Chapter 7: Chapter 7: I'm Not Your Witch
Nikolas had returned with their drinks. His face was blank as he moved towards Sage. He handed her the filled cup and then slipped an arm around her shoulder. Sage tried not to cringe at the display of possession.
“Is the dog bothering you?” Nikolas asked loudly so he could be heard over the music.
“Nik, enough–” Sage started but watched helplessly as Nikolas tilted his cup of Moon Blood back until he had chugged the whole thing. When he swallowed the last drop, he threw it over his shoulder.
“Go fetch, shifter,” he said to Caspian.
Oh, for f*ck's sake! She swore he had the dramatic flair of a prima donna.
“Nik,” Sage tried again. She slid from under his arm and turned to face him. His face was blank, but she knew him well enough to know better. The last thing she wanted was a fight tonight. She just wanted to enjoy the music, dance, and drink whatever the hell Moon Blood was.
Caspian stood silently, carefully calculating and watching Nikolas’s every move.
The siren’s song had stopped as others turned to watch the trio.
“Don’t you have other toys to play with?” Nikolas asked.
“Come again?” Sage said, frowning at him. Did he really just refer to her as a toy?
Caspian smirked, “All these dog jokes and you are the only b*tch I see in the room.”
Sage stepped in front of Nikolas as he tried to lunge for Caspian.
“The toy wants to go home so let’s put the measuring sticks away,” Sage shoved Nikolas towards the door. She finished her drink in one swig and looped her arm through his, attempting to pull him outside.
“I wasn’t done playing,” Caspian said at their backs.
Nikolas froze and spun on his heels. “Let’s play,” he responded, summoning a ball of fire in his hand.
“Nik!” Sage yelled.
The crowd seemed to hold their breath as the warlock strode forward, his anger emanating from him like smoke.
“Let’s f*cking play.” Nikolas threw the fireball straight at Caspian’s head.
There was a scream from the crowd as Caspian dodged it, the fire flying past him and lodging itself in the wall. With a quick spell, Sage put it out before the flame could grow. She rushed forward, grabbing Nikolas’s arm. He ignored her, throwing her aside. She landed on the ground with a loud thud.
Sage looked up and thought she saw a flash of concern on Caspian’s face before his eyes glowed purple.
“That was a mistake,” Caspian’s voice was so low, Sage barely heard it.
He moved so quickly, she barely had time to register what was happening. In one swift step, Caspian was at Nikolas’s throat. His hand wrapped around his neck, lifting him off the ground. Nikolas gasped for breath, but Sage heard the word he managed to choke out.
“Inanis,” he spluttered.
His spell flashed a bright white, temporarily blinding Caspian. Caspian released him and the light faded away. Nikolas moved forward, punching Caspian in the nose. He barely stumbled from the hit and instead brought his own fist to meet Nikolas’s skull. Nikolas fell to the ground, but Caspian wasn’t done.
As Nikolas struggled to stand, Caspian reached down and yanked him up by the collar until his feet were dangling off the floor. He shoved him against the wall and pounded him in the stomach, his hold preventing Nikolas from doubling over.
Sage rose from the floor, her shock wearing off as she watched the scene play out.
With a thrust of her hands, she saw her spell hit the boys and toss them apart. Caspian landed on his back halfway across the room while Nikolas slid down the wall in a crumpled heap.
“Enough!” Sage screamed.
She walked over to Nikolas and helped him onto his feet. His eye was already starting to bruise.
“Go home,” she demanded. Her voice was deadly, laced with a quiet threat she knew he picked up on. For a second, she thought he might argue, but he nodded.
Sage watched him walk out of the party before turning to Caspian. The Alpha’s eyes had stopped glowing as a drop of blood fell from his busted lip.
Without another word, Sage walked over to the drink table, poured herself a large glass of Moon Blood, shot it back, and strode outside. The cold night air hit her instantly. She took a deep breath, letting the liquor sink into her system.
Why was it so damn hard for Nikolas to walk away? She didn’t understand why he always had to pick fights he couldn’t win. And why the f*ck did Caspian provoke him? Why was he trying to insert himself into her life?
Sage started to pace. She could still feel the heat of Caspian’s fingertips on her hips before he had whispered in her ear. How was she torturing him? Was he determined to have her as another one of his conquests? She took a breath again.
Like he was summoned by her thoughts, Caspian emerged from the tower. He paused for a moment before stepping toward her.
Sage held up a hand that stopped him in his tracks.
“Do not come near me right now,” she said coldly.
Caspian gazed at her silently. She turned to walk away but the alcohol fueled the fire in her veins. Sage whipped back around, marched over to him, and stuck her finger in his face.
“You knew he didn’t stand a chance,” she spat. “What are you playing at, Caspian? I want no f*cking part of it!”
Caspian gently took her hand and brought it back down to her side.
“Let me walk you home,” he said calmly. He rubbed a small circle on her palm.
Sage snatched her hand from him. “Unlike popular belief, I’m not a damsel in distress. I don’t need you to walk me home. Goodnight, Caspian.”
She started to move away from him but stumbled suddenly as her heel sunk into the ground.
“Why don’t you remove your shoes?” Caspian asked.
“Oh! Beauty and brains, is he?” Sage retorted sarcastically.
She slipped off her heels, her toes tensed from the cold grass. For a moment, she considered taking his offer of helping her home but was brought back to her senses. She didn’t want to be around him or Nikolas right now after their behavior. Why couldn’t she just have one night of fun without boys ruining it? Sage suddenly felt exhausted from the party and the Moon Blood in her system.
She held her heels in one hand and started back to her tower. Caspian’s gaze burned into her back as she stormed away from him without another word.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone