Hell Hath No Fury (Nova Falls #1): A Patreon Exclusive Novel ✓

CHAPTER THREE

Eggs were magically beating themselves into a lovely batter in a suspended bowl, one of the hobs was on with a frying pan balanced on top, currently melting a small chunk of butter in vegetable oil, while a vacuum and duster worked themselves to a frenzy in the sitting room. Mjolnir was curled up on the kitchen island with her head resting on her coils, watching all the commotion with idle eyes and a flickering tongue.

Nathan hated to admit it, but it felt really fucking good using magic again. Hiding his magic had been one of the worst adjustments he'd had to make when he'd moved to the city; there just wasn't enough of a magical community out in the world to risk being himself even when he was alone. He'd grown up with his life so saturated with magic and the supernatural that it had become second nature to him, like freaking breathing; supressing that part of himself had been nothing short of agonising.

Now that he was home and freer to do as he pleased, he was using magic to do absolutely everything. The realisation made him feel a weird mix of emotions he was in no way ready to examine. It didn't help that the only reason he was going wild with it was the fact that the house felt painfully huge and empty.

For a moment, after he'd woken up that morning, he'd forgotten. For a moment, time seemed to have rewound, and his sisters were in their rooms, his parents downstairs, waiting for them to get up and start getting ready for school. For a moment, Nathan was whole.

Then he'd blinked and the moment had passed, and reality had come crashing in like a tidal wave. There was probably a small baseball bat-shaped groove in his palm from how hard he'd been clutching the charm since then, afraid that if he let go he'd be swallowed up by the echo of his family's memories imprinted into every single inch of the house.

He hadn't slept well, either. Ever since That Day, his dreams had been filled with increasingly horrifying scenarios of how his family had died – died while he hadn't been here. While he hadn't been here for years.

Around him the house loomed, almost accusingly, the noise of his breakfast making itself and the cleaning appliances buzzing around like the dull roar of an angered beast.

Mjolnir lifted her head, their bond thrumming consolingly between them, but Nathan's phone ringing was what ended up stopping the oncoming panic attack. His familiar dropped her head back onto her coils, but the tip of her tail flicked sharply, showing she was alert, all her focus on him.

Nathan took several deep breaths and checked the caller ID. His expression lit up with a genuine grin.

"Hello ladies," he greeted flirtatiously as he answered the video call, and Liz and Keiko's faces filled the screen.

"Nathan!" his co-workers exclaimed at the same time. They glanced at each other. "Jinx!" they yelled. "Jinx!" They cried even louder, still at the same time.

"Hello? I'm still here," Nathan said, raising an eyebrow, but he was laughing.

The ladies laughed as well.

"Nathan!" Keiko began, nearly screeching. "Your hair!"

Nathan deliberately exaggerated his blush, waving one hand limply at the camera and tossing his head so his freshly straightened hair flipped artfully around his face, the strands loose and light. He pursed his lips when he was done for extra effect.

"You filming for a Pantene commercial or something?" Liz deadpanned, making them all laugh.

"My God, that must've taken ages." Keiko looked gobsmacked.

"Eh, about an hour give or take," Nathan lied. He'd used magic so it had been more like five minutes.

As usual, whenever Nathan was feeling stressed out, hurting, or emotionally vulnerable, the first thing he did was get a makeover. To him, his sense of style and fashion – sharply honed over the years – were like armour; when he looked good, he felt good.