Souls Unchained (Blood & Bone Book 2)

by C. C. Wood

  “It’s not something I like to talk about,” she murmured. Her gaze finally met mine and her indigo and violet eyes were sad. “You’ve always said that you were lost when you met me, that I made your life better.” Her smile didn’t reach her eyes. “But you should consider that it was you who made my life better. There are things…” she trailed off and then swallowed hard. “Things I don’t talk about because they hurt. Just thinking about them, like right now, hurts too badly. Even after centuries.”

  I could sense the pain welling inside her. They were emotions she usually kept tightly leashed. I pushed myself off the floor and went to sit next to her on the sofa. She hugged me close and her breathing was ragged. A few moments later, she released me and leaned back. Her eyes were bright but dry as though she had fought back tears and won.

  “I love you, Savannah Baker,” she stated. “You are the sister I always wanted.”

  “I love you too, Ava.”

  She kissed my cheek. “Now, I’m going to go home and get some sleep. Then tomorrow I’m going to get up and order a new mattress for Rhys’ house because that thing is uncomfortable as hell.”

  “I don’t think it’ll matter much longer,” I replied.

  She grinned. “Why do you say that?”

  “I’m going to ask him to move in with me.”

  “You’re going to live in sin? What would your grandmother say?” she teased.

  “Probably ‘Good for you. He’s a hot piece of ass.’ ”

  Ava burst out laughing. “No way. I don’t think I ever heard your grandmother cuss.”

  I shrugged. “The only time in my life I heard her say that word was when she was talking about Cary Grant.”

  Ava frowned slightly. “Cary Grant?”

  “Grandma had refined tastes.”

  We both giggled for a minute as we remembered my grandmother and her feistiness.

  “Thank you for coming for me tonight,” I said quietly.

  Ava took my hand. “I’ll always come for you, babe.” She got up from the sofa. “Now, walk me to the door then go into your bedroom and make out with your man. Oh, and the store is closed for the next couple of days. Then I’m going to hire a manager. It’s time.”

  I did as she asked, walking her to the door. After one last hug, I watched her climb into her car and drive away. I closed the door, taking the time to lock it, and walked through the house checking the lights and windows. Though I doubted that Macgrath or Rhiannon would be back tonight, I wasn’t going to take any chances.

  When I got to the bedroom, Rhys was pulling on a pair of loose cotton shorts. “Hey, how are you feeling?” he asked.

  “Tired, but I need to shower. I’ll be right back.”

  I took the shortest shower possible and did nothing more than towel dry my hair. I nearly wept when I came out of the stall and found one of the baggy t-shirts I liked to sleep in and a pair of panties lying on the counter, neatly folded. I slipped into them and walked into the bedroom. Rhys was already in bed, leaning back against the pillows with his arms behind his head.

  He looked over at me when I came out of the bathroom and asked, “Feeling better?”

  I nodded and walked around the bed, climbing beneath the covers when he threw them back for me. I scooted over until my cheek rested on his shoulder and his arm wrapped around me. “Thank you.”

  “For what?” he asked.

  “Everything,” I answered. “You’ve given me everything I’ve ever wanted.”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Rhys

  The next morning, I woke up before Savannah. In reality, I’d barely slept at all. As the sun came up and light began to creep around the curtains in her bedroom, I looked down at my woman. She looked peaceful and relaxed in my arms, as though the frightening events of the previous day didn’t touch her mind.

  I watched her beloved face in the changing light and knew that I would never hesitate to do whatever was necessary to protect her. She had become the center of my world.

  The fear that I felt yesterday would take a long time to forget. As would the sight of Savannah trapped behind the red glow of Rhiannon’s circle, staring at me in sheer terror.

  Suddenly, I was seized by the need to show Savannah how much she meant to me, to make sure she knew that I couldn’t live without her. I needed to touch her and reassure myself that she was safe and whole.

  Her back was pressed to my front, her knees bent. My body curved into the shape of hers, clinging together from shoulders to thigh. I slid my hand beneath the hem of her shirt, lifting the fabric as I trailed my fingertips over her skin. She was warm and soft with sleep, her breathing deep and even.

  When my hand moved over the mound of her breast, she sighed in her sleep and arched her back. Burying my face against her neck, I kissed her skin, running my tongue over her throat. She moaned softly and shifted against me, pressing her hips into mine and rubbing her ass over my shaft.

  I cupped her breast, massaging her nipple with my palm. Savannah moaned again, her body undulating against me. My cock grew hard as she moved.

  “Rhys?” Her sleepy voice was lower and rougher than usual.

  When she tried to turn around, I stopped her. “No, just let me touch you.”

  She whimpered as my fingers tugged at her nipples before running down the center of her stomach. I moved my knee between hers and hooked her leg over my thigh, lifting it. Savannah gasped as my fingers delved into her underwear, seeking her center. She was hot and wet, her head tilting back as her hips moved against my hand.

  “Oh, God, Rhys,” she whimpered, rocking into my touch.

  I slid my fingers through the wetness between her thighs and circled her clit lightly. As her movements became more frantic and her breath began to quicken, I increased the pressure of my fingers. I locked my mouth on her shoulder, biting lightly as she cried out, coming apart beneath my touch.

  As the spasms rocked her body, I turned her onto her back and rolled on top of her. I reached into the nightstand and grabbed a condom, quickly jerking down my shorts, dealing with the wrapper, and rolling it over myself. During the last few weeks, I’d learned how to put the shield on and take it off without a mess.

  Once the condom was taken care of, I guided myself inside her body, thrusting slow and deep. Savannah arched her back, her hands grasping my back until her nails bit into my skin. Her dark eyes stared up at me, still a little sleepy and hazy from her climax. I leaned down and kissed her, moving deeper and harder with each stroke.

  She didn’t hesitate to meet my mouth, making a soft noise as our lips clung together.

  I shoved one arm beneath her hips and cupped the back of her skull with my other hand, lifting her into my thrusts. Her body tightened around me and her head fell back as she cried out. I knew she was getting close to the peak once again. I pushed her harder, moving faster, until her body locked around me and her hand fisted in my hair.

  “Rhys!”

  I rode out the waves of her orgasm until I came hard. I slammed inside her one last time and buried my face in her neck. As our bodies settled, Savannah’s hands ran over my back, her fingers dragging over my skin.

  When I lifted my head, she smiled up at me. “Good morning.”

  I smiled in return. “Good morning, Savannah.”

  “It certainly is,” she murmured.

  I laughed softly as I pulled out of her, rolling out of bed so I could dispose of the condom in the bathroom.

  When I returned, she was curled up on her side, her hands folded beneath her cheek. I climbed beneath the blankets and lay facing her. “What should we do today?” I asked her. For the last few weeks, we’d barely left the house except to go to The Magic Bean. “Please tell me Ava isn’t opening the shop.”

  Savannah smiled and shook her head. “No, she said she’s taking the next couple of days off.” Her grin widened. “And she said that she’s hiring a manager so she can have more time to herself.”

  I wouldn’t believe that unti
l I saw it. “So we have the whole day together.”

  She nodded then bit her lip. “I did have an idea of what we could do today.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Well, you’ve practically been living here for the past few weeks anyway, so I thought we could move the rest of your stuff into the house,” she replied. “Make it official.”

  “Official? Wouldn’t that be marriage?”

  Savannah went utterly still, her dark eyes boring into mine. “Maybe, though I think less than six months together might be a little early to start talking about marriage.”

  “So we can discuss it again in four months?”

  She laughed. “If you still want to, yes, we can.”

  “I’ve told you once before, Savannah. I will always be here. As long as you love me, as long as you want me, I’ll be here. And probably even if you don’t.”

  Her eyes danced. “I should probably find that last statement creepy, but I don’t. I like hearing it.” Her smile faded as she looked at me. Cupping my cheek in her hand, she said, “I love you, Rhys. I’m so glad that your destiny brought you to my door.”

  “I love you too, though I think you were the one who came to my door first.”

  “That’s true,” she said with a smile. “Though you were so good-looking I had no idea half of what I was saying.”

  “Hm, tell me more,” I invited her, inching closer.

  Savannah shook her head. “No way.” She turned her head and glanced at the clock. “We should probably get up. I’m sure it’ll take most of the day to pack your stuff and get it over here.”

  “Not really. I only had one bag of clothes and a box of books when I moved in.”

  Her eyes widened. “That’s all.”

  Wrapping an arm around her, I rolled over onto my back and pulled her on top of my chest. “It’ll take us an hour at most.”

  She hummed in her throat. “Then what will we do for the rest of the day.”

  Grinning, I pulled her down for a kiss. “I’m sure we’ll think of something,” I murmured against her mouth.

  Several hours later, I left a note for Savannah, who was sleeping in the bed, and walked across the street to the rental house. As soon as I entered, my cell phone rang. I removed it from my pocket and smiled when I saw the name on the screen.

  “Kerry,” I greeted her.

  “From the tone of your voice, I’m assuming things worked out for you and your new lady. You know, since you didn’t call me and let me know.”

  “I’m sorry,” I apologized.

  “I’ll let it slide since I knew anyway, but next time I expect a phone call.”

  “Of course.”

  “And I also expect an invitation to the wedding,” she stated.

  I laughed. “There won’t be a wedding. At least not anytime soon.”

  “Rhys, don’t tell me that you aren’t willing to marry that sweet woman,” she warned.

  “Oh, I’m willing and ready. She’s the one who doesn’t want get married so soon.”

  Kerry laughed loud and long. “I really need to meet her. What’s her name?”

  “Savannah Baker.”

  Kerry was silent for a long moment. “Savannah Baker? Was her grandmother Tawna Baker?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Shit, it would figure that you would move to Austin and find the granddaughter of the greatest seer the last century has ever seen. She was an amazing woman.”

  I stopped what I was doing and stared across the street. “She was a seer?”

  “Yes, one of the most powerful I’ve ever heard of.”

  “But Savannah is an empath.”

  Kerry paused. “It happens sometimes. Different talents emerge in the bloodline. Is that a problem?”

  “No, it’s not. Just a surprise.”

  “So, when do I get to meet her?” Kerry asked.

  “When can you come to Austin?”

  “Sooner than you think.”

  “I can’t wait to introduce you two to Ava, Savannah’s boss and my landlord. I think you’ll like her.”

  “Then I’m sure I will.” She paused. “We need to talk.”

  I blew out a breath. “I know.”

  “No, you don’t know, Rhys,” she shot back. “The day you called me, I found something my mother left for me. A vision spell.” Kerry hesitated for a brief moment. “And Rhiannon was in it.”

  “Explain,” I demanded, my throat tight with anger and sudden fear.

  “She’s old. Older even than you. And powerful. The things that she’s done…” Kerry trailed off. “She’s not going to stop until she gets what she wants.”

  “What does she want?” I asked. “Do you know?”

  “She wants to become the goddess, Rhys. She wants to dethrone the deity and take her place. That is her only goal.”

  A cold chill drifted through me. Ava and Savannah had discussed this last night, but it was only speculation. Kerry spoke of it as though it were fact.

  “I won’t let that happen.” I could feel the sparks from my fingers snapping at the phone I held pressed to my ear. Even with Kerry’s amulet, my power was surging due to my rage. I took a deep breath, searching for calm.

  “Rhys, she’s still out there and you have no idea where. You’ll need our help.”

  “Fine. Come visit, search for Rhiannon, meet my woman, and I’ll introduce you to Ava.”

  “Wonderful. We’ll see you soon.”

  She disconnected and I put my phone back in my pocket. I realized that in the last year, I’d made friends and learned how to live my life again. For centuries, I had walked on this earth living less than half a life.

  Meeting Savannah, I found everything I didn’t realize I wanted. She gave me love and she gave me a home. I hadn’t realized it until this morning when she said I gave her everything, but she had done the same for me.

  Savannah was everything to me and I would be damned if I would let a power hungry witch do anything to tear us apart.

  Epilogue

  Ava

  I studied the young man sitting across the table from me. He looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t place him. Still, he was the only applicant for the manager position, so I couldn’t afford to be choosy.

  “Harrison, it says here that you’re a graduate student at UT. What are you studying?”

  “Art history,” he replied.

  “Do you have any teaching assistantships that will require your time?”

  “Not this summer or next semester. After that, I’m not sure.”

  I appreciated his honesty, though the way his eyes kept dropping to my breasts might become a problem. I didn’t want to fend off the advances of a horny college student, but I was desperate. I needed someone to keep things running at the store. I would have preferred a witch, but most of the witches I knew considered themselves above making coffee. They would help customers with the books, amulets, and candles, but they would flat out refuse to make a latte.

  “I have a question, if you don’t mind,” Harrison said, interrupting my train of thought.

  “Of course,” I replied with a smile.

  “I see you have a reading room here, what services do you offer?”

  My brows lifted in surprise. “Tarot, palmistry, and tea leaves.”

  He nodded. “No futures?”

  I squinted at him. “No. I don’t currently employ a seer.”

  “What about the spell books, candles, and amulets? Do you actually prepare the spells for the customers or do they mostly come in for supplies?”

  “Most of the customers prefer to make their own potions and charms, so they buy supplies separately. From time to time, I’ll make them if the customer is having difficulty or doesn’t have the talent necessary. Will that be a problem?”

  Harrison shook his head. “No, not at all. It sounds as if you’re running a very responsible business that deals in magic.”

  I bit back a smile. “How old are you, Harrison?” I asked him.
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  “I’ll be forty on my next birthday.”

  My eyes widened. “Forty?”

  He grinned, revealing sharp canines. “I’m a shifter. We tend to look young until we reach our fifties or sixties.”

  My witch’s sense quivered. I hadn’t recognized him for a shifter and he hadn’t set off any alarms within the store. “I’m surprised I didn’t recognize you for what you are,” I commented calmly as my brain whirled, thinking of ways to defend myself.

  The shifter lifted a hand. “There is no reason to fear me, Ava,” he stated. “I’m here about the job, but I wanted you to give me a fair chance.”

  “So you disarmed my wards and spells and misled me?” I asked. Shifters shouldn’t even have the capability, which meant he had magic in his bloodlines as well. What really ticked me off is that the sneaky bastard had gotten away with it until now. I couldn’t afford to have weaknesses in my security. Not with Rhiannon on the loose.

  He sighed. “I wanted to be certain you were using your abilities ethically before I told you what I was.”

  “I’m not sure I’ll be able to trust you after this,” I stated, studying him closely.

  “I can understand if that’s the case.” He got to his feet. “If I don’t hear from you, I’ll take it as a statement that you’ve decided to hire someone else.” The tone of his voice suggested he wouldn’t care one way or another, which made me like him a little. Damn the hairy pup.

  I watched him leave and waited until the door shut behind him. Lifting a hand, I twisted the lock with a quick spell. Something about him unsettled me and it wasn’t just the way he ogled my breasts. But I also liked the idea of having someone who was knowledgeable around so that I wouldn’t have to be. The fact that he understood magic and he was willing to make coffee and serve pastry made him the perfect candidate. Which put me in a difficult position.

  I decided to worry about it tomorrow. After a good night’s sleep, I would have a better grasp of the situation. I hoped.

  I got up and turned out the lights. I’d kept the shop open later than usual so I could meet Harrison for his interview. Now it was getting late and I was ready to go home, drink a glass of wine, and take a bubble bath before bed.