Alix (The Coven's Grove Chronicles #1) (10 page)

“Hey, I did a lot of those by hand too, ya know,” Alix scoffed. “And most of those didn’t have any power in them.”

Sam laughed. “Yeah, I know.” She pulled her shirt over her head. “Ready.”

Alix opened the bathroom door, and stepped out. “She’s good to go.”

Sam followed her out, and began primping in the mirror.

Troy sat in the same cheap, particle-wood chair he’d been sitting in all night. He gave her a nod. “How about you?”

“I’m good,” Alix replied, making her way over to him. She had already reapplied the imprint that had disappeared when she was shot. The only difference being that she tried to put a little more stopping power behind her thoughts as she applied it. Hopefully this new one would prevent some of the pain and bruising. She took a seat on the bed across from Troy. “That leaves you.”

Troy arched one of his ginger brows. “I didn’t think there was much more you could do for me.”

Alix was tempted to let him know there was a
lot
more she could do for him, but held her tongue. She was feeling a little out of sorts since their much-needed tension breaker. Well, a lot out of sorts really. She no longer had any doubts that Troy was into her, but given their current situation, Alix was afraid of getting him killed. Losing Hank and everyone else at the shop had been a terrible blow that she was still recovering from. If she lost Troy, or Sam for that matter, she didn’t think she would be able to handle it.
Bullshit timing,
Alix thought with a grimace.

“You sure you’re okay?” Troy asked, in a low voice.

Alix shook off her grim thoughts. “Yeah, just dealing with what’s happened, ya know?”

His features relaxed, and he gave her a solemn smile. “I get that.”

Alix was glad her excuse had put him at ease, but the weight on her shoulders didn’t lessen in the slightest. She glanced down at his hands to change the subject. “I want to try something. You mind?”

“Of course not,” he replied, offering one of his fists.

She steadied herself with a deep breath, and took his hefty hand in both of hers. The tingling, sensual warmth that always came from his touch danced along her fingers, up her arms, and through her body like a spring breeze. His manly scent intensified to the point that she could smell nothing but him. The tingle caressed its way down until it stirred her core, causing sweat to bead on her brow.

Troy had tensed upon her gentle touch, but remained still, except for his low, heavy breathing.

Alix swallowed the sudden dryness in her throat, and forced her thoughts away from naked images of her and Troy, to the imprint she intended to place on his hand. She imagined explosive, fiery power, releasing from Troy’s fists, as they made impact with his foes. An image of fire and smoke came to her mind, and she let the combination of thought and image out into the real word. When she looked again at Troy’s fist, the imprint had taken hold. Wicked flames of crimson and gold crawled up the back of his hand all the way up to his elbows, while light tendrils of smoke filled the spaces between the licking flames.

“Whoa, that’s badass,” Sam said, whistling as she walked over. “Can I get one of those?”

“I’ve never tried imprinting over another imprint,” Alix replied, gesturing to the thorny vines on Sam’s wrists. “I don’t think experimenting on you is such a good idea.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Sam said, still studying Troy’s arm.

Alix repeated the process on his other hand. “I don’t know what’s gonna happen the next time you punch something, but I’d suggest closing your eyes when you do.”

“Gotcha,” Troy said, as he examined the new imprints. “Hopefully I won’t have to use them.”

“No way,” Sam said. “You gotta use those on something—”

“But not now,” Alix interrupted.

“Don’t worry,” Troy said, as he rolled his sleeves down and smiled. “I’ll use some restraint.”

Alix yawned suddenly. She’d never imprinted so much at one time. The weariness of using her gift had crept up on her, robbing what little energy she had managed to recoup from last night’s sleep. “I’m wiped out. I don’t think I can do another one, for a while at least.”

“We should be good to go for now, so take it easy.” Troy said. A look of concern crossed his face as he looked down at his hands. “I’m not going to blow myself up by accidentally bumping into something, am I?”

“I...” Alix began, about to reassure him, but then realized she had no idea what could happen. “I don’t know. I mean, I don’t think so.”

Sam took a step away from Troy. “Man, that sucks.”

“Well it shouldn’t hurt
you
,” Alix directed at Troy. “Us maybe, but not you.”

Troy looked down at his chest where the symbol of protection was permanently etched into his skin. “Yeah, I guess not.”

Alix rubbed her temples in an attempt to stave off a building headache. “Just don’t hit anything too hard with your hands, okay?”

“I’ll take note of the warning,” he replied wryly.

“That’s just great,” Sam said sarcastically. “I feel better already.”

Troy laughed and got to his feet. “We need some new wheels.”—he looked at Sam—“Did you happen to see any car lots while you were out last night?”

Sam took another step back. “Actually yeah, I did.”

“Good.” Troy said, ignoring Sam’s paranoia and opened the door to the room. “Let’s get moving.”

“I’ll be sitting in back,” Sam whispered, as Alix stood to leave.

A
lix leaned against her once beautiful car, torn between counting her freshly withdrawn cash, and eyeing Troy as he dealt with the used-car salesman. Cash was always fun to count, but Troy was eye-candy she couldn’t resist.
Priorities girl.
She tore her gaze from the man’s well-rounded ass.

“Good thing the bank transferred our dough, huh?” Sam murmured, as she counted her own pile of Benjamin’s.

Between the two of them, they had a little over fifteen grand, which was more than enough to buy one of the junkers off this lot. Their survival was Alix’s real concern though. Hell, starting a whole new life for that matter.

Alix nodded. “Yeah, lucked out on that one. It’s like the only thing that’s gone our way.”

“Not the only thing,” Sam said in her devilish tone, as she glanced at Troy.

Blood rushed to Alix’s cheeks. She was trying to forget that Sam had walked in on her and Troy having sex, but the cursed blonde wouldn’t let it go. “You’re a pain in my ass, ya know that?”

“Of course I am.” Sam smirked, as she pointed back and forth between the two of them. “That’s what makes this work.”

Alix barked a laugh. “I think you’re talking about my unbelievably high tolerance of a goober-headed flowerchild.”

Sam gaped with mock offense, and did her best impression of a haughty aristocrat. “Well, I never!”

Alix chuckled, stuffing the handful of cash in her pocket.

“You have some nerve girl.” Sam propped her fists on her slim hips. “I ain’t no freakin’ flowerchild.”

Alix glanced at her friend’s mangled hair. “Fine, ya wannabe rastie.”

Sam’s eyes got big with genuine surprise, as her hands went to her golden locks defensively.

They both cracked up. Alix snorted loudly, making Sam laugh even harder.

“What the hell was that?” Sam wheezed. “Porky!”

“Shut up!” Alix gasped, holding her sides, as she continued to laugh. “I can’t breathe.”

The volume at which the girls’ were chortling drew the attention of the used-car salesman and Troy. Fortunately, only a few seconds of puzzlement passed over their furrowed brows, before they turned back to their haggling, leaving the girls to their foolishness.

Sam straightened with a sigh. “You’re too much, girl.”

“You’re the one with the smart mouth, dear,” Alix replied, her gaze lingering once again on Troy.

“Why are you holdin’ back?” Sam asked out of the blue. “With Troy, I mean. He’s totally into you”—her hands went up in surrender as Alix turned to face her with narrowed eyes—“Seriously, no pun intended.”

Alix crossed her arms in thought. She knew Sam was being serious, she just wasn’t sure of the answer herself. “I don’t know...fear maybe? Everything is happening so fast, and it’s weird.”

“What’s weird?” Sam frowned. “Is he crooked downstairs or something? That can be a good thing sometimes.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about.” Alix shook her head and laughed. “God, you’re such a perv.”

Sam shrugged. “I’m just sayin’...”

“Let’s get our minds above the waist for a sec.” Alix reached out, and gently took hold of Sam’s arm. “Whenever we touch, even like this, there’s this tingling sensation that goes all over me. It’s really intense, like unnaturally intense. The feeling makes me want to grab on to him and never let go.”

“And that’s a bad thing?”

“It’s freakin’ me out!” Alix exclaimed, releasing her friend. “I’m telling you this isn’t natural!”

“Okay, okay. I get it.” Sam held up a hand. “Maybe it’s got something to do with your ‘gift’ or whatever. Which by the way, you need to see a doctor or therapist, or somebody about that.”

Alix rubbed her temples. The slowly building headache from earlier had kicked into overdrive, and was threatening to burst out of her skull. “I need to be normal is what I need.”

Sam laughed. “Whatever. I’d kill to have your weirdness.”

“Yeah, it
is
kinda cool,” Alix shrugged. “But apparently has consequences.”

“That shouldn’t stop you from mackin’ on Troy,” Sam said. “Besides, he’s got his own ‘superpowers’ now. Thanks to you, of course.”

“That’s another thing bothering me.” Alix ran her hand through her purple bangs. “I have no idea what I did to him. So far so good, but who knows what will happen over time.”

Sam leaned forward, and lightly punched Alix in the shoulder. “Enjoy it while it lasts, stupid.”

Alix smiled. Leave it to Sam to preach about living in the moment. Her flighty friend wasn’t wrong though.
I need to lighten up and enjoy the ride.
She snickered at the pun.

Sam arched a sandy-brown eyebrow. “What?”

“Nothing,” Alix replied. She ignored Sam’s pleading stare, and looked over at Troy as he shook hands with the car salesman. “Looks like we’ve got a new car.”

Troy marched his way over to them. His expression was stern, but a slight quirk in the corner of his mouth relayed a smug satisfaction that Alix was becoming familiar with. Actually, there were several mannerisms she had become keenly aware of since their first meeting: His right hand twitched when he was uneasy, which he wasn’t doing now. He always had to rearrange himself when his gaze lingered on her for too long, and he strutted, just a little, when he thought she was watching him.

Alix smiled, noting Troy’s swagger as he approached. Those kind of details usually took her months to figure out after hooking up with a new boyfriend...
Oh, shit,
she thought in shock.
Is he my boyfriend?
Deep down she found herself hoping so, regardless of her reservations about their current situation, but she wasn’t sure if they actually were.

“I hope you girls like yellow,” Troy said, holding up a new pair of keys. He pointed across the lot at a two thousand six or seven, Dodge Charger; Canary yellow with two black stripes running down the middle of the hood.

Alix frowned. “Well, it’s not purple, but I suppose I can live with it.”

“Beggars can’t be choosers,” Sam said, as she snatched the keys from Troy’s hand and made a break for the car. “
Suckas!
”

Troy chuckled as Sam bolted. “Like you know how to drive!” he called after her.

Alix kissed her fingers, and placed them on the windshield of her Volkswagen. “I’ll miss ya girl.” She tried to laugh, but her head was still throbbing, and getting worse by the second. She rubbed her temple again. “How much do we owe you?”

“You can pick up lunch,” Troy replied, as he began walking after Sam. “I got this.”