First Thirst (Craving 1)

I also learned how strong Aunt Elle was. This wasn’t the first heartache a man had caused her…because it isn’t easy to get away with cheating on a witch.

She gave up on men for a few years after that one, who she told me she thought was her only soulmate. I told her he could not have been. I believe a soulmate could never want to be with anyone else. I am twenty-one and haven’t found mine yet. Oh, I’ve dated and once, just once I thought I came close to it, but there it was, the ‘cheating’ factor.

Giving him up had been easy. Life, no matter the pain, will always move on.

Even after a tragedy such as I experienced with my parents, it is a sure thing that life just keeps on trucking.

I suppose it is an unassailable fact of life. Somehow, I got through it all.

High school was fun. I was wickedly popular. I suppose my penchant for using my magic at opportune moments played a number one role in that fact. Speaking of cheating, I suppose that is cheating in a way, but hey, magic is who I am, and I never used it to do anything but ‘nice’ things.

We live in Greenwich Village, but Aunt Elle basically pushed me out the door of our comfy loft and told me to dorm at NYU. She said I was cramping her style and hugged me in a way which told me I wasn’t, but she thought it was time for the chick to fly.

I got an apartment near the university with two other friends, and those were really wonderful years. Lots of studying put me at the top of my class, but there was also so much fun that came with my new freedom.

By the time I gr

aduated, I had an impressive résumé in business management. Luck, or Aunt Elle, I was never sure which, put me in this apartment complex as the managing director. Free rent, very little salary, but I was happy.

Then they sold the building and here I was without a job or place to live.

I waved the letter in the air and narrowed my eyes before I called on Shama, which is my altered state of mind, something I have learned to call on for my deep and secretive magic, magic I haven’t quite mastered yet.

I don’t use a familiar or a wand like Aunt Elle. Never had the need. That seems to be something mortal witches need to complete their spells.

I just concentrate and my Shama usually produces what I need.

I also use a language unknown in the Human Realm.

I put the letter to my forehead and chanted the word Amme three times, and a 3-D vision appeared. It was in full color, and that made me smile. Sometimes my visions come only in black and white, not sure why.

I saw a mature woman at a desktop computer. She was printing out the letter that had been dictated to her earlier. I scanned the room she occupied and found a letterhead, yup, it was Ascot & Harcourt. The vision faded and bleeped out.

Okay, so this was real. This wasn’t someone’s idea of a joke.

Besides, I’m not sure I really believed this was a prank. After all, who would play such an elaborate joke on me? To what end?

I couldn’t think of any friend of mine who would go that far for a laugh.

Okay, let’s reason this out. Let’s go with what I know. What I know is this is a job I need. What’s more, it is a place to live, as well as to work, and holy good gosh, this job was in Scotland. This was a dream come true.

However, what did I know about Scottish estates? I guess I could learn on the job—trial and error? I’m a quick study.

Who could have given this law firm my name, let alone a sterling recommendation? That question disturbed me.

I did what I always do when I hit a brick wall. I picked up my cell phone.

Aunt Elle answered, and as I always do when I hear her voice, I smiled. “Aunt Elle, you going to be home for a bit? Can I come over?”

“Yes, baby, what’s wrong?”

“On my way, I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

I grabbed my bag and hurried outdoors. If I took this job, and I was pretty certain I had already decided to do just that, I could afford a cab.

I flagged one down and it wasn’t long before I was in the elevator and stepping out to find Aunt Elle standing there with the door flung wide open.

She pulled me inside and said, “Sit!”