Passion of a Witch

by K. D. Friedrich

  After shaking his head, he took her offer and guzzled the water. “Thanks.” He wiped his mouth before focusing on Summer. “How is it we… I mean, humans, don’t know about all this?”

  “The legends circulate, but they remain nothing more than fairy tales. We fuel the inconsistencies and rhetoric. History has proven when your people learn of us, our people die.” Summer flashed a look at Flidais. The Goddess lifted a brow.

  “So now what?” he asked. “Do you have to take me out because I know too much?” He meant it as a joke, but he found himself eager for a positive response.

  “Fear not, you shall live.” Flidais grinned. “For now.”

  Yeah, reassuring.

  Summer folded her legs over one another, as if practicing a yoga move. “You seem to be taking this pretty well.”

  “I always believed there were more things in this world than we're led to believe. Granted, I was thinking about the existence of alien life, but whatever. It's freaking awesome if you think about it.”

  A buzz emanated from Kian's pocket. He pulled out his phone, glanced at the display, and frowned. Ignoring Maxwell's calls has become a challenge. He knew what the bastard wanted, but betraying the trust and precious information they offered him wasn't going to happen. He closed his eyes and slid his cell phone back into his pocket. He felt dirty with his father's demands hovering over his head, especially while they all sat so close to him.

  “Is everything okay, Kian?” Summer asked.

  The Goddess flashed him a knowing glance. He dropped his gaze.

  Did she know about his dad?

  Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Summer's frown. Winter, on the other hand, ogled the pocket where he hid his phone.

  Winter's stare reminded him of what he bought them and, at the same time, gave him the perfect means of escape from Summer's suspicious glare.

  “Hey, Winter, I brought something for you. It's back in my truck.”

  “Not at all necessary,” insisted Summer. “Besides, we were discussing—”

  Winter snapped her eyes at her sister. “I want my present.”

  “I know it wasn't necessary. Gifts aren't meant to be. Come on, pretty girl; let's go see what you got.” He jumped and headed out the door into the grove with Winter on his heels.

  Chapter 11

  “There is no turning back now, Goddess. I hope I haven't damned us by trusting him.” Summer didn't hide her fear or resentment.

  “Have faith, Summer.”

  Summer dropped her gaze to the floor. “I have faith in you, my Goddess… I just—”

  “Not in me. Have faith in him.”

  When Summer lifted her head, the Goddess was gone.

  Drained and anxious, Summer hurried back to the house. Doubts swam in her mind. Her temples pounded and her muscles ached from the tremendous influx of power she absorbed earlier.

  She turned the corner of the front porch to find Kian squatting beside her sister. His smile flashed bigger than she had ever seen before. His arms rested on one of his knees as he showed Winter how the gift he brought her worked. Summer's jaw dropped when she narrowed in on the item in her sister's hand. Goddess be, he bought her a cell phone.

  Summer marched over. “We can't accept your gift. Our parents will be furious.”

  He stood and reached back into the cab of his truck and pulled out another package. “I brought you one too. I'm locked into a two-year contract for both, so you have no choice but to accept.”

  “You shouldn't have done this. It's too much, Kian. We can't pay for these—”

  He cut her off with a wave. “I'll pay for them. They weren't much money. I got a great deal since I signed up for two.”

  Summer frowned. “What are we going to do with phones? It's not like we have a very active social life out here in the forest.”

  “You can call me anytime, baby.” He moved closer.

  She took a step back, and he smiled at her discomfort.

  “Stop calling me by that pet name. It makes me uncomfortable.”

  His grin slowly vanished. His eyes darkened. “What would you say if I told you that no other woman hears it from my lips but you?”

  Her heart fluttered at his admission. “I'd say you were a liar.”

  Kian stared at her a moment before shaking his head with a smirk. “And to that I'd say it takes one to know one.”

  The man was infuriating. “Are you questioning my integrity? Who exactly am I lying to?”

  “Yourself.” He brushed past her. “Listen, you guys need the phones for emergences if nothing else. But I bet Winter will be playing a lot of the games I downloaded for her. Don't worry. I know you guys aren't hooked up to Wi-Fi, so the internet will only work with the carrier's network data. From what I see with Winter's phone, you get good service out here. You did say you had electricity, right? The chargers for both are in the bag.”

  Summer stared at the gift in awe. No male had ever given her a gift before. In an instant, dread replaced her delight. “My parents will never allow us to keep these things.”

  “Do you do everything your parents say? What am I asking? Of course you do. You're marrying some guy you don't even know.”

  Kian made her go from complete adoration to utter infuriation with a single sentence. “It is my—”

  “Yeah, yeah, you're duty. I know, you throw the word around like a damn hot potato and it burns me every time. Here.” He slipped the small electronic device in her hand and forced her fingers to curl around it. A sudden beep startled her, and Kian laughed. She glanced at him with a frown. “Don't worry. You hit the volume button. See.” He pressed the button and the phone beeped again. “Hold on, I have something else for you.” He searched the bag again and pulled out a small black box.

  She hesitated before she reached for his offering. “What is this? You shouldn't have.”

  “Open it.”

  She flipped open the tiny black box to find a necklace. A small, gold bouquet of jeweled flowers dangled from the chain. “Oh, Kian, it's… I never received a gift so beautiful.”

  “I didn't want to give you the real thing. After seeing the garden back there, I knew you wouldn't want me to cut up real ones. Plus, these will never die. They'll live forever.” She was speechless. He must have mistaken her silence for displeasure. “If you don't like it, I can get you—”

  “No, I love it,” she interrupted. “Put it on me, please.”

  The high pitch to her voice was foreign to her as she begged him to lock the chain around her neck. She turned, lifted her hair, and revealed her nape. Soon, the cool metal rested against her chest a few inches from where her heart pounded beneath her breast. His fingers lingered on her skin after the clasp sealed. The heat of his body drew closer as soft strokes caressed her shoulder where his hand settled. His warm breath blew over her back, drawing a shiver from her. Even though temptation threatened her, she didn't dare turn.

  “Kian,” she whispered.

  “Turn around, Summer.” There was a struggle in his tone, as if he fought some exhausting battle.

  Goddess be, she wanted to face him. She wanted to spin on her heels, pull him into her arms, and kiss him with all the passion he awoke in her. She needed to capture his full lips the same way he captured her heart.

  Did he know how the simple brush of his fingertips across her bare flesh brought her to glorious life? Did her touch give him the same unrelenting pleasure?

  She dropped her curls, letting them fall over her exposed skin, creating an instant barrier from his touch. It took every ounce of will she possessed, but she took a step forward, putting some much needed space between them. She glanced at the sky when a roll of distant thunder cracked. “There's rain coming. Maybe you should try to get the window done.”

  “Oh, um.” He cleared his throat. “Yeah, sure thing.”

  When the static of his presence vanished, she turned around to find Winter standing there with a huge grin. “You, sister, are in so much trouble.”


  Winter giggled, turned on her heel, and disappeared in the house. For the first time in her life, Summer couldn't argue the point, so she followed Winter into the house in silence.

  ***

  By the time Kian had replaced the windows and repaired some odds and ends, the sun had disappeared behind the horizon. With his work done for the day, he took a moment to admire his surroundings. These woods held a surreal beauty. Whenever he stood beneath the deep canopy of towering elms and oak, an odd calming effect settled over him.

  Branches swayed in the gentle breeze and the dark purple sky sparkled with stars. He wiped his brow, not surprised to find his skin covered with tiny beads of sweat. Dense humidity saturated the air throughout the day, leaving all it touched damp. He was no exception.

  Above, hidden behind a thick haze, the moon hovered with a dull glow. Storm clouds thickened to the west, drawing closer with each moment. Within the next few hours, he predicted one hell of a storm.

  A giggle caught his attention. He glanced out over the dark shadows of the yard to the figure running and skipping barefoot through the moist grass. Lightening bugs flicked on and off, making an enticing game for Winter. Her two furry vermin ran around her, circling, snapping at the bugs daring to come near her.

  Those raccoons freaked him out. The damn things seemed more intelligent than most men he knew. They watched him, discerning his every move with distrusting eyes.

  Ridiculous. They're stupid animals, nothing more. Yet his gut told him they were far more than forest vermin.

  He stood there on the porch, leaning against the aged wooden post, and watched Winter play. She had captured a dozen or so fireflies already. She never kept them for long. Each time, the girl would speak a few strange words, open her hands, and release them. He was amazed how she found amusement in something so simple, when millions of teenagers across the United States needed thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise to find even half as much joy.

  He smiled. Summer and Winter were raised simple, and it worked for them. They weren't weakened by it. In fact, they were stronger than most, stronger in character and, sure as hell, stronger in values.

  Winter glanced over with a huge grin. She waved at Kian, laughing when her raccoon nipped at her feet, and went back to her game.

  “She has come to adore you.”

  He shivered at the sound of Summer's sweet voice. She exited the house onto the porch, her steps silent and graceful. Even the planks beneath her feet didn't make a sound. She possessed magic all right. She cast a spell on him the first time he saw her all those years ago, a charm that continued to grow stronger whenever he looked into her olive-colored eyes.

  She'd twisted her hair up in a high ponytail. A few ink-black wisps had escaped their binding and now hung against her slender neck. She had changed into a plain white, sleeveless top complimented with a basic pink broomstick skirt flowing all the way to her small bare feet. Jesus, even her toes were sexy.

  He needed to stop staring at her. Get a hold of yourself, Lancaster. “It's not much of a chore. She's a good kid.”

  “You're her hero now. She loves the phone.”

  “I saw the way she eyed mine.” He shrugged. “I figured it would be a hit.”

  “You mentioned you had a little sister. You should bring her with you next time. Winter would love to have a new friend.”

  Utter sadness squeezed his heart, and he sighed. “My sister passed away a few years ago.”

  “Oh, I'm so sorry, Kian.”

  Alana would have loved Summer and Winter. Sorrow settled in his heart. He missed his sister so much. He sat on the chair beside Summer. “Alana loved hiking through the woods near our house. She would have loved the grove. After she got sick, I'd take her out in her wheelchair along the trails. But after a few months, she became too sick for our walks. Her treatments ate away at her. The cancer took her from us in less than a year. It was a rare form. Took them forever to diagnose her.”

  He glanced at Winter and flashed a light smile. He closed his eyes as the grief washed over him. Years may have passed, but the pain remained raw.

  He dug in his pocket for a smoke and placed it between his lips. Summer swiped the cigarette and shook her head in disgust. Kian chuckled at her glare.

  “You know, you never think you're going to lose someone. You see them every day, make casual talk, have a few laughs, but you never hold onto those moments like you should, and then one day you open your eyes and they’re gone. No more casual talks, no more of their incredible laughter. Their favorite spot on the bench beneath the elm tree is cold and empty, and you wish to God you could have one of those moments back, a few seconds more to memorize every damn detail, a couple of minutes to tell them how much you love them.”

  “I'm so sorry, Kian.” Her hand settled on his knee. He cupped her fingers, taking comfort in the contact.

  He shook his head as tears crept over his eyes, but he blinked them back. He was going to lose his mom too. He knew it.

  He'd seen the life drain from her eyes over the last few weeks. Yet this was the first time he admitted the inevitable shadow of death crept toward her.

  Warm fingers tightened around his. “Witches believe those we love never leave us. The soul is immortal. It is reincarnated and sent back to us in another form.” Summer squeezed his hand. “Your sister is still with you, and she will make herself known in subtle ways until she is sent back to join you. Look for the signs, Kian.”

  He wanted to believe her, wishing what she said was true. “My mom's been sick for months now. They don't know what's wrong with her.” He wasn't sure why he told her, but he was compelled. He trusted her, when he trusted no one. “My ankle… you healed it, didn't you?”

  He noticed her hesitation. She let go of his hand, scooted back, and refused to look at him. “Yes,” she whispered.

  “Can you help my mother?”

  She shook her head. “I don't know, Kian. We are not supposed to meddle in human affairs.”

  Kian grabbed her hand. “Please, I won't expect a miracle.” Her silence drove him crazy. “Please, Summer. I can't stand watching her suffer.”

  She sighed. “I will do what I can, but I can't promise I will be able to help her. There are ailments magic has no power over. Even a witch cannot change the hands of fate.”

  He pulled her into a tight hug. “Thank you,” he whispered into the crook of her throat.

  Kian fisted his fingers in her shirt and clung to the incredible rightness of having Summer in his arms. Her spine stiffened the moment his biceps encased her. Through the thin cotton, the softness of her skin teased him.

  She soon settled, and they held each other, neither one making an attempt to separate.

  Unable to resist, he buried his face in her throat. He filled his lungs with her sweet scent, a scent as fragrant as the array of blooms decorating the woodland surrounding them.

  Did she suffer this incredible desire too?

  As he traced his mouth over her pulse, she trembled, making him smile.

  A steady stream of tingling pulses created warmth wherever her body touched him. The scorching lust threatened to burn him alive. She may not know it, but she owned him.

  If he didn't get away from her, he was going to pull her onto his lap and show her his appreciation in the most carnal way. He'd drag her dainty fingers to his rock-hard cock and show her how to ease a man's suffering.

  No… not any man.

  Her man.

  He pulled back slowly in order to admire her beauty.

  Jesus, she was stunning. Her skin held a pretty blush and her olive-green eyes sparkled from the light cast by the flickering lantern sitting in front of the window.

  “Kian.”

  His name sounded like a plea. The fact he affected her with the same ardor pleased him. To show his pleasure, he responded with a satisfied groan.

  Summer slid back, taking with her the heat he found so alluring.

  He raked his fingers through
his hair, his body hard and tense. Her rejection shoved a wave of frustration through him.

  How can she not feel this… connection?

  When he dared peek at her face, he found her cheeks flush. Beneath his heated gaze, her body shuddered, providing more proof his little witch wasn't immune to his charms.

  Unable to hold back his pleasure, he smirked.

  Her blush deepened, and her tongue flicked across her lower lip, drawing his attention to her luscious mouth. Little did she know how much her simple action affected him.

  He moved closer. “God, you're beautiful.”

  She withdrew further and cleared her throat. “Would you like to join us for dinner?”

  Did she always sound so damn sexy?

  “I'd love to, baby. Let me clean up out here.”

  Summer faltered a moment when she turned, then chuckled at her fumble and disappeared into the house.

  She's so sweet. I can't wait to devour her.

  She hadn't corrected his endearment this time, a pleasing fact that brought an instant smile to his face. Her acceptance meant something to him. He hadn't lied. He didn't use affectionate names when it came to women. Why? Because he knew that their presence was temporary.

  Not true when it came to Summer. She didn't fit into his preconceived notion of casual fucking. Oh, he wanted her. More than he wanted his next breath, but he also knew one night with her would never be enough. Shit, he doubted a million nights would wash her out of his system. He hardly touched her and she had already branded him for life. Imagine once he slipped inside her welcoming heat. He groaned at the thought.

  Winter passed him, flashing a knowing grin. Behind her, the two raccoons pranced, their little rat noses high in the air.

  Kian shook his head, but took a step back as the parade passed. Those vermin gave him the freaking creeps.

  ***

  Summer stood at the kitchen counter, aftershocks waving through her body from the delight of Kian's arms. How she managed to cut slices of bread with her trembling hands without injury, she had no clue.

  Out in the living room, Winter's giggles grew louder. Summer didn't dare investigate her sister's amusement. No doubt, Kian had a part in her laughter. He had a way of making a woman smile with little effort.