Starting the twenty-first birthday celebration at midnight left me exhausted by the time mom brought me home, early in the morning. I think both of us were hoping Angelica would already be there waiting for us.

But she wasn't.

"Don't worry about her," Mom said, masking her nervousness with a warm smile that didn't reach her light green eyes. "She'll come back when she's ready. I know she will."

I nodded, returning her weak smile, and went up to my old room. Angelica and I still had bedrooms at our parent's house, even though we also had an apartment we shared closer to the company we own together downtown. It was moments like this one that I was grateful mom always kept an inviting space for me to return to: despite the worry and sadness I felt towards my twin, I was able to sink straight into sleep.

* * *

"Happy birthday, babygirl," a familiar voice says softly, close to my face, gently drawing me out of my dreams.

Orion!

My eyes open with a smile already on my face.

"Beloved!" I tell him, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him down onto the bed with me. He pulls me close and holds me tightly in his arms before attacking my face all over with light kisses.

Muah! Muah! Muah! 

"Orion!" I giggle. But then his mouth is on mine, his hot, sweet mouth, and I forget everything else around us. His hands start to roam and I feel him groan into my mouth when he realizes there's nothing underneath the baggy t-shirt I threw on to sleep in.

One hand heads to my breast, where he pinches my nipple—I arch my back in response. Damn! That little shock of pleasure gets me every single time. He knows just where to touch me…

His other hand heads between my legs, where he slides his middle finger along my slick entrance. He groans again as he pushes his finger inside me, and soon I'm moaning. 

"Shhh, baby," Orion whispers after breaking our kiss. "You don't want to get caught here, do you?" 

I bite my lower lip and shake my head, 'no.' He slowly pushes a second finger inside me... 

Orion is the only man I've ever been with. He is my first and only love. He took my virginity, and I took his, the summer after we graduated high school. We know each other's bodies intimately, inside and out. 

So, I know he must be painfully hard by now. 

I grab him by the shoulders, and he lets me toss him underneath me—otherwise, there would be no way I could budge his 6'4" built frame. He thinks it's cute when I try to, though. His blue eyes sparkle while he watches me, excited to see what I’ll do. 

Once he's under me, I undo his jeans and slide them off, then his boxers. He understands the assignment and rips his shirt off. Sure enough, his huge dick is rock hard and glistening with precum. My mouth waters—I love how he tastes!

I can't help it. I lick my open lips and bend over to take him in my mouth, and the next moment, he's the one biting his lip to keep his moans in check. 

He doesn't let me suck him for long. Orion pulls my shirt over my head and grabs my waist to lift me over his cock, all so I can slowly slide down on him. Inch by agonizingly delicious inch. And it feels fucking amazing! 

It’s been over a week since we’ve slept together, and I absolutely love it when our bodies join back together like this. Like two pieces finally becoming whole again. He just feels so RIGHT when he’s inside me, like he belongs there.

We lock lips while I ride him, trying to keep as quiet as possible. Who knew trying to stay so silent was such a turn-on? But just when I feel that glorious orgasm about to burst within me, I break away so I can whisper in his ear, "I'm gonna cum! Please cum with me..."

Orion groans and grips my hips, then slams his cock deep inside me one, two, three times before I feel his hot cum at the same time as my orgasm takes over. I grab a fistful of my sheets and cover my mouth since it's impossible to stop the sounds I'm making. At the peak, I’m pretty sure I shove a fistful of sheet inside my mouth to bite down on. 

Orion buries his face in my hair and grabs my butt, gently rocking my hips so I can ride out my orgasm. He calls them my “aftershocks.”

"I love you," I say to him, kissing his cheek, "I love you so much."

"Mmm," he growls into my messy hair, then kisses my temple. "I love you, too, babygirl." 

He pulls me tightly into his arms. “Happy birthday, Jezzie.”

"Angelica! You're back!" Agatha Wildspark dried off her hands on a towel and tried to give her daughter a hug, but Angelica dodged her. "Angelica? Did something happen?"

"You mean aside from that nightmare last night? What else could be more wrong than that?"

"Sweetie..." her mom said. "Whether you're a witch or not doesn't matter to me. You will always be my daughter, and you will always be a Wildspark. You are not the first to not receive a witchmark, nor will you be the last."

"But why, mom? It's not fair! I'd always counted on becoming a witch and getting my powers. I don't have a backup plan!"

"Sweetie..." her mom said again. "When you have one mortal parent, like you and Jezebelle, there's always a chance the witchmark won't manifest. Nine Hells, even with two witch parents, there is a chance it won't manifest. As for the rest--we'll help you figure that out. There's no rush."

Why did it feel like her mom was downplaying what happened? Didn't she care at all that her daughter's life was ruined?

Well...it would've been ruined if that old witch hadn't intervened. But that wasn't something Angelica could ever tell her mother.

Unlike the silvery witchmark on the nape of Jezebelle's neck, Angelica's witchmark needed to be kept hidden. The inky mark was on her left breast and would only be visible to anyone who saw her topless--which would never include her sister or mother, not if she could help it.

She would also have to be careful about how she used her magic, since she wasn't supposed to have any. Thankfully, the old witch had woven in a concealment charm into the witchmark to help make everything she did less noticeable, but it wasn't absolutely foolproof.

But, at least now she wasn't powerless. At least now she could fight for what she wanted, and she could get back at those who had wronged her. Jezebelle, for one, will soon learn what it feels like when things don't go her way for once. She'll learn what it feels like to be an outsider in their very own family.

Did Angelica hate Jezebelle? No...she didn't think it was hate. Resentment, possibly. Maybe even some jealousy.

After all, Jezebelle was dating THE Orion Locklear, the guy Angelica had crushed on even longer than her sister had, Jezebelle didn't have to study and cram for hours to get mediocre grades--she was a naturally gifted academic, nor did she struggle to make (and keep) friends.

Not only that, but their company, Twin-Z's, had been her brainchild. Angelica knew her only value to the company was being the twin of the creator: without her, there would be no 'twin' in Twin-Z's. It went without saying that Jezebelle certainly didn't need her brains to keep things operational. Still, she was nice enough to create a position that somewhat catered to Angelica's strengths, making her feel like a somewhat capable and responsible Co-CEO.

But all of that was going to start changing very, very soon.

Orion and I take a shower together, intending to get all cleaned up...but we end up having another round of steamy sex up against the shower wall. I love how he's strong enough to just hold me in place and pound me until we both cum hard, no matter where we are!

My arms are around his neck and my legs are around his waist, and his cum is dripping out of me as he slowly pulls out his semi-hard dick...then slides it back inside my quivering pussy. His hands cup my ass while he nibbles on my lower lip.

The hot water has made everything steamy around us, including our flushed skin.

"Pretty," he says, looking at me. "Your cheeks are so rosy."

"Pfft! Yours are, too," I tell him, then crane my neck up for one last kiss before I slide off his dick and tentatively place my tiptoes on the slippery shower floor. He holds me at my waist, knowing from past experiences that my legs are likely weak.

"I got you," he says, holding me.

"Mmm..." I nuzzle into his chest as the water rains down on us. "This is lovely. I wish we could do this every day."

Whoops. I hadn't meant to hint.

"What hot-blooded man would say no to sex, followed by shower sex, every single day?" he replies. "He'd have to be crazy. Especially if it's with you."

'Don't get your hopes up, Belle,' I tell myself. Twenty-one is still quite young to get engaged and married. Besides, we could do this if we simply moved in together. Maybe Orion would be willing to discuss it again if I bring it up later?

I look up at him and he grins down at me. Ohhh. He's hard again. "You're just thinking with this thing, aren't you?" I ask him, gripping his dick with one hand.

"You caught me."

* * *

Angelica could hear the shower running. She knew from seeing Orion's car out front that he was obviously here to see Jezebelle. Were they showering together after fucking? She rolled her eyes.

Quietly, Angelica swung open her sister's bedroom door and surveyed her bed. Yeah, they'd fucked, alright. But maybe there was what she needed here, if she had some time to look...

Feeling dirty, she crawled on top of the sheets and looked closely at the pillows until she found a few of Orion's short, wavy, brown strands of hair. Angelica only needed a few to get started. Once she had what she needed, she quickly left, shutting the door soundlessly behind her.

'Orion,' she thought, 'you're not going to be hers for very much longer.' The witchmark over her heart burned for a moment while Angelica imagined a future where she was Orion's girlfriend, where she was the one being loved with his glorious body.

But, first things first. She had a plan that she had to stick to if she wanted things to turn out exactly how she wanted them to. Orion was not the first thing on that list, unfortunately, so she carefully placed the hairs she'd collected in a tiny jar, ready to use when the time was right.

There were other things she had to take care of today...then, maybe, this birthday wouldn't turn out to be such a shitstorm after all.