Indigo Spell

by Rachel Carrington

  Her head shot up although her face remained expressionless. “I think I’ll pass. I believe I’ve seen enough magic to last me for the next year. And,” her eyes were cool when they came to rest on her husband’s face, “I don’t need to hear any more of Jaxon’s explanations. He can justify murder but I can’t.” She pushed away from the piano, walked past him out of the room.

  “She will not forgive so easily.” Falcon’s observations weren’t required. Jaxon nodded his head anyway.

  He kept one eye on the doorway through which his wife had disappeared. “Falcon, there’s something I must do with Tess. It’s important.”

  The leader didn’t dispute the obvious. “The witches will need time to regroup, possibly call in other covens to join with them before they make another attack. I will postpone tomorrow’s meeting but forty-eight hours is all the time I can give you.” He paused. “Do you actually have a plan?”

  “Part of one. I’ll just have to wing the rest of it.”

  One bushy white eyebrow arched. “Wing? Wizards do not wing, Jaxon. They prepare.”

  Jaxon sighed. “Not once they’ve married a mortal.”

  * * * * *

  “We’re going back to South Carolina.” Jaxon’s words snapped Tess to attention. She came up off the bed, stood with the backs of her knees bumping the mattress.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You need to see your family and friends again. I should have taken you back before we married.”

  She wanted to kick him and wondered if wizards bruised. “You regret marrying me because I don’t agree with you?”

  He came to her side instantly. His hands took hold of hers. “No. Never. I only meant that you should have been able to see your family, to tell them you were getting married. I’m sorry.”

  Oh, the wizard was good. His charm was potentially lethal, designed to disarm her, take her mind off Arista’s demise. She tugged her hands out of his and walked around the bed. “Jaxon, I don’t know if I can accept what you’ve done.”

  “You don’t have to accept it. It’s happened. It’s over. We move on.”

  Her temper rose, obscuring logic and reason. “And that’s it? A woman is dead and you think we should just move on. How convenient. It must be nice to be so powerful that the loss of a life is insignificant to you. Where I come from what you did is murder.”

  “We aren’t living in your world, Tess.” The words snapped out, surprising her. She’d seen his anger before but never directed at her. His eyes glittered, lips pulled tight, revealing disapproval in every nuance of his face.

  “Don’t think you can intimidate me.”

  “I’m not trying to intimidate you. I’m trying to make you understand that when you married me you left your world behind.”

  She propped her hands on her hips. “If that’s the case, why are you taking me back to South Carolina?”

  “So you can say goodbye.”

  The words created a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. “Goodbye? Are we going somewhere?”

  He raised a hand as if to touch her then dropped it back to his side. “Yes. We’ll have to move to the Assembly’s citadel, at least for a while. While we wait for the Coven’s attack, we must be together, to ensure the combination of our strengths.”

  Weariness crept into her voice. “Where exactly is this citadel anyway? I mean you always blink me there. Is it on the mountain too?”

  “Not this mountain but a mountain, yes. We should go.” He held out his hand, waiting patiently for her to take it.

  Tess continued to watch him, wanting more of a response to her question, needing more. “There’s something you’re not telling me.”

  “There are many things I cannot yet tell you.” Jaxon continued to hold his hand out to her. “You should not worry about those things which have not come to pass.”

  The words were boldly spoken, rang out with the deep authoritative voice of power. Yet she heard more. She looked beyond the chiseled features, the face of the man she loved. Underneath the masculinity, the raw power, she saw the agony, the pain over what he had done just minutes earlier. And the fear that she might not be able to accept it.

  That trepidation compelled her to reassure him, though her anger still simmered. “I love you, Jaxon.”

  His features softened. “I know, but I am an enigma to you. In time, you will learn to trust me.”

  “I do trust you. I just,” her shoulders lifted in a helpless shrug, “don’t know if I want to know everything you do, at least not now.”

  He didn’t wait for her to take his hand before reaching and clasping his fingers around hers. “We need to leave. Although Athena will be with her sisters now, she’ll be watching for an opportunity to avenge Arista’s death.”

  “You said Athena saw the challenge. I thought that meant she wouldn’t retaliate.”

  Jaxon wrapped his arm around her waist, drew her to his side. “Witches always retaliate, honey. It’s what they do.”

  “Can they find us in Charleston?”

  “They won’t know where to look and in answer to the question you’re about to ask, witches cannot track us.”

  “Not even with a crystal ball or something like that?”

  Jaxon smiled and touched the tip of his finger to her upturned nose. “Not even with a crystal ball or something like that.”

  * * * * *

  Colleen Montgomery glared at Tess with more than just disapproval. Fury glittered in her hazel eyes and the longer she stared, the more uncomfortable Tess became. Her high heels made tapping sounds against the marble tiles as she paced from the foyer to the living room, pausing to cast an icy glance over her shoulder every few seconds.

  “Mother, why don’t you just say what’s on your mind?” Temples throbbing, she tried to massage away the ache. Why in the hell had she asked Jaxon to drop her off alone at her mother’s house?

  “Do you have any idea how irresponsible it was for you to take off like that without telling anyone? I had no idea where you were, if you were safe.” Colleen made the most out of her acting abilities, dabbing at her eyes with a cream, linen handkerchief.

  “I called Belinda, Mother. She knew where I was or at least who I was with.”

  “Yes, she told me all about this Jaxon Richards. What I want to know is who is he? You never mentioned him to me, not once, which leads me to believe this is some sort of clandestine affair of which you are ashamed.” Colleen shuddered. “I cannot imagine what must have been going through your head. Did you not take into consideration the feelings of your family, what this might do to the family name?”

  Tess snuffled a giggle and wondered what her marriage to a wizard would do to the good ole family name. It was true the Montgomery family was a force to be reckoned with in Charleston but she doubted it would compare to the force of the Assembly. She pictured Colleen’s faint, a perfect imitation of an overwhelmed lady of old. “Mother, this wasn’t something I planned.”

  Colleen’s chin couldn’t have lifted any higher. “That much is obvious. And where is this…this…man anyway? If you have not come to your senses and dumped him, I demand to meet him at once.”

  “You will meet him and I didn’t dump him. In fact I married him.” She could have been more delicate, could have worked up to the marriage part but she knew her mother, knew that Colleen was working herself up into a full-fledged temper tantrum. And Tess figured the best way to head her off at the pass was to use the shock factor. It seemed to work. Colleen stared at her, mouth open, eyes bulging.

  “You…you…that’s impossible. You wouldn’t have gotten married without your family and friends. Even you wouldn’t be that inconsiderate. Of course you’re not married. The idea is preposterous. Not to mention the fact that you simply would not marry a…a…building contractor. You are perfectly aware of your responsibilities and you would not shirk them for a man you barely know.”

  “Mother, I shirked.”

  “Oh, oh,” Colleen took
a couple of stumbling steps backward, grasping at the arm of the sofa behind her. “I think I’m going to faint.”

  Tess noticed her mother aligned herself perfectly with the sofa so as to spare her tailored dress from coming into contact with the floor. “You’re not going to faint. You’re going to listen to me. Jaxon and I love each other. We saw no reason to wait to get married. It’s not like I had any desire to be a June bride.”

  “Saw no reason?” Colleen parroted, her voice rising an octave higher than her normally strident voice. “What about your mother? Did you even stop to think that as my only child, I would want to see you get married? Did that ever occur to you, Tess?”

  The headache intensified. She had the sudden, overwhelming desire to leave, to disappear. “Let’s try to make an effort to discuss this calmly. After all, we wouldn’t want to alert the neighbors.” Her lips turned upward in a parody of a smile.

  “Calmly? Do you really think that’s going to be possible considering the news you just delivered without so much as an apology?”

  “An apology?” Tess tilted her head to one side, considered the words. “I have nothing to apologize for. You would never have approved of Jaxon.” At least not the only way she could know him. Her mother was big on power, so in another world, she might bestow her bountiful blessing on the union if she knew the wizard behind the man.

  “And yet you married him.” Colleen whipped her head around as the doorbell pealed.

  “I’ll get it. It’s probably Belinda.”

  “You invited her to a family conversation?”

  Tess had never gained her mother’s approval and had long ago realized it was a futile quest. Colleen Montgomery approved of few people in her world. “Jaxon and I can’t stay long. We wanted to see everyone before we left.”

  Colleen trailed after her to the door. “Left? You’re leaving? Going where?”

  “Jaxon is taking over the family business.” It wasn’t exactly a lie.

  Her mother’s eyes glinted with the hint of curiosity. “And what, pray tell, is the family business? A construction company?”

  Tess opened the door, saved from responding to her mother’s sarcastic question by Belinda’s squeal of delight. Enveloped in a hug, Tess relaxed for the first time since setting foot on South Carolina soil once more. “Belle, it’s good to see you.”

  Belinda pulled away, clasping Tess’ shoulders. “I thought I would never see you again! Did Jaxon come with you?”

  She pulled her into the house, eager to have a friend with her to face her mother’s displeasure. “Yes, he did. He’ll be here shortly. In the meantime, I’m telling Mother about us.” Issued sotto voce, the warning gave Belinda enough heads up to paste a smile on her face.

  “Mrs. Montgomery, how wonderful to see you again.” Belinda extended her hand in perfect politeness.

  “Isn’t it though?” Colleen accepted the proffered hand reluctantly. Tess knew at the first given moment her mother would excuse herself to the restroom to wash her hands. “Well, if you ladies will excuse me, I have to visit the ladies’ room.”

  Belinda and Tess traded glances, waiting until Colleen closed the door on the guest bathroom before erupting into peals of laughter. “Oh God, your mother will never change.”

  Tess hooked her arm through Belinda’s and guided her to the sofa. “Did you expect her to? Jaxon wanted to say goodbye to his friends. He should be here shortly.”

  Belinda’s eyes widened with fright. “Goodbye? You mean you’re leaving? I thought you were back to stay.”

  Their hands linked. “I wish I could but Jaxon is taking over the family business. We only have a couple of days.”

  “Where are you moving? When will I see you again?”

  Tess hated this part. “We’re moving to Nepal and I’m not sure.”

  “Nepal.” Belinda’s face scrunched with confusion. “Isn’t that like in Asia?”

  “I’m afraid so.”

  “Who is this man? The family business is in Nepal?”

  “Jaxon is part Nepalese on his mother’s side.” Tess squeezed Belinda’s hand for reassurance. “But I’ll call you every chance I get.”

  “So this guy isn’t just a contractor.” Belinda sighed. “It figures. I can’t imagine why I thought you could actually end up with a normal guy.”

  “Look at the bright side, at least I got married.” She grinned and winked.

  “I should hardly think that’s something to be proud of, Tess.” Colleen returned to the living room. “And I think it appalling that your new husband,” she wrinkled her nose at the word, “would not have the common decency to greet me alongside you. Apparently his friends were far more important.”

  Tess got to her feet. “I asked for this time, Mother. I wanted to tell you myself, just in case you weren’t happy about it.”

  The barb went ignored. “You never did say what type of business Jaxon’s family is involved in.”

  Tess searched her brain for a feasible business endeavor. Then brightening, she responded with a cheerful, “His family deals in power, electricity. In fact they are the biggest assembly of power companies in Nepal and the surrounding countries.” Silently patting herself on the back, she pasted a hundred-watt smile to her face.

  Colleen’s eyes had taken on an avaricious gleam. Tess knew her mother smelled money, lots of it. Not that the Montgomerys didn’t have a fair share of their own but one could never have enough money. “I see. Then perhaps I might visit you one day in Nepal.”

  Belinda bounced to her feet. “Mrs. Montgomery, aren’t you the least bit upset your daughter is moving so far away? I mean it isn’t like we’re talking Tennessee here. We’re talking across the world. It’s an entire universe apart from us.”

  Colleen waved a hand. A diamond winked in the last rays of sunshine pouring through the French windows. “Belinda, my dear, we are a thoroughly modernized nation. It is a simple matter to book a flight to Nepal.”

  “For you, maybe,” Belinda muttered to herself as she sat once more.

  Tess heard the sound of a car’s engine. “That must be Jaxon now.”

  Belinda scurried after her, peering over her shoulder. “He looks even better than I remember.”

  Tess smiled as Jaxon unfolded his length from the same black sports car she’d seen parked in her driveway the night of their first date. It seemed such a long time ago.

  Mirrored sunglasses hid Jaxon’s eyes but his lips were parted in a smile only for her. Long legs covered the distance up the driveway while Belinda purred from behind her friend.

  “My God, he’s absolutely gorgeous.”

  Tess had to agree. He had changed to black jeans and an emerald green knit shirt that stretched tautly over his biceps. She wanted to run her fingers through his wind-tousled hair and drag him down to her for a kiss. But Colleen’s irritating voice tapped her on the shoulder, reminded her they were not alone.

  “Hi, honey.” Jaxon removed his sunglasses, ducked his head for a quick kiss and turned his charm on Belinda, who was staring in open-mouthed amazement. “You must be Belinda. Tess has told me a lot about you.” He stuck out his hand.

  Belinda’s jaw snapped shut and she babbled some semblance of a reply while she shook his hand.

  “And this is,” Tess moved aside to introduce her mother, “my mother, Colleen Montgomery. Mother, this is Jaxon Richards, my husband.” Tess had seen predatory gleams before but her mother had perfected the look. Colleen gazed at Jaxon as if he were the answer to a maiden’s prayers.

  She sailed over to where her son-in-law stood and wrapped her arms around his waist to give him an affectionate hug, which lasted longer than was considered decent in polite society. “Why, Jaxon, it’s so wonderful to finally meet you.”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you as well, Mrs. Montgomery.” Jaxon managed to put Colleen away without embarrassing her.

  “Tess tells me the two of you are moving to Nepal.” She practically simpered.

  Jaxon’s silver
-gold eyes fell on Tess’ face and she read the question in those eyes. Exactly how much had she told her mother and friend? Her gaze must have reassured him for Jaxon broke eye contact and returned to the conversation. “That is why we came back to South Carolina. I wanted to give Tess the chance to say her goodbyes and tie up any loose ends.”

  Colleen patted her hair back into place. “I was telling Tess that perhaps I could visit you sometime in the future. I’ve always wanted to see Nepal.”

  Tess glared at her mother. She’d never heard about Colleen’s desire to tour Asia. She decided to let Jaxon dig them out of this one. “What do you think, honey?”