Page 33 of Her Ghostly Embrace
Gia chewed her bottom lip. “So I’m in the Lockwood Coven then? Because I’m related to Susan by blood?”
Aurora drifted closer. “You can be in the coven, if you want. There’s a potential link, or the beginning of a link forming. But you don’t have to join if you don’t wish to. It’s not like my family, where you’re trapped from birth.”
“Good. As long as they aren’t going to force the issue.”
“Most covens would never. My family is just particularly fucked up. Really, if you’d found out about magic from anyone other than me, I bet you wouldn’t be worried.”
Gia’s lips parted, her expression giving the impression she disagreed. “What’s Trey up to?”
That wasn’t what Aurora expected her to say. “Looking at his phone.”
“Is he going to be there all evening? I’d have bought more food if I’d known I couldn’t leave again.”
“Get delivery,” Aurora suggested absently, not taking her eyes off Trey.
This might not be as bad as the windowless room in the theater, and nowhere near as bad as the Thornfield compound, but being confined grated like nettle on tender skin. And now Gia was trapped too. Involving someone unsuspecting was bad enough, but Aurora had to go and be selfishabout it. Gia was the kind of woman who’d have caught her attention regardless of the situation, and Aurora couldn’t deny that part of her was relieved they were stuck together.
It was almost as if whatever had drawn Aurora’s soul to Gia knew her heart’s desire and had given it to her. She didn’t know Gia, but what she’d seen had her craving more. Each snarky remark, her determination, her beauty—it all captivated Aurora.
Maybe her feelings were heightened in this form. Maybe it was harder to hide from her inner self when her essence ruled her. Whatever it was, Aurora didn’t want to leave her, no matter how horrible this situation was, and Gia deserved better than that.
Gia busied herself ordering pizza over the phone, and Aurora tried to pretend everything was normal. She was hanging out with a friend, not complicating Gia’s life. Then Gia said, “It feels weird not getting you anything. You won’t starve, right?”
A chill rippled through Aurora. “I shouldn’t. My body is preserved by magic.”
“Like Sleeping Beauty?”
Aurora snorted, the cold feeling vanishing. “I guess. But it’d be pretty fucked up if anyone tries to kiss me.”
Gia’s lip curled. “Gross.”
“I assume you mean kissing an unconscious person, not kissingme.”
“Obviously.” Gia rolled her eyes.
Aurora’s heart fluttered, or, near where her heart would be if she had a body, a light tingly sensation erupted, an image of Gia kissing her filling her mind.
Would Gia be down for some conscious, consensual kissing? There was no real point in asking at present, but when Aurora had actual lips again, she should bring it up. If Gia didn’t run the moment they were unbound.
Aurora glanced back at Trey, her mood souring. The man still wasn’t doing more than loitering.
There was a rustling sound, and Aurora turned. Gia was digging her hand into a cereal box, the inner bag discarded on the counter. She pulled out a stack of cash.
“Holy shit,” Aurora said before she could stop herself.
Gia froze. “What? Is it Trey?”
“No.” Aurora pointed. “How much money is that?”
Gia’s cheeks bloomed with color. “It’s nothing.”
“Are those ones? Do you strip?”
Her cheeks got even redder. “No! I don’t strip. They’re twenties.”
“Meaning that stack of cash isn’tnothing.”
Gia peeled a few bills free and shoved the rest back into the box. “I don’t have a bank account right now.”
