Renee let herself be tucked under the man’s chin and fell into a deep sated sleep. A contented smile graced her face.
Chapter Four
Zachary held the still-sleeping Renee tight, staring at the minute cracks in an unfamiliar ceiling. A freaking human para. Who would’ve thought the gods would pair me up with a human para, after all her kind did to mine?
But strangely enough he didn’t doubt Renee’s word. As far as he could tell the woman didn’t have a deceptive bone in her pretty little body. His power let him see into his lover’s soul when watching her eyes during orgasm. Even after surviving the war, Renee retained a kind and generous spirit.
So he trusted her story. Thanks to an appeal for love here he was, lying in a strange bed, wrapped around a woman who could very well complete him. She had all the markings of a lifemate fated by the God and Goddess themselves. A woman with the ability to send Zachary into peaks of arousal he’d never found before. She even managed to wear him out. Him. After a few centuries of wild debauchery, that was saying something. The spicy smell and rich taste of her, sweetly addictive, clung to his memory and burrowed into his heart.
A single day and his life had changed forever. One moment he was dancing another meaningless dance with a few of the remaining satyrs and a handful of nymphs before another round of empty if scorching sex, the next he found himself inextricably bound to this precious woman.
But who is this Renee, really? he thought, staring down at the thin scar cutting across her cheek. Why did the gods choose her to be my one?
His powers told him that she was a survivor just like him. A woman who’d lost so much but still kept her heart open and hoped for the happiness of all her people. She was lonely and frightened for her future. He could see that she felt drawn to him but knew life with Zachary wouldn’t be anywhere near easy. The para communities still weren’t comfortable with all their members and certainly not with mixed species couplings.
There would be hatred and prejudice to face. Why had fate or the gods put them together like this? There had to be some greater purpose behind it.
Something drew him to Renee beyond the fact that the woman was just plain sexy. She with her slight, waiflike body, her flowing starlight hair and her one imperfect scar adding humanity to the almost magical perfection of her pale face.
And the only way he could find out what was behind it all was to leave this wonderful woman and go back to the Otherworld. There he had people he could ask for answers and help for him to stay with her.
He’d have to go back to Otherworld if he wanted to save his little witch from the ticking time bomb of her mortality. Looking down at her smooth face, he guessed his mate had maybe a century left to her, give or take a few decades. Meanwhile Zachary’s kind weren’t born at all and weren’t tied to any archaic “circle of life”. They rose fully formed from the firmament of Otherworld, molded from the lustful dreams and erotic desires of humankind. He was unaging and barring murder would never die.
His heart would rip in two when his mortal mate passed, leaving him to keep on living alone. He’d pine away and become a wraith. He had to speak with the elders and have them petition the God and Goddess on her behalf. He needed an answer to why they chose Renee and to find a way to save this woman who was his heart.
The God and Goddess seemed to enjoy causing difficulties and mayhem for their magical people. Maybe it was a punishment for the havoc all the paras caused each other during the wars. Maybe they had a plan beyond his understanding.
“What’s wrong?” Renee whispered as she snuggled closer, burrowing her hands under Zachary’s waist to hug him tight.
He let his hand slide up and down Renee’s back and breathed in the sweet floral scent of his mate as he planned his next move. Already Renee was his touchstone. He couldn’t leave her but saw no other way to proceed. He certainly couldn’t take her with him. It was too dangerous. “Nothing’s wrong, and everything.”
Renee didn’t say anything at first, her silence enough of an answer. She lay heavily across Zachary’s body, an unmoving blanket of security and warmth. “When do you leave?” she finally whispered.
Zachary’s hand stilled on Renee’s back, clutching her to him for a moment. “What do you mean? Ready to get rid of me already?” he tried to tease, uncomfortable with how well she was reading him in such a short time.
She grimaced and wouldn’t let him get away with making a joke of things. “I don’t want you to go but I’m no fool.” She paused for a moment and buried her face in his neck, refusing to meet his eyes. “I know you can’t stay with me forever. Your kind lives in Otherworld for a reason. You’re more comfortable there and the human population isn’t accepting of you, not since the age of myths passed. I’m just wondering how long I get to have you here before you leave me.”
It disturbed Zachary how quickly Renee let go of him. Hell, he hated that Renee could give up on him at all. This woman was his mate, the other half of his soul. She shouldn’t be able to just toss him by the wayside. The thought alone should rip her and leave her emotions bare and bleeding, just as it did him.
“First let me make one thing clear,” Zachary snapped, more harshly than he intended as he wrestled with the chaotic roll of unfamiliar emotions. “You said the God and Goddess brought me here as your love. I think they’re right. I could easily love you. Hell, I’m halfway there already. From everything I see in you, you would make a fine mate.”
“But?” Renee whispered.
Zachary heard the tears threatening to choke that single word, his heart aching when he thought that he was the cause. “But there are other things to consider, things I need to work out. Things that will take time.”
“Things you can’t do here,” she whispered against his chest.
Zachary squeezed her tight as he heard the despair dripping from those words. He took a moment to gather up his own bitterness and plant a soft kiss on the crown of Renee’s head. “I wish I could do everything here and not leave your side. I want time to spend with you. Time to get to know you. Court you. But I can’t. I have to go back.”
“When?”
“Soon, while the veil is still thin enough for me to cross.”
“Will you come back?” Renee murmured both their greatest fears.
Heart aching at the thought, Zachary couldn’t lie to Renee, not if she was his soul mate. “I don’t know. I’ll do everything in my power to return. But I don’t know if it will be in my power.”
Renee shifted on top of him, instinctively seeking comfort in the touch of skin on skin. “How long?” she asked against Zachary’s neck, the brushing of her lips giving him chills.
“I’m not sure,” Zachary muttered, pulling her closer. “Could be a long time. Will you wait for me?”
Renee pushed up to look into his face. She cupped Zachary’s cheeks and stared down into his eyes. “I’ve waited this long to find you, what’s a little more? At least now I know you exist and I know why it’s taken so long to find you. I know that you’ll miss me as much as I miss you. Just promise me that you’ll come back.”
“If I can, I will.”
Zachary gave her one last, lingering kiss before rolling Renee over and prying himself out of her soft, warm bed. “If I don’t leave now I never will. You beneath these blankets is just too tempting. I don’t think either of us wants to face the consequences for that.”
Renee hugged herself and stuck out her lower lip. “Your people would be mad if you stayed?”
A humorless laugh fell from Zachary’s lips. “What do you think?”
No attempt at humor could hide her fear and sorrow. “I think I’ll miss you. And I think I’ll hurt like hell ‘til you get back.”
Zachary resisted the urge to take Renee in his arms again. That would only delay the inevitable. “Don’t worry. I won’t forget you.”
“Better not,” Renee threatened, eyes narrowing in mock anger. “I’d hate to have to go to the Otherworld just to kick your ass.�
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“Don’t even dare joke about it,” Zachary replied, a slice of terror winding its way through his heart at the thought of what could happen to Renee in the Otherworld. “You risk yourself like that and I’ll beat you myself. And not in a happy fun way.”
Renee tried to give him a parting smile but failed miserably. “Well, do I a least get to spend the day with you? You may not be coming back. You said so yourself. Surely the God and Goddess wouldn’t begrudge us one short day.”
Zachary’s smile started sad but he couldn’t keep a grim expression on his face. “And what would you want to do during your one day?” he teased, walking back to lean over her. “Or can I guess?”
Renee slapped at him as she crawled forward on the bed. “Not that.” She paused for a moment, casting a coy look from under heavy lids. “Well, maybe a little of that. But I was thinking we could go out. I’d show you my shop. We could have a picnic. Maybe go dancing at a club I know. You satyrs love to dance, right?”
Zachary eyed her bare body, lean and fit. He could just picture her flowing to the music beneath open skies. He’d have to tear his brother satyrs’ eyes out. “Yes, but the kind of dancing we do is best done in private. Do I get to meet the family?”
“No family to meet. But my friends would be interested.” She grinned with mischief as she gazed at his bare chest and half-aroused cock. “Hell, some might be a little too interested. I’ll keep you away from them. Don’t want to waste any of my day refereeing the fight to get at you. Guess you can’t tone down the sexy?”
“Nope, part of the whole package. I can amp up the wattage, take you to places you’ve never imagined. But I can’t rein it back that much.” At her cross expression, he gave her a sheepish look and a shrug. “Nature of the beast.”
Renee rolled her eyes but didn’t look that upset with him. “Do you need help blending?”
Looking down his naked body, Zachary quipped, “What, cloven hooves and goat legs not the fashion these days?”
“Yesterday you could’ve gotten away with it, being Halloween and all. But today not so much. I’ve got just the thing.” Renee hopped up and raced across the room to a wooden box sitting on her dresser. She pawed through the contents, dragging out tangled gold chains and bangle bracelets in her search.
Zachary couldn’t help but laugh.
Glancing back over her shoulder, Renee asked, “What?”
“It’s just that you’re so cute when you’re all excited about showing off some of your magic. That is what you’re digging around to fetch, right?”
Renee had the grace to blush. “Not like there’s anyone else around here to appreciate it,” she mumbled.
The melancholy tone in his lover’s normally cheerful voice struck Zachary deep—heart deep. “Well, you’ve got an audience now. Show me your stuff.”
“I think you’ve seen my stuff already,” she quipped, flipping her hair over her shoulder and leering back at him. “But if you want to watch me cast something, too late. I’m thinking charm. I have a glamour charm I put together for a costume party that I never actually went to. Too lazy to shop for a costume like everyone else and not into it enough to actually show up. Anyway, I never triggered it so I think I can change it to work on you.”
Zachary held out his arms. “I’m all yours.”
“You trust me?” Renee asked, holding a heavy medallion over his head.
“More than I should,” he answered in a tone too serious for one of his fun-loving breed. “More than I ever thought I would a human para. But we have to start somewhere, eh?”
“Yeah. I’m just hoping we don’t have to stop here too,” Renee mumbled under her breath as she dropped the charm over Zachary’s head.
Zachary felt a cool blanket shimmer into place over him, leaving behind a prickling sensation tripping across his skin. It felt a bit like mint oil flowing over his body. Looking down, he couldn’t see any change.
“Here,” Renee said, handing him a mirror. “It wouldn’t be any fun if you couldn’t see through it yourself. But it shows up in reflections.”
Zachary looked at the reflection of his face. Not much of a change really, until he tilted the mirror up to see his hair. No horns. He reached up and could feel them but he couldn’t see them. Using the mirror, he glanced down. A plain white t-shirt covered his chest and brown slacks the same color as his fur met shoes the color of his hooves.
“Like I said, you can feel and see it but no one else can.” Renee grinned, obviously pleased with herself but unsure of his reception. “You like?”
Zachary smiled at the crack of insecurity he heard in that question. “Very nice. Subtle. You’re a skilled worker to know when not to go overboard.”
Renee gave a mock bow but her face filled with pride. “Thank you, kind sir. From a being that lives surrounded by magic and creatures most skilled at casting glamours, I’ll take that as a rare compliment.”
He couldn’t resist Renee’s pleased little smirk. Zachary swooped forward to capture her mouth. A nibble and flick later and his tongue plunged deep between soft, full lips. Her sweet flavor filled his mouth and hardened his cock.
Renee whimpered and wrapped her arms around Zachary’s waist, pulling him near.
Zachary pulled back, placing a soft kiss on the tip of her nose. “None of that if we plan on leaving.”
“Whose idea was it to go out again?” Renee pouted.
“Yours and it was a good one. If I have to leave I’m leaving you with some damn good memories to keep you warm.”
Renee held him close, her head tucked beneath his chin. “Don’t know if they’ll keep me warm but they’ll keep me yours. We could start with a picnic. I know the perfect place, just outside of town. It would be a short hike but this time of year it should be deserted. Just you, me, a little food and the open air.”
“That sounds just my speed.”
Chapter Five
Zachary looked down at the delicate hand held loosely in his own—soft and smooth but vibrating with great power. Bright green eyes shone with intelligence as Renee talked about her life in the small town she’d moved to after the death of her parents. So different from the vapid gaze of the nymphs he usually kept company with, Renee sparkled with life and honest merriment.
He squeezed her hand tighter and filled his lungs with the crisp autumn air. What more could a satyr want? A warm fall day, no humans or paras for miles and his woman at his side. A perfect moment.
Renee tugged at his hand, pulling him off the path and down a small incline. “This way,” she said as she ducked under a branch and scrambled through some bushes.
Lifting the picnic basket he carried in his other hand up over the brush, he followed her to a small glade completely surrounded by trees and brush. A private sanctuary. Zachary sat the basket in the shade of a large oak and stepped back as Renee flipped open the lid and started rummaging through the contents. He took a blanket from the growing pile and spread it across a flat area.
She turned from her search and smiled up at him. “Perfect,” she murmured.
Zachary’s heart clenched as his thoughts echoed her words. Perfect—she was utterly perfect with patches of sunlight dancing between branches to flash across her pale, oval face. Sweet, sexy and beautiful. The only word that could describe her was perfect.
“I couldn’t ask for a better day,” she murmured as she laid out the plates of finger foods she’d whipped up for them. “Maybe the God and Goddess want to be certain you understand exactly what you’d be giving up if you don’t return.”
Zachary stared up at the clear blue sky and pushed back the darkness that threatened his mood. “I don’t want to talk about that now. This moment is for the two of us. Let’s see what you have to tempt me with.”
Renee smiled softly and nodded. Zachary made certain he ohhed and ahhed over each bit of food she offered him, wanting nothing more than to please her and distract her from his imminent departure. He didn’t know if it worked or not but she smile
d at him and continued feeding him tasty tidbits as if she hadn’t a care in the world. When nothing remained she scooted down beside him and put her head on his lap.
“So is it very different here than where you come from?” she asked, looking up at him with innocently curious eyes.
Zachary leaned back against the tree, closed his eyes and slid his fingers through her soft hair. “Yes and no. We have trees and clear skies, fresh air and beautiful days. But there are differences, colors and smells. Magic permeates every inch of Otherworld, almost a presence all its own. And there are no humans to worry about.” He paused for a moment and weighed his dissatisfaction. “But it gets monotonous too. Stifling. Everyone understands what you are and accepts you but nothing ever changes.”
“So you weren’t happy there?”
“Content but not happy.”
“Could you be happy here?”
Zachary looked around. Beautiful day. Sweet, wonderful little witch. He might understand lust better but he recognized happiness and the beginnings of love when he felt them. The God and Goddess knew their people well. He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. “Happy? I think I can be much more than happy here with you.”
Renee snorted. “Thanks for the vote of confidence but you’ve known me for a day. The God and Goddess might think you’re my perfect match but I realize you don’t have to agree.”
“Why wouldn’t I?” Zachary asked, cupping her cheek and rubbing her bottom lip with his thumb. “Other than the fact that you’re human-para, which doesn’t matter to me as much as it would some of my brothers. You’re beautiful, sexy, skilled and loyal. Is there something else I’d want?”
She grinned beneath his caress and inched her fingers up his thigh. “Maybe not. I mean, you might not be of human descent but I know I could love you.”
Zachary eased down to lie beside her, cushioning her head against his arm. “Really? Why? Because the God and Goddess picked me for you? It seems you’re putting more faith in them than I am.”
Spells at Midnight Page 3
