by Weil, J. L.
* * *
Colin burst through the door. “How’s he doing?”
Rubbing my hands on my thighs, I stood up from where I’d sat on Zavier’s bed. “He’s angry and uncooperative, but he’ll live.”
“I’d be more pleasant, if she would stop poking me,” Zavier growled.
“I’m grateful for your reflexes, and for keeping my sister safe. I owe you,” Colin told the grumpy patient.
“I should have reacted sooner. I won’t make that mistake again. Did you find out who it was?”
Colin nodded. “A vampire.”
Zavier’s head fell back against the pillow, his eyes staring at the ceiling. “Of course it was. He knew I would intercept the arrow.”
“Those were my thoughts as well,” Colin agreed.
“Why would the vampire try to kill you?” I asked. There was something they weren’t saying, and I wanted to know what it was, seeing as they felt the need to keep it from me.
Amusement flickered briefly in Zavier’s eyes. “To get to you. The vampire wasn’t trying to kill you. He wanted to capture you. Easiest way to do that is to take me out.”
I swallowed the golf ball-sized lump that had suddenly formed in my throat, fighting the urge to sit down again. “She’s been searching for a witch with the blood of an original,” I said, almost in a trance. Lilith had found me.
“How could she possibly have uncovered the truth about who you are?” Colin wanted to know.
My gaze shifted to Zavier’s. I wasn’t ready to tell Colin about the coven or the dreams of Lilith. He would only stress out and tighten my security, which would hinder my ability to track the vampire queen. I needed to get a step ahead, instead of always falling two steps behind. “Apparently the secret is out of the bag. She knows I’m a witch.”
“It’s more than that. She is targeting those with ties to the Rift witches.”
Shit. I’d completely forgotten about Katie. All this business of Zavier being hurt, the whole reason for coming back to the compound had escaped my mind. “Colin, during the attack on the village last night, the Berkanos took Abbey’s little sister. She is only a child.”
“You’re sure?” he asked, deep lines of concern etching over his forehead. Colin was a protector at heart. He would do everything in his power to find the girl, even if it meant using other means.
“Positive. Abbey came by the shop today in a panic.”
Accusation swam in his eyes. “You’re still meeting with those witches.”
Colin might not approve of magic, but he made it a point to know the people who lived in the Bay, and that included those who were witches and their descendants. If there was trouble that stunk of magic, Colin knew whose door to knock on first. “That is beyond the point, brother. We must find her and get her back before it is too late.” Katie was a witch, but a very young one…and impressionable. It was vital she not end up under Lilith’s influence.
He nodded. “Of course. You’re right. I will send a group to the caves.”
Zavier groaned. The idiot had tried to sit up.
I rolled my eyes and pushed at his shoulder lightly, forcing him to lie back down. “You’ve lost a considerable amount of blood. You need to rest. He’s done talking, Colin.”
Colin stood over my shoulder, staring at the stubborn man. “I’ve stationed another warden at your door for the night.”
Zavier gave Colin a nod of approval. “I’ll be fine by morning.”
My jaw hit the ground. “By morning? Are you insane? An arrow pierced your flesh, barely missing your heart, and you think you’ll be hunky-dory after a good night’s sleep?”
“That drink you forced down my throat was a toxin, wasn’t it?” Zavier inquired.
“Yes, but—”
Colin placed a hand on my shoulder. “Let him be, Sky. He isn’t going to heal any faster with you hounding him.”
“Now the two of you are ganging up on me. Since you seem to know what is best for yourself, I guess I’m no longer needed.” I spun around, my hair whipping in the air.
“Minx, there’s no need to get your feathers ruffled.”
My scowled deepened as I paused and glared over my shoulder.
Minx? my brother mouthed.
I sighed. “The toxin must be working. He should be asleep in a minute.”
“You drugged me?” Zavier’s words began to slur like one of the burly patrons at the pub. “I told you she was a minx.”
I frowned as his eyes fluttered close. “He should be out for the night, resting as his body needs. Make sure no one disturbs him.”
Colin crossed his arms, his feet planted apart in a warrior’s stance. There was a hint of amusement tugging at the corner of his lips. “Minx, huh? Clever nickname. It suits you.”
“If you tell him you said so, I’ll make sure there are no children in your future. This friend of yours is quite the nuisance.”
“You haven’t figured him out yet, have you? It must be killing you.”
My eyes narrowed. “What do you know about Zavier?”
“I know he did his job today. He saved you, and I will be eternally grateful. You’re all the family I have left, Skylar.”
Family. “What happened to the vampire who shot Zavier?”
“He was beheaded.”
My chin rose. “Good.” I wished I had been the one to sever his head.
Colin must have seen the fleck of satisfaction in my eyes. He placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. “You have to give up this notion of revenge. Do you not see the danger you put yourself in? Look what happened today. This is only the beginning.”
“I know, but I refuse to cower at her feet. She will die. I swear it.”
He shook his head. “In a way, I pity her, for the day she meets you face to face, it will be her last. I know it. Maybe even she knows it. You’re not a witch to be trifled with, but promise me you won’t do anything stupid. I can’t lose you, too.”
“Have you met me? I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t act before thinking, but I will promise you I won’t ditch my warden if that makes you feel better. He’s kind of growing on me.” I looked over my shoulder at Zavier. In sleep, the hardness of his face softened, making him appear tender.
Colin exhaled. “I can’t decide if that is a good thing or not, but I’ll take the small victory.”
* * *
There were faces in the fire—warriors, vampires, and witches. And in the flames were battles of courage and death. Of triumphs and loss. Love and sacrifice—and all that came with war between dark and light.
I stared at the faces, letting the golden glow of the dancing flames warm my clammy skin. Each day, the threat of Lilith closed in on me. There was only so much I could handle in twenty-four hours, and after seeing Zavier’s blood on my hands and knowing Katie was still missing, my body and mind were exhausted.
Phones and convenient communication was a thing of the past. I had thought the coven might reach out once word spread about Abbey’s sister, but the only faces in the hearth tonight were those of the past.
I didn’t want to be alone, but solitude was exactly what I was getting this night. Liam was avoiding me like the plague, and Colin was off with the group of guards who had set forth to the vampire’s known nest. God knew how many more we didn’t know about, and it was doing me no good sitting here, nibbling on my nails worrying about them.
Leaving the curtain and the window open, I allowed in the night and began to drift off as I listened to the sounds of crickets, the rustling of leaves, and the gentle lull of the surf.
The knock on the door brought me out of the half sleep and into mild annoyance. Rolling out of bed, I padded across the room and threw open the door.
“Zavier?”
Chapter 12
I blinked more than once. “What are you doing out of bed?”
He stood in the doorway, his body shadowed in darkness, except for the dwindling firelight catching the glint of his eyes. “I wanted to thank you.”
> My fingers ran through my hair. “Right now? You could have done so in the morning.” I angled my head to the side. “Why aren’t you sleeping?” I forced my eyes to stay on his face. Where was his shirt?
Right. I had cut it off to tend to the wound, so in a roundabout why, it was partially my fault he was standing in my doorway nearly naked.
A slow grin curved on his lips as sharp silver eyes took my measure. “The toxin must have been weak.”
I was in nothing but my favorite T-shirt. I tugged on the hem, which barely covered my ass, and after those glittering eyes had taken their fill, I felt exposed and feverish. “Not likely,” I mumbled, pushing at my hair again. How had he gotten so close?
Zavier leaned forward, the side of his cheek rubbing against mine as the stubble of his day-old beard tickled my skin. “You smell like orange blossoms.”
And he smelled like trouble.
Nerves I didn’t know I had frayed as I reached behind me for the handle. “You should go back to bed.”
“Not yet.” He crossed to me, laying his hands on either side of the wooden door.
My eyes stayed on his, following his movements. “If you’ve ripped open what I’ve mended, I’ll shoot you with an arrow myself.” My fingers went to check under the bandage, but got hung up on his stomach, sliding over hard abs. He was built like Adonis, a freaking God. His breath hissed, and muscle trembled as my fingers grazed his flesh, light as a butterfly’s wing. I was drawn to his face, captured by the intense shimmer of silver that caused my heart to skip.
It took more effort than I would admit to drag my eyes back to his chest. Not that staring at his toned golden skin was less intoxicating. My hands slid over the cotton wrap still secured to his torso, and I peeled back a corner, expecting to see fresh blood. I tried not to think about the fact I was touching him, or how incredible it felt.
I’d make good on my threat if he reopened the wound. It had taken all my strength to calm the rattled storm within me to steady my hand so I could mend him. Something had happened to me when I caught sight of Zavier hurt. It scared me on a level I never wanted to feel again, and now, being this close to him, made me all kinds of scattered.
Concentrate on checking the wound.
And I did just that, peeling away the bandage to reveal… My gaze snapped upward. “It’s healed.”
“I told you I’d be fine.”
I ran my finger over the slightly pinkish spot that only hours ago I’d sewn shut. “How can that be?”
He gave a lazy one-shoulder shrug. “Asks the girl who traveled from one spot to another with nothing but a bat of her lashes.”
“Bullshit. I have a valid reason. Magic. I’m a witch. What the hell is yours?”
“You have your talents, and I have mine.”
My hand grabbed the edge of the door. “If you aren’t going to give me a straight answer, then you can get out.”
He put his foot out, stopping the door from closing in his face. “You don’t want to be alone. I’m here.”
I chewed on the inside of my lip. These abilities Zavier had were troublesome, like the man himself, but he was right. I didn’t want to be alone. There was something evil in the night—lurking, stalking, waiting—and I knew when I fell into sleep, she would be waiting for me there. “This is a bad idea,” I whispered, fighting the urge to latch my fingers onto his chest.
He cocked a brow. “And your point is?”
“I don’t know anymore.”
“You like me.”
True. It never stopped me from making bad decisions before…but Zavier was different. Why? I wasn’t sure. “What part of this expression makes you think that?” I asked, drawing an air circle around my face.
His fingers ran down my arms, sending tendrils of warmth over my skin. “If I don’t affect you, I’m curious what does.” He took me with both hands, a quick jerk that slammed my body to his.
“Zavier.” His name tumbled from my lips in a shaky sigh.
“Nervous, are you?”
I stayed where I was, my gaze never wavering from his smoldering look. “Isn’t that what you want?”
The air around us suddenly lashed and swirled, extinguishing the fire in the hearth. “You should be nervous. Probably a little afraid, too, of just what I’m capable of. If you hadn’t kissed me… If I didn’t know what you taste like… I might be able to get you out of my head.”
I tipped my chin up. “I’m not scared of you, and you won’t hurt me.”
“I guess we’ll see.” He took my mouth, hard and fast, trapping me against the door with his glorious body as his hands laced with mine.
Everything inside me ebbed and flowed like the ocean tide. The muscles of his back and shoulders rippled under my fingertips as they dug into his skin. I wanted to touch so much more of him, and that worried me.
“I won’t hurt you,” he groaned, lowering his voice as he ran his nose down my neck. “I could never hurt you.” Then his lips were assaulting mine again, stealing both breath and will.
Backing me into the room, he kicked the door behind him and we were plunged into darkness.
I shivered.
He grabbed my backside, hoisting me up against the wall, and shoved his body to the length of mine. Gasping, I arched, offering myself as my fingers combed gently through his midnight hair. It felt as if my body was meant for his, and if I believed in a thing such as soul mates, I might have believed Zavier was mine.
A hunger built between us, beyond sanity. His mouth was sweet, so sweet on mine, our tongues dancing and teasing. My spirit soared, my mind sighed, and my heart melted for him, for his touch.
“You better hold on,” he murmured.
I let out a quick cry of alarm as he swooped me up. Then I was flying through the dark before I found myself under him on the bed, his fingers tugging up my shirt. In seconds, we were flesh to flesh.
“I can’t think,” I murmured.
“Good. I must be doing something right.” His mouth silenced any other protest.
Not that I was complaining. How could I when his hands were all over my body, driving me to a crest of pleasure so intense I had to scream?
His lips captured my sounds of desire, my body straining beneath his. He knew what I was reaching for, what I was burning up for. I swore the man could read my mind, knew what I wanted before the thought entered my head. It was a dangerous and sensual gift.
My head fell back. I wanted quick, fiery passion, but he switched gears on me, savoring every curve and swell of my body with skilled hands. I hadn’t known I had so many undiscovered sensitive spots. Maybe it was just Zavier’s touch that made it so.
He gripped my wrists in his hand, pulling my arms over my head. I had long since surrendered myself to Zavier’s mercy. I’d never wanted anyone, anything, the way I desired him in this moment. I lost control over what was happening to me the second he slid exquisitely inside me with such thick heat.
Everything escalated. Damp strands of hair plastered to my neck and shoulders. My lower body exploded with bliss, a sensation so overwhelming I craved more. In wonder, my eyes flew open and my breath froze. I held onto him, fingers tightening as the shudders wracked through me.
I cried out, at least I thought I did; I wasn’t sure of anything anymore. His mouth reclaimed mine, and he thrust one more time to join me in sweet ecstasy, my name a murmur against my lips.
* * *
What had I done? Oh God. I just had mind-blowing, body-humming sex without a single thought about the consequences. I hadn’t thought at all, only felt, and that was the problem.
He made me lose myself, lose my control, and it scared me. Our bodies had melted together like liquid heat, making me feel things I shouldn’t have felt, didn’t want to feel. He was still inside me, and I had to fight the urge to wrap my legs around him and sink deeper with way more willpower than I was comfortable with.
The thought of the splendid pleasure even the slightly movement would bring brought a moan to the
tip of my tongue. I closed my eyes, bit my lip, and forced myself to swallow the sound. I might not have been able to stop what had already happened, but I could prevent myself from making the mistake again.
I opened my mouth and he moved. Damn him.
He gathered me close, his lips brushing over my hair as I wrestled with myself. My brain told me not to spend the night with him, that it was just sex, but my heart wanted him to stay, wanted to be held. Being in his arms engulfed me with a sense of security I hadn’t known I longed for. The world outside my bedroom was harsh and unpredictable, but in this little room with Zavier, I wanted to let go of my anger and hatred, let in emotions I’d long ago locked away in.
Zavier brushed the damp strands of hair off my face. “Do you use magic to enhance your appearance? I swear, sometimes when I look at you, it’s like you’re changing right in front of my eyes. How can your already-staggering beauty possibly increase?”
Wow. He was going to make the whole business of kicking him out of my bed difficult. I never imagined the dark warden was capable of sweet words. Be still my beating heart. “Do you use that line on every witch you sleep with?” I tried to keep my tone light, refusing to let much his words had moved me show.
He lifted those hooded eyes. “Nah, just the ones with bewitching eyes.”
Good lord. What had this man done to my body? If I wasn’t careful, I could lose more than my head around him, and I wasn’t ready to let my heart get tangled with anyone yet. “It’s getting late…” I started, but the words felt like sandpaper in my throat.
“I’m not leaving, Skylar. So stop the internal battle and close your eyes. You need to sleep.”
I sighed. “How the hell can you always know what I’m feeling?”
“You weren’t complaining a few minutes ago,” he pointed out.
“I guess it has it benefits, but I’m thinking they might not outweigh all the other hours in the day when I don’t want you in my head.”
He leaned forward near my ear and whispered, “Do you care to wager I can change your mind?”
To answer his seductive question, I closed my eyes and curled into his arms, forcing my body to relax.
