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Rio Vidal loved being a librarian. The dusty corridors, the smell of old paper, the rhythmic noise of books being picked up, put down, and leafed through. Most of her days were mapped out by routine. She knew exactly what to expect, and she liked it that way.
On Mondays, she processed and shelved new books that had come in over the weekend. On Wednesdays, she sent out emails to the library card holders with outstanding late fees. On Fridays, she taught digital literacy classes to the elderly citizens of Westview. And once every two weeks or so, she’d organize an event during the weekend – a book club, a reading by a local author, an old stock sale, and so on. It was the kind of peaceful, quiet life Rio had always dreamed of having.
Her peace ended on the day she met Agatha Harkness.
---
“Rio, honey, could you come take a look at my screen for a second? The little arrow has disappeared again.”
Mrs. Hart sat hunched over the monitor, glasses halfway down her nose and peering down the screen. A compilation video of cats getting scared by cucumbers was playing in the background.
“Let’s see what we can do about that, shall we?” Rio grabbed the mouse, patiently showing Mrs. Hart that, no, the arrow didn’t disappear, it was just in the corner of her screen.
“Thanks, sweetheart. I don’t know how that keeps happening!”
Rio chuckled and moved on, surveying the room to see if anyone else needed her help.
Though she wouldn’t admit it to her seniors, Fridays were her favorite day of the week. The library was busier than usual, and most of its visitors were in a good mood since the weekend was just one day away. Her favorite coffeeshop around the corner also had a special deal on Fridays, where you’d get a free muffin if you ordered a large cup of coffee. In short: Fridays were great.
Seeing another raised hand, Rio walked towards one of the desktops a bit further away, tucked into a dark library corner.
“Ms. Vidal, I wasn’t sure if I should mention this, but–”
“Carl, I’ve told you this. I’m young enough to be your granddaughter. Please just call me Rio.” Rio smiled at the older gentleman. She had been helping him set up an online chess account, since the park was still a bit too cold this time of year. He was quite good, too – he told her he used to play semi-professionally.
“Apologies, Rio. Anyway, I know it’s not my place, but,” Carl said as he leaned in closer, lowering his voice to a whisper, “I think that woman in the corner over there might be misusing the library’s public computers. The things she has on her screen don’t seem… appropriate.”
Rio sighed. Unfortunately, this was also part of her job. Since most people owned a laptop nowadays, those who came in to use the library computers were usually: a) people in Rio’s digital literacy classes, b) students that just wanted a quiet place to write their papers, or c) perverts that got off on watching porn in public.
Luckily it had been a while since she’d had to ban someone from that last category from the library, but every so often one of them did slip through the cracks.
“Thanks for telling me, Carl. I’ll handle it.”
Rio looked over to where Carl had pointed. She was at least a little intrigued; it wasn’t often that the pervert was a woman. When she finally spotted her, Rio was even more surprised.
The woman in question had long, dark hair and fingers that were moving over the keyboard at a rapid speed. Definitely not someone from her digital literacy classes, then – she looked a bit too young for that anyway. Her brows were furrowed in concentration, but there was a small smile playing on her lips as she typed.
She didn’t look like a perv. In fact, she looked… normal. Attractive, even. Then again, those were usually exactly the type of people you had to watch out for.
Bracing herself for the worst, Rio took a steadying breath and went over to where the woman was sitting. But before she could even open her mouth, her vision was bombarded by glitter.
Digital glitter.
The woman had switched tabs, and suddenly her screen was covered in sparkly clip art. Rio could barely make out what appeared to be an Etsy listing. There was a photo of what was labelled a ‘ritual kit’, consisting of a glass bottle, some sage and a tea light. Purple smoke covered the edges of the photo, and in the corner there was a stamp that read Real Witch Verified!
Rio blinked.
The woman hadn’t noticed her yet, busy adjusting the item description. Just as she finished typing up the last sentence – No refunds, results may vary – Rio cleared her throat.
She didn’t startle. Instead, the woman simply glanced over her shoulder, looking Rio up and down. Unfortunately, the first thought that went through Rio’s head was those are the prettiest blue eyes I’ve ever seen. Which was a bad thing to think about someone who might not be watching porn in a public library, but was definitely still doing something ethically dubious at best, and fully illegal at worst.
Rio straightened, refusing to get flustered under the woman’s heavy gaze.
“I’ve received some complaints about the way you’re using our library computers.”
The woman’s mouth curved into a slow grin. “Don’t tell me I’m in trouble, officer. Was I typing too loud?”
“The images you’re using for your… business are considered rude by some of my students.” Rio looked pointedly at one of Agatha’s other listings in the corner. The title read No Sex for Your Ex – Impotency Spell.
“This is a public library, is it not?” The woman turned around, now fully facing Rio. That faux-innocent smile was still playing on her lips. “I should be free to conduct my business here.”
Rio faltered at the woman’s brazen attitude. She sounded so sure of herself. Cocky. Someone who interpreted every rule she came across as a dare.
“And what is your business, exactly?”
“I deal in solutions, mostly.” Her tone was light as she gestured towards her Etsy page. “Emotional healing, energetic guidance, karmic justice.”
“That’s an awful lot of words to say ‘scam’.”
“You say scam, I say niche business venture.”
Rio scoffed. “And you’re doing all of this out of the goodness of your own heart, of course.” She nodded to the screen. “It definitely has nothing to do with the fact that your average selling price lies somewhere around $70.”
“Redirecting energy takes a lot of time and effort. Plus, I’ve got to cover my business expenses. Bundles of sage don’t come cheap, you know. Library cards aren’t getting any cheaper either.” The woman winked.
Rio narrowed her eyes. “Don’t act like you actually believe in this stuff.”
“Oh honey, it doesn’t matter if I believe in any of it.” The woman leaned back in her chair, her eyes lazily trailing over Rio’s body before locking eyes with her again. “As long as they do, right?”
She said it with such shameless confidence that Rio felt her face heat.
“I’m going to need you to log off,” she said, voice clipped.
“Or what?” the woman said, still smiling. “You’ll hex me?”
“I’ll revoke your library card.”
“Ouch.” The woman turned back to the computer, saving some documents and unplugging her USB. When she stood, Rio had to force herself not to take a step back. They were about the same height, but there was still something intimidating about the woman. “You know, I’d happily give you a free sample. Might improve your aura. You seem… tightly wound.”
“I’ll pass on your snake oil, thanks.”
“Shame. I feel like I could really help you relax.”
Rio’s breath caught. She wasn’t entirely sure if it was anger or something else.
Before she could respond, a loud cackle came from the other side of the room. Mrs. Hart had just found a video of a cat jumping from a shelf and missing the bed.
The moment broke.
“Well, I’d best be getting out of here. Wouldn’t want to get in trouble,” the woman purred. “If you get curious though, feel free to look me up.” She handed Rio a card. The cardstock was black with purple lettering. It read Agnes’ Arcana – Covenless Magic.
“Agnes? That’s your name?”
“Let’s call that a stage name. You can call me Agatha, dear.”
She turned to gather her things, slow and showy. When she brushed past Rio, their shoulders touched. She didn’t apologize.
As Rio watched her walk towards the library exit, swaying her hips a little more than what should be strictly necessary, she mentally added another option to her list of library computer users: d) women who were bound to be trouble.
---
The library’s computer corner smelled vaguely of coffee and dust. Rio was standing in front of a large projector screen, the only sounds in the room being her voice and the slow but determined key-tapping of the seniors from her digital literacy class. The screen was showing a simple income/expense Excel spreadsheet formatted in font size 72, at the request of some of the seniors sitting in the back.
Though the class wasn’t as full as usual, Rio was glad to see some familiar faces there. Mrs. Hart had signed up, telling Rio she could use these skills to keep track of her wool and yarn business. Carl was there too, though he didn’t give a reason. Rio guessed he just liked to be around the other students.
“Alright, so we have our ‘Income’ column here, and our ‘Expenses’ column over there,” she explained, using her pointer stick to indicate the columns. “Now I’m going to teach you how to calculate your–”
There was some shuffling in the back of the room. Heads turned. Rio glanced away from the screen.
And, of course, there she was: Agatha, coffee cup in hand, walking over to the empty seat next to Carl.
“Don’t mind me, folks,” she said breezily, hands up in mock-apology. “Just trying to soak up some digital literacy.”
Rio felt her lips curling into a snarl. “Agatha. This class is for registered participants only.”
“Oh, I’m a participant.” Agatha held up a crumpled library flyer. “This class is about budgeting, right? I’ve been meaning to get a clearer picture of my product revenue.”
“You own a business?” Carl asked, leaning over to Agatha. “What do you sell?”
Agatha’s smile turned sharp, feline. “Whatever you need, honey. What’s your name?”
“Carl.” The old man seemed starstruck, immediately taken by Agatha. Rio wanted to drag him away from her.
“How about you come find me after class, Carl? I’m sure I can help you find something you’re looking for.”
Rio tapped her pointer on the screen, grabbing her students’ – and Agatha’s – attention. “Fine, Agatha, you can stay. But if you do, stay quiet.”
Agatha pretended to zip her lips shut, leaning back in her chair as she opened Excel. She then promptly leaned over to talk to Carl, speaking in an exaggerated whisper.
“So, Carl, what are we claiming as a ‘miscellaneous’ expense? A little blackmail? An ex-wife’s alimony?”
“It’s actually just coffee and birdseed.”
“Scandalous. I like you.”
Rio resisted the urge to throw her pointer stick.
“Okay,” she said tightly. “Let’s stay focused. Everyone, click cell C7, and we’ll insert our formula.”
Agatha’s hand shot up in the air.
Rio rolled her eyes. “Yes, Agatha.”
“Can we personalize our Excel sheets? I’ve got some ideas–”
“Since this is an introductory class, I really think it’s best to stick to the example for now,” Rio said through gritted teeth.
“Whatever you say, Ms. Vidal,” Agatha purred. Rio blushed, momentarily wondering how Agatha had found out her name, until she realized she was probably mentioned in the flyer.
“Right. Moving on.”
Fifteen minutes in, Agatha was… Well, she wasn’t being disruptive, exactly. Rio actually saw her lean over to Carl multiple times, helping him adjust his spreadsheet. At one point she whispered something to him that made him snort-laugh into his sleeve.
Rio pretended to ignore her. Except, she couldn’t. Because every time Agatha moved – leaning back in her chair, tugging her hair behind her ear, absentmindedly worrying her bottom lip between her teeth – Rio felt her attention being pulled back to her. She was unraveling faster than one of Mrs. Hart’s balls of yarn.
When the class ended, Agatha stayed behind. Rio pretended she didn’t see her slip Carl her business card while whispering something about increasing the bird population in his yard. Agatha walked up to the screen, choosing to lean on the desk closest to Rio.
“You weren’t enrolled.” Rio’s voice sounded a little accusing. Agatha might not take these classes seriously, but she did.
“I am now,” Agatha said, all innocence. “You should know, I’m all about that growth mindset. Besides, I’m determined on becoming a teacher’s pet.”
Rio couldn’t stop the blush from creeping up her cheeks.
“Are you even using the spreadsheet you made just now?”
“I plan to, it’s already saved on my USB. You’d love it, I have separate cells for all my tax-deductible expenses; crystals, candles, ethically sourced sulfur…”
“You’re telling me you pay your taxes?”
“Well… a girl can dream.” Agatha paused for a second. “You looked good up there, by the way.”
Rio blinked. “Excuse me?”
“All competent and bossy.” Agatha’s voice dropped an octave. “Do you do private lessons? I could use some one-on-one tutoring.”
Rio took a sharp breath. “And have the police arrest me for being complicit in your scheme? I’m afraid you’re on your own.”
“I don’t think you’re even half as much of a goody-two-shoes as you pretend to be in front of these seniors.”
Agatha was leaning in now, and Rio was once again struck by how annoyingly beautiful the other woman was. “You don’t know me at all.”
“Maybe not. I’d like to, though.” There was something calculating in Agatha’s eyes, like Rio was a puzzle she couldn’t wait to solve. “Guess I’ll see you around, Ms. Vidal.”
With that, Agatha slid off the desk and walked towards the exit, leaving Rio stunned and flustered once again.
---
It was a Saturday night – or technically, Sunday morning – and Rio was lying in bed, phone in hand. Her friend Alice had taken her out for drinks, gently chastising Rio for leaning into the boring librarian stereotype a bit too much as of late. Rio had begrudgingly agreed. Even she had to admit that it had been a while since she’d gone out and let loose.
They’d gone to a lesbian bar in the city. The night had started off strong, especially after Rio had gotten a few drinks in her. The music was energetic but not overwhelming and the alcohol was slowly dispelling some of the tension she held in her shoulders.
On the dancefloor, Alice had pushed her to find a girl to dance with. Rio, bordering on the edge between tipsy and drunk, had humored her and started scanning the crowd. That had promptly ended when Rio realized she was looking for long, unruly dark hair and intensely blue eyes.
She’d danced with Alice for a while longer before calling it a night, claiming she had some stuff to do tomorrow.
Now, tired and still feeling a slight buzz, her hand was hovering over the Google Search button. In her other hand, she was holding the card Agatha gave her a week ago: Agnes’ Arcana – Covenless Magic.
She should’ve thrown it away. Instead, the card had found its way to her nightstand. It wasn’t like she was actually interested in any of the things Agatha was selling. She was pragmatic, a realist, and Agatha had pretty much admitted to being a scam artist. Rio was curious though.
Fueled by that curiosity – and perhaps the alcohol still swirling around in her bloodstream – she hit the search button. Agatha’s Etsy immediately popped up, and Rio clicked on the page. Surprisingly, the store had a 4.2 rating and quite a few positive reviews.
Rio couldn’t help but laugh at some of the product descriptions. Before she even realized what she was doing, she started clicking some at random.
Make Him Obsessed with You Hex (Ethically Gray) - $129,99
Because ‘consent’ is a sliding scale when you’re desperate and wearing rose quartz.
Pay Me, Bitch: Prosperity Pouch - $44,99
Put in your bra during job interviews. Don’t microwave.
Bad Luck Packet (No Magic Required) - $19,99
Pouch includes glitter, glass shards, and sand. Seller not liable for damaged electronics or minor injuries.
Before she knew it, Rio had scrolled through the entirety of Agatha’s Etsy page. Though she was loathe to admit it, Agatha was funny. Her descriptions were sharp and witty, even if the products she was selling were mostly empty jars filled with lies and make-belief. One of the products linked through to an Instagram page, and Rio immediately clicked on it.
There were only a few posts on the page. It seemed nothing new had been uploaded in a year. Still curious, Rio clicked on what appeared to be an instructional video for one of the spell kits Agatha was selling – a summoning spell. The video showed a thin, burning black candle that was kept upright by a small heap of salt. The background was littered with crystals, and the text on the screen was explaining what each ingredient was used for.
Rio was about to scroll to the next post when a pair of hands appeared on screen. Rio’s breath caught in her throat. The hands were clearly Agatha’s, waving over the candle with strange motions. That wasn’t what had caught Rio’s attention, though. The tips of her fingers were painted black, no doubt with something like eye shadow. Rio was transfixed, a slow heat creeping up her spine.
She let the video loop a couple more times. Blaming the alcohol in her system, Rio zoomed in when the hands appeared on screen again. Then, disaster struck.
Her finger slipped, accidentally tapping the screen. A red heart popped up over the video.
Shit.
Fuck.
Hastily, Rio unliked the post. Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest. The page hasn’t been used for a year, Rio thought. What are the chances that Agatha is still logged into–
A message appeared.
AgnesArcana: I thought most librarians were asleep at this hour
AgnesArcana: Who were you hoping to summon? 👀😈
Rio stared at the screen for a beat too long.
Then she muttered a “Fuck,” to herself in her otherwise quiet room and chucked the phone across the bed as if it was burning her fingers.
Rio flopped back against the pillows, exhaling sharply. She turned off the lamp on her bedside table and tried very hard not to think about how fast her heart was beating. The last thing she thought of before falling asleep were long, black-stained fingers.
When she woke up the next morning, dehydrated and head pounding from the alcohol she drank the night before, she immediately grabbed her phone from where it was still lying at the foot of her bed. The battery was on 13%.
There were two notifications: one from Alice, telling her she had fun last night.
And one from @AgnesArcana. It read: Sweet dreams, stalker. Let me know if you need a spell for regret. First one’s on me. 😘✨
Rio groaned and buried her face in the pillow again. It was going to be a long day.
---
On Monday, Rio finally felt like the fog on her brain had lifted. Despite the gallon of water or the entire strip of ibuprofen she took yesterday, she hadn’t quite been able to lift the haze that was clouding up the thoughts inside of her head. Partially, she was glad. It meant that the full weight of Agatha’s message hadn’t been able to settle in. She’d much rather deal with a hangover than the anxiety from leaving Agatha on read.
Now that her mind was clearing up though, the realization of what had happened was starting to creep in. She tried her best to ignore it, distracting herself by sorting through the books that were delivered over the weekend. She wasn’t able to distract herself for long; just as she was about to grab the book cart to put the new releases on the stacks, the library doors opened with a soft electronic chime. In walked Agatha, holding two to-go cups from Rio’s favorite coffeeshop around the corner.
“Morning, dear stalker of mine,” Agatha said cheerily, placing one of the cups on the counter. “Figured you could use one of these after the weekend you must have had.”
So much for playing dumb, then.
Rio didn’t answer, eyes weary, taking a small sip from the cup Agatha had put in front of her instead. As soon as the hot beverage hit her lips, she let out a small moan. It was just a dark coffee with a hint of hazelnut, but it tasted amazing.
“Good?” Agatha asked with a knowing smile.
“How’d you know what to get me?” Rio took another slow sip, allowing the sharp taste to linger on her tongue.
“I just thought I’d get you something that reflected your personality.”
Rio raised a questioning eyebrow.
“Hot and bitter.” Agatha smirked, and Rio felt that familiar blush creeping up her neck again. She ignored Agatha’s comment, or the way it made a flash of heat pool in her stomach.
Instead, Rio grabbed her book cart and pushed it out from behind the desk, past Agatha.
“Thanks for the coffee,” she muttered. She needed to get out of here.
“You’re welcome,” Agatha said, clearly pleased with herself. “I’ll be in my usual corner. Don’t miss me too much.”
God, she’s exhausting, Rio thought as her face heated up once more. Exhausting and smug, and worst of all, charming in a way that was pushing all of Rio’s buttons. She let herself disappear into the stacks.
She took her time shelving all the books, allowing the day to slip by in a blur of dusty shelves, book returns, and visitors asking Rio where the bathroom was, despite the massive sign over the door. Every so often, her gaze involuntarily slipped back to Agatha, who was typing away at her computer with a focused expression.
At one point Rio had to walk by her, and she caught a glimpse of her screen. It read something like Mercury Retrograde Survival Spell - $59,99. Rio hadn’t been able to suppress a scoff, and Agatha had turned to her and winked before turning back around and continuing to write the product description. Rio had grabbed her cart and kept walking.
The sun was hanging low in the sky when she finally shut down the front desk computer. Most of the library’s visitors had already trickled out and the senior volunteers were packing up to go. Agatha had packed up her stuff about five minutes ago too, while Rio was still shelving some returns.
Not that Rio had been keeping an eye on her.
She made sure all the lights were turned off and the doors were locked before slipping out of the staff entrance behind the library building, the one that lead into an alley. The cold air was bracing, but Rio was still feeling on edge, hands twitching by her sides. She rarely smoked, but after the day she had, she needed something.
Rio patted her pockets, letting out a frustrated huff when she realized they were empty.
“Looks like you’re out of luck.” Agatha’s voice echoed through the small alley, smooth and amused.
Of course she was here.
“Seems my luck has been running out a lot lately.”
“You should check out my Etsy, I could probably help you with that. I’ll even give you a discount.”
Before Rio could come up with a snarky reply, Agatha handed her the vape pen she’d been taking a drag from seconds ago. Rio hesitated for a second before taking it. She tried to ignore the little voice in her head telling her where the end of that vape had been just now.
She took a slow pull, allowing the smoke to settle in her lungs before slowly blowing it out. Her nose wrinkled.
“What’s that flavor?” she asked as she handed the vape pen back to Agatha, who was looking at her with a lazy smile.
“Mint and sage.”
“It’s awful.”
“Sure. Want another hit?” Agatha pulled the pen out of her mouth and held it out for Rio again. She silently took it, suppressing a shiver when her fingers brushed against Agatha’s.
“Oh, by the way,” Agatha continued, rifling through her coat pocket and pulling out a small purple pouch tied with black ribbon. She handed it to Rio as she took back the vape. “For you. A token of appreciation for your glowing online attention.”
Rio stared at the pouch for a second. The tag read Loosen Up, Librarian – For Emotional, Spiritual, or Carnal Healing.
“Subtle,” Rio groaned, though she couldn’t suppress a grin.
“I do try.”
“What’s in it?”
“Oh, you know, the usual. Some herbs, some crystals. A teeny tiny vibrator.”
Rio’s head whipped around so fast she was afraid it would snap. Agatha was just looking at her with a smirk on her face.
“I’m kidding. It does have a lavender candle that smells amazing, though.”
Rio gave her a look. “You’re unbelievable. Does everything you sell come with a side of sexual innuendo?”
“Just the stuff you seem to be interested in.” Agatha took another slow drag from the vape before handing it to Rio again. “You keep that, I’ll get it back from you tomorrow. Let me know when you end up using the pouch, though. I take customer feedback very seriously,” Agatha said with a wink.
Rio rolled her eyes, smile still lingering on her face. “Thanks. For the vape and the… chaos.”
“My pleasure.”
“See you tomorrow, then.”
“Can’t wait,” Agatha said with a final smile before disappearing down the alleyway.
Rio believed her.
---
The next morning, Rio handed Agatha back her vape. She didn’t tell her about how she burned the lavender candle in her living room last evening. Or about how lovely it smelled. Agatha’s knowing smile told her she might have guessed, anyway.
The day passed much the same as yesterday. Rio spent her time stacking new returns, registering new titles in the system and helping customers find the book they were looking for. Agatha was sat behind her favorite computer, replying to reviews and adjusting some of her available stock.
When Rio walked towards the computer corner somewhere in the late afternoon, she wasn’t even pretending it wasn’t because of Agatha anymore. While making small talk with Carl, who was currently winning his online chess match, Rio kept looking at Agatha’s screen. She was pretty sure she saw Agatha turn around a couple of times too, from the corner of her eye.
“You like watching me work?” Agatha asked when Rio walked over. Her back was still turned towards Rio, who was leaning over her shoulder now. The screen read Capitalism Amplifier Spell - $99. Make your side hustle hit six figures. May cause IRS attention.
“Sure, especially when you’re not talking.”
“Careful, you might hurt my feelings.” Agatha turned in her chair, the corners of her lips quirked upwards.
For once, Rio returned her smile with ease. “I’m sure you have a spell for that.”
Agatha’s mouth was already hanging open in reply when the overhead fluorescents suddenly turned off and on. Rio looked up and saw the lights flicker one more time before the whole room was plunged into darkness. The computer screens turned black. After five seconds or so, the emergency lights switched on, coating the library in a soft, red hue.
“Damn it,” Rio groaned, before walking up to the middle of the floor. “Alright folks, looks like a fuse has blown somewhere, that happens sometimes. Please remain calm, I’m sure it’ll get sorted out in a few minutes.”
A small rustle of concern spread through the few visitors scattered across the library. Some teenagers were already grabbing their phones, checking the news.
One of the eyelinered youths piped up, holding his phone up to Rio. “Looks like there’s a city-wide power outage.”
“Great,” Rio mumbled, before springing into action again. “Everyone, I’m going to ask all of you to follow me to the break room in the back. The sliding doors out front won’t work, but everyone who wants to leave can do so via the employee exit. I don’t know how long the power outage will go on for, so that might be your best option for now.” She walked over to the front desk and grabbed a flashlight. Even though there was still some light streaming through the windows, the building was old and the deeper parts of the library were dim.
“Need some help?” Agatha had walked up to Rio, eyes glinting with interest rather than concern.
Rio hesitated for only a second – not because she didn’t want Agatha’s help, but because Agatha was quickly derailing her thoughts from crisis mode to other places.
“… Yeah. Could you check the nonfiction section and make sure there’s no one still back there?”
Agatha gave her a mock salute, turning on the flashlight on her phone. “Aye aye, Ms. Vidal.”
She left with a wink.
Together they swept the entire library, escorting everyone to the break room and allowing them to leave through the employee exit. All in all, it went pretty smoothly. Luckily library visitors weren’t really the type of people to get rowdy. After one final sweep of the entire floor, Rio had to conclude that they’d found everyone. She went over to the history section to tell Agatha. When she found her, Agatha was looking over some books on the Salem witch trials with mild interest.
“I think we found everyone.”
Agatha turned around. “Oh. Great.”
“Thanks for helping,” Rio said in a soft voice. “I appreciate it.”
“Any time.” Agatha’s eyes hadn’t quite lost that glint from earlier. She was leaning against one of the shelves, hip cocked and looking Rio up and down. “So, what’ll you do now?”
Rio cleared her throat, her mouth suddenly dry. “Probably wait until the power turns back on so I can lock up properly.”
Agatha hummed. “You mind if I stay?”
“No, I mean, feel free.” The library had gone still. No hum of the fluorescent overhead lighting, no distant whir of desktop fans, no rustling of pages. All Rio could hear were Agatha’s soft breaths mixing with her own. “Not sure if there will be much to do, though.”
Agatha stepped forward, slowly and deliberately, trapping Rio between her body and one of the stacks. Rio’s back was pressed against the Medieval section. “I’m sure we can think of something.”
She took the flashlight from Rio’s hands, putting it on one of the shelves behind her without looking, her eyes never leaving Rio’s. The red emergency lights were casting shadows on the sharp edges of Agatha’s face. Rio swallowed. Hard.
“Did you like the candle I gave you?” Agatha asked, taking another step closer to Rio. Her voice was lower now, practically a purr.
“Yeah.” Rio’s voice cracked. “It smelled nice.”
“Hmm.” Agatha started softly trailing her fingers up Rio’s exposed forearm. Rio’s breath hitched. “Did it work?”
“W-what?”
“Did it help you relax?” Agatha’s fingers were moving higher now, brushing the skin of Rio’s collarbone. “Or do you need something more?”
“Agatha–”
Agatha’s thumb brushed over Rio’s bottom lip, and Rio almost forgot how to breathe. Agatha was looking at Rio with heavy eyes. In the dim red light, her pupils looked blown out, almost entirely black.
“Do you want me to stop?”
Rio should’ve said yes. They were in a library, her place of work. What they were doing – what they had been doing – was entirely inappropriate.
Instead, Rio slowly shook her head, chest heaving.
In the next second, Agatha kissed her.
She pulled Rio in by her shirt, and Rio couldn’t do anything but let her. She returned the kiss with fervor, letting go of her final bit of restraint. It was messy and desperate and hot. Agatha’s lips were insistent, tongue sliding against Rio’s with a barely contained hunger.
Agatha pushed Rio back into the stacks, pinning her there with the full weight of her body. A few books dropped to the floor on the next row over.
“I’ve been thinking about this,” Agatha breathed, hands already moving under Rio’s shirt. “Ever since you looked at me like you wanted to strangle me, or fuck me.”
“I still haven’t decided,” Rio joked, though it came out breathy too.
“I’m not opposed to either,” Agatha mumbled as she sucked a bruise into Rio’s neck. Rio’s knees wobbled, and Agatha took it as her cue to step back, admiring the view. Rio was panting, her lips were swollen, and her hands were twitching with the knowledge that if she’d touch Agatha now, she’d never stop.
Agatha didn’t seem to have the same reservations. Her hands slid beneath Rio’s shirt, fingertips grazing over skin as they climbed upward. Her mouth was back on Rio’s, biting down on her lower lip in a way that drew out a low groan from Rio’s mouth. While her hands were still moving up, her mouth returned to its path downwards, teeth grazing over Rio’s collarbone.
“Agatha–”
Rio’s sentence was cut short when Agatha cupped her breasts with both hands, thumbs softly circling over her nipples through the lace of her bra. Rio arched into the touch, another groan leaving her mouth. If Agatha wasn’t pinning her against the stacks, Rio was sure she would have dropped to the ground by now.
Agatha kissed her again, hard and passionate, her hands finding its way to the hem of Rio’s shirt. When she pushed the fabric up over Rio’s head, Rio shivered. The shirt was tossed somewhere behind them, already forgotten.
“You’re so fucking hot,” Agatha whispered in awe, trailing her eyes over Rio’s exposed torso.
She tugged one cup of Rio’s bra down and closed her mouth around the now exposed nipple without hesitation. Agatha touched Rio like she was made for it, switching between gentle sucks and sudden flicks of her tongue that sent jolts straight between Rio’s legs. Undoing the clasp, Agatha repeated the process on Rio’s other breast. Every time Rio gasped, Agatha hummed in satisfaction. The sound vibrated against her skin.
At one particularly well-placed suck, Rio bucked her hips.
“Oh my god…”
Agatha took it as her cue to get on the floor, fumbling with the clasp of Rio’s slacks.
“Is this okay?” she asked as she pulled down Rio’s pants, placing a soft kiss on the inside of her thigh.
“Fuck.”
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Agatha said as she pulled down Rio’s underwear too, finally pressing her mouth between Rio’s legs.
Agatha started off slow, as if savoring Rio’s taste. She didn’t stay gentle for long – pushing herself closer, Agatha hooked one of Rio’s legs over her shoulder, allowing her tongue to reach deeper. Her short nails were digging little half moons in Rio’s thigh.
She touched Rio like she was starving, and Rio couldn’t stop herself from bucking into her. Agatha’s tongue was firm and practiced. She alternated soft licks with slow, deliberate pressure that made Rio tremble. Every time Rio made a noise, Agatha repeated her movements, working her mouth against Rio as if she was chasing something.
“Don’t stop,” Rio gasped, bracing herself against the shelf with one hand while the other tangled itself in Agatha’s hair.
Agatha moaned in response, the vibration sending a jolt up Rio’s spine. Her hips bucked forward instinctively and Agatha moaned again in approval.
Rio’s thighs started to shake, and she felt her pleasure nearing its peak. Her free hand tangled into Agatha’s hair, trying to ground herself, but the coil in her stomach was tightening fast. The sounds she was making were filthy, and they only seemed to spur Agatha on further.
At one particularly loud moan, Agatha moved her head away.
“I thought librarians were supposed to be quiet?” she teased. Rio whined, not just at the loss of pressure, but also at the sight of Agatha’s mouth and chin covered in her arousal. Her hips bucked up again.
“Agatha–” Rio was staring at her with huge eyes, the hand in her hair pulling her closer to where she wanted her. “Please.”
Agatha smiled, sharp and feline. “Say it again.”
“Please touch me.”
“Yes, Ms. Vidal.”
Agatha dove back in, refocused and licking harder now, fingers tightening around Rio’s hips. She nipped and licked and sucked and Rio’s orgasm was quickly building again. This time, there was nothing to stop her from falling over the edge. With one particularly well-placed suck Rio felt her pleasure cresting, her orgasm tearing through her in waves.
Agatha continued working her through it until her hips stopped moving. If she hadn’t been holding her up, Rio would’ve collapsed to the ground. She kept her hands on Rio, steadying her against the stacks as she stood up.
“Still stressed?” she asked, lips slick and swollen against Rio’s panting mouth.
“You’re a menace.”
“Anything for customer satisfaction.”
Rio couldn’t help it: her hands found its way to Agatha’s sides, reversing their positions. She nipped at Agatha’s lips, still wet with her release.
“I’ll show you customer satisfaction.”
Rio’s mouth continued moving against Agatha’s as her fingers made quick work of the buttons on Agatha’s jeans. Agatha let out a low sound, her hips already rocking into Rio’s hand. When her fingers found its way between Agatha’s folds, Rio cursed under her breath.
“Fuck, you’re so wet.”
Agatha only moaned in response, chasing Rio’s fingers with her hips. She grabbed Rio by the neck and kissed her again, deep and filthy, hips rocking into Rio’s hand as her breath started to hitch. Rio slid two fingers inside her, slow and steady. When she curled them just right, Agatha let out another loud moan.
“Just like that,” Agatha whispered, trembling against her.
Rio didn’t stop. She continued to curl her fingers as she felt Agatha’s walls tightening around her. With one final moan that could also be considered a scream, Agatha came hard, shaking, nearly collapsing against the shelf. Rio kept her fingers moving, drawing every last aftershock out of her, mouth brushing along her neck and her jaw.
“Fuck– Rio, fuck.”
When Agatha finally sagged against her, she looked wrecked – her cheeks were flushed, eyes dark, hair wild. She caught Rio by the wrist and pulled her hand towards her mouth, cleaning Rio’s fingers with her tongue.
Rio was about to say something when the lights flickered back on.
In the bright fluorescents, Agatha looked even more beautiful, the faint freckles on her shoulders now visible under the light. Rio kissed them, then pressed another soft kiss to Agatha’s lips.
“You want to go out with me tomorrow?” she asked, voice quiet. “There’s a coffeeshop around the corner that does this amazing coffee with hazelnut syrup. You might know it.”
Agatha grinned. “You’re telling me I don’t have to wait until the next power outage before you sleep with me again?”
“Who said anything about sleeping together?”
“Hey, don’t blame me. You were the one burning the sex candle I gave you. Now you’re just reaping the consequences.” Rio’s cheeks were flushing, to Agatha’s obvious delight. “But fine, I’ll behave. Coffee first, scandalous public sex later.”
“You’re incorrigible.” Rio gave Agatha a small shove, though she couldn’t help but grin.
“You should check out my Etsy. I’m sure I have a spell for that.”