by ML Guida
Gwen stopped choking and wiped the tears off her face. “That wasn’t me. I haven’t had any rum since I got here. I told you that earlier.” A pounding headache suddenly thumped in her head as if something was trying to break through her clouded memory. “I’m sorry. That’s never happened before.”
“Here, drink this,” Theo ordered, as he handed her a glass of water.
She took the glass, her hand shaking. She swallowed, then cleared her throat. “That’s never happened before. My sister’s the one who can’t handle her liquor.”
“Looks like you can’t either,” Martin mumbled.
She glared, wanting to argue, but ’twas true. It was as if she’d never had a shot of rum. She put down the glass, then stubbornly poured herself another shot of rum. Theo lifted his eyebrow, but she wasn’t a sop. Instead of tossing the shot back, she gingerly sipped it. This time keeping it down.
Theo sat in a chair opposite her. He looked as unhappy as she did. He took off his hat and put it on his desk, then stretched out his long muscular legs. He put his feet up on his desk and let out a heavy sigh.
She hadn’t noticed his dark hair had a slight wave that curled just below his collar. It was a stark contrast to his golden eyes and tanned face, making him look mysterious. He’d been so protective of her, which hadn’t happened for a long time.
Topper waved her wand, and another shot glass appeared out of thin air.
“Thanks,” Theo grumbled. He picked up the shot glass and glanced at Gwen. “Do you mind?”
“No, go ahead.”
He tossed it back. “Tell her, Topper, what Hera said.”
Gwen frowned. “Who is Hera?”
“She’s a witch,” Topper said gently. “And I’m afraid she’s cursed you.”
Gwen looked between her and Theo. “Why?”
Theo poured himself another shot. “Because of me. I confiscated her wand because she was casting mean-spirited spells on the inhabitants of Magic.”
“One of her abilities,” Topper said, “is that she is the protector over marriage and birth and can look into a person’s eyes and see their soulmate.”
Gwen felt like she’d just jumped into a spinning tale of madness. She looked at Theo. “So, you’re both saying that Hera looked into Theo’s eyes and saw me?”
“That’s the size of it,” Theo said.
“So, what’s this supposed curse? As far as I know, a time spider threw me into time. A demon controls it, and there’s no way you’re going to convince me that this witch is more powerful than him.”
Her voice was stronger than she’d expected.
Topper sat on the edge of a nearby desk. “No, I don’t think Hera is stronger than a demon, especially after what Cè has told me about him. I suspect she cursed you while you were flying through time and brought you here.”
“And?” Gwen asked, knowing she wasn’t going to like the answer.
“She split you in two,” Theo blurted.
“What do you mean split me in two?”
“There’s two of you,” Theo said. “One good, the other evil.”
Martin spit at his beer, spraying it all over his screen. “She did what? Damn it.” He picked up some tissue and quickly cleaned off the screen.
“You mean the woman breaking into the stores is part of me?”
“Apparently,” Theo said. “And by the looks of it, she can handle her liquor.”
“I’ve always been able to handle my liquor.” The evidence of brown liquor splattered onto her trousers was clear. She couldn’t. Gwen remembered feeling strange while she was traveling, but she’d just thought it was time travel. “Then how do we fix this?” She looked at Topper eagerly. “You can reverse the spell, right?”
“No,” Topper said sadly. “I can’t. Only you and Theo can make you whole.”
Theo poured himself another shot and avoided her gaze. “We have to kiss.”
It sounded amazingly simple, but she doubted it would be that easy, especially since she was in turmoil earlier. “That’s all?”
“It’s not just any kiss,” Topper said. “It has to be a true love kiss.”
She squirmed in her seat at the thought of kissing Theo again. Her palms turned clammy, and she avoided his perceptive gaze, as if he guessed her uneasiness. Not because she wasn’t attracted to him, but because of kissing a man. This was too strange. Grace was the one who shied away from men.
Not her.
“And what happens if we don’t do this?” Gwen asked hesitantly, not sure how she could fall in love with a shape-shifting dragon. “I don’t have time to fall in love. I have to get back to my own time to be with my brother and sister and fight the demon.”
Theo sighed heavily.
Not that he wasn’t wickedly handsome with his dark hair and his golden eyes that reminded her of a tiger’s eyes. When he wrapped his arms around her, it had been strangely calming like she belonged there, but it was the kiss that had awakened a desire inside her–a desire that frightened her.
Topper and Theo looked at each other.
Theo met her questioning gaze. “If we don’t by the next new moon, which is in two days, you’ll die.”
Martin shook his head. “Sorry, pirate.”
Gwen couldn’t believe what she’d just heard. Theo was damn handsome, but how could she fall in love with someone in two days? Especially a man that shifted into a dragon. This couldn’t be happening.
“Say something,” Theo’s voice was low as if he was afraid of her answer.
Hopelessness slammed into Gwen’s heart. The last thing she wanted was to fall in love–then having to choose between Theo and leaving those she loved behind. She’d never thought she’d fall in love, since back home, she had to fight to survive. She’d had dalliances with men, but those had only been temporary. Love had only hurt people. Men weren’t to be trusted.
She’d sworn off marriage and indulged when she wanted. Grace had lectured over at not being virtuous, but Gwen never followed the rules. Now it seemed that’s all she wanted to do.
The headache pounded harder between her temples. Dread rolled around in her tummy. Usually, she could make swift decisions, but for the life of her, she couldn’t reel in the answer. “I…I…don’t know. What’s wrong with me?”
Someone said something, but she couldn’t hear beyond the pain in her head. Theo took her hand and gently squeezed it, somehow easing the pain. She looked into his golden eyes and hoped he’d make things right and make her whole.
Chapter Nine
Theo brushed his thumb over Gwen’s shaking hand, but he avoided looking at her dejected face. He stared out the window. Dusk had slowly faded, and the stars were peering out of the New Mexico sky, but something was off. An aqua haze floated in the sky with a tail full of stars. One shone brighter, changing different colors.
Prickling chills rushed down his spine. A strange sensation burned in his chest, driving up his temperature, making him sweat uncomfortably. Oh, no. It couldn’t be. He shook his head. God, it must be the rum. He looked again, and the mysterious star was even brighter, still changing colors. The aqua haze swirled around in a circle like it had in his dreams.
But he was awake.
He stared at his shot glass, then at Topper, hoping it was the rum. But Topper was a straight shooter and wouldn’t cast a spell on anyone.
Unlike Hera.
He shifted uncomfortably in his chair.
“Theo?” Martin looked at him questioningly. “Are you okay? You’re sweating.”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
His voice came out unusually sharp, and Martin winced.
Ignoring Theo, Gwen cast her gaze over Martin like he was a monster.
Topper looked between him and Gwen. “Don’t give up, you two. You’ve both gotten off on the wrong foot and need time to right your relationship.”
Gwen slowly released his hand. “How are we supposed to do this?”
He clenched his fist, his skin feeling cold where th
ere had been warmth.
“By getting to know each other.” She waved her wand over her head as if she were the fairy godmother from Cinderella.
Sparks of stars and glowing flowers fell around Theo and Gwen. Gwen held out her palms and tossed her head back laughing. Her laughter soothed his disappointment, and he smiled.
But then the flowers and stars changed into different colors.
Topper shook her wand. “Mibbity-mobbity-moo.”
Wind rushed around them. Papers flew into the air, trapped in a whirlwind. Monitors and printers crashed onto the floor, smashing into tiny pieces.
“Topper, what the hell are you doing?”
Topper’s purple hair blurred around her face, and she stumbled into a desk. “I’m not doing it! It’s not magic!”
Martin spun around and around and around in his chair screaming, bandages flying into the air as he unraveled.
Gwen tumbled out of her chair as if an invisible force moved her and slammed her into Theo’s lap. She clutched his arm tight. “What’s happening, Theo?”
“I don’t know.”
But then a bright aqua light shone on them, and through the mist, he swore he saw the queen’s eyes.
Kiss her. Queen Cosima’s voice rang in his head.
No.
You two need to be alone.The queen’s voice was louder in his head than the spinning aqua tornado. It lifted them off the chair, then suddenly, ripped Gwen away from him.
He yelled, “Gwen!”
She stretched out her arms. “Theo, help me!”
He jumped off his chair, then he was flung into the air. He spun around the office faster and faster, searching frantically for Gwen. The window blew out, sucking Gwen outside, screaming.
His heart beat fiercely, and he roared. Anger surged through him, and once again, the dragon wouldn’t be denied. He broke out in a hot sweat, his temperature reaching a fiery level. He arched his back. His wings and tails burst through his body, and scales replaced his skin.
He flapped his wings against the wind and was surprised he could move. Ignoring Topper’s and Martin’s yell, he flew out of the window and soared into the whirling purple wind. He prayed the queen wouldn’t hurt them, but then again, Topper was a powerful witch and could hopefully protect them from the queen.
Through the spinning aqua mist, he spotted Gwen being tossed around like a leaf. He dove, his talons stretched out. He snagged her shoulders, and she gripped his legs tight.
The minute she touched him, his heartbeat slowed, and the fire burning in his chest subsided. Her tenderness was like a soft breeze that was powerful enough to lessen the anger inside him. He’d been with women before, but none of them affected him like she did. As far as he knew, Gwen had no magical powers, but she was strong enough to put on a dragon’s rage.
That’s because she’s your mate. The queen’s voice echoed in his head.
He headed away from the tornado.
Residents came out of their homes, pointing at the storm. He hoped they’d be smart enough to get back to their homes. In a warning, he hissed fire, lighting up the evening sky. But the residents were vampires, witches, werewolves, gnomes, and other magical creatures, and an aqua tornado would only intrigue them.
“Theo, don’t drop me,” Gwen shouted, as she kicked her legs.
He landed on top of a bluff, releasing Gwen gently. She was on her feet, huffing and puffing. As soon as he touched the ground, the tornado disappeared into the sky, leaving a light bluish-green tail.
“What was that?” Gwen gasped, gripping her knees.
He forced himself not to draw her into his arms. “I don’t know,” he lied. He couldn’t bring himself to tell her that it was a storm from a dragon-shifting planet that he didn’t even know the name of.
“Bloody hell, you can change from a dragon to a man faster than my brother.”
He wasn’t sure he’d heard her right. “Your brother?”
She slowly stood. “Didn’t I tell you, Sheriff? He’s a dragon shifter. I guess with all your questions it must have slipped my mind.”
He stiffened. “How the hell would I know to ask if your brother was a dragon shifter?”
She flashed him a teasing smile. “Don’t get into a huff.” She looked up into the sky. “Where do you think it went?”
He thought back to the dragon queen’s planet. “Strange, it’s never been here before.”
She took a deep breath. “That’s the second time you’ve come to my rescue–first your mummy deputy and now this odd tornado.”
He tipped up his hat. “My pleasure, ma’am. But tell me about your brother. Was he born a shifter?”
“No. He wasn’t. We were driven out of Scotland by the British to London. Then one day, he didn’t come home. Unknown to us, my brother had been kidnapped by notorious pirates and forced to work on their ship. Somehow, he was able to send us his booty to live on.”
“So, you lived well in London?”
***
She remembered the fights and the terror on the street, then a sudden panic of not having her weapons seized her. She never went anywhere without them. “Hardly. The drudge of the London streets discovered what was happening, and I lost count the number of times we were robbed. I learned to fight and use the sword and pistol. My sister is a kind soul and refused to turn to violence.”
“But you’re twins?”
“Identical.”
“Interesting. So, go on.”
“I wanted to get my sister to safety, and when my brother sent word that he’d purchased a house for us on Tortuga, we fled. When we arrived, he wasn’t there, and once again, I had to defend what was ours. But his captors must have found out about us, and luckily it was me, they kidnapped me and not Grace.”
She shuddered, thinking of being a prisoner on the ship. She still had nightmares of Captain Quinton Palmer.
He put his arm around her. “Cold?”
She snuggled closer, indulging in his warmth, knowing no one could hurt her with Theo nearby. “No, just thinking of bad memories. I had discovered their little secret.”
He turned her around, and the back of his hand slid down her cheek. “Which was?”
He ignited those feelings deep within her that scared her. She wanted to run away, but she was drawn to him like a moth to a fire. “He was…cursed.”
“A witch cursed him?”
She trembled as all the memories swept over. “No, a demon.” Her voice was barely a whisper.
His eyes glowed darker, then he drew her into his arms. “I’m sorry.”
Once again, she clung to him, glad not to have to be strong for once. She laid her head on his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. “The demon first cursed the entire ship into being vampires, then later, had a dragon spirit possess Leif. ’Tis strange. He can hear the voice within him. They’re one. When I left, we were trying to rescue his beloved, who was kidnapped by the demon. I have no idea whether they are alive or dead.”
Her voice cracked, and forbidden tears slid down her cheeks. Grace was the one who shed tears, not her. Gwen couldn’t even remember the last time she’d shed a tear.
He tilted up her chin, then brushed off the wetness with his thumbs. She stiffened like a cold statue. He put his hands on each side of her face and kissed her gently. He felt the stiffness slowly fade, then he urged her to open her mouth with his tongue. She hesitatingly complied, inviting him into the warmth and wetness. He was comforting to her sorrow. His tongue traced delicate patterns around in her mouth, and she quivered beneath his irresistible power.
He slid his fingers into her tangled hair, and she balled her fists into his shirt. His kissed changed from a gentleness to a dominance that she couldn’t deny. It was as if he were branding her to be his, and by doing so, he crushed the battle warring within her between being virtuous and rebellious. She was herself again–adventurous, wild, seductive.
He slowly moved his hands down to her shoulders as hers inched up his chest. His mou
th left hers, planting sultry kisses down her throat, his tongue flicking lazily over the quickened pulse beneath her ear.
She released a harsh gasp, and her knees buckled, but before she could falter, he wrapped his arm around her waist, pinning her to his rock-hard chest. A surge of hot, bubbling pleasure shot from the nape of her neck to her tummy, blocking out nearly every sensation between-but one. An acute, tender, eagerness sprang to her breasts, budding the nipples into sensitive peaks. She couldn’t escape the wicked pleasure nor could she compare it to any other experience she’d had, thus far in her life. No man had ever made her want to lose herself in his embrace.
But then images of Grace, Leif, and Isabella flashed through her mind. She couldn’t abandon them.
She pressed on his chest, then broke off the kiss reluctantly. “No, stop. I can’t. I can’t abandon my family. They need me.”
“I promise you we won’t abandon your family.”
She frowned. “But how?”
“Gwen, this is Magic. Anything can happen. You have to trust me.”
Trust wasn’t an easy word to come by. Too many men had made promises and then failed to keep them. Her brother had abandoned her, her father dying and leaving no money. She slowly untangled herself from him, then straightened her shirt. “Do you think Topper and Martin were hurt?”
Disappointment flashed in his eyes, but then quickly disappeared. “Topper’s a powerful witch. It would take more than a tornado to destroy her.” There was enough light to cast a glint in his eyes, making them glow out of the darkness with their unique radiance. “You’ve forgiven Martin?”
“I shouldn’t. Normally, I wouldn’t, but I don’t want any harm to come to him.”
“Have you always been this forgiving?’
She frowned. “No, I…haven’t.” She drawled out her sentence. “Normally, I would have cut him down.”
He raised his eyebrow.
“Remember–pirate.” Or at least she used to be. Now, she felt like she was turning into a well-bred lady. This wasn’t her.
She put her hands on her hips. “Where are we?”
