“It’s, well, it’s not alright. But it is pretty common among witches. We have this incredible power, but there are many downsides as well. There’s the grand overarching one that is our destiny to fight and stop evil witches. But there’s so many shades of gray in that area, and it’s an ongoing battle where neither side can really win or lose in the grand scheme of things. Then there’s the publicity. Humans know about us, but most of them either want to be like witch groupies or pretend we don’t exist. If they really knew more than the party line, they wouldn’t be nearly as accepting of our presence. They don’t want or need to know about the evil witches. But there are downsides that affect the individual witch as well.”
“Like relationships.”
“Precisely. As can be expected, it’s hard to have a business or make friends when you will need to be able to leave at any time if there’s an emergency. Leo and I can do it mostly because Seb and Justin try to take as much of the burden off of us as possible. They claim it’s in the interest of the Coven to have us working and making money to donate to the Coven. But I believe a lot of it is just them trying to be older brothers and take the strain off of their younger siblings. We’re not even that much younger, but still.
“So, back to what you asked about in the first place. Even harder than making friends is making a romantic relationship. They say it’s possible that there is one person who could fit your unique magical signature, so to speak. Sometimes that partner, or mate if you will, isn’t a witch and doesn’t know really what it means. But when they do, the couple usually gets along well.”
“My father was a witch, and my mother was not.”
“Precisely.”
“But my mother grew to hate and fear his magic until he died, and then she terrorized me about my own.”
“I’m genuinely sorry to hear that. You see, just because you are compatible with someone doesn’t mean you should act on it and seal the bond. My own mother and father had a very unhealthy marriage. But in most cases, the couple gets along well. It’s usually a good idea for them to get to know each other before they seal the relationship, because once it is solidified, it can’t be broken, except in death. But if you try to form a relationship with someone who is not your magical match, it will almost invariably not work. Some witches try really hard, and their partner does too. But the longest I’ve heard of such a relationship lasting was two years before the divorce. You can’t even have children with someone you’re not bonded to.”
“As I told Justin, that’s totally not cool.”
“It’s bullshit, you mean.”
“Precisely. Is there any way that this alignment could be one sided?”
“I’ve never heard of such. But you’re the lucky one here. You’ve found your mate.”
Skylar panicked a little. “What did you say?”
Dymphna rolled her eyes. “I’m not an idiot, girl. You and my brother. You’re both circling around each other, like fighters looking for a weakness. There’s some part of each of you that knows it’s true, but is avoiding it at all costs.”
“How did you know?”
“I’m not an air witch, if that’s what you’re asking. But I am a twin, and I know things through that special connection.”
“I don’t want to put you under any extra pressure,” Skylar said as the oven alarm beeped. She used it as an excuse to not show Dymphna how much she was blushing. “But what would your advice be? Because you’re right, I sense something special about Leo, and I’m very drawn to him like I’ve never been to anyone else.”
“The bond is sealed by having unprotected sex.” At Skylar’s clearly panicked expression, Dymphna laughed. “Come on, I’m a water witch. I can tell you don’t have any diseases, and I can tell Leo doesn’t either. Even if there were something, I could fix it. I’m very strong, I’ll have you know.” She giggled, undermining her attempt to be all pompous.
“OK, I got it. But what should I do? Just your advice, of course, which I can follow or not depending on my own level of stupidity.”
“As his sister, and understandably biased, I can say he’s a great man. And I really like you too, which helps. I think you’d make a great couple. But my opinion isn’t the key here. It’s the opinion of both of you. I think you two are acting like prize fighters in the ring like I said. I’ve heard you talking to each other, and it’s never about anything serious or even meaningful, just so much small talk. It’s a really bad idea to mingle your magic if that’s all you’ve got as the beginning of a relationship. So lower your metaphorical fists and stop fighting the attraction. Go on a date or something, but really talk to each other and see if you’d be compatible for more than just our magic and my feelings on the subject.”
“Easier said than done.”
“Of course. Now when will you be making that chicken? I’m hungry from all this talking.”
They laughed. “I asked Dave to call me when they leave the hospital. I’ll put the chicken in then.”
Like magic, or something, Dave called a few minutes later. Skylar got the chicken out of the refrigerator and arranged it in a baking pan. She starting to brown the prosciutto and onions that she would soon add the green beans to.
“Now look, after dinner and dessert, Dave will leave. Or at least, I’ll get him out of here. I’m going to go upstairs, supposedly to do some research but really to get you two alone. Take advantage of it. Remember, he’s the one, and you both need to accept it. Get to know each other better, and figure out if it’ll work.”
“I’ve got it, Miss Matchmaker.”
“Very good. While you frost the cake can I try some of the icing?”
Skylar laughed and passed the bowl along when she was done with the cake.
All through dinner and dessert, Skylar couldn’t get her conversation with Dymphna out of her head. She wasn’t sure whether she wanted to get to this coming conversation faster or postpone it as long as possible. But of course, Dymphna was right, and it had to happen. So whether she liked it or not, Dave and Leo cleaned up the dishes all too soon.
Dave made his goodbyes, and Dymphna went up to “study.” When Leo’s back was turned, she gave Skylar a wink. This was it.
“Still want to do movie night?” Skylar asked, already moving toward the television.
“I’d like that. I’ll even pop the popcorn.”
“No way. Last time you did that, you burned it. I don’t even know how you managed to burn microwaveable popcorn so badly.”
He pretended to pout. “Then I at least get to choose the movie.”
“Sounds fair.”
As she heard the beginning notes of Star Wars, A New Hope, she grinned. The man sure did like his science fiction and fantasy for a man who was living it.
She settled in on the couch next to him, offering the bowl of popcorn.
“Smells delightful.”
“By which you mean not burnt.”
He smiled.
“So let’s assume for a moment that you’ve seen this one before.”
“Well, since I have, it’s a fair assumption. What’s on your mind?”
“Your names.” He was wary. Perhaps this wasn’t the best way to start to get to know him after all, Skylar thought. “I looked on most of the major baby name sites, but the only one I could really find was Justin.”
“You didn’t try Google, did you?”
“No, didn’t think to, honestly.”
“This may take a bit. And before I get into the story, understand that you’ll be hearing a lot of the grizzly muck behind my family.”
“Are you kidding? You’ve got me even more curious now! Hey now, you look weary. Maybe talking about it will help.”
He barked out a wry laugh. “Well, it hasn’t worked so far, but I’ll try again. I suppose this all begins with Drake Ward.”
“Your father?”
“The same. He was an air witch, and as I’m sure you know, when you find someone you’re aligned with, it’s a strong connection.�
��
She did indeed know, and they hadn't even solidified their bond yet.
“They went ahead and established the bond, despite the fact that they didn’t know each other well at all. He was an air witch, for god’s sake, he should have... well, he should have known better. Not only because of his telepathy, but because as Duke of the most powerful coven, he was a major figure in the community. Yet no matter how bad it looks in retrospect, he married a water witch named Gladys, both in the witch community and the human one. People knew all about witches, and they wondered why the most influential witch would be getting married in a Catholic ceremony, so they all showed up. It was all because Gladys was a very strong Catholic. She and Drake arranged early on that he could be Duke without her complaint if she could be Catholic without his.”
At this he shook his head, looking distressed. Skylar reached out and touched his hand. He really did need to get all this out.
“She didn’t understand, or didn’t care, that a Duke without a proper Duchess at his side is only half of what he could be. Not to mention the fact that he was distressed over his wife’s refusal to stand by his side. So then she got pregnant, and things changed even more, and not for the better. She had prayed to God, and we only found this part out later, that He would purge her of her sinfulness that made her a witch. When she got pregnant, she prayed even harder that the hateful magic wouldn’t be passed along to the next generation. So Gladys had her twins, and believed that they would not be tainted. So she named them after Saint Eusebius and Saint Justin Martyr, two Catholics who were particularly famous for decrying witches.”
He stopped, looking distressed. Not knowing what to do, Skylar prodded him. “What happened next?”
“She had thought that since her twins weren’t manifesting powers that her prayers had been answered. So six months later, she was pregnant with twins again.”
“You and Dymphna.”
“Exactly. But what she didn’t count on, or perhaps didn’t know, was that infants rarely manifest anything before they are one year old. So when Seb started levitating, and Justin was draining the bathtub to get out of taking a bath, she realized her mistake. She hated herself for it, but more than that, she hated them for being demonstrative evidence of her evil. But she couldn’t have an abortion as a good Catholic, not to mention that she couldn’t get one at six months anyway. Now Dymphna’s name and mine are a little more complicated. We think that she realized that she was going crazy, and her fanatic level of faith wasn’t an excuse for hating her own children. But we don’t really know. But Saint Dymphna is the patron saint of the mentally ill, and Saint Pantaleon is the patron saint of healers.”
“Is that why you’re a doctor now?”
“Part of the reason, sure. But when Dymphna and I started manifesting our own powers at one year, Gladys had had enough. She left a note, and walked into the lake. We believe she used her water magic to help force water into her lungs as she went in. But anyway, she was gone.”
Skylar could tell that this was all she was getting from him, so she moved on.
“You know the main part of my story. It’s actually remarkably similar, except that my mother and brother don’t have any magic. So I bore the brunt of her and my Aunt Linda’s rantings about how I should never ever be tempted to use magic. After my father died in a car accident, it got worse. But then she died in a mugging gone wrong a little after Selby’s eighteenth birthday. My Aunt Linda wanted to take custody of me to make sure I could never use my magic again. But since Selby was of legal age and because I wanted to stay with him, the courts gave him care of his fourteen year old sister.”
Leo’s expression had grown more curious than morose as Skylar told her own story. After all, if he shared, it was only right that she did as well.
“He continued his job as an auto mechanic, and we got a small apartment near his work. We’ve been there ever since. He sacrificed so much to get us through the hard times and to send me to school that I can never really repay him. Then when my job went bad, he was there for me again.”
“It looks like we’re more alike than we seem. We both had the crazy mothers, and we both were lucky enough to have siblings to be there for us no matter what.”
They smiled.
“Dymphna’s a great woman. She’s sweet and caring, despite her hard exterior.”
“I’m glad you could see that side of her. She doesn’t let many people in on the secret. I’d do anything for my twin. And it’s plenty clear that you’d do anything for Selby.”
“Damn straight.”
They moved on to safer topics, from a mutual distaste for watching professional sports to the nice weather in Boston this time of year that was certain to change soon. Eventually their focus went back to the movie, and they discussed it a little before lapsing into a comfortable silence.
109
CHAPTER SIX
Leo looked down at Skylar, who had fallen asleep in his lap, slowly but surely. He couldn’t resist planting a kiss on her temple and stroking her soft golden hair. She was doing something to him, and he wasn’t entirely sure he liked it. He’d never felt this way about anyone before, certainly.
She unsettled him. He thought he had his life in perfect control, and he had thought he was happy in it. Sure he got lonely, but he had D, Seb, and Justin. He had even had some relationships, though he knew they were doomed to failure in the end. But if someone had told him that he would actually want a relationship, and to share his life with someone other than his siblings, he would have denied it.
Everything went into little boxes, and it was better that way. When he told Skylar he’d do anything for his family, he wasn’t lying or exaggerating. He really would do anything no matter the consequences to him. Perhaps it was part of being an air witch, and deeply tuned into the feelings of others even if he wasn’t actively reading their minds, but when someone close to him was hurting, so was he.
111
THE DOCTOR WITCH
The question on the line was whether he could extend the same level of care towards a partner, towards Skylar. And even if he could, would he want to? He was aligned with Skylar, which made him want to draw her near and never let her go. It didn’t hurt that she was beautiful. He’d gotten to know a lot about her over the last week, because while he was mostly quiet, he was listening. She was a giving person, despite how her mother, aunt, and someone else had done her wrong. He didn’t want to intrude on her thoughts too much, but he could tell that there was someone else who had hurt Skylar badly. He didn’t want to be the next in the line.
But, and he kept coming back to this, he had a well organized life. Skylar’s redesign of parts of the house had already proven that she would destroy any sense of order. So the second question would have to be if he was willing to sacrifice his control over his plans to make room for his match. But now that he had met her, he was sure that nothing would ever be the same. He’d still want her now that he had met her. But should he go through with it? Should he make her his?
Before he came up with any answers, her eyes opened and she smiled sleepily. “Sorry. I blame Timothy for working my magic so hard.”
“It’s not a problem. Anytime you need a lap to sleep on, I’m here.” He was rather horrified at the idea that he had just said that. Totally not what he would have planned.
“I may just take you up on it.” She stretched as she sat up slowly. How could stretching be so sexy? “Looks like the movie’s over.” The credits were, in fact, rolling. “Thanks for the ear. And well, the lap.”
She leaned over to give him a thank-you kind of kiss. But she tasted too damn good. He grabbed her wrist when she made to move back. “Don’t tempt a man if you don’t want to follow through.”
“What if it was testing the waters?” She asked softly. Skylar pulled back into him and gave him another kiss, but not as quick. The kiss got deeper and hotter.
Leo wasn’t used to aggressive women, but he found that he liked it with Skylar. S
he forced him onto his back and insinuated herself on top of him, still kissing him passionately.
She broke off for just a second. “Good enough for follow through?”
He couldn’t find his voice, so he made a strangled noise and nodded.
“Good.” She winked, slid off him, and walked off with a little extra sway in her hips. “Sleep well,” she said as she left and blew him a little kiss.
Leo lay back down and smiled. Why on Earth did he think he had the ability to make a choice when it came to Skylar?
Skylar was full of nerves as she ascended the stairs to her bedroom. That had been totally unlike her. She’d never been the aggressor, not even with Jeremy. She’d never enjoyed a kiss more, either. So she closed the door, sat down on the bed, and tried to stop the shaking. Apparently all the things Justin and Dymphna had said were true. Perhaps she was really meant to be with Leo, and he was the only one would ever really satisfy her. Skylar wasn’t sure if that was a comforting thought or not.
She quickly realized that she not only could love Leo, but she was part of the way there already. She shivered one more time and fell asleep.
Since it was Saturday morning, the whole household woke up a little late. Dymphna and Leo were already awake and at the kitchen table when Skylar got downstairs. They had apparently found the fine coffee she had replaced their cheap abomination with because they were each nursing a cup and there was more in the pot for her.
“How’d the studying go, Dymphna?”
“Pretty well. How did you sleep?”
“Quite nicely.” They smiled at each other, understanding that some barrier between Skylar and Leo had been broken down. If only she knew how far it had gone, Skylar thought to herself.
The Doctor Witch (The Ward Witches) Page 8
