Wicked Temptation: The Siren Coven (The Excalibur Duet)

by Kim Loraine

  “Bloody hell,” the shifter murmurs. “The sword is fucking glowing.”

  I raise the sword and ready to defend myself. “Don’t make me use this.”

  The fallen angel’s hands glow bright with power. “I’ve been fighting longer than both your lives combined. You won’t win. Not even with Excalibur.”

  “That’s enough!” Gwen appears between us, her hands held out, sparks of blue magic flying from her fingers. “The two of you need to stop this. Tamiel, Brooks is meant to be part of this. I feel it in my bones.”

  “But…Izzy was fooled once before,” the shifter says. “Don’t you recall what happened with Tristan?”

  “I haven’t forgotten that, Grant, but I can assure you, I’m under no love spell.” Her voice is so sure and strong, just like the queen she once was.

  “And how can you be certain?”

  She lowers her hands and the blue sparks fade to nothing. “Because I’m not in love with him.”

  Gwen

  The look on Brooks’ face twists my heart, but I’m not about to let him think this is love between us. I’ve barely lost Lance and there’s far too much in my path to be focused on something as all consuming as love. Brooks is…mine. I feel it, a soul-deep connection, but I am in love with Lancelot. I always have been, and I can’t love two men, even if one of them is gone.

  “It doesn’t change the fact that we’re meant to be together, Gwen.” He threads our fingers and presses a kiss between my knuckles. “But this time will be different.”

  “I’m…I can’t talk about this now.” My throat is tight and pain burrows into my heart like a cold shard of ice. “Tamiel, Grant, I promise you Brooks is on our side. Don’t hurt him.”

  The two of them back down, but I know if Brooks puts one toe out of line, they’ll do whatever is necessary to keep the coven safe. I pull my hand out of Brooks’ grasp and rush inside the small house. Helena and Izzy are both right behind me, the latter moving slowly because of her growing baby bump.

  “Well, that was…dramatic,” Izzy says. “Are you sure he’s all right? He seemed a little intense.”

  “He seemed like Tamiel when he was claiming me as his soul mate,” Helena adds.

  Izzy nods. “And like Grant when we first met.” Then she sighs and gets a dreamy look in her eye. “What a night.”

  “Stop it, you two. Brooks and I have a lot of history to work through. We were married in another life after all.”

  “And you cheated on him,” Helena says.

  I clench my teeth.

  “And then he killed you,” Izzy interjects.

  “Yes, all those things.”

  “You’re right, that’s some serious baggage.” Helena waves a hand and three mugs appear on the small table in the kitchen. She sighs and smiles. “God, it’s good to have my magic again.”

  “You want me to read the leaves?” I ask, staring at the table and conjuring my favorite teapot.

  “No. I want to have some peppermint tea because morning sickness lasts all bloody day in my case.”

  I grin and look down at her, the pregnancy not showing itself yet. “I suppose that’s to be expected. How’s Tamiel handling this?”

  She smiles. “He’s very proud of himself. I’m still getting used to it all.”

  I wonder if I’ll ever have a child. I’ve never seen myself with a baby, never pregnant, never anything beyond married to Brooks. “And you, Izzy? How are you?”

  “Oh, I’m right as bloody rain. Grant won’t let me lift a finger for fear of something happening to his little wolf.”

  My heart swells with happiness for my sisters. Both have found their places, their loves.

  “And what about you?” Izzy asks.

  “Me?” I feign innocence. From the window I can see Brooks, Grant, and Tamiel have taken less defensive postures as they work through what is undoubtedly Brooks’ account of what happened.

  “Don’t give me that,” Izzy says, rolling her eyes as Helena pours tea. The sharp bite of peppermint fills the air.

  “It’s complicated.”

  “Try us.”

  “My visions tell me Brooks is the one I end up with.”

  “And your heart?”

  “I don’t know.” I watch him run a hand through his hair, the hint of beard on his jaw giving him a rugged appearance rather than his usual polished presentation.

  “Do you want him?” Helena asks.

  I do. I feel the same desperate attraction to him as I do for Lance if I’m being honest. It grew slowly over the time we’ve been together, but now I can’t deny how I feel. “It’s all very confusing. But I can’t be his, not fully. Not with how I feel about Lance.”

  “But he’s a demon. He’s gone.”

  Tears fill my eyes. I haven’t allowed myself to say those words. He can’t be gone. “I’m not sure.”

  Helena runs a hand over my hair, an uncharacteristically warm gesture for my stoic sister. “Darling, you said he was turning. You said there was no stopping it.”

  “But…but maybe he found a way.” I know even as I say the words I’m wrong. He may not be dead, but he’s not coming back, at least, not as the Lancelot I know.

  My sisters look at me with such pity, it makes me want to hide from their gazes. Then Izzy takes my hand. “I can see it in your eyes. You know the truth.”

  I blink back tears, but one escapes anyway. “He won’t be the same. I can’t fix him.”

  “You need to prepare yourself to fight him. He’s not on our side anymore.”

  My chest aches. He fought the demon blood until he couldn’t any longer. “He gave us back our magic.”

  “That he did. Lancelot, the knight went down with honor and in service to his queen.”

  “How do I go on without him?” My voice breaks on the last.

  “One day at a time,” Izzy says. “But we’ll be here with you.”

  I shake my head. “I need to know. I need to see for myself. If he’s truly a demon, we should be able to summon him.”

  The two of them look from me to each other, worry on their faces. Then Helena speaks. “That would require us to willingly summon a demon.”

  I shrug. “We’ve done worse.”

  “True, but what if knowing doesn’t give you what you need? Seeing him as a demon might be more painful.”

  She’s right. Seeing the man I gave my heart to but not being able to have him will haunt me forever, but so will not knowing. “I have to do this.”

  Izzy sighs and pushes back from her chair. “I’ll get the salt.”

  “No, we’ll summon him, but not until you’ve had a night’s rest and some time to think on it.” Helena’s statement is final. She’s not going to budge on this.

  I nod and take a long breath as the door opens and the three men walk inside. Grant crosses his arms over his broad chest, tattoos covering both forearms. “You’ve got more ink,” I say.

  He grins. “Aye, those are the markings of the pack Alpha.”

  “Speaking of Alpha males. We’re going to attempt to summon Lancelot tomorrow night,” Izzy says. “And I won’t have you showing your caveman attitude about it, Beast.”

  He frowns, but doesn’t protest. Brooks’ gaze shoots to mine, a question on his lips.

  “I need to see if he’s truly lost,” I admit.

  “I understand,” he says. “I need to know as well.” There’s such pain in his voice.

  “Oh, this just gets better and better,” Helena mutters. “I always wondered about Arthur and Lancelot.” I kick her under the table and she winces. “Ouch.”

  Brooks glances away and I know she’s hit a nerve. Standing, I walk to him, placing my palm on his warm shoulder. Before I can speak I’m hit with a vision, he’s wearing the scabbard, holding Excalibur, closing the first seal. “It’s you,” I whisper through my throbbing headache.

  “What?” He turns toward me, catching me as I sway dangerously.

  “We have to get the scabbard so you can stop the e
nd of the world.”

  Immortal Flame

  Acknowledgments

  I’ve been working on The Siren Coven world for years. They were in my mind before The Fallen Angel trilogy was complete. These three witches needed to have their stories told, and damn has it been fun.

  I have a close relationship with my reader group and they deserve a huge thank you because without them, I wouldn’t be able to keep doing what I love. So, Loraine Lovers and my Coven, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

  To Petra, Mo, Rachel, Ariadna, and Allison. Thank you for your time, your amazing feedback, and your support. You guys are brilliant.

  To my writing group, you are wonderful, and I love you guys.

  Ellie, you just get me. I’m so glad you do.

  S.L. Jennings, you probably don’t know how important you were in my creation of this world, but without your feedback, I wouldn’t have finished the first book.

  My super supportive family, thank you for being willing to let me go write.

  xoxo,

  Kim