The Witching Hour

Chapter 18 - Relief

"You know, we might want to move this conversation upstairs." With a playful smile, Ella pointed at the knock sounding from the door. "We are in a restroom after all."

Giggling, the group shuffled outside and to their booth Lucian had reserved for them. As they exited, they all earned looks from the line that had formed outside the restroom. From the tapping feet to exaggerated eye rolls, they had been standing there for some time. The commotions probably scared them off.

They slid into the booth, its walls providing them some comfort of blocking out the music. Griffin sat at the edge, on the other side of Marina. His body language stayed tense as if he anticipated another attack, and his eyes rounded the room at regular intervals. Marina sat extra straight but kept a smile plastered on her lips. Ella came back with a tray of cocktails handing them out, including one for Griffin who hadn't ordered one.

"So Griffin, what brought you back?" Aura asked, her tone dipping dangerously into her work voice. She had that steely look in her eyes. Ivy refrained from rolling her eyes.

"I couldn't find the strength to leave the place I had called home for so long." Griffin took a long sip from his drink.

Ivy studied his movements and drank in his features. The sense of familiarity haunted the back of her mind. Griffin's jaw clenched, his pupils peeking out at her from the corner of his eyes. One corner of his mouth turned up, but he kept his attention trained on Aura. Brushing the hair out of her face, Ivy cast her eyes downward, a blush crawling up her neck.

"You know, I don't think we ever had had the pleasure of meeting," Ivy found herself saying. Leave it to her to make a situation even more awkward than it is. She extended a hand, waiting for him to shake it. "Ivy."

Griffin looked at it, contemplation clear in his eyes. In the end, curiosity won out. His hand wrapped around hers, the heat flaring up. They kept their eyes trained on one another, neither wanting to give out first. After what felt like an extended pause, Ivy pulled away to keep from raising the other witches' suspicions.

"Pleasure to meet you – officially." The smile hit his eyes this time as he sent her a wink. Butterflies fluttered in the pit of her stomach. Ivy glanced at Marina, hoping she was too drunk to sense any of this.

"Thanks again for saving me," she said with a low voice, earning confused expressions from the others.

"Saving you? What happened?" Marina piped up, the question coming out strained.

"This scumbag noticed how drunk I was and tried to take advantage of me." Ella opened her mouth to ask a follow up question, but Ivy already knew what it would be. "No, it was not a creature. It was just a regular, scumbag human."

"I was at the bar when I noticed him trail after her seconds after she disappeared down the stairs," Griffin added. He ran his hands down the length of his thighs and sipped his drink. "Something didn't seem right."

"Thank heavens you were there." Marina leaned into him, looking up at him through her lashes. "Knight in shining armor."

Griffin looked away, his jaw tightening. If Ivy hadn't trained her eyes on him, she never would have noticed. He looked down at his watch then at his phone. His knee twitched, bouncing up and down in a steady motion. Griffin's eyes swiveled in Ivy's direction, a smirk spreading over his lips at having caught her staring. Ivy didn't waver. She kept her gaze locked on him. She wouldn't be embarrassed. Aura went to ask him another question, but he spoke faster than she did.

"I really should get going." Griffin stood up, smoothing out his jeans. His body blocked the overhead lights, one just behind his head giving him a halo.