Witch Born - LJ Swallow Page 0,67
on the bench above my head. The warmth inside here is another reason I’m happy to stay, and I slip off my jacket and dump it on the bench too.
One seedling had begun to flower before it was knocked on the floor and I bite my lip as I pick the plant up. The white flower at the top is firmly closed and the stem wilts. I rub my lips together and touch the edge of the half-developed petals.
Nothing happens again.
I cup the plant in my hands and close my eyes, imagining the flower blooming. A familiar warmth grows in the palm of my hand and I open my eyes to see the limp seedling strengthening and roots growing longer.
“Do you bring plants back from the dead too?” asks a familiar voice, and a pair of beaten black and white Converse appear in front of my eyes. Dorian looks down in amusement. “No need to kneel before me, Eloise.”
Ignoring his smart-arse comment, I stand and gently place the seedling on the bench. “You’re late. Class finished.”
“I know. Another dumb shifter acting out, I heard. Nah. I came to see you.”
I tip my head, attempting to detect sarcasm or hostility, but he merely regards me intently. “I’d rather we kept apart.”
He smirks. “I don’t believe you.”
Rolling my eyes, I take one of the plastic seedling trays and push at the dirt to make room for the revived seedling. Dorian pulls himself onto the bench and sits to watch me.
“Did you save the poor little plant?”
“Just leave me alone,” I mutter.
“I have a question, witch, then I will.”
I sigh and rub my soiled hands on my jacket. “What?”
“What’s the deal with you, Zeke, and Ethan, because I’m watching you. Something’s happening.” He picks up upturned trays and arranges them in a row. “I heard you’re screwing Zeke, but what’s with you and Ethan? You two recruiting him for your campaign against me?”
Who the hell spread that rumour? I take a deep breath; if he knew the truth I’d be in a dangerous position right now.
I make a derisive sound. “Maybe I’m screwing them both.”
Dorian’s lips purse and his eyes sparkle. “At the same time?” My cocky response backfires as my cheeks flush red. “Didn’t think so. Ethan doesn’t touch girls.”
“I heard.” The heat spreads elsewhere at a memory of where he touched me.
“A year ago, a few girls banded together to see who could break him first.” Dorian chuckles. “They failed. Even a naked girl or two in his bed didn’t tempt him. The guy must be castrated or something, because the dudes who tried failed too.”
I bite my lip hard, so I don’t assure Dorian that he most definitely isn’t.
“You avoided my question, witch. What are you scheming?” His voice hardens as he takes the pot from my hand. “The three of you know I’ve too many followers for you to succeed.”
“How many times, Dorian? All I want is out of here!”
“You reckon that’ll happen?” He shakes his head and gives me a pitying look. “I thought about our conversation the other night. If you’re nice to me, I might take you with me when I escape this place.”
“Escape? You’ve been here two years and haven’t escaped. You can’t. Nobody can.”
“That’s a ‘no’ to being nice to me?” he teases. “We’d make a better team than you do with those two.”
I moisten my lips. “You’re genuinely worried, aren’t you? Zeke managed to hurt you, and Ethan’s physically stronger.”
He scoffs. “No. I’ll stop them before they start on me.”
Dorian jumps down as I ignore him again, focusing on tidying. I sense him watching—and moving closer behind me. “Back off,” I growl.
“Can you feel that?” he whispers. “Can you sense the pull you have to me?”
The hairs on my neck lift where his breath touches my skin. “Back off, Dorian.” I can’t see his face but there’s a buzz on my neck where his lips almost touch. I focus on the seedlings and away from the pull he’s talking about.
“Tell me the truth,” he murmurs, and I shiver as he speaks close to my ear. “What’s happening with you and the guys?”
Sucking in a breath and some resolve, I turn to face him. “I like to keep my enemies close, but not this close.”
His eyes draw me in, the way they did the first night. I’d lay bets his mental magic was once superior to most in our world, but has no potency here. “I want you to join me.”
I laugh in his