The Responsible Witch (The Ward Witches)

by Lauren McMinn

"One thing I've been wondering about is how you and Leo view our living situation."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Leo and I bought this place years ago when we were convinced we'd never marry. I've been half meaning to talk to you about it since you did marry Leo. Are you comfortable with living with me and Gage, even with your babies on the way?"

  Skylar gave her a genuine smile. "I like it, really. You've got the east wing, and we've got the west, so it's not like we can hear you when we're up in our bedroom, and we all have plenty of room. I can cook for everyone, and when there's more people around, it's more likely I'll have someone to talk to in the evenings. It'll be easier to hijack you or Gage as a babysitter if it comes to that. But most of all, I've thought of you as my sister since I married Leo. I didn't have a sister growing up, and I've really enjoyed having one now. It's not a typical situation for two families to live in one house like this, but it seems to work well for us, so why change it?"

  "Sure. I'm touched that you've thought of me as a sister." Dymphna really was. She hadn't acted in a way to necessarily justify that, but she was very complimented.

  "Well, with the way you and Leo have always been so close, and by living together, I feel more like you're my sister by choice and not just a sister-in-law. And I will definitely admit that it'll be nice to raise kids around you and Gage. You are a good person, and you will make a good role model. Not to mention that you're a water witch who could heal them if they got hurt, and you can occasionally babysit. If you and Gage decide to have children, they'll have even more family around. With a family like the Wards, it's best to keep us all together."

  "Thank you, Skylar. I'm really touched. I haven't been nearly as good of a sister as you have been, but I'm going to change that."

  "I'd hoped that you'd come around, and I figured I'd just be patient. Don't worry about what happened in the past; I just want to have a great relationship with you going forward."

  "You're a little bit too sweet, Skylar. Someone might take advantage of that."

  "People have, over the years. But I bounce back pretty well."

  Dymphna laughed. "That's good to hear. On that note, I'm going to go take a shower and get dressed."

  "Sure. I was going to look over my manual for Gage to work on later."

  Her heart greatly lighter, Dymphna even hummed in the shower. By the time she was done, Gage was also awake. He was sinfully sexy, and it struck her again that she'd gotten awfully lucky.

  "Good morning, sweetheart," he greeted her with a special smile.

  "Good morning."

  "How did you sleep?"

  "I slept really well. How about you?"

  "The same. You wore me out last night."

  "Good. Skylar's downstairs waiting to use you as a guinea pig again today."

  "Oh good. The sooner I know how to use my magic, the better. I've been thinking about my capture. I can't remember the time right before, and I don't know how they got me, especially in such a way that I would leave my wallet and phone behind. But it seems likely that if they're doing that that they might be regrouping elsewhere as well. I need to be prepared to fight back if they come after me or the Coven again. He's my brother, even though I never knew him, and I feel a certain amount of responsibility in taking him out."

  "I understand. I think I'd feel the same in your position."

  "I'm glad you understand. I'll be down in a few minutes."

  Dymphna decided to take a moment and call Jackie and Maria. They'd be in the office, and hopefully they weren't too busy to chat. Jackie answered the phone first.

  "Hey Jackie, it's Dymphna."

  "I had almost forgotten what your voice sounded like."

  "It hasn't been that long."

  "No, it hasn't. But it feels like a long time. How are you enjoying your sabbatical?"

  "There's actually been a lot going on. I've always said that Melanie seems to have a sense for predicting the needs of the future, and my sabbatical started at nearly the same time as I met someone."

  "I never seem to think of you as a witch, and then you make a statement like that. But you said you'd met someone. Did you actually go on a date? Is the world ending?"

  "You're always so dramatic. The world's not ending, no, and I haven't really been on a date with him except when we went shopping."

  "You went shopping? You don't shop, and you certainly don't shop with a man. Tell me all about him."

  "I don't know if I told you about how I've avoided dating partially because a witch can only bond with one person whose magic is tuned in to hers."

  "I vaguely recall something like that, but I think I dismissed it as an excuse."

  "Well it's true. Gage is that man for me, and so now we're married."

  The line went dead. Dymphna even checked her cell phone display to see if the call had dropped or something, but it hadn't. Finally, "You got married?"

  "Yes. I may not talk about it much, but as you said, I am a witch, and that means that I do certain things as a witch, like getting married."

  "You can say that again. So what's his name? What's your last name now, for that matter?"

  "His name is Gage, and for various reasons, he took my last name, so we're both Wards." She really didn't want to talk about the Dark Order, the struggle with them, or blood magic. The positive PR for witches needed to stand, and so they needed to cover up the fact that a contingent of witches was sacrificing people. They really needed to stop them, but at least hide it for now.

  "Don't make me pull teeth here. Tell me about him."

  "He's great, Jackie. He's thoughtful and considerate, and he has no problem moving to Boston to be with me. He's even got a good relationship with his mom."

  "I've always told you that the relationship with his mother is a good indication of a man's character."

  "You did. He's tall, and he's got the warmest brown eyes."

  "I'm happy for you. And I'm happy that I got to hear all this before Maria did. Hah! She chose the wrong time to go to the bathroom. So can we meet Mr. Wonderful?"

  "Sure. I know it's a Monday, so you've probably got all kinds of work to do this evening..."

  "Ah, I can blow it off for a little bit. Since you've been gone, we haven't been taking as many new clients. It's hard to keep up with your pace. So we should be able to do dinner tonight if you're offering."

  "I think it will work. I'll have to check with Gage to be sure, but I think dinner tonight should be fine."

  "Alright then. Check with your man and call us back. I'll take the liberty of updating Maria on what she missed."

  Dymphna laughed. "She's going to be so pissed you got to know first."

  "Yes she will, and I'm going to love it. Talk to you later."

  "Bye."

  Dymphna was still chuckling when Gage came out of the bathroom. But since he came out only wearing a towel, the laugh died in her throat, turning to a strangled noise.

  "I heard you on the phone. Is everything alright?"

  Dymphna had to make a conscious effort to look up from the hand holding his towel in place to his face. "Yes, everything is fine. I called my partners at the firm to check in and tell them about you."

  "And what did they think?"

  "The one I talked to, Jackie, was flabbergasted. Of all the news she thought she'd hear, a marriage wasn't on the list. She wants to do dinner tonight, the four of us. I told her I'd ask you how you felt."

  "I think that sounds great. I'd like to meet your friends. And I appreciate you asking, thank you."

  He turned around and started looking for clothes. He let the towel drop, and Dymphna inhaled sharply. His gaze turned back on her and he gave her a devilish grin. "Should I make Skylar wait a while longer before we get started?"

  She was torn. After all, they couldn't spend all day in bed, but he was so hot, and she wanted him. He walked over and smoothed a curl of hair away from her face, brushing along her cheek and jaw on the way. Despite the evidence that he wanted as much as sh
e did, and was naked to boot, he was gentle and looked deeply into her eyes. She couldn't resist that, and she stood up to drag his mouth down for her kisses. He was noticeably taller, so he had to stoop down to get to her level. He pushed her down against the bed again at her back, his bare front to her clothes.

  Gage reached for the hem of her shirt, but she pushed his hands away. "Get on your back," she whispered. Thankfully, he obeyed. "From what I've read, men like this kind of thing. Let me know how I do." She positioned herself in front of him and drew his erection into her mouth, sucking it in tightly. He groaned and fell back against the bed.

  "Good lord, woman."

  Since he certainly sounded like he was enjoying it, she continued. Dymphna attempted to devour him, starting with the part she had in her mouth, licking and sucking on it. By his moans, he approved wholeheartedly. He pushed her away eventually, saying "Get undressed, and fast." By the look in his eye as he went for the box of condoms, she'd better obey. She dropped her clothes as quickly as possible, and it almost wasn't fast enough when he came over and turned her to face the bed. He gently pushed her to lean over the bed, and she held her breath in anticipation of what he was going to do.

  Sure enough, he took hold of her hips and pushed into her from behind. Dymphna gasped at the different angle. It felt great, and she pushed back against him. Gage wasn't gentle, but she didn't want gentle right then. She wanted him, and she liked that he lost his control when he was with her. It made her feel powerful, not to mention the wonderful fullness of him inside her. Then, without warning, she came, and hard. She cried out, and he thrust one last time on a growl.

  Gage disposed of the condom and came back to sit on the bed next to her. "How did you learn how to do that? That was amazing."

  "The internet, and thank you."

  "I don't think I've ever been so grateful for the internet. And I liked watching your ass as I took you from behind. That was sexy."

  "I liked it too. A lot. But we'd better get dressed. I imagine Skylar's wondering what's taking us so long."

  Gage shot her a look with his raised eyebrow. "I think she knows exactly what's taking so long."

  Dymphna laughed. "I guess that's the downside to living with other people." She started putting her clothes back on, watching Gage do the same. "How do you feel about it? You know, living with Leo and Skylar?"

  "I think it's good for all of us. We all have the opportunity to be around more people, and there's plenty of space here for everyone."

  "That's about what Skylar said when I asked her about it this morning. I was worried that particularly with the babies coming she'd want to have her own space. But she said that she likes having me as a sister and likes having me around here. That certainly made me feel good."

  "That's great. And Skylar and Leo are good people."

  "Indeed they are. Now go downstairs and help her out."

  Dymphna cleaned up her makeup and followed him down.

  Downstairs, Gage smiled back at Skylar's grin. "You made Dymphna happy this morning."

  "That's good. She's been different since she met you, and it's a good thing. She seems happier all around."

  "I'm glad to hear it. This morning, I had a thought about the book."

  Skylar perked up. 'What do you think? I know you had a hard time figuring it out."

  "I think that, except in the rare cases, most people will know about the meditation and the beginnings of working magic from their childhood. Most people will have had a parents or a mentor to teach them. So, if I were writing the book, I'd start with the assumption that people have had that basic training. I'd concentrate on more advanced spells, techniques, and advice on how to use your magic better. That would save space in the book, and most people wouldn't need that part anyway. And if it's hard for me to learn it, you'll likely have the same problem with most people who try it with just the words and pictures in the book."

  Skylar gave the thought careful consideration. He could practically see the wheels turning in her mind. "You know, you're right. You and I didn't have any experience, but most people would. If we make the assumption that people like you and me can find a mentor for the first part of their training, I can concentrate on the kinds of hints and tricks that I've been getting in my email from witches across the country. I like it. The question then is what we're going to do about your training if we're not doing it from the book."

  "You have mentioned that it's mostly done through mentors. Can you mentor me?"

  "Perhaps. The way mentors are chosen is through a magical sync evaluation, similar to how we know our bond-mate. I'll reach out to you with my magic, and if we connect, we'll work together. If not, I'll send you over to the Coven House to find someone to mentor you."

  "Alright. What do you need me to do?"

  "Just stand still. You'll feel it if it's right."

  Gage felt Skylar reaching for her magic, and he felt her push a little bit of it to him, from the center of her magic in her chest to his in his chest. He felt warm, but not uncomfortably so, and he relaxed.

  "Looks like we got lucky, and you and I can work together. Since we are bonded to siblings, it makes sense that our magic would be similar enough to hold for a mentor-student relationship. We'll just have to find mentors for you in the other areas from the Coven House."

  "OK. So what do we do now?"

  "Now we go back outside to the fire pit, and I'm going to teach you how to make and throw fireballs."

  "Watch that you don't use too much magic!" Dymphna called from the living room. Apparently she was eavesdropping as well as playing Skyrim.

  Skylar laughed. "I'd hate for my midwife to get angry, so I'll be careful."

  "Good. And we're going to be going out for dinner tonight with my partners at work."

  "Alright. Thanks for letting me know."

  Skylar set up a practice ring, and she showed him how to conjure a fireball. He kept practicing, again and again, until she was convinced he had it right and could manage to change the size and power easily. By then it was time to adjourn for lunch anyway.

  "I'll show you how to cook with magic another day because today I'd better take it easy so my water witch doesn't have as much to do tonight," she said with a wink at Dymphna.

  Dymphna's response was cut off by Gage's phone ringing. He didn't recognize the number, but it was a Boston area code.

  "Hello?"

  "It's Leo. I don't have long to talk, but I had an idea about how to understand my sister better, and I think you should know."

  Gage ignored the questioning looks from the two women and walked into the living room. "Please, tell me."

  "You need to get her to take you to the cemetery to visit Martha. She won't like it, but I wouldn't say that name unless she needed to hear it. If she's as open and honest as I hope she will be, you'll definitely gain some insight into why D acts the way she does."

  "I'll do it. Thank you for the advice."

  "Sure. I can tell my twin needs someone like you, and I'm going to help her in any way I can." The line went dead, and Gage considered the phone carefully. Why would they need to go to a cemetery to visit a lady named Martha? If it was going to get that reaction from Leo, it must be important, but it probably would be painful for Dymphna. But if Leo thought it needed to be done, he was likely right. To be safe, he programmed Leo's number into the phone as he returned to the kitchen.

  "What was that about?" Skylar asked.

  "That was Leo. He had a message for Dymphna. He wants you to bring me to the cemetery to visit Martha."

  Dymphna's beautiful face froze, almost in fear or something, and then turned dark. "I can't believe he brought that up. With you, nonetheless." Her anger was so abruptly aroused that it was almost a physical entity in the room. Skylar stayed quiet, looking down so she wouldn't be part of this conversation.

  "He said he wouldn't say it if it wasn't important. I think we should take his advice." He came over closer to her and picked up her hand, smoothing his th
umb across the palm. "Honey, I want to be a great husband for you, and if this will help me understand how to do that better, I think we should go." He met her eyes. "If it's painful, we'll get through it together. But I also trust Leo to know what you need."

  Her anger was gone as quickly as it had come, and she looked drawn and weary. She sighed and dropped her eyes. "I hate it, but you're right. I trust Leo as well, and if he thinks you need to know about Martha, you probably do."

  Gage kissed her forehead. "When do you want to go?"

  "We'll go now. There's no use in delaying what needs to happen. Thank you for lunch, Skylar."

  "You're welcome. I'll see you two later. I've got some work to do in consideration of Gage's modifications to the book anyway."

  As they went to get their coats and shoes on, Dymphna was silent. He wasn't sure if it was ominous or if she just didn't have anything to say. She didn't seem as mad, but he wasn't sure if resigned was any better.

  She kept silent as they got in the car and drove about twenty minutes to the cemetery, making a short stop to buy flowers. After she parked, she had no problem finding the grave she was looking for, which indicated to him that she'd been here plenty often. the marble headstone read "Martha Givens" and "Beloved Wife and Mother."

  Dymphna lay the flowers down and stepped back. "Hello, Martha. This is my husband Gage. It's been a while since I've come, but I haven't forgotten you." She turned to him, her heart in her eyes. "Martha was my mentor. She was a great mentor and role model for me, and she taught me most of what I know about water magic. She was always very compassionate, and she wasn't afraid to go the distance for a person who was sick or injured.

  "But when I was seventeen, her son was in a fire. It was an accident because someone in his apartment building had left the stove on. His fire alarm didn't work for some reason, and he died before the firefighters could get there. He was just barely twenty one at the time, and his death devastated her. She had lost her husband a few years earlier, and she had only barely recovered from that. But either way, a year later on the anniversary of the fire, she hit a depth of depression that sent her walking into the lake. It was the same lake my mother killed herself in, and, also like my mother, Martha used her water magic to force water into her lungs so she would drown faster.