end of the spectrum. I could have walked over, started a conversation with that mom, and cheered up her little boy that way.
“Power, for me, is just another tool for those random and not-so-random acts of kindness that can make our world a little better. It can be tricky to decide when to intervene, but I believe power exists for a reason, and that it’s meant to be used. You’ll need to find a balance that works for you; one that fulfills without burning you out.”
This was a woman who had taken some of the world’s most memorable portraits, Lauren thought. She used her power, and she made a difference. Something to noodle on later.
She continued her scan, looking for a parental unit of the purple twosome. The gorgeous woman in the henna designs booth was bored silly by the guy currently talking to her. The guy was hoping to see her naked as soon as possible. Lauren blushed and reversed out of his thoughts. Good luck with that, dude.
There were a lot of parents at the market, and clearly parents always had their kids top of mind. She’d seen lots of toddler mind images, but none with purple hair yet. Wait, wait. Lauren backed up to a couple of women sitting on a bench eating samosas. There. One woman had two toddlers in her thoughts. No purple hair, so that must be new, or temporary enough that it didn’t reshape her thoughts.
Lauren then did what she realized she should have done first, and gently touched the minds of the two toddlers. Yup, the woman sitting on the bench was their mother. Actually, both women sitting on the bench were their mothers. Dang, Jennie was tricky.
“You have a flexible and creative mind, and that’s going to make you a very interesting witch,” Jennie said. “Once again, very nicely done. I didn’t expect you to find them both.” She waved over at the two moms, who smiled and waved back.
“You know them?”
“I do. They volunteered to help with this afternoon’s lesson. Come meet my daughter and her family.”
…
Warm hands slid slowly up her body, teasing Lauren awake with gentle touches. The delicious newness of waking up next to a lover with warm hands was something to savor for an extra moment. The slow demands of hands and lips, the curling in her belly, the glorious feel of tangled legs. Oh, Jamie.
Jamie? Lauren sat bolt upright in bed. Her very empty bed. The moon cast enough light in her window to be sure she was alone.
That had been one extremely vivid dream. Not to mention a disturbing one. She wasn’t interested in Jamie that way, and even if she had been, Nat was her best friend. He was way, way, way off limits. Eeeewww.
Lauren, shut up and go away. Jamie sounded a tad irritated. You’re thinking loud enough half the planet could hear you. I’m busy here. Go away.
Oh, cripes. Oh no. Lauren yanked her mental barriers down tight. She stared at the wall next to her bed—the wall between her bedroom and Jamie’s master suite. Seriously? Nat and Jamie?
Then her sense of humor found its legs. She and Nat had always been close, but that was over the line. In the morning, she’d ask Jennie how to barrier while she was sleeping. Well, first she’d corner Nat and get her information the old-fashioned way, and then she’d ask Jennie for a lesson.
Since she wasn’t going to risk sleep again any time soon, Lauren got up and headed to the kitchen to make some tea. She walked downstairs and found Jennie already there. The kettle was on the stove, and a plate of brownies was on the table.
“I figure neither one of us wants to go back to sleep for the next little bit,” Jennie said.
Lauren blushed. “Did you pick up stuff from Nat and Jamie, too?”
Jennie laughed. “No, sweetie, I picked up stuff from you. I woke up before you did, since some young man’s hands on my body was perhaps a little harder for me to imagine than it was for you. My husband is a wonderful lover, but I haven’t had that sensation of newness for a long time.”
Lauren blushed harder. “Oh, God—I pushed my dream out to you? No wait, it wasn’t a dream. I must have been picking things up from Nat’s mind.”
“I’m guessing so. It’s unusual for a connection that strong to exist with a non-witch, but the two of you are very close. You’re sleeping