The Witch's Quest

by Michele Hauf

  Easing his hips against hers, he reveled in the pressure against his erection. Oh, yes, if she moved her hips like that...

  “Wait.” She sat up, moving out from under him, and put her hands over her breasts. “This isn’t the right time.”

  “The right—what do you mean? Aren’t you into me?”

  “Yes, very much so.” She studied her fingers again, frowning at the dust that glittered on the tips. “But something doesn’t feel right. It’s like we haven’t earned this.”

  “That’s...” The strangest excuse for trying to get out of sex he had heard. Not that he’d been given excuses before, but seriously? Man, had he read this woman wrong! Kelyn blew out a frustrated breath. “I get it. You’re not into faeries.”

  He shoved himself up and strode over to the window, pressing a palm to the rain-streaked glass. He flexed his shoulders, pressing back toward the center of his back. The ache had returned. And his cock was hard as steel, which was why he wouldn’t turn to face her. Talk about leaving him high and dry.

  “So, what time are we heading out tomorrow?” he asked. “Do we know where we’re going?”

  “Not yet. And would you chill, Kelyn? You’re acting like I slapped you or something.”

  He turned a look over his shoulder. “Didn’t you?”

  “I did not!”

  “Well, it felt like it. I’m getting mixed signals from you, Valor. One minute you’re kissing me and touching me in all the ways that you know turn a man on. And the next?” He turned and stretched out his arms in surrender. “This.”

  Her eyes strayed to his obvious erection, and she inhaled deeply and let her shoulders drop. Hands still over her bare breasts, she nodded. “You’re right. It is me. But it’s not because I don’t like you or am not interested. You’re the sexiest man to walk into my life. Ever.”

  “Then what’s wrong, witch?”

  She shuddered. “You know you said witch like a swear word?”

  “Sorry. I’m just—” he flung up his hands in defeat “—off balance right now. The moon and my phantom pain. All this travel. And I’m having trouble with this whole us thing.”

  “I get that. And they are all legitimate excuses—”

  “I’m not making excuses, Valor. This is me. I expected... Hell, I read you wrong.”

  “You didn’t. But I read you wrong. I think you’re still hung up on what I did to you. How could you possibly trust me or even desire me after—”

  Kelyn silenced her foolish protest with a long, hard kiss that opened her mouth and branded her with his desires. He wanted her so desperately right now. And she had lured him close enough to taste that which he wanted.

  But if she didn’t think the time was right, he didn’t want to press. He was no man to force a woman into anything.

  Reluctantly, he broke the kiss. “After?” he said to her uncertainty. “What’s done is done, Valor. Move forward. I’m trying to. But it’s like walking up a down escalator with you. I don’t ever seem to connect.”

  He grabbed his shirt. Tugging it on, he strode toward the door. “I’m going down to check out the casino. While I’m there I’ll give Erte a call. Good friend of mine who is an elf. He may be able to point me toward someone who knows this area and the best place to find mermaids.” He paused at the door and glanced to her, still sitting there with her hands over her bare breasts. “Whatever that chip is on your shoulder about how I should feel about you? Knock it off, will you?”

  And he walked out, hating that he was leaving her alone, but also knowing he hadn’t the patience for her self-deprecating bullshit anymore. She needed to get over it. Or else stop trying to tease and seduce him.

  The witch couldn’t have it both ways.

  * * *

  Valor called Eryss, her best witchy friend back in the United States and also the principle owner of the Decadent Dames brewery. Eryss was in the process of opening another brewery in Santa Cruz, California, because that was where her man, Dane, lived and they’d agreed to share two places. Eryss got winter in Minnesota. And Dane was mostly okay with that. The guy was a scientist surfer dude who also worked for a secret agency dedicated to protecting paranormals from human discovery, so it was all good. Except for the part where he’d almost killed Eryss when he was carrying an enchanted witch hunter’s dagger. Long story.

  “Wales?” Eryss asked on a yawn. Valor hadn’t done the time-change math and wasn’t about to. “That sounds exotic.”

  “Really? The hotel we’re staying in has a cheesy casino, overcooked Juicy Lucys and I don’t think it ever stops raining here. But apparently it’s the best place to find a mermaid.”

  “That it is. You have someone in the know to help you do that finding?”

  “That’s Kelyn’s job. He might be looking into that right now. He’s...not here in the room. Went down to the casino to pout.”

  “A pouting faery? Why? Are you two fighting?”

  “Maybe. No. Yes. I don’t know. Eryss, I’m such a freak.” She knelt on the bed, then fell backward, head to the pillow and free arm flung out to the side. “I really like Kelyn, and I know he likes me, but...oh! Dr. Robert Chase, I feel like a sixteen-year-old angsty girl saying that.”

  Eryss laughed. “I don’t think we women ever get over lacking confidence around men we admire. But you and Kelyn do have a history. I can understand your trouble hashing out your feelings toward him. As well, you do have the bad breakup that I know is still bugging you.”

  “Yeah, well, I tried to do something to alleviate that pain, but apparently it’s not to be. Good ol’ Valor. Just one of the guys.”

  “You’ve got to stop calling yourself one of the guys, Valor. I need to say this, and you know it’s true. You push men away.”

  “No, I don’t. I’m one of them. I’m a part of their tribe!”

  “Exactly. And by infiltrating their tribe you confuse them and push them away.”

  Valor sighed and slapped a hand over her forehead. Tell it like it is much? “You know too much about me.”

  “What’s that phrase you always say? Bros before ohs?”

  So Valor preferred friendships with men. Oftentimes that meant she went without the orgasm she could have had if they’d been more than merely friends.

  “You need to reverse that thinking,” Eryss said.

  “I’m trying to. But I’m...unlovable.”

  “Nonsense. I love you.”

  “Whoopee.”

  “I heard that.”

  “Sorry. You know I get down on myself so well.”

  “You do, indeed.”

  “It’s that I think I like Kelyn. The guy fascinates me. And he’s like Mr. Kind of the World. Nothing ever seems to rattle him, unless it’s his faery period.”

  “His faery period? Do I want to know?”

  “It’s phantom pain he’s feeling from his wings. But beyond that tiny bit of grumpiness, he’s like the perfect man. And when he kisses me...”

  “He’s kissed you? We’re talking about a new kiss, not the one in the forest when you thought you were dying?”

  “Right. New kisses. As in plural. He’s given me a few. And, oh, mercy, they made my toes curl.”

  “Then what’s the problem? How does he feel about...you know, everything?”

  Yeah, Eryss was too nice to just come out with “Does he hate you for being the reason he sacrificed his wings?”

  “He says he’s over it and it doesn’t bother him.”

  “Then believe him, Valor. I know how stubborn you can be about things. Will you give him a chance to be your hero?”

  Now Valor scoffed. “A hero? Please, Eryss, you know I don’t need a freakin’ hero to ride up on his white steed and whisk me off in rescue.”

  “Sounds like a cool fantasy, but I agree. We
women don’t always need that kind of hero. Sometimes, to be a hero, a man merely needs to see us for what we really are. He needs to see our truths.”

  Like wanting to be accepted by a man and being really loved instead of considered just another one of the guys? Valor sighed.

  “That sigh tells me you agree. But you know what? Sometimes you have to actually step forward and tell the guy what you want him to see. Believe it or not, the males of our species are not mind readers. Nor are we women. Just as I’ve told Dane many a time. I will never understand his always thinking I should know what he wants for breakfast. I mean, come on.”

  Valor chuckled. “You have found yourself an amazing man. I never would have thought you’d hook up with a science geek who also hunts witches.”

  “He’s not a witch hunter. I thought we’d cleared that up. It was that weird enchanted dagger that was making him think he wanted to kill witches.”

  “Yeah, but he killed you dozens of times through your various reincarnations.”

  “Right? Whew! So glad that’s over.”

  “Speaking of you and Dane, how’s the little one? Kicking a lot?”

  “I seriously cannot wait to get this little guy out of my stomach and into the world. I think I’ve got an MMA fighter in there, for all the kicking he does. And always in the middle of the night!”

  “Like right now? I’m sorry I called so late. But you’ve cheered me up. Or, at least, you’ve given me things to think about.”

  “Relationships are hard for a reason. They’re not worth having if you don’t put some effort into them. But it’s just the beginning for you and Kelyn. You two are on a fabulous adventure together. Enjoy it. And no matter the outcome, you need to live in the now. And speak your truths. Yes?”

  “Yes! We rappelled out of a helicopter over a pink lake.”

  “I don’t even have words for that. I can’t imagine.”

  “It rocked. Oh, I love you, Eryss. You always make me feel better.”

  “Me and my snoring husband send our love. Now, go find the guy and kiss him back and tell him what you really want from him.”

  “I...”

  “Valor,” she said warningly.

  “I will. I mean, when he comes back to the room, I will. I don’t want to be pushy.”

  Eryss’s heavy sigh said too much. “That means you really do like this guy. Because you generally play the aggressor in the relationship.”

  “Calling Dr. Bombay, anyone?”

  Eryss laughed. “I love that you’ve finally found someone to challenge your sense of how a relationship with a man can work. I hope he’s strong enough to push back as much as you do.”

  “He is. Do you know he put up with drunk preflight me? Twice.”

  “Give that guy a medal. Okay, take it slow but steady. And let him kiss that mermaid.”

  “I will. Talk later, Eryss. Night.”

  “It’s three in the morning, sweetie. I owe you one for this wake-up call. You’ll be hauling grains for weeks when you get back to town.”

  “Who is doing it now?”

  “Mireio talked Dane into helping her. I think she batted her lashes at him. She’s a kook. But you know we could never convince Geneva to lift a forty-pound bag of barley. She might chip her nail polish.”

  Valor laughed. “Well, then, she could get one of her billionaires to buy her a new manicure.”

  “She’s off the billionaires, didn’t you know?”

  “I didn’t. That’s... Really? That chick never dates any man whose worth is less than ten figures. What’s up with that?”

  “She wants to see what it’s like to date rustic. Those were her exact words.”

  “Oh, that is so Geneva. I can’t wait to get back to town and hug all you girls. Give everyone a hug and kiss for me. Good night!”

  Valor hung up and pressed the phone against her lips. She’d needed that conversation. And the encouragement. Maybe she did need to view this adventure with new eyes. Live in the now and not worry about what could never happen.

  But as for telling Kelyn that she needed him to see her? That felt difficult. Like exposing herself to a crew of hungry hyenas. No, she couldn’t go that far.

  “Slow,” she muttered. “That’s how we’re going to do this.”

  Chapter 12

  Valor woke to find that Kelyn had not returned to the room. She glanced out the window. The sun shone and the parking lot was drying up after yesterday’s rain. Could they get lucky enough to have sun for their mermaid hunt?

  She couldn’t find hope without knowing if Kelyn had returned last night while she was sleeping, or maybe he’d not come back at all. Had he been that angry with her? Maybe Eryss was right. She needed to talk to him straight out.

  Or not.

  “You gotta stop being a flake,” she muttered as she wandered into the bathroom. “Be you. The tough chick who takes what she wants and gives as good as she gets. Yeah,” she said to her reflection.

  She’d put the whole guilt thing aside and give Kelyn the respect he deserved. And maybe she could loosen up the tough act. Just a bit. Let the guy in? She didn’t always have to be one of the guys.

  “Maybe,” she said on a whisper that ended in a wink at her reflection. She patted down a tangle of hair above her ear, then decided the gray T-shirt she’d slept in and the skinny black jeans were good to go.

  Ten minutes later, she wandered through the casino, cautioning herself not to look down at the crazy carpeting that resembled Scottish tartan on crack. The pattern alone could mesmerize a person and set her off course to crash into a nearby slot machine.

  Not many people were in the casino. In fact, she saw fewer than half a dozen sitting before the slots. It was early. Probably most were in the restaurant eating or enjoying their vacations by lingering in bed. She didn’t have to go far to spy the blond faery slumped in a chair before an electronic slot machine that flashed neon-haired women with purple kitty ears and tails. His feet were propped up on another machine, and one arm hung down the side of the chair, his knuckles brushing the floor.

  That man was going to have one hell of a neck ache when he woke. Of course, if it gave her a chance to exercise her massage skills again, this time she would not balk when he tried to take it further with kisses and bare skin. Because she wanted to put her hands on him again. His muscles were so hard, and it wasn’t often she got to practice her healing magic, either.

  Valor glanced to a passing attendant who was polishing the chrome-edged slot machines with a cloth and spray. The elderly woman wearing a pink apron and bright white high-tops offered her nod to Kelyn and a shrug. “Didn’t want to wake him,” she said quietly. “He yours?”

  Valor shrugged. “I guess so.”

  If only!

  Then again, there was a lot she didn’t know about this man, and the fact that he’d rather spend the night camped out in a cheesy casino than up in a comfy bed beside her said so much. Had she hurt him that much with her flaky refusal to push the make-out session to the next level? Or was he one of those sensitive types whom a woman could never please no matter what she did?

  Goddess, but she’d had enough of that type of man. Yet tops on her list of not-wants was the man who could never see beyond her as just another one of the guys. How to change that impression? She couldn’t do frills and makeup. That was so out of her realm of talents.

  Valor slid onto the vinyl seat next to Kelyn and clasped her fingers about his wrist. The silver scars where his sigils had once been were not raised, but she sensed some minute power within. It seemed to poke at her own magic as if trying to shrug her off. Interesting. Could he have a bit of magic left within that he wasn’t able to consciously access?

  Kelyn startled and then groaned. His body eased into a stretch, his long legs bending and his feet sli
pping off the slot machine with an ungraceful thud. That prompted another groan from him.

  When he finally popped open one eye, he managed a smirk. “Morning.”

  “That it is. I’ll reserve the good, though, until I can assess whether or not you’re going to have a screaming neck ache.”

  “Sorry,” he mumbled. He cracked his neck one way, then the other. His wince told her he wasn’t pain free. “Should have returned to the room. I thought I was going to close my eyes for a few minutes. Guess all this traveling has worn me out. What’s up for today? You ready to go?”

  “Uh, sure. But it’s early. We’ve time to catch some breakfast. You know how I do love a buffet.”

  “That I do.”

  “Unless you want to hang in the casino a little longer. I didn’t think you were the gambling type.”

  “I’m not. But a few plays were necessary. Just to see if I could get all the purple kitties.” He smiled a ridiculously charming yet tired grin.

  “Did you find someone who can take us to mermaids?” Valor asked.

  “Never.”

  “Oh. Uh, do you want me to give it a try?”

  “Guy’s name is Never.” Kelyn sat up, wincing, and stretched his arms above his head, which tugged the shirt across his hard pecs right at about Valor’s eye level. The ridges of his abdomen pressed against the shirt, as well.

  Yeah, she was over the guilt and the weird need to push the man away. She wanted this guy. To touch and kiss and...whatever came next. No strings or expectations attached. If he would give her another chance.

  “Never is an Unseelie who left Faery years ago,” Kelyn said. He stretched back an arm, then swung it forward, working at the tightness. And then he leaned in close to her. “Erte told me about him.”

  “I’ve heard that name before.”

  “He’s my best friend. Elves in the mortal realm are rare. He lived in Faery ages ago, but he prefers our realm. Go figure.”

  “And by ages, do you mean centuries?”

  “I do. But the guy didn’t have to consume a vampire’s heart to live as long as he has. Long life is natural for elves. I trust him, but he said we should not trust Never.”