Magical Enchantment

"Chase, wait."

I ignore Jake and walk out of the bar. There are people everywhere tonight. So many of them are walking on the sidewalks from bar to bar. Girls travel in packs, trying to see who they can sink their claws into. Guys follow them around like idiots. I walk across the street, to avoid all the foot traffic. No need to bump into any assholes tonight. Usually, I'm the one always caught up in a brawl when a little dick dumbass wants to show his friends he's tough. I'm usually not the one walking away with a black eye or broken nose though.

I find a nice tree to sit by and make myself comfortable.

Now that I have no distractions I think about what Jake and Leo were mumbling about. Something about remembering Everette's name. And then Jake said he wasn't able to remember anything about Leo except that they had met before...What the fuck is that all about? I put my head in my hands and look down at the ground. My head is starting to hurt. The cool air feels against my skin but I don't feel good inside.

"Chase?" My skin prickles but I push the feeling away.

"Iris," I look up to see her looking down at me. Instead of looking pissed like I expect her to be, she looks concerned.

"You guys go, I'll catch up to you." She shoos her friends away and steps closer to me. "Are you okay?"

"Of course." Her hand comes out to touch my forehead but I pull her into me instead. She falls onto my lap. She slaps my chest but giggles anyways.

"You idiot! I was worried about you!" It's not until she is sitting across my lap that I notice she's wearing the dark tight dress that I like.

I lean into her and kiss her.

It doesn't last long. Her hands wrap around my neck and her tongue tries to gain access into my mouth but my first instinct is to throw her off me. This is disgusting. I pull away instead and turn my face away.

"Chase? Are you okay?" Has her voice always been so shrill? Her hand runs down my neck and I shiver, repulsed.

I can't help what happens next. I throw up. She screams and jumps off me just in time. I turn away and keep throwing up the dark liquor I chugged earlier. She's trying to figure out what she can do to help but just hearing her voice is making my stomach turn.

"Chase!" It's a male's voice.

My body immediately calms. "Oh, no." I sit up again, away from the mess I made and wipe my mouth. "Please, don't." My head thrashes back and forth.

"Chase?" His voice is much closer now.

Everette. The man of my nightmare and dreams.

I open my eyes to find him just a few feet away. Iris is next to him but I can't focus on anything but him. He's wearing a white t-shirt with dark pants and black sneakers. My blood is signing and I sigh in relief. He's here. I want to get up and run into his arms but I know my legs will just disappoint me.

"Who are you?" Iris' annoying voice interrupts our moment.

"You can see him?" I finally look at her.

"Of course, I can see him." She sounds annoyed.

"You can leave." Jake turns in her direction.

She opens her mouth but with a wave of his hand, she starts walking away without another word.

When he turns back to look at me I pat the spot next to me.

He looks concerned but sits where my hand was a few seconds ago.

I lean back against the tree and take a fresh lungful breath. I haven't been able to breathe this well in a while. My nerves are calm and my brain has finally shut up. It is all peace and quiet. I'm all right.

"How are you doing?" He asks.

I don't want to ruin the moment. I let his voice wash over me and sigh again.

"Chase." My name in his mouth sends thrills down my spine. I sit up straight and bring both legs up so that my feet are flat on the ground. I wish my mouth didn't taste so gross. I focus on the taste and imagine how it would feel if I just brushed my teeth. In an instance, the bad taste goes away. I can't taste any traces of alcohol or anything other than mint. I don't know how but I don't question it. I've realized questioning things doesn't lead anywhere good.

"This feels good, doesn't it?" I don't know how I know he's feeling what I'm feeling but I do. He is calm too. His breathing is even and his tone is soft. I finally turn to look at him and my eyes land on his. His eyes are on my lips and the air around us crackles. The purple creeps in until it replaces his dark eye color. "Why do your eyes turn purple?"

He clears his throat and shakes his head. They go back to normal.

"Chase, let me take you home."

"Or we can go back to your place." I throw out there. Might as well. He made my girlfriend leave. I have no one to go back to.

He nervously licks his lips. "What do you remember about my place?"

I chuckle at his question. "You have clay walls, duh."

His slow smile is breathtaking. I stop laughing and look away. My heart stops and starts at its own pathetic pace. What is he doing to me?

"So, are we doing this?" I dare to look at him again.

******

[Everette]

I can't even think when I'm looking into his eyes.

Even in the dark, I can see them clearly. They're hooded right now and I know why. I feel the same hunger settling deep in my gut. This is dangerous. I'm supposed to take him home and ask the ancestors what to do. He shouldn't be able to remember me. He's not supposed to remember being in my room or asking about my eyes. He's supposed to be freaked out because this is all new to him. I know I did the spell right. That spell has been haunting me ever since that afternoon.

I was supposed to use it on myself afterward but I pleaded with the spirits enough that they let me keep my memories. I promised I wouldn't do anything with them. I just wanted to hold on to the idea that at one moment in my life I had someone just for me. And now here I am staring at him and it is like no time has passed at all. The spirits don't know I'm here. I sneaked out of my place as soon as I received Leo's text. I did all the things I swore I would never do. But just seeing him here now, I feel better than I have in days. He's right. This feels good.

I get up and stick my hand out.

He pulls himself up and stares at me in a suggestive manner. As soon as he stands directly in front of me we're traveling through space. What? My shock is quickly forgotten by his lips against my own. Holy shit, can he kiss. He can kiss really well. We're in the in-between, teetering between this place and that and all I can focus on are his lips. His soft, wet, full lips. I groan when he pulls me against him and he falls back. His arms wrap around my waist but we land on a soft bed. My eyes are still closed, savoring our incredible kiss.

I feel his length against my own and we start to move against one another. His tongue sneaks into my mouth and he flips me over. Oh, fuck. I feel my dick getting harder. I groan against his lips. What is he doing to me? We're both breathing hard, sweating because of the heat being created between us. It's becoming too much. I continue to move against his hard length and we find a steady pace. He's growling against my lips, nibbling on my bottom lip. Our heartbeats go from one beat off to completely in sync and with one final swipe of his tongue and thrust of my hip, I cum inside my pants. His own dick pulses against mine and I know he is cumming as well.

"Fuck, yes." He whispers against my lips and I finally open my eyes.

He's looking down at me with that sexy smile of his. A strand of hair is covering his face. My hand comes up to place it behind his ear. He takes that moment to kiss my palm and

I gasp.

******

[Chase]

I want to do it again.

Except for this time, I want to do it without clothes. His eyes are no longer purple. I move next to him and put my hands behind my head. The bed is small so one of his legs is on top of mine. I'm on top of the world. Nothing I have ever done has felt this perfect. One kiss, one orgasm, and one-touch are all he has to give me and I'm sated. We're both catching our breath and I feel my eyes get heavy. The drinks and the post-orgasmic glow are catching up to me. I turn my face to look at him. He's staring up at the ceiling.

"What are you thinking?" I yawn. I want to wrap him in my arms but I don't want to seem clingy. I basically just humped his bones. If I didn't see that wet spot on his pants, I would have assumed he didn't enjoy it. That and the moaning I heard earlier. He's so fucking sexy.

"How did we get here?" He asks.

A quick appraisal of our surroundings tells me what I already know. We're in my dorm room. No actual human over the age of ten sleeps on a bed so small. Everything is as I left it. There are dirty clothes on my study chair. Books are all over the table. My football gear and shoes are next to the front entrance. Everything is as it should be sans the roommate. I don't know where Todd is and I don't really care at the moment.

"Chase?" I'm focusing on his breathing and close my eyes. I can't put it off any longer. I go to sleep with a smile on my face.

I so much better.

******

[Everette]

I'm trying really hard not to freak out but I can't.

How did we get here? We weren't traveling through space because of me. I had no control. He makes it really hard to think when I'm near him. I shift and feel the wetness against my thigh. I sigh and turn to look at Chase who is sleeping without a worry in the world. He's actually smiling. I smile too. This is one of my top five favorite moments in life. I feel elated. He remembers me. He wants me. He really wants me. I notice the stain on his jeans as well. My cheeks heat up. My phone begins to buzz and I press the side button to stop it. No need to wake him up.

Unlocking the phone, I notice I have a missed call from both Paul and Gina. Yeah, I'm in big trouble. I wonder why the spirits aren't trying to get into my head now. I've done exactly what they warned me not to do. I saw him again, and not only that but I let myself kiss him, yielded to him, and came all over my pants because of him. I shoot Leo a quick text and close my eyes.

I'm transported under the sycamore tree next to the main building in our coven. The grass isn't as soft as Chase's bed or his arms but I need to ground myself. I dig my hands into the soft dirt and take a deep breath. The grass caresses every inch of exposed skin and the roots from the tree come out to console me. Soon I will have to come clean and talk to the ancestors, Paul, and Gina. My nerves are calmed by the presence of mother nature. She never fails me. But maybe I have failed her.

"Everette?" It's Hazel's voice.

Opening my eyes, I sit up and wipe some of the dirt off me. I still smell him on me.

"Thanks for coming." Leo is walking right behind her. They both sit across from me and I lean back against the tree.

"I fucked up guys."

They don't say anything. The moon isn't out tonight. Good thing I have a while to go before another full moon. If I had met Chase before that I would have not been able to stay away from him. Full moons not only make us more powerful but the need to be with our soulmates is that much stronger. Not that I've been doing a good job at that either.

"I just left Chase's place." I start to explain.

Leo lets out a slow whistle.

"What happened?" Hazel wraps her arms around her legs and sets her chin on her knees. Her brown eyes look black but it is hard to see her expression. I touch the tree to give us some form of illumination. The roots start to glow and I can see them better. I put a shield around us to stop anyone from listening in or walking in on our conversation.

"When you first touched Amelia, how did you know she wasn't a witch?"

"I didn't feel the normal electricity that runs through us. I didn't feel anything." She shakes her head. "I mean, I felt like she was mine and I was hers but there was obviously something very different between us."

"When you kissed Jake for the first time, what did you feel?" I turn to Leo.

"I was scared as hell. He is human. One overwhelming feeling from me and I could seriously hurt him. I still get nervous sometimes."

I nod and dig my hands into the earth.

"He's your soulmate, isn't he?" Hazel asks the questions I've been dreading.

"Why would you want him to forget you? Haven't you learned from my mistake? And why would you want to stay away from him?" Leo sounds pissed. I've never had someone be angry with me over actions that negatively affect me. Why is he so upset if it has nothing to do with him?

I scoff. "I didn't want to." My eyes start to burn and I swallow the lump in my throat. "I-It's complicated."

Hazel stands and comes to sit closer to me. She places a hand on my back and gives me the strength to speak my truth.

"My ancestors don't think we should be together. They actually forbid it."

Leo stands this time. I can tell he's getting angrier by the moment. "Why the fuck would they do that?"

I shrug. "They don't really give explanations with their demands."

"Do you have to listen to them every time?" Hazel's question is something I've wondered about but never actually given it much thought. It has never been a question. We listen to the spirits. That's what we do. They have never led us astray.

"They know what is best."

"That's cruel." Leo crosses his arms. "If they knew you had a deep connection to someone, they should never get in the way of that."

"But what is the point?" I slap my hands together to get rid of the mud. With Hazel's help, I stand and look away from both of them. "I'm still leaving. I can't take back my response to the Star Dust Coven."

"Everette," Hazel takes a step closer.

I stop her from speaking. I know how passionate she is about Amelia and if she was in my position, she wouldn't even think twice about it. Hell, she barely thought about it when they first offered her a spot. Even Leo who at first tried to fight his attraction to his soulmate would die for him in an instant. I don't deserve Chase. I've already given him up without a fight.

"How come he remembers you?" Leo interjects my train of thought.

My shoulders move into a slight shrug. "Same way I can touch him without the fear of hurting him. Or the same way he can grab my hand and transport us back to his place in the blink of an eye."

Hazel gasps. "Wait, what does that mean?"

"I don't know. He's different. He's not just human." The sun is starting to rise and I need to get back to my room before they send out a search party. "I have to go. Leo, can you make sure Jake checks in on him?"

"That is your job as his soulmate." He's upset.

"Please." I don't want this to be harder than it already is. Being around Chase will just tear me up inside. I can't stomach it.

Hazel pushes Leo's arm and comes to hug me. "Whatever you need us to do, we'll do it. We're here for you."

Leo comes and wraps his arm around us.

***

Gina is sitting in the big armchair across from the fireplace while I'm sitting on the chair across from Paul's study table. Her eyes are closed but I know she's not sleeping. She was worried sick and her tears have finally stopped flowing.

"Son, you have to tell us everything if you want us to help." Paul looks tired. He has his green robe on and the bags under his eyes are pronounced. I hate to do this to them.

"I found my soulmate." I'm spent. The emotional ride has taken a toll on me. It is becoming too much.

I hear Gina get up from the chair. She wraps her arms around me and kisses my head. "That's amazing news, honey."

"The ancestors said it was not meant to be."

"What?" She pulls back to look at Paul.

My gaze runs to him as well. He has to know something. Any time I ever had a problem I would come to Paul for help and he wouldn't hesitate to do what was right. I never wanted to put him in the middle of my problems with our ancestors though. The spirits could be a whole different ordeal to handle when they become angry. Or maybe they will tell him why I can't be with Chase. Chase, I sigh internally. I picture his hair covering his face as he sleeps soundly. My heartbeat is calm and steady which means he's ok. I can't imagine how he'll feel when he wakes up and realizes I'm gone.

Before Paul decides to take on my battle, I should let him know what he's up against.

"They ordered me to erase his memory and never see him again. I saw him last night and he remembered me."

Paul stands and goes to the fireplace. He pulls out his pipe and puts some herbs in it. I only see him smoke when he is really stressed. "You didn't erase his memory?" He takes a puff. I have to tread carefully.

"I did. But I saw him yesterday and he remembered everything."

"Start from the beginning." He inhales the herbs.

******

[Chase]

I'm at a greasy diner the next morning.

He really left. The black coffee I drink does nothing to warm my chest. I feel like shit and it's not just the hangover. What a prick. Fucks me over my clothes and dips out before we have a chance to talk about it. So what if I fell asleep right after? I assumed I would get to see him the next day. What a coward.

"Anything else you might want, sweetie?" The older waitress is probably tired of coming to check on me but I have nowhere to go.

I can't go back to my place. I don't know why but I feel like I can still smell him there. His presence is all over that place and even on myself. Iris is definitely out of my life for good. Jake is a traitor for not telling me the truth from the beginning. I'm really at a loss.

"How about some pancakes?" She humors me.

I can't stomach anything else but liquids at the moment. "More coffee, please." I slide her a 20-dollar bill and she looks happier.

"I'll bring the pot."

My nails are chipping away at the plastic coming off the red tabletop when I see some of the football guys walk into the diner. I pull my hoodie on and put my shades on. I don't want to be around anyone at the moment.

"Chase!" Derrick calls out.

I wave and hide my disappointment.

***

The drive up to my parent's place takes up half of my day.

It gives me time to think about the unsettling feeling that has been on my chest since he left yesterday morning. Being around him makes me feel drunk. I have no control. I don't play anything cool. I show my cards and even throw them out while he remains a puzzle. Since when did I become the guy that fawns over anyone? Iris was a cute crush to have but this feels eons different. It feels real. At least to me.

I run my hands through my hair and decide to put it up in a bun. My beard is starting to grow too. I must look like a madman. Usually, I try to keep my face clean but I don't see the point now. It's the weekend. Depending on how I feel tomorrow I might skip classes and stay up here for a few days.

The house looks the same as it did when I was growing up. It's white with a wrap-around porch covered by a screen to keep the bugs out. The only difference now is that I can touch the ceiling without standing on a chair. Grayson runs out the front door and squeals when he sees me getting out of the car. As soon as he jumps into my arms, I play our little airplane game that he loves and I carry him inside. My mood lifts instantly. This is exactly what I need.

"Higher!" He's getting bigger than I'm used to but it's no problem. I lift him higher.

"You're getting tall, man. How tall are you, six feet?"

"Seven!" He laughs.

"No way!" I chuckle with him.

Once we walk through the front door, I put him down and rub his blonde hair. He runs up the stairs, getting all his favorite toys. I will be his entertainment for the rest of the day.

"Anyone home?" I ask loud enough.

My mother walks out of the kitchen, cleaning her hands on her apron.

"Well, this is a sweet surprise." She has her brown hair pulled away from her face but is still sweating. "I was kneading some dough. Wanna help?" She kisses my cheek and hugs me tight.