This Coven Won't Break

At first, Mom doesn’t say anything. She still hasn’t gotten over the fact that Morgan is a Blood Witch, despite my ongoing #notallBloodWitches campaign at home. Mom hasn’t said anything weird to Morgan about it, and her rules are the same as they were when I was dating Veronica, but there’s still this shadow of fear and doubt whenever I bring her up.

“You two can stay in the living room,” Mom yells from the kitchen. “No closed doors!”

“What can I say?” I whisper, trying for nonchalance but failing miserably. “Seeing you does silly things to my heart.”

Morgan drags me over to the poster when the other tourists are done and makes me take a selfie with her and the sign.

press a kiss to her cheek and take another photo. I post the best few to Instagram, and my phone buzzes with at least a dozen likes by the time Sarah comes back from checking us in.

“Ladies, gentlemen, and nonbinary patrons.”

Morgan sits beside me and is quiet for a long time. “I think we should,” she says at last, turning to face me. “Was all of that true? Even about your magic?”

He flashes a predatory grin. “Not everything is about you, Hannah.” He turns his attention to Morgan, looking her up and down.

Mine was more the show-up-at-my-house-at-all-hours type. That’s what Morgan said about her ex-boyfriend the first time she mentioned him, and even before I knew he was a Witch Hunter, I could tell the guy was bad news.

“You really made it so easy, Hannah. All those adorable pictures you post with her. We tracked your phone to the city, but the photo in the hotel lobby was very helpful.”

“I’m a Blood Witch, Hannah. I’m a monster, just like Alice. The same power that hurt you today runs through my veins, too. You aren’t supposed to love me. You’re supposed to be afraid.”

To my wife, Megan: there is no one in this world that I’d rather have on this journey. You always see the best in me, even when I’m grumpy about deadlines. I feel so lucky that I get to spend the rest of my life with you.

Finally, to my readers. Thank you for letting Hannah into your hearts. This one’s for you.