by Ciana Stone
“Yes and no. According to her, when you wished for me to be saved, the implement—I mean the device—transported me to her castle. Once there, she healed me.”
“The device!” He looked around. “Where is it?”
“Where it will be safe.”
“I’d like details.”
“And I’ll give them to you. Later. Oh, Simon’s done on the phone.” She turned and went to Simon. “Let me help you.”
“I fear it will take more than your strength to lift me, my dear.”
“No, I don’t think so. Please, Simon. Take my hand.”
“Do as she asks,” Louise encouraged and stood.
He looked at Louise then at her questioningly but took Nikki’s hand. His eyes grew round and he gasped, then smiled, then broke out into a laugh. She laughed along with him and pulled.
Simon stood. She released his hand and for a moment he stood frozen in place, a look of uncertainty coming over his face. Then he moved one foot. His face split into a huge grin and he took another step, then another and suddenly pivoted, grabbed Louise around the waist and spun her around, laughing like crazy.
“I don’t believe it!” Max exclaimed. “How…”
“Like I said, later,” Nikki said with a smile, hooking her arm around his waist and watching Simon dance Louise around the floor.
Max shook his head but smiled. “Looks like we won more than we anticipated.”
“You don’t know the half of it.”
—
It was almost dawn. Nikki stood on the balcony watching the sky lighten. After Helen and Mark had been carried away by the police, statements given and evidence turned over, she told what had happened, all about Danu.
Simon was intrigued, particularly when he discovered that Nikki wasn’t the only woman in the house who knew the mystical woman. He’d spirited Louise away to the third floor for what Nikki suspected was a lot of talk and some long overdue moments of intimacy.
She and Max had celebrated in bed. But not even the release sexual contentedness provided would bring sleep. She couldn’t stop thinking about Max’s role in mankind’s destiny.
She returned inside and slipped into bed beside Max, lying on her side and watching him sleep. He opened his eyes and looked at her. “Everything okay?”
“Couldn’t be better.”
“Then why aren’t you asleep?” he asked, rolling onto his back and pulling her close to his side.
“Just thinking,” she said as she cradled her head on his chest.
“About?”
“That maybe you should write a book.”
“A book? About what?”
“About your life. All that’s happened and all you overcame.”
“Or a book about a man with no hope who was saved by a beautiful woman who appeared out of the blue,” he teased. “And how together they slay all the dragons and quell all the demons with their…magic hammer.”
“Magic hammer?” she asked with a laugh.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought the device kind of looked like. A strange silver hammer.”
“Well, not exactly the direction I had in mind for the book, but interesting. So what will the title of this epic be?”
He was quiet for a moment before answering. “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer.”
Nikki broke out into a laugh. “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer? Okay. And just how does this book end? Once they slay and quell and all that?”
“Why the hero makes passionate love to the heroine, she falls completely under his spell and can’t get enough of him and they live happily ever after.”
“Hmmmm,” she said and ran her hand down his body. “Not bad. But how about we skip ahead to the passionate love for the moment? The rest of the story can wait.”
Max laughed and rolled over, pinning her beneath him. “My thoughts exactly.”
About the Author
Ciana Stone has been reading since the age of three, and wrote her first story at age five. Since then she has enjoyed writing as a solitary form of entertainment, and has just recently come out of the closet to share her stories with others. She holds several post graduate degrees and has often been referred to as a professional student. Her latest fields of interest are quantum mechanics and Taoism. When she is not writing (or studying) she enjoys painting (canvas, not walls), sculpting, running, hiking and yoga. She lives with her long-time lover in several locations in the United States.
Ciana welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
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Also by Ciana Stone
Hot in the Saddle 1: Chase ‘n’ Ana
Hot in the Saddle 2: Molding Clay
Hot in the Saddle 3: Scout ‘n’ Cole
Mind Games
Riding Ranger
The Hussies: A Taste for Jazz
The Hussies: All in Time
Wyatt’s Chance
Also see Ciana’s release at Cerridwen Press (www.cerridwenpress.com):
That Which Survives
Discover for yourself why readers can’t get enough of the multiple award-winning publisher Ellora’s Cave. Whether you prefer e-books or paperbacks, be sure to visit EC on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic reading experience that will leave you breathless.
www.ellorascave.com
