Ascension

by Felicity Heaton

  “It was his choice.” Isabelle’s voice was low, her gaze not leaving their hands. “My brother always did like you. He was fairly set on being your Counter-Balance, even though he wasn’t really strong enough for you.”

  Isabelle’s gaze slowly rose to meet hers and then moved to the side, towards the bedroom. Lealandra knew why. Taig was there. She only hoped he was wearing clothes. A glance at him revealed that he was dressed in just his black jeans. The tight material clung to his powerful legs and rode low on his hips, revealing the full length of his abdomen and stirring hunger inside her.

  “It’s okay to keep talking. He really won’t bite.” Lealandra didn’t take her eyes off Taig. He was an imposing figure when he wanted to be and was emitting a sense of danger that Isabelle’s magic would pick up. Isabelle hadn’t encountered many demons and Taig was far more powerful than the average type of demon she might have met in the field.

  Lealandra’s gaze rose to meet his. The black fathomless depths of his eyes spoke to hers, holding her captive and making her imagine them entwined again, as one with each other. Taig had been so sweet with her that she craved the roughness they had previously shared.

  A seductive smile tugged at the corners of his lips. He leaned back against the wall, crossed his ankles and jammed his hands into his pockets. His torso tensed, revealing the delicious peaks and valleys of his body. The intensity of his gaze caused heat to rise up from her feet and scorch every inch of her.

  Lealandra tore her eyes away from him. Isabelle was staring at him, a hint of colour touching her cheeks. She didn’t think that Isabelle was particularly experienced with men. Charlie had been very protective of his little sister and had kept her away from the men in the coven as much as possible. When Gregori had suggested finding Isabelle a Counter-Balance, Charlie had petitioned against it, stating that his sister was too young for such things.

  Charlie had been worried that Isabelle would fall for her Counter-Balance, just as he had fallen for his. Lealandra had never seen it before Isabelle had pointed it out to her barely half a year ago and after that, she hadn’t known how to act around Charlie. She knew that it was common for Counter-Balances to fall for one another, but that wasn’t what she had expected from her relationship with Charlie, and it wasn’t what she had wanted. She hadn’t wanted his love. She had only wanted someone to balance her magic.

  Isabelle’s attention slowly moved away from Taig. Her blush deepened when Lealandra met her gaze. She didn’t mind Isabelle looking at Taig. He was putting on a display after all, but she could guarantee that he hadn’t expected Isabelle to gawp rather than be afraid.

  “Why are you here?” Darkness laced Taig’s deep voice. Anger and mistrust swept over her in a wave so strong that she knew Isabelle would be able to sense it. “Unless you just came to catch up about old times and Charlie-boy.”

  Isabelle shot him a glare. The protective thing worked both ways. Isabelle had always been fiercely defensive of her big brother.

  “I was out when I received a call,” Isabelle said. “It was from Mariana.”

  “Mariana?” Lealandra leaned towards Isabelle, needing to hold her attention so she could see the truth in her eyes. The older witch was growing frail with the passing of years and the toll her magic took on her. Lealandra had often helped her during her classes for the younger witches at the coven. “Is she okay?”

  Isabelle nodded. “For now, anyway. She told me that Gregori has gone insane. He’s taken half of the coven hostage and the other half has agreed to work with him.”

  “He’s going to come after me.” Lealandra’s eyes darted to Taig. Suddenly he didn’t look so relaxed. The red was back in his eyes and the aura of danger had returned. His tension ran through her as though it was her own.

  “I came straight here to tell you.” Isabelle’s gaze flickered to the front door. “It’s a powerful spell you put on this place.”

  Lealandra shook her head. “It isn’t my magic. I couldn’t construct something like this, not even now. It’s Taig’s power.”

  Isabelle looked at Taig again, amazement written across her youthful face. He shrugged nonchalantly. Lealandra smiled at how uncomfortable he looked. She had always thought that Taig would enjoy such attention and would lap up this kind of awe, but instead he looked as though he wanted to leave the room.

  “It was nothing.” He pushed away from the wall, went into the kitchen, picked up his hunting knife and began toying with it. Nervous? She suppressed her giggle. It was new to see Taig shy about something. This was the man who was happy fighting naked and didn’t give a damn about most things. A little bit of attention and praise had him almost blushing.

  “Taig is very powerful. He’s amazing,” Lealandra said and he looked at her, eyebrows raised and eyes wide, as though she had shocked him by saying that. “He’s not letting on but it took a lot of strength and skill to create this barrier, far more than we witches have.”

  He turned his back on her but not before she noticed a touch of crimson staining his cheeks.

  Lealandra grinned at his back and felt warm inside. She had meant every word. Taig was far more powerful than she could ever be. Even now that she had ascended, she was no match for him if he unleashed his demonic side.

  And the barrier was incredible.

  Isabelle took her hand. Lealandra looked down at them and then at her. Isabelle was staring at their hands, a distant look in her green eyes.

  “I… it feels different… your magic.” Isabelle met her gaze. “Changed. Stronger.”

  Lealandra nodded. “I survived. I said I would, didn’t I?”

  Tears filled Isabelle’s eyes and she brushed them away. Lealandra could sense her happiness and relief. Isabelle had been more worried than Charlie when Lealandra had revealed the ascension mark to them.

  “He helped you?” Isabelle said with a pointed glance at Taig. Isabelle’s gaze snapped back to him and she frowned. “He… you.”

  Taig walked back to the wall and Lealandra looked at him, and the place where she knew Isabelle was staring.

  “You were right,” Isabelle said. “He is your Counter-Balance, and you’ve bonded with him.”

  Lealandra smiled at the mark on Taig’s arm. Her mark. Her Taig.

  She placed her hand over her arm, over Taig’s mark on her skin. Her gaze questioned him but he looked away to stare out of the windows. She wanted to know what it meant. Was it like her mark? Did it bond them?

  “It’s really quite disturbing.” Isabelle’s tone was deadpan. Both Lealandra and Taig looked at her.

  “That I’ve bonded with him?” Lealandra said with a frown. She didn’t think it was disturbing.

  “No, the moon eyes you make at each other.” Isabelle put her fingers in her mouth and pretended to gag. Lealandra rolled her eyes. Isabelle sighed and her look turned serious again. For a brief moment, the old Isabelle had been back. “You know, I always knew.”

  “Knew what?”

  “That you were still in love with him and that you would never love my brother.”

  Lealandra blushed when she felt Taig’s gaze burning into her.

  “Did Mariana say anything else?” She wanted to deflect Isabelle’s attention away from her love life. Taig continued to stare at her as though he was trying to read her mind. She would tell him. She would confess that she loved him.

  When he confessed that he loved her.

  Then she would know that he was ready to hear it.

  “Only that Gregori is stronger now. I’ve been away for a few days. There was some sort of commotion I think and now Gregori has the ascension mark.”

  Lealandra’s eyes shot wide and she tensed. It was as she had suspected. He had used her blood to trigger his ascension. With the supreme mages and half the coven helping him, there was a high chance he would survive. He had only taken her blood two days ago. His ascension couldn’t be close yet. The quickest one known had been five days from when the mark appeared to when the ascension was comple
te.

  “Your blood,” Taig said and she nodded. Isabelle looked lost.

  “Gregori sent two demons to take care of me and get my blood for him. I was so angry that, when the demons were dead, I went after Gregori. It was an idiotic thing to do. I thought he was weak but he was still stronger than me.” Lealandra sighed and wrapped her arms around herself, chilled by the haunting memory of where Gregori had sent her. “He took my blood. The power in it must have triggered his ascension, just as he’d wanted.”

  “We have to put an end to this, Lea.” The seriousness in Taig’s tone scared her on some level. It wasn’t like him to sound that way, not even when he was being serious. It hit home that she was still in danger. If Gregori ascended, she would be no match for him. His magic was older and more powerful.

  “Our only chance is to hit him now, before he ascends.”

  Taig nodded. “Tomorrow.”

  “Why not today?” Isabelle said, fear lacing her trembling voice. Lealandra knew that she had never been involved in the kind of battle that was going to take place.

  Neither had she.

  But she wasn’t afraid of it or Gregori, not anymore. She had to face him and this battle so she could survive and continue to live her life. So she could be with Taig.

  “Lea needs to rest. You showed up barely minutes after her ascension completed. She isn’t strong enough right now and I’m not letting her go into a fight when she’s weak, not again.” The resolve behind Taig’s words brought a smile to Lealandra’s lips. He really did want to protect her. He really did love her. He didn’t need to say it for her to know, and she knew it was the same for him.

  He smiled at her, cocksure and confident, typical Taig. The smirk suited him. The affection that shone in his eyes suited him even better though. That look could melt her. It warmed her heart to boiling point and weakened her knees. It was more powerful than any of his sultry gazes and seductive smiles.

  “We’ll come tomorrow,” she said to Isabelle, aware of Taig’s gaze on her. “Were you due back at the coven tonight?”

  Isabelle nodded.

  “Go as planned. Return and act as though you don’t know what’s happening. Tell the others that we’re coming and we won’t let Gregori harm them. I’ll take care of him.”

  Isabelle looked nervous. Lealandra took hold of her hand and squeezed it.

  “It will be fine. I promise. I’ll come tomorrow night and finish this.”

  Isabelle nodded again and then rose from the couch. “I’m not a good actor.”

  “You don’t need to be,” Taig said and stepped away from the wall. “Just be yourself, kiddo. If Gregori frightens you, be frightened. Remember that you’re not supposed to know anything.”

  She toyed with her long sleeves and walked to the door. Lealandra followed her and then pulled her into a hug.

  “You’ll be fine.” Lealandra held her close, closing her eyes and hoping that she would. “I’ll be there tomorrow night. Just stay with the others until then.”

  She felt Isabelle nod and then the young woman squeezed her. “Don’t be late.”

  Lealandra nodded this time. She wouldn’t fail her friend. She opened the door for her and Taig moved closer, coming to lean against the post at the corner of the kitchen nearest the living room. Awareness washed over Lealandra. She felt his hunger and her own need rose in response as his gaze roamed down her back and she itched to look at him, to touch him and feel his hard body against hers.

  Isabelle gave her a little wave. She absently returned it and then closed the door. The second it clicked shut, she raised her hand and all the locks slid into place.

  She cursed Taig for distracting her throughout her whole time with Isabelle. The young woman had deserved her full attention but it had been impossible with Taig standing there half-naked, temptation personified, making her want him.

  She turned to face him, pressed her hands against his chest, and shoved him into the post.

  He grinned at her.

  She kissed him.

  CHAPTER 22

  Taig pushed Lealandra backwards, tightly grasping her upper arms. His chest heaved as he breathed and her gaze jumped to it, drinking in the sight of his taut muscles shifting under bronzed skin. He was gorgeous and she needed to feel his body on hers again. She tried to kiss him but his arms locked, holding her at a distance.

  “Now who’s the insatiable one?” He grinned at her, the smile touching his dark eyes and making them shine. She smiled back at him, a little embarrassed about the way she was behaving. When they had been together, there had been times when she had taken control and initiated things, like when they had been sunbathing, but those had been few and far between. Normally Taig had triggered their lustful interludes. He touched her cheek and grinned wider. “Not that I’m complaining, sweet cheeks. Always did like it when you played rough… just wasn’t expecting it when company only just walked out the door… and when we’ve got a fight tomorrow.”

  “We never could keep our hands off each other after a fight… how about we start a new tradition?” Lealandra stepped towards him and he let her this time, his grip on her loosening. His black gaze fell to her mouth and he watched it in evident fascination as she spoke. “Preparation sex.”

  Taig quirked an eyebrow. “It sounds like a cream you put on something nasty.”

  She giggled. He was right about that but coming up with names for their trysts had never been her forte. Taig was far superior at it. He stared at her. She stared back. Waiting.

  “Don’t look at me.” He shrugged. “The big head isn’t doing the thinking right now.”

  Lealandra looked down at the bulge in the front of Taig’s tight black jeans. He was right. She smiled. Just her kiss had him hot and bothered. That was Taig. Always ready for anything, especially her.

  “Where were we?” he said with another grin and lightly ran his hands down her arms.

  “Let’s take it from the top.” She placed her hands against his biceps, held on to him, and teleported them both to the bedroom.

  Taig hit the bed first, collapsing onto it with her on top of him. His arms fell out at his sides and Lealandra pushed herself up so she was straddling his hips. The feel of his hard length pressing between her thighs made her ache to have him inside her.

  “God, the things you do to me,” she whispered and Taig frowned. She motioned across her mouth, pretending to zip it up. He never had liked it when she mentioned God, and he liked it even less if she mentioned the Devil. She ran her fingers over his chest, delighting in how perfect his body was, his strength and masculine beauty. “Mmm… you’re the only god I need.”

  With a growl, he rolled them over so he was on top. She giggled again when he thrust against her and pulled a face of discomfort.

  “Pinches,” he muttered in a tight voice and shifted backwards.

  No way was she going to let him leave her body for even five seconds. He was going to remain against her, just as she wanted him to. Lealandra snapped her fingers and Taig grinned when his jeans disappeared. Another snap of her fingers and the white bathrobe she had been wearing was gone.

  “Start at the top you said,” he whispered and then captured her lips in a searing kiss. She craned her neck, desperate for more, and thrust her tongue into his mouth. Taig ground against her. She moaned at the feel of his hard length rubbing her most sensitive area and the roughness of his kiss.

  Lealandra relaxed into the bed as he kissed her, her body turning lax. She submitted to him, enjoying how his fingers pressed into her sides, stopping her from moving, and the hunger she could feel in him. His power placated hers, sending it deep inside her, until she couldn’t feel it at all. She could only feel Taig and he felt divine.

  She gasped into his mouth when one of his hands left her side and came to rest over her breast. He thumbed her nipple until it hardened into a painful peak desperate for his attention and then kissed along her jaw. She arched her back, hoping to encourage him to go where she needed him
. She wanted to feel his mouth on her breasts, to have him suckling and teasing her nipples.

  He kissed down her chest and around her breasts, torturing her with anticipation. She moaned and threaded her fingers into his black hair, desperately trying to guide him. His other hand came up and covered her other breast, cupping it. The weight of it against her was nice but she needed more.

  He gave it to her.

  She tilted her head back when Taig pulled her right nipple into his mouth, rolling it with his tongue and then lightly biting. She groaned and raised her knees, clamping them down against his hips. He ground his erection against her, teasing her clit and tempting her into thrusting against him to bring herself satisfaction, and tugged on her nipple, sucking it harder. Sparks of pleasure shot out from it, cascading over her body, and she wrapped her arms around him and held him against her, rubbing herself against his hardness and losing herself inch by inch in the moment.

  Taig pulled back and she pouted before realising where he was going. She wriggled her hips and closed her eyes when he moved downwards, kissing a path from her breasts to her stomach.

  Lealandra spread her legs for him and wriggled again, showing him just where she wanted him.

  He pressed a kiss to the front of her curly mound and then tickled her with his fingers, tracing them down the length of her. She bit her lip when his fingers dipped in and then out, teasing and making her writhe. She needed more. He dipped in again, swirled his finger around her pert nub and then slid them downwards. She gasped and grabbed the sheets when he eased two fingers into her and began pumping slowly. Gods, she wanted his hard length inside her like that. She needed to feel him, needed to be one with him again. He moved inside her painfully slowly, taking her out of her mind. She tried to relax but couldn’t. Her muscles tensed around him and she sighed when he found the spot that would have her climaxing in no time.