Balance by Leia Stone Read Free Book Online

wrapping my hair in foil, I sat around and
chatted with Diya about how Emma was doing.
                    “Okay,
it’s been twenty minutes … that should be enough time,” Diya instructed.
                    Leaning
my head over the sink, I pulled off the foil and washed my hair in the sink
with shampoo. The second I rinsed the soap out, my stomach turned at what I
saw. Jet black. It hadn’t lightened even one shade. Shit.
                    I
dried it off and noticed Diya was staring at me in fear, chewing her lip. Why
was everyone looking at me like I was dying? It was just a freak witch thing,
right?
                    “It
should have at least been orange. Not black. What does it mean?” she asked.
                    I
didn’t know, but I assumed it wasn’t good. “Don’t tell Kai we tried to dye it,”
was all I could say.
                    She
looked reluctant but nodded. I said my goodbyes and headed back to my house to
change for the ball. I had to meet Sylvia and the coven in a few hours. A
witches’ ball! I grinned. A year ago if you told me I would be a half-werewolf,
half-witch and on my way to a witches’ ball, I would have thought you were bat
shit crazy. I wasn’t going to let the current drama in my life ruin this
awesome night. The second I walked into the house, I saw that Kai and Max were
sitting there waiting for me.
                    I
groaned. They better not be here to try to lock me in the basement with Jeremy.
Kai stood and came closer to me but stopped suddenly and sniffed the air. “Why
do you smell like chemicals?”
                    I
sighed. “Long story. Don’t ask. Are you guys here to tell me not to go to the
witches’ ball … because I’m going.” I crossed my arms and prepared for a fight.
Max grinned like a lunatic in the background. He loved a good argument between
Kai and me. I shot him a glare and his smile fell.
                    Kai
sniffed me one more time and then took my hand. “No, I just wanted to tell you
that Max and I decided to go out for a beer tonight. We will be at McMenamins
right across the street from the venue the ball is being held at.”
                    I
rolled my eyes. “Fine. Stalkers.”
                    Kai
smiled. “If I have to stalk you to keep you safe, then so be it.”
                    “For
the record, I’m only going to keep him from barging into some witch party and
getting hexed,” Max offered.
                    I
laughed. “We don’t hex. We spell.”
                    He
put his hands up, palms out. “Oh, right, excuse me.”
                    But
I gave Kai a serious look. “You really shouldn’t. Someone might recognize you
from the news.” Not everyone was a fan of our kind. Going to a crowded human
bar in Portland, not a great idea.
                    Kai
gave me a sexy lopsided grin. “I have that covered.”
                    I
furrowed my brow in confusion and decided to drop it. Trailing my finger along
Kai’s chest, I purred. “I need to shower before the ball, you coming?” I raised
one eyebrow.
                    Kai’s
eyes went yellow and Max started for the door, shaking his head. “Newly mated.
I remember that stage.”
                    Max’s
words made my heart hurt for him but he had Tara now. They were taking it slow,
she had officially joined our pack and they were dating. He wasn’t ready to do
a mating ceremony yet. Kai dropped his pants, snapping me out of my thought. I
laughed as he picked me up and threw me over his shoulder like a caveman.

Witches’ Ball
                   
                    I
stood in my purple velvet hooded cape and black ankle-length corset dress
Sylvia had given me. “How do I