The Crystal Warriors Series Bundle

by Maree Anderson

  Lìli sipped her lemonade, her gaze flitting between Jade and Malach with a calculated expression that shrieked disaster for Jade’s continued status as a single woman. It was her matchmaking look, that narrow-eyed, searching beyond the here-and-now expression she got when she was imagining two people as a couple.

  Jade rubbed her arms.

  Lìli’s face creased into a satisfied smile.

  Uh oh. Jade knew that look, too. She’d seen it when Lìli had informed some despairing mama her spinster daughter would be married within the year, and then gone on to describe the lucky man with what would later turn out to be scary accuracy. Jade had also seen it on an occasion when Lìli had met her at the mall for tea. Her aunt had taken one look at the sad-eyed man sitting opposite them, and predicted he’d find happiness with the waitress who’d brought them their order. He had. And they were still together.

  Lìli had decided Malach was The One for Jade, and that Jade was The One for him. Didn’t matter what Jade and Malach—or even Pieter’s goddess—might think. When it came to affairs of the heart, Lìli knew best and she reigned supreme. Her reputation amongst the local Chinese community was stellar, to say the least, and her success rate for predicting when Cupid’s arrow would target another victim was staggeringly high. Pity she refused to take any payment for her services. She’d have amassed a small fortune by now.

  But Lìli’s hitherto perfect record was about to take a nosedive. She sooo was not going to be happy about that.

  Jade wanted to tell her aunt that she and Malach didn’t have a hope in hell of working out as a couple because he was desperately in love with a married woman. But she couldn’t—not in front of Malach. She didn’t want to hurt him. She wanted him to know happiness for at least a few short weeks before his whole world came tumbling down. Again.

  She’d let Aunt Lìli in on her secret later. Or maybe it would be better to not “find” Francesca at all. Malach would never know. And with Lìli’s help, they would get through the Testing and Malach would finally be free. That was all that mattered.

  Malach need never know that Francesca had remarried.

  Lìli’s gaze sharpened, boring through her, sifting through her deepest secrets.

  Please, no. Please, don’t let her guess. Jade sipped her drink and concentrated of the taste of the lemonade, the perfect balance of tartness and sweetness exploding on her tongue.

  Lìli’s piercing expression softened and she turned her focus to Malach.

  Jade sagged with relief.

  A huge smile split her aunt’s face. “I will do it,” she said. “I will help you to love each other.”

  “Urg!” Jade choked on a mouthful of lemonade, coughing and spluttering until Malach helpfully pounded her back. Gasping, she waved him away. “You will?”

  Lìli nodded, looking so tremendously pleased with herself Jade’s suspicions were immediately aroused.

  “What’s the catch?”

  “Catch?”

  Jade closed her eyes and counted to five beneath her breath. “Magic—especially magic used for self-gain—always has its price.”

  “Very good, Niece. It seems you do listen to me sometimes.”

  Jade caught herself before she could roll her eyes. Her aunt didn’t appreciate it at all when she did that. “Of course I listen to you, Lìli Yiyi. And I thought I was going to have to do some serious convincing to get you to do this for us. How come you gave in so easily?”

  Lìli only smiled. She had that whole terribly trite inscrutable Chinese thing going on, damn her.

  “How come?”

  “If it harms none, do what you will,” Lìli quoted.

  “You’re telling me that casting a love-spell over two people who wouldn’t possibly fall in love under normal circumstances, isn’t interfering with the natural order of things in a big way? Isn’t that the definition of harm?”

  Lìli’s smile never faltered. “Not in this case, Niece.” She hugged her mid-section and rocked in her chair, as though enjoying a delightful secret that would be revealed in the fullness of time.

  Jade really hated it when her aunt did that. “But we haven’t told you why we desperately need your help to fall in love yet.” She swiveled to confront Malach. “How could you have possibly told her everything you’ve told me during the short time I was fart-arsing ’round in the kitchen?”

  “Such language,” Lìli said and clucked her displeasure.

  Malach held his hands out at his sides, pleading ignorance. “I told your aunt nothing of our predicament, Jade.”

  “I know everything that I need to know about you and Malach,” Lìli insisted.

  “How?” Jade said, lifting her chin in challenge.

  “I have my ways.”

  “But—”

  “Do you want me to cast this spell or not, Jade?”

  “Yes, but—”

  “Are you convinced it is the only way to help this worthy man escape his curse?”

  “Yes, of course I am. But—”

  “And are you willing to accept whatever may eventuate as a result of my spell?”

  “Yes. But—”

  Lìli muttered such a rude imprecation that Jade couldn’t credit her ears. Shocked into silence, she could only watch helplessly while her aunt pinned Malach with a stare that should have flayed the skin from his bones. “And you, Malach?”

  He inclined his head respectfully. “I am willing.”

  “B-b-but—” Jade’s protest came out as the merest squeak.

  “Enough,” Lìli declared, rising to her feet. “Stay here while I prepare the things I need for the spell.” She shuffled off toward the house.

  “You’re going to perform it now?” Jade called after her.

  Lìli turned back and frowned. “Yes. There is no time like the present, Niece.”

  “But—”

  She raised an eyebrow.

  “Nothing,” Jade muttered, self-preservation finally taking hold and saving her from a full dose of her aunt’s considerable ire.

  “Good.” Lìli presented Jade with her back and continued on her way.

  Jade switched her attention to Malach, who had topped up his lemonade from the jug before grabbing another cookie. Huh. She supposed she should be grateful he was serving himself and not expecting her to do it.

  “These are very tasty,” he said.

  “Old family recipe.”

  “Ah.”

  It’d been far too easy to convince Lìli. Jade knew she should have been thrilled her aunt had caved with so little fuss, but instead she was worried spitless. She was asking Lìli to compromise all her principles and risk a cosmic backlash. And if she could have thought of any other way to pass this coming Testing with flying colors, she’d have grabbed it with both hands and run with it.

  There is another way, a little voice informed her.

  Yeah. Right. Let’s be real here. Falling in love wasn’t an option for either of them. A love-spell was their only choice. And if Lìli had been a witch with few scruples, and Jade hadn’t loved her so much, there wouldn’t have been a problem.

  Lìli was a practitioner of natural magic. She could harness the energies of such things as crystals, metals, herbs, planetary and lunar influences. And the reason she could “see” the potential for love was because she’d learned to interpret the premonitions, dreams and hunches people so often chose to ignore. Combine the two abilities and she was an awesome force of nature.

  She was no fake. She was the real deal. And she did have scruples, oodles of them. She believed her abilities were a God-given gift and that she had a duty to use them wisely and well. Her code of ethics was strict and non-negotiable—aside from one notable lapse named Murray Blackwood.

  It’d taken Jade years to realize that Lìli felt horribly ashamed for using her abilities to inflict Murray with the mumps. No matter what the provocation—and Murray’s abuse of Jade had been some pretty major provocation—Lìli believed it had not been her place to punish Murray.
Casting a spell that resulted in him copping a second dose of mumps was one thing, but unforeseen consequences were quite another.

  Murray was now sterile and Lìli believed she was wholly responsible for his state. Her actions had quite possibly altered the path of fate and destiny. Murray might have eventually fathered children, and those children would have grown up to make decisions and do things that were part of nature’s grand design. But now, because of Murray’s sterility, the world would never benefit from those decisions and acts. And to this day Lìli felt a deep shame to have used her gifts to exact revenge.

  It hadn’t stopped her from trying to cure Mei, however.

  Jade had once accused her aunt of being a coward for not using her magic to try and cure Mei. And her answer? “I wish with all my heart that I could cure her, Jade. Do you not think I pray every single day for that miracle? Do you not understand I would sacrifice my own life if it would help Mei?” The tears she’d allowed to fall, the pain and despair etched on her face…. Jade had known then that despite Lìli’s deep-seated beliefs, her aunt had tried and failed.

  Jade cupped her head in her hands, worrying, wishing she’d found another solution. A simple love-spell. Could Lìli pull it off? How bad would the back-lash be?

  For the life of her, Jade didn’t know.

  What she did know was that she and Malach needed to be totally, convincingly in love, or they were going to fail the Testing and Malach would be back in a hell of the Crystal Guardian’s making… overseen by a weary old man who was denied eternal rest until he’d put everything back to rights.

  If that wasn’t a perfect example of magic going horribly wrong…. She shuddered and tried to swallow the huge lump in her throat.

  ~~~

  Chapter Ten

  They’d been summoned inside.

  Malach leaned over to whisper in Jade’s ear. “What is she doing?”

  His warm breath tickled her neck, and parts further south reacted. Her lashes fluttered closed as she inhaled the potent, alluring scent of male—of him. She willed herself not to bury her face in his neck, not to lick and bite and taste. “S-she’s m-meditating on how best to bring the, ah, elements into play, and have them grant us our desire.”

  “Oh.” She watched him watching Lìli, who stood motionless, gazing intently at the items displayed atop the camphorwood chest in the center of her sitting room.

  Jade dug her fingernails into her palms and tried to ignore her rampaging hormones. She didn’t think Lìli would be pleased to have her meditation interrupted by Jade jumping Malach and having her wicked way with him. But then again…. Maybe she’d be thrilled to bits and have them both married before they could blink.

  “Is that carved wooden chest imbued with her magic?” Malach asked. His lips brushed the sensitive skin of her neck as he spoke. Lord, give her strength.

  “The chest is her altar. And those items she’s placed on top of it represent the… the—” She blew out a sharp breath and pulled herself together. “They represent the four elements. A candle for Fire, the bell for Air, bowl of water for Water, and the crystal for Earth. Now hush, or she’ll be cross with us. And believe me, you don’t want Lìli cross with you.”

  He subsided and Jade began to relax back into a normal human being instead of a hyped-up bundle of lust.

  “Perfect!” Lìli crowed, and Jade jumped like a startled cat.

  Malach soothed her by smoothing his palms up and down her arms. While she appreciated the gesture, it did not help her state of mind one bit.

  “You are more nervy than a fennec vixen protecting her litter,” he murmured.

  “Gee, I wonder why?” From the corner of her eye she spotted Lìli laughing silently. Glad to know someone was amused.

  “Pick me an apple from the tree, Jade. You will go with her to help her choose, Malach.” Lìli bustled from the room before either of them could demur.

  When Malach slanted her a quizzical glance Jade shrugged. “I have no idea. Best to do as she says.”

  “Indeed.”

  They wandered out into the garden and stood before the laden apple tree. Malach’s expression turned awestruck. He reached out to stroke one of the branches.

  “She sure does have green thumbs,” Jade said.

  He shot her a startled glance. “Truly? I had not noticed.”

  Jade smiled. “She doesn’t literally have green thumbs. It’s just an expression. It means she’s very good at growing things and encouraging them to thrive. And sure, her talent could be a result of her unique gifts, but it could just as easily be because she’s a damn fine gardener.” She indicated the tree and its bounty with a wave of her hand. “As this tree obviously attests.”

  “Does the fruit taste as good as it looks?”

  “It certainly does. This variety of apple may look similar to the Red Delicious you can buy in shops but they’re not in the least floury or soft. They’re crunchy and incredibly sweet.”

  Malach licked his lips. He touched an apple, skimming his fingers over the shiny, crimson skin.

  “The way you’re carrying on, anyone could be forgiven for thinking you’d never eaten an apple before,” she said.

  “Apple.” He uttered the word slowly and precisely. “You are correct. I have never tasted one. To my knowledge such delicacies cannot be found anywhere in my homeland. We harvest such edibles as daktuls, the small, sweet brown fruit of the Daktulos palms.”

  “Well, what are you waiting for? Pick one and take a bite.”

  He stepped back, putting both hands behind his back like a small child trying his best not to touch something tempting. “Your aunt told me to help you pick one, Jade, and I do not wish to earn her displeasure by going against her wishes.”

  “Look, it’s just an apple. It’s not like we’re Adam and Eve being tempted by a serpent with an agenda straight from hell. If you want to try one, just pick it and eat it. Nothing bad’s going to happen, I promise.”

  “I prefer to err on the side of caution,” he said.

  “Fine.” Couldn’t say she blamed him where Lìli was concerned.

  She cast her gaze over the tree and settled on a nice big rosy-red apple. “That one will do just fine.” She raised up on tip-toes to reach it and plucked the fruit. “Here.” She tossed it carelessly to him, trying not to smile when he snatched it from the air, cradling it in his hands as if his life depended on it.

  The re-entered the kitchen to find Lìli impatiently tapping an apple corer on a wooden chopping board. “Finally.” She held out her hand and imperiously clicked her fingers.

  Malach handed her the apple. She examined it, checking for imperfections and blemishes. Satisfied, she cored the apple and placed the removed portion to the side.

  “Some believe that ping-guo—apples—are the fruit of passion and romance,” she said, reaching for a wickedly sharp-looking vegetable knife. She sliced the cored apple in half. “They are said to be a favorite of the Goddess of Love.” She handed half the apple to Malach and the other half to Jade. “Eat!”

  “That’s it?” Jade asked.

  “Eat!” she commanded again. And they obeyed, demolishing their halves of the fruit with unseemly haste.

  Lìli scooped up the apple core and a small plastic container, and instructed them to follow her. Malach shot Jade a “What’s going on?” look as they trailed after her, but Jade could only shrug. She hadn’t the faintest idea.

  Lìli headed for her herb patch. As anyone who knew Lìli would expect, the patch was freshly tilled with nary a weed in sight. Jade had always suspected none would dare her aunt’s wrath by taking root.

  “Niece, my trowel, please.”

  Jade opened the door to the small garden shed and retrieved the trowel from its hook above the potting bench. Despite having black thumbs, and struggling to keep even the hardiest pot-plant from curling up and dying, she did know her way around Lìli’s potting shed. As a child she’d spent many a day perched on the edge of the potting bench, swinging he
r legs while she watched her aunt plant seeds and strike cuttings.

  They both watched Lìli bury the apple core and encircle the site with small, nipple-pink colored stones.

  Lìli pointed to a spot on the ground. “Sit here and repeat these words after me: Love will grow, sure and slow. Strong and true, this love will prove.”

  Jade hid a grin when Malach didn’t raise a protest or question her orders. Over the years Lìli had mastered the art of ordering people around. These days, merely stating her wishes and expecting to be obeyed was all it took.

  He knelt and rested his palms on his thighs. Even while supposedly relaxed he looked ready to spring to his feet and defend himself. She curled her legs to one side, tucking her dress beneath her so she didn’t flash her panties. She shook her head when she realized she’d been so eager to head to Lìli’s that she hadn’t gotten around to ditching the dress and changing into more comfortable clothes. Unbelievable. So much had happened in the last few hours. Malach had rocked her entire world.

  “Concentrate, Jade!”

  She winced. Trust Lìli to know her mind hadn’t been on the job.

  “Keep repeating the words,” Lìli instructed. “As you say them, imagine them as energy bubbling up from the core of your being, then flowing out of your mouth and infusing the buried apple core with power. Repeat the words until you feel the magic.”

  Feel the magic? She cut her gaze to Malach to see how he was taking this but he’d squeezed his eyes tightly shut and was muttering the verse with such scarily intense concentration, Jade felt instantly ashamed. His freedom—perhaps even his life—was at stake. Where did she get off letting her mind wander and possibly being responsible for this spell’s failure?

  She shut her eyes and followed his example.

  After the eighth repetition she began to feel strange, as though her sensory channels had narrowed.

  She repeated the verse again, and by the time she’d finished the words “this love will prove”, the only thing she could sense was Malach. He consumed her. Memories of his body, the underlying strength of his lean muscles, the scars marring tanned skin with white puckers. She was drowning in his scent. So she breathed him in and his essence coursed through her, enriching her as it invaded every part of her. He was everywhere, inside her mind and inside her body, quickening her heart and sharpening her breathing until she couldn’t catch her breath. She toppled forward.