Love Nip Page 3

  “Yeah, I have a bad habit of doing that,” I stated, smiling. She started walking with me. She was also dressed in workout clothes, so I figured we were both going to go run.

  “It really is the moon’s alignment. That’s why everyone’s being so funny,” she said.

  “Most of the people I know are always like that, moon alignment or not. Are you going for a run?” I asked her.

  “Oh, Heavens no! I do not workout. That’s about as bad as cleaning. I like to walk the trail sometimes to clear my head,” she explained. I couldn’t figure out if I was surprised or suspicious. Given the same question, I would have answered the exact way she did.

  “Hmm. Well, Dee-Dee, maybe I’ll see you around sometime,” I said as I started running the trail.

  “Yeah, you too, Em,” she replied, waving. I noticed she had a professional camera around her neck. I hadn’t seen it before that moment. She started taking pictures as I took off. I knew I was being paranoid, but I had trusted before and was betrayed so it was difficult to gain my trust.

  I ran around the trail twice, which equaled three miles. I felt great and hadn’t even broken a sweat. This witch thing was really paying off. Once inside my apartment, I placed my iPod on the counter and opened the fridge. Pulling out a bottle of water, I chugged the whole thing. After I had completely quenched my thirst, I searched for food. My fridge was bare, so I shut the door and opened the freezer, still with no luck. My last resort, the pantry, was also bare. I felt quite disappointed. I hadn’t eaten much all day and now I was going to have to leave the house to get something to eat. I walked next door to Gavin’s door. Desperate times called for desperate measures. I knocked and waited but he never answered. I laid my head on his door, praying he would open it.

  “Emily, what are you doing?” I jumped and turned around to see Axle standing on the stairwell.

  “Oh! Geez, Axle, you scared me. I was hoping Gavin was home but he’s not,” I explained.

  “Why do you need Gavin?” he asked, looking puzzled.

  “Food,” I groaned putting my face in my hands.

  He laughed. “I may not be a vampire, but I guess I can read your mind.” He lifted his hands, showing me a white paper bag in one hand and a six-pack of beer in the other.

  “I love you,” I stated, walking back to my door.

  “Pumpkin, if I would have known that this was all it took, I would’ve had you the first day we met,” he joked. I let him in and grabbed two plates and forks. He sat on the couch and started filling our plates while I put the beer in the fridge. Taking two out before closing the door, I walked over to the couch cracking the lids open. I handed him one and took my plate, scarfing down the Chinese food as fast as I could. I didn’t have time to be embarrassed between bites.

  “Damn girl, you were starving,” he said, laughing before taking a swig of his beer.

  “Yeah, sorry. I went running today and this is the first meal I’ve had all day. My mom made cookies for a date and I ate one, that was my lunch,” I explained, grabbing my beer.

  “Wow a date. I didn’t know your mother was dating. Good for her.” We finished dinner, discussing my mom’s possible date.

  “So, I meet a girl today,” I stated, picking up the plates and walking them over to the sink.

  “I didn’t realize you were into girls. That’s more competition for me,” he joked.

  I washed the plates and sat back down next to him. “You know what I mean. She lives in this building, and her name is Dee-Dee. She seems really nice, but something about her made me feel apprehensive. She was talking about the moon or something,” I explained. His face snapped up, giving me a questionable glance. He was a werewolf, so I guess talking about the moon was not fun for him.

  “Okay, I’ll look into it,” he stated.

  “What? No, you don’t have to do anything I’m probably just being paranoid,” I argued.

  “Em, if you have a bad feeling that is all the proof I need to check it out,” he explained. It was very romantic that he worried about me. He was a sexy beast, and when he showed his soft side it made me melt.

  “Thanks, Axle. I’ve had a rough day today I appreciate everything you have done.” I started thinking about what I had done to Ezra.

  “Doesn’t look like you had too bad of a day. How much did you spend at the mall?” he asked, nodding at the bags I had on the floor. I’d forgotten to put them away. Jumping up, I grabbed as many of the bags as I could hold.

  “Oops, sorry. Yeah, I did a little therapy shopping,” I told him as I threw the bags on my bed. At least that would keep me from doing anything on my bed that I shouldn’t.

  “Something going on with you and Ezra? You guys fighting?” he pried. I turned my head to the side and gave him a glare.

  “Nothing. I don’t want to talk about it,” I mumbled. He thought about it for a second.

  “Well, I came over to make you happy. Looks like I’m doing a crappy job of it,” he mumbled, staring me down with his big brown eyes. The man was a hunk. He may occasionally be a jerk, but I knew deep down he was a total puppy dog.

  “Why, Axle, are you apologizing for being annoying?” I joked.

  He laughed, chugged the rest of his beer, and got up to throw it away. “I think I should go,” he said, putting his jacket on. I stood up and walked to the door. Grabbing him, I gave him a hug. I squeezed him tight, it felt comforting in his arms. I must have held on too long, because he lifted my chin until our eyes met and placed his lips on mine ever so gently. I pulled away quickly.

  “I’m sorry, I just don’t exactly know where I stand with Ezra any more. I don’t want to do anything I may regret later,” I tried to explain. As soon as I said it I wanted to take it all back. Ezra and I weren’t exclusive, but it still felt wrong.

  “It’s okay, Em, I can wait. One day you will see that I am the better man for you and you’ll know where to find me,” he said. He kissed my forehead and walked out. I couldn’t take the stress of the day anymore, so I took a long shower and crawled into bed.

  The next morning, I woke up feeling on top of the world. I couldn’t wait to get to work and find out about Ezra’s neck. I was hoping that he just needed sleep or to eat and it would heal. I tried on three different outfits before deciding on some skinny jeans, high heels, and a tight shirt that showed way too much cleavage for work. I felt in a flirty mood. I got to work early, before anyone else. I started the coffee pot and made myself a cup. Gavin walked in soon after.

  “Hey, buddy. Where did you go last night? I had a food emergency and you weren’t home,” I questioned him. He finally looked up at me and stopped to admire.

  “Emily, you look great. Who are trying to impress?” he asked as he took my cup of coffee for himself. Axle walked in and saved me from having to answer the question. He made it halfway to his desk before he stopped and looked me up and down. Smiling, I started making myself another cup of coffee. I knew it would be a fantastic day. Axle set his things down and walked over. He leaned into my neck.

  “Baby, you look amazing. It’s not good to dress like this around me,” he whispered. I giggled. He took my coffee and walked back to his desk. I threw my hands in the air, glaring at him. I fixed myself another cup and quickly walked over to my desk. Robert walked in and set a container on Axle’s desk.

  “You guys share this,” he said, and walked into his office.

  “What is it, Axle?” I asked.

  He opened it and started laughing. “Cookies.”

  My mouth fell to the floor. My mother’s date was with Robert? No, it had to be a coincidence. Ezra walked in soon after wearing a polo shirt with the collar propped up. He looked terrible, the dark circles under his eyes made his pale skin look grey. He came in and went straight to his desk, not looking at anyone.

  “Bro, you look bad. Rough night?” Axle teased him. Ezra became consumed in his computer.

  “Axle, leave him alone,” I warned, taking a sip of my coffee. We had meetings every Monday m
orning. Robert would let us know if anything new had come up or what we were to do for the week. He walked in with files in his arms. He handed us each a file.

  “Two witches came up missing this weekend, each from the same coven here in Baton Rouge. We need to look into it,” he stated. Everyone was busy reading their file; I didn’t bother because there was no way he was going to let me in on this case. I wanted it extremely bad because we were dealing with witches. I had never met another witch and it would be fun, maybe even a learning experience.

  “No one thinks that they might have run away together?” Gavin asked.

  “Apparently the two had some differences. The coven suspects foul play within the group,” he responded.

  “Why would they jump to that conclusion so quickly?” Axle asked.

  “They said there was a big fight the night they both went missing. Everyone had a disagreement over a spell and they had to end the meeting early. I need Axle and Ezra to go talk to the group about that night, see what you can dig up. Then go to each of the girls’ homes and check it out. Gavin and Emily you keep working on your skills,” he stated. He meant my skills, Gavin’s skills were fine.

  “I can’t,” Ezra croaked out, scratching at his neck.

  “What the hell is wrong with you, Ezra? You look like a crack addict over there,” Axle joked. He was bullying Ezra and I was wishing I could send him vibes to tell him to shut up.

  “Fine, Gavin and Axle you go together. I’ll work with Emily this week,” Robert stated.

  “Yay me,” I said sarcastically under my breath. I must have said it louder than expected because everyone stopped and looked my way. “Did I say that out loud? My bad.”

  “Okay, everyone knows what to do, let’s get to it.” Robert headed back to his office and I started after him. “Emily, I am really busy right now I don’t have time to argue,” he said before I could even say anything.

  “Robert, this job is perfect for me. It would give me a chance to meet other witches. Maybe they could even help me sort through whatever I’m going through right now,” I laid out my case for him. He thought about it for a minute.

  “This is too dangerous of a case. You need to gain your skills before you start working,” he replied, shaking his head.

  “Robert, I have skills now. In fact, I used magic this weekend,” I explained.

  “When?” he asked, not seeming too excited about my discovery.

  “This weekend! I blew out my trick candles. I magically blew them out,” I argued.

  “Emily, you blew out a candle. I don’t think that constitutes as using magic,” he replied.

  “Look, Robert. I am feeling much stronger now. I just need to get out of this office so I can find my powers. You can’t lock me away and expect me to grow. You have to let me free. Please, I need this case,” I begged.

  He thought about it again for a minute and finally sighed. “Maybe you’re right. This would be a good opportunity for you.”

  “Excuse me, can you repeat that first part again?” I asked, smiling. I was about to jump out of my heels I was so excited.

  “You got the job. Don’t push your luck before I change my mind,” he threatened. I did a happy dance in his office.

  “One other thing, Emily. Before you leave, what is going on with Ezra?” he asked. I had to play dumb, I couldn’t betray Ezra and spill the beans.

  “I have no idea, maybe you should talk to him,” I answered, still smiling. I couldn’t wait to get started. He shook his head, walking out of his office with me.

  “Change of plans, guys. Axle, you and Emily are doing this case together,” he said before walking back to his office. I stood very proud of myself, smiling brightly. All three of the guys were looking at me in shock. I walked back to my desk, grabbed my things, and started towards the door.

  “Are you coming, Axle? We have a case to solve,” I bragged, tapping my foot at the door. He grabbed his jacket and keys, and headed out with me. Ezra stopped us in the hall.

  “Axle, I need a moment with Emily,” he stated. Thankfully Axle didn’t argue; he nodded.

  “I’ll go get the car and meet you out there,” he told me and walked away.

  “How are you feeling?” I asked him, worried.

  “I’m sure I’ll be okay, don’t worry. Did you tell Robert about this?” he asked. I was instantly hurt. He didn’t want to talk to me, he wanted to know if I had ratted him out. I thought about leaving him to find out for himself, but decided I had caused this I couldn’t do more damage to him.

  “I didn’t,” I said and turned around to walk off.

  “Emily, please be careful. These witches aren’t your friends,” he warned. I looked up to his face; he looked awful, like he had aged five years overnight.

  “Ezra, I know I did this to you and I want to help, but you have to let me,” I explained, the guilt tormenting me.

  “I’ve already told you, just stay out of it,” he growled. I couldn’t understand why he was so mad that I wanted to help him. It pained me to see him suffer. He was being so nasty.

  “I hate to bring this up now, but where exactly do we stand? I mean in a relationship sense,” I questioned. I wasn’t going to be treated like this and being near him was becoming harder than it should. He gave me a sad look and walked off. I stood there for a second, trying to control my emotions. I couldn’t let anyone see me cry, especially Axle. He would want to know what was going on. Everything was piling up on me. I started to think that taking the case was a bad idea. I was hoping to get some answers from the coven on what went wrong. Somehow I had to figure this out.

  I found Axle’s car and hopped in. He owned a red Mustang. All of the guys owned fancy sports cars and I had my good ole Nissan Rouge. At least I got the best gas mileage.

  “Everything all right in Ezraland?” Axle asked, smiling. I didn’t return the smile.

  “Axle, I can’t tell you what is going on right now, but can you please promise me something?” I asked with sincerity in my voice.

  “Yeah, babe. Anything for you,” he answered, paying close attention.

  “Please just leave Ezra alone for a while. Trust me, don’t provoke him,” I requested.

  “Is there anything I should be worried about?” he asked, pulling out of the parking lot. I took the address and plugged it into his GPS while I thought about how to respond.

  “I’m not really sure, and I can’t say,” I told him fighting back tears. My heart was broken; I only wanted Ezra to be happy. I didn’t care if he never wanted to see me again, as long as he got better. In fact, I wouldn’t blame him; I was a walking nightmare. All we ever did was fight, and now I had seriously hurt him.

  “Okay, I’ll back off,” he promised. I smiled at him.

  Once we got to the address provided we parked on the street. It was a brick house in a neighborhood similar to my mother’s. The house was small and older than most on the block. Axle turned the car off and grabbed the file.

  “This is the coven leader. Her name is Ashley, but she goes by Ash because it’s more mysterious or whatever. Just let me do the talking,” he said as he closed the file and we got out of the car. We walked to the front door. Before we could knock a middle-aged woman answered the door. She looked like she was dressed for Halloween in a gypsy costume. She had about fifty bangles on each arm and big hoop earrings.

  “I knew you would be coming,” she greeted us, acting mystifying.

  “That would be because I called earlier to let you know we were coming,” Axle replied. I had to bite my tongue to refrain from laughing.

  “Yes. Well, that too. Please join me.” She swept her arm out to welcome us inside.

  The inside of her house was cozy. Candles were scattered around the room, with eight larger candles on her coffee table that had all melted down. We sat down together on the tiny dark couch. It squeaked as we sat. I had a spring poking me in the butt, but I couldn’t be rude and stand so I sucked it up.

  “Ashley, like I said on
the phone we are working on the case of your missing friends,” Axle explained.

  “I see things. That is why I am the leader,” she stated, ignoring his introduction.

  “All right, so tell me what you saw on the night the girls, Maggie and Charlotte, went missing,” Axle said poking fun. Ashley didn’t catch his humor, thankfully. We didn’t need our main source of information offended. I nudged him in the side.

  “Would you guys like some sweet tea? I’ll go get some,” she announced, strolling out of the room.

  “This woman is batty,” Axle whispered into my ear. My libido was killing me, and his comment sent shivers down my spine. It wasn’t meant in a sexual way, but for some reason my body reacted violently. I tried hard to focus on the task at hand.

  “Do you think she is not answering our questions or just your questions?” I asked him, shaking the feeling off. I felt as though Ashley had a thing against men, or maybe just big sexy ones like Axle. He thought for a second.

  “Well, let’s test your theory. We’re taking the training wheels off, you’re up,” he said. I felt foolish that I didn’t go over the file. I knew nothing about the case. Ashley returned juggling a platter in her hands. She placed three glasses of tea on the coffee table.

  “Ash, what spell caused such a ruckus the night the girls went missing?” I asked.

  She fiddled with her glass and I could tell she was uncomfortable. She finally sighed. “We were trying to resurrect one of our members from the dead.”

  “You can do that?!” I exclaimed. Axle shot me a look that told me to stay professional. I cleared my throat, adjusting my weight nervously.

  “We were trying it for the first time. Liam was Charlotte’s boyfriend. He was killed a month ago in a car accident. Maggie stated she didn’t feel right doing the spell and it split the group. Some people were for the resurrection and some were with Maggie. Charlotte and I didn’t have enough people on our side to do the spell so I ended the meeting. I stayed behind to close up the shop when I heard yelling outside in the parking lot. I ran out to find Maggie and Charlotte fighting on the ground. I broke the two up and told them both to go home,” she explained as a tear rolled down her cheek. This had to be hard on her two of her friends were missing or possibly dead.