Page 11 of Herbs & Hex-breaking

I poured myself, Taylor, and Circe a glass of wine and added ice to a tumbler and poured out a soft drink for Toni. Dex arrived when the pizza did, and he insisted on helping me set it all up.

Giving him a friendly smile, I reminded myself to ignore the fact that he was stunningly attractive. As we worked shoulder-to-shoulder, I made every effort to treat him like the rest of my guests.

The five of us ended up sitting around my coffee table eating pizza and breadsticks. With water to drink, Dex was seated on the couch beside me. Taylor took the chair, and Circe and Toni were on the ground, using my huge floor pillows to make it more comfortable.

“Hey, Cousin,” Circe said. “You don’t happen to have any oregano growing in that hydroponic garden thingy on your kitchen counter...do you?”

“I do,” I said around a mouth of pizza. “Let me go get some for you.” I stood and went to the kitchen, then plucked a few sprigs from the oregano.

“Is it Greek oregano?” she asked when I handed it to her.

“Of course it is,” I said, returning to my seat. “Mama would be scandalized if I grew any other variety.”

“What’s the difference between Greek oregano and regular oregano?” Toni wanted to know.

“Greek oregano is sharper, more pungent,” I explained to her, while Circe sprinkled the fresh herb over her pizza.

“Does it have magickal properties?” she asked next.

“Yes,” I said. “Oregano in general brings joy, protection and good fortune.”

“It’s also sacred to Aphrodite,” Circe chimed in. “Not to mention that it makes the pizza taste better.”

Dex held out his slice to Circe. “Let me try some.”

“Sure.” She sprinkled a few leaves of oregano over his food.

Dex took a bite and made a low appreciative sound. “Mmmm…”

It was a sort of deep grumble, almost a purr that he’d made, and it had my belly quivering in a helpless reaction. For a moment I wondered if he made that sound during sex. Would he be a tender, romantic lover? Or would he be intense, passionate and thrilling...

Catching myself, I hastily took a large bite of pizza. Stop it! I silently warned myself.

“You and Circe are cousins, right?” Toni asked me a moment later.

“We are,” I said, grateful for the distraction. “Our mothers are sisters.”

“Oh.” Toni nodded. “Which is why you have different last names.”

Circe smiled at Toni. “Papadias and Weaver. My parents, they met when our mothers were on a post-college trip to visit their grandparents in Greece.”

“And my Mama met my Daddy at Auburn,” I said. “They were college sweethearts. The Weavers have been in Alabama for five generations and immigrated originally from Scotland.”

“Scots,” Dex said from beside me on the couch. “That explains the undertones of red in your hair.”

Self-consciously I lifted a hand to my hair, wondering if my curls were misbehaving.

“And my father is also Greek,” Circe continued. “He was so smitten with my mother that he applied for a work visa and moved to America.”

“So you’re both Greek?” Toni asked, as she gobbled up another breadstick.

Circe smiled. “Me more so than Hekate, but yeah, we both have Greek ancestry.”

Toni’s eye went round as she considered me. “Your real name is Hekate?”

I nodded. “It is.”

“That’s so witchy and cool,” Toni breathed. “But why don’t you use your full name?”