Addicted to Witch by Billy London Page B

questioning. “Remember how my dad told you that my story was all triumph over adversity?” He nudged her carefully, and she nearly toppled over. The release of laughter helped her speak. No one knew this story. Her dad only really knew the worst of what happened to her, and none of what she had done herself.
    “I came here when I was a few months from turning ten. My mother sent me to live with her sister because, you know, London is paved with gold and every child ends up with a doctorate. My aunt thought I was a witch. She was right, but she tried to force the devil from me, as it were. She tried everything, starving me, beating me, making me only eat chillies, and then I was only allowed water. Then she called a friend who was a witch doctor. He diagnosed me as evil and they put me in a bath of ice cold water. They were going to drown it out of me.”
    She trailed her fingers carelessly through his mane, the repetition making it somewhat easier to continue. “When they held me underwater, I thought I was going to die, and for a while I was relieved. Then instinct took over. I don’t know what I did or how I did it, but there was this black vortex, like a hurricane of darkness and they both were ripped to pieces inside it. When I sat up, it disappeared and I was alone. I put on my clothes, went to my next-door neighbour and asked for help. My mother died, probably from the shock of her sister trying to kill her child, then disappearing. It was a few months later that my dad met me through a foster care system and he and Mum decided to adopt me. I’m not a bad person, but I did something bad to protect myself. It came from here.” She pointed to her middle.
    “I don’t know why this spell was cast on you, but it’s enough punishment. I can’t bear the thought of you in pain or feeling guilty for things you can’t help because of what she made you.”
    She touched her forehead to the warmth of the lion’s, her eyes closed. Love swelled within her and tears sparkled on her lashes. Oh, Josh had been so very wrong about her. She wasn’t selfish, certainly not devoid of emotion, and she didn’t want to be alone. Very simply, she didn’t want to be without Auden. At that moment, she loved. Unconditional, unwavering, complete love. She would give anything to save Auden from this. The love felt like a growing pulse, spreading over the both of them with every breath they took in unison. “Whatever I can do to help you, you have me, completely.”
    He sighed, and to her it felt like relief. The mane fell away, leaving the waterfall of silver blond. His huge body shrank and reformed into that of a human. Paws elongated to fingers, hind-quarters into legs.
    Naked, Auden sat up, his eyes meeting her own. “What happened? What time is it?”
    “Past midnight,” she answered, her heart in her mouth. “Didn’t you hear the things I said?”
    He shook his head. “I can’t remember things that happen when I’m not myself. Did I just say that out loud?”
    “Yes.”
    “That woman is not my girlfriend. Honestly I would happily kill that bitch if she came near me.” He gave a yell of triumph, before he gathered her in his arms. “You’ve done it!”
    “I just told you a really lame story,” she murmured, half in shock and half in bitter disappointment that she had told him something so deeply intimate and he had no recollection of it.
    “Thank you,” he breathed, leaning back to cup her cheek. “It’s not what you did, it’s how you feel, about me.”
    Great, not only was magic getting her into trouble it was her emotions as well.
    “You look so beautiful,” he ran a hand over her silk covered thigh, “where did this come from?”
    “No idea.” She gave a shrug. “I feel like I’m in a Disney movie.”
    “At least I wasn’t a frog,”
    “I like frogs,” she protested with a smile.
    “I’ll have to remember that.” He touched his lips to her eyelids, her cheeks, and then finally her mouth.