One Breath

by Cheyenne McCray

  Sydney sighed. She’d rather stay in bed with Conlan.

  They showered together—and it was a wonder they made it out of the bathroom as hot as their shower turned out to be.

  When they finished, Sydney slipped into one of her lavender satin robes. It brushed her toes and caressed her body. With her magic, she dried her hair and smoothed it so that it lay straight, curving only slightly at her shoulders. She put on her glasses, which she had always been told looked elegant on her.

  One of the benefits of being D’Danann, was that Conlan had clothing spelled by the Fae to clean itself.

  All he had to do was murmur a few words in Gaelic, and his clothing was no longer covered in Fomorii blood—or sweat for that matter—and was mended as well. It was as if the clothing were new again.

  Maybe it was something about the magic that made him smell like he’d been flying in fresh forest breezes.

  She really had to get herself some of that clothing.

  He had left his tunic in her kitchen, so when they walked out of her bedroom, he was bare from the waist up. Mackenzie, Alyssa, and Cael were in her living room.

  “Didn’t realize you had such thin walls in this house,” Mackenzie said with a grin. Cael chuckled, and Alyssa hid her smile behind her hand.

  Dear Anu. They heard me scream Conlan’s name.

  Sydney was certain she turned five shades of red. “Where are Hawk and Silver?” she asked, doing her best to change the subject.

  Mackenzie replied, “Otherworld.” The pert blonde leaned back on Sydney’s cranberry-colored couch. Alyssa perched on the end of the love seat, and Cael relaxed in the recliner.

  “To bring back another warrior, I assume.” A heavy weight settled in Sydney’s belly at the thought of Ian’s death.

  Mackenzie’s smile faded. “Yeah, I imagine they won’t be gone long—probably back by morning. Silver took your car to Golden Gate Park to get to the gate to Otherworld. That way they can return faster once they cross worlds.”

  Sydney nodded. San Francisco’s famed park covered over one thousand acres with more than a million trees. Hidden deep in a meadow that only the D’Anu and Elementals knew about was a bridge, a gate to Otherworld.

  Only those of Elvin blood could pass through the gate, or escort someone across the worlds, and Silver was one quarter Elvin.

  A loud rumble rose from Sydney’s stomach, and Mackenzie grinned again. “I guess all that hard work...” she trailed off, leaving unsaid words hanging in the air.

  Sydney knew exactly what Mackenzie was talking about, and she was tempted to put cayenne in the witch’s dinner.

  Conlan stood silent beside Sydney, and when she glanced up at him, he looked down at her and he smiled that sexy playboy smile.

  She was such a goner.

  Throbbing in her arm woke Sydney the next morning and she groaned. Her head pounded, too. She hoped Silver was back and could brew up a pain remedy.

  The only witch who could outdo Silver was Cassia who was half-Elvin, and Cassia was in Otherworld right now. They were all descendants of the Ancient Druids and healed faster than normal humans. But it would still take some time.

  Sydney stumbled out of bed, naked, and looked back at the rumpled sheets. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. Conlan had spent the night with her and they had made love twice more.

  It had been so long since she had sex that she ached between her thighs, and her nipples were sensitive from Conlan’s attention to them.

  Sydney rubbed her eyes and staggered to the chair where she’d tossed her robe. She was worthless without her morning dose of caffeine, and the rich smell of coffee brewing in the kitchen called to her.

  She didn’t bother looking in the mirror. In the morning, before she had her coffee, she didn’t care what she looked like.

  Yawning, Sydney opened the door and padded out of her room and into the hallway. She came to a dead stop.

  A beautiful blonde woman wearing royal blue robes had her arms wrapped around Conlan’s neck.

  Her lips on his.

  “Come back,” the blonde said as she drew away. She trailed one of her fingers down his chest to the waistband of his pants. Emeralds glittered on every one of her fingers. “I cannot bear to be parted from you any longer. I need you in my arms again.”

  Ice coated Sydney’s skin and her heart. She could barely breathe. A strangled sound came from her throat, jerking Conlan’s and the woman’s attention to her. Sydney whirled and ducked back into her room.

  She shut the door, locked it, and sank to the floor with her back against the hard wood. She wrapped her arms around her knees and tilted her head so that her skull met the door. Her eyes were dry as she stared up at the ceiling, but her heart hurt.

  Conlan belonged to another woman, and he had screwed around on that woman.

  And, worst of all, Sydney had started to fall in love with him.

  * * *

  Conlan gave a low growl as he reached up and grasped Chaela’s wrists and pushed her away from him. His blood burned, knowing what Sydney must think of him at this moment.

  And what she thought of him mattered more than he wanted to admit.

  Chaela, the D’Danann High Chieftain, scowled and looked at the closed door behind which Sydney had vanished. “So, as soon as you leave my bed, you take a common witch?”

  “Return to your chair in the court, High Chieftain.” Conlan met her emerald eyes, which matched her rings. “You do not belong here. Nor do you belong in my bed.”

  “You will return.” Chaela straightened and lifted her chin. “Or you will be banished.”

  Conlan crossed his arms over his chest. “You would tell the other Chieftains to banish me because I will not go to bed with you any longer?”

  Chaela’s cheeks tinged pink. “You will not be allowed to return as you are disobeying a direct order from the High Chieftain. None would believe that I would bed a common warrior such as you. And you are far too honorable to bring it before the Council.”

  He studied her for a long moment. “You are angry for the moment, but I do not believe you to be petty.”

  Chaela clenched her fists, but then she relaxed her hands at her sides. Her chest rose and fell as she took a deep breath and her expression softened.

  She raised one hand and cupped his cheek. “I was wrong to send you away because we were seen together. I miss you.”

  Conlan caught her hand and drew it away from his face. “I respect you, Chaela, and I care for you but we can remain only friends. A friend you will not even acknowledge, as you did not when I bedded you.”

  “You know I could not and cannot.” She let her hand fall to her side. “I am the High Chieftain. I can consort only with the court and with Pleasure Partners. Not with a warrior.”

  “I know.” His voice softened. He took one of her hands in his. “Farewell, Chaela.”

  She blinked rapidly as if fighting tears. But her expression immediately tightened and she bowed from her shoulders. “May you have fortune in your quest to find the eye.”

  “I thank you.” He returned her bow.

  Chaela gave him one last look, and with a swish of her robes walked from the hallway and to the living room.

  Conlan raked his fingers through his hair and stared at the door to Sydney’s room. What she had heard and seen—she must think him the worst of bastards in all the Otherworlds.

  He moved to the door, pressed his forehead to it, closed his eyes, and projected his words in mind-speak. “Please let me in, Sydney. I would like to explain."

  A moment and then he heard the click of the lock. He raised his head as Sydney opened the door. She looked rumpled from sleep and tired and absolutely beautiful. But something more was in her lavender eyes.

  Before he could speak a word, she said, “I heard everything, Conlan.” She took a deep breath. “I didn’t mean to listen at first, but I was sitting by the door. Now I understand that woman was your sex partner, but she’s not anymore.”


  He smiled and pushed the door open wider so he could take her in his arms. “Thank you.”

  She backed away, avoiding him. When she looked up, her eyes were misty. “I can’t do this.”

  Conlan went still and his smile faded. He was afraid to breathe. “What do you mean?”

  “You. Me. Sex.” She raised her arms and let them drop to her sides. “The world is wrong. My life is wrong. And I can’t run to sex to heal that.”

  He firmed his expression and gave a low nod, his muscles aching from being so tense. Apparently he meant nothing more to her than sex.

  “As you wish,” he said in a tight voice. He turned and walked out the door, shutting it behind him, perhaps harder than he should have.

  Sydney stared at the closed door, her eyes aching to cry. But that wasn’t going to happen. His easy acceptance of what she’d told him made it clear that he was what she had expected. A playboy. She meant no more to him than that woman, Chaela, had. The warrior just wanted sex.

  She sucked in a deep breath. There was no time for this kind of crap. They had a warlock and a god’s eye to find.

  After plenty of caffeine and a shower to wake up, Sydney settled herself at the large oak table in her dining room with Silver, Mackenzie, and Alyssa.

  The three other witches seemed just as jumpy and unsettled as Sydney felt.

  The High Chieftain had been escorted back to Otherworld, along with the warrior she had brought with the intention of substituting him for Conlan. Another D’Danann, Darian, had been left behind to take Ian’s place.

  Sydney held her coffee cup in both hands. Its warmth did nothing to thaw the ice in her veins that formed just by thinking about the task ahead. Chaos stirred at her feet as he tried to give her some comfort with his magic.

  The four witches had their divining tools before them, and were going to attempt to locate Darkwolf again. This time they would stay together, rather than breaking the city up into quadrants like they had before.

  All four D’Danann were in the living room, working out strategies while they waited. The witches had chased them out of the dining room so they’d have fewer distractions when they performed their divinations.

  “Why did I find him so easily?” Sydney stared into her mug, the lighting reflecting off the coffee in its depths. She looked up. “Every other time, when all eight of us have been together, we’ve never been able to find him. Why now?”

  Silver’s heavy fall of hair slid across her shoulders as she shook her head. “I don’t get it either, unless your power has grown that strong.”

  Sydney thumped her cup onto the table. “I’m a powerful witch—we all are. But I don’t think I’m that powerful.”

  “Don’t sell yourself short,” Mac said as Sydney turned to stare outside.

  Late morning sunshine spilled into the dining room through the bay window that overlooked Sydney’s garden. Unfortunately, she hadn’t been able to tend it since the battle against the Underworld demons had begun before Samhain. If the war didn’t end soon, she was probably going to miss planting season.

  A smile almost creased her face at the thought of gardening, but instantly her mind clouded again. Too many people had already died because of the demons and the evil goddess from Underworld.

  She had to focus and remain focused. And that included keeping her mind off a certain warrior.

  Sydney clenched her hands around her coffee cup, and clenched her teeth just as hard. “Everything’s wrong,” she muttered as her thoughts grew darker. “All wrong.”

  “This will end.” Alyssa’s soft voice drew Sydney’s attention to her. “And I believe we will win this war.”

  Sydney sighed. The only other sound was Mackenzie shuffling her tarot cards. Chaos moved and settled himself on Sydney’s feet.

  “I pray to Anu and the Ancestors you’re right.” Sydney reached for the dragon incense burner. She lit the cone of patchouli incense that would help serve as protection during their divinations.

  Against all their lives, against everything they knew to be, the clock was ticking. Sydney could feel it in her mind and heart. They had to find Darkwolf now.

  Mackenzie started divining by placing tarot cards in a circle spread in front of her. As she turned the cards she frowned. “Why is the news always leaning against us?”

  A tightening sensation gripped Sydney’s belly.

  After studying the cards a little longer, Mackenzie looked up. “If anything about Darkwolf can be called good news, we are going to find him. Bad news is there’s going to be a whole lot of trouble along with him.”

  Okay, good. They were going to find Darkwolf. The eight of them could take him and the demon-woman.

  Sydney’s shoulders remained tense, though. What about that other trouble Mackenzie was talking about?

  When it was her turn, Alyssa took a deep breath. Using a wooden matchstick, she lit her candle, which was purple for psychic work and lilac scented for clairvoyance. She blew out the match, leaving behind a hint of sulfur. For a long time Alyssa stared into the dancing flame.

  “I can see Darkwolf—and the eye.” She shuddered. “Somewhere near water. Maybe on water. Underwater?”

  “Anything else?” Silver rubbed Alyssa’s back with her palm. Alyssa had always been the most sensitive of the eight witches in the gray magic Coven.

  “The eye—it’s shrouded.” Alyssa tilted her head. “As if covered with lilac silk.”

  Sydney nodded. “It was very strange when we met with Darkwolf and saw the eye. It was surrounded by what appeared to be his purple magic.” She looked at all the others. “I think he’s hiding from Balor.”

  “I wonder why?” Silver had a thoughtful look on her face as she tapped her fingernails on the table. “Is there some other plan he has for it?”

  Something Sydney remembered the Fomorii saying before they walked into the hotel kitchen came to mind, and she put her palms flat on the table as she looked at the other witches. “The demons—they were looking for Junga and Darkwolf.” She shook her head. “Not for us.” Mackenzie frowned. “How do you know that?”

  “One of the demons said something about Darkwolf and Junga possibly already knowing the Fomorii were there,” Sydney said, the memory coming to her more clearly now.

  “That’s right.” Silver looked at Sydney. “Maybe Darkwolf didn’t set us up. Maybe we were just at the wrong place at the wrong time.”

  “I don’t know.” Mackenzie wore a skeptical expression. “I don’t trust him for any reason.”

  “I’d better go next.” Sydney struck a match on the small matchbox and held her palm close to the flame as she lit the candles in front of her. The heat was warm against her skin. After she blew the match out, the sulfur smell was replaced by the scents of blueberry from the blue candle for protection. She also took Alyssa’s purple, lilac-scented candle and a black, patchouli-scented candle for protection and removing bad luck.

  Chaos stirred. He stood and put his head on Sydney’s lap, and she felt the power of his magic join hers.

  Sydney drew in a deep breath before she picked up the black candle. Her injured arm ached as she tilted the candle over her silver bowl of consecrated water and dripped the wax into it. She frowned at the cloud that formed from the black wax. She set the candle down then dripped wax from the purple candle. It developed into the shape of a lion. Also not good. Last she dribbled wax from the blue candle and a snake formed.

  Just great.

  She set the candle down and continued to stare at the shapes. Her eyes unfocused and the shapes began to move.

  In the patterns in the water she saw Balor.

  The god’s heartbeat began to pound inside her head and she wanted to scream.

  When she could tear her gaze from the vision, she fought to thrust the pounding sound from her head. She looked at her Coven sisters and she cleared her throat.

  “The usual as far as trouble brewing and to be on guard against an enemy. That enemy is definitely Balor.” Her stomach
churned. “The one-eyed god is close. Very close to the eye.”

  Everyone was quiet until Silver said, “Let’s finish up so we can figure out what to do now.” Silver brushed her hands on her jeans.

  Silver usually wore short skirts and heels, but the time for that had passed now that they were at war. Sydney herself used to wear only fitted jackets and skirts or nice dress slacks. But for the time being they’d pretty much all gone to wearing black from head to toe, like the D’Danann, but in jeans, T-shirts, and jogging shoes.

  Silver gripped the edge of her pewter cauldron and peered inside. The cauldron was filled with consecrated water. Sometimes Silver would see visions in the placid surface, and other times three-dimensional images would rise from the water.

  This time the water remained silent to those around the table. Silver’s mouth twisted into a frown as she gazed into the cauldron.

  When she raised her head, she looked a little pale. “I saw Darkwolf and the Dark Elves. Something is up with him and the Drow.” Silver’s throat worked as she swallowed. “Sydney is correct. Balor is close to Darkwolf and the eye.”

  Silver looked directly at Alyssa. “You’re right about him being close to water. And I believe I know exactly where he is.”

  10

  The eye was close now. He could sense it.

  Balor felt his way along the sewer. In some places the bricks of the walls crumbled beneath his palms. After living in Underworld for centuries without his eye, he was used to feeling his way around, always in the dark.

  But he was sick of it. He had manipulated Darkwolf all these years through the essence in the stone eye to escape that detestable existence. Balor and his wife had drawn the once-white witch to the eye where it had surfaced on the shores of Ireland. The moment the witch touched the eye he had transformed into Darkwolf, the most powerful warlock who served Balor.

  At Balor’s bidding, Darkwolf had worn the stone eye on a chain around his neck. Through the essence of the eye, Balor had twisted Darkwolf’s mind, brought the darkness to him. The warlock had performed blood sacrifices, murdered, and used all forms of dark sorcery at Balor’s commands.