“Sophia, Xavier, I must ask you to…” The Earth Mother’ voice faded.
A thick, curling column of orange smoke rose from beneath Sterling to twine around Sophia’s body. She inhaled the scent of fresh citrus. The citrusy, grapefruit aroma made her mouth water, then the almost viscous cloud enter her body. She opened her mouth, encouraged it down her throat as if it were a supernatural milkshake since it seemed that’s where it wanted to go anyway.
She emerged, gasping, and her gaze flew to the werewolf. “Xavier.” She ignored the members of the Immortal Court, ignored the curious glances of the crowd, ignored everything in order to concentrate fully on the man who stood not two feet away. His chest heaved, eyes blazed, and upper lip curled in a snarl. Sophia’s vision swam with sudden tears. “I’m so glad you’re here.” She stepped over Sterling, who stirred with a moan. “I can feel again.”
“Your soul has been returned?” Concern painted Xavier’s voice. He captured her hands in his. “Do you remember what you mean to me?”
As if an emotional faucet had been turned on high, thoughts and feelings flooded through her mind in a torrent so strong her chest constricted. Pain stabbed her heart from the onslaught. Terror for their situation froze her brain, followed by a fierce protectiveness for Mona, but a tidal wave of love swept those lesser emotions aside. It rushed through her body, warming every recess, filled her being with a searing, unwavering sense of peace, and belonging.
She fell into Xavier’s arms as sobs shook her frame. “I thought I lost you when I realized you didn’t drink the potion, and then Mona and the dragon, and Sterling was there…” She pressed her lips to his, stopping the disjointed flow of words. “I love you. I don’t care if you’re a wolf and I’m a statue, my feelings will never change.”
“Sophia—” His voice wobbled with strain.
She shook her head and covered his face with tiny kisses. “Just promise that if I’m a rock, you’ll put me out in a garden, but don’t pee on me to mark your territory as a canine, okay?” She ran her fingers through his curls and snuggled closer to his body as another thought emerged from the jumble in her head. Prickles of awareness entered her bloodstream to super-charge her nerve endings. “I want you, right here, right now, naked and sweaty and—”
“Sophia!” This time, exasperation was evident in his strangled cry. “As much as I’d love to take you up on that offer, this is hardly the time.” He pushed her to arm’s length and gestured toward the stage with his head.
“This brings the whole bizarre evening back to me.” Father Time and the two other Immortals stood at the edge of the stage. Three pairs of eyes bore into Sophia with three identical expressions of amusement. “Mortals are so annoying. I can’t believe we’re letting two of them serve on the Court this year.”
“Take it up with the Fates.” Lyrica planted her hands on her hips. “Look, is this mortal-fest going to take much longer? All Saint’s Day started like twenty minutes ago, and it’s a bit of a busy time for me, you know with all the thread measuring and cutting and what not.”
“You are right, Lyrica.” The Earth Mother clapped her hands. “Thank you all for coming for this historic vote, but unfortunately we need to address a few concerns before the voting can actually take place. Therefore, I will send you back to the Mortal Realm with Lyrica. She’ll collect your ballets.” With one snap of her slender fingers, the crowds and the third Immortal disappeared.
Sophia glanced from one remaining Immortal to the next. “What does this mean for Xavier and me? The midnight deadline passed and he didn’t drink the gypsy potion. I won’t be able to survive in this form without Sterling’s tinctures. What about Sterling? Does he get to walk away with no consequences?” Apprehension sat heavily on her shoulder. “Where’s Mona and Braeden? If you sent them with back won’t he keep hunting her?” Sophia glared at Father Time. “Daddy T? I need answers, now.”
“You’re a bit pushier than I was led to believe, but I like you.” He cracked the knuckles of one hand then the other. “Sterling will be punished. For crimes against lesser beings, his supernatural powers are to be stripped at the conclusion of this meeting.”
From the grass where Sterling lay, he groaned and sat up, holding his nose. His eyes flashed red but he said nothing.
Daddy T nodded. “Next, your issues. Afterward we’ll deal with your friends.” He fiddled with the hourglass dangling from one of the chains. “Now, about your future…” Guilt crept into his expression as he met Sophia’s gaze. “We decided a few days ago to go ahead and lift Xavier’s curse. There really wasn’t a need for the whole potion quest.”
“What?” Sophia struggled in Xavier’s arms, finally succeeding in facing the Immortal. She would have broken free except the werewolf tread heavily on her instep. “What are you talking about?”
He held up his hands and rolled his eyes. “Uh, guess you didn’t get the memo?”
“No. Maybe it got lost in the shuffle what with all the Summons and things.” She attempted to break away. Xavier pulled her backside against his body.
“It would be to your benefit, sir, to hurry this along. Sophia gets grouchy when she’s hungry and jerked around by circumstances beyond her control.” Xavier’s growl rumbled in her ear. “I can’t guarantee I’ll subdue her much longer, for obvious reasons.”
“Blame it on the Fates or me, the fact is all the Immortals were involved. Destiny chose you and Xavier as soul mates, but we didn’t know if you would actually suit, so we told Mirela to send you on a mission for the potion, forced you to interact together in a variety of circumstances.” Danu flashed a grin. “Think of it as speed dating only accelerated.”
“What difference does it make whether Xavier and I liked each other?” She attempted to break free of the werewolf’s hold, annoyed when he held her with apparent ease.
The Earth Mother descended the steps and approached them. “It’s a restructuring year for us, and we’d like two humans to sit on the Court, but not just any humans.” Her vivid lavender gaze held Sophia’s. “We need you, Sophia. You have experience in both the Mortal and Elias Realm. You’d bring incredible insight to the panel and could be a fair judge.”
“And in order to gain my compliance, you decided to dangle Xavier’s mortality in front of me like a carrot to a donkey?” She slumped against the werewolf, glad for his strength and presence. “You could have just asked me, but I’m very grateful Xavier will be a human for the rest of his life.”
Father Time joined them and warily glanced at the werewolf. “We do apologize, Mr. Leighton. There’s no excuse for our lack of paperwork. Obviously, our whole system needs an overhaul.” He held out a hand. “No hard feelings?”
“Should I shake?” Xavier’s whisper warmed the shell of Sophia’s ear. “Or would you rather me fight him on principle?” She elbowed him gently in the ribs as a reply. “Apology accepted.” He clasped the other man’s hand. “What of Sophia’s humanity? I refuse to contemplate a life without her by my side as a living, breathing woman.”
Butterflies took flight in her stomach. She turned in his arms. “What did I ever do in my miserable life to deserve you?” Sophia slid her hands under the jacket of his suit, enjoying the heat of his body.
“I couldn’t begin to tell you, but it’s been said I can be hard to live with.” Xavier pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Even though I’m no longer a wolf, I will kill any man who dares talk with you.”
She laughed and patted his chest. “That could be a problem for the postal people, the UPS guy or heaven forbid a cashier at the store.” She broke away from her impossible werewolf and faced the Immortals. “Can you remove me from my birthright? I want to be free. I suppose in retrospect it was the very reason Xavier came searching for me.” Stabs of need rocketed down her spin when he brushed his fingers on the nape of her neck.
“Your birthright of a Gatekeeper will be rendered null and void with your agreement to serve out a term of two years on the Immortal Court.” Father T
ime’s grin revealed a mouthful of big, white teeth. “That’s the best I can do. I’d like to promise you a happily ever after, but I have a feeling your young man will be sure to provide that with absolutely no prompting from me.” He gave Sophia an exaggerated wink.
Xavier growled.
The older man backed away a few steps. “All right then. Will you do it?”
“That depends on what the job entails.” She swallowed down the wad of sudden fear clogging her throat. “Who will I serve with?”
Father Time and the Earth Goddess exchanged an uneasy glance. “Myself, Danu, the three Fates or their chosen representatives, and,” Daddy T ran a finger around the collar of his robes, his dreadlocks quivering, “the dragon, Braeden.”
“What?” Sophia’s knees buckled. Xavier’s hands on her waist kept her upright. “Why? He’s a menace to society, he’s mean, shrewd, he hates my roommate for no other reason than she’s clumsy, and he, uh, he’s a litigation lawyer.”
“Regardless of his chosen profession, I’m afraid you and he are our votes for the mortal members of the Court. Without your help, nothing will change in the Realms government.” The Earth Goddess sent her a sly look. “I would think that after what you’ve been through at Sterling’s hand, you would be open to equality for mortals and half-mortals.”
“Damn.” Sophia wavered, but refused to give in so easily.
“Indeed.” Danu snapped her fingers. An archway to her left shimmered with pearly white light that moved and flowed like water. “This Portal will take you home, or you may choose to remain here in this Realm. It is not as exciting as others, but you will have plenty of time to think and reflect.”
“In order to serve on the Court, do I need to remain here?” Sophia gripped Xavier’s hand as confliction raged through her chest. “If that’s the case, I’ll have to turn you down. I can’t leave Xavier. He’s my life, and without him, I might as well keep my birthright and work for Sterling.”
Xavier wrapped his arms around her, held her so close she could feel the beat of his heart. “I return the sentiment, however if the Court is something you wish to do, I’ll make the sacrifice.” The look in his eye caused a rush of liquid heat to gather between her thighs. With some difficulty, she transferred her attention to Danu. “If you remove my birthright and allow me free travel, I’ll serve on the Court.”
“Done. Staying in my realm is never required. I always like to ask in the hopes someone will want to stay. No one does, regardless of how beautiful the place.”
“Or because they already have satisfactory lives.” Father Time cleared his throat. “Keep in mind this is the only favor you can incur from an Immortal. The rest of your life will depend only on you.”
“I’m perfectly happy making my own mistakes, learning my own lessons, experiencing my own joys. That’s the human condition. Magic would cheapen the lessons. If Xavier is with me, none of it matters.” Her eyes misted with tears, as once again emotions overtook her when she spoke of the werewolf. “Turns out, he’s the only person I need after all.”
“Request granted. As a representative for the Immortal Courts of the Eight Realms, we have made our decision.” Father Time removed the top from his hourglass. “Show me the birthmark.” When Sophia pulled up the left sleeve of her hoodie, he poured a few grains of sand on the inside of her wrist. “So shall it be. Go in peace and long life. We’ll notify you when the next term on the bench begins.”
Sophia attempted to pull away from Xavier’s hand as he moved toward the Portal. “What about Mona and her family? She’s hiding from the bounty hunters, and Braeden’s already got it in for her anyway. He’ll sue her or worse, and there’ll be civil war in Moussai.” The pearlescent glow of the Portal bathed her in its light. “And Sterling? What about him?”
“You are not a mother hen, Sophia Raines. Now is the time for you to live your own life. Let the Immortals worry about everyone else. That’s our job. You deserve a respite from the storm.” Danu steered the two newly turned mortals into the Portal. “Remember, just because you may not ascertain the reason behind a decision doesn’t mean it’s not the best for everyone concerned at the time.”
Before Sophia could utter another word, Xavier tugged her into the Portal.
Chapter Twenty-five
Sophia and Xavier stumbled out of the Portal, falling hard into a pile of dry leaves. She gasped for breath, landing on top of him. He grunted as she glanced around, pleased to find they were once again in the park.
“Those Immortals really need to fix that Portal.” He sucked in a lungful of air. He shifted to accommodate her length.
“True, but somehow I think they have much more pressing issues to deal with.” The sharp, earthy aroma of leaves and pine wafted around her to blend with Xavier’s cologne, recalling her attention to the events they’d just lived through. “If I wasn’t actually there and awake, I’d swear I had a very weird nightmare.” The soft night sounds of insects droned from hidden, dark places in the foliage, creating the perfect backdrop for lingering Halloween activities. From the other side of the greenway, muffled laughter reached her ears.
“I’d like to think it’s a wonderful dream, all things considered.” He skimmed his hands along her hips. “Are you okay?”
“I think so.” What else could she say? Uh, my life has been shaken up until it barely resembles what it used to be but the lives of my friends are in total flux so maybe I should just shut up and be grateful?
He frowned, obviously picking up the annoyance in her voice. “You don’t tell the truth.” Pushing Sophia onto her back, he looked down into her face. “Does your birthmark hurt?”
“I don’t feel it at all.” Sophia stirred beneath him. “Which is weird, right? For as long as I could remember, it’s been there as a reminder of what I am…or was I guess.” She shook her head and squirmed under him. Leaves and the occasional twig stuck in his curls. He resembled a wild, changeling creature except his overt sex appeal destroyed that image. “We’re wasting time. I have to find Mona, make sure she’s okay and safe, and look for—”
“No. Be still for one moment.” He gripped her left wrist and eased the sleeve of her sweater up. She followed his gaze, gasping in surprise. Nothing but smooth, pale skin appeared. The crown-shaped birthmark had disappeared. Xavier placed a whisper-soft kiss on the empty spot. “It seems you’re now a mere mortal. Are you happy with your decision?”
“Very happy.” Simply talking about it caused a tickle in the pit of her stomach that radiated upward into her chest. She couldn’t believe it was real. “I used to dream of the moment when I wouldn’t be a Gatekeeper or bound to Sterling. Now that it’s here, I’m not sure what to do with my free time.” She glanced at him, taking in his twinkling eyes and bewhiskered chin. Well, there are a few things I can do… “What about you? You’ll never be a wolf again. Will you miss it?” Was it indeed the life he wanted?
The not knowing put a damper on her joy.
“In some ways, yes. I knew the animal side of me from the first moment of life, but now the wolf has departed, I feel like myself, only enhanced.” He smoothed the hair away from her forehead. “I’ll miss the ability to change clothes with magic, but at least now I’ll not go through so many of them.”
“You may still have it.” His eyes were shadowed in the moonlight. “Try.”
He snapped his fingers. Nothing happened. He still wore the same suit he arrived in. “Mystery solved.” A frown marred the perfection of his lips.
“Can I ask you a question?” Her stomach roiled with uncertainty.
“Anything.”
“Now that I wield absolutely no power in the supernatural realm, do you still want me?” She touched his chin, tracing his goatee with a fingertip. “If Nann’s Grocery doesn’t need me, I won’t have a job. I’m nothing. I have no identity.” All of her life, she’d known who she was and tried to fight it. Now, there was…nothing. What if the soul mate thing was based on her being a Gatekeeper? The thought made
her want to vomit.
“Don’t belittle yourself, sweetheart.” Xavier stroked her cheek, holding her gaze with his golden one. “You’re everything to me. I choose to believe if you’d never been a Gatekeeper I’d have still sought you out.”
“Oh.” Her heart fluttered as he read her thoughts so well.
He cupped her face. “I wasn’t wrong when I told you we were destined to be together. Months ago, I dreamed of a woman who possessed power and the strength of kings. I thought it a sign. Once Hannah told me of her vision, and she had seen you, I knew Fate didn’t lie.”
“The strength of kings? What does that mean?” She couldn’t keep staring into his eyes lest she fall head over heels.
Maybe, after all, it didn’t matter.
“Your birthmark. It was in the shape of a crown. Kings wear crowns, and from everything I’ve witnessed, your strength is what kept you sane through it all.” He gave her a smile and pressed his lips to hers in a gentle kiss. “Forgive me if what I said makes no sense. It seems I’ve lost the ability to articulate properly when I’m with you.”
Tears blurred her vision but she gave him a watery smile. “Oh, does this mean your mind turns to mush because of me?”
“Exactly. I’d rather die brainless and in love instead of lonely yet in full possession of my mind.”
“You’re sure? I’m giving you this last chance to change your mind.” She broke his hold in order to slip her arms around his neck, burying her fingers in the hair at his nape.
“I’m happy with life as is.”
“That’s what I wanted to hear.” A tear fell to her cheek. The chilly autumn breeze cooled the moisture on her skin. “Honestly, though, we need to find Mona. I’ll never forgive myself if that dragon got to her.”
He uttered a sound of sheer annoyance. “I love you, Sophia, and nothing you can do or say will change that fact, but, woman, and I mean this with the greatest possible affection, leave it alone. She’s an adult and can handle her own life, mistakes, triumphs and all.”
Charmed by the Werewolf Page 28
