Gracie Abrams is eking out a solitary existence, fighting day-in, day-out against the drain of working customer service and nursing two newborn kittens in her off time. Out on her own ever since her sister moved in with her boyfriend, the burden of...
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"I've never spoken about our coven to someone who doesn't know anything," Bella began, sitting up on the stool with one giant roll of her shoulders. Her jean jacket hung loosely from her frame in a way that made me think the original owner of it hadn't been her. "Forgive me if it doesn't make sense, or if I have to backtrack."
"That's alright," I soothed. I nodded at the witch, accidentally bumping my head against Kakashi's shoulder. Taking full liberty of this position, I gave in for a moment, resting my cheek there for a couple seconds longer than necessary. Then I pulled away, only for a hand sparkling with electricity to slide against my silky top around my stomach. Kakashi's hand secured my side against him, his burning fingers casually rubbing the same spot, over and over, just like how he petted Hable and Sintar on their delicate foreheads.
If I didn't know better, I'd think Kakashi had recently used his Chidori, but that hadn't happened.
The man was just made of stomach-flopping heat.
I pictured myself as Hiro from Big Hero 6, just falling into Baymax's warm side like a molten puddle. Or a cat.
Another cat.
"We've been in this area for close to two-hundred years," Bella continued, flapping her hand out in a carefree wave. "All that settler shiz isn't really important, except to remember we came after the famous witch hunts. All those covens were knocked out, either because the authorities were right or because they were so wrong that it sent a message: leave before they get it right.
"Another thing is there has never been a witch hunt here. The Sinnissippa witches have always stayed under the radar, making our coven one of the top long-lasting ones in any area. Definitely the only one that's never been hunted before."
"Would they—" I cut in, unsure of the words about to leave my mouth. "Would authorities today really 'hunt' you? Isn't that against the law?"
Bella blinked, a frown dipping her heavy brows forward, but it was Sam who answered. With owlish eyes behind thick lenses, she said, "There are no statutes protecting witches in our constitution, Gracie. Not the federal one, nor the state's."
I felt a pang in my heart as this teenager delivered such horrifying words with no inflection in her voice. She had obviously grown used to saying such things, enough that the bite had been taken out. "Your coven sounds very careful. And protective."
But then why were the witches secretly behind the scenes of many different business ventures, acting like they were part of some criminal syndicate?
"Yeah, there're rules." Bella popped back in, squirming around on the small circle of a seat like it was a roomy movie theater lounge chair. "Lots of rules. If you don't follow 'em, well, then you suffer."
