Miranda knew that the deep blush that spread across her cheeks was all Abagail needed to see, but she mumbled, “We just...I mean, I had a bad dream and Jamison...”
“Do you have any idea what the two of you have done?” Abagail demanded. “Jamison, I thought I made it perfectly clear to you not to touch her; now you’ve messed with the tether and shown the Unseelie right where Miranda is.”
When neither of them said a word, she stormed out of the room, calling, “Miranda, get dressed; you and I need to have a little talk. Jamison, I want to talk to you now.”
Miranda quickly threw on her clothes, hoping that she wouldn’t miss what Abagail had to say to Jamison, and made it to the kitchen just as she started to talk. “I got the message off to Ballantine as soon as I got to the village, so if your family is coming, they should already be on their way. I just hope they don’t meet up with the Unseelie on their way here.”
She saw Jamison relax. “Are you sure the Unseelie are on their way?” he asked.
Abagail nodded. “The only question is how soon,” she said.
“Then I have to leave,” she said, stepping into the room.
“No, you have to use your magic to defend yourself,” Abagail said. “I can remove the tether, but you’ll have to fight for yourself if you want to be free of them.”
Jamison got to his feet, crossed the room, and pulled her into his arms. “There’s nothing wrong with using your magic to protect yourself, Miranda,” he said, looking into her eyes. “If there’s one thing that I’ve learned, it’s that we need witches like you to balance the scales; without the good that’s inside you, evil has nothing to block its path.”
“But I’ve never really used it on my own,” she stammered. “I won’t know what to do.”
Abagail got to her feet. “You are a very powerful witch, my dear, and witches as powerful as you don’t need lessons on how to use your magic. I think if you look deep inside yourself, you’ll find that everything you need to know is there. But you have to trust yourself, trust the good that’s inside you and let it guide you. Believe in yourself and all that you’re capable of, and remember that you won’t be alone.”
“We’ll be right there with you,” Jamison said.
“I still think you’d better give me a crash course on magic,” Miranda said. “And maybe put a protective spell on Jamison.”
Abagail laughed. “Spoken like a true witch,” she said.
***Jamison***
Jamison was standing in front of the cabin watching Miranda make the flowers grow, huge fragrant blossoms that filled the air with their perfume. But as entertaining as it was to watch, he wasn’t that impressed. “We know she can do that,” he said. “What else can she do?”
Abagail flashed him a dirty look. “Why don’t you go look for your brother? Maybe on the other side of the haunted forest,” she suggested, but her voice said it wasn’t a suggestion.
He went to the barn and saddled one of the horses, deciding that it wasn’t a bad idea, then rode past Abagail and Miranda, who didn’t even notice him. Miranda was standing with her hands in the air, mumbling words, a swirling cloud of dust in front of her. It grew as she lifted her hands farther into the air, then with a flick of her wrist, she sent it sailing off into the forest.
A sense of pride filled him as he watched her, quickly followed by a burst of desire, and he couldn’t help smiling at the strange turn his life had taken. Leading the horse over to the trail, he kicked it in the flanks and started for the haunted forest with no intention of going into it. He’d ride as far as the stream when Miranda had yelled at him the first time and turn back; that would kill some time and keep him out of the way.
It seemed unlikely that he’d meet his brother and the others, it was much too soon for them to arrive, but he still found himself looking for them around every bend in the trail. When he got to the stream, he dismounted and sat down on the same rock Miranda had sat on and turned his back to haunted wood, the shadows moving in the trees making him shiver.
Knowing that he’d never be able to relax that close to the chill of the darkness behind him, he got back to his feet but froze when he heard a sound behind him. Breathing as shallowly as he could, he listened, picking up the sound again, then turned, prepared to defend himself. But to his surprise, Colin came riding out of the haunted forest, his face pinched with distaste, Darby right behind him. Then one by one, the rest of them rode into the bright sunshine, shivering in the sudden warmth and looking a little sick.
He waited impatiently for them to reach him, knowing that the farther they got from the oppressive forest, the better they’d feel. Colin looked almost like himself when he finally spotted Jamison on the trail, his eyes raking over him, suspicion in his eyes. Darby looked worn out, and behind her, the rest of them still seemed a bit shaken.
“Don’t worry, you’ll feel better in a few minutes,” he said, grinning at Colin.
“What are you grinning about?” Colin snapped.
“I’m just glad to see you. That’s all,” he said, unable to stop smiling.
“Well, you can stop that right now; the Unseelie are right behind us, and if they find that trail, we’re all going to be in trouble,” Colin said. “Do you want to tell me what the hell is going on?”
Jamison jumped back into the saddle. “We can talk on the way to the cabin,” he said, kicking his horse into a trot.
They were almost to the cabin when he wrapped up his story. “Abagail thinks that the tattoo hurting means that the Unseelie are coming,” he said, hoping no one would ask any questions.
But Darby wasn’t satisfied. “But why are they suddenly looking for her now? She’s been gone for days, weeks almost,” she pointed out.
Colin was looking at him skeptically. “There’s something you’re not telling us,” he said, staring Jamison down.
“Well, it might have sort of been my fault,” he said. “I mean, I didn’t do it on my own, but Miranda and I... we...”
Darby burst into laughter. “Oh my God, you’re in love with a witch,” she said, then started laughing again. “I knew you were acting funny, being too nice.”
“It’s not...I’m not...we just...” He gave up when he saw the look on his brother’s face.
“Fine, I’m in love with her,” he said, trying not to grin when he said it.
Colin shook his head. “I don’t know what to say. I didn’t think I’d ever see the day that my stick-in-the-mud younger brother did something crazy.”
“It’s about time,” Reese and Keaton chimed in.
“Have you told her yet?” Rainie asked, her eyes full of mischief. “When is the wedding?”
“Yeah, I want to be in the wedding,” Sarah said, her voice quieter than the others.
Jamison held his hands up in the air. “Let’s not rush things. I think we need to worry about the Unseelie first,” he said. “I plan to see the man who hurt Miranda dead at my feet before this is over.”
They rode the rest of the way to the cabin in silence, but Abagail was waiting on the front porch for them, and it wasn’t long before they were all crowded into the kitchen. There was a lot of excited chatter as they all filled plates with the food that seemed to appear out of nowhere and settled down around the kitchen. Darby and Abagail had been chatting quietly in one corner, but when she saw that everyone was ready to listen, she stood and addressed the group.
“We’ve got trouble headed our way, and I’m sure you all agree that we can’t let Miranda fall back into the Unseelie’s hands,” she began. “I think we’d better come up with a plan. Miranda is willing to use her magic, but that tattoo is very powerful. I’m not sure she can do it on her own.”
Chapter Twenty
Miranda
Miranda sat next to Jamison, his arm around her shoulders, watching the group of people who had suddenly become her family. The warm feeling of belonging was surging through her, and with Jamison’s hand in hers, she was filled with hope that she’d finally be
really and truly free. She’d agreed to let Abagail and Darby remove the tether. The risk of bringing the Unseelie to them with the spell was long past and after that morning, she wanted the thing gone.
Her magic lessons with Abagail had proven to her that not only was she strong, but she also was capable, and deep down, she knew that to protect the people around her, she’d use it. But it was getting late, the forest around the cabin dark and forbidding, and she wanted nothing more than to curl up in bed with Jamison and drift off to sleep in his arms. She was all too aware that this could be their last night together and she hoped that he would want to spend it in her bed.
Resting her head against Jamison’s chest, she let her eyes flutter closed, barely able to stay awake as they debated the best way to protect her and drive the Unseelie out of the Land of the Fae. Finally, Jamison shifted her in his lap and said, “I think I’d better take Miranda to bed.”
She felt her cheeks flame but was too tired to do much more than let him help her to her feet. “Good night,” she mumbled as he led her out of the kitchen and down the hallway.
The chorus of goodnights behind her made her smile, and when she got into the bedroom, she said, “You’re lucky to have such wonderful people in your life.”
He tipped her chin up and said, “They’re part of your life now too.”
“I think I’m too tired even to get undressed,” she said, heading for the bed. “Thank you for walking me to my room.”
“It seems to me that if you’re too tired to get undressed, I’d better stay and help you,” Jamison said, reaching down and slipping the first button on her shirt lose. “We can’t have you sleeping in your clothes.”
“Mmm,” was all that came out of her mouth as one button after another slipped free.
Her exhaustion forgotten as her body began to hum with anticipation, she let Jamison strip off her clothes, her body throbbing and tingling as his hands swept across her skin. When she was standing on wobbly legs, naked in front of him, he quickly stripped off his clothes, then pulled her into his arms. His mouth came down on hers in a kiss that was more demanding than gentle, and she responded with a growl of pleasure as she kissed him back.
He devoured her mouth while his hands roamed over her body, touching and caressing her soft skin with his callused hands and making her purr with pleasure. She clung to him, her knees trembling, her body throbbing, his mouth on hers promising only more pleasure to come. When he began to trail kisses down her neck, she shivered deliciously but wasn’t prepared for the feel of his mouth on her breast as he sucked one hard nipple into his mouth.
She dug her nails into his shoulder, only the arm he had wrapped around her back keeping her on her feet as he licked and suckled until desperate for more, she reached between them and took him in her hands. The moan that escaped his lips sent a thrill through her and she bravely began to stroke him until, with a groan, he lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed.
When he joined her, his mouth found hers as his hands explored her body freely for the first time, making her shiver and writhe beneath him as he memorized her curves. Desperate for more, she reached for him again but he pushed her hand away, then slid his between her legs. With one finger, he parted her folds and ran it over her swollen button, flooding her body with pleasure as almost instantly, she tumbled over the edge.
She spread her legs wider for him, but he surprised her by flipping onto his back, her hips gripped firmly in his hands, making her straddle him. A shocked gasp, followed by a cry of pleasure, came out of her parted lips as he drove himself into her in one hard thrust. His hands held her hips firmly and when he began to lift her to the rhythm of the thrust of his hips, she began to ride him, pleasure building deep inside her.
With each thrust of his hips, he drove her closer, the sounds of his pleasure only intensifying hers, and she felt her body beginning to tense as the waves grew in intensity. Then Jamison reached between them and with his thumb, found her sensitive nib, and suddenly, her body was alive with the most intense sensation she’d ever experienced.
Unable to stop herself as the pleasure deep inside her mixed with that from his thumb, she rode him harder until her body exploded into what felt like a million pieces, all of them humming with pure joy. She felt Jamison stiffen under her, heard his cry of satisfaction, and tumbled once again over the edge, her body thrashing and quivering. When she finally collapsed on top of him, she was breathless and floating in a sea of happiness.
Later, cuddled in Jamison’s arms, the haze of their lovemaking still clogging her brain, she said, “If this was our last night together, I couldn’t have asked for a better one.”
Jamison leaned up on one elbow and looked down at her. “Don’t say that, Miranda; we’re going to have many more nights just like this,” he said. “And maybe a few mornings, and a day or two, maybe three. I just found you, I’m not letting you go that easily.”
***Jamison***
Jamison woke to find Miranda’s side of the bed empty and panicked for a moment until he heard the sound of water running in the bathroom. He found her looking at the tattoo in the mirror, an expression of worry on her face. “Does it hurt?” he asked, walking over and carefully pulling her into his arms.
She shook her head. “No, but I woke up with a headache,” she said, then looked up at him. “I’m scared, Jamison; they’re on their way. I can feel it.”
He pulled her closer, inhaling her scent, and looking for the right words. “I’m scared too,” he admitted. “But we’re ready for them; we have a plan. Don’t forget we already beat them once.”
Miranda nodded, but he could see that she wasn’t convinced. “What if I can’t do it? What if I freeze up? I could get you all killed,” she said.
“But that’s not going to happen,” he argued. “You’ve practiced the spell, Miranda, you know what you have to do, and you’re much stronger than you think you are.”
“I hope you’re right,” she said, then winced in pain. “They’re getting closer.”
“Then we’d better tell the others,” he said.
When they came into the kitchen, everyone was crowded into the room, grim looks on their faces, piles of uneaten food around them. “They’re almost here,” Miranda said when all eyes turned to them. “It won’t be long before they’re in the haunted forest.”
“Then we’d better go,” Colin said, getting to his feet. “You all know what to do.”
Abagail led them out of the house, through the garden, and to the trail that led away from the cabin, then turned and looked back. She looked over at Miranda and said, “This place has sheltered me and protected me for a long time; if something happens to me, I want you to have it.”
He felt Miranda stiffen beside him, but she nodded her head, and Abagail returned the nod, then began the long walk through the woods. Behind her, the four couples walked hand in hand, the love between them making the air around them glimmer. But it wasn’t just the love that flowed around them that made them special; it was the bond between all of them that gave them strength. Witch, Pixie, and Fae marched together toward a foe who had tried years ago to separate them and destroy their power.
Each knew that after that day, life would never be the same, and if the Unseelie were victorious, there might not be another day, but they marched on, confident in the forces of good that had guided them. When they emerged from the woods and saw the haunted forest before them, they quietly took their places blocking the path.
Jamison pulled Miranda in behind them and watched as Abagail drew a pentagram in the dirt and recited a protection spell. When she was finished, she nodded to Miranda, who began to recite the same spell, bringing a heavy feeling over him, as if he’d just jumped into the water. The feeling passed, but he could see from the look on Miranda’s face that she’d been successful.
Abagail came and stood on the other side of Miranda, and he knew that the time had come for him to let her go. Pushing the thought that this might be the last
time he held her, he swept her into his arms and kissed her deeply, then let her go. She was slightly breathless, her cheeks pink, and she giggled nervously, aware that every eye was on them.
He knew that audience or not, he had to tell her how he felt now before it was too late. “I love you, Miranda,” he said, his eyes locked on hers. “I’ve fallen in love with a witch and I don’t care who knows, and I hope someday we can have a bunch of little witches.”
Miranda’s eyes filled with tears. “I love you too, Jamison,” she said. “I wouldn’t mind a few little Fae running around too.”
“Looks like we’re having a double wedding,” Reese said, grinning at Sarah, who smiled back at him.
“He hasn’t even asked her yet,” Sarah said.
Everyone laughed. “Well, Miranda, what do you think? Will you marry me?” Jamison asked.
She threw herself into his arms. “Yes, I’ll marry...” but she couldn’t finish the sentence as pain spit through her head.
“I think it’s time you got into position,” Abagail said, putting her hand on Miranda’s arm. “Fight the feeling, Miranda, block it out.”
Miranda looked up at him with pain-filled eyes. “I’ll be waiting for you when this is all over and then you can answer my question. Remember that I love you; use that love to beat him, Miranda. He can’t hurt you this time if you don’t let him.”
“I love you, Jamison,” she said, managing a smile.
He turned and walked away, afraid that if he didn’t, then he never would, slipped behind the bush where he was supposed to hide, and waited for the Unseelie. It wasn’t long before the air was filled with a chorus of terrified screams, followed by total silence, and he started to hope that the haunted forest had stopped them. But then he saw a group of riders emerge from the shadows at a fast trot, clearly shaken by the encounter. They stopped their horses and gathered in a tighter group.
Fae Mistaken (Fae 0f Ballantine Book 4) Page 12
