Chapter 11

Winnie had stepped straight through the door to make it clear to Frankie that she wasn’t to be messed with.

“You’ve used quite a lot of power, ” Nana said with a slight admonishing tone.

She stopped and leant against the wall next to the door and felt the soothing energy of the blocking spell caressing her skin. She knew it was a safe place to have a short chat with her great grandmother.

“I know Nana,” she replied meekly, “but now Frankie knows what I’m capable of and I’m pretty sure that will help him to find his luck somewhere else.”

“But still, you need to be careful now since you can’t recharge yourself via Betty.”

“Because she is a witch now?”

“Indeed, ” Nana confirmed, “although you both can share each other’s energy but it’s better to find your own sources.”

“So, Betty is using Frankie to top up her reserves.”

“Actually, Betty’s spell was illegal. Syphoning off his energy like that can be seen as a criminal act, so I’m glad she is changing it.”

Winnie shuddered because she remembered Betty’s story about having sex with him but suddenly it dawned on her; she needed to have sex with someone to restore her reserves!

“What happens if I don’t find a source to top up? I mean I don’t know anyone else other than Betty.”

Nana chuckled. “Then you should stop wasting your energy on unnecessary spells, Winnie. You can easily survive on the flow of the balance but blasting through a door like you just did makes a serious dent in your reserves.”

Actually, Winnie knew it already because of the massive knowledge transfer she’d received but it was clear she needed more time to process the enormous mountain of little facts that had been dumped into her mind. She shook her head as she started to fathom what her great grandmother had done to her; her normal innocent life as an inexperienced teenager had ended the moment Nana had forced herself into her.

She thought Nana’s timing was seriously off and she wondered why the old lady had chosen Halloween as the moment to actually die.

She sighed deeply and realized she longed for some fresh air. She knew she had to deal with the other guests of the party and as she mentally prepared herself, she walked towards the crowded main hall of the Griffiths mansion.

The funky music was loud, but it brought her into a better mood, so she gracefully moved through the dancing mob. She recognized a few of the girls and playfully bumped hips with them to navigate herself off the improvised dance floor.

It didn’t take her long to find her way to the massive kitchen where the music was at a pleasant low level.

A waiter offered her a glass of wine, which she gratefully accepted and walked towards the door that led to a beautifully lit garden. The fresh air was cool but not too cold and she sighed with relief when the booming sound of the music was cut off as soon as the door closed behind her.

She moved towards the banner of the veranda and looked up to the sky hoping to see some stars. There were some shards of clouds that partially obscured the small sliver of the waning moon and only the bright stars were visible.

“Too bad it isn’t a full moon tonight,” a gentle male voice sounded behind her.

“Oh, that sounds promising, ” Nana cooed.

It was the first time Winnie had the nagging feeling that Nana’s input was interfering with her personal life. The trouble was that Nana was right; his rich voice sounded beautiful.

She felt bad but she didn’t want Nana to be involved. She kept looking at the sky when she said, “At least you can see the stars.”

“Oh, come on girl! Turn!” Nana gushed, “I want to see this boy.”

“Nana!” Winnie desperately projected into her mind. “Please keep silent.”

She felt bad but she wanted to do it her way. She smiled as she heard him chuckle. Her breath hitched when she heard the creaking of wood, indicating he had been sitting on one of the chairs. But nothing had prepared her for the tingling sensation of his powerful wizard aura.

“Oh my, ” whispered Nana.

She thought it was funny when he stopped because he felt their auras colliding. It was an intriguing moment, and she couldn’t keep herself from turning around. She was aware of her revealing costume, but it actually helped her to overcome the last mental hurdle.

She looked up and was pleasantly surprised to see a young friendly face. It was too dark to see the color of his eyes but the relaxed smile on his handsome face made her heart skip a beat.

She liked his take on the Colin Bridgerton costume and said, “Cool outfit you’re wearing.”

She adored his healthy blush when he chuckled demurely. “That’s nice to hear from an amazing celebrity like Jessica Rabbit.”

“Don’t say that too loud,” Winnie replied a little uneasy. “I’m sure Roger is rummaging around here somewhere.”

His laugh sounded warm, and Winnie had trouble keeping her serious expression plastered on her pretty face. She studied his appearance and admired the masculine lines. His smile was intoxicating and as he came closer, she couldn’t deny she liked his muscular appearance. His short black hair was neatly combed back, and the slight wavy patterns made him look a little unruly.

“Getting his hands dirty on something else than you.”

Winnie saw the twinkle in his eyes and giggled nervously. But then she put on her sweet looking pouting face and said softly, “Yes.”

“I wouldn’t mind,” he said with a naughty smirk on his face.

Winnie’s eyes grew bigger, knowing exactly what he meant. The idea of feeling his hands touching her skin was exciting, but even though he was extremely handsome and a powerful wizard, she needed more time.

“I wouldn’t mind knowing your name,” she responded somewhat coolly.

“Zachary,” he responded quietly while looking her in her eyes. “And your name is Winnie.”

“How remarkable, ” Nana spoke up, “I have always protected your name. There are only a few people who know your name.”

Winnie mentally shrugged her shoulders and said to him, “Zachary, a name full of power, how appropriate. Tell me, where are you from? I mean I haven’t seen you at school.”

“We just arrived today, and I thought it would be a great opportunity to get to know a few people.”

“Oh okay, but how did you know about this Halloween party?”

“We are staying in the guesthouse at the moment.”

Winnie laughed. “Guess your parents aren’t that happy with all the noise.”

“I think a few spells have taken care of that. It seems that it was a favorite place for getting away from the party,” he said offhandedly. “You know, like, boys and girls, together.”

“Oh drat,” Winnie said softly while her face got warm. The idea that couples had used the guesthouse to have sex was shocking and exhilarating at the same time.

“Have you been there?” he asked incredulously.

“No,” Winnie responded instantly although, somewhat subdued, because she wouldn’t mind experiencing the thrill and excitement herself.

She loved the buzz of their auras interacting and she wondered what would happen if she closed the gap between them. She stepped forward and as she nearly touched his chest she asked, “Have you ever, you know, erm like, erm, escaped a party with a girl?”

The energy exchange between them was amazing and it felt like his body was heating up the air around her. She shuddered a little when his hands touched the sides of her hips. He slowly shook his head when he said, “I, I, erm, it has never happened.”

Winnie couldn’t resist the urge to kiss him and pressed her lips softly on his mouth. She pulled away to look at him, hoping he wasn’t upset. Her body reacted to the mix of surprise and hunger she could read on his face. She was stunned by her longing to feel his muscles pressed against her body and resolutely pulled him into a firm hug. Their lips met again, and their passion fired up as if they were lovers who had been separated for ages.

“Oh my, ” groaned Nana, “this feels so good.”

Winnie reluctantly stopped the kiss and as she rested her forehead against Zachary’s shoulder, she growled internally to her great grandmother, “Look Nana. I understand you’ve been without it for a long time. But this is extremely off putting. I’m thankful for all the knowledge and advice you have given me, but I really would like for you to keep yourself in the background.”

Nana whimpered softly. “I’m so sorry Winnie, my sweetheart, but I’m not used to dealing with the powerful emotions you have.”

Winnie sighed softly and answered almost apologetically, “I, I shouldn’t have lashed out at you like that, Nana. I’m sorry. But do you know how long you’re going to be with me?”