This Strange Addiction by Julie Steimle (e book free reading .txt) 📕

Audry nodded, words swept away.

Going directly to the box that held all of Silvia’s huge white candles, Silvia immediately gave some to Daniel, nodding. “Put them on the marks and light them.”

“Got it.” Daniel rushed, setting them down quickly. He lit each one, though Audry did not notice a lighter in his hand. She figured he must have palmed it or something.

Silvia then got a large chunk of white chalk, and she drew on the floor. She pointed to the center of the room. “Go sit in there, and do as I had asked.”

Audry obeyed. It was too weird anyway, and it was best to just do as told. It would be over soon enough. Silvia had already explained the process of the spell back at the police station. And it was not a long spell to enact. In fact, Silvia had confessed that she had used Audry as a shadow before without her knowledge. The last one was weak as Audry had been an unknowing participant, but this spell was sure to work, Silvia said. Audry decided not to argue. It didn’t pay to argue. Instead, she tried to focus on the one thing she believed in.

In her mind’s eye, somehow, came her wolf. She initially had thought of Rick as he had gone entirely out of his way to keep her safe when he didn’t have to. She trusted his ability to choose a safe neighborhood and his network of good friends within law enforcement. But her mind drifted back to the wolf, and clearly how much he worked to keep that wolf safe. He would keep her just as safe.

As the lines were drawn, Daniel stepped out of the circle Silvia had made. He watched in silence next to the far wall, mostly keeping an eye on Audry’s face. He looked worried but was trying to mask it.

As Silvia began to work with her words in a low murmur and a language she did not understand, Audry could feel a change in the air. It was as if the air itself has solidified—not quite like a rock, but like jello. It felt thick, wobbly, as it the apartment were forming a new atmosphere which pushed out from the center of the room where Audry was standing toward the walls where it soon compacted like a shell of not quite glass, but crystal. But of course Audry could not see it. But the impression was real. Warm electric shivers went down her arms and scalp.

And then, the feeling sort of floated away.

No.

It wasn’t gone. Audry could still feel it in the air, but it was more like the sensation she felt from a humidifier. The air was a kind of damp… but not with water.

“There,” Silvia said, turning towards Audry. “It’s done. This spell will work as long as you call this apartment home.”

Audry was still swaying on her feet, stunned over what she had just experienced. Daniel rushed up to her, just in case she fainted. He urged her to a near seat, which was the couch.

“Are you ok?”

“What was that?” She looked to him.

He smiled, nodding. “You really are more sensitive than most.” He then glanced to Silvia as she went into the kitchen to get Audry a glass of water. “That, my friend, was a spell.”

“It will work best if I don’t leave the apartment for a while,” Silvia said, returning with the cup of water, extending it to Audry.

Audry remembered hearing Silvia say that. The way it worked was that she could come and go as she pleased, but Silvia could not leave without Audry with her, at least not for a while. Silvia was masked by Audry’s presence. But also, those looking for them would not even be able to see them let alone scry for Audry or Silvia after this. She and Audry would be in a sort of protective bubble. And if by any chance that the witch would stumble across Audry or the place, they would immediately be repelled—turned around and expelled with brain full of confusion. Or konk out like a narcoleptic.

“The spell also protects our territory from predators.” Silvia put the glass in her hands when Audry had not taken it.

Clutching it in two hands, Audry quickly sipped. Her head did feel a degree dizzy.

“So, no one dangerous can find the apartment.” Silvia grinned with pleasure at her accomplishment.

“This is different than the old witch ward around Middleton Village, isn’t it?” Daniel asked.

Silvia laughed. Her voice came in an echo as Audry found her ears were ringing. She could still feel that moist element in the air—condensed magic. “Similar. The town’s ward was meant to keep out SRA and uninvited guests.”

“The key word being uninvited,” Daniel muttered with a nod.

“They are still trying to think of one to keep the Seven out, as the last one had failed badly,” Silvia remarked with a chuckle. Then she sat next to Audry, asking Daniel, “However did you break that one?”

Daniel’s voice seemed to come from far away as Audry was feeling a little fainter than she had expected. “Alright, I’ll confess. We didn’t. We had Tom Brown with us, and he did it. You know he can break into any place he wants—and you forget that he practically commands and army of… uh, useful followers.”

Silvia laughed, nodding. “Of course. The Seven’s strength really isn’t in magic, is it? It’s in wits. You all bluff your way through everything.”

“It wasn’t a bluff. It was using a tool.”

“And Tom Brown is a tool?”

“You’re using Audry as a tool,” he said.

Audry seemed to come back into focus. When he had said her name, her eyes regained vision and she no longer felt dizzy.

“There you go,” Silvia said. She was also sitting next to her now. “I’m sorry. I keep forgetting the cost of magic sometimes.”

“Cost?” Audry looked to her, wondering what price had been paid.

Sighing, Silvia said, “Yes. Sometimes the cost is loss of innocence—though in this case, for you it is a bit of energy. I’m really sorry we are using you. Howie was right about that. It is not exactly fair getting you tangled up in our mess.”

“You’ll probably want to rest a bit before going out,” Daniel added. He rose to his feet, preparing to go. “Take a nap. Arrange to meet your fiancée later. Don’t go out for lunch. Get dinner instead.”

Thinking on that, Audry decided to text Hogan, because she really didn’t feel up to lunch now. She was wiped out.

I know this is really going to bug you, but I am physically beat. Can we move back our lunch to dinner? I need a nap.

His response was brief: I guess so. But that means the picnic is out.

Audry climbed up the stairs to her new room, dropping heavily onto her bed, bare mattress.

Then another text came from him: We can exchange the ring later. But meet me at Columbus Circle at five at least. Ok? 

She texted back: See you then.

Almost immediately she fell into a deep sleep.

Audry woke almost an hour later. Silvia was unpacking downstairs when she emerged. On her cell phone were five more texts from Hogan. All of them listed yet another change in plans. He gave her an address then said to meet at Columbus Circle after all, changing those plans again. He also asked for a response, which she finally texted in: I just woke up. I’ll be there asap

“Going out?” Silvia said when Audry collected her new apartment key and slid it onto her key ring.

“Yep.” Audry brushed out her hair and looked into the mirror in the bathroom to see if any of her mascara had smeared while she had slept. Some had. Splashing some water on her face, wiping off the smudges next, Audry then touched up her sparse makeup, checking her reflection.

She was out the door with her sandals tossed on, and jogging down the stairs to the bottom floor. When she went out onto the street, for a moment she had forgotten where she was.

New apartment.

Turning around, Audry lifted her eyes to the building so she could memorize the building front and number. It would be ridiculous to forget where she lived after just moving in.

Then she went off to find a subway station.

Hogan apparently had infinite patience, but he did look tired as if being apart was a heavy strain on him. When he saw Audry, he greeted her with a kiss on the cheek and a worried peek into her eyes. “How did you meet those people?”

Audry shrugged, taking his hand, his fingers interlacing with hers. “I met Silvia in Green Club at NYU. And with Silvia comes Daniel, whose relationship is pretty weird. She’s his half-sister. His father was married three times.”

“That guy is scary,” Hogan said. He shivered visibly to demonstrate. “His eyes are like… I dunno. I get this nasty feeling he’s the kind of guy who has killed before and gotten away with it.”

A small shudder ran through her. Audry wondered about that. Leaning closer to Hogan, Audry whispered, “I think that cult really messed him up.”

“Those scars…” he murmured, shaking his head. Then he shook it off. “Ok. None of that. We are going out to for dinner—and to get you a better ring.”

Holding close to him, Audry grinned. And they walked a little faster down the road.

They went into the shops at Columbus Circle first. He took her to the place where he had purchase the ring and they negotiated with the jeweler over the change of style and metal. Hogan only had to pay a little more for the adjustment. They finally settled on a simple band with a stone that was inlaid inside a firm setting—nothing that could stick out or catch on any clothing. Audry wanted something she could wear always.

As they were in the jewelers’, Audry had the feeling they were being watched. For a second, she had thought the witches had found her. But with a more focused peek into the mall corridor, she noticed Charlene. And Charlene was glaring.

Hogan then led Audry to a parking structure where they got into his car. From there, he drove her through the city to a fine restaurant where they ate the best vegan dinner they could order, celebrating their engagement.

It was so romantic.

The music in the restaurant was fine. The quality of the meal way beyond anything Audry had eaten outside of her own kitchen. And the conversation with Hogan where they talked about house-hunting and family, was everything she ever wanted. And after dinner, they drove into the Central Park area, parked the car and took a walk together under the moonlight.

“Audry, I have to admit, I am jealous of the relationship you have with that Deacon guy. He really goes out of his way for you,” he said as they strolled hand in hand back toward the car. It was getting late, and she had to get home to return to work. And so did he.

Audry nodded, blushing while gently squeezing his hand. “I’m afraid so. I didn’t realize it, but yeah, he does.”

“Does he have a thing for you?” Hogan asked, jealously curious.

She shook her head. “I don’t know. I think… he considers me a friend. It has to do with his wolf.”

“His wolf?”

“His wolf is my wolf,” she said, taking in a breath as she looked up at the sky. But then she sighed, shaking her head more. “But I think the real reason he is trying so hard to protect me is that too many people in his life have died tragic deaths.”

Hogan stared, halting on the walking path.

“You’ve never heard of the Deacon body count?” Audry peeked back at him, tugging him along.

Hogan shook his head, continuing at her side.

So she enumerated. “There was his grandmother—murdered protecting his father as a kid. Then his grandfather, shot to death in Europe—this is all on the internet. That’s how I know. His father