Hex and the City Page 4

  I slipped behind the changing screen in the corner. The door creaked open. From the clacking of heels, I knew it was my roommate.

  “Clarissa?” Vega asked.

  “Yep, I’m getting dressed.”

  “I wanted to know . . . Elric wanted to know . . . .” She cleared her throat. “I know you’re going on a date tonight. Perhaps you would like to go on a double date and go swing dancing with us.”

  I froze as I put on a lacy black bra. This was not Vega. My wicked roommate didn’t ask to spend time with me or make gestures to be nice. Then again, she’d gone to a school event with Josie and me. Maybe it had something to do with me saving her life—or removing that shard from her heart and soul. I suspected that wound had kept her from forming relationships with people.

  “That’s nice of you to offer.” I tried to find a way to explain myself without coming across as rude and hurting Vega’s evolving emotions. “But I have other plans tonight. Maybe we could do something together another time.” Probably never. Thatch would rather punch himself in the face than be in the same room as Elric.

  “Sounds like you’re going to have a hot date tonight. You’re going to need some kind of protection.”

  I pulled on a pair of lacy black panties. “Um. . . .” If she was referring to Thatch’s sexual problem of projecting lightning out of himself when he came, I had already figured out the cure was worse than dealing with curtains accidentally set on fire.

  In the silence, I considered this might be a good time to ask Vega if she was pregnant.

  She rounded the corner of the screen, something she had never done before. Always we respected each other’s privacy while changing.

  I edged back. “I’m getting dressed.”

  She smiled sweetly. “Perfect. I’ve caught you at the right moment, then.”

  In her hand, she held an uncorked glass bottle, rainbow liquid swirling inside. It was the potion that served as a ward to keep Thatch’s lightning ejaculation from burning me. Unfortunately, when I had tried it, the substance had created a fleshlike chastity belt that prevented sexual intercourse. I had thought Thatch had smashed all the bottles. I’d forgotten about Vega taking some for herself as an antiwrinkle cream.

  I held up a hand, afraid of what she might do. “No. Do not—”

  She splashed it onto me, a line of liquid splattering across my belly, chest, and face. I shrieked in shock, the startled cry ending in a note of anger. I wiped the liquid away and tried to rub it off my belly before any of it dripped into my underwear.

  I stared at the uneven splatter pattern in disgust. “This is how you thank me for saving your life?”

  “No need to thank me for curing you of those hideous freckles.” She cackled. “Aren’t I the most wonderful roommate ever?”

  That was questionable, but she was right about the freckles. Every place she’d poured the potion, my skin had cleared of speckles and turned creamy and smooth. The uneven blotches made the areas where my freckles showed through look like a rash.

  Not willing to let her see she’d irritated me, I said, “Yep, you’re always looking out for me. Aren’t I a lucky duck?”

  I scrambled past her to grab at the first thing I could, which happened to be her silk kimono. I wiped my hands on it, then removed my bra so I could rub the ward/beauty cream over my skin. I was careful not to get any under my underwear as I didn’t want it to remove my vagina like last time. Everywhere I rubbed the potion on my chest, arms, neck, and face, all blemishes went away. I couldn’t have erased my freckles this thoroughly with concealer.

  Maybe Vega wasn’t completely horrible.

  By the time I had finished, Vega was gone.

  I told myself I wasn’t going to let this ruin my evening. I stripped out of my undergarments and threw them in the laundry. I started with fresh panties and a new bra. My legs were still freckled. If I wore leggings or opaque nylons, no one would notice the incongruity unless I was naked, and when Thatch saw, he would have a good laugh.

  I tried on the dress and found that it fit perfectly, though the low back hinted it was meant to be worn without a bra. Maybe it was a bad idea to go dancing without a bra, but I decided I would risk it. The folds of the collar draped tastefully, showing off a hint of cleavage. The length of the skirt ended below the knees. As soon as I dressed in my striped tights, I would feel like a witch.

  The skirt was heavy, the scarlet fading into a darker vermillion. I couldn’t tell what kind of fabric it was from the cold heaviness of it. My hand came away from the skirt feeling damp and oily, but the sensation evaporated two seconds later. Maybe it was magic, a kind of ward. Then again, I had performed the spell for hexes and nothing had come up.

  I selected my black Mary Jane shoes from my wardrobe. They were comfortable for work occasions, but they weren’t dancing shoes. Nor were they fancy. I tried another pair of shoes, but they didn’t look right. Heels would have looked better, but I rarely wore heels, and I didn’t bring the one pair I owned with me from my mom’s house.

  A shimmer of something out of the corner of my eye caught my attention. One of the doors to Vega’s wardrobe was open a crack, something red sparkling from inside. Typically, I made it a habit to never touch anything that belonged to my wicked roommate—unless it was to remove it from my dresser if she was trying to crowd into my territory.

  Curiosity pulled me like a fish on a string. I opened the doors, revealing rows of Vega’s size nine and a half shoes. Hastily thrown on top were two glittering heels painted with stripes! The crimson was the perfect match for the red of the dress.

  I lifted them from the floor of the wardrobe. They were size six. My size!

  Obviously these heels wouldn’t fit Vega’s feet. Had Vega stolen these shoes out of pettiness? It wouldn’t surprise me if she had. I snatched them back and hugged them to my chest.

  Because I didn’t want to overdo it with too many stripes, I dressed in a pair of polka-dot tights before slipping my feet into the shoes. Never had a pair of high heels been more comfortable. I felt like Cinderella. Maybe that had been why Thatch had made the reference in the note.

  The only problem was the hot pink of my hair mismatched the dress and the heels. I needed a quick hair remedy. Josie was the best at magic hair, and she’d touched up my roots several times over the last year. I hoped asking her to change my hair color wouldn’t be too suspicious.

  I covered myself with my fuzzy bathrobe and ran to Josie’s classroom where she was giving a lesson in weaving to a group of students in her Saturday Textile Club.

  I waved to her from the door.

  “What’s up, buttercup?” She inhaled deeply. “You smell good. Like my grandma’s house.”

  I didn’t know if I wanted to smell like a grandma.

  “You look really pretty, Miss Lawrence,” Imani said where she sat with Greenie.

  They giggled and nudged each other. I shook my head at them in warning. Those two probably suspected what Thatch and I were up to. They at least had the sense not to speak of it out loud.

  I waved Josie out into the hall. “I need to change my hair color, and I only have twenty minutes to do it.” I peeled back a section of the robe. “What do you think will match this dress?”

  Josie raised her eyebrows. “Wow. Where are you going?”

  “My mom’s house. And the art supply store.”

  She looked me up and down. “Right.” She closed the door to the classroom and lowered her voice. “Are you going to tell me about your date later?”

  I bit my lip. “I can’t.”

  She lowered her voice. “Is it with Elric? Are you afraid Vega might find out?”

  “Um. Don’t tell. Okay?” I flashed a smile.

  “Someday? You’ll tell me eventually, right?”

  “Someday,” I promised. “Can you temporarily strip the pink out of my hair and turn me blonde for twenty-four hours?”

  She looked me up and down. “Why not
go red? It would match your dress.”

  I made a face. “I hate red. My natural hair is red.”

  “What about fire-engine red?”

  “I’ll look like Ronald McDonald. Can you just make me blonde?”

  She shrugged. “I’m not going to be able to reverse it in twenty-four hours, but I can do it.”

  She rolled up her sleeves and drew out her wand. She muttered an incantation in Japanese and waved the pale wood over my head. Pink liquid dribbled down the robe and onto the ground. I closed my eyes before it leaked into my eyes and blinded me. The droplets felt cold and hot, tingling with magic. I hoped none of it stained.

  When Josie finished, she used a spell to give my hair bounce and volume. “There, now you look like a princess.”

  “Cinderella?” I asked with a grin.

  “Just remember. You owe me.” She winked at me.

  This was the Unseen Realm. No good deed went without a price. I hugged her, thanking her profusely before I dashed off. I could worry about the cost of Josie’s favors later.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  A Pumpkin at Midnight

  I wore a long coat over my dress to hide it from view and keep me warm from the chilly weather and flurries that occasionally drifted down. Thatch met me on the school grounds just outside the forest to Lachlan Falls. Khaba had made it clear we weren’t to do any transportation spells on school property until he and the principal got the wards sorted out. I had explained he’d have an easier time with it if he didn’t include Principal Dean.

  Thatch leaned against a leafless tree, pocket watch in hand, probably because I was five minutes late. He was dressed in a suit as usual, though perhaps this one was slightly nicer, his navy-blue one. He wore a lavender-and-gray silk ascot instead of his typical cravat. It made him look modern and dapper instead of old-fashioned.

  He glanced up at me, away, and then back again, his eyes momentarily going wide. I took it the blonde hair and lack of freckles surprised him. I smiled and waved. He inclined his head as I approached.

  The day was dry and perfect for taking a walk in the forest. A thin layer of snow was packed hard on the path. I wasn’t used to walking in heels, especially not in snow, and it probably showed. He kept his stride slow enough for me to keep up with him, unlike his brisk no-nonsense pace he adopted for school business. He snuck a furtive glance at me.

  “What?” I asked. My breath puffed up as a cloud around my face.

  He stared straight ahead, his eyes on the path. “Nothing.”

  My shoulders deflated. “You don’t like my hair.” Irritation prickled through me.

  “I do. I’m just not used to seeing you blonde.” He ducked his chin down, his words coming out a mumble I couldn’t make out over the rhythm of our feet crunching over twigs and packed snow.

  My words came out a tad more snappish than I intended. “Then what was that look?”

  He glanced over his shoulder and then leaned closer. “You look pretty.”

  “And you look . . . paranoid.”

  “Thank you.” His eyes twinkled. “I spent two hours primping to achieve this effect.”

  “Mr. Thatch? Did you just thank me? Does someone now owe me a favor?” I teased.

  He poked me in the side, trying to hide his smile. I liked that we could be ourselves around each other. We could be normal people and didn’t have to worry about Fae etiquette and rules.

  Five minutes later, it was obvious no one was following. I brushed my fingertips against his hand.

  He shook his head at me. “Patience is a virtue.”

  “Right.” More like patience was torment.

  Disappointment snuffed out my excitement. How was I ever going to be able to do this? Dating Thatch was impossible. I didn’t want to have to hide my feelings for him.

  He nudged me. “Good things come to those who wait.”

  When we emerged from the woods, the sky was overcast, and the air chillier than before. The black silhouettes of ravens circled overhead.

  “Of course,” Thatch said. “The Raven Court would be here.”

  Figures cloaked in black glided along the path toward us. I stepped back. Thatch took my hand and tugged me closer to himself. He waved a hand over me, his fingers shifting into the gray gloom of shadows. The substance of his body dispersed like vapor. I had never managed to keep my eyes open when he performed his Celestor transportation spell. Always the nausea forced me to squeeze my eyes closed and fight the vertigo that washed over me. I had never seen the way he’d unraveled into mist, my own body dispersing and blending into his.

  My breath was sucked from my lungs, and for the briefest moment I had no lungs. Dizziness came, but as we solidified again, he held me around the waist, steadying me. The distant sounds of traffic and muffled music filled the void in my ears. His eyes were locked onto mine, querying me without words. I gasped for air and clutched the front of his jacket, trying to steady myself.

  The rumble of cars on crunchy roads and horns blaring faded as he stroked my hair out of my face. I tipped my chin up to take in his visage. He drew me tight to his chest and kissed me fiercely, with the passion of someone who had been waiting for an opportunity to express himself. Heat flushed through me and left me languid.

  At last he released me, but the warmth didn’t leave me.

  “Did I not tell you good things come to those who wait?” He grinned wickedly.

  It took a few seconds to realize the heat came from the air, not from the steamy kiss. Perspiration prickled my skin. Thatch stepped back, and I was able to get a better look at the dirty alley where we’d arrived. Turquoise paint peeled from the concrete wall of what might have been a shop. The sky above was dark with the coming of twilight. We definitely weren’t in the Pacific Standard Time Zone.

  “Where are we?” I untied and unbuttoned my coat.

  He helped me from the stifling layer. “Just outside Havana.”

  “No. Really?” This was the surprise? We were on a date, someplace exotic and far away from Womby’s.

  A little thrill went through me. I beamed at him.

  His gaze flickered to the amulet around my neck, three stones, but only two luminescent with magic that waited to be spent. Hopefully, I would never have need of it.

  Thatch waved a hand over the necklace. The air above it shimmered. The necklace disappeared, though I could still feel it when I touched my collarbone. It was a simple glamour, enough to disguise its magic from Morties. I trusted Thatch had properly warded himself so that his magic would go undetected.

  I shifted my winter coat to my other arm.

  He held up a finger in warning. “Don’t expect every date to be this elaborate. I used more magic for traveling this far all in one go than I typically would. I’m going to have to use even more magic for what I have in store for you tonight.” His little smile told me he was pleased about whatever surprise he had planned.

  He held out his hand, and I took it. We walked toward the exit of the alley. Already I could tell this would be a perfect date. He was openly touching me. We didn’t have to hide our relationship.

  He leaned closer and inhaled. “That’s an unusual perfume you’re wearing.”

  “I’m not wearing perfume.” My heel momentarily caught in a crack in the sidewalk. I stumbled and quickly righted myself.

  He leaned closer again. “It’s familiar.”

  “Really, I’m not wearing perfume. The dress already smelled like this when I put it on.”

  He nodded. “I like it. It reminds me of embalming fluids and—”

  “Are you serious? You think I smell like formaldehyde?” I poked him teasingly in the ribs. That was worse than smelling like Josie’s grandmother’s house.

  He squirmed out of my reach. “No, more like. . . .” He circled his arms around me and dipped his head down to my shoulder. He nuzzled his face lower. His nose wormed between the folds of the collar between my breasts. “It’s on the tip
of my tongue that smell.” He licked my cleavage.

  I shoved his face away, laughing as we walked. The street was full of brightly painted buildings with signs written in Spanish. People wearing attire appropriate for the hot weather passed us.

  Now that we weren’t on Womby’s property, Thatch had been transformed to a different man, a more carefree and happier version of himself. I wanted to relax and experience his cheerful demeanor more fully, but the more at ease he was, the less I was. I didn’t want to get used to this version of him that I wouldn’t get to see again unless we left the school.

  I inspected the crumbling edges of buildings, wary of ravens or Fae that might be hiding out of sight.

  “What made you change your hair?” he said.

  I stumbled on the uneven sidewalk and caught myself from tripping. “It didn’t match my dress. Like it?”

  He shrugged. “It’s an improvement from pink.”

  I elbowed him. “That isn’t a compliment.”

  His eyes twinkled. “Please educate me in the social conduct appropriate for a date.”

  I gave him a sidelong glance, unable to tell if he was making fun of me. “You’re supposed to say, ‘You look pretty’ or ‘I love your hair this color.’”

  “I said as much earlier. Why would I need to tell you something you already know? It would be redundant.” He skewered me with an imperious eyebrow.

  “It’s nice to hear someone give a compliment when they aren’t mumbling like it’s a dirty secret. I don’t know you think I look pretty.” I gazed into a crowded restaurant we passed. A group of rowdy teenagers walked on the sidewalk.

  Thatch squeezed my hand. “Please tell me you wouldn’t sleep with someone who doesn’t find you devastatingly gorgeous in every way.”

  I laughed. “That’s better.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  We turned onto another street and walked on a busy sidewalk. People in bright clothes spoke Spanish around us. A teenage girl winked at Thatch, but he didn’t say anything. A man shouted something from his car, but his Cuban accent didn’t sound anything like what I had learned before in Spanish class. Plus, he spoke far more quickly. I was better at reading foreign languages and translating them for spells than speaking them.