He went to the old lady’s wall phone and called the command center again, and at last one of the humans connected him directly with the Temple Master. “I have much of import to tell you, Master Harper.”
“It will have to wait,” Nathaniel said. “I am seeing to Augustin now. Where are you?”
Alvis knew that the Temple Master had great affection for Michael Charbon, and that he might be tempted to put that above his duty. It was that fear that made him lie. “On patrol in Manhattan.”
“Good. Gideon was seen leaving Michael Charbon’s building in a florist’s van.” The Temple Master described it for him, and then said, “Find Gideon, Alvis. If you must, end his suffering now. We cannot allow him to harm any other mortals.”
“Yes, Master.” Alvis hung up the phone and picked up his battle axe. “As soon as I put an end to your other problem.”
The small dog whined and nestled closer to his dead mistress, and closed his black eyes.
• • • • •
Michael watched Summer with Troy as they drove back to his apartment. They were easier with each other than with him, but they were Wiccan, and he was not. For all his centuries of life, devoted to a cause that demanded he relinquish every pleasure a man could know, he had never felt lonelier. He had been wrong to take her away from Silver Wood, he could see that now, but at least he could return her into Troy’s care.
She will be happy with him, Michael thought, somewhat bemused at the pleasure it gave him to think of them together. That will be enough for me.
He walked with them to where Troy had left his Jeep, and listened as his pagan brother detailed their next move.
“We’ll go back to the mountains, and talk to my father about moving the gathering. We’ll also have to find out who has been passing information to Harper about the covens, and warn them that their identities have been compromised. We may be able to reach out to some Canadian covens and see if they know anything more about Summer.” His fierce blue eyes met Michael’s. “Gideon.”
Michael nodded. “I will track him. As addled as he is, he will not be difficult to find.”
“No,” Summer said suddenly, and curled her hand around his. “You’re not going after that maniac. You’re coming with us. You belong with me and Troy now.”
“There is no us,” Michael told her, touching her cheek. “There is you and Troy. I must continue on alone here.”
“Paladin…” Troy sighed. “It won’t be easy, but I think I can convince my father to offer you sanctuary. If he won’t, then you can stay at my place.”
The last thing Michael thought Troy would do is offer to harbor him.
“I must attend to Gideon, and you must warn the covens about the coming attack.” When Summer began to protest, he bent his head and kissed her into silence. “You have given me so much, Beauty. Do this last thing for me now.”
Her dark opal eyes widened, and she pushed him away as an enormous battle axe swung between them and hacked into the side door of Troy’s Jeep, causing an explosion of metal and glass fragments to pelt them.
“Michael.”
Troy flipped him a dagger as he grabbed Summer and dragged her to the other side of the vehicle, shoving her behind him to shield her with his body.
Michael spun to face the white-eyed, grinning face of Death and backed away quickly.
“Alvis.”
“Traitor.” Alvis yanked the axe out of the Jeep’s door and advanced on him, swinging the weapon from side to side. “Fornicating with witches and plotting with warlocks. Had I not seen it with my own eyes, I would not believe you could betray us so.”
The eerie whistling of the blade slicing through the air was meant to terrify him, and Michael knew with one blow Alvis could end his long life. He never took his eyes off the Norseman as he backed toward his building and said to Troy in French, “When I draw him inside, get her out of here.”
Alvis laughed and said in the same language, “I am not so ignorant as you think, traitor.” He turned on his heel and stalked toward Troy and Summer, jumping on top of the Jeep with a bellowing cry and hefting the axe above his head as he dropped on them.
Michael flung himself between the giant and Troy and Summer, driving the dagger into the side of Alvis’s neck as the axe struck his side. Pain billowed through him as he fell with the Norseman onto the sidewalk and wrapped his fingers around the hilt of the axe, groaning as he pulled the blade from the deep wound in his side and using the weapon as a crutch to push himself to his feet.
Alvis sat up and plucked the blade from his neck, sending a wide gush of blood spraying over his face and shoulder and chest. He grinned at Michael through the ghastly red mask. “Now you d–”
Using the last dregs of his strength Michael swung the axe at Alvis’s neck and cut through it, and watched as the Norseman’s head toppled off his neck and his enormous body slumped over.
Summer’s voice rang in Michael’s ears as he turned toward her, and reached out as he staggered and fell to his knees. Troy grabbed him and eased him down onto his back, his mouth flattening as he clamped a hand over the gushing wound in Michael’s side.
“Paladin,” Troy muttered. “You damn fool.”
“Pagan.” Michael managed half a smile as he felt the life running out of his veins and the darkness encroaching. “You must protect her. No matter what happens, or what it costs.” His gaze moved to Summer, who was kneeling beside him now and weeping. “She is…everything.”
• • • • •
Summer’s story continues in UNITED: Book Three of the Silver Wood Coven Series, available soon.
For a sneak peek, turn the page.
Book 3 Excerpt:
UNITED
Silver Wood Coven Book Three
“Wait.” Summer reached out and caught Michael’s hand, and saw him go as still as stone. “Michael?” She glanced at Troy, who was now staring down at her, his expression blank, and his eyes filled with green light. “Oh, no, not again. Wait, I’m not doing this, Troy. I swear.”
“No.” Michael turned around to face her, and looked down at her with the same light filling his eyes. “We are.”
Troy pushed the duvet aside to expose her damp, nude body before he regarded Michael. “It’s time, Brother.”
Summer’s eyes widened as both men began stripping out of their clothes.
“Hold it. Stop. You’re not in control of yourselves. It’s the curse, or some kind of spell, or maybe it’s me. But I heard you out in the barn. I know you two don’t want to be with me like this, and I respect that.” They were ignoring her entirely. “Guys, please.”
Troy smiled down at her as he unfastened his trousers and let them drop.
“We are yours, lady. But you are not yet ours.”
Michael walked around to the other side of the bed and climbed on beside her, stretching out on her left as Troy lay down on her right. Both men faced her and looked at her, and both of them had huge erections, but they didn’t try to touch her.
“What is your desire, Beauty?” Michael asked, his voice dropping to a low rumble. “We are yours to command.”
“Okay, if I’m in charge, then I want both of you to do what you want,” she told him firmly. “Only what you want. So it’s okay. You can get dressed now, and leave me, and go sleep in another room by yourself.”
Troy exchanged an amused look with Michael. “That is not what we wish to do.”
They lay close enough that Summer could feel the warmth their skin radiated. Though her fingers ached to touch them, she knew she couldn’t. But in a moment, it wasn’t up to her. From the right, Troy cradled her breast with his hand and began laving his tongue over her hardened nipple.
She gasped as a shiver ran down her core.
From the left Michael bent over to give her a deep, wet, open-mouthed kiss, as his hand slipped between her trembling thighs. Summer groaned against his lips as she felt him press his fingers between her folds and stroke them back and forth in her slick so
ftness.
Troy lifted his head to watch Michael end the kiss, and then they were tugging her upright, turning her as Troy shifted back against the headboard and Michael knelt behind her.
“She is very wet now, Brother,” Michael told him. “She needs to be pleasured.”
Troy nodded and tossed him something small. “Thoroughly.”
As a deep, aching need began to pound inside her, Summer tried one last time.
“What I need doesn’t matter,” she said, her voice breathy and pleading. “You’re going to hate me for letting this happen. Please, I don’t want that. I never wanted that.”
“We know this, Beauty,” Michael murmured against her ear as he briefly rested his hands on her shoulders. “We will remember it after we are done loving you.”
“This is how it always begins, lady.” Troy looked up at her, the green light still shining from his eyes. “You have bound us to you. Now we must bind you to us.” He brought her hand to his stiff, swollen erection and curled her fingers around his thick shaft. “Your hunger is for both of us. We have what you want. We wish to give you what you need.”
“However you need it,” Michael told her, and when she glanced back at him she saw he was rolling a condom over his penis.
Summer bit her lip, and then moaned as Michael gently eased her onto her hands and knees. Troy twined his fingers in her long, dark waves to cradle the back of her head.
This is going to happen. I can’t stop it.
MORE BOOKS BY HAZEL HUNTER
THE SILVER WOOD COVEN SERIES
Though she’s taken the name given her by a kind stranger, Summer can no more explain waking up homeless and covered in blood, than she can the extreme attraction drawing people to her. Amnesiac, confused, and frightened, she’s not even aware that she’s a witch. But help arrives in two very different forms: the cool and restrained Templar Michael Charbon and his centuries-long friend Wiccan Major Troy Atwater.
Rescued (Silver Wood Coven Book One)
Stolen (Silver Wood Coven Book Two)
United (Silver Wood Coven Book Three) coming soon!
Sign up for my newsletter to be notified of new releases!
THE CASTLE COVEN SERIES
Novice witch Hailey Devereaux had resolved to live life as an outsider. Possessed of a unique Wiccan ability, her own people shun her. But that all ends when two very different men enter her life: the brooding Major Kieran McCallen and Coven Master Piers Dayton. But their training and tests are only the beginning. As she struggles to fulfill her destiny and find her place in the world, Hailey also discovers love.
Found (Castle Coven Book One)
Abandoned (Castle Coven Book Two)
Healed (Castle Coven Book Three)
Claimed (Castle Coven Book Four)
Imprisoned (Castle Coven Book Five)
Sacrificed (Castle Coven Book Six)
THE MAGUS CORPS SERIES
Meet the warlocks of the Magus Corps, sworn to protect Wiccans at all costs. As they find and track fledgling witches, it’s a race against an ancient enemy that would rather see all Wiccans dead. But where danger and intimacy come together, passion is never far behind.
Dominic (Her Warlock Protector Book 1)
Sebastian (Her Warlock Protector Book 2)
Logan (Her Warlock Protector Book 3)
Colin (Her Warlock Protector Book 4)
Vincent (Her Warlock Protector Book 5)
Jackson (Her Warlock Protector Book 6)
Trent (Her Warlock Protector Book 7)
THE SECOND SIGHT SERIES
Join psychic Isabelle de Grey and FBI profiler Mac MacMillan as they hunt a serial killer in the streets of Los Angeles. Even as their search closes in on the kidnapper, they discover not only clues, but a fiery passion that quickly consumes them.
Touched (Second Sight Book 1)
Torn (Second Sight Book 2)
Taken (Second Sight Book 3)
Chosen (Second Sight Book 4)
Charmed (Second Sight Book 5)
Changed (Second Sight Book 6)
THE EROTIC EXPEDITION SERIES
Travel the world in these breathless tales of erotic romance. Each features a different couple in fast-paced tales of fiery passion. But reader beware of cliffhangers and high-strung suspense.
Arctic Exposure Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
Desert Thirst Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
Jungle Fever Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
Mountain Wilds Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
Island Magic Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
THE ROMANCE IN THE RUINS NOVELS
Explore the ancient world and the new in these standalone novels of erotic romance. Each features a hero and heroine who come together against all odds, in exotic and remote settings where danger and love are found in equal measure.
Words of Love
Set in the heartland of the ancient Maya.
Labyrinth of Love
Set on the ancient Greek island of Crete.
Stars of Love
Set in the rugged Pueblo Southwest.
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR
Dear Wonderful Reader,
Thank you so much for spending time with me. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it! My newsletter will let you know about new releases and only new releases. Don’t miss the next sizzling, hot romance! Visit HazelHunter.com/books to find more great stories available today.
XOXO,
Hazel
Copyright © 2015 Hazel Hunter
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written consent of the copyright owner.
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Stolen (Book Two of the Silver Wood Coven Series): A Witch and Warlock Romance Novel Page 7
