Magic Touch

by Jayda Marx

  “Holy...fuck,” he said finally, and I snorted a laugh. I couldn’t have summed it up better myself. He shuddered again when I pulled my softening dick from his body.

  “Would you like to shower with me?” I asked, trailing my fingers up and down his sides.

  “I don’t think I can stand up right now.”

  “Mm, just as well; I’ve got a better way to clean you up.” I leaned down and licked up the puddle of cum off of his stomach before lying down beside him.

  “Sweet jesus, you’re sexy,” he insisted, looking at me with wide eyes again. I thanked him with a kiss and he smacked his lips together. “Is that what I taste like? Interesting.” I laughed out loud and he smiled widely. “I hope I always make you laugh.”

  “My sweet Puck, I guarantee it.”

  He rolled over to lay his head on my chest and tangled his legs with mine. “Will you hold me for a while? I just want to be close to you.”

  “It’d be my pleasure.” I wrapped one arm around his back and sank my other hand into his hair. I couldn’t get enough of his silky curls. “I love you, Puck.”

  “I love you too, Indy,” he replied before releasing a yawn.

  “Would you like to cuddle under the covers?”

  “Nah, I’m too hot. Plus, I’m not ready to go to sleep yet.”

  I smiled when only moments later, his body relaxed against mine and his soft snores filled the room. I kissed the top of his head and held him close to me, thanking Fate for blessing me with such a wonderful man.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Puck

  Even before I woke up, I knew Indigo was watching me as I slept. I could feel his gaze on me, and his love pouring into me. So it wasn’t a surprise when I opened my eyes and found him propped up on his elbow and smiling down at me.

  “Good morning, darling.” His dark hair fell over his shoulders and his chest was bare, which meant he was most likely still naked from our lovemaking the previous night. I decided then and there that there was no better way to wake up.

  “Good morning. How long have you been up?”

  “Just a little while,” he shrugged. “You looked so peaceful that I didn’t want to wake you.”

  “You’re the best, you know that?”

  Indigo chuckled and when I went to scoot closer to him, I noticed I was securely tucked beneath the quilt. “You got a little chilly in the night, so I covered you up,” he explained. Yep, he’s the best. “What would you like to do today?”

  “Hmm, I’m not sure.” I had no moving to do, no bosses for Indy to mutate, no poison to fight off, and no ceremonies to attend, so I wasn’t sure what to do with my spare time. “What would you like to do?”

  “I thought perhaps after breakfast, you’d like to go on a walk in the woods with me.”

  “That sounds nice...if I can walk after last night,” I teased. But Indigo didn’t laugh; instead, his eyes widened with worry.

  “Are you okay? I wasn’t too rough, was I?”

  “No, no, no,” I insisted quickly, trying to quiet his fears. “You were perfect; everything was perfect.” I was a little sore, but it was nothing Indigo did besides having a big dick. And let’s be real; he shoved it up my ass, of course I was going to be tender. But the small amount of pain I felt was beyond worth it to share something so beautiful with my husband. My husband. Those two words were enough to make me all tingly inside. “I was just teasing; a walk in the woods sounds great.”

  “Plus, it’s a beautiful day.” Just as the words left his lips, a cloud must have passed over the sun, because the light spilling in from around the curtains darkened. “Or at least it was a beautiful day.” He climbed out of bed and walked over to the window to spread the drapes. “Those clouds are moving in fast.”

  Clouds? What clouds? I was too distracted by the sight of Indigo’s sexy naked ass to give a shit about the weather. Then again, Indy did sound concerned, so I tore my eyes from the glorious vision to peer outside. My jaw dropped at the speed which thick black clouds were rolling in above us.

  “Damn, those are moving fast,” I agreed, sitting up to get a better look. “Do you think there’ll be a storm?” A ear-splitting boom cracked through the air with such force that our house shook on its foundation, and its echo resounded for several seconds. “Guess that answers that question.”

  When Indigo looked back at me, his face was pale and painted with fear. “That wasn’t thunder. Get dressed, Puck; quickly.”

  The panic in his voice was enough to send me scrambling from the bed. I pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, and by the time I stuffed my feet into my sneakers without socks, Indigo was fully dressed as well. He grabbed my hand and pulled me along as he ran at top speed through the front door.

  We both stopped in shock when we stepped outside; the sky was almost pitch black even though it was mid-morning, and the air around us was freezing. Goosebumps pebbled my skin and I nuzzled in close to Indigo, trying to sponge off his body heat.

  “What’s going on?” Even though I didn’t have a fucking clue what was happening, my gut instinct told me it was nothing good, and that it certainly wasn’t a weather front.

  “I don’t kn-” his words were cut off by another thunderous boom. I clasped my hands over my ears, but it still rattled my brain. “We need to find my parents,” Indigo insisted once the noise settled.

  We took off in the direction of their home, passing several other people who looked as confused as I felt, all of them staring at the sky. Mothers yelled for their children to stay inside, mates held each other as they wept, while others dropped to their knees and called on the gods. It was a scene of utter chaos and I was more terrified than I’d ever been in my life. My heart pounded in my ears and my chest ached with each breath as we ran faster.

  Unfortunately, finding Althea and Aster a few minutes later wasn’t a relief. Aster supported his mate from under her arms as she staggered down the path, appearing pallid and ill. I cursed under my breath and we ran to her side as quickly as possible.

  “Mother, what’s wrong?” Indigo asked, desperation in his voice. “What’s going on?”

  “She had a vision,” Aster replied sullenly.

  Althea nodded slowly as a tear ran down her cheek. “It’s the crusaders. They’ve found us. They’re trying to get through our defenses.”

  The world spun beneath my feet and I clutched onto Indigo for support. I took a deep breath and tried to push away my fear; now wasn’t the time to cower. We needed a plan. “We’ve got to get everyone out,” I insisted as an idea knitted together in my brain. “My old apartment won’t be filled yet. We need to gather everyone there until we have a better plan. It’ll be tight; standing room only, but I think we can fit.”

  “You’re brilliant,” Indigo replied. I beamed with pride until he pulled off his pendant and looped it around my neck. “Take this and go.” He drew a circle in the air as he recited a spell, creating a shimmering portal.

  “Fuck that, I’m not leaving you.”

  “I’ll gather everyone and meet you there,” he promised, but I shook my head as my eyes filled with moisture. I couldn’t bear the thought of parting from him during this craziness.

  “I can help you gather them.”

  “No. I need you safe, darling.” He kissed my lips firmly and whispered, “Forgive me,” before pushing me into the portal.

  But I didn’t fall through it; I slammed against it. Instead of a glistening curtain, it was a solid wall. “No!” Indigo exclaimed, pounding into it with his fist. He punched the wall again and again as he cursed it for keeping me from safety. Winded and defeated, he finally backed away and ran his bloodied hand over his face. “They’ve blocked our exits.”

  “Then we must fight,” Althea answered, capturing my attention. She stood tall and wiped her face dry. With a flick of her wrist, her diadem appeared on her head. She cracked her knuckles before staring at the blackened sky with pure detest, and I’ll be goddamned if it wasn’t the fiercest thing
I ever witnessed. “Gather everyone quickly. We’ll meet at the ceremonial grounds.”

  I took off with Indigo as Althea and Aster ran in the opposite direction. We spread the news to each person along the path and knocked on the door of every home. The adults locked their children inside the houses and cast spells of protection over them before dashing towards the grounds. I prayed that they held; if the crusaders could break through the coven’s defenses, what chance did these homes have?

  “That’s everyone,” Indigo said after we visited the last house.

  “Great. Let’s get to the grounds.” I pulled on his hand, but he didn’t budge.

  “I need to get you home and protected.”

  “But you might need me.”

  “What I need is to make sure you’re safe,” he argued. “Puck, these mages are extremely powerful and they have no qualms about taking a life.”

  “Which is exactly why I need to be with you; I can’t just stay tucked away when you’re in danger.”

  “Puck-”

  “Please, Indy. What if we were switched? Wouldn’t it kill you to stay away and have no idea what was happening?”

  He sighed and cupped my cheeks with both hands. “Promise me you’ll stay hidden. No matter what happens, your safety is what matters most to me.”

  “I promise.” I’d be no help in battle, but I couldn’t bear to be away from him.

  He nodded and took my hand. We ran together to the field where Indigo and I were joined together the night before. We crowded in with the other coven members, who were huddled around Althea.

  “The crusaders are strong,” she announced to the group, “But so are we. They’ve not dealt with us for centuries, during which time we’ve learned, practiced, and grown stronger. If they break through our defenses today, we’ll make them wish they’d never come looking for us!”

  The coven cheered, but my heart dropped. I wondered how many of her words were true, and how much was just a pretty speech meant to rally the troops. Another deafening boom sounded on the other side of the trees, shaking the ground beneath our feet.

  “Everyone take your place at the tree line and cast your most powerful protection spell,” Althea commanded.

  While everyone lined up, Indigo pulled me to the side, to a large shrub. “Hide here and remember; no matter what, don’t come out.” He combed his hands through my hair and I couldn’t help but fear it was for the last time. “I love you.”

  “Promise me you’ll be here to love me forever.” It wasn’t fair to ask of him, but I needed to hear the words.

  “I promise,” he whispered before giving me a smile that didn’t meet his troubled eyes. He kissed my lips and ran to the treeline as I tucked myself away into the leafy branches of the bush.

  The banging sound came back, this time in quick succession, as if someone was pounding on a door. As its volume increased, so did the voices of the coven. They all joined hands and stood as one as they recited spells of protection. Green light glowed all around them.

  And then suddenly, there was nothing. The knocking stopped, and the chanting halted. No one even breathed. The silence pushed in on my chest and rattled my nerves as eerie foreboding settled over me; it was the quiet before the storm.

  The sound started so softly that even through the stillness of the air, I had to strain my ears to hear it; a quiet rip of fabric. The noise grew louder, echoing out of the trees. The coven moved backwards as a unit, putting space between themselves and whatever was to come into the territory. Trees split down the middle and separated from one another, forming a wide path out of the darkness of the forest. Out of the shadows appeared one man.

  “Jasper!” Indigo roared. “How dare you show your face here after what you did to my mate!” He charged at his old friend, but when he was still several feet away, Jasper simply raised a hand and sent Indy sprawling back onto the ground. I wanted to run to him, but remembered my promise to stay hidden. I was relieved to see two coven members helping my husband to his feet.

  How the hell did Jasper do that? There’s no way he’s stronger than Indy. But on closer inspection, I noticed something very different about the man who poisoned me; his eyes glowed red and burned with hatred.

  “How did you get into our borders?” Althea demanded. She’d placed extra precautions specifically to keep him out.

  “You really think your charms are a match for the crusaders?” he asked with an evil smirk. “All they needed was a location in order to block your exits and burst through your borders as if they were made of paper.”

  “Why would you do this?” Indigo asked in a tone so sad it made my heart ache.

  “I first went to them for help,” Jasper explained. “They were easy to find; I simply had to call to them in the wind, and they were drawn to me. I knew of their great power, and asked for a way to change Fate’s pairing; to make the one I loved desire me just the same. But they offered me something better. They drained me of love and lust, and other unpredictable, useless emotions and filled my heart with something more potent; vengeance. For the small fee of revealing your whereabouts, I can be a part of something much bigger; I can help rid the world of the human filth that stole my future. I’ll help shape a new future, where mages rule the world.”

  “Enough!” Althea sent a green ball of energy at Jasper, but he waved it away with a flick of his wrist. Lights came at him from all angles, but he sent them away with one hand while feigning yawning with his other.

  “This will be easier than I thought.” He placed two fingers in his mouth and whistled loudly. “Come on out, boys!”

  Dozens more men filed in from the trees and took their places at Jasper’s side. The coven outnumbered them two to one, but their powers weren’t to be taken lightly.

  “Last chance for anyone to join us,” Jasper called out, but not a single member moved. “No? Have it your way.” He looked to the men on his left and right. “Kill them all, but that one’s mine.” He pointed a finger at Indigo and my blood boiled.

  In a blink, fights broke out all around me. Green and red lights zipped past me as the groups hurtled hexes and curses at each other. Screams pierced the air and blood spattered the ground, but I couldn’t draw my eyes away from one particular match.

  Indigo recited non-stop incantations as he propelled spell after spell at Jasper, but the man simply brushed them away with a smirk before they even got near him.

  “That’s enough playtime. Let me show you how it’s done.” Jasper snapped his fingers and Indy’s left arm bent at an unnatural angle as a loud crack sounded and Indigo groaned in pain.

  That motherfucker! I’ll rip out his eyes and shove them right up his ass! Then I’ll pull off his testicles and jam them in his eye sockets! Of course I could do none of those things; I was forced to watch helplessly as Jasper snapped again and my husband’s right arm broke.

  He needs help. I have to do something! I can’t just sit here and watch him get tortured and killed! I decided to make a move, damn the consequences. Yes, I promised Indigo I wouldn't get involved, but it really didn’t matter since we were both likely going to die anyway. At least I could be close to him in the end; maybe even bring him a little relief before Jasper struck me down.

  The moment I resolved to lay down my life, an intense tingling swelled in my chest. At first I thought I’d been hit by a rogue curse, but I wasn’t in any pain. Just the opposite; I felt incredible...invincible, even. Is this an adrenaline peak before I die? The tingling sank into my organs and down my limbs, as if an electric current ran through my veins. An invisible energy vitalized me; it was so powerful, it made my hands shake. I looked down to find they weren’t just shaking; they were sparking.

  What in holy hell is happening? Purple sparks skittered across my palms, just like the green lights had danced across Indigo the first time we met. This can’t be...can it? What did Indy say about magic? Right; powerful mages can just envision what they want and make it happen.

  Okay; I want this le
af to catch on fire. I focused my attention on a single leaf which shuddered and burst into a bright purple flame. Jesus! I blew on the fire until it went out, leaving behind a crispy black leaf. Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit. I’m magical. But how? Why? Oh, who the fuck cares? Go help your husband!

  As I jumped from the bush and ran towards Indigo, so many things clicked in my brain at once; this is why I sensed Indigo when I couldn’t see him. This is why I fell so deeply in love with him so quickly, and why a wedding after two days of dating seemed like a perfectly sane idea. This is why I had the undeniable urge to be with him. This is why I survived the poison. And this was the way I was going to save him.

  I flinched when Indy’s leg twisted backwards and he cried out in pain before dropping to his good knee. He turned his head towards the sound of my footsteps and his face took on an expression of anguish. The sight of me running into danger hurt him worse than his physical pain. “Puck, no.”

  “Ah, I wondered where your little whore was,” Jasper sneered. “Now I can take you both out at once.” He drew back his fist and red light shone in his palm.

  “Puck, what are you doing?” Indy asked when I jumped in front of him. “Run!”

  When Jasper hurtled the light towards us, I raised my hands and thought, I want to protect us. A purple dome enclosed around us and Jasper’s curse bounced off of the outside, and the man looked perplexed before his eyes burned hotter. He threw curse after curse at us, but they all bounced harmlessly away. Stay there. I lowered my hands and the dome remained around us. I turned to Indigo, who was staring at me with huge eyes filled with confusion and awe.

  “How…?”

  “I have no idea,” I told him honestly. “Let me see your arms.” He grunted as he lifted them from the ground. I tickled my fingers down his skin and thought about how badly I wanted him healed, and his bones snapped back into place. I did the same for his mangled leg, and he appeared to be back to normal. “How does that feel?”

  He flexed his wrists and ankles. “They feel better than ever. Puck, do you know what this means?”