Turning, she strode back to her lover. Mikayla expected something dramatic, a declaration of love, a passionate kiss, anything. But instead the woman raised her hand. She traced her fingers over his features in a light touch, as if memorizing his face.
“I wish you had chosen differently,” she whispered.
Rising on her tiptoes she brushed her lips over his in a chaste kiss before turning to stride back to the portal. This time she didn’t hesitate when she reached the rip and strode boldly forward into the darkness.
When she vanished from view, Ciar twisted his hand in the air. The portal closed with a last burst of magic that made Mikayla flinch.
The dark power gradually faded from the air but Ciar didn’t move, staring at the spot where he had severed the last ties to his home.
Mikayla stepped forward until she was at his side.
“Ciar?” she asked, touching his arm.
With a sigh he tilted his head up to the sky, running a hand down his face.
“I thought I told you not to interfere,” he told her.
Anger blossomed in her chest. “Sorry for not wanting you to become a shish-kabob, you ungrateful bastard.”
Mikayla spun away, intent on leaving him. Ciar grabbed her before she could take a step and spun her back into his arms.
“Thank you,” he whispered before his mouth crashed down on hers.
He kissed her with burning desperation. All she could do was grip his shoulder and try to weather the onslaught of his passion. He pulled her close, crushing her in a tight embrace. The movement forced a cry of pain from her. Immediately he released her, eying the bloodstains on her arm.
“You’re wounded.”
“We won,” Mikayla replied. “That’s what matters.”
He leaned closer to inspect her wound. “You’re quite the warrior.”
Mikayla grinned, pride filling her at the compliment. “Being around you tends to bring out the battle instinct in me.”
Instead of twinkling, Ciar’s eyes darkened. “Yes,” he murmured but there was no happiness in his voice. “I put you in danger.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“My family is vengeful,” he murmured. “Who knows what other messes I’ll drag you into.”
“I think I’ve done my share of dragging you into crazy situations,” she replied. “We’ll call it even.”
“Yes,” he mused. “Why am I back to normal now?”
“I—” Mikayla hesitated, a blush staining her cheeks.
“You know what I think?” Ciar asked. “My ability to stay in my true form was tried to my attraction. The more I felt, the longer I stayed this way. And then when Rouke attacked, I changed completely. I think your spell hinged on a far more intimate resolution than you let on.”
Mikayla swallowed hard. “Do you love Alina?” she whispered. “You changed back when Rouke attacked her.”
“And you,” he murmured.
She nodded, hardly daring to hope. “And me.”
Ciar reached out to tug a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. His gaze dropped to her arm once more. “What can I say, Mikayla?” he asked her softly. “How can I tell you I’ve never been as enraged as I was when Rouke threatened you? How can I say the words I know you want to hear when it would be too cruel to speak them?”
“Why?”
He shook his head, regret in his eyes. “Because we can’t be together. Tonight proved that.”
A chill settled over her. “That’s not true,” she tried to argue. “We defeated Rouke. I think that proves we can handle anything that comes our way.”
“Open your eyes,” he demanded. “I nearly got you killed tonight. Do you think Rouke will leave me alone? I come with powerful enemies, ones who won’t hesitate to use the people I care about to hurt me.”
“I can fight with you.”
“But I never want you to have to,” he growled to her. “You deserve a bright, happy life with a man who won’t draw you into bloody battles. I’m a demon, Mikayla. That will never change. My family, my heritage, hell, even my powers are dangerous to you. Look how you reacted to my magic. You should be running from me as fast as you can.”
“That will never happen,” she said.
“I could hurt you.”
“Never.”
“You don’t know the future.”
“I’ll take the risk.”
Ciar smiled at her determination but the expression on his face broke her heart. Looking at him, she knew without a doubt this was not a fight she would win. Despite whatever he felt for her, she wasn’t going to convince him to stay.
“I won’t,” he told her. “Your life is the one thing I will never gamble on.” He leaned down and kissed her. It was gentle but scared her more than anything he had said. The tender touch told her goodbye.
He drew back and, with a last lingering look at her, turned and walked away.
“Ciar,” Mikayla called, unable to believe it could end like this.
But he never paused.
Before her eyes, he walked out of her life.
Chapter Ten
“Bastard.”
Wyn looked up from the teacup in her hands. “She’s muttering to herself again.”
“Leave her alone,” Tamsyn sighed, easing into a chair while careful not to jostle her bandaged hand.
Mikayla glanced at her sisters, remembering what she’d seen when she’d come home three days ago. Wyn had been crumpled, unconscious, by the stairs in a pool of blood and Tamsyn had fractured her wrist and broken two ribs. Neither sister was happy with the fact Alina’s magic had overpowered them.
“Damn demon magic. Why did no one ever warn us?” Wyn complained.
“I’d imagine it’s a closely guarded secret, considering the damage no forewarning can do,” Tamsyn, ever the voice of reason, pointed out.
Mikayla tapped her fingers on the chair’s arm, staring at her sisters. The first night she’d come home she’d been desolate. But as the hours had passed, her anger had grown steadily hotter.
“Well, I for one am glad our house is demon free,” Wyn said.
Tamsyn tossed a pillow at her. “She didn’t mean it, Mikayla.”
“Did too,” Wyn muttered.
“He’s wrong,” Mikayla said, shifting to accommodate her wounded arm, bound in its sling.
Wyn glanced at Tamsyn with an arched brow. “See? She won’t stop the muttering.”
“Ciar thinks he’s too dangerous for me? I’ll fry him.”
“I think we need to reset her brain,” Wyn said with a sigh.
Tamsyn leaned forward. “Mikayla, you need a plan.”
“He doesn’t want me.”
“I seriously doubt it,” Tamsyn said.
“Stop helping her,” Wyn snapped.
“Be more supportive,” her sister retorted. “Kay, show him you can handle him. Danger and all.”
Mikayla’s tapping sped up. “How do you expect me to convince him I’m not intimidated by him? He won’t believe me.”
“Sure, when you told him,” Tamsyn pointed out. “Show him instead.”
Mikayla’s tapping fingers stopped. “I think I have an idea.”
Wyn dropped her head back on the chair’s edge. “Brilliant,” she groaned. “This will end well.”
* * * * *
The Black Cat was more crowded than normal but Ciar barely noticed the people milling around him. He’d come tonight to try to put the past behind him. His lips curved in a self-deprecating smile. He knew well enough that there was no putting Mikayla behind him. Not ever. But that didn’t change the fact that he was a danger to her.
The memory of her blood-soaked arm filled his mind. Mikayla might have tried to put on a brave front but he’d seen the pain in her eyes. Pain he’d caused.
Ciar rubbed a hand over his jaw. He’d made the right call. He knew his family would never leave him alone. Not completely. He refused to put Mikayla in the line of fire just because he was selfish enough to
want her by his side. Walking out of her life was the kindest thing he’d ever done.
Who would have thought that he, a demon second in line to be a Clan Lord, would be brought so low by a witch? A tempting, maddening, irresistible witch.
I’ve got it bad, he thought with a shake of his head. And he had a sneaking suspicion this wasn’t an infatuation he’d grow out of.
“Maybe I should move,” he sighed.
The warlock at his side glanced at him with wide eyes, no doubt worried that Ciar had been attempting to talk to him.
Ciar smiled coolly and the man slipped off the barstool before disappearing into the crowd. Yes, that was how people should react to him.
It was his own fault he couldn’t stop dreaming of the one woman who never had.
* * * * *
When Mikayla and her sisters entered the Cat she paid no attention to the pressing crowd. There was only one man she’d come to see.
And there he was, leaning against the bar with an untouched pint of beer beside him. She bit her lip as she watched him. He looked like he always did. As if the events of the past week hadn’t touched him at all.
If they truly hadn’t, she was about to make a fool of herself.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Tamsyn whispered.
“Because if you don’t, let’s head to the drugstore. I need more painkillers,” Wyn added, wincing as she leaned against the wall.
Mikayla didn’t reply. Instead she steeled her resolve and strode forward. She wove through the throng of merry dancers. Ciar’s gaze was on the crowd and not once did he glance in her direction. Which was exactly what she wanted. No use giving him any time to prepare.
When she appeared by his side, Ciar’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Hi, Ciar,” she said.
Before he could reply Mikayla grabbed the beer by his side and tossed it in his face.
The music died as everyone in the bar froze, their attention on the beer-soaked demon and the witch who had dared to attack him in public.
Mikayla watched drops of alcohol trickle down his face. His jaw clenched as the liquid soaked into his black shirt. Slowly he raised a hand to wipe his face clean.
She tossed the empty glass to a startled werewolf. “Idiot,” she charged Ciar before he could speak. “Imbecile, moron…I could go on.”
He narrowed his eyes.
“Coward,” she finished, savoring the last word as it rolled off her tongue. She grinned at the anger she saw burst to life in his eyes. The rest of the bar shifted nervously behind her but she ignored them.
“What are you doing?” he murmured, his voice low.
“Angry?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” She put her hands on her hips. “What are you going to do about it?”
He said nothing.
“Challenge me to a duel?” she mocked. “Call up some of your freaky magic and force me to huddle in a corner?”
“I’d never hurt you.” The words were said unself-consciously. Ciar didn’t care that every member of the bar was watching them, no doubt waiting for him to extract vengeance on her.
“Exactly,” she breathed. “You don’t scare me, Mr. Big Bad Demon. You think we’re too different? Give me a break. We work together, Ciar, and you know it. So your family is dangerous. I dare you to mess with mine on one of their bad days.”
“Gimme a week and I’ll pay you back for Alina plus interest,” Wyn called from down the bar.
“It’s not your family keeping us apart,” Mikayla continued. “I can handle them if I need to.”
“Demons aren’t—”
She cut him off before he could make more excuses. “Let me tell you what I’ve learned,” she said, shifting closer to him. “Demons are violent, but you have put up with my meddling and my mistakes without ever retaliating. Demons care for no one but even weakened you took on your cousin to protect me and my family.” She reached out to cup his face between her palms. “Demons don’t love,” she whispered, leaning closer. “But the very fact that you are no longer a poodle proves that belief a lie. You love. And so do I.”
“Rouke won’t leave us alone.”
Mikayla rolled her eyes. “I’m not naïve. But if he comes back, we’ll handle it.”
A smile curved his lips. “Mikayla, I know you’re brave but you saw what my magic did to you.”
“You’re worth the risk. Every risk. Don’t you get it yet? There is nothing you can say that will drive me away. I’ve waited for you for months. No way in hell I’m giving up when I’m so close,” she told him. “I’ve decided I’m not going to let you run and you know how stubborn I can be.”
“This is a bad idea,” he murmured, his hands rising to rest lightly on her waist.
“Yeah,” she agreed. “But that doesn’t change the fact that it’s one I want to make for the rest of my life.”
He leaned his forehead against hers. “You couldn’t have just told me that?”
“Needed to prove my point,” she replied. “Plus, you left me in the park and walked away. I’d say a beer in the face is the least you deserve.”
“I left for all the right reasons,” he murmured. “You know I did.”
Mikayla drew back slightly.
“I love you.” She said the words without hesitation. Now was not the time to be cautious. When it came to Ciar, she was all in.
His face gave nothing away as he studied her.
“I love you,” she repeated. “Your reasons may be valid but we can get through them together. I love you enough to take on your crazy family and your dark magic. I can handle all that you are as long as I have you by my side. So tell me you want to stay by mine.”
He shook his head, a smile on his lips. “Silly witch,” he murmured. “You should know better than to tempt a demon.”
He wrapped an arm around her waist and bent her backward as his mouth covered hers. Mikayla smiled as she clutched his shoulders. His tongue traced the seam of her lips, demanding entrance, and she was only too happy to comply. He kissed her with the same desperation she’d endured since their parting. Fire surged through her as it always did when they touched. If they’d been home, she wouldn’t have hesitated to push him into a bedroom and strip him for her pleasure.
But they weren’t home. They were in a crowded bar, everyone currently watching their reunion in stunned silence. Not that it mattered. Nothing was more important than Ciar. She slanted her mouth over his, deepening the kiss. No matter what their future held, she always wanted to return to this man’s arms. Bring on the chaotic demon drama. Ciar was worth it.
“I love you,” he confessed against her lips. “You changed everything, Mikayla.” He pressed a last, lingering kiss to her mouth before easing back.
“Have I finally caught you, then?” she asked with a grin.
He returned the smile, looking more carefree than she’d ever seen him. “I can’t very well refuse. After all, who knows what you’d turn me into this time?”
Mikayla punched his shoulder playfully only to have him throw back his head and laugh, no doubt astounding their audience.
“God, I missed you,” he said.
She smiled as she tilted her mouth up to his for a kiss. As their lips met, Mikayla knew this was one man she’d always fight to keep.
Together, they were pure magic.
About Victoria Davies
Victoria Davies’s passion for writing started young. Luckily she had a family who encouraged believing in magic and embracing imagination. From stories quickly scribbled in bright pink diaries, her love of storytelling developed. Since then her characters may have evolved and her plots may have grown decidedly more steamy but she never lost her love of the written word. Writing is not only a way to silence the wonderful voices in her head, but it also allows her to share her passions with her readers.
Victoria welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email addresses on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
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Also by Victoria Davies
Fiery Temptations
Ellora’s Cave Publishing
www.ellorascave.com
Magical Mistakes
ISBN 9781419949142
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Magical Mistakes Copyright © 2013 Victoria Davies
Edited by Elizabeth London
Cover design by Kelly Martin
Cover photography by vita khorzhevska/shutterstock.com, SSilver/fotolia.com
Electronic book publication October 2013
The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing.
With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502.
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This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.
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