The Rose Witch - Chandelle LaVaun Page 0,44

first aisle, running his fingers over the spines. I had no idea where to start or even what I was looking for, but Malachi did. He apparently had seen my father’s mysterious journal. Something told me it wasn’t here, yet we were going to look anyways. This section was only a ten foot by ten foot sized room with four aisles filled to almost the ceiling with books.

Since he’d taken the first row, I hurried over to the last and started my search. “So what does it look like?”

“A little red leather-bound notebook with leather straps. Might be about the size of your hand, give or take.”

I frowned and glanced left and right, right to left. “Nothing looks even remotely like that in here.”

“You’re going to feel it before you see it.”

I groaned. My magic was too new. I hadn’t conquered the whole feeling it part. But I went through the motions. I copied his moves and ran my fingers over the spines as I moved up and down the aisles. I’d worked my way to the far wall without running across a single book that fit the description.

Malachi was halfway down the back wall of books, holding one open. He flipped through a few pages, each one prompting a new holographic image to pop out – though I knew he wasn’t seeing that. His brow was furrowed low over his golden eyes. It was adorable.

I walked over and leaned against the wall of books beside him, careful not to be in his way. “Any luck?”

He shook his head and slid the book in his hand back onto the shelf directly behind my head. “I don’t feel it, but I’m hoping he put spells on it to protect it. Otherwise—”

“Otherwise, what?”

He stepped right in front of me, the tips of our boots grazing. He reached up and gripped the spine of the book right beside my face…and then he just stared. At me. I bit my lip and stared back. We said nothing. Neither of us moved. The heat and electricity between us was palpable. Dust from the books rained down around us, swirling like glitter in the air.

His gaze dropped to my mouth. His eyes flared.

My heart pounded in my chest.

And then he licked his lips and I snapped.

I fisted his shirt and dragged him toward me until our bodies were chest-to-chest. That smoky scent was everywhere all at once. My breath came in shaky gulps. But his face was mere inches from mine. He pressed his forehead into mine and our noses brushed. Butterflies bounced in my stomach. I licked my lips and pushed up on my tip-toes — sharp pain laced through my chest.

I choked on a scream as searing hot pain ripped down my spine and into my stomach. Bright blue glowing light shot out from Lilith’s pendant, shining a blue crescent moon onto Malachi’s chest.

“Demons,” Malachi growled. He gently eased me to the floor, then took my chin between his fingers and lifted my face. “Breathe through it. Stay here.”

And then he was gone, leaving me in a cloud of pain and black smoke. I pressed my hands to my chest and tried to do as he said but that was difficult knowing there were demons outside of this room. A dark object flew through the air in front of the doors and then Spot dashed by after it.

I couldn’t see Malachi.

All I heard were Spot’s growls.

The smell of maple syrup filled the room.

I needed to help but the pain was too much, so I flopped down on all fours and crawled across the floor. The pain wasn’t getting any better, which meant the demons hadn’t died yet. I finally got over to the door and I gasped. Massive basilisk-looking snakes the length of my entire body swarmed the lower level of the store. More dropped over the edge of the balcony above. My stomach turned. Spot zipped around, jumping from one demon to the next and eating them.

Malachi leapt out from behind a bookshelf and charged at two of the demon-snakes. He pulled a sword from seemingly out of nowhere and swung it through some demon-snakes’ backs. But there were five going right for him from behind and he didn’t even see. I needed to help. This was my fight too. I couldn’t let them hurt him.

I scrambled to my feet and then shoved the French door open. My steps faltered and I crashed into one of the bookshelves. The blue light from the