Sunlight bounced off the streets as he hurried through town. He saw not one, but two Onocentaurs scamper down the road, running in the opposite direction from A Touch of Decadence. A few minutes later an ogre walked up beside him.
"You're not going back to Daisy, are you?"
"What if I am?" he said continuing to walk, not slowing down, his focus on reaching the little pastry shop. The image of his sister came to mind and he was more determined than ever to return home with Daisy in tow.
"Look, alien, you got lucky the first time. Daisy is in a foul mood this morning. She's casting spells on any man who comes near her shop. Don't be a fool. Don't go there."
Orion kept walking steadily towards her shop. He passed another Onocentaur galloping in the opposite direction.
"See, man, she's casting spells on any man she sees."
"Her spells don't work on me. I'm not worried," he said, concerned her magic wasn't powerful enough to cure Lyra. How would he know until he returned to his planet with her? Time was running out and Daisy was their only chance to save the kingdom.
The ogre shook his head at him as they arrived at the pastry shop. "I can't decide if you're brave or completely stupid."
Orion glanced at the ogre, picked him up by the shirt and looked him in the eye. "This town is really strange. You're strange, but never think I'm afraid. Never doubt my intelligence. Never doubt my strength."
He set him down and the ogre shook his fist at him and yelled, "For your sake, I hope her spells never work on you."
The ogre scampered off down the street.
The witch didn't frighten him. In fact, she intrigued him in a way that no one ever did before. And her lips were an enticement that he had to avoid, but frankly, all he wanted to do was rush in there and finish what they started. But first, he had to get her on his ship.
Orion walked through the door of the bakery and yelled, "Daisy, I'm coming for you."
3
Daisy poked her head through the door, her blonde curls bouncing. "Is that you, lover boy?"
She hoped he understood she was being sarcastic, though he was a temptation.
"Are you ready to return with me to Tesceanus?" he said, walking into the kitchen where she was working.
"Are you ready for me to turn you into an Onocentaur?"
"Your spells don't work on me."
They didn't yesterday, but maybe today. Then again, she wasn't certain she wanted to cast a spell on him right now. Maybe later.
"And what makes you think they will work on your planet?"
"You are my only hope," he said, his voice sad as he walked towards her.
Doubt swept through her, but she rallied herself. "Everyone in this town is afraid of me, yet you walk in here almost asking me to cast a spell on you."
"I am immune to your magic."
"You're not immune to my decadent cakes."
That potion had complete control of him until Topper added her own touch.
"I'll be more careful about what I eat around you." He tilted his head to the side as he stared at her. "I could take you."
He said that once before and she didn't like the declaration the first time. She couldn't go off with him to his planet. She had to stay here and find her mate. He needed to quit threatening her.
"Alien, you're really starting to piss me off. I'm a very powerful witch and you're irritating the crap out of me. I'm not going to your planet. I'm not going to kiss you again and your alien tally whacker does nothing for me."
"What is this word tally whacker?" he asked gazing at her. "My translator doesn't understand."
Daisy frowned. How did you explain man parts to an alien when he didn't understand the words you were using? "How about penis? Does your translator understand that word?"
He grinned. "Did you put that contraption on my penis?"
He said the word with emphasis on his man parts.
"If my magic is not working, how could I have put that spell on you?"
"Maybe I should find the witch who did that to me."
"Maybe you should," she said, knowing that Topper would never help him.
"Yesterday when you ate my decadent chocolate cake, another witch cast the spell to keep you from having sex with me. Still, you followed me around like a lovesick puppy. Don't eat a pastry from my bakery without knowing what potion is baked into the flour."
"All I remember about yesterday was the taste of your lips. Is that why I had a headache and remember very little about the day? Your decadent chocolate cake did this to me?"
He'd experienced a few side effects of her cake. Well, maybe that would keep him from eating something without asking in advance.
"Yes, let's just say you looked pretty good without your clothes alien," she said, her eyes roaming his heavily muscled body. She enjoyed gazing at him naked, the feel of his lips on hers. But she had to get serious about finding her mate. Time was running out and she had no idea where to begin to look.
Frowning, he leaned against the wall as he carefully studied her with his arms crossed. His expression was one that commanded authority, and that didn't phase her in the least.
"You will go to Tesceanus with me. My mother the Queen needs your help to save my sister from a sleeping spell. My sister is our future ruler. This spell she is under could also affect my mother."
"Well la-de-dah, but if I recall my history, the people of your world killed all the witches years ago. You want me to return with you to a place known for killing witches and save your future queen from a sleeping spell so she can kill me."
He nodded. "Yes. But she will not harm you."
"Well, that's a fine load of crap. I'm not leaving Magic, to travel to a planet that destroys witches. I don't care if I am saving your future Queen."
He started towards her, his fists clenched. She lifted her hands and cast a frozen spell on him, putting all her power into stopping his progress. His body halted, ice crystals covered him from head to toes. With a mighty cry, he lifted his arms, breaking off the ice and showering the frozen water crystals everywhere. The spell didn't hold. Her magic still didn't work on him.
Orion roared, his eyes flashing red as he strode towards her.
"I swear on Merlin's grave, you shook that off like a dog shedding rain drops." She took a step back and raised her arms, casting a spell that should have tangled him in a net, but instead zapped a hole in her ceiling, causing the spell to bounce up and off him like a ray of sunlight.
Cursing, she charged him and felt like she hit a wall of bricks. He picked her up and held her at arm's length as she tried to hit him. "I swear on my grand witches grave that I will haunt you for the rest of your days if you don't put me down."
He dropped her and she landed on her feet. Staring up at him she shook her head.
"You're immune to my spells," she said in astonishment. She had hoped that maybe there had been a temporary problem that a good night's sleep would resolve. Obviously, rest wasn't the answer to her lack of effectiveness. "No one is immune, but you. Why?"
"Are you ready to go?"
"I'm not leaving, Magic."
"Then lover boy as you called me, will sit right here and wait until you agree to board my ship."
Just what she needed, this big, handsome big alien underfoot. What could she do?
"You might be waiting until hell freezes over."
He stared at her, his brows drawing together, questioning. "What do I have to do to make hell freeze over?"
She smiled. "Its an expression. Look it up on your translator."
"I will. Now I will wait until you are ready to go or until hell freezes over, but if we do not leave in two days, my sister will die."
Daisy felt a trickle of alarm skitter up her spine. His sister would die?
Pain gripped her insides as she remembered Ianthe, her baby sister, a fine witch, who died. She couldn't think of her now, she just couldn't. Losing a sister had almost killed her.
Orion watched as Daisy all but ran
out of the bakery. Standing, he followed her out the door. She would not get far as he was determined to convince her to return to his planet within two days. Time was running out and it would take almost a week for his ship to reach home. If he didn't convince her soon, it would be too late.
Methodically, he strode after her down the street.
"Go away, alien," she called back over her shoulder.
"I will not."
Stopping in the middle of the road, she turned to face him like a gunfighter squaring off. "Look, big boy, I'm in no mood to play with you and I don't care what you say, I'm not going to some far away rock where you live."
How could he convince her even if she couldn't break the spell, he must return with her at his side and at least try to save his world? For if they lost power, the peace they had experienced for years would be over.
"What do I have to do to persuade you to come with me?"
"Go away," she said, and hurried on down the street as a crowd gathered to watch the two screaming at one another as he strode after her determination in every step.
Following her, he watched their sun sink behind the clouds. On his planet, people would be sitting outside enjoying the cool air and butterflies would be lighting up as they flew with their colorful wings. The birds would be twittering their evening songs chirping the beginning of the new moon. Neighbors would be visiting on the steps of their homes discussing the latest news from the world council.
"Stop," he called, but she just kept walking.
Life was good on Tesceanus, but with the death of his sister the future would be unsettled. If his mother was the next to fall, it would be his cousin who would reign supreme. And though he loved Aquila, he'd heard her views at the world council and war was her primary objective which is to rid the universe of all witches.
And yet here he walked on a distant planet, trying to talk a powerful witch into returning with him. He could understand her resistance. Again, he could probably grab and force her to go to his planet, but that went against his honor, and against the laws of Tesceanus. His mother would certainly punish him, but if it meant saving them, he would gladly accept that discipline.
Peace had reigned for the last twenty years and his mother intended to make certain that the violence never erupted again on Tesceanus. The planet needed her to remain in control in order to prosper.
"I command you," he said. She raised her middle finger in the air and kept walking.
"What does that mean?" he asked.
"It's the universal symbol for peace and love."
He'd have to remember that symbol. It could come in handy.
"Witch," he called.
She turned to frown at him. "Don't yell that out."
"Why not, isn't that what you are?" This planet was so confusing. They were a dishonest race that lied, murdered and stole from one another. No wonder their species was so primitive. They had yet to learn the basics of good living.
"Bite me," she yelled and continued walking.
Bite me? He knew this race was archaic, but they didn't eat one another, did they?
"Only if you'll come to my planet," he said, wondering why she would want him to eat her flesh, but thinking he would do what was necessary for his mission.
She shook her head and continued walking towards a little house that sat right outside the city limits. "Stop following me."
According to his mother's telecommunicator message, his sister was not doing any better. He was running out of time.
"I need your help," he called out to her.
"And, I said no," she said. "Find someone else."
Finally, he stopped about five yards from the house and watched as she opened the door and went inside. He waited outside and when she didn't reappear, he tried the portal. It was locked. Spinning, he pushed the button on his belt and teleported inside the building.
He reappeared right behind her.
She turned around and jumped. "Merlin to purgatory. You scared the life right out of me. How did you get in here?"
He shrugged. "I teleported."
"Well, you can't stay."
"You should always welcome a guest into your home," he admonished. "I'm a member of the royal family."
"You're not a guest and frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn whether your common folk or royalty."
"I'm going to stay attached to you until you agree to come with me."
Shaking her head, she turned and walked into the kitchen, dismissing him. "Suit yourself. I'm hungry."
She walked to a big cooling machine and pulled out several oval shaped white cylinder objects, a bag that held yellow dairy products and a glass container that held a green vegetable inside. Nothing that looked good.
"I'm fixing an omelet for supper. Do you want one?"
"What is an omelet?"
"It's made of chicken eggs, cheese, and peppers. You can put other vegetables and meats in the eggs, but I'm a vegetarian. I don't eat meat."
Orion frowned and thought about what they ate on his planet. They raised biranga, a distant relative between Earth's cow and bison. Eating real food sounded wonderful. On his ship they ate dried processed food.
The thought of something fresh to eat made his mouth water. But he had already experienced Daisy's cooking once and while the taste was delicious, the effects were less than stellar. Spending the afternoon naked and out of your alien mind, was not something he wanted to relive.
"You won't put a potion in this food?" he questioned.
She laughed. "No. If you hadn't grabbed a pastry yesterday, you wouldn't have experienced the love potion spell."
The pastry had looked delicious and he had been so hungry, that he picked it up and popped the delicious cake in his mouth. Nothing on his planet had prepared him for the delightful taste or the sensual side effects.
"Then yes, I would like to try this omelet made of chicken eggs, cheese and peppers, no spells." He picked up a pastry that was sitting on the kitchen counter and glanced at the cake. "Tell me about this love potion. What does it do?"
"It makes you horny," she said matter-of-factly. "You want to boink the first person you see."
What was boink? His translator quickly explained.
Oh, that was true. Since coming of age, he had experienced many enticing concubines, but none of them compared to the desire that filled him for Daisy. The power of that cake had his blood boiling and he could feel his manhood pulsing at the sight of the witch. He would still like to have coitus with her and hoped to soon.
Watching her carefully, she cracked the eggs on the side of the pan. A yellow and clear white membrane slid out of the shell and into the container. Next, she chopped the green peppers and put them in the eggs. She added cheese and then scraped the eggs from the bottom covering the cheese and green peppers.
Opening a cabinet she took some round, flat glass dishes out and then removed the omelet and slid it onto the round surface. She handed the food to him.
"Forks are in the drawer."
"Fork - an eating instrument that has prongs or tines," he said, his translator giving him the definition as he opened the drawer she pointed to that held the silverware.
"It must be interesting to live on another planet and then come to a strange new world."
He shrugged. "All worlds are alike in many ways. There's good and bad beings on every planet. My world is more a moonlit planet. During the day the sun is too intense, so our species has evolved to sleep during the day and awaken at night. We live by the light of our moon. That's why our skin is so white."
"Well, you'll get plenty of sun on this planet. In the summer we have areas of the planet that are downright hot."
She put an omelette on her plate, grabbed a fork and went to a flat slab like surface sitting on four legs. He followed her and sat down. He watched as she lifted her fork to her mouth. He followed her example, putting the omelette in his mouth.
As he chewed the eggs, heat flooded his mouth and he gasped for air. "Spel
l...you put a spell on the eggs."
Grabbing the glass of water in front of him, he swallowed as the fire in his mouth continued to burn.
Her eyes widened. "Honest, I didn't put a spell on your eggs. It's the green chilies, they're spicy and cause your mouth to suddenly grow warm and then hotter and hotter. Is that what you're feeling?"
"Painful," he said, raising his voice. "Hot."
She jumped up and brought him back a glass of some white liquid. "Drink."
Pouring it into his mouth, he felt the cool soothing liquid slide down his throat. "What is this? Are you poisoning me?"
Laughing, she smiled at him. "You know Alien, that's not a bad idea, then you would go away and leave me alone. But no, it's milk. It coats your mouth and soothes the heat."
Gazing at the liquid in the glass, he glanced up into her beautiful emerald eyes that sparkled like the ice chips found in the caves on his world. He stared at her lips, remembering the way they'd tasted the day before and he suddenly had the urge to sample them again. Would she let him kiss her?
He enjoyed that kiss yesterday. He enjoyed the way she felt in his arms. He would enjoy taking her and that would happen once he determined whether or not she'd poisoned him.
He felt confidant she had not, but just in case, he would wait. But he wanted to experience her lips again. None of his concubines made him hungry for more like this little witch. "This milk tastes good. Where does it come from?"
"It comes from the teats of a cow."
Orion felt his translator give him the definition of a cow's teats and where the milk comes from. His lips were no longer burning so he took another bite of the omelette.
"Do you like to cook?" he asked, wondering at the experience. Servants prepared his food.
"Yes, what do you cook on your planet?" she asked.
"We eat mainly meat, not vegetables."
She frowned. "Then I could never survive on your planet."
"I will bring you back. All you have to do is break the spell and save my sister. I'll even make certain we have vegetables for you to eat."
Her eyes narrowed and she tilted her head at an angle as if contemplating his offer.
Touch of Decadence (The Magic Mirror #1) Page 3
