by Jane Cousins
Ick, his stomach rolled. Even in this dim light he could see the smile of pure sensual pleasure on her face. Cripes, he needed a shower just watching her. No, he revised, even appalled as he was, he could have stood there watching her all night but thankfully the overwhelming… dare he say it, supernatural need, to join her out there had dissipated.
Whatever bewitching magic she’d tried to snare him with was no match for his complete abhorrence for dirt and mess. Still as she writhed, a languid arm reached up pulling a feathery fern frond down to caress her body he had to acknowledge the truth… he still wanted her… dirt and all… Goddess help him he needed a drink and he needed it now.
* * *
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Serena froze. Her dreamy eyes, more purple than blue under the night sky. Smiling she gazed at Locke, who stood glass in hand contemplating her from just inside the living room. He still wore his suit, not a button out of place and his tie she noted was still tightly knotted. He should have looked uptight, but to her eyes he looked enigmatic and ridiculously attractive. Just the sight of him made her tummy clench and her nipples tightened. Not a reaction she could hide given she was wearing nothing but the caress of the cooling night breeze.
Poised under the stone arch of the veranda she knew she created quite the frightening sight; covered with dirt, naked, weird content smile plastered on her face. She wasn’t embarrassed to be naked in front of Locke; she was an Earth Witch after all. “You have no idea how good that felt.”
“To each their own.” Locke smiled, raising his glass in her direction in a silent toast before taking a drink. “So this is what an Earth Witch does is it? Runs around nude, frolicking in gardens? Your neighbours must love you.”
Serena laughed. “We prefer the term skyclad. And if I wished it, no one would see me.” For just a second moonlight sunk into her skin and she was suddenly gone from his sight one moment and then back the next.
“So you wanted me to see?” Locke mused smiling, lifting an eyebrow in query.
Earth Serena, she hadn’t really thought that through before she’d given her little demonstration. He must think her the most brazen of creatures. “I’m not exactly back to full strength yet. I can assure you my dance was not meant for your eyes.”
Her words rang flat to Locke’s ears. She lied. But he didn’t know why. Was it because she’d tried and failed to include him in her little reconnecting to the earth ritual? Or some other as yet unknown reason? Only time would tell and he would need to be on his toes to resist her wanton witchy ways.
“Skyclad huh?” The very word made him smile. “That’s witch speak for nude is it?”
Serena raised her arms to lift a heavy hank of her hair back over her shoulder, noting that instead of watching her front and centre raised breasts Locke’s eyes were fixated upon the shower of dirt that fell loose from her locks.
“We didn’t arrive in this world wearing three piece suits. This is as Mother Earth intended us to be. You have a problem with it?” Seriously was he upset that she was uncovered? That would be a first for the male of the species.
Locke shook his head, sighed, placed his glass down on a nearby side table and pointed back into the courtyard proper. “Go stand over there.”
“Why?” Serena moved to stand where he’d pointed; he was her host after all. A host who was now holding a hose, the nozzle pointed her way. “What are you going to…” The rest of her words were lost in a surprised shrill scream as a deluge of cold water hit her right in the face.
Chapter Six
The distant melodious chimes of a bell woke Serena the next morning. Actually so much for morning, from the brightness of the room she was guessing it was closer to midday.
What a wonderful refreshing sleep she’d had, the bed had been soft, the cotton sheets crisp and clean next to her skin and her surroundings luxurious as a mix of bold blues fought for dominance. But what really took her breath away was the humungous painting hanging on the wall next to the bed. Wow, was that really a Hariss seascape? Locke must be loaded.
Sitting up in bed she stretched, a playful smile tilting up the corners of her mouth. Honestly if she lived to be two hundred she would never understand Locke Valhalla and his mysterious moods. He switched on a dime from playful to remote.
Last night in the courtyard he’d eyed her with heated admiration in those dark blue eyes of his. Only to turn around and shatter the steamy tension between them by turning the garden hose on her of all things. When the water had finally run clean he’d bundled her up in the softest fluffiest towel she’d ever experienced, rubbed her down with clinical efficiency before hustling her off to bed as if she were a sickly child.
Not even lingering to tuck her in… or kiss her goodnight.
Earth Serena, she needed get her priorities in order. She was here to rest and recover so that she could return home and reclaim her life back. She wasn’t here to flirt with Locke Valhalla or try to work out what made him tick. She was a guest in his home for a few days. Nothing more, nothing less. She needed to be as quiet as a mouse, work on getting her strength back and then she’d take her leave. No fuss, no muss. She’d stay out of his hair, he’d stay out hers. It was a perfect plan. Except… her eyes widened as the sight outside the glass sliding doors looking out to the central courtyard finally penetrated her waking brain. Earth and Moon, what had she done?
The knock on the bedroom door caused her to jump, her heart to race. Except it wasn’t Locke Valhalla striding into her room demanding to know what she’d done to his courtyard. It was a woman, big blue eyes, perfect creamy skin, honey brown hair pulled back in a flattering intricate knot, dressed in a tight fitting cranberry coloured skirt, a gauzy long sleeved black blouse and eye-catching expensive black stilettos.
The newcomer was all things cool, calm and collected. Making Serena instantly conscious of the fact that her hair was a tangled mess and she was wearing nothing but a t-shirt Locke had all but thrown at her the previous night after he’d dried her off. Though to say it was just a t-shirt didn’t really cover the fact that it smelt divine, was softer than a baby’s skin and seemed to be incapable of wrinkling. Running a hand through her hair she returned the newcomer’s warm smile of greeting with a tentative one of her own.
“Serena? I’m Doctor Nell Montgomery.” She held up a small black leather case she was carrying. “I’m here to do a quick exam, if that’s okay?”
“Sure.” Serena cleared her throat. “Absolutely… come on in.”
Was this elegant woman Locke’s girlfriend? It would make sense, career Barbie and Ken, the doctor and the lawyer. A perfect fit with their expensive designer clothes. They’d make a gorgeous power couple. Just the thought made her stomach clench.
“How are you feeling today?” The Doctor took a seat on the edge of the bed.
“Good. Surprisingly good.”
Her pulse, blood pressure, temperature were all taken. She opened her mouth and said ah. Let the doctor check her ears, her glands and listen to her heart.
“Well everything seems in good working order.” Doctor Montgomery sat back giving Serena a warm approving smile. “Though you’re a little pale and on the thin side. Your body will need some time to recover, watch your diet, plenty of fruit, sunlight and most importantly, stay hydrated.”
“Thanks Doctor Montgomery.”
“Oh call me Nell, everyone does. Now what about anxiety? Nightmares? How did you sleep?”
Serena shook her head. “Good, better than good actually. I woke just after dawn… there was some sort of noise.” She frowned trying to recall what had woken her, then shrugged it off. “But then I just rolled over and went back to sleep. I can’t even recall if I dreamt at all.”
“Good. Sleep is a great way for the body to rest and rejuvenate, don’t discount indulging in an afternoon nap if you find yourself flagging during the day.”
“Like a little kid? I really do feel great.” Serena stretched.
&nbs
p; “You’ve been through an incredibly stressful experience, both physically and mentally. I don’t want you to overdo it. Baby steps. Same goes for your magic, especially here.”
“What’s so special about here?”
“The Sanctuary is covered by a magical grid. Think of it like an invisible net that stretches over three towns occupied by a diverse, eccentric but essentially friendly group of magic users. The net provides power and protection, it feeds us and we in turn by our actions and magic feed it. You may find the net affects your powers in odd ways. Once you get used to it you should be able to control its influence but in the meantime you may experience power fluctuations or uncontrollable bursts or amplification of your powers.”
“I wish someone had mentioned possible side effects last night.” Serena’s eyes were drawn once more to the courtyard. Locke was going to kill her.
“I wouldn’t worry about it. If anyone understands mishaps and magic it’s my people. Now, how about I take some blood and then let you get back to resting?”
“Sure.” Serena held out her arm whilst Nell readied her equipment. “Is that really a Hariss seascape?”
Nell turned her head for a moment to study the painting. “Hmmm yes. Locke has quite a few of them. My favourite is the one in his bedroom… stunning.”
Serena jumped slightly unsure whether it was from the sting of the needle or the reality that Nell was a frequent visitor in Locke’s bedroom.
* * *
Serena slumped back against the pillows following Nell’s departure. Funny when she’d first introduced herself she’d thought Nell a highly unsuitable name for a woman who reminded her more than a little of Grace Kelly. But the warmth and genuine friendliness exuding from her lovely blue eyes had her revising her opinion. Wasn’t Nell just the sort of woman Locke deserved in his life? He might be Mr Man, in his Italian three piece suits and five hundred dollar haircut, but he was funny, sharply intelligent and as intriguing as hell.
Earth, she needed to stop thinking like that. No wonder he’d turned a hose on her last night. She was acting like a cat in heat. Which was weird for her. Oh she liked men, but she was kind of picky. She tended to go for the environmental warrior types, who recycled, used biodegradable products and were passionate to the point of being downright manic about protecting the earth and all its bounties. She’d lost more than one boyfriend to a good cause.
Not that she begrudged Mother Nature any of her eco-warriors but still it would have been nice to be put first just once. Maybe, just maybe, the Sanctuary grid or whatever they called it here was also affecting her libido? She was an Earth Witch after all. Her kind was heavily influenced by the winds and the ebb and flow of the tides and the currents along with the movement of the moon and its cycles. Perhaps the grid was playing havoc with her hormones as well as the strength of her magic.
She cast another quick look at the courtyard before averting her gaze. It was as good an explanation as any she decided. Okay so now she had a perfectly good excuse why she was attracted to slick lawyer man. She could face him, apologise for what she’d inadvertently done to his home and concentrate on getting better as quickly as possible. The sooner she was back to full strength, the quicker she could leave. Tossing back the sheets she resolutely slapped down the small niggly reminder eating at the corner of her mind that the Sanctuary net hadn’t been affecting her the first time she’d laid eyes on Locke and felt that sharp tug of attraction.
Stupid conscience, it needed to learn to bury its head in the dirt more often.
Chapter Seven
Locke took another sip of coffee before absently checking his Patek Philippe watch for the time. He still had half an hour before his video conference call with New York. Leaning back against the kitchen counter his eyes for the thousandth time that day drifted to the inner courtyard. What had only yesterday been a study in restrained Moroccan outdoor elegance was now a jungle oasis. There was a thirty foot palm tree out there now for fuck’s sake, when yesterday there had been none.
The four bougainvillea climbers that scrambled up the columns along each side of the square courtyard now had heavy drooping canopies of bright red flowers weighing them down. There were more hibiscus plants than he cared to count, all flourishing an array of stunning blooms; reds, oranges, yellows, whites and pinks. Whilst blue and purple salvia bushes vied with canna lilies, ginger plants and large feathery ferns for room and sunlight.
His expensive sandstone tiles only remained now in evidence around the very edges of the courtyard under the shaded veranda. Had the plants eaten or pulverised the sandstone somehow? Damn he had really liked those tiles, selecting them personally and importing them from Greece. Moss covered pathways now wound their way amidst the cornucopia of plants. And there were two large stretches of ridiculously green, incredibly soft looking grass. Grass! High maintenance, prone to weeds, messy grass.
The only things left untouched by the jungle that came and ate his courtyard was the shaded veranda area and the fountain, which burbled away, sounding for some reason merrier than it had the day before. Completely an utterly insane right?
That’s where Serena found him. Standing in the large airy kitchen, sipping coffee and eyeing the courtyard with cool unreadable eyes. Today he wore a dark navy three piece suit that fit his lean form like a well-made glove, his eyes the colour of midnight.
“Morning.” She padded into the room on bare feet. At least her hair was no longer a mess, she’d found a brush in the bathroom but her only clothing option remained Locke’s t-shirt.
“Afternoon actually. You slept well?”
“Very well thank you.” No this wasn’t awkward at all. She lifted her butt onto a bar stool at the bench across from him. Running her fingers absently over the polished surface of the reclaimed dark wood bench top.
“And the visit with Nell? Everything okay?” He raised an enquiring brow, no sign of the teasing man she’d caught glimpses of yesterday in evidence.
“All good.” She watched as he strode over to the ultra-modern top of the range refrigerator, pulled open one door, extracting a large glass full of what looked like liquidised seaweed. “What’s that?” She stared in horror as he placed the glass in front of her.
“Your breakfast… well lunch technically. Nell left it for you.”
“I’m supposed to drink that?” Wow, so much for thinking Nell seemed a sweetheart.
“Every last nutritious drop.” There was just the slightest twinkle of amusement in those dark blue depths.
Picking up the drink she stared down at the contents. Wrinkling her nose as the smell wafted up to tickle her senses. Wow the stuff smelt so bad it had to be insanely good for her. “Ummm.” Dubiously she continued to stare at the liquid, had something in there just moved?
“Drink.”
“Ummm.”
“Drink it.”
Unable to stop, Serena found herself lifting the glass to her lips and gulping down the liquid until there was nothing left. Slamming down the glass, she screwed up her face in dismay. The drink tasted worse than it smelt. Bah, frantic she snagged an apple from a nearby bowl of fruit and bit into it. The sweet tangy flesh helping to negate the bad taste lingering in her mouth but only a little.
“Yuk… Seriously! Don’t do that!” She accepted the glass of water he handed over and gulped a few cleansing mouthfuls.
“You would have sat there all day umming and procrastinating.”
Serena placed a hand over her tummy as her stomach gurgled. Earth, please don’t let her throw that stuff up. It was bad enough going down. After a few seconds calm prevailed… whew. “Do I need to remind you that I’m a fully grown adult?”
“And do I need to remind you that seven very large, very muscular men, who more often than not use violence to solve an argument, will have my head if anything happens to you?”
She gave him one last glare for good measure before take another large bite of her apple. “How did you do that anyway? How do you do any of it…
the hospital… stopping me from asking questions?”
Locke stared at her for a moment, as if he was weighing up some invisible argument. Sighing he placed his coffee down and folded his arms. “The world runs on universal hard truths… think scientific, legal, proven incontrovertible unwavering truths. The population is literally hard wired from birth to accept and uphold those truths. Then there are the intangible truths… religion, morality, superstition, prejudices and stereotypes. They make up a person’s individual beliefs; right from wrong, good versus bad. I’m a truth mage, utilising truth as both a shield and a weapon. Though working with universal truth is generally easier for me, for example the law, because the fabric of mankind is based on it. The intangible truths are a little bit trickier, since every person has a unique set of beliefs. When I speak the truth….”
“You’re talking mind control.” Serena was both impressed and horrified by his powers.
“I wish! It would have made my teenage dating years a lot easier.” Locke shook his head. “No I’m talking about the truth. It only works if the subject already has the beliefs in their personal makeup. Like yesterday, you knew that if you peppered me with questions during our escape you would have just slowed us down unnecessarily. Same goes for the drink, not so deep down you knew it was good for you.”
“What about the guards, the orderlies, they didn’t even bother to stop and ask us questions?”
“Belief isn’t just about truth being spoken out loud; it’s about what we see, what we accept and what we expect. A guy pulls up in a ridiculously expensive car, parks across two parking spots, carries a monogramed briefcase and is wearing an Italian bespoke suit, what do you think?”
“Asshole lawyer.” Oops, she couldn’t believe she’d said that out loud. “Sorry.”
He waved off her apology. “Exactly, asshole lawyer. Do you question his right to be there at a government run facility?”
“No, I imagine government officials and lawyers come and go all the time.”
