The Phoenix Prophecy: Nova

I’m watching Nova get dressed. She’s fucking irresistible. Every inch of her. My eyes linger on the tattoo on her thigh. We need to get rid of it. I can’t have that man’s name on my girl. Thinking of his pinched, hate-filled face makes me clench my fists.

Catching me, Nova walks over and slots herself between my thighs. “I never wanted it.” She cups my face in her hands and her damp hair forms a curtain around us as she kisses me. Despite the fact it’s only been a few minutes since she had her lips around me, my dick springs up between us. She smiles while she’s kissing me, and it’s the cutest damn thing I’ve ever felt. Her mouth stretching into a grin. She starts to laugh and nibbles my ear.

Pulling her into my lap, I stroke the side of her face.

“I never wanted it.” She repeats herself, rubbing the tattoo as if she might be able to will it away. “Johnny and I… we met when I was fifteen. In foster care. He told me he’d take care of me. By the time I realized who he really was, it was too late.”

I try to keep my expression from changing. I can’t let her see the things I’m imagining doing to Johnny. If Luther catches that man and brings him here, I will break him. I will play with his mind until he begs for mercy, but there will be none. And I know my brothers won’t stop me.

“He can’t hurt you now. We’ve got you.” I trace the ink on her chest. The smoke and the planets. “We’ve all got you.”

After a moment, looking into my eyes, she laughs. “Even Luther?”

I kiss her hard. “Even Luther.”

She kisses me back, but before we end up in bed, fucking like bunnies while the world falls apart, I stand up and pluck her clothes from the nearby chair. Throwing them to her, I put my hands on my hips and look her up and down. “You should wear a hat.”

She laughs, pulling on her jeans. “A hat?”

“We don’t want anyone at the hospital to recognize you.”

The laugh fades and she nods as the seriousness of what’s happening settles between us.

“I’ll lend you one. Wait there.” I jog from her room to mine, get dressed quickly, and take a navy cap from the dresser. When I return, she’s staring into the mirror. She turns to look at me and takes the hat, pulling it firmly over her silvery hair.

“Fuck, you’re cute.” I flick the peak with my index finger. She shimmies her shoulders a little and grins at me. Then she inhales deeply and says, “Okay. I’m ready.”

The tests take less than an hour. Ingrid performs them. She’s a doctor, a good one. Straight up. She doesn’t like the idea of keeping them secret, but then I remind her of the time her nephew brought his girlfriend into the E.R. and I kept it off the record.

“What did the nephew do?” Nova asks, slotting her hand into mine as we head back to the truck.

“Bewitched his girlfriend. He thought she was falling out of love with him, so he hit her with a love spell.” I roll my eyes.

“Love spells actually exist?” Nova cocks her head at me, then narrows her eyes. “Is that why I’m so obsessed with you, Tanner? You bewitched me?” She laughs and nuzzles into my neck.

I snort and make a pfft sound. “Oh no, baby. The chemistry between us is all real.”

As she giggles, I kiss the top of her head.

“So, the love spell went wrong?” We’re climbing into the truck. Nova pulls the door closed.

I nod. “They usually do. This particular one caused her to become so obsessed with him that she walked into oncoming traffic.”

“Oh, my God, was she okay?”

“She broke some bones, but yeah. Ingrid asked me to leave the incantation off the chart.” I shrug and press my lips together. “He was a good kid. He learned his lesson. Didn’t see the sense in ruining his life.”

“Would he have been in trouble?”

I pull out of the parking lot and turn left, toward The Cross. “Big trouble. Love spells are forbidden. He’d do jail time.”

Nova raises her eyebrows as if she didn’t expect the magick community to be so strict. Turning away, she looks out of the window for a moment, then says quietly, “Are there other rules?”

“Rules?” I drum my fingers on the steering wheel. “Plenty. But I’m sure Baloo will cover it in your lessons.”

“Does Mack mind that nickname?”

“Hates it,” I laugh. “Which is what makes it so much fun.”

“Speaking of nicknames.” She folds her arms in front of her stomach. “You still haven’t told me why you call me little star…”

“Oh, well, that’s easy. You’re Nova. Like supernova?”

She frowns again and takes out the phone I gave her. “Are you Googling it?”

She nods. “I didn’t go to college,” she says. “I haven’t got your vocabulary.” She taps the screen with her index finger. “Supernova—a powerful and luminous stellar explosion.” She raises her eyebrows and smiles. “I like that.”

“I felt ‘superstar’ was a little obvious, though, nickname-wise.”

Nova smiles and tucks the phone back into her pocket. “I agree. I like being your little star.” After a pause, she says, “You know, Mack called me the same thing. And Kole.”

“They did?”

She nods.

“Damn. Thought I was more original than that.” I smile at her. “You like the Professor, huh?” I don’t need her to tell me; I’ve felt the flutter in her belly when she thinks about him. I don’t blame her. We all know he’s hot as fuck.

Angling herself toward me, Nova says, “Is it true that in the magickal community, polygamy is a thing?”

“Polygamy?” I chuckle and swipe my fingers through my hair. “You mean multiple wives? Girlfriends? Boyfriends?”

Nova nods. She’s watching me intently. Her eyes bright. “I mean, I’ve heard…”

“I’m not sure we’d call it that, but, yeah, we’re much more… flexible in the way we approach our relationships.” I turn down the road that leads into town, lined with trees, wide and winding. “Bored with me already, twink?”

“Twink?”

“Twinkle, twinkle?” I shake my head and laugh. She’s giving me a look that could burn holes in my skin. “No?”

“No.” She shakes her head. “Definite no.” Then she softens, squeezes my thigh, and says, “As for me being bored with you—that’s also a definite no. It’s just…” She pauses, searching for the words. The way she’s trying not to hurt my feelings is so cute I want to pull over and devour her right now. “The prophecy. It says fated to five. If I’m the Phoenix, is it possible that you, and Kole, and Mack are part of the five?”

Slowing to let a deer cross the road, I lean my elbow on the open truck window. “I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t considered it.”

“You have?”

“I see the connection between you and Kole, and the way you look at Mack.” I tilt my head from side to side. “And the way they are around you.” I reach for her hand and slot my fingers between hers. Trying to lighten to mood a little, I add, “But you don’t think Luther’s part of the five?”

“Luther? Are you kidding? He hates me!”

“He does not hate you.”

“Ah. He does.”

I lean over and kiss her cheek. “Maybe. But it doesn’t matter. I love you enough for two people.”Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

I’m looking ahead, out through the windshield, but I can tell she’s staring at me. Without turning around, I say, “Yes, I mean it. I fell for you the moment I saw you.” I glance at her and smile. “You don’t have to say it back. But I’m not afraid to let you know that I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.”

Nova nods. A smile twitches at the corners of her lips. “Well,” she says, “that’s very good to know.”