Destiny Divided Read Online Free Page A

sounded like he was assessing the breeding of a dog. “That explains your name.”
    That shook her from her bewildered stupor. “My name?” Since moving from Albany, she’d ditched her first name and used her middle name instead.
    “It’s very…” His lips twitched. “Witchy.”
    “I…I…don’t even know what to say.”
    James put his hand on the small of her back and gently guided her towards the house. Her mind was stuck in a thick haze so she allowed the physical contact, for now.
    “Right. N ow we have a starting point.” He gave her a little push through the door. “But we need to build the foundation.”
    Starting point? Foundation? He was still talking about training. “Hold up. I’m trying to process the whole witch thing. You gotta give me some time here.” She batted his hand away when he tried to pull her to sit at the breakfast bar. She paced the length of the kitchen instead. “Maybe I should do a Google search.”
    “You won’t find anything helpful on Google.” James started a pot of coffee. “But lucky for you, I know everything about sorcerers and much about witches.”
    “And so modest too.”
    “For instance, a sorcerer’s power comes from –” He appeared in her pacing path so suddenly, she nearly plowed into him. “Will you stop pacing? It’s making me dizzy.”
    His chest was inches from her face. The scent of his aftershave overwhelmed her. Damn, the dry spell she was going through was really getting to her.
    She lifted her head to meet his gaze. His lips were thin but that didn’t make her want to taste them any less. Her tongue darted out, wetting her own lips. His gaze was riveted to her mouth. He wasn’t breathing. Neither was she.
    Snap out of it! You don’t even like him!
    A d ry spell. It was a perfectly logical explanation for why, when he leaned in and lowered his head, she just stood there, waiting. His lips hovered over hers, his breath tickling her mouth.
    S omething beeped.
    “Coffee’s done,” she said in a husky voice.
    He gave his head a little shake. “Uhh…right. How do you like your coffee?”
    “Black with enough sugar to drown the coffee taste.”
    His brows furrowed at her odd request but he nodded and poured at least eight packets worth of sugar into a mug.
    She watched him make his own coffee. He drank it black too, except for the little splash of something in a flask he pulled out of the cabinet. Alcohol problem?
    “ Come. Sit down.” He handed her the mug of coffee.
    S he sat on an overstuffed chair opposite James on the couch.
    “ Sorcery centers around electricity,” he began. “That’s why the lights flicker when you’re angry. A Bolt is also the use of electricity, only the current comes from the air and your body is the conductor.”
    “That makes sense. I can feel the electricity moving around me like static. It was weird, at first. Now it just feels...powerful.” She smiled, recalling the feeling of omnipotence when she was brave enough to let the light take over.
    “Electricity is our main source of power. It has nothing to do with relig ion, eh? Witches, on the other hand, get their power from Gaia. She’s –”
    “Mo ther Earth. I remember from one of your classes.”
    “At least so meone was listening. Gaia, or Mother Earth, is their god. She supplies them with the ability to manipulate nature’s elements. Water. Plants. Weather. Both sorcerers and witches can make potions and cast spells, but different kinds. Sometimes they trade with each other if they need something specific, but overall, neither culture is fond of the other.”
    “I understan d their feeling.” She gave him a pointed glare.
    He chuckled . “Maybe that’s why you’re so indignant. The two sides of yourself are battling each other.”
    She thought about it for a moment. “I don’t feel an internal battle. And I’m not indignant.”
    His brows shot up.
    “Okay, maybe I am, just a little. But it’s not because of what I am. If anything,