AgnesThe Goddess Festival was in full swing by midday. Families strolled between colorful booths while children played on the lawn, running back and forth and nearly tripping some of the begrudging elders. Thea had long since abandoned us to join her friends at the face-painting station, although h
“What kind of challenges?” I asked, showing her my bandaged hands. “I’m a bit limited at the moment.”Evelyn’s eyes widened. “What happened to your hands?”“Long story,” I said, not wanting to get into the strange incident with the coffee mug. “Just a minor burn.”“Well, you’re in luck,” she said, c
AgnesI stared at the smoking trail behind me, my mind refusing to process what my eyes were seeing. The grass was charred black.As if it had been burnt by my very feet.“Did I do that?” I whispered, looking from the scorched earth to Elijah’s stunned face.Before Elijah could answer, I became awar
I’d almost forgotten about the unveiling of the survival bag.“Thank you,” I told the attendant. “I’ll be right there.”I hurried to the nearest restroom to freshen up before the presentation. After splashing some cool water on my face and adjusting my clothes, I made my way to the main stage. The c
AgnesThe emails were relentless. I’d received over a dozen already that morning, most of them from our manufacturer, who was asking countless questions about the onslaught of preorders we’d received since yesterday.I’d expected a positive review of the bags, seeing as how they were both stylist an
“They bred out,” Elijah mused, reading over my shoulder. “Like any trait that loses its evolutionary advantage.”I nodded, flipping to the next page. I already knew this, of course. It was basic historical knowledge, the sort of thing every werewolf kid learned in fourth-grade history class. But I p
AgnesThe pack headquarters’ courtyard was unusually quiet today. Normally, Gertrude and I would be sitting at our usual table, sharing lunch and gossip while the sun warmed our shoulders. But she’d called out sick this morning, which left me eating alone.I didn’t mind the solitude, though. It gave
“I saw what happened at the festival yesterday,” he said after a moment. “The scorched grass.”My blood ran cold, but I kept my expression as neutral as possible. “What about it?”“That wasn’t friction.” His eyes fixed on me with uncomfortable intensity. “We both know that.”“I don’t know what you’r
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
AgnesElijah gently pulled me out of the banquet hall before I could say another word.We reached the nearest bathroom—a small powder room off the main hallway—and Elijah ushered me inside, locking the door behind us. Without a word, he turned on the faucet and soaked a washcloth in cold water.“Her
My hand tightened around my wine glass, and I felt a flicker of heat race through my veins, which I quickly pushed down with a big gulp of wine. It wasn’t enough, though. “Water, please,” I said abruptly to the bartender. “Extra ice.”The bartender nodded and handed me my glass. I chugged half of it
Agnes“Hold still,” I muttered around the pins that were pinched between my lips. “I’m almost done.”“But it tickles,” Thea whined.I sighed, sitting back on my heels to survey my work. The pink dress had turned out even better than I’d imagined—the fabric caught the light just so, and the purple em
Thea was already back from day camp when I arrived, sprawled on the living room floor with a coloring book and a horde of new crayons—which we’d certainly be finding under the couch for years to come. She looked up as I entered.“Mommy!” She jumped up and ran to hug me. “How was work?”“It was good,
AgnesI straightened my blouse one last time before pushing open the glass door to the design department. It had been almost a month since I’d last set foot in the office—first because of the fire, then because of everything with Thea and the house rebuild.I wasn’t nervous, exactly, but there was a
“Thank you.” I took a sip, letting the rich flavor roll over my tongue. “For everything. Not just the wine.”He smiled. “You don’t need to thank me, Agnes. None of this would have happened without you.”“That’s not true. You’re the one who went to see Olivia. You’re the one who believed her crazy st