Some Like It Wicked. Lauren Hawkeye

painted over her face.

      “You heard me. He ran away. Scurried into the back without another word.” Normally Aria tried to laugh these situations off, but this one had been the straw that broke the camel’s back.

      She was hurt. Not because she wanted that guy, specifically, but because she wanted some damn companionship. If it came in the form of some hot, sweaty sex, then so much the better.

      She was lonely, damn it. And that was something that she wasn’t going to admit, even to Lorelai.

      She saw the sympathy registering on her sister’s face. She really didn’t want to hear it. Lorelai knew better than to give platitudes about how it would all get better, but she still tried to soothe her sister’s hurt.

      Aria wanted to hold on to her irritation, illogical as it was.

      “Anyway, I just came to bring you your tea, not to cry on your shoulder.” Swinging her legs, Aria lowered herself down off the counter. “If you leave the tins out to cool, I’ll set them out on the shelf in the morning.”

      “Aria...” Aria held a hand up, her emerald-green eyes sparking at her sister as Lorelai spoke.

      “Please, Lori. Not now.” Her sister knew her well enough not to take offense at her curt tone. “I’m going to head to Harry’s for a few drinks, I think, then head home. Alone, most likely, but at least I’ll have had some beer to soothe the pain.”

      Before Lorelai could protest any further, Aria waved her goodbyes and pushed out of the glass door of Belladonna. Yes, she’d head to Harry’s Bar and Grill, have a burger and some beer. And if she headed home alone afterward, she figured she’d rather keep her own company than be stuck with someone as spineless as the idiot from the coffee shop.

      * * *

      Lorelai watched Aria leave with a pang in her heart. She knew that Aria thought she didn’t understand, but she knew what her sister was feeling better than she’d like to admit.

      Lorelai had wanted to be a teacher—specifically, a kindergarten or elementary school teacher. But the way in which parents held their children tight when either she or Aria was around had told her early on that, unless she wanted to move somewhere else and hide her magic, she’d better settle for another career choice.

      And while she tended to scare men off less than her outgoing sister, it didn’t mean that any of them stayed around. When push came to shove, no one wanted to marry a witch, no one wanted to have children with one.

      Her desire for true love couldn’t be solved with a spell. But, she reflected as she locked the front door of Belladonna and turned the sign around, her independent sister’s desire for some temporary companionship could be.

      “A lust spell.” Cocking her head to one side, Lorelai thought for a moment, letting her intentions come to her. After the picture was clear in her head, she began to gather her supplies—a fat red candle, jasmine oil, dried strawberries and vervain.

      She wouldn’t try to draw love to her sister, because that would be attempting the impossible. Nor could she create lust where there was none. But men—lots of them—had a healthy amount of that emotion when it came to Aria. It was simply a matter of removing barriers—both Aria’s and the man’s.

      This spell would make the attraction burn hot and bright between Aria and the next man that she saw and was attracted to.

      Mixing the herbs and the oil together in a small wooden bowl, Lorelai furrowed her brow and, after a brief surge of energy crackled through the air, lit the red candle with her magic. She paused for a moment as she thought of how angry Aria would be if she found out, but she shook it off.

      Her sister deserved to get what she wanted, just once. And maybe it would give her enough confidence that next time, she wouldn’t need a spell.

      Nodding, Lorelai cast her circle and began to chant the words that came flowing to the front of her mind.

      “Do what ye will, and it harm none.”