The Witch's Protector

by Leia Shaw

  Geo was thousands of years old – from a place before time existed – and even he wouldn’t brave a rescue mission into the heart of the Underworld Games. Not without proper motivation. He admired Samantha’s loyalty, but that wouldn’t keep her alive. If her sister was in the Underworld, the chances she wasn’t already dead were slim.

  He fell back to question Sam. Maybe he could convince her to go home. “How do you know your sister is here?”

  “None of your business,” was the quick reply.

  He sighed. “So many secrets.” He was getting tired of it. “I was swallowed whole by a death worm because of you. Now I don’t mind dragging your cute behind halfway across the Underworld to find someone I’ve never met so long as you fulfill your end of the bargain, but you’re going to start answering a few questions. Now.” He’d never been so firm with her. I wonder how she’ll take it.

  She looked at him for a long moment then nodded. “All right.”

  His brows shot up in surprise. Apparently demanding answers was the only way to get them with her. He’d have to remember that.

  “My dad was in debt to the overseer of the Games. After a few escalating threats he still didn’t pay up. And then Nikki disappeared. I put two and two together.”

  What kind of father put his family in danger? And why wasn’t he here in the Underworld instead of his daughter? A child was a sacred gift to be protected and treasured, not exposed to harm for a selfish addiction. “Do you have proof?”

  “I don’t need proof.” She fingered the feather hanging from her neck. “I can feel her. I’m in the right realm at least.”

  “Does that have something to do with your necklaces?”

  She shot him a surprised look. “Um. Yes. The feather is a signet. I used it to bind us a few years ago after she got lost in the woods behind the trailer park. Like a sixth sense, I can feel when I’m near her. Or when she’s in trouble.”

  “And what do you plan to do after you rescue her?” That was assuming a small mortal witch could walk into the most vicious place in the Underworld and come out alive with what the overseer considered his property.

  “When we get out of here, I’ll keep working on my five-year plan.” Seeming to talk to herself, she muttered, “Then my ten-year plan. And only then will I know I’ll never end up like them.”

  “What’s your five-year plan?” The blink of an eye in his world.

  “Can’t see how it would matter to you. It doesn’t include the Underworld, that’s for sure.”

  He’d let that one go for now. She absently chewed a nail and that adorable spot between her brows crinkled.

  “How do you plan to support your sister?” He pictured their life Topside. Two young women, alone. He didn’t like it.

  She raised her chin. “I’m a witch for hire.”

  “A merc?”

  She shrugged. “Something like that.”

  “And you make money doing this? I thought your powers were unpredictable.”

  Her confidence seemed to falter. “I take the jobs no one else will. And I’m not unpredictable at everything. I rock at potions and can do basic spells.” She stared at the ground and mumbled, “I’m just shit at everything else.”

  “What do you mean ‘the jobs no one else will’? Are they dangerous?” Though it was none of his business what she did Topside, for some reason, it was critical she answered no.

  “Not necessarily. Mostly they’re just illegal.”

  He opened his mouth to further question her but he didn’t like how her face fell and her eyes glossed over in sadness. He preferred the fire that matched her hair. With a devilish grin he goaded her. “So what you’re saying is, you have no principles.”

  She scowled up at him. “My principles demand I eat. Therefore I work.”

  There was the feisty witch he’d grown to like.

  “I’m sorry, demon boy, but you’re stuck with the worst kind of witch. One with everything to lose.”

  And she would lose it all in less than two days time. Geo was marching her toward it like an executioner escorting a prisoner on death row.

  ***

  Why was Geo so curious about what she did Topside? He’d better not be thinking about changing their bargain. Though, technically, she wouldn’t exactly be holding up her side in the end anyway. She pushed that unpleasant thought away for later. One thing at a time. First they had to make it the Games gate – another day away.

  They cut a trail straight through two ominous mountains just as daylight began to fade. The red sky turned to a deep plum and she had to admit there was something kind of pretty about it – in a dark, twisted sort of way. Craggy black cliffs towered over them on both sides. The trees disappeared with the forest behind them and the green-yellow grass underfoot looked stark next to all the black.

  Finally, they came to a clearing, almost perfectly round, surrounded by tall cliffs on all sides. In the middle of the clearing sat a quaint little wooden cabin. The trail continued into the mountains on the other side of the cabin. She wouldn’t ask but…

  Oh please let him say we can stay here!

  He stopped and sniffed the air then turned to her. “Seems empty, but stay here just in case. I’ll check if it’s safe. If it is, we’ll remain here for the night.”

  She nodded eagerly.

  With a steely swoosh, he unsheathed his sword and strode confidently toward the cabin. A tendril of lust swept through her. My God, the man makes a sword look good.

  And with that lust came memories of the spontaneous kiss she’d planted on him last night. She still didn’t know what she’d been thinking, but she didn’t regret it. She could almost feel his full lips on hers, so rough and masculine. And she’d bet he was the type she liked in bed. A little demanding, a little dangerous. Someone who’d take charge but make sure she was taken care of. Mmm…

  She was still fighting her libido when a loud bang sounded from inside the cabin, startling her. Every muscle tensed for a fight. In one smooth motion, she had her sword free and peered into the dim light. It was silent. Was that good or bad? Where was Geo?

  Suddenly, a creature burst out of the cabin roof, sending pieces of wood sliding to the ground. It shrieked then landed on its feet not far from her. Covered in red sagging skin and the size of a small child, it crouched down on all fours and growled at the cabin.

  What the fuck?

  She swallowed a lump of fear. The creature swiveled around and looked at her. Its forehead was distorted, giving it a sinister appearance. Large brown horns rose up over its head like a goat. Then it smiled. If she could call it smiling. Its lips curled away from its teeth, which lined up in sharp rows like a shark. It almost looked happy to see her.

  Yeah, that’s right. Underestimate me. It’ll be the last mistake you ever make.

  She widened her stance and held her sword at the ready. The creature leapt for her. Just as her sword made contact with its neck, Geo ran out of the cabin.

  “Samantha!”

  The body plopped onto the ground in a lifeless lump and the head rolled off somewhere in the dark. Geo ran to her.

  She slipped her sword into the sheath on her back. “Now, that’s a demon.”

  A smile tugged at her lips when she watched Geo’s expression turn to awe. She could get used to that.

  The illustrations of demons in her books were accurate after all. But if demons were small, wrinkled men with mandibles like Gremlins, then what, exactly, was Geo? “I think it’s about time for you to tell me who you really are,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

  Geo ran a hand over his horns as he stared at the demon’s body. He blew out a breath then nodded. “All right. I’ll tell you everything in the cabin. But I want to cover our tracks first.”

  He turned around to head for the trees and that’s when she saw his hair matted with blood in the back.

  “Are you okay?” She reached out to touch his arm then caught herself and pulled back.

  He turned to f
ace her. “Little fucker caught me off guard is all. I’m fine. Good thing you know how to use that.” He nodded to her sword with a smirk. “I may not have reached you in time.”

  The one good thing her older brothers did for her was to teach her how to fight – though their lessons were often cruel. “Right. And a dead witch is a useless witch.”

  She’d meant it as a joke but his face fell. His lips turned down in a frown and his brow furrowed. “Right,” he mumbled then turned away. “Go inside. I’ll be there in a minute.”

  Did she say something wrong? She shrugged inwardly. Strange not-demon dude. “I’ll help. I can do a protection circle.”

  He quirked a brow. “Can you manage it without becoming…unpredictable?”

  “It’s mostly when the spell involves controlling nature. But this, I can do.” She got down on one knee and dug in her satchel for the supplies.

  Geo loomed over her. “So your difficulties are related to the power Gaia gives you?”

  Did he sound suspicious? “Uh. Yeah.” She kept her gaze down and pulled out what she needed from her bag. “But it’s my fault. I didn’t study hard enough.” Jumping up from the ground she quickly changed topics. “Anyway, let’s do this. I’m hungry and exhausted.”

  His eyes narrowed and she tried to act natural. She’d never been a good liar.

  Witches derived most of their power through the worship of Gaia – or Mother Earth. Through her they could manipulate elements of nature – water, plants, weather, even the dirt beneath her feet. A powerful witch who drew the favor of Gaia could move the very mountains around them. But Samantha’s family, the Blackthorns, were the black sheep of witchcraft. They’d lost Gaia’s blessing a long time ago.

  Geo went back the way they’d come and covered their footsteps and scent. Samantha went to work on a protection spell. Sprinkling salt and burning dried sage, she walked a circle around the cabin. As she chanted her spell, magic flowed through her like a fountain of warmth. A spell over something this large required more than chalk and a few words. That was a quick defense in a pinch, and not particularly strong. This was more serious.

  The last thing she did was link the circle to the red jasper gemstone that hung around her neck. That way she would feel if anyone pushed through it.

  Geo stepped into the clearing. “I walked around in circles for ten minutes before I realized your spell was keeping me away.” He was wearing that sexy smirk. “Nice job.”

  She chuckled. “Sorry. Give me your hand and I’ll bring you through it.”

  His big hand swallowed hers and they walked inside. The cabin contained only one room, empty except for a hearth and a pallet in the corner she wasn’t going anywhere near.

  They both looked up at the jagged hole in the ceiling.

  “Sorry about that,” Geo said, giving her hand a squeeze.

  Her gaze jumped to their hands intertwined. They hadn’t let go yet. And it disturbed her that she didn’t really want to. “It’s all right. It’s like a skylight. People pay big money to install those.”

  He gazed at her with a funny expression. “Again you amaze me.”

  A blush crept up her neck. Her voice came out a whisper. “Well, I’m just happy to have somewhere to rest.”

  He stared at her for a long uncomfortable moment before clearing his throat. “I’ll light a fire before it gets too dark.”

  Geo had a fire going and some small animal cooking over it in no time. Sam sat on the blanket and watched the poor creature roast. She didn’t dare ask what it was because it smelled so freakin’ good she doubted she could resist it anyway. Sometimes ignorance was necessary to survive.

  While they settled in and had nothing to do but wait for the meal, she looked at Geo and said, “Spill it, Mr. Enigmatic. What are you and why are you here?”

  From across the fire she heard his male chuckle. The light cast a glowing aura over his face – tanned but smooth. His horns were barely visible in the shadow of darkness. The black T-shirt stretched across his broad shoulders but the sleeves were short enough to leave his biceps open to her gaze. She’d always been a bicep girl. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips. How could she be thinking about wanting to taste his smooth skin after all they’d been through?

  She shook her head to break the spell.

  “You’re a bossy little thing,” he said with laughter in his voice.

  “Me bossy? Ha! That’s funny coming from you.”

  “Down here there’s a name for a creature that taunts a bigger one.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Dead.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Ha, ha. The demon made a funny.”

  His brows shot up. “Not a demon.” He stoked the fire then gazed into it thoughtfully. “I come from the god realm. I was convicted of a crime I didn’t commit then sentenced here for punishment almost two hundred years ago.”

  From the god realm? Fucking hell. If Geo was some sort of fallen god, she was going to eat her sword. “What was the crime?”

  “Treason.”

  She was traveling with a condemned traitor? This was getting better and better. “That’s a pretty big crime.”

  “Yes, but if Ares had truly believed it, I’d be sunbathing in Hades right now.” His mouth turned up in a lopsided grin. “Not having dinner with a sexy redhead.”

  Her cheeks flushed but she ignored it. “Stop trying to distract me. Who framed you?”

  “My half-brother.”

  She laughed humorlessly. “Your family has the same idea of loyalty as mine.”

  He gave her a puzzled look.

  Not going there tonight. Distract. “Um. So why did he do that?”

  He hesitated. “Because he felt threatened by me. He’s the legitimate heir to Ares’ throne.” His gaze, stark and grave, met hers from across the fire. “And I’m his bastard son.”

  Chapter 9

  Aside from the crackling fire, the cabin was quiet for several long moments. Samantha was reeling. If what Geo said was true, that would make him a….demigod.

  Talk about a mind fuck.

  For two days she’d teased him about being a demon when she’d actually been in the presence of the son of a god. And not just any god. Ares, god of war.

  According to her mythology studies, Athena was the goddess of war – the cunning and organized part. Ares was the destruction. It didn’t seem fitting for Geo at all.

  “My mother was human,” he explained. “Ares watched her as she sacrificed herself to save her human family during a rock slide. He brought her to the god realm to be his concubine. She was a gentle, selfless soul and a favorite of my father’s. Probably because he saw everything he wasn’t in her.” His face lit up when he talked about her.

  “But why did he make you a demon?” She stared at his horns, which looked painfully obvious now.

  He shrugged. “The gods aren’t in the habit of explaining their actions.”

  Isn’t that the truth?

  “I can only guess it’s because I’m valuable to him. I’m a good strategist and I make quality weapons.” His voice filled with pride at that part. “But I have no interest in taking over Ares’ reign.”

  “You make weapons?”

  He smiled. “Hand me your sword.”

  She hesitated a moment then gave it to him. If he wanted to steal her sword, he could’ve long before now.

  With eyes narrowed in concentration, he held it flat on his palm, bobbing it up and down. “Balance is good. Weight is appropriate for someone your size.” He slashed it through the air a couple times. “It’s a bit heavy on the front end though.”

  She scowled, feeling like he’d just insulted her. It may have only been a sword, but it was hers through and through – almost an extension of her. And she’d stolen it fair and square. Growing up, she watched her brothers practice fighting each other. First with sticks then wooden swords, and then when they were old enough to make money – or steal it from their dad – they each bought their own. She envie
d them and finally asked the youngest, Andrew, to teach her. They laughed at first but Darren, the oldest, thought it might do her some good. He said if she could find a way to get her own sword, they’d teach her.

  Her sophomore high school class had one rich girl, Priscilla, who bragged about her father’s weapons collection. Samantha rigged it so the next pairs assignment in science class put her and Priscilla together. While studying in her massive mansion, Sam wandered the house under the guise of using the bathroom. She filched the sword, tossed it out the bathroom window then faked being sick and grabbed it out of the bushes on her way home. No one in town had ever solved the crime of the missing gladius sword. Of course, the spell she’d used to steer the investigation away had been helpful.

  After she’d swiped the sword, she researched its history. It was said to have been used by Emperor Commodus – a famous roman gladiator who’d fought a thousand matches using the name Secutor. And that’s what she’d named the sword.

  But it had been hers the moment it was made – she’d never been so sure of anything in all her life. Every time she grasped the ivory handle, it felt like shaking hands with an old friend.

  Geo handed it back to her. “It’s one of my abilities as a demigod. If I had my true powers, or even my shop, I could fix it easily.”

  She glared at him. “I like it the way it is.”

  He had the nerve to chuckle. “So be it. Anyway, Ares doesn’t want me dead or I would be. I think he gave me a demon’s strength – mind control, but not its weakness – chaos, so I would survive my sentence. And here I am, waiting to return home.”

  He stared into the fire, his eyes glazed over with sadness. Poor, lonely man. She wanted to reach out and comfort him, but she’d never been good at that sort of thing. Between taking care of Nikki and trying to become a decent witch, boys had been the last thing on her mind. She’d had only two boyfriends – neither of which had lasted long. A twinge of hurt tightened her chest. She’d given one her virginity only to be dumped as soon as things had gotten a little rough.