Sex, Lies & Magic

Six

This, is going to suck.

I stepped out into the hall and closed the door to Craven's apartment behind me. Sam and Alex turned with shocked expressions on their faces. Clearing my throat, I started unlocking my door without glancing back at my friends.

"So... how was he?" Sam asked with a laugh.

With pursed lips, I unlocked my door, ignoring my friend until we were all inside.

"This isn't what you guys think. We just slept." I walked over to my futon and lifted up the cushions.

"So, we're supposed to believe you slept next to him, and nothing happened?" It was Alex this time.

"You're getting as bad as Sam."

"Am I? Because I thought I was being a reasonable human who's attracted to males. You've seen him without his shirt on, we all have."

I took Takhet's Grimoire out of the storage and stood.

"Wanna come with us?" Sam asked taking the heavy manuscript from me.

"Wait." I held my hand out and the book shifted forms to look like a thick textbook.

"No matter how many times I see you guys use magic without words or wands it's still spooky how easy it comes to you. So? You gonna come?" Sam hugged the dense tome to her chest.

"Sure, I guess so."

"We also have to figure out how we're going to do the spell for the fae essence without Mikey," Alex reminded us as I walked over to my dresser and started taking out a pair of low rise skinny jeans and a tank top.

"Maybe we can ask Craven?" I proposed as I got dressed behind the curtain.

"No." Sam barked. "I don't care how chummy you've all gotten we still can't be sure he's not working for Cael. I don't care if you say he's Seelie, he looks Unseelie to me and I don't trust him."

Alex scoffed. "That's racist."

"Not when a Prince of the Unseelie Court wants your friend dead and is probably the reason another of your friends is in the hospital. Then it's just being cautious." Sam sighed. "When this all blows over I'm sure I'll find him charming and not mind having him around. Until then, I'm going to watch him like a hawk and keep him at arm's length, and you should too."

Damnit, Sam! Why do you have to so fucking reasonable?

I shook my head and yanked the elastic out of my braid, fanning my fingers through my hair. The braid from the night before had left my long dark tresses delightfully wavy.

"You're right." I stepped from behind the curtain and pulled on my leather jacket before walking to the bathroom and putting on a bit of foundation and eyeliner. "We can't trust Craven until this blows over."

"Was he that bad? I know if I had slept with him, even I would have fought with me on that one." Sam laughed.

"We didn't do anything but sleep. After everything that happened I couldn't sleep alone last night, but I did somehow sleep a little in the elevator so I visited him."

"That's...disappointing. You disappoint me!" Sam teased.

"I'm sorry? The Taylor thing is still raw. Not to mention the hordes of rejections pouring in by the day. No sorcerer wants me. It seems the only guy who does might only be interested in me so he can... I'd say kill me but that could have been easily accomplished the other night." I sighed and grabbed my purse. "Lets go."