Prelude to a Witch, Amanda Lee [ebook reader web txt] 📗

forward and pressed a firm, lingering kiss to my forehead. “I’m going to take care of you the rest of the night and I don’t want to hear a single complaint about it.”

“I can manage that.”

“Good. Then we’re going to bed. We’ll start strategizing in the morning.”

LANDON GOT IN THE BATHTUB WITH me for a bit and then left me to soak. There were no burritos, which meant he wasn’t hungry, almost unheard of for him. I filled the tub twice to keep the water hot before drying off and climbing into fuzzy sleep pants and an oversized T-shirt. Upon exiting the bathroom, I heard voices in the living room.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Landon insisted. “You’re talking crazy.”

Who was he talking to? Then I heard the other voice and froze.

“She’s magical, Landon,” Hannah insisted. “You can deny it, but I know you know. It’s not as if she’s the type of person who would keep something like that from you.”

My heart lodged in my throat. I recognized in the library that Hannah was suspicious, but I didn’t think she would go this far. She’d come to our home and put Landon on the defensive. That wouldn’t end well.

“It’s a town of fake witches,” Landon said. “I can’t believe you’re actually suggesting this.”

“Are you really going to sit there and lie to my face?” Hannah demanded. “I’m not an idiot. There’s no way she flew against that wall with the force she did without magical intervention.”

“You should hear how you sound.”

I licked my lips, debating, and then walked out of the bathroom. Landon stood about five feet from the front door, his arms folded across his chest. The look on his face could’ve set the world ablaze.

For her part, Hannah was calm. She hadn’t adopted an aggressive stance, but the set of her shoulders told me she wasn’t going to let this go.

It was time to take a leap of faith.

“I’m a witch,” I announced.

Landon growled as he turned to face me. “Why aren’t you in bed?”

“Because I just got out of the tub and heard voices.”

“Bay ... .” He looked caught. It was rare he didn’t know what to do. It might’ve been funny under different circumstances, but I hated the fear etched across his face.

“I’m pretty sure she already knew, Landon.” I padded into the room and fixed Hannah with a curious look. “You were trying to get me to admit it in the library.”

Hannah nodded. “You weren’t ready. After what happened during dinner, I figured I couldn’t just let it go. What’s going on here?”

I gestured to the chairs. “You should sit. I know I’m going to. My back hurts.”

Landon immediately moved between us, taking his place at my side. His hands were on my back, rubbing, before I finished sitting. “This is a bad idea, Bay,” he muttered. “A really bad idea.”

He was likely right, but there was nothing I could do about it. Denying what I was would only further Hannah’s suspicions. We needed her on our side. “She knows. We have to deal with it.”

“We do.” Hannah flicked a curious look to Landon. “I’ll be honest here. I never thought you’d end up with a witch.”

“Love is love,” Landon replied, his hands busy on my back. “I don’t care what she is. She’s ... Bay. I had no choice but to fall in love with her.”

Hannah’s smile was warm. “That’s really sweet. I was just telling Bay this afternoon that you’d grown quite a bit since last we met.”

“I don’t know about growing,” Landon hedged. “I’m a different man than I was before meeting her. She made me a better man.”

“I think you were always a good man. She’s definitely made you more observant and accepting. I applaud that.”

“I love Bay,” Landon said. “I know you still have a crush on me, but it doesn’t matter. She’s it for me.”

I pressed my lips together and stared at the ceiling. His ego was out of control sometimes.

“I think I’ll survive,” Hannah said dryly.

“She’s a lesbian,” I whispered to him, shaking my head as his eyebrows drew together. “Her girlfriend’s name is Adrian ... and you’re coming across like an idiot.”

Landon frowned. “You’re a lesbian?”

Hannah nodded. “I am. Still, if I was going to have a crush on a man at this point in my life, I guess it might be you. I hope that helps.”

“Not really.” Landon slid his eyes to me. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.”

“You seemed to like the fact that you thought she had a crush on you. I didn’t want to ruin things for you.”

“You could never ruin things, but I do feel like a bit of an ass.”

I patted his knee. “Welcome to the family.” Now that the Hannah’s purported crush had been put to rest, I focused on her. “Are you going to tell the higher-ups at the FBI what I am? If so, I’ll deny it.”

“I’m not telling anyone,” Hannah reassured me. “It’s nobody’s business. Besides, the odds of them believing me seem slim.”

“What are you going to do?” Landon asked. “I mean ... this changes things from your perspective.”

“It does,” Hannah readily agreed. “It makes things easier. Bay can help me. I figured there was something odd here when I saw the runes. The fact that there are real witches hiding amongst fake witches explains a lot.”

“We don’t know what’s going on,” I said. “We don’t have the answers you’re looking for.”

“We can work together to find them.” Hannah cocked her head. “What did you see tonight?”

“I don’t know what they are.”

“You were researching shades in the library.”

“That’s our best guess. We don’t know that we’re right.”

“Well, it gives us a place to start looking.” Hannah slowly got to her feet. “You two obviously need some time alone to ... regroup. You’re going to want to talk about the fact that I know. I want you to know that I would never tell your secret. You’re not the first witch I’ve come across,