomfort that grew with the unnaturalness of the intended result. Of course, I use metaphysical walls on others. I just don’t want them used on me.