Magic, New Mexico: Touch of Deceit (Kindle Worlds Novella) (The Magic Mirror Book 2)

by Sylvia McDaniel

  They were joined, mated, and passion drove every question from her mind as he plunged into her time and again, climbing, reaching for something she'd never experienced. With every thrust, she felt as if his name was being scrolled across her heart. With every stroke, he made her his own. With every kiss, she became his mate.

  Seeking to understand, she stared into his eyes, and her world started to unravel. Like the universe was exploding as every cell strove toward the brilliant light that flashed through her, sending shock waves rattling like a tidal wave washing her ashore.

  In a husky voice, she heard Jaqarg call her name as his body shuttered around her, clinging to her like two lost souls adhered by a mere thread to the earth.

  Slumping over her he rolled to her side, cradling her body against him. Both breathed like a race horse after the Kentucky Derby, their chests aching for more air. In silence, she lay beside him, unwinding as the tingles disappeared, leaving a warm feeling of bliss.

  Running her fingertips along the arm that cradled her, tears pricked her eyes. She'd almost missed this moment of pure happiness. She'd almost lost out on her time with her mate. She'd almost walked away from love.

  With a gasp, she realized. She loved Jaqarg, alien from Bierilla.

  Jaqarg lay with his arm curled around the soft, warm body of Petunia, relishing in the silkiness of her skin. His heart warmed at the way she reacted to the pleasure they'd shared.

  It'd been the worst of days, yet also the best of time spent with Petunia.

  First, the thrill of working with her this morning, showing her kicks and blocks that would help her win her fight. Then the two of them teaching together, instructing the children.

  Sparring with the witch brought him satisfaction. Watching how she'd learned everything he taught her, seeing her magic and fighting skills grow fiercer.

  And then the devastating loss of his ship.

  No way to leave earth. No way to return to Bierilla. No way to clear his name.

  Yet, with the destruction came the solace of being in Petunia's arms. She soothed his ravaged soul, made him stronger, and reminded him why he needed to return home.

  Somehow he must prove his innocence. Show the people of Bierilla they were misled into believing he was a monster.

  He was a lawman. A keeper of wellbeing and safety and truth. He was a warrior, robust and true, and destined to uphold the sanctity of the law. As the High Priestess’s protector, he would never harm her.

  Part of him wanted to turn on the transmitter and have Taqrok find him so he could return and vindicate his honor. Close as brothers, Stryhn would hunt for the criminals who framed Jaqarg for the murder. His friend would return for him. In the meantime, he must patiently wait, worry, and curtail the urge to seek out and defend himself.

  Glancing at Petunia, he ran his hand down her creamy skin, reveling in the silk of her flesh beneath his fingertips. "You're beautiful, my witch."

  "And you are strong, my warrior."

  Her words like a balm soothed his tattered spirit.

  Soon he must tell her why his pod landed on earth. How he loved his job on Bierilla and unfortunately could not stay with her here on earth. Somehow he must return to clear his name and defend the royal family. Homesickness swelled with him, yet Petunia refused to leave.

  According to her grandmother's note, he was her mate--on his planet sex was the release of pent-up hormones, among other things. Hopefully, he'd done his job and filled her need as she'd certainly satisfied him. Never in any joining had he experienced such passion, caring, and pleasure.

  Pain rippled through his chest. He belonged on Bierilla, protecting the next ruler, making certain the family of the High Priestess were well guarded.

  Running his arm around Petunia's waist, he reached up and kneaded her breast. If Bierilla was so important, why did being with Petunia seem so right? Why did the witch's touch resonate and make him feel that here in her arms he'd found home?

  Chapter 7

  Hours later, Jaqarg rolled onto his back beside Petunia. Lying, gazing up at the ceiling, her breathing labored, she sighed. "My goodness, alien, I've been waiting for this all my life. No one told me it would be like this."

  With a laugh, he glanced at the witch, reminded again of how much she pleased him. "Yes, our blood mixes well together. Your pheromones draw me, tempting and seducing me, until I am wrapped in a whirlwind of sexual desire eager to join with you."

  Rolling over, he snuggled into her, his tongue tasting her neck. "Just a whiff of your scent, a taste of your skin, and I'm entangled in your lust and hungry for you once again."

  Giggling, she faced him, her emerald eyes shining brightly. "Maybe I should feed you some real food before we continue. You're going to need your strength. I don't want you to get weak."

  Placing his hands on either side of her face, he kissed her deeply until she was breathless. "I'm not weak."

  "No, you're not, but I'm feeling a little lightheaded myself," she said, rising from the bed. "Alien, this witch needs food."

  Swinging his legs to the floor, he sat on the edge and looked around her bedroom. His sleeping quarters on Bierilla were so much smaller. A table, a bed, a bathroom. "Then we will eat."

  With disappointment, he watched as she pulled out a cloth covering and wrapped it around her beautiful body before she walked into the kitchen. Rising from the bed, he moved toward the food preparation area, naked.

  With a pan in her hand, she turned from the stove. "You going to cover that big Johnson or leave it hanging?"

  Frowning, he shook his head, his translator uncertain as to what she meant.

  "Big Johnson? Motor boat?"

  Laughing, she pointed toward his groin and then he understood. "Does my nakedness offend you?"

  Earthlings had a code regarding nudity and sex with all kinds of rules and regulations. It was hard to know when he crossed one of their many boundaries. On Bierilla, as long as you didn't harm your fellow Bierillian, you were good.

  Her eyes looked from the top of his head to his feet and then back up again. A deep sigh came from her and he wanted to take her back to the bedroom, but resisted.

  "Oh no. Your pecs and all those muscles in the flesh--"she smiled, "they're nice. Stand away from the heat. I'd hate for you to get burned."

  "Do not concern yourself. I'll be careful."

  Reaching into the cold box, he noticed she took yellow stuff from the refrigerator, slathered the cream on the bread and put it in a skillet. While that cooked, she opened two cans and poured the red liquid into a pan and placed it on the fire.

  "This would take only a minute if I still had a microwave, but for now, we must do it the old-fashioned way."

  "What are we eating?"

  "Tomato soup and grilled cheese."

  Jaqarg's translator explained the ingredients and he turned away. No response to the food. On his planet, he consumed vegetables, though not the same ones from earth.

  "That will do," he said. Eating was something required, but not meant to spend hours enjoying. In the military, you ate when you had the opportunity, because it could be days before your next meal. Chowing down quickly was a given.

  After pouring the hot liquid into bowls, she put the sandwiches on plates and then set them on the table. Sinking into the chair, he stared at her across the way contemplating how lucky he'd found her here on earth.

  When they joined, their relationship had taken on a different meaning and even sitting across from one another, seemed altered. Not in a bad way, but in a more personal home sort of way.

  Like he belonged here. But that couldn't be possible. Warriors didn't reveal emotions or feelings and the military tried to eradicate them in school. Occasionally one would slip through his defenses. And now was one of those times.

  “Tell me about your planet. When you join with someone is it forever?” she asked.

  He shook his head. “No. On my planet, we only join for pleasure, unless you want to procreate, and then you ma
y take a mate for as long as the children are young. But very few Bierillians stay together forever.”

  Frowning, she tried to understand. “You don’t believe in mates forever?”

  “Bierillians are not an emotional species. We don’t concentrate on what makes us feel. In fact, our women compared to you, are quite cold.”

  “Wow, I can’t imagine,” she said thinking of the emotions, both good and bad that had guided her life. Logic was important, but what would life be like without feelings?

  His planet sounded cold and yet he seemed to have a great friendship with Stryhn. Yet, he’d left him stranded on earth.

  Picking up her sandwich, she took a bite. "Why did your friend command you to blow up the ship? He said we would be in danger if you didn't. Why?"

  Chewing his food in time with her eating habits, he delayed telling her the reason behind Stryhn's command. Knowing she deserved to understand why he was here, questioning whether or not he would ever leave.

  "Stryhn has been my brother in arms for many of your earth years. We finished the academy together and came up through the ranks. Over the years, I became the warrior in charge of protecting the healers who rule our world. It's kind of like your royal families here."

  The night before, watching a documentary on the box about the secret service, he realized they did much the same as his job. Safeguarding the leaders of earth, making certain no one was harmed.

  Tilting her head, she frowned.

  "As head of security, you take for granted the importance of the people you watch over."

  The time had come for him to tell her the truth and the knowledge left him uncomfortable. Petunia needed to know, the murder charge he was running from, but was it selfish he didn't want her to think badly of him? A righteous man, he wanted her to believe him innocent.

  "Just over a week ago, Stryhn woke me. Missing from her suite, the Healer was late for the graduation of her sister. Shocked that I overslept, he came to my cabin to alert me."

  Despair gripped his chest, pain radiated, seizing his lungs like a vise at the memory of that morning. The image of her body lying beside him, so painful to see in death. "Stryhn found me in bed with the High Priestess, her blood everywhere; she was dead."

  Petunia gasped and she stared at him. "What happened?"

  Shaking his head in denial, his stomach clenched. "When I awoke, my head pounded. I felt nauseous and confused with no recollection of the night before. Only that the guards would show at any second."

  Bile rose in his throat and he swallowed, nausea swelling up inside him at the memory of a woman he admired, protected, and watched over for many years.

  "Confusion racked me. How had she gotten into my bed without my knowledge? With my dagger sticking out of her chest," he said, his voice cracking, remembering that terrible morning. Running his hand through his hair, the vision so fresh he could smell the scent of her blood.

  "What did you do?"

  "Stryhn shoved me into a space pod, closed the door, and sent me on my way. Not certain I could navigate or function the craft, I was so disoriented. A warrior does not run, but stands and fights. My head seemed to be filled with fuzz and an ally I respected lay dead in my chambers. Not thinking clearly, I ran when I should have stayed and fought for my innocence."

  Why should she believe him? They had known each other little more than a week and yet he wanted her to think he was guiltless. To consider him an honorable warrior.

  Shaking her head, she gazed at him, her emerald eyes staunch and unwavering. "How do you know you didn't kill her?"

  That was his biggest fear. How could he expect Petunia to regard him as ethical if he questioned his own guiltlessness. Yet he'd cared about the High Priestess. With no memories of the night, of the events that transpired between the time he walked into his chamber and when Stryhn arrived to wake him, he only had his instincts to depend on. No, he refused to believe he killed the healer.

  That night he remembered struggling to make it back to his quarters, exhaustion overwhelming him before he collapsed on the bed. Could he have been drugged at the banquet?

  "I would never hurt her. I respected her. I protected her. A great ruler, she should have lived a long life."

  "Do you have proof?"

  "No," he said hanging his head. "My duty is to safeguard her and I failed."

  Never before had he endangered anyone he guarded. Never before had anyone been injured or died. Never before had he failed and every time he thought of her murder, he wanted to avenge her death.

  "You've never hit someone when you got angry?"

  "Only those who tried to wound someone I guarded," he said, raising his head, his eyes staring at her. "In all fairness, I was under the influence of some drug."

  "How do you know for certain?"

  "Never before have I experienced confusion, disorientation, my thinking fuzzy, my body drained. That morning felt ten times worse than drinking the elixir we overdid in the academy. Time went missing that I can't recall."

  Six hours existed, that meant nothing - lapsed time that had no memory.

  "Did you join with her?" Petunia asked.

  "No," he said, running his hand through his hair. "Stryhn told me my DNA was not found on her. You are my first joining in an earth year."

  Petunia glanced at the food on her plate and slowly picked up the sandwich and put it to her lips. Nibbling on the bread and cheese, a frown appeared between her eyes and she stared at him, questions sparkling from her eyes.

  "You said you were on your way to Bierilla when you crash landed here on earth."

  An interrogation from the warriors on Bierilla could not be this difficult. "After the drugs cleared my system, I decided to return to Bierilla and fight for my innocence. Only my vessel wasn't up to the challenge. My course was set for home when the tyrochromaticon broke and I crashed here in Magic."

  "You're wanted for murder. That's why they're trying to find you?" she said her voice trembling.

  "Yes, but I'm innocent."

  "That's what all murderers say." She glanced away and he saw the uneasiness that glittered from her eyes.

  Somehow he had to prove to Petunia, he was not the killer she imagined.

  Petunia, tossed and turned all night. On the night of her mating, she was filled with doubts. Tonight, she learned the truth about Jaqarg and yet she had a hard time believing the gentle giant could murder anyone.

  Trained as a warrior, a defender of the royal family on his planet, he knew life was precious. A man skilled in the art of combat, teaching her how to engage in a brawl.

  Could he have been struck in the head during a fight and forgotten killing the Healer or did he kill her and afterwards lose his memory? What had happened that night that sent him fleeing. The Jaqarg she loved would never run.

  Something must have been wrong for him not to stand and face the investigation.

  As she rose from the bed, she perceived what she needed to do. Three quirky goddesses lived on the edge of town, who had the answers to her questions. Would they give her the explanations she sought?

  Quietly, she slipped out the door, leaving Jaqarg in her bed asleep. They'd made love two more times last night until exhausted, he collapsed and slept, which eluded Petunia.

  In the early morning hours, she walked toward the house where the fates resided. She thought of everything the alien had taught her. A fierce fighter, she would hate to come up against him in battle.

  Even with her magic, she feared he would easily defeat her with his strength, his agility, and his brain.

  Not only did he fight with force, but with intelligence, first outwitting you, then finishing you off with a powerful move that left you in his grasp. But was he a murderer?

  Glancing up, she noticed that the weather vane on the house tipped at an odd angle. Most of the time the thing just spun around and around.

  Tentatively, she strolled up the steps and knocked on the door.

  Destiny answered, staring at her wi
th all seeing eyes, wearing a short dress with thigh high black stockings and lace up boots. "We've been expecting you. Congratulations on your mating."

  Stunned, she chastised herself for doubting their powers. Somehow the goddess knew before she had a chance to tell her mother.

  The woman smiled. "Come in. Aura and Fortune are waiting."

  Inside, a trickle of fear spiraled down her spine as she stepped through the door. For the first time, she was seeking out their advice. Before now, she just accepted what came her way, but since learning how her mother and Ianthe died, she needed guidance.

  Help to discern if her assessment of Jaqarg was correct, fearful she'd fallen in love with a murderer. That would not be acceptable, even for her mate.

  Walking into the darkened house, she followed Destiny to a sunroom where the other fates waited.

  "Petunia, so lovely to see you. Look at the glow on your face. Happy mating," Aura said, standing and pecking her on each cheek.

  "Thank you," she said, feeling more and more uncertain that she should have come here with her problems. Aura wore a flapper outfit from the 1920s and held a fake cigarette in her hand. Fortune dressed like a glamorous fifties film star. How could these goddesses help her?

  "Sit," Destiny instructed.

  "Yes, tell us what troubles you."

  The three Fates stood waiting as she searched their faces, she saw only welcoming looks. A sense of calm seemed to come over her and she cleared her throat before she sank onto a chair and they followed her lead.

  "As you must know, I mated last night with the alien, Jaqarg. Later, he told me something that is disturbing. He's a strong warrior on Bierilla, a protector of their high priestess."

  Uneasiness filled her knowing her next words could cast suspicion on her alien. Not wanting them to believe her Jaqarg was evil, but wariness the very reason she sought their help.

  "Last night, I learned why he left Bierilla." She told them everything that Jaqarg had confided in her and yet their faces did not change expression.