Charmed & Ready

by Candace Havens

Goddess of Earth I ask thee,

  cleanse this man's soul from

  the evil that holds him.

  As I will it, so mote it be.

  A white mist surrounded him, Sam's body convulsed again and his eyes watered. "No," he whispered.

  A tear fell to my cheek. He thought I was trying to kill him.

  I shook my head. "I love you, Sam."

  I took the ceremonial knife and cut my palm. Dribbling the blood across his chest, I chanted.

  He who is protected by my blood,

  can hold no evil here.

  Begone.

  As I will it, so mote it be.

  The blood sizzled on his chest and burned like acid.

  His eyes turned orange again. "You can't have him, bitch. I die, he goes with me." Blackstock's voice was a roar.

  Bastard.

  "No. You want real power. You want my power. Come on, I'll give it to you. Come to me, asshole. Let's play for real, stop hiding inside the warlock."

  He rose above Sam as an orange mist. His form was that of the demon Blaseus, but I knew the voice.

  The smell of sulfur was disgusting.

  Hovering over Sam, he reached for me.

  I threw the naming potion at him.

  "I name you Blackstock and your soul belongs to the Blood Goddess." I moved to stand at Sam's head and poured half the Caiale down his throat. He choked and sputtered, but most of it went down.

  I looked down. I couldn't see if he was breathing, but there was no time to check. If he lived, I hoped he'd forgive me. For now he had to die.

  The mist rushed me and I drank the last of the Caiale.

  The coven changed their chant, but Blackstock was so excited about possessing me he didn't notice.

  Before I passed out I surrounded myself, and Sam, with a healing circle.

  "Go to hell, asshole!" I screamed. My body convulsed and I fell to the ground.

  I was dead, but I could see the coven, they continued the chant, tears falling to their cheeks. Kira sobbing, but still repeating the words. I hovered above them.

  Blackstock roared. He couldn't get out of our circle, and there was no one alive in the protected salt circle to possess. A demon can't possess a dead body. He looked up to the sky and then a giant mystical hand broke through the earth and pulled him into the ground.

  Peggy broke the outside circle and poured the blue juice down Sam's throat and then mine.

  The coven closed the circle behind her and continued their healing chant.

  It's what kept Sam and me alive. I'm sure of it now.

  I reentered my body gasping for air. Sam did the same. The circle broke and we cut the ties that bound Sam.

  He reached for me. "God, I thought you were dead."

  "I thought you were dead." I laughed. I should have been exhausted (almost dying usually does that to me) but I wasn't.

  I touched his face. "I'm so sorry, I didn't know what else to do."

  He squeezed me hard, his breath jagged.

  Kira fell to her knees behind me and her arms circled us both. She sobbed. "I thought we were going to lose you both."

  I laughed and cried. So did Sam. But these were tears of joy. We'd made it.

  Everyone sat down on the ground. They'd been so powerful.

  I held Sam but turned to them. "You were amazing."

  Peggy smiled. "Girl, you sure do know how to stir up excitement around here. I don't know what we did for fun before you arrived." She said it jokingly, but I know she'd been affected by what had transpired tonight. We all had.

  I later learned that Peggy and the coven had been watching the house. They felt Blackstock come through the instant he possessed Sam and made the calls to bring the coven in. I can't tell you how grateful I am these people have become my friends.

  Sam is better than ever. We both slept about nine hours and he just went into town to pick up some food for dinner tonight.

  His soul is lighter, as is mine. It's good to see him happy again. His strength amazes me.

  Blackstock had been trying to possess him all this time, and Sam had been unknowingly fighting him. That's what had brought about all of those terrible insecurities, headaches and fevers.

  Now that I know how bad he really felt, I'm even more amazed by Sam's abilities. He is a strong and gifted man.

  I don't have long before he returns. I'm going to pick some flowers to put on the table.

  * * *

  Chapter Thirty

  Tuesday, 2 P. M.

  Sweet, Texas

  Thoroughly happy witches with hot boyfriends: 1

  I can barely walk, but it's worth it. Sam and I have been making love for the last forty-eight hours. We can't get enough of each other.

  There's this new connection between us, even deeper than before. Oh, and he's so romantic.

  Sunday, when he came back he had a lot more than food.

  I was out in the conservatory repotting some of my herbs when he walked in carrying a beautiful rosebush. The roses were a deep red, almost black. Rich and velvety blooms.

  "What's this?" I smiled.

  He handed it to me. "I ordered it a while back, and had John open up the nursery so I could get it for you. It's called Red Witch, because of the enticing aroma. Kind of like my witch."

  I laughed. "It's so beautiful, baby. Thank you." I moved it to the side so I could kiss him. His lips were so soft. Mmmm. I love the taste of Sam.

  "Something else I've wanted to give you, but I've been waiting for the right time." He suddenly looked shy, and he stared at his shoes.

  "What is it?" I thought it might be something from Victoria's Secret. The man has a thing for sexy lingerie that only rivals my own.

  He took a deep breath.

  "I love you, Bronwyn. You know that. More than anything. This last month, well it's been hell. For the first time ever, I wasn't sure I could go on. Not without you."

  He shook his head before I could speak. "I know a lot of those insecurities had nothing to do with my own feelings and emotions. But the truth is, trusting is hard for me. And your job is so tough for me to take. That part of what I told you before was true, and straight from the heart. I can't stand the idea of losing you." His voice caught.

  His eyes were so intense. I had no idea where he was going with this. Had he just given me a present and then he was breaking up with me? It didn't make any sense.

  My emotions must have fallen across my face.

  He laughed. "Stop it, baby, I'm trying to be romantic. I'm just not doing a very good job of it."

  "Thank God." My whole body shook with giggles. "I wasn't sure what to think."

  "Here." He held out his hand. A perfect Red Witch bloom was in his hand. Draped on the rose was a beautiful silver necklace with a pendant.

  "It's beautiful," I gasped. The pendant was shaped in two beautiful knots tied together.

  He took it off the rose and walked behind me. Pushing my hair to the side, he placed it around my neck. "It's a Celtic eternal knot," he whispered against my ear. "This way I can be close to your heart at all times, even when you are thousands of miles away."

  I turned to face him. He held my hands in his.

  "I love you. I believe in you. And I'm so proud of you. I would never ask you to give up your job. But I do want you to be mine. Forever.

  "I'm promising myself to you, Bron."

  My arms flew around his neck.

  "I love you so much." I kissed him all over his face and his neck and well, like I said, we've been in bed the last two days. He finally had to go into the office to see patients.

  Oh, and I called Kira this morning. I remembered what Caleb had said about her hearing from the dead people that Blackstock was back.

  "So, I guess you told Caleb." I was pruning out in the conservatory and had the phone cradled on my shoulder.

  "Yes, and you were right. He took it really well." Kira laughed. "I almost got sick while I was trying to tell him, but he was so relieved that I wasn't seeing som
eone else. He said, considering the alternative, the dead people were a blessing."

  So love is alive and well in Sweet, Texas.

  And I'm in love with a gorgeous man who makes me happy. Yes, life is good.

  * * *

  About the Author

  Candace Havens is a veteran entertainment journalist who spends way too much time interviewing celebrities. In addition to her weekly columns seen in newspapers throughout the country, she is the entertainment critic for 96.3 KSCS in the Dallas/ Fort Worth area. She is the author of Charmed & Dangerous and the non-fiction biography Joss Whedon: The Genius Behind Buffy, as well as several published essays. You can visit her at www.candacehavens.com or for the real crazy stuff at http://candyhavens.livejournal.com.