When Holly began to tremble as she approached her peak, a crystal shattered. Tiny shards bounced off her skin, but she didn’t care.
“Johnny!” She threw her head back. The world spun out of control. She couldn’t tell which way was up as her climax crashed over her.
Another crystal exploded.
Her body went slack. Johnny cradled her in his arms before settling her down on the bed beside him. Holly teetered somewhere on the edge between awareness and sleep until the tremors stopped. She opened her eyes to a sea of red so bright she had to shield her gaze.
“Johnny,” she murmured.
“I’m here, love.” His lips brushed against her ear. “It’s safe to say we fulfilled our end of the bargain.”
“Well done!” Edwina strode into the room, clapping. The gold coins of her eyes shone eerily in the red light.
Johnny threw a blanket over him and Holly, despite the blindness of the witch in the room.
“Goodness gracious!” Edwina cackled. “We have enough lust in these crystals to last a decade! Can you feel that? How do you two manage to leave the house every day?”
“Edwina, can you not?” Johnny sighed.
“Now is not the time to be coy.” She giggled. “Are you clothed?”
“What do you think?” Holly snapped, hiding her face in the crook of Johnny’s neck. The red light was unbearable, even with her eyes closed. “Can you get those damn things out of here?”
“I can only imagine how bright they are,” Edwina gushed. “I’ll return for them in a moment. Dress and clean yourselves up. Don’t dally.”
As much as Holly wanted to bask alongside Johnny, she wanted to get out of the witch’s den more.
Johnny scooped up her clothes and brought them to her. “Can you dress with your eyes closed?” he asked.
“I got it covered,” she replied. “I don’t care if my shirt is on inside out or if my pants are on backward. I want to leave.”
“I’ll get you home right away. We don’t have to go back to the stones if you don’t want to. I’ll shift in front of the cave.”
“No.” Holly frowned. “I want to get out of here, but I don’t want you to push yourself too hard.”
“How sweet!” Edwina called from the doorway. “What was that I said about hurrying up?”
“Careful Edwina, your bitterness is showing,” Johnny snapped.
“That would be Susanna,” Edwina corrected. “She’s seething in the front room. Be careful on your way out.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Johnny reached for Holly’s hand and led her out of the room.
Holly blinked rapidly until she stopped seeing red. When they stepped into the front room, Hattie and Susanna were seated in their usual spots.
Hattie grinned like she’d been given a birthday present early.
Susanna glowered in a way that brought a new meaning to the phrase if looks could kill.
“Thank you for your…hospitality,” Johnny said. “We’ll see ourselves out.”
“Not so fast,” Edwina barked from behind them. “Don’t you want your prize?”
“The spells,” Holly murmured. She can’t believe she nearly left without them.
“You didn’t think I was going to let you walk away and make a lair of myself in the process, did you? Or were you hoping I would? I wouldn’t put it past either of you to try to trick me into voiding our contract.”
“Easy, Edwina.” Johnny sighed. “Holly and I are just a little scatterbrained after being flash bombed by your crystals.”
“I can’t believe you broke two of them,” Hattie pouted. “Do you have any idea how hard it is to find ones that big?”
“I’m sure you’ll survive,” Johnny said with a tight smile.
Holly clung to his arm, still dazed, and more than content to let him do the talking.
“We’ll begin with the trust spell,” Edwina announced, more to her coven sisters than to either Holly or Johnny.
“What do I need to do?” Holly asked.
“Be quiet and don’t fight us,” Susanna snapped.
Holly tightened her grip on Johnny’s arm.
“You might want to sit down. We’re going to have to tweak your subconscious a little,” Edwina said.
“Is that safe?” Holly’s voice came out small and weak.
“Most of the time.” Hattie shrugged.
“But accidents can always happen,” Susanna muttered.
“Do this for the good of the coven,” Edwina urged her sisters. That seemed to end all debate on whether or not an accident would befall Holly during the spell.
Johnny led her to the couch and sat beside her, keeping her close to his side.
Holly wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
The witches began to chant in a strange, burbling language that reminded Holly of a stream.
Holly felt a humming sensation within her mind. It didn’t hurt, it simply felt unnatural. She squeezed her eyes shut and held on tighter to Johnny.
“Have you ever had anything like this done to you?” she asked.
“Not voluntarily.”
Holly’s eyes flew open to stare at him. “Excuse me?”
“Do you really find it hard to believe I’ve made it through life without getting hexed at least once?”
“Fair point.” Holly nodded.
She glanced over the back of the couch at the witches. They stood facing each other, hands clasped. They stared blankly as their mouths moved through the complex language. Edwina’s eyes remained the same, but Hattie’s eyes had gone milky white while Susanna’s turned as black as onyx.
“That’s supposed to happen, right?” she asked.
“Don’t look at me. This stuff is above my pay grade.”
“You don’t have a pay grade.”
“I know. I’m just trying to keep your mind busy, so you don’t get too freaked out.”
“I don’t think I can get any more freaked out!”
The more the witches spoke, the more their words sounded
