"We need to talk." A cold but still enchanting voice sounded out as Noah stepped out from an alcove.
"I'm on my way home, Noah, and I need to hurry as I have a date." I picked up my pace, trying to leave him behind me, but in mere seconds he was at my side.
"You can't ignore me forever. We clearly have things to discuss." His hand caught my shoulder and I flinched at his cold touch.
"Sorry."
"You're either telling me sorry about the fact you're so cold, or about the fact you had the audacity to touch me at all; but really, the word sorry has no effect on me when it comes to you."
"Bullshit, Stace. That song says otherwise. You clearly needed me to hear it, and now I have. I know you'll never forgive me, but I still think we need to talk. Clearly, after what happened the last time we met, and I don't mean at the audition, we still have—"
"Stop!" I interrupted his blast of words. "Don't call me Stace. You lost the right to that years ago. And don't bring up three years ago because it's been a long time since then and that was what got you out of my system once and for all." I lied.
"But you're not out of my system."
"Okay, Noah." I decided to call his bluff because I couldn't take this a minute longer. "Withdraw from the competition. Your band can find another bass guitarist. Give it up… for me."
His jaw set taut and I saw the fight leave him. "I can't do that to my bandmates. You know how it is. They're family. We've got so far. They'd be devastated."
"So why are you here then, standing in front of me saying I'm not out of your system? Do you think I'm going to say 'oh, no worries about dumping me, it's all water under the bridge'? Or is this just to let me know once more that you think I'm not good enough? That you choose your new life. Again." I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Why do I have to choose? You have your band. I have mine. We can find a way."
I needed this man away from me before I broke the Good Witch Code and fried his balls with a spell. "Leave me alone, Noah. For good. I'm moving on and I've met someone else. I suggest you do the same. There are plenty of other females around the place."
"I don't want them." He said and fuck me if he didn't pout too, but I couldn't deal with another word from him.
"You can't have me." I said. "Regrets, remember? What a bastard they are."
I ran ahead of him, through the doorway and when I stopped and turned around he'd gone.
I was surprised to find myself actually looking forward to my date with Dray. Though I hung around with the coven, I lived alone in a small studio flat in Bayswater. It was nothing fancy, but it was mine. I liked my own company most of the time, and playing pubs and clubs provided a modest and irregular income, so I needed small and cheap.
Noah waiting for me like that had put me in a bad mood, so when I'd got home I'd lit a Sandalwood joss stick that reminded me of a calmer, peaceful state, and breathed calmly and deeply until I felt like myself again.
After grabbing a quick shower, I dressed in black skinny jeans and a fitted red t-shirt and put my black hair up in a high ponytail. A quick spray of Si perfume and I was out of the door and on my way back to the bar and grill where Dray had suggested we eat.
Dray was waiting outside the entrance when I got there, leaning back against the wall, the sole of one foot up against it, looking like he was oozing testosterone where he stood. I saw one woman nudge another and nod her head in his direction as they went inside. Dray noticed too and gave them both a head tilt and a dazzling smile.
He was such a lead singer. Born to command an audience.
Whereas me? I'd found myself centre stage reluctantly. Put there by the others due to my voice. However, once I began singing, the audience and everything else just fell away and it was me and my music. It bewitched me, held me in its thrall.
When I sang, it felt like home, like everything was as it should be.
And I craved that feeling, mainly due to the fact that I rarely felt settled anywhere else.
"You look good enough to eat." Dray pushed off the wall and swaggered towards me. He was wearing dark blue jeans and a faded grey concert t-shirt of a Thunder gig from the nineties. It stretched across his wide shoulders. The guy was built.
"Well, I'm hungry myself." I looked him up and down slowly. "But it's a burger I want."
"I can supply the buns." He said, turning around and tilting his hips to make his arse cheeks move.
He made me laugh and I liked it. Didn't hurt that he looked good too.
I was surprised when he did the gentlemanly thing and held the door open for me. Then he spoke to the waitress who greeted us and we were escorted to a table. I asked for a whisky sour and when they said it was two-for-one, I decided why not? Dray ordered a beer and we checked out the menu. Or rather I checked out the menu and Dray checked out my tits over the top of his menu. His legs were thick and huge and as he was so tall, they rested against my own under the table.
"So tell me a little about yourself." Dray said. "I'm guessing witch or Fae, but I'll put my money on witch."
My mouth dropped open. "W- what?"
He leaned closer. "I'm a bear shifter myself."
It wasn't often I was lost for words, truly, but I found myself stuttering. "Y- you're a shifter, and y- you know I'm a w- witch?"
He tilted his head back and forth. "As I said I was between the two, but you look more witch. The Fae seem to prefer their bright shades of hair."
"So I'm not only a witch, I'm a stereotypical witch?" I'd gathered myself now, back to my usual sarcastic self.
Dray pointed to himself. "I'm built like a linebacker, with long-brown hair, if we're going for stereotypical."
"How did you know?"
"I have a heightened sense of smell. It's genetically there for seeking out prey, but it doubles as a species sorter."
At that comment I snorted whisky sour out of my nose.
"Species sorter?"
"I can also smell arousal. My nose is telling me I need to work much harder." He drawled quietly and huskily.
I'd just taken another mouthful of my drink and this time I choked a little. I did not want to think about creaming my knickers and him being able to tell. No way.
"Could you just give me a moment?" I said, excusing myself to the bathroom.
It was the first time my pussy had been subject to a spell, other than a dry one.
Suitably reassured that I'd blocked off any chance of Dray smelling me, other than if I let him later, I took my seat.
He sniffed the air. "Cheat."
The evening passed quickly with plenty of pleasant banter between us. I did like him, but there was no way he was coming back to my place or I to his.
"So, can I see you again?" He asked as I stood next to a waiting taxi; Dray having opened one of the rear doors for me.
"Maybe." I smiled.
Leaning forward, he pressed his lips to mine. They were coarse, but warm. I let him kiss me and I kissed him back. He tasted of beer and Panna Cota. It felt nice, but that was all. Just nice.
God, if he could have read my mind, I was sure he'd have picked me up and crushed me against the nearest wall to make sure I changed mine. I broke off the kiss.