by Leia Shaw
I would fall a thousand times if it meant the chance to love you.
She’d never forgotten those final words.
And now he was back. It felt like a thousand little fireworks were going off in her heart. He sacrificed everything for her. Again. Maybe the Blackthorn curse was finally over, cause she felt like the luckiest girl in the world.
Geo released her only to move his lips across her cheeks. He kissed the tip of her nose, her chin then placed one last kiss on her forehead. He looked down at her, his eyes crinkled in amusement. “Well? Are you going to invite me in?”
Epilogue
Four years later
“Push, baby, push,” Geo said, wincing when Samantha squeezed his hand. All that sword practice had given her a bone-crushing grip.
Magic weaved through the air as Selene chanted. Samantha’s face relaxed. The pain-reducing spell must have been working.
“You still have to push, Sam,” Selene said, moving around the room, lighting different kinds of incense. It was all Geo could do to keep from sneezing. “That baby needs to come out.”
His brave wife nodded then inhaled a deep breath. Geo dabbed a wet washcloth on her forehead. “Come on, sweetheart,” he whispered. “You can do it.”
With a half-scream half-growl, she pushed. Her grip tightened on his hand and her whole body tensed with effort.
“Almost,” the midwife, June, said from between Samantha’s legs.
Sam had insisted on a home birth, with Selene’s help. So here they were, in their bed – which they’d covered with towels – having their very first baby.
June felt around underneath a sheet then said, “You’re fully dilated. Stubborn baby.”
Samantha snorted. “Figures.”
Geo moved down to her stomach. “Hey, little dove,” he whispered. “Daddy’s been waiting a long time for you.” He rubbed his hand over her naked belly. “And Mama can’t wait to meet you.”
Samantha groaned and rolled her head back.
June nodded. “The baby’s coming.”
He looked back at his wife. Her face reddened and sweat glistened on her forehead. “Keep going, love. Almost there.” To her belly, he added, “That’s it, sweet darling. Come on out to Daddy.”
Then he heard the most wonderful sound in the world – their baby’s very first cry.
“It’s a girl!” June said with a smile.
Selene rushed in with blankets.
A girl. Awestruck, he couldn’t seem to wipe the grin off his face. Samantha cried tears of joy.
“Cut the cord, Daddy,” Selene said, extending a pair of scissors to him.
Hesitantly, he walked to the squalling bundle then cut where June pointed. The ladies wrapped his little girl up in soft blankets and handed her over. She was so tiny, he was afraid he’d crush her. He cradled her head ever so gently and spoke soothing words in Greek.
“Let me see her,” Samantha rasped.
Geo placed their baby in her arms and she brought her to her breast. The baby calmed. With the washcloth, he wiped the blood from his daughter’s face. Geo hadn’t believed in love at first sight, until now. Her eyes were closed as she suckled the breast. Already he could see Samantha’s features. Long eyelashes. A cute little nose. A small patch of strawberry hair on the top of her head. He’d bet she’d even get freckles in the sun.
Tears fell from his eyes. She was beautiful. His little girl.
***
“What’s her name?” Nikki asked, watching her nap against Samantha’s chest.
Just three days ago this little miracle had been born. Samantha had never felt such love and joy. A daughter – to love and protect, to teach right from wrong, to guide in the ways of magic, to take shopping and paint toenails together. Geo would dote on her, of course. She smiled, already imagining how overprotective he’d be. Well, they’d have plenty of time to work on that.
“Lily Selene,” she told her sister. Nikki had just arrived home from school. She’d wanted to leave the University the day Lily was born but Geo had insisted she wait until the weekend so she didn’t miss any classes.
“Selene? That’s nice. She did so much for us.” Nikki smiled then stood up from the bed Sam was propped up in.
Her sister had turned into such a smart, beautiful young woman. Tears formed in her eyes and she wiped them away in frustration. “My, God! It’s true what they say about new mothers. I’m an emotional mess. Next thing you know, I’ll be crying at Huggies commercials.”
Nikki laughed. “So where’s the new father?”
“Sleeping.” After dinner, she’d made him take a nap, despite his assurances he was fine. After all this time, he still wasn’t used to his human body needing so much sleep. “He insists on taking the night shift.” She looked down at her sleeping baby, so peaceful and serene. “Poor guy. Trying to run his custom furniture business, take care of me, and a newborn.” She chuckled. He was just as stubborn as she was. They were in for a difficult time if Lily turned out like them.
“Aha!” Geo’s voice came from the door. “There’s my two favorite girls.” He spotted Nikki in the corner. “Three favorite girls!” He opened his arms. “Welcome home, darling. How’s school?” After a hug, he set her back, but kept hold of her shoulders. “Do you need anything? What about a coat? It’s getting chilly. Do you have a coat?”
Nikki rolled her eyes then looked at the baby. “Lily, you poor thing. Your daddy is going to smother you to death.”
He let go of Nikki and walked to the side of the bed. “Of course, I am.” He kissed Sam on the forehead then lifted Lily into his hands. “Come here, little dove,” he cooed. “Come meet your Aunt Nikki.”
Somewhat awkwardly, Nikki cradled the baby. Samantha’s heart felt like it might burst. Her little family…all together. It was perfect.
After growing more comfortable, Nikki began to rock her.
Samantha caught Geo looking down at her longingly. Between taking care of the baby and catching up on sleep, she felt like she hadn’t seen him in days.
“Uhh,” Nikki eyed them. “I’ll take Lily in the other room. You guys can…catch up.” She winked.
Samantha scowled. “Nicole! I just had a baby. There won’t be any catching up for a long time.”
Geo’s expression went blank. “There won’t?”
She smacked him in the side of the head with a pillow. Nikki laughed and left the room, closing the door behind her.
Geo crawled into the other side of the bed and pulled Sam into his arms. It felt so good to be here again – his steady breaths under her cheek, his warm hand stroking her back. So safe and well-loved. She let out a contented sigh.
“Do you think we’ll make good parents?” she asked him. “We didn’t exactly have the best role models.”
“You’re asking now?” His chuckle jostled her. “It’s a little late for second guesses.”
That was true. And she wouldn’t trade Lily for the world anyway. “She’s perfect, isn’t she?”
“Yes.” He kissed the top of her head. “Just like her mother.”
More from Leia Shaw
Paranormal Romance
The Sorcerer’s Match – available now
The Inkman’s Captive – available 8/1/17
Vampire Vigilante – January 2018
My Scottish Keeper – available now
Contemporary New Adult
Boy Meets Nerd – available now
Erotic Romance – available now
The Dom with a Safeword
The Dom with the Perfect Brats
The Dom with the Clever Tongue
Free sample ahead
The Sorcerer’s Match
Available now
Chapter 1
Sage emptied the contents of her backpack onto a desk in the basement of the school. Two phones, an iPod, and twenty bucks.
“Not bad,” she said to herself and dumped her looted treasures into a shoebox.
She pulled out a wad of cash and counted
it. It still wasn’t enough for an apartment, even in the scummiest parts of town. She kicked the table in frustration. She’d been stealing, working, and saving for two months and she wasn’t even close.
Maybe if she cut back on meals. At the reminder, her stomach growled. Would it really matter even if she had enough cash? There was no one to co-sign, no bank references, no credit history. Even if she ditched her ripped jeans, black tank top, and combat boots, she couldn’t pass as a responsible adult on paper.
If only the classes she’d been sneaking into counted towards a degree. Hell, if class attendance was all it took, she’d have a fucking PhD.
Was it possible to forge a college degree?
She tucked the cash back into her jeans pocket then looked at the old metal filing cabinet that held her meager belongings.
“If you’d stop buying books then you’d save more,” she scolded herself. Another sigh then she pulled on her faded gray button down janitor shirt. She hated arguing with herself. For once, she wished she had someone to argue with.
“Sage?” Her boss’s voice boomed from above. “Are you down there?”
She shoved the shoebox in the cabinet, closed the metal doors then snapped the padlock in place.
“You’re late again,” Tony said when she bounded up the stairs.
On the outside, Tony looked like he belonged in the mafia, but Sage knew he was just a big teddy bear. He’d proven to be an ally she sorely needed. Once a week he would bring her home-cooked meals his wife had made. Tony knew she was struggling to make ends meet. That was that obvious. What she hoped he didn’t know was that she was living in the basement of the building they cleaned every night.
“Come on, Tony, you need someone to keep you on your toes. Aren’t you glad it’s someone as charming as me?” She batted her eyes and gave her best angelic smile.
He grimaced.
Admittedly, there wasn’t much angelic about her.
Tony grumbled something about hiring employees based on his “damned bleeding heart”, but he stopped short when he met her gaze. His forehead creased. “How are you doing today, tesora?”
“Just peachy,” she answered in a perky tone. The acting class she’d snuck into was paying off. “Should I do the west side again?”
He sighed. “Sure.”
Tony disappeared into the supply closet. The sound of metal grating against metal made her shudder. He pushed her cleaning cart into the hallway. The one with the squeaky wheel. If she never heard that sound again, she would die a happy woman.
“Maybe if we’re fast tonight you can get some sleep before your first class,” he said. “What did you say you were taking Friday mornings?”
“Umm…British Literature,” she lied. Tomorrow she would be at the pawn shop. Maybe she’d make it back in time for Mythology in the afternoon. She liked that class. And the professor wasn’t bad to look at.
“Have you eaten tonight, Sage?”
“Yes.” Another lie.
He appraised her with a long glance. “All right. Tomorrow my wife is making chicken cacciatore. I’ll bring you leftovers.”
She smiled slightly. “Tell Isobel I said thank you.”
After Tony left for his side of campus, Sage stared at the mop then the long empty hallway before her. She took a deep breath and held back a groan. No point complaining. It wouldn’t make it any better.
***
James had just finished a lecture on modern depictions of mythological creatures at the small liberal arts college in Eastern Massachusetts when he paused and peered around the room. Forty blank expressions stared through him. Two students had actually fallen asleep.
He sighed. Americans.
Culture shock was long gone but he still missed his home country of Wales. The rocky shorelines, the rolling hills, the people. His people. He’d been respected in Wales. Now he was the subject of silly female crushes because of his “sexalicious” accent. Most people assumed he was British. At least they were close – Wales and England were neighbors. But on more than one occasion, a student had approached him and asked, “Uh, dude, are you from Russia?”
He dismissed the students before he fed into the urge to rile them in a way that would ensure they never slept in his class again. Giving students nightmares for life, though tempting, was below him.
A commotion in the hallway distracted him from his violent thoughts.
“Ms. Peterson, you will remain here while I call the police.” The Dean’s voice echoed outside the classroom.
Curious, he went to investigate.
The hallway was mostly empty. The two security guards standing stiffly with their hands on their hips must have discouraged nosy bystanders from lingering.
“Martin. Julio,” the Dean said to the guards, “make sure she doesn’t leave. I’ll be back with my phone in a minute.”
The subject of the ruckus was a slender brunette with a mutinous look on her face. She brandished a mop like a weapon, which explained the presence of the security guards. But she looked more like a scared kitten than a dangerous threat.
“Put the mop down, Kill Bill,” the overweight guard ordered.
She sucked in a sharp breath and gripped the mop tighter. The lights flickered.
James spared a glance at the long florescent bulbs above then continued to watch the scene.
Martin shrugged. “Must be a storm coming.”
The girl’s expression didn’t change. Her eyes were narrowed slits, focused only on the guards. Their attention shifted back to her.
“Come on,” Martin said. “Put the fucking mop down. Don’t make us tase you.”
James snorted. Campus Security didn’t carry Tasers.
A soft, feminine growl erupted then the light behind the guards burst. They skirted out of the way as glass rained onto the floor.
“What the hell is going on?” Julio asked.
“Eh, weird shit always happens in this school,” Martin answered.
James took a step forward then it hit him like a freight train. Magic. Powerful and raw, it rolled off the woman, barely contained. She was a supernatural. He could feel it in his bones.
“I’ve got the police on the phone now,” the Dean bellowed from the end of the hallway. “Professor Elias, what are you doing here?”
“Just leaving for the night,” he answered the Dean. “But since I’m here, is there anything I can do?”
“No, no.” He waved a dismissive hand. The other held his phone to his ear. “I’m on hold but the police should be arriving soon.”
“The police? What’s she done?”
“She’s a janitor but we found her living in the school basement. There’s been a string of thefts we think she might be involved in. And she’s been sitting in on classes without being registered.”
Ah, so that was where he’d seen her. If he remembered correctly, she’d been the only one who’d paid attention during the deities lecture in Mythology last week.
“Nothing for you to worry about,” the Dean said with a smile. “The police will take care of it.”
The girl could barely control herself with the threat of the security guards. Involving the police would turn into a disaster.
With a sigh, he stepped forward. “Actually, the girl,” he stopped himself and glanced at the name on her work badge, “Sage and I have an arrangement.”
The Dean’s brow furrowed.
Sage’s jaw dropped. “We do?”
He gave her a conspirator’s glare but kept his voice cool. “I ask you for leniency, sir. She’s only slept here a few nights while my other tenant moved out. You see, Sage and I just signed a contract. She will be renting a room from me.”
“Like hell I –”
“Hush,” he snapped with a sharp look. Surprisingly, she obliged. He addressed the Dean again. “Would you excuse us for a moment?”
“But the police –”
“She’s not going anywhere. I promise.” He gave the Dean a winning smile that always worke
d to soothe humans then strode toward Sage, assessing her body language as he got closer.
Confused, angry, willing to fight if pushed. He was already wondering if he’d regret this later.
With a quick yank, he removed the mop from her hands. “Come with me.”
She looked at the Dean, still on the phone with the police, then at the guards blocking the only exit. With a loud exhale, she nodded.
“Smart girl.” He led her down the hallway, far enough out of hearing range but close enough not to worry the Dean.
“Who the hell are you?” she hissed.
“Do you want to get arrested?”
“Why do you care?”
“It’s a simple yes or no question. Do you want to get arrested?”
Her lips tightened into a thin line and the lights flickered. “Fuck you.”
He stepped towards her then grinned when she stepped back. For all her bravado, she was as insecure as a small child.
“I know what you are,” he whispered in her ear. “Come home with me and we’ll talk.”
Her eyes grew wide for a fraction of a second before she schooled her features. She studied him, appraising him like a gazelle would a lion.
“It’s either that or spend the night in county,” he added.
“What’s the catch?”
Typical American – always expecting to get screwed over. “Here are my terms. You come home with me tonight, answer my questions, get a good night’s sleep in my guest room and I’ll get you out of this mess. I’ll even buy you breakfast in the morning.”
“What kind of questions?”
“You’ll just have to wait and see.”
She gave him a sideways glance.
