Augusta clicked on Newton’s email hoping he had something of interest to tell her. He often did. She had never met him in person yet she considered him a friend.
“Hello, Rowdy, I know you have closed the agency but I believe you need to check out this. I have attached an email from a man called Fred Wade who is the manager in an office in the heart of Brisbane City. He believes zombies are using his office basement as some sort of meeting point.
“What?” Augusta sat back in her chair and smiled. That was a new one on her. Sure, she knew zombies existed but she rarely saw them or more to the point smelled them. The stench of burnt garlic and moldy leather was unforgettable.
“Seriously, Newton?” she typed.
“Have I ever lied to you?”
Augusta always had a strange feeling when Newton said this—and he said it a lot. Maybe it was just a habit of his but why did someone have to keep indicating to people he would never lie to them? Maybe it was something Augusta would have the same feeling about regardless who said it. Newton had been incredibly helpful and useful but in the end, Augusta really only trusted Tilly and Argon. She stiffened in surprise.
“Crap. When did I start trusting Argon?” Augusta shook herself and focused on the screen before her. “Stop thinking about him.”
“So you’ll help him?”
“Sure why not?” She would email the hapless Fred and see why he thought zombies were lurking in his office. This was no weirder than the last job she and Tilly had at the agency when they had to deal with the headless duck that was supposed to be terrorizing the next suburb over. Of course it turned out to be some rare breed of European swamp fowl that could retract its head low into its body. But they were the best cases. The ones where a simple investigation proved fears to be groundless. Augusta believed in listening to people and their concerns as many had turned out to be genuine. Not the duck of course but it still had to be checked out. Maybe I will re-open the agency. At least it was interesting.
“Good. I knew you would. What are you doing now?”
“Filing and admin work.” Augusta wondered again what Newton did that allowed him to be online any time she emailed. Whenever she asked all she got was a vague answer of “this and that”, so she pushed it no further. People had secrets. It wasn’t up to her to push them into divulging all.
“Sounds boring”
“Mind numbing but no different from what I was doing at the agency.”
“Rubbish. You were using your skills.”
Augusta snorted as she read his words. Her fingers quickly tapped out a response.
“What skills? Typing, filing and ordering bulk supplies of rock salt and lime to kill freaks with?” It was not the stuff of great resumes.
“You are more talented than you know.”
“Why do you say that?” Sage thought the same thing. Augusta did not feel particularly talented in any field.
“Just something I sense about you.”
Augusta snorted in self deprecation as she responded on the keyboard.
“Well if you met me you would know that wasn’t true.” She picked up the small mirror that was among the other assorted junk in her out tray. Augusta glanced at herself in the reflection of the picture—busted glasses, average face, average hair and fighting off the beginnings of a double chin. There was nothing special about her.
“You’re unique.”
“And you’re pulling my leg.”
“I mean it.”
It was nice to think someone judged her on merely her words and thoughts and not outward physical appearance. That rarely happened anymore.
“What about Argon? Is he still there?”
Augusta blew out a sigh. He was and she had no idea how to deal with wanting him but not wanting him.
“Yes.”
“And?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” Not with him or anyone. Maybe if Tilly were around… But she had gone up to the Sunshine Coast for a couple of days with Titch to be alone.
“I see. So email the zombie guy.”
“I will,” Augusta finished her transmission and sent an email to Fred Ward at the address Newton had supplied. She needed direction in her life and the agency had always provided it.
“Who’s that email from?” Argon suddenly appeared behind her chair, making her jump. “Is it Newton? You still talk to him? Why?”
Augusta removed her glasses and tried to calm herself but that was hard to do with Argon leaning over her, his hot breath against her neck. He was acting as if he was jealous. She was not his. I’m not. Denial could be good for the soul.
“He is a friend.” Well, more like a long-standing acquaintance but that had nothing to do with Argon.
“What sort of a name is Newton?” Argon’s hands descended on her tight shoulders.
“You’re named after a colorless gas.” Oh, his hands felt so good. Memories of the filing room came to mind.
“And yet you love me.” He leaned in and kissed her neck.
Augusta knew he would have felt the shiver that ran through her body. It could not be interpreted as anything else but desire.
“I’m tired.” I haven’t had a chance to shower, my hair is a mess and I am borderline premenstrual and yet he looks at me like I am a goddess. He is either mad or truly divine.
“I feel you’re also pretty tense, Augusta True.” His hands worked her shoulders gently.
She closed her eyes and gave into the sweet, skilful pressure of his hands. After losing her buttons in the filing room, Augusta’s blouse was only held together with two haphazardly placed safety pins. It would take very little for it to fall from her body.
“You make me that way.”
“How so?”
“Just by being you.” The laughter she heard made Augusta feel happy and she hadn’t felt that way on the longest time.
“‘Getting to you huh?” Argon’s hands started to slide down the front of her body.
When he cupped her breasts as she longed for him to do, Augusta sighed. As much as she needed his touch, she knew she should be pushing him away because where could this possibly go between them? She did not want to be pushed into anything by a curse.
“Isn’t there some spellbinder you have to go off and mentor?” That was his job after all. Argon sent spellbinders off on missions to help those in need. He oversaw the results and extricated people from trouble if necessary. Spellbinders were initially human beings who’d died and were chosen to be spellbinders because of who they had been in their lives, either good people deserving reward, or bad individuals who had to learn about helping others.
“They don’t need me at the moment but you do.”
Yeah, I do. “Who are you exactly?”
“Seriously?” His hands moved down to grab the arm rests of the seat. “You really want to know?”
“Yes.” What little she knew of him was based on her fear of Hester’s curse.
Argon spun the chair around so she faced him. He dropped to his knees before her so they were almost eye level.
“Why now?”
“You never gave me a chance before.” That was a weak excuse and Augusta knew it. She was in control of her life and no one else.
“You could have asked at any time and I would have stopped and told you.” His eyes were earnest on hers. “You’re important to me, Augusta True. I want you to know me, to understand me.
His words shook Augusta because that was exactly what she wanted. She needed to know this man she had begun to depend on.
“Okay so tell me.” She wanted to know everything. Augusta wanted to base her opinions on fact and not fear.
“I am not a spellbinder.”
She nodded. “I guessed that. You’re different from Titch.” Taliesin Trevelyan was daylight to Argon’s night.
“How so?
“You’re more commanding.” Augusta had to admit that was a quality she found amazingly sexy, that take-control attitude of his. “Titch is very laid-b
ack. You seem more like a general then a captain.”
Argon smiled at her words as if pleased and amused.
“Cardissans have been working with spellbinders for centuries. Titch was one of my first charges.”
Centuries?
“How old are you?”
“One hundred and fifty-seven years old.”
“Wow!” Of course she knew he was immortal but it was still amazing to have it reinforced by his age. But what sort of a future, if she wanted it, could she ever have with Argon? She would age and he would not. Augusta could not imagine someone as healthy and virile as Argon wanting to be stuck with an old woman.
“I’d give it up for you in a heart beat.”
“What?”
“Immortality. All Cardissan males are human until they turn eighteen. It is their choice to take immortality as it is their choice to cast it aside.”
How did he know her so well?
“I could not ask that of you.” Because I don’t know what the hell I want. “Besides, it’s who you are.”
“And you are who I need.” Argon ran his hands lightly up her legs.
“Because of a curse.” It was not the way most people started off their lives together. That was if she wanted a life with Argon.
“Maybe it’s a blessing.”
His touch was so reassuring that Augusta was more confused than ever. She had spent years willing this moment and this man not to come into her life and yet here he was and every reason she should push him away did not seem sufficient enough to do so.
“I don’t know.”
“What?”
She shook her head. “Anything and everything.”
“Come here.” Argon held his arms out to her.
“Sex doesn’t solve everything.” But being close to him certainly made her feel better. Do I take what I can get or push him away before this all becomes too hard?
“Maybe I just want to hold you.” Argon grinned when he saw her eyebrow arch questioningly. “Okay and make love to you. Being with you is like regenerating who I am. I feel like more alive then ever. You are a part of me as I am of you. I need you in my life.”
“Really?” Augusta was surprised to hear him say that, as Argon always came across so self-sufficient and in control.
“Augusta True, I have seen too many horrible things. I’m immortal but not without the ability to be horrified even after so many long years. You give me a sense of peace and happiness that is invaluable.”
She left her chair and fell into his arms, at the sad tone of his words. The need to give comfort was overwhelming.
“What’s between us is really not as hard as you are making it seem.” Argon lay back with her in his arms.
Augusta shifted slightly to increase body contact and felt the hard length of his erection lying in wait. She looked at him in wry amusement.
“Okay that’s hard but everything else is so beautifully easy between us.” Argon’s hands stroked up her legs and under her skirt.
“You just want sex.” But then so do I, but only with you.
“And you have no underwear on.” His hand slid between her legs.
“Oh crap!” Hiccup, hiccup. “I left them in the filing room.” Augusta went red just thinking about her panties on the floor beside the heaps of useless files she had not got around to re-sorting when Argon had left her.
“You’re not going back to that job are you?”
The fingers stroking her clit were mesmerizing. If she had been asked to go anywhere at that moment she would have said no for it would have been impossible to leave break away from Argon’s touch.
“No.”
“So what the problem? Argon removed his fingers and sat up. His hands moved around Augusta’s waist and lifted her to her knees.
“What are you doing?”
“Getting you on your hands and knees.” He positioned her hands in front her. “Don’t look so worried you’ll enjoy it, Augusta True.” Argon flipped her skirt up to reveal the plump flesh beneath. “Excellent ass.” His hands caressed the cheeks slowly as if he was savoring the moment.
“You think so?” Augusta had spent a lifetime trying to keep her flabby derrière covered.
“Beautiful.” He leaned forward and kissed each cheek before parting her legs.
“Argon…” She wanted him. She was ready for him but there had to be more to their relationship than just this. “I think we should take this slower.” Or not…oh hell, I don’t know. It was hard to concentrate when you were anticipating the first hot thrust of male flesh within.
“Why?” Argon hesitated from unzipping his trousers.
Augusta turned her head to look at him.
“Well, I don’t want you to think… I mean, I don’t want to come across as—”
“Desperate?” He smiled at her gently.
“Yes.” From going to no sex to full-on sex could definitely become habit forming but she did not want to come across as needy.
Argon moved his body over the top of hers and kissed her ear.
“Augusta you are my true. I adore you, I respect you and I would never think ill of your desire for me. It’s natural and I am pleased by it.” He rubbed the front of his body down her back. “If you want me to stop I will.”
The heat of Argon’s touch was intoxicating. His words were sweet. So what is my problem?
“I don’t want you to,” she felt him move from her body, “to stop.”
Argon chuckled in relief.
“Thank you, Augusta.” He reached down and unzipped his fly and quickly covered it with a condom. “May I come inside?”
With a hot throbbing cock pressed at her ass there was only one thing she could say.
“Yes, please.” It felt totally different being entered from behind. It was like she was more exposed and open than ever. When Argon sank his full length inside her, she trembled. The feeling was exquisite. It was as though he was more a part of her than ever before.
“Do you like this Augusta True?” He started pumping deep and slow inside her.
“Oh, Argon,” she moaned, closing her eyes and giving into the sensation. The previous two times had been hard and fast and thrilling but there was something about the slow leisurely thrust and parry of his cock moving within her that had her never wanting the feeling to end.
“This will work between us, Augusta.”
She did not want to analyze the “if I should or if I shouldn’t” arguments. Augusta just wanted to enjoy the slow building orgasm that was tightening her stomach in anticipation. When Argon pulled all the way out she whimpered in disappointment.
“Argon, please.” She pushed her butt back against him trying to force re-entry. She felt so empty without him.
“Say it Augusta,” Argon growled low and husky in her ear. “Please say it.”
She knew if she said it there would be no going back. But if she didn’t that hot cock at her ass wasn’t going forward where she wanted it.
“This is blackmail.”
“I just want the truth.” Argon licked her shoulders.
Augusta blew out a long sigh. She knew what he wanted her to say and she knew the cost of saying it.
“Okay, damn it. I love you.” That hadn’t been as difficult as she thought it would be. But then she was in dire need of him to re-fill her and need had a way of getting to the truth and making all things possible. “Happy now?” She turned her head to look at him. The happiness in Argon’s eye made her gulp. I did that?
“Yes.” He leaned in and kissed her lips lingeringly.
“Well come back inside me,” she demanded as the kiss ended. Augusta sighed as he plunged back inside her and began moving once more. “What would you have done if I had refused to say anything?”
“I knew you would.” His hands reached round to caress her swaying breasts.
“I didn’t mean it you know.” Augusta was breathless as she said the words. His pace had increased and she could feel a wave of pleasure shoot through
her.
“Liar.” Argon slapped her ass lightly.
The slight sting of his hand was enough to push her over the edge.
“Oh, Argon…”
“That’s what I needed to hear.” He held her to him as they came together, bodies shuddering and hearts pounding.
Chapter Four
Newton Cadwalder sat back and thought about Rowdy. He had known her for over a decade. They had never met yet he knew her better than she knew herself.
“And I plan to use that knowledge to take your inherent powers from you, dear girl.” It was something he had been working on for fourteen years. He knew she wanted to re-open the agency. He wanted to encourage it as it also kept a link open to her if he got her working again.
When he first came across an online post from another teenager, in Brisbane, Australia, he had been intrigued. Firstly, because she spelled her words out correctly, not using the shortened version so many favored. And secondly, because she wanted to know about a curse and not for reasons of the usual Goth-emo angst. Augusta Lawrence was on a quest to find out something and she was prepared to drop into every chat room where anyone with any knowledge of history, myths, legends or the occult hung out. In some ways it was a dangerous thing for a teenage girl to do, but Newton would soon discover Rowdy was anything but your typical teenager.
From the minute he had heard about it the whole Cardissan–Law-giver curse, Newton had been fascinated. He had immediately started to research it. Why? It could have been the quiet desperation in Rowdy’s words. But it was more that he felt the hair on the back of his neck rise with excitement. There was something about this that gripped him with a sense of urgency, almost as if he knew that this was his destiny. Maybe that would have been considered crazy for another seventeen year old but Newton had big dreams and he knew there was more to life then just conforming to what his parents believed.
Rowdy Page 5
