“This,” she said. She held out a worn oblong box. “Just please don’t try to open one.” He frowned, that was odd to say the least.
“Why?”
She glanced away, refusing to meet his eyes. “Just, it’s special that Bex is the one that opens it is all.” She finally met his gaze again, and her eyes bore into him. Damn, he was a goner. He’d do anything for this woman and she didn’t even know it.
“Okay, have you got your keys?” She handed them over, along with a slip of paper with her address on. She’d come prepared then, as if she knew he’d cave.The moment that their fingers touched, he felt tingles spread through him, but ignored them. It was just his overactive imagination making her into something that she wasn’t. “I’ll bring them by the Bridal suite when I get back.”
“Thank you.” The words were quiet, but he could tell she genuinely meant them. With a nod, he strode off down the corridor and towards where his car was parked. There were still a couple of hours before the ceremony, but it was probably better that he got a move on and back with the necklaces, they seemed to mean something important to Mia, and he didn’t want to let her down.
The drive didn’t take very long, and he pulled up in front of a tidy house with a white picket fence. Somehow he wasn’t surprised. The house was dark, and it was clear that the owner wasn’t in, and, interestingly enough, the house next door looked the same, except that there was still a truck parked in the driveway making it seem as if there should be. Felix got out of the car, slamming the door shut and fingering the keys that Mia had handed to him. He didn’t know what it was about the situation, but something about it seemed right. He should probably just go with it, sometimes that was the best way when it came to paranormals. He knew that.
He turned the key in the lock and opened the door, taking his first step into the home of the woman who was fast becoming his new obsession. The house was surprisingly tidy, and he found himself wandering through the downstairs rooms until he came to the kitchen. It was large, with an open fire place and cauldron as the central focus, completely at odds with the modern appliances that lined the kitchen sides. Actually, it was completely at odds with just about everything he’d guessed about Mia. Curious, he moved towards the fireplace, noticing that there was open book perched on a table next to. It was clearly old, the hand written looped handwriting only adding to that impression. He read the open page, his eyebrows raising as he did. If he wasn’t mistaken it was a recipe for a love potion, but that would mean…
A wide smile passed over Felix’s face. That meant that Mia was likely to be a witch, which could completely explain the way he was feeling about her. Maybe he’d finally found his one. Or maybe she’d used the love potion on him. His eyes widened and his heart rate quickened as he realised what that could mean, or at least they did until he realised he hadn’t eaten or drunk anything in Mia’s presence. So if not him, then who had she used the love potion on, and why was he feeling this way? So many questions, and he was looking forward to uncovering the answers.
Chapter Five
Mia bit her lip. She hated to admit it, but she was worried about whether or not Felix would manage to bring them the necklaces in time, and even more worried about whether either of the other two boxes would open for Bex. She hoped so, she didn’t want her sister to be disappointed. Which made her wonder. The first box had opened for her, which was weird. She’d have thought that it would open for Faye if it was about who met their mate first. Everyone knew that her and Reese were meant to be together, even if they barely touched in public. She’d have to remember to ask her little sister about that later on. Or maybe she could share the love potion trick with Faye to speed things along a bit. So if the first wasn’t Bex or Faye, that meant that it was her that had met her mate already. Her thoughts strayed to Skyler, with his tanned arms and dark blonde hair. Maybe she’d been too hasty with the love potion, maybe he was already hers anyway. At least that was what the necklace said. Carefully, she withdrew the box from her clutch, not wanting Bex to see and wonder what she was up to. She pressed the catch and was almost surprised to find the box opened for her again. Part of her hadn’t expected it to. The same long gold chain and crystal lay against the worn velvet. It was pretty, there was no doubt about that, but she wasn’t convinced it was anything to be upset about. She didn’t even have the urge to put it on.
A knock sounded on the door, startling Mia out of the slight trance the necklace seemed to have had her in. That was just odd, why was it affecting her like that? There was nothing magical about the necklace itself after all, just the box that it came in. Her Grandma had always been a little eccentric like that.
“Will you get that?” Bex asked, sounding a little nervous to Mia’s ears, but that was to be expected on her wedding day. Or apparently so. Mia didn’t think Bex should be nervous. She was a witch for Christ’s sake, she should know that she was marrying her one, not just guessing like she was with Robert.
“Yes,” she said, rising to her feet and making her way steadily to the door of the Bridal suite. Hopefully it would be Felix and he’d be delivering the other two boxes, putting her sister’s worries at ease. She swung the door open and her heart sank as she took in the tall blonde frame of Skyler standing on the other side. She tried to convince herself that she was happy to see him, but for some reason that just wasn’t happening and disappointment was the predominant emotion going through her.
“You look beautiful Mia,” he said in his low voice, and Mia caught an intrigued look from Faye who was sat across the room. She shook her head slightly, hoping that her sister would realise that meant it wasn’t Felix and that they didn’t have the necklaces yet, but the confused look said Faye didn’t quite get it.
“Thanks,” she muttered, still trying to muster up some excitement over the man she’d been lusting over for months. She caught herself. Since when had she thought about it as lusting after and not loving from afar? “What are you doing here?” she asked.
“I came to see if you need anything.” Mia glanced at her older sister who was almost shaking and made a split second decision.
“Vodka.”
“Sorry?”
“Can you get us some vodka please?” she asked, receiving only a perplexed nod in return. That wasn’t right. Felix would have made some wisecrack about how they shouldn’t be drinking before a formal event. Wait, no, that wasn’t right. How would she know what Felix would or wouldn’t do? She barely knew the man. Why was he even part of her thoughts anyway?
“Yes,” he said, giving Mia an awkward half wave as he walked away from the suite and down the corridor. Hopefully he’d be back soon, but if not, at least he was busy and not completely abandoned.
A firm grip closed around Mia’s wrist and she felt herself being dragged to the side of the room, finding a very confused looking Faye squaring off with her.
“Who was that Mia?”
“My date.”
“Felix?”
“No, Felix isn’t my date. That’s Skyler,” Mia answered quickly, but even so she found herself enjoying the way Felix’s name felt on her tongue. Like it fit there. Like he fit there. She shook her head to rid herself of thoughts like that, knowing they wouldn’t get her anywhere.
“You’ve never mentioned him before,” Faye prompted, putting a hand on her hip and giving Mia a spill-it-now look, just like the one their Mum used to give when she was angry with them.
“He’s my neighbour.” Mia shrugged. There wasn’t really anything else to say. It wasn’t like she could admit to Faye that she’d used a love potion on the man, her sister would never understand. She had no real reason to considering that she already knew who her mate was.
“And you brought him because...”
“I thought there was something there.”
“Did the necklace box open for you before today?” Faye asked, a thoughtful look on her face. Mia stared at her, shocked at the seemingly sudden change in direction.