Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 131708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
A line formed between the brunette’s thin brows. “Of course there is,” she said, waving a hand that sported long acrylic nails. “I’ve heard about them.”
“There are potions that can temporarily manipulate a person’s body chemistry using magick, much like with a drug. The potions make the brain release oxytocin, the good ole ‘love hormone’. Whoever—or whatever—they’re looking at while the potion takes effect will become an object of their obsessive devotion. But the potions wear off in a matter of hours.”
“Surely you can whip up something stronger than that.”
“The magick would never hold. It can’t. Because real love is emotion. Emotions can’t be manipulated that way.”
The woman tossed her head, making her sleek bob dance to the side. “A temporary effect will do, I suppose.”
“You’re fine with essentially forcing someone to love you? Fine with interfering with their will in such a way?”
“Yes,” she answered without missing a beat.
Ella’s demon huffed in disdain. It didn’t exactly have an issue with forcing anyone to do anything against their will, but it did find the idea of love potions somewhat pathetic. “Even though it won’t last, and they’ll eventually realize you did something to manipulate their feelings?”
“Why would they realize it?”
“Once the magick wears off, the person who was bespelled can look back through all that happened through clear lenses. They’ll be well-aware that their ‘feelings’ were fake, they’ll realize they were caught in a spell, and they’ll obviously suspect the person they temporarily ‘loved’ as being responsible.” It wouldn’t exactly take detective work.
She lightly scratched her chin with one nail. “He may not suspect me. He’s not particularly smart. Where do you keep the potions? I browsed the aisles, but I didn’t find one.”
Of course she didn’t. “We don’t stock them, sorry.” Ella turned and made a beeline for the counter.
“But you could whip me up one, right?” the woman persisted, trailing after her.
“You want me to help you trick someone to love you? Uh, no.”
The brunette practically pouted. “Why not?”
“First of all, it’s highly unethical.” Ella rounded the counter, moving to stand behind it. “Second of all, I have too much of a healthy respect for magick to ever misuse it.” Magick was a force that was not to be fucked around with.
The brunette gave her a dirty look. “Fine. I’ll get a love potion from someone else.”
“Possibly. But you’ll run across every problem I just mentioned, and also have to deal with magickal karma bitch-slapping you. A misuse of magick always leads to that.”
Not seeming at all concerned, the woman swanned out of the store, almost bumping into Kasper outside. He and Arman stood either side of the door, making no attempt to be invisible.
Mia materialized at Ella’s side. “What was that about?”
“She wanted a love potion.”
Mia rolled her eyes. “You warned her about the consequences?”
“Yup. She doesn’t appear to care.” Ella cricked her neck, too much tension gathered there.
Mia’s face softened as her gaze sharpened on her. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. Just a headache. It’ll pass.”
“That’s all it is? Often when I glance over, you look sort of … introspective. You said earlier that you weren’t gonna let what we learned last night run you off, but you’ve been quiet all day. You’re not having second thoughts, are you?”
“No, not at all.” Her demon would have put up a fight if Ella had tried to pull away from Viper anyway—it had become a teensy bit attached to him, and it gave not one measly fuck that he drank blood.
“It’s not that you’re spooked? Because it would be understandable.”
“I’m not spooked. Surprised, yes. Pretty bummed on his behalf, yes. And also kind of … ”
“What?”
Ella cleared her throat. “I’m curious as to what it’d feel like to let a certain someone take a bite out of me.”
A slow smile curved Mia’s mouth. “I’ve thought about that a lot, too. Truth be told”—she leaned in—“I wouldn’t mind finding out.”
“I told Viper to come to me the next time he needs to feed. But it’s important to him that I’m sure about it; he doesn’t want me to have regrets afterwards.”
“And would you?”
“I don’t think so.” Maybe some would have found the blood-drinking thing a little off-putting. Ella wasn’t one of those people. “He said he could make it pleasurable.”
“Dice said the same. I didn’t volunteer to offer him a vein next time he was thirsty, but I think I will. I know we’re not serious, but I still positively loathe the thought of him sinking his teeth into another person’s skin—man or woman.”
The light click-clack of heels preceded the appearance of their mother. She smiled brightly at them, her hands clasped together. “My lovelies, I have a favor to ask of you.”
“No,” they both said at once.
Melodie frowned, lowering her arms. “I haven’t even told you what it is yet.”
“The answer’s still no,” Ella told her.