Mark of Damon by Eva Chase Page 0,29
I spread my arms as if offering myself up. My pulse kicked up a notch. If my newfound magic wasn’t affecting the other guys, then there was no reason to bring it up with her yet, not when I was still figuring out how to wield it properly. But if she noticed something about the scar, I wasn’t going to lie to my consort.
Rose took a step to the left and then to the right, her hands weaving through the air like butterfly wings. Seeing her work her magic through the movements of her body never failed to awe me. Whatever power I had come into, it was nothing on the same level as hers, even with her spark diminished by her battle with the demons.
The energy of her search tickled over my skin like a light breeze. As it reached my left arm, an answering sensation crept across the limb. The mark hadn’t been itching me at that moment, but now the flesh went totally numb, as if absorbing any hint of supernatural presence deep down where no one could reach it.
Rose showed no sign of noticing anything unusual. She finished the form of her casting and gave me a pleased if a bit weary smile. There was another decision made for me.
“Well,” she said, “I guess we’ll just have to wait and keep an eye on things. If you start having your memories stirred up too, let me know? Or if you see anything unusual to do with the other guys?”
I offered her a salute. “No problem.” I hadn’t seen anything with the other guys that she didn’t already know about. I paused and then added, “You know… maybe it’s not that surprising that there’d be a gap in time before we really started absorbing the shit we faced last year. Time to process and come to terms with it. This could be the last stage of that, working through the final pieces before we can move on to better things, or whatever.”
Her smile softened in a way that made me grateful I’d found those words. “I hope you’re right about that. Thank you.”
Watching her go, the thanks brought a jab of guilt into my stomach despite my reassurance. I hadn’t done anything for her, not really. And maybe I hadn’t outright lied to her, but I hadn’t been totally upfront either.
It still might be my fault the guys were feeling overwhelmed by the past, if only because I’d hassled them about their supposed happiness, not because of any supernatural force. The effect had clearly struck Gabriel now too. No way had he picked today to unload his dad’s belongings out of nowhere. Knowing his history with the man, I hated to think what memories might have prompted him to take action. I’d never have deliberately thrown that horrible incident in his face.
An idea wavered up through my mind. I could do something, for both her and Gabriel, and prove to myself that whatever power I’d discovered really was mine at the same time. Fixing up a patch on a car should be a hell of a lot easier than expanding an entire van. And if it worked, then I could show her both the magic I’d gained and the control I could exert over it, setting any worries she’d have to rest right from the start. No more hiding.
I checked that the hall was empty so no one would ask what I was up to and then headed down the staircase and out the front door into the deepening dusk. The Buick was parked in its usual stall where Gabriel had left it after his trip into town. I ducked into the dark space and turned on the flashlight on my phone so I could see the point of impact without lighting up the whole garage for anyone to notice.
The dent first or the scratches? I had the feeling I’d have an easier job tackling one of them at a time. I set my left hand over the dent, the warped metal cool against my palm, and focused on my mark. A hint of energy rippled through it, dispersing the numbness it’d cloaked itself with earlier.
I trained all my will on that tingling sensation, urging it larger, headier. The rippling expanded through my arm until my fingers twitched with it.
Good. Now to smooth this uneven patch out. I stared at the dent, picturing the surface rising and straightening to match the sleek side around it. The power