Free Destiny United by Leia Shaw

be seeing her boyfriend today, or
possibly ever, perhaps she deserved some acknowledgment of her existence. With
a roll of his eyes he searched the store for an acceptable gift. Curse me and my bloody beating heart.
    The display shelves in front were for humans – more
specifically the humans who thought they were witches because they practiced a
religion called Wicca. The real witchcraft products were in the back. Although
witches worshipped the goddess Gaia, and derived power from her, they were
born, not made. Witchcraft wasn’t a religion. It was a bone-deep brand as thick
as thousand year old tree roots.
    Shelves were lined with books on Wicca, the Occult, and
Tarot cards. Crystal and pentagon pendants hung on display stands. Crammed on
small tables were herbs, candles, so-called rune stones, and every cliché new
age novelty one could imagine. Marcelo picked up a six inch pewter fairy
figurine. Humans spend money on this stuff ? Shaking
his head he placed it back on the shelf. Anything to make
their lives feel meaningful . If they would just open their eyes they’d
see their God in more than overpriced baubles.
    Finally he spied one pink rose in the corner, half hidden
by a stack of walking sticks. It was the exact color of Erin’s lips. Lips he’d been
dying to taste since he first saw her laid out like an offering on the hotel
bed.
    “Oh, you found an Everlasting Rose,” the witch said with
a wide smile when he placed it on the counter. He didn’t care what an
Everlasting Rose was, it was pretty and that would do. “I blessed it so it will
never die.” Even better.
    He spared the witch a slew of nasty comments about her
forty minute potion making and paid for the items with his mouth zipped tight. Relieved
to be able to travel in daylight and ready to get this favor over with, he
reached the curb where he’d parked the car. But Erin wasn’t there. The
stillness of the air held her scent and he followed it easily. It led him east,
across the street, and –
    He spotted a bar, obnoxious music blasted from the open
doors. A low growl started deep in his chest then tore free from his throat
startling the pedestrians around him. She dares defy
me! He stalked to the door.
    Inside the hellish bar, he found her sitting among a
circle of boys. The way they crowded her while she flirted in the center made
him feel something he hadn’t in a long time. Pure, unadulterated rage. He took
a deep breath. Calm yourself. Just politely escort her
away and no one will get hurt.
    Then one of the boys touched her leg. In less than a
second he was behind Erin, glaring down at the boys around her. Three of them
were smart enough to back up and look afraid. One was not.
    Marcelo grasped her elbow, having to make a conscious
effort not to hurt her. “Come. We’re leaving this place.”
    She looked up at him, a lovely smile already planted on
those pink lips. The smile even reached her eyes. Damn
it! She was really having fun with these…boys. His chest tightened in
disappointment. For some insane reason, he wanted to be the one to make her smile like that. Not a bunch of half-witted
frat boys who wouldn’t know their way around a woman’s body without a map.
    “Already?” she said, her lips forming a small pout.
    He wanted to kiss that pout right off her face.
    “But Slash here,” she touched the boy’s arm, “was about
to buy me a drink.”
    So alcohol curbed her anxiety? She smelled of gin and the
sweaty boy with bleached hair. Why did that infuriate him more?
    Tightening his grip on her arm, he gave a little tug. “I
said we’re leaving.”
    She narrowed her eyes in defiance. “No.” Alcohol gave her
courage as well? “I’m celebrating my twenty first birthday. Leave me alone.”
    “Who are you? Her father?” Slash unwisely asked. What kind of name is Slash? “We’re trying to
have fun here so just –”
    All it took was one intimidating step and a dark growl
and the boy was backing up. Now why didn’t