Shadows in Ravenwood (Daughters of the Circle)

by Lenore Wolfe

  SIXTEEN

  MORGAN

  Morgan loved being home. She found it surprising that just a few short weeks ago, she’d wanted to sell her grandmother’s house—and go. Now? Now, she couldn’t have imagined she could feel so—happy.

  Happy?

  Morgan caught on that word. Wow! So, this is what it felt like. Happy had been missing these past ten years. She wasn’t about to let anything cause her to lose her friends—as well as those she considered to be her family—ever again.

  Because of that, she’d been fighting a secret. A secret wish. A wish, where she could have all this, all the happiness they now shared, without magic.

  She wished magic didn’t have to be part of this.

  Sucking in a deep breath, Morgan bit down on her lip. So, there it was—out in the open. It wasn’t that she didn’t love magic, she did. It was just that—she was afraid of magic. After all, she had called out the shadow, as children, that nearly ruined all their lives.

  She was too afraid that if they kept this up, with her in the same equation with magic, the next time she would get them all killed. So, yes, as much as she loved magic, and she did, she held a deep, all-abiding wish that they could have this future without it.

  Morgan caught Tara’s gaze as they served their neighbors with small sandwiches and soup.

  They’d rolled out a luncheon party with some of them, and she’d been watching as her lovely sister smiled up at the hopeful faces of two of Red Bluff’s most eligible bachelors. Claire loved flirting. That became evident. Both men became instantly smitten with her.

  Tara had set it up to get some friends from town out here. She’d wanted to give their neighbors a chance to get to know Morgan again—and to reestablish friendships with Claire, Sophia and herself—as well as the guys in the lives.

  Morgan also knew that secretly Tara wanted to get reacquainted with them and invited them out to the manor to hook Claire up with someone. Morgan also knew Tara got the idea while watching Claire observing Morgan with Alex—and she also knew that while Tara thought it fun to flirt with the Gargoyles—she didn’t see a future in it. She wanted Claire to have a real shot at being happy.

  Morgan sighed. So, did she. She glanced up into Alex’s dark gaze. He studied her, then kissed her softly.

  She didn’t blame Tara. She wanted her sister to know such bliss too—to know the amazing feeling of being in love. Her sister had spent too much time trying to find her, and then studying to be a witch, forgetting about her life. Her happiness. Frankly, Morgan couldn’t see how she could have that with Thorick, either.

  For one thing—he would live pretty much forever—while Claire would not.

  Still—Morgan wanted happiness for Claire—even if that could only be in the here-and-now. Because, who knew what the future held….

  Morgan blinked as a shadow fell over her face. Blinking again into the brightness, she looked up into Alex’s beautiful midnight gaze. Smiling, she touched his stubbled face.

  “Be careful…,” Alex teased. “You almost seem happy—yet again.”

  She grinned and swatted at him playfully as he pulled her out of her chair, dropping his arms comfortably around her small waist. She went up on her toes to give him a quick kiss on the lips. Encircling his neck. She leaned back to look up at him.

  “So, do you think you might want to stay?” he asked, laughing.

  She laughed too. “Yes,” she said. “I think that’s a definite possibility.”

  He pulled her close, and she lay her head on his chest. “Good,” he said.

  Morgan allowed the music to lull her thoughts. She couldn’t believe that a few short weeks ago she’d thought herself alone. She couldn’t have been more wrong about that.

  Morgan listened to the beat of Alex’s heart, as she stood with her head against his chest and her arms wrapped around his waist. Inside, she knew little moments of terror at the notion she’d let him into her world so easily. She couldn’t seem to stop it—or slow it down—and she didn’t want to.

  She’d fallen in love with Alex, all over again…. The first time she’d done so—she’d fallen in love with him as a child. Alex was the love of her life. She couldn’t imagine any situation where she’d allow herself to be taken from his side again. She wanted a life with Alex.

  It felt perfect.

  Simple joy bubbled beneath her breastbone. She knew a joy she’d never imagined could exist for her. She wasn’t stupid. She knew they’d have to work through little differences like any other couple, learning to live with each other.

  But she also knew that for some reason—with Alex—it felt easy. Natural. She let him sway her in time with the music. She sighed in contentment. She knew they were up against something dangerous. She knew there was a good chance some of them might not come out of this alive. After all, none of them were trained for—or even prepared—for whatever Dante planned for them, or even who knew how long.

  Her friends, even Claire, couldn’t begin to imagine how to prepare for that. But, in the meantime, she planned to enjoy her time, whatever time that might be, with Alex—to the best of her ability.

  She tipped her head back, eyeing him, and he kissed her.

  Morgan witnessed too much sadness, growing up, not to grasp what little happiness she could—wherever she could get it—for however long it lasted.

  The music played on in the hidden garden speakers as their neighbors enjoyed their hospitality—and the promise of new life at the overly large, old gray mansion, they called Ravenwood. Their luncheon party had gone on into the afternoon—and then into the evening. But they didn’t mind. In fact, it seemed perfect. Peaceful. Everyone seemed to be having too much fun to break up such a good thing.

  Morgan entwined her arms around Alex’s neck, laying her head on his chest. She looked out over the crowd, from her place of contentment, snuggling close to Alex. As she watched people doing various things and having fun, she spotted Jake sitting on a wall, intent on watching someone.

  As she followed his gaze, she realized he watched Sophia.

  Morgan smiled. She wondered if she could find a way to encourage that. She couldn’t imagine a better man for Sophia than Jake. He’d be good to Sophia, not like the things she’d heard about Sophia’s ex-husband. Even more, he seemed kind, gentle and loving towards Kira. As a bonus, he already knew Sophia’s secrets, like being a witch. So, she wouldn’t have to hide that from him.

  Morgan saw good things happening for them. That’s if they managed to live through this with the enemy who hunted them.

  Morgan swayed gently in Alex’s embrace, more content than she remembered being, when a tingling sensation snaked up her spine. She pulled back, looking up into the dark windows of the second floor. Then, she saw him—watching her from one of the bedrooms they hadn’t yet redone.

  She sensed Alex stiffen. He’d obviously followed her gaze to the window—and he didn’t like what he saw. He let go of her abruptly and headed for the house—Morgan right behind.

  She barely registered Claire and several others had noticed their bizarre behavior and followed them into the house—intent on getting to the room where they’d spotted him.

  As they raced up the stairs, Morgan couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if they managed to catch him? Somehow, Morgan didn’t see that happening. In fact, she figured they’d chase him around for the next hundred years, and they still wouldn’t stand a chance of catching him.

  That didn’t stop them from trying. She took the stairs two at a time, as she’d seen Alex do. She couldn’t help wonder why he’d become so intent on catching the winged creature lately—other than thinking he’d uncover more to his story.

  Hadn’t they decided the Gargoyle was on their side? If that were true—then why did Alex seem hell bent on catching him?

  Was he curious? Or had he grown as tired of not getting answers—as she?

  As soon as they made the room, they saw the winged man turn. He had a perfect male form of a fl
awless, muscular male, as beautiful as a man as the Gargoyle statues were grotesque—as the beast in the statue outside.

  Morgan stared at him—his hauntingly—breathtakingly—fluid form. He moved with grace, yet it had a dangerous quality to it. He moved with the grace of a jungle cat—hunting his prey.

  He smiled at them, seeing them enter the room, then turned and in a flash of light, he disappeared.

  Morgan looked over at Claire, who’d entered the room right behind her. She saw her sister swallow. Morgan’s brow shot up.

  Oh, no. She didn’t like him, did she? Then, she almost grinned.

  Almost.

  “You like, Sis?” she said to Claire.

  Claire flushed, and then smirked. “Maybe,” she said, half smiling. “Yeah, maybe.” She made an impish face, staring toward the window where he’d disappeared. “Did you see him? He’s breathtaking. A girl could do a whole lot worse.”

  Alex went to the window and swore under his breath.

  Wondering what caught his attention now, she went to the window to see. Looking out at what he stared at, her hand flew to her mouth.

  She sensed Claire come up beside her. Claire stared at them in question. Then, her sister bound forward. Morgan felt her stiffen as she stared down at the front yard.

  “What on earth?” she said. “That’s not possible!”

  And the three of them took off out of the room. Leaving Sophia to walk up and stand there, wondering about all the commotion, staring out the window.