High Witch (High Witch Book 1) Read Online Free

different. She wasn’t distressed anymore. She wasn’t upset. She wasn’t — her.
    Water dripped down her as she glared at Julius. He looked at her, eyes narrowed. The ropes fell from her, and she stepped over the wood, crushing it beneath her scalded feet. She walked up to him. She placed her hands on his chest.
    “Thank you for freeing me,” she said slowly. He put his hands on her waist, as the rain plummeted down. He smiled.
    “Welcome to your new world, Lenora.”

    ***
    Ariel leapt off of the bed, staring at Brayden in horror. “Why did you tell me that!” she cried. “Why! Do I have to go through the test? What kind of monster would — oh, I can’t believe...”
    Brayden rushed to her, grasping her arms. He’d done this all wrong. “Ariel, I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to frighten you. I was trying to prepare you.”
    She stared at him, eyes wide. “What’s going to happen to me? Is someone going to come after me?”
    He looked at her with concern. “There are those who would want to turn you. The test determines if you’re inherently a good High Witch, or not. If you are turned, nothing can bring you back. And you’ll be entwined to the one that turns you for the rest of your life. But that’s why I told you, Ariel. I want you to be safe. You have to learn to protect yourself — protect yourself in case you meet someone who wants to do this to you.”
    She looked at him with sorrow. “How do you know all this?”
    Brayden shut his eyes. He’d heard the story so many times, told to him in that way, that he forgot how horrifying it would be to someone else. He’d really ruined everything.
    “I’ve heard this story all my life. It’s been passed down, in my family.”
    Ariel looked at him sadly. “I don’t know what to do.”
    He bit his lip, his hands still on her arms. “I didn’t mean to frighten you. You’ve been safe this long — maybe you’ll never come across someone who’ll try to turn you. But you need to be prepared if you do. If you keep this secret hidden...” He frowned. “Ariel, how could no one have told you all this before? What about your family?”
    She looked down. He put his hands on either side of her face, so she was looking at him. He gazed at her closely, wanting to take away all of her pain. He’d just told her something that would change her life forever. He brushed her cheek with his thumb.
    “You can tell me anything.”
    She took a deep breath. He looked into her eyes, wondering if her heart was beating as fast as his. He wondered if she was feeling the whirl of emotions that he was feeling. He felt nervous, and excited, and so much at once. He should be thinking about their problem. He shouldn’t be thinking about her sensual mouth. But he couldn’t help it.
    Very slowly, he brought his mouth to hers, gently brushing her lips. She made a little sigh. He kissed her more deeply, moving his hands down so they were around her waist. She put her arms around his neck, and he parted her lips with his tongue. She sighed again, beginning to move her mouth against his passionately, her tongue entwined with his. A shiver went through him as he tasted her. It was definitely her. The girl from his dreams. He pressed her up close against him, and she moaned. The kiss intensified. He clutched her to him.
    He kept kissing her, his breathing becoming ragged, his heart racing. She gasped, clutching his shirt, and he ran one of his hands up her back. She moaned once more, and he didn’t know how much more he could take. He finally broke the kiss, but she kissed him again, once, twice, her lips sensually touching his. He gazed at her, completely breathless. She looked at him, her face flushed, her lips so red. He shut his eyes.
    “I’m sorry, I...I shouldn’t have...”
    But he wasn’t really sorry. He looked into her eyes. She smiled at him. He smiled back, relieved. He knew he had to go.
    “I can’t stay now,” he said. “I’ll come back tomorrow. We’ll