Steam

by Lynn Tyler

  Chapter 7

  Good God, when Matthew had said they were going to MacAlister castle, she had pictured a mansion. But this was an honest to goodness castle with arrow slits, towers, and an outer wall with a moat. A moat that had to be crossed by a freaking drawbridge. “You could have warned me,” she muttered to the two men at her side.

  “What did you expect, lass? We told you it was a castle.”

  Leith had an amazing ability to state the obvious. Still, the man looked down at her with something akin to fondness on his face. She stuck her tongue out at him and turned back to the castle. She had to crane her neck all the way back to see the top of the closest tower. It looked positively medieval. “Please tell me there’s indoor plumbing,” she said.

  This time, Leith laughed out loud. “Yes, Sunny. The castle has been completely updated over the years. We have indoor plumbing and electricity. We even have the Internet and cable.”

  “Be honest, Leith. We still heat the rooms with fireplaces though. Can you imagine the cost of heating this place with a furnace?” Matthew said reasonably.

  He dragged his suitcase behind him with one hand, the other occupied with juggling his briefcase and a set of keys. “Do you think Raven will let me park my car in his garage tonight?” he asked.

  “As long as you don’t get too close to my Porsche,” a tall man said from the doorway, where he was evidently waiting for them.

  Matthew broke out into a genuine smile for the first time since they’d talked about him not having any magic. “Don’t worry, old man. I won’t get anywhere near your precious car.”

  Sunny laughed at their banter but couldn’t help but notice that Leith had gotten suspiciously still and silent. “I’ll be leaving,” he said stiffly. “If you should find yourself in need of anything, have Matthew call me.”

  He marched off into the castle without a backward glance or even a good-bye.

  Raven sighed and approached them, taking Sunny’s bags from her and gesturing for Matthew and her to follow him inside. “I’m sorry, Matthew. Any time I say something to you, he gets a like that. Maybe you have hope after all?”

  Sunny stumbled to a halt. Raven knew about Matthew’s crush on Leith?

  She scrambled to catch up with them as they stopped and Matthew shook his head. “No. I’m never going to be the one for him. I need to give up and move on.”

  Raven bumped him with his shoulder. “Do you want me to assign someone else to Leith?”

  Matthew shook his head again, this time faster. “No. I can’t give him up completely. We’ll just be co-workers.”

  “I hate seeing you in pain,” Raven said.

  Sunny backed off, feeling like she was eavesdropping on a conversation she really shouldn’t be hearing. But she was happy she was in a place which had a leader who cared about his people.

  If she had to be here, that is. She hadn’t forgotten about the part where she had essentially been kidnapped. Okay, so she’d technically come willingly, but only after someone else had tried to kill her.

  But it was hard to hold on to her anger for the two men who’d brought her there though.

  Maybe she was crazier than all those psychiatrists at the hospital thought.

  She used the time to look over the grounds. God, it was beautiful. She wondered why it wasn’t teeming with tourists.

  “Sunny?” Matthew called. “Are you coming?”

  She rejoined them, happy to see both men were acting normally again. Following them through the door, she stopped and gazed around in awe. If she thought the castle was amazing from the outside, the inside took the cake. It didn’t look like a stone castle at all. There were shining wood floors, rich tapestries on the wall and dozens of portraits scattered around.

  “Just leave your bags there, Ms. Kerrigan. I’ve been remiss in my introductions, I’m sorry. My name is Raven MacAlister, the leader of the MacAlister clan.” He held out his hand.

  Reaching forward, Sunny took his hand and jerked back when a small shock went zipping through her system. Raven’s eyes widened and he shook his hand as if he’d been burned. “Leith wasn’t kidding when he said you were strong. I’m very glad you decided to come and train with us.”

  Sunny couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up. “You mean I had a choice?”

  Raven smiled sympathetically. “Well, no. But it seems Matthew and Leith were able to convince you rather quickly once they found you.”

  “Oh, it wasn’t them. It was the maniac with the gun that convinced me. I figured Matthew and Leith were the lesser of the two devils, if you know what I mean?”

  Raven’s eyes narrowed. “Guy with a gun?”

  “Hunter,” Matthew said with a small smile. “But you should have seen her, Rave. She melted two guns without even batting an eyelash.”

  “Raven?” A woman’s voice called from somewhere deeper in the castle. “Don’t loiter in the foyer. Bring her inside.”

  “Of course,” Raven said even as Matthew’s smile grew larger. “Please, come this way.”

  The threesome made their way into what seemed to be some sort of library. A woman sitting in one of the overstuffed chairs jumped to her feet when they entered. “Oh, my dear, I’ve been waiting for you for so long.”

  The woman rushed to her and enveloped her in a warm hug. Instantly, everything in Sunny was pulled to this woman. She felt a leap in the pressure growing in her, but curiously, she felt like everything was in control.

  “Oh,” the woman said, pulling back and holding Sunny by the arms. “I’d forgotten how intense our connection would be. I’m Anna, by the way. Anna Carrow. I’m the air handler.”

  Sunny looked at her in wonder. She’d never felt this close to anyone before. The thought of losing this woman sent her into a panic. “Why do I feel like this?”

  Anna patted her arm and let go of her, leading her to one of the chairs and urging her to sit down. “Our magic is complementary. Fire needs air to function. Similarly, changing the air’s temperature gives it much more power. It’s natural that we’re drawn together.”

  A little more reassured that what she felt was normal, Sunny grinned and sat down. “It’s good to know I match with somebody.”

  Anna smiled back and sat down next to her. “I’m so excited to have another woman here. It’s been just me for so long.” She glared at Raven, who reddened slightly and cleared his throat.

  Patting her arm again, Anna turned back to her. “Dinner should be served soon. We should make sure to tell the cook what you like to eat so it can be included in our weekly menus. Tonight is roast beef, I believe.”

  Sunny placed her hand on her stomach and shook her head. She was far too overwhelmed to eat. “I’m not really hungry.”

  “You should eat,” a deep voice said from behind her. “Letting yourself get hungry makes it harder to concentrate on controlling your magic.”

  Turning around, Sunny was met by the sight of the most beautiful man she’d ever seen. He was tall and lean with short black hair and eyes the color of milk chocolate. He was wearing a pair of blue jeans which showcased his thighs and a tight, black, short-sleeved shirt.

  Raven snorted and rose from the desk he’d been sitting at. “You really shouldn’t talk about anyone else’s eating habits, Sloan. You barely eat enough to survive as it is.”

  “Whatever. I take it this is our new fire handler?” the man said with a sneer.

  Sunny was shocked. Why was he so cold? She stood and offered him her hand. “Apparently I am. I’m Sunny.”

  “Sloan, the water handler,” he responded, taking her hand and shaking it.

  Another zap of power rushed through her and she jerked back. Her response to his magic was completely different from her response to Anna’s. What she had come to think of as her fire, pulled back and pushed forward at once, completely at odds with itself. It was a disconcerting feeling and one she wasn’t exactly sure she liked. It was pleasurable and almost painful all at once. It almost felt like she was on t
he brink of a massive orgasm with no way to achieve the final push into ecstasy.

  Something passed over Sloan’s face, maybe surprise, before he stepped back and stared at her. “I’m going up to my room. I’ll see everyone in the morning.”

  “What about dinner?” Raven asked with concern in his voice.

  Sloan paused and flexed his hands. “Just have someone send something to my room. But don’t send any coffee or chocolate up.”

  He left the room without another word and Sunny stared after him. Did he not want the coffee because he was having trouble controlling his magic? If so, what chance did she have for learning control if someone who was as experienced as Sloan seemed have trouble?

  And what was with the attitude? What had she done to provoke his ire? “What’s his problem?” Sunny asked.

  “Well, if you think about how our magic is complementary and so we feel drawn together, it makes sense you and Sloan would be subconsciously pitted against each other. Fire and water and all that,” Anna said with a warm smile.

  Raven sighed and pushed one hand through his hair, causing it to stick up briefly before it settled back down into thick waves. “Don’t worry about Sloan. He’s been going through some stuff for the last little while. He wasn’t always such a jerk. But he is right, as a handler, it is good practice to eat something whenever it’s offered, even if it’s something small.”

  Matthew smiled at her and slung an arm around her shoulders. “Come on, love. Sit next to me and I’ll keep you entertained.” He guided her out of the library and into a massive dining room.

  The table was laden with platters of meat, tureens of buttered peas, serving bowls full of roast potatoes, a gigantic platter of Yorkshire puddings and several boats of gravy. There was so much food for the four of them, Sunny wondered how much these people ate. Even if dinner was saved for or sent to Leith and Sloan, the amount of food was staggering.

  Despite the formality of the way the meal was presented, it seemed the occupants of this castle were pretty informal. Everyone served themselves, asking politely for the salt or to pass the butter when needed.

  Sunny took a small serving of everything, realizing that even though she was nervous, her stomach was actually quite empty. She stuck with water to drink, taking small sips as she observed the three other people at the table with her. Raven snapped his fingers and the candles in the middle of the table caught fire. Sunny jumped. “I thought I was the fire handler.”

  Anna smiled and patted her hand. “You are. All witches can control the elements somewhat. But the MacAlister handlers can do far more than just control the elements. We can manipulate our element to our liking.”

  Her confusion must have showed because Anna patted her hand again. “Don’t worry. You’ll understand what I mean when you start training.”

  Sunny gave her a tired nod and looked back down at her plate, focusing on the banter flowing around her.

  Raven and Matthew were talking about some type of investment Raven seemed interested in making. Anna chimed in every once in a while but mostly stayed quiet. If it had been any other day, Sunny would have struck up a conversation with the other woman, but her day was starting to catch up with her and she was exhausted.

  She was almost asleep in her dinner when Anna touched her shoulder gently. Sunny jumped, surprised to find she hadn’t even heard the other woman get up from her seat. “Let me show you to your room,” Anna suggested.

  Nodding, Sunny dragged her tired butt out of the chair and followed Anna. She was so groggy, she was halfway up a set of stairs before she realized she had no idea how to get back.

  Would it be too much to hope the castle would have those Where am I? maps posted on the hall walls somewhere?

  “This is the handler wing,” Anna said as they passed a closed door. The gentle, warm feeling emanating from the room told her it was Anna’s. Did a handler’s magic leech into their surroundings if they spent enough time there?

  Anna continued speaking about how the rooms on this side were larger to accommodate for a handler’s increased power but Sunny found the woman’s voice too soothing to actually pay much attention.

  “This is Sloan’s suite,” Anna said as they passed the next door. Sunny could have guessed that from the cool, aggressive power being pushed from the room.

  The next suite was empty and Sunny guessed it was for the still missing earth handler. The room at the very end of the hall had to be hers.

  Anna confirmed this when she pushed open the door and stepped aside so Sunny could walk inside first. Her luggage had been placed at the foot of an enormous bed. There was a chest of drawers against one wall, a large armoire on the wall across from the dresser and a third wall dominated by floor to ceiling windows. The room was decorated in shades of rust and red, which seemed to make the fire inside her burn brighter. It was beautiful. “I’ll leave you to settle in and get some rest. There are fresh towels in the bathroom, which is right through that door.”

  Sunny nodded and said good-bye, still a little awed over the room she’d been assigned.

  Her body still hummed from all the power and, despite the time that had passed since she’d first shaken Sloan’s hand, her arousal hadn’t dissipated. The feeling had only intensified as she passed Sloan’s room. And despite how tired she was, there was no way she would be able to fall asleep with this much lust streaking through her veins. Maybe a nice shower would help take the edge off enough for her to sleep.

  The bathroom was freaking gigantic, but she’d expected it to be, given the size of the room. She contemplated giving the soaker tub a try, which was big enough for two people, a try but in the end, decided she was too tired to lounge around for long.

  Stripping off her clothes, she turned on the water and stepped under the hot spray and grabbed a bottle of shower gel. The water worked miracles on her tight muscles but the bubbles from the shower gel slid down her skin, collecting at the very top of her mound and yanking up her arousal by about ten levels.

  She slid her finger between her legs and found the small ridge of her clit. It flexed and then strained out, demanding attention.

  This was going to be quick and dirty.

  She rubbed it quickly, closing her eyes and letting the image of Sloan float through her mind. In her imagination, Sloan knelt at her feet, nuzzling his way down her stomach and taking her clit between his lips.

  She came unexpectedly, Sloan’s name slipping from her mouth on a long moan.

  God, it may have been short, but it was strong and satisfying. She shivered, savoring the aftershocks of her climax.

  As soon as she could feel her legs again, she dried off with a fluffy towel and collapsed, completely naked, on the bed. She managed to crawl under the covers before her exhaustion overtook her and she fell asleep.

  Chapter 8

  Sloan pushed the food around his plate. He wasn’t really hungry but lately, Raven had taken to monitoring how much he ate. It was supremely annoying, as he was seventy-five years old, but he could understand Raven’s concern. Besides, Raven was just being a good leader.

  Normally, he would have eaten with the others, if only to reassure Raven and Anna he was, at the very least, still alive. But tonight…tonight he’d met the new fire handler.

  He had been stunned by how attracted he’d been to her and even more flabbergasted when he’d taken her hand in his. The power that shot up his arm amazed him. It warmed him through and set him on edge all at once. He should have been prepared for the sensation. After all, every time he touched Anna, a similar phenomenon happened. He was so used to avoiding Anna’s touch, he’d forgotten to brace himself.

  The power hadn’t necessarily been bad, but it had been different.

  The feeling of her soft palm against his had sent him reeling far faster and further than her magic, though. He’d instantly wondered what her hand would feel like slipping down his bare chest and maybe sliding even further south. He’d gone from zero to sixty in less than ten seconds, an
d his dick had leapt to life.

  Matthew had sent him a knowing look, and he’d had to stop himself from dropping his hands to shield his crotch from view. He’d almost joined them, but he’d glanced up at the last second and looked at Dara’s portrait smiling down at him.

  Grief and guilt had swamped him, and he’d taken it out on Sunny before running for the sanctuary of his room. He’d hoped to spend the evening alone working through his thoughts but a knock on the door told him it wouldn’t be the case. He sighed and pushed his plate away. “Come in.”

  Anna marched in and crossed her arms, sending him a disapproving look. “You should be ashamed of yourself, Sloan Shirer. Have you forgotten your manners, because I know you have them?”

  Sloan was taken aback. Out of anyone, he thought Anna would have known how he felt. She had lost her husband in the same battle he’d lost Dara, and she would know how disconcerting it must feel to find oneself attracted to someone else. Then again, he’d have to tell her the truth about how he felt before she could sympathize with him.

  He sighed and rolled his eyes. “You’re right. I’ll go apologize right now.”

  Anna smiled at him like he was a puppy who’d learned to pee outside and patted his head. “That’s a good boy.”

  “You do realize I’m twenty-five years older than you, right?” he grumbled, good-naturedly. He never was able to stay annoyed with the woman.

  “I know,” she said. “Now, go apologize and then eat your dinner. You’re too skinny.”

  “Yes, mom,” he mumbled, edging past her to walk down the hall.

  He heard Anna’s door close as he knocked on Sunny’s. He waited for a few seconds before knocking again. “Sunny?” he called.

  There was no answer. He briefly considered waiting until tomorrow to apologize, but he really didn’t want her to go to sleep thinking he was that big of an ass.

  He cracked the door open a little and poked his head in. “Sunny?”

  The little redhead was nowhere to be seen. He hadn’t had time to tune into her magic yet like he was to Anna’s so he couldn’t pinpoint her location. But where could she have gone? He stepped inside. He couldn’t remember if this room had a balcony but if it did, she might be outside.