by T. M. Cromer
“From your mouth to the Goddess’s ear,” he muttered. He drew her against his chest and kissed the top of her head. “You’re killing me, sweetheart. You know that, right?”
“Come on. Let’s take a second look at Alastair’s maps and then gather the items I need to repopulate the species I’m working on.”
“Can the planting wait until a safer time?”
“I suppose it could, but why wait? Once we grab the Mjölnir amulet, we can hand it off to Alastair, and I can pop over to the jungle for a little gardening. You can stand as my bodyguard if it makes you feel better. It will be a breeze.”
“Christ, every time you say things like ‘easy peasy’ or ‘it will be a breeze,’ I get the heebie jeebies. It’s like you are tempting fate.”
She laughed at his beleaguered expression and patted his cheek. “Poor Knox. Let’s get this show on the road, shall we?”
“There’s nothing I can say to persuade you to stay?”
“No.”
“And why the hell doesn’t Alastair go after these items himself?” The question came out on a low growl. It seemed Knox didn’t care to be Alastair’s errand boy.
“He won’t leave my mother in anyone else’s care that long. If he goes on a mission and becomes trapped, he’ll lose his shit.”
“That wouldn’t be a bad thing. He’s one of the most powerful beings in existence. Besides, you or your sisters could care for her. That’s the much better plan.”
Knox’s argument was valid, but Spring dismissed it all the same.
“What part of ‘he won’t leave my mother’ didn’t you hear?” She grimaced and moved to stare out the window. “It’s sweet, but pointless all the same. The chances of reviving her are slim, and yet he clings to hope. She might never be normal even if she does wake.”
The air around them crackled, and she wasn’t surprised when Alastair spoke. “Does that mean I should give up on her? Perhaps I should hold a pillow over her head and be done with it all.” Fury vibrated in his low, cold tone.
She doubted he’d ever expressed this level of rage to any one member of her family before this moment. Alastair never lost his cool. She sighed and faced him. “I’m sorry, uncle. I didn’t mean to insult you or my mother.”
His blue eyes were the color of a raging sea. Other than the set jaw, it was the only thing to indicate Alastair’s rage—if one didn’t count the electrified air around them or the boiling liquid in her teacup.
“Don’t break my mother’s china, Uncle.”
Alastair pulled back some of his emotion. “For someone so smart, you know nothing.” He ran a hand through his perfectly styled, blond hair. The mussed locks were the final indication of his upset. Alastair was always pristine. “You volunteered for this, Spring. If you don’t want to go, I’ll send someone else. Say the word.”
She moved to where he stood and placed a soothing hand on his crossed arms. She sent a pulse of calming energy through their connection. “I’m going. It was never in any question. She’s my mother, and I owe her that.”
The brows that had shot up in surprise at her gesture lowered into a frown. “She would never expect you to sacrifice for her. As a matter of fact, she wouldn’t want it. You owe her nothing.”
“What’s with the about face?” Knox moved to stand behind her. She imagined it was a show of solidarity.
Alastair dropped his arms and severed the connection between them. “I don’t expect anyone to do what they don’t want to. Not for me. Not ever.”
“I already said I want to go, and I intend to. Now, you mentioned this was a private auction. Do you have the details of when and where Lin is to pick up the amulet? We need to get moving before he beats us to it.” Her hardened tone indicated she meant business. She was tired of the argument, and they were losing their advantage.
Alastair’s gaze lifted over her head, and Spring figured he’d shared a private communication with Knox.
Men! They always assumed women weren’t tough or resilient. She wanted to express her disgust, but what good would it do? “Well?” she demanded.
“Let’s head up to the attic. We’ll pinpoint the exact location and bring up the images of the surrounding area for you to teleport.” Alastair’s anger seemed to be well under control, and his tone was more even. Whatever he’d seen when he glanced at Knox eased his mind.
Once in the attic, they gathered around a map of Colombia.
“Here. Cartagena.” Alastair pointed to the city on the north-most point by the coast. With a snap of his fingers, he conjured a folder. “This is all I could gather. It’s a dossier on the seller and a map of his property.”
“I thought Morty’s painting indicated a jungle,” she asked, referring to the series of paintings Summer’s chimpanzee had created as clues for the magical artifacts. She still didn’t get how the damned beastie had the inside scoop, but she didn’t intend to question her sister or uncle about the little ape’s skills. He hadn’t been wrong so far.
Alastair shrugged. “My intel says here. Maybe he indicated the jungle for the country itself.”
She nodded her agreement. It seemed like a reasonable enough explanation.
Knox studied the photos for a moment before handing them off to her. “It seems heavily guarded. Should we be concerned he’s someone important? The last thing we need is an international incident.”
She glanced up in time to notice Alastair’s quick grimace.
“I’m not concerned with politics, son. Thwarting Lin and obtaining the amulet are my primary goals.”
A shiver of warning ran the length of Spring’s spine. She narrowed her eyes. “What do you know of the man who owns this property, uncle?”
“He’s a drug lord by the name of Don Carlos Esteban.”
“Fuck!” Knox replicated his pacing from earlier. “No! Nope. Not gonna happen. We are not doing this.”
“Are there any hotels you deem safe in the area?” Spring directed her question to Alastair.
“I said no, Spring! You are not doing this. Let Lin have that damned amulet. We’ll find another.” Knox’s adamant response wasn’t a surprise to either her or Alastair, and they both chose to ignore his rant. “Did you not hear me?”
“With your shouting, how can we not? But you’re not my boyfriend, my boss, nor my keeper.”
“I will lock your ass up in my basement and throw away the key. I swear to the Goddess, I will. You are not going into the house of a drug lord.”
She rolled her eyes. “You are being unreasonable. It’s a simple matter to disguise ourselves with a glamour spell then be in and out before anyone knows we are there. Once we see the head asshat-in-charge leave, you take on his appearance. I’ll be your arm candy. You’ll order someone to open the safe, and bam!”
Knox leaned in and spoke like he was talking to a particularly slow child. “Except we don’t know what he looks like, sounds like, or how to speak his particular dialect.”
She leaned closer and copied his snarky attitude. “That’s what magic is for, or did you forget you are a powerful warlock?”
“You’re impossible!”
“Why don’t you two kiss and make up. I can wait in the other room.” Alastair’s dry tone cut through the tension, jerking Knox upright.
“I’ll tell you what, how about we run this by Spring’s father and see what he has to say about her running off into harm’s way?” Knox’s tone carried a nasty edge.
“How about you stop treating me like I’m a flighty teenager trying to sneak out of the house after curfew?” Spring returned. “I’m an adult with a perfectly functioning brain.”
“This is what happens when you don’t give into the urge to have sex with one another. Tempers run high. You should probably get that out of the way,” Alastair said as he straightened his tie and smoothed back his hair.
Spring lost it. One moment she was angry with Knox’s high-handed attitude, and the next, tears were leaking from her eyes in her hilarity.
&nb
sp; “What’s so funny about having sex with me?” The seething hostility coming from Knox made the situation that much more humorous.
“Oh, Knox!” Another round of laughter shook her. “Your face! It’s like you’re a tight-assed virgin or something.”
“I would’ve gone with a nun or medieval maiden in a chastity belt, but the tight-assed virgin is probably more fitting,” Alastair inserted dryly.
Pure outrage took over Knox’s countenance, and even Alastair lost his standard decorum to laugh.
“I’m glad you both find this situation so hysterical.”
Had Knox’s tone not held a wounded quality, Spring would’ve continued to tease him. As it was, she sobered and closed the distance between them. Utilizing her sweetest smile, the one she knew could melt even the hardest of men, she cupped his jaw. “If you can’t laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at? Stop taking life so seriously.”
Their gazes connected, and the hurt fled his eyes to be replaced by a wry humor. “I suppose I did sound like a tight-ass.”
She held up her index finger and thumb an inch apart. “About this much.”
He surprised her when he wrapped his arms around her and hauled her close. “I just don’t want anything to happen to you. Can’t you see how risky this is? Even for a powerful warlock and witch?”
She drew back and sandwiched his face between her palms. “You can’t keep bad things from happening to me. It’s impossible. What is fated will be. You know that.”
* * *
A distinct chill took hold of Knox’s soul and refused to let go. “I have a feeling, sweetheart… I can’t put into words.”
She sent a frustrated look toward Alastair. Knox wanted to groan due to his own frustration. How could she not see that popping into the home of a drug lord was a recipe for disaster? For that matter, why the hell was Alastair determined to allow it? The man had a screw loose. But maybe he had a point. Maybe Knox should make love with Spring until she couldn’t stand upright. He could keep at it until the deadline for Lin to take possession of the amulet.
As he warmed to the idea, Spring separated from him and bent over the table with the photos. Knox’s gaze was drawn to her perfectly rounded ass, outlined in her designer jeans. Yep, he liked his new plan of seduction.
“It won’t work, son,” Alastair stated with his voice pitched low to keep Spring from overhearing.
“What won’t?”
“Seducing her to do your bidding. She’s a Thorne and as stubborn as they come. Probably more stubborn than Autumn, and that’s saying something.”
“Thanks a lot, Uncle.”
Both men and Spring whipped around to find Autumn lounging in the chaise. Alastair frowned his displeasure, and Knox surmised it was because he’d been surprised. “When did you arrive?” Alastair demanded.
“I’ve been here all along. Granny Thorne’s cloaking spell,” Autumn clarified with a cheeky grin. “I really hate missing a great drama.”
Alastair waved a hand. The cloaking spell hiding Winnie dissolved. She sat there with a startled look and popcorn halfway to her mouth.
Knox’s funny bone was finally tickled. Once started, he found it impossible to stop laughing.
9
“I’ve checked us in. We have a premium suite.”
Spring jerked in surprise and stared at Knox. When he went off to check them in, she assumed he’d get two rooms. “I… we… we’re sharing a room?”
“Is that a problem?”
Yes! How the hell was she supposed to keep from staring at him the whole time? His male beauty melted women’s brains and made them do stupid shit. What if she lost her mind and jumped his bones? “No. No problem,” she mumbled as she took the proffered key.
With one hand on her lower back, Knox guided Spring toward the stairs. When they reached the foot of the staircase, a small Asian man moved into view. Knox’s fingers curled into her hip, but the man only gave them a cursory glance as he came down the steps.
Spring didn’t breathe a sigh of relief until he’d passed them. “Think he’s one of Lin’s?”
“I don’t know, but I’m glad we put our disguises in place before leaving the manor.”
She bit her lip and nodded.
Earlier that day, they’d spent time glamouring their looks to appear as different as possible to the outside world. Knox had settled on dark brown hair, and golden lion-like eyes. There was nothing he could do to reduce his height, but he was able to make his naturally lanky frame appear more muscular and solid in stature. Spring had morphed into a redhead and changed her eyes to a deep, dark brown. She altered her leaner body to make herself curvaceous and fuller chested. They still came across as Americans, but they were different enough in appearance to pass muster should anyone only send them a fleeting glance. To each other, they appeared as their normal selves.
“After we get settled in, we’ll go out for lunch and recon.”
Knox’s willingness to allow her to accompany him shocked her speechless. Her astonishment must’ve been apparent because he said, “I’m not comfortable letting you out of my sight.”
“I’m cool with that.”
Some of her unease made itself known. Confidence exuded from Knox, and he gripped her hand and squeezed to dispel her misgivings. “I intend to do my best to see us home in one piece.”
“I’m cool with that, too.”
He kissed her knuckles before urging her up the stairs. Once they reached their floor, he guided her to their room and escorted her inside.
The hotel was lovely. Natural plants lined a two-story atrium and sent waves of welcome only an earth element witch could detect. Spring leaned over the wide, white banister and gazed down into the main floor. The terra-cotta tiles and off-white walls gave the place an authentic native-Colombian feel.
Their room was homey and decorated in a manner befitting the rest of the hotel. One wall was the same burnt orange shade as the colorful pottery on the surface of the wood and wrought iron dresser. Spring loved it.
“Um, Knox, there’s only one bed.” The idea of sleeping with him short-circuited her brain. Positive she sounded like an idiot, she mentally scolded herself.
“Mmhmm.” He kicked off his shoes and flopped down on the mattress. “Is there a problem?” He lay there with a casual ease, one arm behind his head while one hand rested palm down on his lower abdomen. A small, wicked smile played about his lips.
The interior of Spring’s mouth resembled a desert. There wasn’t a drop of moisture to be found. “I… I…” Yeah, she was at a loss. Mind fried. Goddess, he was the most incredible specimen on the planet, bar none. Her sisters believed their half-sister Holly’s bodyguard, Quentin, had it all going on, but he was nothing compared to the perfection of Knox. Not that Spring would ever say as much aloud. No, she’d be teased mercilessly for it.
Just as Spring’s saliva glands had kicked in, Knox patted the bed, and in a low voice, he asked, “Do you want to join me before lunch? I’m sure we can get one in before we leave.”
She choked on her own spit at the innuendo. When she finally stopped coughing, she straightened. “Are you suggesting a quickie?” She couldn’t prevent the squeaky pitch.
His deep chuckle reached right in and tickled her lady parts. “What a dirty mind you have, sweetheart. I was suggesting a nap, but if you would rather have a quickie, I’m up for anything.”
She kept her eyes pinned to his smirking mouth. She didn’t dare glance below his belt to see if he was truly “up for anything.” “I think I’ll check out the balcony.”
He was off the bed and in front of her before she could touch the door handle. Any forward movement was delayed as his hand came down over hers. “No. I’d prefer to have as few people see us as possible.”
She gulped and jerked her hand back. “It’s a private patio. Who’s going to see? Besides, we’re disguised, remember?”
He shifted closer. “I have a second reason for not wanting you to run away. I want to kiss
you, Spring.” His low, gruff voice caused her nipples to tighten and her hot pocket to go nuclear. How the hell did he do that?
“Do you, um, utilize magic to make me, um… like…” She lowered her voice to whisper, “…wet.”
His slack-jawed expression told her she’d erred. His resulting laughter at her mistake meant he wasn’t getting lucky anytime soon.
Spring stomped toward the bathroom, but again, Knox beat her to her destination. When she tried to shove by him, he captured her hands.
“Don’t be mad, sweetheart. I wasn’t expecting the question.” He drew her close and nuzzled her neck. “To answer as honestly as I can, no, I didn’t utilize magic. I can, like yesterday morning, and it would make it that much more amazing between us when the time comes, but I didn’t. Your response is all you.”
That’s what she feared. Knox had the ability to simply touch her hand or say a word in a certain tone of voice, and she was panting for him. It didn’t bear thinking about when all of the kisses by the men she’d dated in her life left her lukewarm at best. If this was a game to him, if he only wanted her now because of some caveman response to seeing her with Tommy, she’d come out the loser in the end. He’d ruin her for anyone else and leave her cold.
She pushed him away. “This is a bad idea.”
Knox frowned, confusion in his sapphire eyes. “Why?”
“You only want me because I’m dating Tommy. It’s a matter of wanting what you can’t have. I don’t feel like being used that way, especially when you couldn’t run far or fast enough in the opposite direction until this week.”
“I thought we had already gotten the explanations out of the way.” The intensity in his stare unnerved her. When he didn’t get a response, he said, “I care about you. And I sure as hell have always wanted you.” When she remained silent and watchful, he sighed. “I don’t want you because you were dating Tommy, Spring. I want you because I can no longer stand to be without you. When you moved on, I realized how lonely my life would be without you in my world.”
