Knot the Witch Next Door (Knotty Streak Omegaverse #3.5)

CHAPTER SEVEN – Carmilla

It was the wee hours of the morning when I woke up. I wanted to keep cuddling Deacon, but I knew I’d better get him up so the both of us could return to our houses before our families discovered neither of us were there. He gave me a long kiss and a promise to see me later. I danced on my toes across the dewy yard to my back door.

My parents were sound asleep and didn’t wake when I ran a long hot shower then crawled into my bed. The ringing of my cell woke me five hours later. Too sleepy. I needed more dreams of Deacon feasting on my pussy. There was no way I was moving any time soon. I didn’t budge for it, but five minutes later, there was a knock at my door and my best friend burst in.

“Get up, sleepy head!” Rosemary zoomed across my room and threw up the shade. I buried myself under the blankets with a perfect vampire hiss. She laughed and hopped onto my bed next to me. “Come on, Milla. You didn’t forget that we’re going to the pumpkin patch today, did you?”

My eyes shot open, and I threw back the comforter. “The photo shoot!”

I was such a bad friend to forget it. Not only was I to go to the Price farm to take pictures, I had said I’d help Rosemary do her hair and makeup beforehand. Idiot!

Jumping out of bed, I motioned to the vanity. “Go and have a seat. Just give me a minute to freshen up and we’ll get started.”

“No rush. I came over a little earlier to get out of the house. Mom is determined to make today miserable for me because I didn’t agree to use a professional photographer for this shoot.” Rosemary, ever the nurturer, made my bed for me as I used the bathroom and brushed my hair back into a loose bun.

I nipped my lower lip. Claudia liked the finer things in life and would never settle for less. It had never been a problem for Rosemary before, but with the wedding, the power struggle could be rough sometimes, and I hated being a reason that Claudia was giving Rosemary a hard time. More so, I didn’t want to attract Claudia’s ire after what happened in the tree house the night before.

Coming over to Rosemary, I gave her a hug. “Is everything okay?”

“Yes, it’s fine.” She gave me a squeeze. “Just Mom being Mom. She’ll be distracted by Kat’s practices for the Nutcracker starting this weekend.”

“Oh yeah. Kat was super excited about it.” I smiled and pushed up the sleeves of my pajama top. I gathered Rosemary’s thick hair in my hands and lifted the locks up to pile on top of her head. Her black hair so like Deacon’s. “What do you think? Up or down?”

Rosemary pursed her lips to the side. “Hm, let’s go with down. I wear it up all day at the clinic, and it will be up for the wedding. That way you can get some sexy hair blowing in the wind shots.” We both giggled. “You know, as it blows across my face and into my mouth.”

“Absolutely sexy.” I laughed and picked up a brush to run it through her hair. “You just have to remember to stand facing the way the wind is blowing and let Sam get hit in the back of the head by it. His short cut will barely budge.”

“He has enough hair for me to grab when I need to.” Rosemary winked as I fussed over her hair.

Deacon had even more hair. Thick and so soft as it slid through my fingers. It was almost long enough to start curling. He could totally pull it off though. Big curls slicked back yet bounced up when he got all sweaty from working over a forge.

Rosemary poked my side. “What’s on your mind this morning? You didn’t even react when I said that.”

Her brother was dominating my mind, and fuck, I wanted him to dominate my body again too. There was no way I could say it though. “Just trying to keep my mental lists all in order. Lots to do by Halloween. I boxed and sent off a huge load of packages yesterday, but I still have one more big one to get out. Most of it is finished and packed, but more orders keep coming in.”

“I hope you’re telling them that you’re just one person. You can’t keep going twenty-four seven, girl.” Rosemary’s reflection gave me a chastising look.

She knew me well. I would try to get every order finished in time, no matter how much sleep I lost. The Witch’s Hat was too important to me, and to build a reputation, I had to make certain every customer was happy. And since I didn’t get anything done last night, I had to push myself tonight. “I’ll be fine.”

“I can come over after my mom’s fancy dinner this evening and help.” And this was why I loved her.

“Did anyone ever tell you that you’re the bestest friend ever?” I hugged her from behind and then forced myself to focus on the task at hand. Her hair would be easy now that she was keeping it down. I glanced at the pile of makeup on my vanity. Most of it was for Halloween at the moment. “Are you sure you don’t want to go in costume? You and Sam would be the cutest witch doctors or mad scientists.”

“Ooh, I might have to steal those ideas for future Halloweens.” Rosemary grinned. “Let’s just stick with flannel and jeans though.”

“I have Halloween dresses…” I sang, motioning to my closet as if I were casting a spell.

Rosemary laughed and shook her head. “Oh God, no. Let’s not give my mom any more reason to hate you.”

My body stiffened, and I could hardly breathe. Did Claudia really dislike me that much?

“Oh honey,” Rosemary turned and took my hands, a truly apologetic lilt to her words. “She doesn’t hate you. No one can hate you. You’re the sweetest, most generous, compassionate person ever. Mom just isn’t into the Halloween thing. It’s weird to her. That’s all. She knows you’re a respected artist and keeps reminding me that you’re being noble taking care of your mom, and if something ever happened to her, I should take a cue from you. Thank God she has Edward to be her nurse. I’d take a hundred yowling stray cats any day over being a nurse to my mom.”

I’d never gotten warm welcomes from Claudia, but it seemed she was that way with everyone, and I had never taken it personally. It was just the way she was. Yet Rosemary was always precise with her words. Her mom didn’t like me in particular. I thought I’d noticed it when Rosemary named me her maid of honor, but Claudia worked with us on things.

Yet if she ever knew that Deacon and I… Shit. Claudia would flip her lid. My heart beat heavily in my chest, and my throat grew tight. I certainly would never be good enough for Deacon if Claudia didn’t even like me as Rosemary’s best friend.

I swallowed thickly. Rosemary was staring at me with great concern. I needed to say something. Anything. “Kat told me your mom thought my paintings were strange and creepy.”

Rosemary relaxed and snorted. “Yeah, but again, different tastes. Your paintings are supposed to be strange and creepy, but they’re also gorgeous. They wouldn’t be hanging in a gallery if someone else didn’t think so.”

I never doubted my artistic talent. My work was niche. I just couldn’t get over the fact that Claudia didn’t like me. Any fantasies I had about a life with Deacon were suddenly thrown into a blender with slasher movies. Not that I thought it would really come to that. Claudia wasn’t a psychotic murderer, but if Deacon wanted to mate with me, would he go against his mother’s wishes? Everything would be a mess. Not just with Claudia, but with Rosemary too. The whole family. Their family already hung on brittle supports. I didn’t want to be the reason they broke.

Plus the fancy dinner. I’d forgotten about that. My mom said Claudia had an Omega she wanted to pair Deacon with. One she approved of. And that was today.

My grip tightened on the brush. I didn’t want Rosemary to see my hands shaking. The tree house called. My haven. I wanted to run off and hide there.

“Carmilla?” Rosemary started to stand, her brows creasing.

Today was for Rosemary. I needed to push Deacon out of my head and be the bestie she needed. I nudged her to sit again. “I’m good. Mind just wandering again.” I gave a small laugh and hoped it sounded natural. “So no costumes. I see you’re wearing your gold cashmere. Nice. What color is your flannel jacket?”

“Sam’s bringing them. Blue and black, of course.” She settled and adorably fiddled with her engagement ring.

“Your three wedding colors.” I smiled and accentuated the soft curls in her hair before applying her makeup. Nothing heavy, just bringing out her natural glow. All the while, in the back of my mind, the fact that Claudia hated me ate away at me.

Dad brought us up some brunch, and we chatted as if my world hadn’t turned upside-down. I managed to squeeze in a few minutes to change into a retro style black and purple dress with the pattern of a pumpkin patch at night on the skirt and black Doc Martens boots. My black jacket with my Witch’s Hat logo on the back went perfectly with it.

All normal. Nothing out of the ordinary at all. Nope, I wasn’t in heat. I didn’t have sex with my best friend’s brother last night, and I wasn’t madly falling for him. Their mother didn’t hate me.

I grabbed my camera bag and headed outside with Rosemary when she said Sam texted he was waiting in our driveway. We were going to one of my happy places. Everything would be fine and dandy there.

Saying goodbye to my folks, I popped some candy corn into my mouth from a dish in the foyer and followed Rosemary out to where she was already smooching her fiance. I got a warm hug from Sam and opened the side door of his SUV to hop in. But there was already someone sitting in my usual seat.

Deacon.

He smiled that slow, sexy smile. “Hey Carmilla. Haven’t seen you in a while.”

Oh fuck.