Spell Cat by Tara Lain Page 0,58
arms. Damn the man. “Father, if I see him too much, you aren’t happy, and if I see him too little, you now complain. The fact is, I have been studying for an exam and have been too busy to see him.”
“Go see him now. I want to know what he’s doing.”
“Father….”
“Now, Lavender!”
“Yes, sir.” She headed for her room to change, smiling all the way. How to get her father to do what she wanted? Say she didn’t want to do it. But she was really glad Killian had told her nothing about his plans. She didn’t have to lie that way. When she got back? Another matter.
A few minutes later, she left the town house. Avoiding the chauffeur, she hurried toward the subway. Damn, did her father have her cell phone tapped? She stopped and held the phone in her hand. It didn’t appear to be spelled, and she hoped he valued her good opinion enough to avoid physical tapping. Okay, take a chance. She dialed James.
He picked up on the first ring. “Hi, sweetheart.”
“Hi. Daddy wants me to go to Killian’s. Meet me there.”
“What’s your father got up his sleeve?”
“His arm and a gun. But right now, he wants me to spy on Killian. At least I have a good excuse to find out what’s been going on.”
“Man, the professor has been so happy lately. I think he finally hooked up with Dr. Genneau.”
“I hope so. I want him to be happy.”
“Meet you there in fifteen.”
“Great. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
Gone. Everything. Killian sat up on the bed. No reason for him to exist. He had power he didn’t want. He did not have the only thing he did want. Love. Blaine. Aloysius lay on the pillow and stared at him.
“Dammit, cat. What was I supposed to do? Not tell the man I’m a witch? Let him marry me and find out later?”
“Mwrar.”
Killian threw up his hands. “How does that work, Al? I spend my whole life pretending to be something I’m not?” He stopped. Powers, that was what Jimmy’s family had done, and all those others. They pretended to be human. He could have done that, pretended. He’d be happy as a human. He fell back on the bed. “I blew it. I fucked up. I could have lied. Could have had Blaine. At least until the spell wore off.” Lying. That was what he’d been doing all along. Lying to himself, mostly.
The doorbell rang. Oh gods, it was him. What could he say? That he’d made it up? That he was frightened? He’d think of something. He ran to the door and tore it open. He stared. Of course it wasn’t Blaine. The man didn’t want to be with a crazy person. “Hi. Don’t really want company now, you guys.”
Lavender pushed into the entry. “What’s going on with you? Jimmy said you were so happy.”
He walked away from the door and went back toward his bedroom. He looked over his shoulder. “Not anymore. Want to sleep now.”
She barged in front of him. “Like hell you will. Jimmy, make some tea.”
“Uh, how?”
“Boil water. I’ll do the rest.”
She peered at Killian with one eyebrow raised.
He looked down at himself. Yes, he looked bad. He was still wearing the jeans he’d had on yesterday when… just when. He’d at least taken off his nice shirt and jacket and pulled on an ancient sweatshirt. Looked like he’d slept in them—because he had.
She grabbed his arm and pulled. He was not about resistance right now, so he followed. When she got to the living room couch, she pushed, and he fell onto it. Jimmy came in with a pot of boiling water and a big grin. “I almost forgot I know how to heat stuff without fire.”
She walked toward the kitchen. “I’ll get the tea. Don’t let him go anywhere.”
As if he had the energy and drive to do anything. He turned on the couch so his back was to Jimmy, who sat in the armchair. He looked up and saw Al peering down at him. Judgment. Definitely judgment.
Lavender’s voice came from behind him. “Oh no, Mister. Sit the hell up and have tea and tell us what happened.” Jeez, did she think they were already married? Okay, he’d do it because he really wanted tea.
He turned over and sat up slowly. A cup of tea sat on the table in front of him. He grabbed it and sipped. “I fucked up my relationship with Blaine.”
Jimmy leaned forward. “How? I thought you