Taken by the Wind

by Serenity Snow

Juliet’s eyes widened. “Oh, my goddess! Are you serious?”

  “As a bonus I’ll throw in bridesmaid dresses to be selected from existing designs.”

  “Aria, that’s awesome,” she exclaimed. “I’ll be your love slave for this.”

  Aria chuckled. “I’m glad you said that,” she murmured, a teasing note in her tone. “I can’t wait to see you against that tree with your pert little nipples exposed and hard.”

  “I-I didn’t say yes to that,” she said hesitantly.

  “Last night you asked if I could give you more, but the question is, can you handle it?”

  The line went dead on that and Juliet replaced the phone in its cradle and leaned back to contemplate the answer.

  “Juliet?”

  The knock at her door had her turning her eyes on it. “Come in,” she called, but the door was already opening to admit her mother.

  “We need to talk,” Samantha said. “Have you secured a promise from Brees?”

  “Yes, and Alice can amend the information going out.”

  “In what way?” she asked carefully as she folded herself into a chair and crossed her legs at the ankles.

  “Brees agreed to design the dress to the winner’s specifications and to do the bridesmaid dresses from existing designs.”

  Samantha’s eyes widened. “Are you kidding?” she demanded leaning forward.

  Juliet smiled. “No, Mother, and everything is set for the spa package and the breakfast fashion show. I have the vendors lined up, the models ready to go, and the caterer. I just have to meet with the event planner and caterer to iron out a few details on menu and parking.”

  “Valet parking,” Samantha told her getting to her feet. “It’s a must.”

  “I know, Mother,” she said. “But it might not be possible with the budget.”

  “Do what you can,” she said rubbing her hands together and then casting her gaze to Juliet’s arm where it rested on the desk. She frowned as she met her eyes. “I think you should let Morgan pick you up tonight. It’ll set a better tone for the evening even if you don’t continue to see him.”

  “That won’t be necessary,” she said coolly. “I’m sticking with my plans.” Juliet wasn’t riding over with Aria, but she was taking a cab. That way, she could let her drive her home if things went well.

  “Oh? What plans? Callie said you were definitely going out with him tonight.”

  “No, I’d agreed to meet him there, but my plans changed,” she said. “I accepted a date with someone else, but I will be there.”

  “With who?” Samantha exclaimed. “I want to know who his family is, their lineage, and their coven name.”

  She laughed. “I didn’t think to ask.”

  “Well I’ll find out myself tonight,” Samantha assured her. “He is coming to the club tonight?”

  She grinned. “We agreed to meet there.” But would she have the courage to tell her mother Aria was her date tonight?

  If she didn’t, she’d probably never come out.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “I’m still digging, but so far I’ve got the basic info on Carrel.” Jasmine took her cup of coffee to the circular table in the spacious conference room Aria used for their coven’s meetings rather than for work.

  The sunlight slipped in through the blinds she’d opened to sit in on the meeting with the quintet. Simone sat to her right sipping tea while Andi sat at her left with a bowl of berries leaving Bailey to sit almost directly across from her with Jasmine.

  “Carrel Dagers belongs to the Dark Crystal Coven which is a dark mercenary group of hitters and security. They do legit work for humans as well as not so legit work like murder for hire,” Jasmine informed them. “I’ve had a few run-ins with Carrel as well as her pal Morgan, who’s a shrink.”

  “A shrink?” Andi asked skeptically.

  “An actual M.D. who does legit work for humans, but he’s a clairvoyant and twister of the mind and emotions. If you want someone driven crazy, he’s your man. Morgan’s part of the Whiteall Coven, but he’s been known to do some work for Dark Crystal.”

  “Has Whiteall been tied to them as coconspirators in any of their dealings?” Aria asked. She held her breath hoping this wasn’t what her gut told her it was. She didn’t want to fight another war with demons.

  “Besides Tucker and Morgan, no,” Simone answered with a shake of her head.

  “Carrel owned a nursery, and we traced the acquisition back three years to a wood nymph who’d been last seen talking to Carrel about doing some landscaping work at her new home.” Jasmine’s eyes darkened and a gust swirled around the room momentarily.

  They all sat in silence waiting for her to calm down.

  “The girl was violently killed,” Jasmine said. “And by all indications, it was as much for her power and her business. Carrel spent more time working there than she did at Dark Crystal’s business.”

  “She needed to stay close to the earth power, to ensure it strengthened in her,” Aria said, knowing now why she felt stronger and more connected to the earth than before.

  “The Witch’s Council wasn’t able to prove anything so the girl’s death went unpunished,” Simone muttered. “I think that’s just the kind of thing that’s sparked the witches’ desire for this Joint Congress. They’ll be able to get redress for crimes against good witches.

  “Aria killed her,” Andi told them.

  All eyes turned on her and Simone’s narrowed. “You took her powers? Why? Do you realize that feeding off a dark breed could infect you with their same energetic hungers? Turn you into a psychic vampire?”

  “I’m aware of that, but I’m not turned,” Aria said coldly. And she wasn’t likely to. She was lightning kissed. The fire in it burned off the darkest edges of the dark breeds’ powers. “Anyway, we have more pressing concerns. Whiteall is attempting to bring Juliet into their family and we know there can be only two reasons. They want her power or they want to turn her.”

  “It just shows us how vulnerable the marked are and how wrong we are to do nothing,” Bailey murmured.

  “Exactly the point I’ve been trying to make,” Andi said giving Aria a pointed look. “The Congress aside, we have to get back in the game to keep the balance from shifting to evil.”

  Aria glared at her, but she knew Andi was right. They had to take some kind of stance if evil was hunting marked for their powers. She’d have to contact Storme.

  She got to her feet swallowing tightly. “What else do you have on her?” Aria asked going to the window, her mind drifting to Juliet. She had to protect her—and by association her sisters—from the darkness that could already be stalking them all and using Juliet as a conduit into their lives.

  “If you’re asking for proof the leaders of Whiteall or Dark Crystal are in bed together or if Whiteall is hiding behind a façade of goodness and civility, we don’t know,” Jasmine muttered.

  However, there are rumors in the wind that the leader of the infamous Dark Hollow is intimately connected with Whiteall,” Simone said. “There’s no proof since they’re keeping as low a profile as they have in the last five years.”

  “Necron is the name most commonly associated with the group, and he’s a big blue demon. Unfortunately, we don’t know what he looks like in his human form or even if he has one or the ability to create one,” Jasmine told them.

  “Which means we have no face for what we might be fighting,” Aria murmured troubled by that.

  “I don’t like it,” Bailey said quietly. Demons once again living above ground. How long has Dark Hollow been in existence?”

  “Twenty years best I can tell,” Jasmine answered in a contemplative tone.

  “About the same time Kryto vanished,” Andi said. “I really don’t this like especially with a wind-marked having been attacked. Aria you fought him last what’s your take on this?”

  “You and Storme annihilated his family on two fronts,” Jasmine commented.

  “Us and the heads of six old and
powerful families whose power has grown while we’ve faded completely into the woodwork.”

  “What if he’s attacking marked to draw us out?” Andi asked tightly. “What if he’s on a mission to annihilate us?”

  “Whiteall’s already attempting to draw Juliet into their ranks,” Aria confessed. “If he gets her then he’ll be able to drive us to extinction.”

  “We’ll start looking for other marked,” Jasmine said quickly. “And Simone will continue digging into Whiteall, Dark Hollow and Dark Crystal. Because if they aren’t trying to take down Kryton and stop this Joint Congress, they’re going after us.”

  ****

  By afternoon, Juliet was starving and ready for a trip to the deli. She got to her feet and a rap on the door drew a groan from her. She frowned, hoping her mother hadn’t brought in another trivial account she thought she should handle.

  “Come in,” she called and put her purse on her desk.

  “Look what just came for you,” the secretary she shared with Alice said with a grin. “Secret admirer?”

  Juliet smiled. “Thanks.”

  The other woman handed over the flowers in their small vase and then the box. “The flowers are gorgeous.”

  She nodded. “Yeah, they’re very vibrant,” she murmured.

  “I better get back to work,” she said.

  Juliet waited for her to leave before setting the vase on her desk along with the box. There was no card so she unwrapped the pretty colored box and removed the lid. She pushed back the blue tissue paper and gasped as rich carnelian stared up at her.

  Juliet reached for the garment and moaned at the softness of the fabric. “This must have cost a fortune,” she murmured. She held up the panties for inspection and realized after a bit of examination the tiny silver bow hid a snap released to turn the pretty panties into crotchless perfection.

  Juliet laughed. “No, way, Aria,” she said as she set them aside to inspect the second item. The shelf bra was more about form than function, but it was beautiful. The shame of it was she had no idea what she was wearing to show them off.

  She folded the garments and replaced them in the box with the lid just as the office door opened and Callie stuck her head inside.

  “Hey. Got an hour or two?”

  “Why?” She looked up at Callie.

  “I thought we’d go shopping.” She grinned. “I have nothing to wear tonight, and I know you don’t either.”

  “What a great idea,” Juliet exclaimed. She grabbed her purse from her desk.

  “Nice flowers,” Callie said with a sly smile. “Morgan is quite the catch. I hope you don’t piss this chance off.”

  It was well pissed off.

  “One can only hope,” Alice said from the doorway. “Morgan is a psychiatrist and part of a decent coven, but then again, he might not be the one.”

  “Shut up, Alice,” Callie mumbled. “He’s a great guy, and he’d be perfect for her.”

  “He’s good-looking but not all that glitters is gold,” Alice muttered. “Cousin you can do better.”

  She knew that and her name was Aria. She was gorgeous, sexy and she made her toes curl when they kissed. There was something in the way Aria looked at her, too, that made her feel walking away from her would be to miss out on something special.

  “I don’t want to fight,” Juliet said holding up a hand. “I do want to shop.” She wanted to look hot tonight.

  “Fine,” Alice said. “Everything is set for Saturday. I guess you’ll even have a date for the after-show party.”

  “I will,” she agreed.

  “And the lawyer has been quiet, but if I need you I’ll call,” Alice said. “Oh, I need the dress info.”

  “I sent it to you, Alice,” she said exasperated. “Check your email.”

  “Now, let’s go before she comes up with something to keep us here,” Callie muttered and grabbed Juliet’s arm and led her from the room.

  Juliet couldn’t help but smile. Callie was going to be livid when she found out she was only interested in finding a dress for a woman to ogle her in, not Morgan. But she wouldn’t tell her just yet either.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Don’t listen to Alice,” Callie said forty-five minutes later as they tried on dresses in Callie’s favorite boutique. “She knows your mother is thinking of pursuing a political career and she wants to run the biz by herself.”

  “I didn’t know.” She turned her nose up at the pale-yellow dress and began undressing. But then her mother didn’t seem to think she needed to know what was going on in her life these days. She knew he mother loved her. Juliet just didn’t understand why her mother was treating her as if she were an outsider in their family.

  “She was telling my mom all about it last night,” she replied. “She thinks a serious relationship or ties with a strong witch family will give you more protection against any enemies she incurs as a result.”

  That sounded like her mother, but why did she think she needed more protection? She’d have the aurai should she need extra protection.

  “I think she’s just worried about how nasty things could get if she does get an appointment to the Joint Congress. I can’t imagine any demons want that organization’s formation considering the impact it’ll have on their lives.”

  “They might come after me,” she murmured.

  “Exactly, but my family and the rest of the coven will be there for you, so even if this doesn’t work out with Morgan, you’re still covered.”

  She smiled. “Thanks,” she said as she hung the dress and grabbed the more vibrant red-orange one that was longer.

  The dress reminded her more of a Pride and Prejudice dress the character Jane had worn and she loved it. The square neckline was perfect along with the white train-like addition to the skirt in back.

  This was her dress and she was certain with the buttons down the front, Aria would love it as much as she did.

  “Anyway, Morgan can’t wait to see you,” Callie said. “Why don’t you ride with us or let him pick you up?”

  “I don’t want to,” she said. “I might not want to leave with him.”

  “Juliet,” Callie chastised. “You have to make yourself more available if you’re going to get a consort.”

  It was never going to be that easy for her. She’d wanted it to be, but the attack made her realize she had to embrace her destiny and it was now or never. Even if Aria wasn’t that destiny, the life Callie was speaking of would never be.

  She wasn’t ordinary and couldn’t be an ordinary witch’s consort.

  “I know.”

  “Good. Then, you’ll let him take you home tonight.”

  ****

  “Everything is set for tonight,” Tucker told Voltaire, who was busy typing away on his computer in his spacious and sparsely furnished study.

  “Good. I want this girl addicted inside of two days. Our window is closing fast.”

  “She’s not ovulating, so she doesn’t have that extra defense against the potion.” Though the seer had told him if Juliet had been ovulating she would be an easier mark in a way with her emotions all twisted up.

  “Great. Make sure nothing trips Morgan up tonight,” Voltaire said and leaned back in his chair. “Morgan expressed concern that something wasn’t right about the girl. What’s your perception?”

  “She did feel different. I suspect she’s begun tapping into the power of the stones for some reason, but there is no indication she’s hooked up with an aurai.”

  “We need to move before that happens or before she learns how to use them,” Voltaire said.

  “I agree,” Tucker replied. “If she connects with the power we won’t be able to get the stones or the grimoire.”

  “And she’s not seeing anyone is she? That could be another reason her resonance is changed. Another man might have a powerful hold on her.”

  “Callie said there was no one.” But Voltaire did have a point. Juliet could be involved with someone the family wouldn’t a
pprove of and was keeping it on the down-low for now. He might be able to turn a man.

  However, if Juliet was seeing a woman, they’d have to regroup. She might have plans of her own for Juliet which she might have already put in place, and they might not be able to override her programming.

  “I better get going. I want to have a few last-minute words with Morgan, make sure he’s up to this.”

  “Don’t mess this up, or you’re both dead.”

  Didn’t he know it, and Tucker didn’t bother dignifying that with a response as he pulled open the door. “Necron.”

  The other man gave him a nod and allowed him to exit before stepping in and Tucker wondered what the two of them were really up to. He suspected he and all of the other incubi might just be a pawn in their game.

  ****

  “What’s up?” Voltaire asked with raised brows as his gaze slide over Necron.

  “Sam has been chosen to sit on the joint Congress, and she’s one of the witches chosen to do a draft of the tenets.”

  “Who’s to head it?” Voltaire asked.

  “Samantha carried the popular vote,” Necron told him. “We didn’t have enough demons to prevent it even with Kryto’s vote against her.”

  “We need a joint dark-light head,” he murmured. “We’ll have to make sure it happens before Kryto accepts the final configuration. Without the right people in place, we’ll be heavily sanctioned any time we put a toe out of line, so we’ll need the right man to replace her in time.”

  “Women are the majority here and the Silken Cord, Vestal Tradition, and Spring Skye Covens have the most pull. If we don’t infiltrate the other two, we won’t be able to track down the rest of the aurai and kill them, let alone prevent the joint Congress from coming into being,” Necron said in a tone throbbing with concern.

  They had to get rid of those three covens. They held an abundance of power and magick as well as a link to the aurai. They would be able to prevent his reign of terror on the good witches and dark breeds alike.

  “Warlocks? How did they vote?” They were dark human witches with a large number and if they didn’t win them over, the dark witches just might end up working against them.