Soulbound

10. Dani

If someone came up to me and said, 'Wishes can come true, all you have to do is put on a ring and close your eyes,' I would have called them crazy.

Hell, that's exactly what I did and I still think it's crazy!

And yet here she was, the redheaded bombshell I've been coveting for the last six months, standing in the middle of my living room as if plucked right out of thin air. Glowering at me like I had just kicked her puppy—or a kitten. She looked more like a cat person.

Not for the first time since our paths have crossed did I wonder if I was dreaming.

“Ashe?”

“What did you do?” Her tone was low, dangerous, and nothing at all like the honey-coated timbre from a week ago. Despite the threat laced in her words, though, I didn't exactly feel threatened. Confused as shit, maybe, but I knew in my bones that she wouldn't—or couldn't—hurt me.

But if looks could kill, her eyes would be stabbing me right through my skull at this very moment.

“What the hell did you do?” Ashe asks again, and I can tell from the way her shoulders tense and how her brow lowers that she doesn't like repeating herself. I have a feeling that she wouldn't be asking me again and my defenses kick in.

What did I do? What the hell did she do! How did she get into my apartment? And what was with all that smoke? What was she, a magician? Some kind of ninja stalker? I ignore the irony in that last thought. At least I didn't overstep my bounds when I was ogling her from afar in a public place. At least I didn't follow her home!

“How did you get here?” I demand, my voice less imposing than I would have liked as I meet her glare. I'm acutely aware that my eyes are as wide as saucers and I scoot as far back in my chair as I can go to create a little more distance between us the moment she turns her body to face me. My gut may have been telling me that she wouldn't hurt me, but I'll be damned if she didn't look dangerous.

A darkness clouds her gaze as her eyes flick to my hand. “You summoned me,” she hisses through clenched teeth, and once more I'm looking at her like she's speaking in tongues.

Summoned her? What the hell is she talking about? All I did was put on her ring—thanks for that little tip, Rose—and hope to see her again. I didn't in my wildest dreams think that it would actually work, let alone like this!

At a loss for words I glance down. The glint of silver against my skin twinkles in the dim light, winking at me as if to say, 'This is what you wanted!', and I frown. “Your ring?”

At her terse nod I decide to press further, still trying to wrap my head around the fact that she was standing here. In my apartment. Glaring at me like a sexy apparition from Hell. “How did you know I had it?”

“I was hoping you didn't.”

“Well,” I continue, licking my lips as I spoke, “how did you know where I live?”

“Lucky fucking guess.”

In a fit of nerves I fiddle with the ring, twisting it around my finger as my mind races with possible explanations. Ashe's eyes follow the movement and I notice her body stiffen, as if she was expecting to burst spontaneously into flames at any second. Or get swallowed up by a cloud of silvery smoke again.