Hannah (The Coven's Grove Chronicles #2)

by Virginia Hunter

  “It doesn’t always work that way, and you know it,” Nathan grumbled. “Remember Egypt?”

  “This isn’t fucking Egypt, Nathan!” Dominic snapped. He knew that it didn’t matter, it should have mattered, but in reality it didn’t. America acted no differently than any other country, and sometimes even worse when it came certain things—money and oil being two of the big ones. Death was just a messy aftereffect of the games those in power played, a cost or tool that could be expensed.

  The danger of their situation crept up on Dominic like a haunting specter. Someone at Dongle Tower would know by now that they’d been hit. It was only a matter of time before they found out by who, and sent out counter measures. “Pack up. We gotta get out of here. Now.”

  “There’s more, Dominic,” Nancy said. The eagerness in her voice and the expression on her face spoke of an adrenaline high. She ate tension like candy, which made her a great asset at times, but, currently, it just made her annoying. “Your new girlfriend is on the list.”

  Dominic stopped in his tracks. “What?”

  Kevin turned his computer around so Dominic could see the screen. There were columns and columns of names displayed. “I broke into this file just before Nathan called you,” He pointed to Hannah Ward’s name. “We thought you should know.”

  Dread filled Dominic. “How do you know that’s a list for removal?”

  “It was an encrypted attachment, buried in a series of emails relating to this one,” Nathan answered as he gestured to the original removal order on his screen. “It’s pretty clear, man.”

  Shock rolled over Dominic, and he mumbled, “Does it say when?”

  Kevin shook his head. “No dates. Sorry.”

  “Why her?” Dominic asked, more to himself than anyone in the room. Sure, Hannah spoke out against big corporations poisoning the environment and the use of fossil fuels, but thousands of people did that, and some much more vehemently. Why single her out?

  “We think it’s because of this,” Nathan answered. He navigated to what looked like some kind of geology report. “Apparently, she’s sitting on a goldmine. This says there’s a massive deposit of oil under her property... it’s weird. The thing goes straight down like a giant wedge. Never seen a formation like that before.”

  Dominic and the others had seen enough satellite imagery on these kinds of wells to know that what they were looking at was an abnormality. Nathan hadn’t been exaggerating when he said the deposit was huge. The widest part of the wedge easily spanned the entire length of the property Hannah called home. “Who owns the land?” he asked, genuinely curious.

  “A corporation called Coven’s Grove. They own the mineral rights, too,” Kevin answered.

  “Witchy woman,” Nancy purred as she looked at Dominic. “She cast a spell on you?”

  Dominic ignored her, though the jibe had a ring of truth to it. He’d become infatuated with Hannah, and there was nothing he could, or would, do to change that fact. She was bright, bullheaded, and beautiful. When they touched, it was like a jolt of life pulsing through his very being. He was addicted to her, and it made him feel alive.

  Dominic rubbed his temple as he now looked at Kevin’s screen. He knew why Hannah hadn’t let big oil on her land, but how had she and her friends stopped them? “How is it that Dongle hasn’t drilled this yet?”

  Kevin shrugged. “Who knows, man?”

  “Somehow, your girlfriend’s group had a ban placed on drilling and fracking on their land, and several square miles in every direction around it,” Nathan interjected. “They must know some pretty powerful people.”

  That wouldn’t stop big oil for long. If there were resources to be had, they would be taken. A thought clicked in Dominic’s tired brain. He leaned over Nathan’s shoulder and said, “Bring up that list of illegal drill sites.”

  The ex-marine punched a few keys, and a spreadsheet popped up.

  “See if any of those sites are close to the Coven’s Grove property,” Dominic said. “I’m going to catch some shut-eye next door. Everybody stay alert. This deal just got a lot more serious.”

  Nancy smiled. “So, I guess we’re staying.”

  “Yeah,” Dominic sighed. “For now.”

  Kevin yelped after Nancy suddenly punched him in the arm. “Told you,” she said. “Pay up, sucker.”

  “Later,” Kevin replied with narrowed eyes, rubbing his shoulder.

  “Anybody who wants to go should do so, and quickly,” Dominic said to the room. “No hard feelings.”

  Nathan grunted, but continued typing away at his computer. Nancy rolled her eyes, while Kevin shook his head. Monica acted as if she’d ignored the entire conversation, still surfing channels.

  Pride flurried in Dominic’s chest. He could always depend on his crew. He didn’t like putting them in danger, but sometimes that’s what the job required. This isn’t about the job. This is about Hannah. He knew he should order them all to go, but found that he couldn’t. He was going to need their help with the coming storm, and there was no way around it. Dominic nodded. “Okay, then,” he said with a touch of regret. “Wake me in a few.” He didn’t wait for a reply before going into the adjoining room.

  Dominic fell onto the bed, images of Hannah swaying amorously in his mind. Her broad smile, and smooth skin teased his imagination. He was never going to get any sleep while the impassioned woman danced in his head.

  I’ve dug myself deep this time, Dominic thought with a sigh. He’d been in situations like this before: a woman, the danger mixed with adrenaline. Everything about what was happening currently was no different than the previous dozen occurrences. Except that, this time, he found himself aching to be near her, yearning to touch her, hopelessly lost without her. Nancy was right—Hannah had bewitched him.

  I’m going to have to tell her everything, he thought, staring into the darkness. But, when, and how?

  Dominic’s cell rang. He knew the ringtone. It was the sound he’d hoped to hear day after day while still in Texas, but right now the sound brought a feeling of dread to his indecisive heart. Hannah was on the other end of that ringtone, and he had no idea what to say to her.

  Hannah sat in the main room of the Mansion. She munched on a celery stick, watching Miranda adjust pillows on the furniture as they waited for Dominic to arrive. The two-story room housed a number of large sofas, chairs, and tables for entertaining. Miranda had tended to each one, fluffing the cushions and dusting the table tops. She currently wrestled with a chocolate brown sectional that faced a massive, rock fireplace. A wrought iron grate covered the opening that could fit several people inside. The stonework traveled all the way up to the ceiling, and mingled well with the accenting oak beams of the roof. The northern wall was made of floor-to-ceiling windows which filled the room with natural lighting. Usually, Hannah felt at peace in the great room, but, today, her mind was far too focused on what might have happened this morning to find any solace.

  After the brief conversation with him on the phone, and the news reports that had aired off and on this morning, Hannah couldn’t help but feel a little anxious. Initially, she’d feared Dominic had found some evidence that she was a witch, causing him to leave so abruptly last night. In hindsight, the fear was truly farfetched and bordering impossible, but her mind liked to play tricks when stress was high. The more believable scenario was that he had left to be with someone else, or maybe he just went back to the hotel where his friends were. Hannah could think up a number of places he could have gone, all of which didn’t make her feel any better. He had been short during their discussion, fueling Hannah’s suspicions. She’d gotten dressed and headed up to the mansion after Dominic had said he would be there within the hour to talk about some things that needed to be said in person.

  Miranda had already been awake when Hannah came in to tell her company was coming, so she had volunteered to help do some last minute tidying up. Hannah had flipped on the TV for background noise, and that’s when she saw that Dongle Tower had b
een robbed—yesterday.

  The perky reporter on Channel 4 had interviewed a few Dongle executives about the incident, and they assured her that nothing of importance had been taken. A “low security breach” was the term they’d used, but Hannah felt a little freaked out just the same. She, Dominic and his pals had been down there when the burglary had gone down, effectively making them all suspects. The possibility of being a suspect wasn’t the part that had her on edge though. The attention that being a suspect would bring to her and the grove was what really had her out of sorts. It was the kind of attention she had persuaded Miranda not to worry about.

  “I’m so sorry, Miranda,” Hannah repeated for what must have been the hundredth time.

  Miranda straightened after moving one of the cherry end-tables back into place beside the dark leather sectional. She looked at Hannah with the patience of a wizened grandparent. “I’m glad you went. You were right to search for those who could help us, regardless of the risk.” She shrugged her shoulders, and gestured to the television. “And, most likely, nothing will come of this.”

  “I can only hope,” Hannah replied doubtfully. She crossed her arms and frowned at the television.

  “Stop that,” Miranda said, with a chuckle. “I swear, you are the most pessimistic mope I know. We’ll work it out, whatever may come.”

  The doorbell rang, and Hannah’s heart skipped a beat. She knew it had to be Dominic. She hadn’t mentioned their “relationship” to Miranda yet, but she had the feeling the matriarch sensed something was going on even though she’d never met the man. Hannah hopped up off the sofa, and practically ran toward the front entrance.

  Miranda eyed her with a knowing smile.

  She slowed her pace with effort, and shook her head. Yeah, that wasn’t obvious. She was going to have to tell Miranda about it sooner or later. Looks like it was going to be sooner.

  Jones, the butler, almost ran into her in the hallway. “Forgive me, Ms. Ward.” The tall elderly man paused for her to pass. He always used last names when addressing she, Rhea or Miranda. It was kind of annoying, but she’d given up trying to convince him to use her first name a couple of years ago.

  “I’ve got this one, Jones.”

  He smiled with a slight bow. “If you need me, I’ll be in the kitchen.”

  “Ever the gentleman,” she replied as he walked away. If only every man was as considerate. She rolled her eyes. Dream on. Without further delay, she made her way to the front of the house.

  The massive, iron-banded door came open with deceptive ease. The hinges had been magically wrought, and possessed enchantments that would make any door, regardless of size or weight, open with the slightest touch. Magic was awesome as long as you weren’t trying to hide it from someone.

  As Hannah had suspected, Dominic stood waiting at the entrance. He wore a loose silken shirt that clung to his well-muscled shoulders, and a pair of fine dark slacks that Hannah had become accustomed to seeing him wear. The furrow in his brow suggested a pensive mood that was reflected by his cagey posture, but still he wore a broad smile. “Hey, you,” he said with his deep sexy voice.

  They hadn’t even touched yet, and Hannah was tingling. “Hey,” she replied. By all rights, she should be pissed at him, but she couldn’t stop herself from smiling like a fool. “Come in.”

  As Dominic entered he leaned in toward her and softly brushed his lips against hers. The warm tingling of Atingere made Hannah’s core ache with desire, and she had to steady herself once the brief contact was broken. The muscles in Dominic’s jaw flexed as he pulled away. His eyes lingered on her hungrily as she composed herself. Despite her happiness to see him, she forced the urges away. His absence this morning had thrown her for a loop, and she was ready to get some answers. “You gonna to tell me what’s going on?”

  Dominic nodded. “Yeah, can we sit?” he asked. “This might take a little while.”

  Worry nipped at the fringes of Hannah’s calm. She stepped aside as she gestured past the entry to the great room. “Sure, go have a seat. I’ll get some drinks.”

  When they entered the room, Hannah had expected Miranda to still be there, but the matriarch was nowhere to be seen. The windows had been partially opened to let in the spring breeze, and the television had been turned off. No one could say Miranda wasn’t perceptive, or lacking in courtesy.

  “What’s your poison?” Hannah asked, walking over to the bar. It was a massive U shaped structure with dark granite counter tops. A polished cherry wood lip protected the edge of the granite, while the lower part of the bar and the backsplash were made from the same earthy-colored rock found throughout the house. A large TV had been mounted to the back wall, and under the counters were several mini refrigerators and wine coolers.

  “Bloody Mary, if it’s not too much trouble.”

  “Not at all,” Hannah answered. They hadn’t drunk enough last night to warrant a hangover. Dominic must have tied one on wherever he’d gone after leaving her cottage. The thought spurred her imagination into overdrive, and she could see the strippers hanging all over him, rubbing and kissing him in places where they had no fucking business being—the glass in Hannah’s hand shattered under the pressure of her grip. She gasped, and backed away from the mess.

  “Are you okay?” Dominic asked, as he rushed over to her.

  Hannah held up her hand to stop him before he could come around the bar. The small cut on her finger might as well have been a paper cut. “What happened last night?” she asked, growing tired of her assumptions and speculations getting the better of her. “Why did you leave?”

  Dominic stopped next to the bar. “Before I get into details, you need to know that you and your friends are in danger.”

  Hannah shook her head in disbelief and disappointment. She’d hoped for a better excuse from him, but it looked like he was going to take the same path that most of the men she’d dated had taken. He was going to lie. “What are you talking about?”

  “Look, I know this is a little off the wall, but you have to know this stuff before I go into everything,” Dominic persisted. “Some information was discovered by my group last night that will verify what I’m saying.”

  “Listen, Dominic, if you want to see other people that’s fine; just tell me. There’s no need for the lies,” Hannah said, as her heart sank. “I don’t like these kinds of games. We can go our separate ways without all the drama.”

  That took the wind out of Dominic’s sails. He leaned against the bar with a pained look on his face, and looked down at his hands. After a moment of silence, he whispered, “That’s not what I want, but after I tell you everything that’s been going on, you probably aren’t going to want to see me again…” He looked up from his hands into her eyes. “And it’s got nothing to do with another woman.”

  Hannah couldn’t look away or deny the sincerity Dominic had expressed. His eyes, as well as his posture, remained steady under her scrutiny. She could actually feel the heartfelt pain coming from him, and she began to doubt her initial assumptions. Perhaps he hadn’t been with another woman, but there was definitely something nefarious going on that he was directly involved in, that much he himself had confessed. The only question was: Did she want to hear him out?

  As much as she wanted to tell him to go, the desire for him to stay was that much more powerful. Hannah stepped around the bar, leaving the spilt drink and broken glass untouched. She took a seat over on the leather sofa that Miranda had dusted just moments before. “I’ll listen.”

  Dominic took a seat on the ottoman across from her. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and sighed. “Thank you.”

  Hannah said nothing. She put on a mask of judgment, and waited for him to tell his story, all the while, fear growing in her belly.

  Dominic cleared his throat and began, “I’ve had my group do some research on this place. As it turns out, I should have had them do it much sooner. I should have been more thorough—usually I am—but I’ve been distracted as
of late.” His dark eyes lingered on her with deep yearning.

  Hannah felt beads of sweat form on the tops of her breasts and lower back. Still, she said nothing.

  Dominic continued. “We discovered that Coven’s Grove is sitting on a massive deposit of oil, and that you’ve been in several legal battles with Dongle Inc. over drilling the deposit. You’ve made some powerful enemies.”

  Hannah squirmed in her seat. He was getting way too close to her secret. Maybe my initial fears weren’t as farfetched as I thought. Maybe he’s figured out what I am. She bit her lower lip as the butterflies in her stomach fluttered. “Looks to me like you’ve done your homework just fine.”

  “There’s more,” Dominic warned. “Companies like Dongle don’t take kindly to being told no. They’ve taken contracts out on you and your friends.”

  All of the anxiety that had been building up spilled out of Hannah in the form of laughter. Relief and despair collided within her at hearing Dominic’s grand fiction. She really had hoped he would be able to convince her of something that would keep their relationship alive, but this was too much.

  He picked up on her disbelief, as his voice became more urgent. “You have to believe me, Hannah. No matter what happens between us, you are in danger.”

  “Even if what you say is true,” Hannah scoffed. “How could you possibly know that?”

  Dominic’s gaze was intense. “Surely, you know of my questionable reputation. Even if you don’t know the details.”

  “Yes, I’ve heard things, but I think I have a much firmer grasp on the details now,” Hannah replied sarcastically.

  Her jibe didn’t phase Dominic in the slightest, and he continued on. “My crew broke into Dongle Tower yesterday. Our goal was to find evidence of illegal activity, but we ended up finding more than we bargained for. I know you’re in danger because I’m involved in corporate espionage, Hannah. I steal information.”

  She stood, having heard enough. “I think you need to leave.” She couldn’t process everything he was saying, even though some of it could be plausible. She needed time to think.