The date was set. The Grimsbanes would have their rites on Sunday. Tomorrow.

For now, I was happily humming behind the coffee bar at Kitties Koffee, cleaning up from the mad rush. I had been optimistic since Thursday night. A little bit of freedom means a lot.

Kitties Koffee was a coffee shop in the main town; it was relatively well known. I persuaded my boss to hire Seri a couple of weeks ago, and it was agreed that I would be the one to train her as a barista.

The bell tinged from the top of the front door, and glancing at the clock told me it was 3 p.m. I turned with a smile on my face to greet the customer.

“Hey! I’ll have a mocha-frocha-bullshit, please.” Lathen stood leaning on the counter with a grin.

I chuckled briefly until he added, “With extra bullshit.”

I snorted out a laugh at his cheeky joke, and I turned away from him.

“The usual?” I asked through the giggles, and he nodded.

“Where is Seri?” he asked, looking behind the counter.

“Delivery. It came later than normal. Where is the rest?”

“Devan is picking up Leo. He seems to fit in well,” he answered, looking at his phone, “Leo has just been added to the group chat too.”

I hummed in response while still making a black coffee for Lathen. I thought back to my few encounters with Leo so far.

I couldn’t help but blush. He was sweet, fun to joke around with, and knew how to handle a crying ‘damsel’. I smiled. The tingle of the bell broke my daydream.

I turned back to Lathen and placed his order on the counter.

“So? What do you think?” he looked at me expectantly.

I hesitated, “About what?” I asked, confused.

A look of disappointment appeared on his face briefly. Behind him, Devan and Quinn also looked confused.

“Never mind,” he murmured, taking the black coffee and turning to the others.

“Yo,” Devan greeted.

“Hey, cappuccino?”

Devan nodded and clapped Lathen on the back, guiding him to an empty booth. I looked at Quinn just as Seri came back from the delivery.

“Hot chocolate, please,” Quinn said.

Before I turned around, Seri was already on it. Quinn leaned over the counter a little and spoke softly, “So? What did you say?” she asked.

I was puzzled, “What did I say to what?”

Now I knew something was up. A flash of surprise crossed her face, and she shook her head. Seri placed her order on the counter.

“Just talk to him, please,” Quinn encouraged and sat with the others.

I stared into Seri’s eye. She looked sheepish; she knew.

“What’s going on?” I asked her quietly.

She folded her arms and raised an eyebrow.

“You’re clueless. Did you zone out again?”

“What do you mean again?”

She shook her head and paused, “Just…talk to him. Alone. You know how shy he gets.”

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Then she disappeared into the back again. I sighed, knowing that’s all I would get out of her.

’I’ll talk to him tomorrow.’

“I swear I’m a ghost or something.”

I chuckled, “Sorry, Leo, what do you want?” I asked without facing him.

“Is that really how you treat a new customer?” he teased.

Embarrassed, I turned my head, “Shut up. Do you want anything or not?”

It was his turn to chuckle, this time at my embarrassment.

“A white coffee, please.”

As I made his order, he asked, “What time do you get off?”

It made me pause; I internally shook my head.

’He isn’t asking you in that way, Lexi.’

“I’m on closing, so I’ll finish at nine tonight,” I replied, handing him the coffee.

“Cool, thanks,” he said softly and took a sip while walking away.

Seri came back out with the packaging, and I helped her put it away.

“What was that about? You seem all buddy-buddy with Leo,” Seri asked.

I decided to give the truth, even though she wasn’t spilling the beans to me, “You are my best friend, Seri; I’m not replacing you, don’t worry. I like him. He’s sweet.”

She paused and looked down at me under the counter, “Do you like him?”

“Maybe. What do I need to talk to Lathen about?”

“You know what, never mind. Let me know when you figure it out.” And the conversation stopped.

’Wow, bitch.’

I let Seri go home early as it got quieter. After cleaning the floors, I clocked out and shut up the shop. 9:05 pm, and the moon was rising nicely.

I walked to my car, absentmindedly trying to find my keys. I noticed a figure leaning against my car. I paused and cast out my senses, Leo.

Getting closer, I quizzed him, “What are you doing here? I thought you left with the others ages ago.”

He shrugged before confessing, “I wanted to ask you more about the lock.”

“It’s still there if that’s what you mean.”

“Why not just take it off completely?”

“It’s a long story, and I’m a little tired of talking about old memories.”

He understood and shifted from the boot to stand in front of me.

“I wanted to talk to you about something else…”

I tilted my head slightly as the pause got longer. I saw his mouth open and close; he was considering his sentence.

“Spit it out, Leo.”

“I have dreams,” he blurted, “…about you.” He suddenly found his shoes more interesting.

“How do you know it’s not someone else?” I braved feeling my cheeks heat a little.

He chuckled softly, “You think I’d forget a body type like that,” he said suggestively.

His gaze took me aback a little; it was fire. Goddess!

“Plus, not everyone has beautiful green eyes.”

With every word, he got closer and touched my jaw, his thumb stroking my cheek. I felt my face get hot, I was definitely blushing beet red.

His eyes pierced mine. The white specks confirmed it. They were brighter under the rising moon, and my heart skipped a beat. I leaned into his hand, my own covering his.

“But normally, there is an instant connection,” I doubted.

“If your magic is locked… Your fate line might be locked too.”

I gasped, and my eyes shifted, considering the possibility. If it is… Did Nixon make mistake? Or was it on purpose? Leo took my hand and placed it on his heart.

“Feel it here,” he whispered and pulled at my waist.

His magic reached the surface, and my body hummed as mine rose to the surface. He tucked my head into his chest and gently rested his chin on my head.

“I don’t want to push you too far.”

I don’t know if he meant my magic or something else. There I felt it, the string of fate as it was called. It extended to me, and I felt a slight tug, same as that night at the bar.

There was a gentle warmth as our magic mingled in a purple hue. A voice was niggling in my head practically screaming not to give in, and my fear returned.

“I don’t know my limit anymore. I need to test it out,” I hesitated.

I tried to step back, but he did not let me go.

“Could you let me go, please?”

Using his shoulders, I pushed myself away as far as possible, and his eyes narrowed. Shit.

“Why did you get scared all of a sudden?”

“Drop it.” The fear dropped, but the annoyance was clear in my voice,

“Don’t run from it. I don’t mind helping you test that limit.” A wolfish grin grew.

“Don’t be a prick. Let me go.”

“Nope.”

I sighed in annoyance and he took advantage of my slight relaxation, pulling me closer.

Our faces were centimetres apart, my cheeks flamed again, and my lips separated slightly in anticipation. As a warning, his nose nuzzles mine lightly, and I take his face.

‘Screw it.’

I beat him to the punch line and kissed him.

Warmth came over me, warming me up from the inside, and made me tingle from head to toe. My hand wandered to his neck. Breaking apart, he pulled me in deeper for another. The warmth became a flame, and magic filled me with an electric feeling.

I ignored the squeeze and focused on the pulling from somewhere more profound, and the flame became a fire.

It roared.

There. It’s tangled, caught in the cage. The string of fate, Leo was right, and this was my proof.

I didn’t want to stop. The fire became comfortable and enjoyable. The fate string, while it was stuck, tried to reach out.

A sharp pain in my head forced me to break our embrace; clutching my head, I became woozy.

“Lexi?” his voice was muffled.

“Le-Leo, I don’t feel so good.”

His hand tugged my face up.

“Shit, your nose.”

He tucked my hair behind my ear, and the shock became horror as he pulled his hand back. His fingertips were covered in blood.

“Lexi. Hold onto me; I’m going to put you on the floor.”

I didn’t respond; my eyes felt heavy.

“Leo, I’m sorry. You were right.”

He cut me off, shushing as he placed me on the floor.

Taking off his hoodie, he put it behind my head, and I felt exhausted and dizzy, ignoring the trickle of blood down my cheek and jaw as he pulled out his phone.

“Hello? I need an ambulance,” he sounded so far away.

“Lexi, stay awake.”

I couldn’t.