“If you remember anything else,” I said, turning to leave, “you’ll let me know.”She didn’t respond, and I didn’t wait for one. I had what I needed—or at least, as much as I was going to get from her.Back at home, I spread the book out on my bed, flipping through the remaining pages in search of cl
AgnesThea and I spent an afternoon the following weekend in the kitchen, the air filled with the sweet scent of rose petals and the sound of laughter. Honestly, it was the most fun I’d had in weeks, maybe even months. Thea was practically bouncing up and down with excitement as we laid out all the
When we were finished, the liquid inside the bottle looked just like that: liquid. The last part of the ‘spell’ felt a little silly, but Thea seemed to enjoy it.“It’s so pretty,” she said, holding up the bottle to the light. “Do you think it’ll work?”“Maybe,” I replied, chuckling even though I kne
Agnes & ElijahAgnesAs I stood in front of the mirror, smoothing out the fabric of my knit dress across my thighs, Thea came bouncing into my room with more energy than I thought possible. She had picked out a sparkly dress of her own that was probably too extravagant for a simple dinner out, but n
My heart sank lower and lower each time it happened, and suddenly, the thought of dessert felt unappetizing. Was he disgusted by me? Did he regret the night we’d spent together now that I smelled… foul?Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore. I quickly excused myself to the bathroom, my cheeks burning
AgnesI blinked, staring up at the familiar face smiling down at me. I hadn’t seen Mason in years, not since college, and now I had randomly run into him twice in the past few months after all that time apart.“Hey, Agnes,” he said with a lazy smile, sticking his hands in his pockets. “I thought I s
AgnesFor a few moments following Elijah’s swift exit, I just stood there, Mason’s business card clutched in my hand.Elijah looked furious when he saw me there with Mason, and although I hadn’t agreed to coffee or anything of the sort, I couldn’t help but feel…Guilty.I knew I shouldn’t. I hadn’t
The floral, woodsy aroma filled the air, and I took a deep breath, trying to gauge how it smelled. It was nice, but not overpowering—at least, not to me. But maybe other people would be offended by it just like Elijah had.I made my way to town after that, where I stepped into a small boutique. But
“What do you think it was like for her?” I said after a moment. “My mother, I mean. Living her whole life afraid that someone would find out what she was.”Elijah’s thumb traced circles on the back of my hand beneath the water. “Lonely, I imagine.”“She never told me,” I whispered. “My own mother, a
AgnesThe saltwater felt like heaven against my overheated skin. I’d been soaking in my in-ground pool for nearly an hour now, but the heat that had built in my body still hadn’t completely subsided.Honestly, I was surprised that I hadn’t burned down the entire bar earlier. My finger had certainly
“Yes,” he insisted. “Because Elemental Enterprises is owned by your stepmother’s family.”The world seemed to tilt beneath me. I gripped the edge of the table to steady myself. “What?”“I’ve been keeping your true nature from your stepmother all this time,” he continued, the words coming out of him
AgnesI fidgeted in the passenger seat as Elijah pulled into the dive bar’s parking lot. The place looked exactly as I remembered it from my past life—grimy windows with neon beer signs, chipped paint on the exterior, and a crooked sign hanging above the door.Years ago, I’d spent many nights here t
“Elijah, wait.”I froze, expecting to feel the tug of the mate bond, that infuriating compulsion she’d used so many times to force me to listen to her, to stay when I wanted to go. But it never came. For the first time, she hadn’t used the bond to control me. Today was full of surprises, wasn’t it?
ElijahThat morning, I made yet another trip to the prison. I’d hoped to never set foot in this place again, because frankly it was cold and uncomfortable and unsettling, but here I was. I just hoped that Olivia would keep true to her word and that this conversation would be worth it—and that it wou
I hated that he was making sense. And even more than that, I hated that a part of me—a much bigger part of me than I wanted to admit—was actually considering it.“What if it’s a trap?” I asked quietly. “What if he’s involved with Elemental Enterprises somehow? He could be trying to get to Thea.”“Th
AgnesI stared at the letter in my hands the entire night, reading and rereading the words until they were practically burned into my brain. By morning, the paper had taken on a slightly crumpled appearance from how many times I had folded and unfolded it.By the time the sun rose, I wasn’t sure if
Elijah, noticing the tension leaving my shoulders, offered me a soft smile. “And I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t sexy as hell when you get like that.”I blushed and looked away. “Stop it…”“But I mean it,” he murmured, his voice growing husky as he leaned closer to me. His lips brushed mine ever so