by Paige Stone
As he studied her, Jake sensed an energy building behind her deep blue eyes, something that simmered beneath their surface. It wasn’t recognition; no it was something else entirely.
“What can you tell me about it?” He asked. “The accident, do you remember anything?”
Emily realized she was totally staring at the handsome doctor and dragged her eyes away from him while she tried to collect her thoughts. She had to admit that she could have stared at him all day long. It wasn’t just that he was good looking, because he was, but he felt almost like a magnet to her. And she liked the feeling.
“The accident was about ten days ago, and although some pieces have fallen into place, there are still gaping holes in my memory. But almost more troubling than the amnesia is my lack of magic.” Emily shrugged her shoulders and looked back into his eyes. “Hence the witch doctor.” She smiled, trying to make light of her situation, but Jake saw the fear she was trying hard to cover up.
“What if it’s gone?” She asked, “What if I can’t get my magic back?” She looked away, no longer trusting herself or his soulful gaze. His dark eyes were too penetrating. Emily felt like he could read her mind or something. “I feel like I’m missing half of my life.” She finally admitted.
Jake nodded his head in understanding. “Well, fortunately you’re not the only one this has ever happened to.” He felt her anxiety building and tried hard to subdue it before it took over. “I’ve had tremendous success with several very similar cases,” he said honestly, trying to win her confidence.
“My other patients completely regained their memory along with all of their other abilities. Honestly Emily, I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”
He liked the feel of her name on his lips and suddenly found himself thinking about Santa Monica again. In his mind he could see Emily lying on the beach under a full moon. He studied her worried face and hoped that her magical ability wasn’t the only thing he would be able to reignite for her.
“Have there been any powers you’ve been able to sense at all, or anything that feels familiar but that you can’t explain?” He tilted his head and tried to read her eyes.
She felt utterly flustered as her heart skipped a beat. He was too handsome. How am I supposed to concentrate when those dark eyes are probing me? She thought to herself, fighting the distraction. For a moment she forgot the question he asked.
Emily shook her head, trying to push aside the far too sensual thoughts she was having of the good doctor. Her long blond hair swung gently across her back as she re-focused her thoughts. But it was a total distraction for Jake.
“Nothing,” she finally answered. “I haven’t been able to conjure a spell or invoke a spirit. I even read through my own Book of Shadows, but it means nothing.” Exasperated, she rubbed her fingers against her temples.
“If it weren’t for my family,” she continued, “I wouldn’t have even remembered that I was a witch. It’s only at their insistence that I’m even here. How awful is that?” She shook her head again, not totally convinced he’d be able to help her.
“I understand your frustration, I do, but I want to assure you that I can help.” Jake leaned forward to stress the sincerity of his words. He wanted to reach across the desk and touch her, but instead he leaned back in his chair.
“Now, can you tell me any details, anything at all, about the accident?” Jake was eager to find out as much as possible.
Emily’s shoulders fell as she released a deep sigh. She tilted her head back into the chair’s cushion and tried to recall any details. “I was going back to my hotel. At least I’m assuming that’s where I was headed because I was out of town. I was in Santa Monica. Apparently I was at some kind of convention down there. Not that I remember,” she smiled at Jake. “Like I said, there are still some very fuzzy parts.”
“Anyway, this car just came out of nowhere and smashed into my driver’s side door.” Emily shuddered at the one clear memory she did have. “It was terrifying, but that’s about all I remember. I blacked out after the impact. The next thing I know, I’m at my mom’s house. I don’t even know how I got there.”
Hearing her words swamped Jake with guilt. Why hadn’t I sensed that something was wrong? Even as he berated himself he knew it was because all his attention had been focused on the safety of the High Priestess. Jake vowed to do everything in his power to make this right for Emily.
“Did you get any information from the driver who hit you? Have they been helpful?” He chose his words carefully, wondering at the possibility of a connection between Emily’s accident and the recent emergency meeting with the High Priestess.
“No, nothing.” The irritation was evident in her tone. “And it’s not like I left the scene. I mean, my car was destroyed; I was told it was completely written off.” Emily shook her head, wishing she had more answers.
“Good thing I paid extra for the insurance because apparently it was a rental.” She forced a smile but felt a pressure building in her chest, like there was something simmering just below the surface that wanted to explode its way through. She just couldn’t put her finger on it.
“I can definitely help you.” Jake’s words were spoken with conviction but laced with guilt. “But I need you to do more than just believe me...I need you to trust me completely. Can you do that?”
His heart felt heavy as he watched Emily struggle with his request. He wished more than anything that he’d left Las Vegas and returned to the conference instead of heading straight for home. If only. He abruptly stopped the useless train of thought and looked at Emily who was studying him carefully.
Nothing had worked so far and she desperately wanted her life back. She cocked her head and eyed Jake from across the desk. “Yes, I’m willing to try.” That was the simple answer. And at this very moment it was all she could give him.
Still staring at Jake, Emily realized the more important question was actually figuring out how was she going to put aside her obvious attraction to this handsome doctor and not allow it to interfere with her recovery?
“Excellent.” Jake smiled. “So when can you start?” He pretended to scan his planner but knew he’d make himself available for whatever time she wanted.
“I don’t suppose you have any free time today? I mean I’m here...,” she let her words just hang there.
“Actually I do. I’ve got a client coming in shortly, but after that I have an opening. Would you mind coming back in about an hour?” His deep chocolate eyes seemed to bore straight into her heart where they filled her with hope. They also sent a shot of adrenaline through her veins that filled her with something more.
“Sure,” Emily said easily as she pushed herself up from the chair. “I’ll come back in an hour.” She followed Jake out of his office and down the hall.
Standing only inches from his side as they walked towards the reception area, Emily was sure she felt something grip her heart. It wasn’t just physical attraction that was causing the stir; she felt a knowing in her heart that she hadn’t felt since the accident. Emily knew, just knew that Jake would fix her. There was a spark of certainty, something like her intuition being inspired.
Emily nodded to Nancy as she passed by her desk. “I’ll be back in an hour.”
“See you then,” Nancy said with a smile as she finished writing out a message to Jake from Lochlan that read:
I’M ON MY WAY TO TOWN. SEE YOU SOON.
CHAPTER FIVE
Jake didn’t waste any time. He pulled out the pictures from the top drawer of his desk as soon as Emily left his office. Now that he understood just how serious Emily’s diagnosis was, he looked to the pictures of the Santa Monica Pier for inspiration. Emily wasn’t in any of the pictures because he’d taken them before they ran into each other, but he still believed they held the key to unlocking her amnesia.
He leaned back in his chair and smiled, not because his thoughts were consumed with Emily, but because the answer came swiftly. He needed to re-create Sa
nta Monica!
Unfortunately he had less than one hour to prepare the scene. Jake had told Emily just a little lie - he didn't actually have another client coming in; today was all about Emily. He knew that if she agreed to treatment after his initial consultation, he would need some time to devise a plan.
It was time to get busy.
He swung open the office door and yelled down the hall. "Nancy," his voice bounced off the walls down to the lobby. "I'll be unavailable until she returns." With his dark hair flying, Jake ran to the large studio space at the very end of the long hallway.
The room was sparse, just the way it should be when you wanted to fill it with magic. Jake opened up the enormous unfinished pine closet that covered almost one entire wall. It was filled with his many essential tools, among them glass jars filled with; feathers, stones, twine, leaves, herbs, incense, essential oil, salt and sand. He wrapped his hand around the jar holding the precious sand, took a deep breath and opened it.
With the early afternoon sun streaming in through the two sizeable windows at the back of the building, Jake placed his jar of sand on the small log table along with a green candle and a mixture of thyme, sage and sandalwood. He crushed up the herbs and placed them in a small dish then thoughtfully added a few drops of the sandalwood oil. He went back over to the cabinet and removed his favorite silver candleholder.
He worked efficiently to set up the tiny alter then took another deep breath as the scents began to fill the room. The spell came to him quickly. He softly chanted the healing words aloud three times:
By the sun’s early afternoon light
Help to unearth and ignite
The powers within Emily Pierce
Feed her fire, make her fierce
Rid her of the trauma within
Heal her now. Let us begin.
So mote it be!
He grabbed the jar of sand, placed only a few grains into his hand and closed his eyes. He pictured the beach in Santa Monica where he and Emily had spent some more intimate moments. He could almost feel the warmth of her skin and the taste of her on his lips. The vision he held in his mind was that crisp and clear.
“Go, go, fly, fly, all these grains must multiply!” Jake threw the grains of sand out of his hand, forcing them across the room. With the expertise of a fourth generation witch, the room was transformed into a beach within minutes. Still working quickly, Jake continued to replicate Santa Monica as he made palm trees materialize out of a single blade of grass and a few broken pieces of coconut shells.
Pleased with how the room was taking shape, his next task was to light up the long wall so it resembled the pier itself. He raced back to his office and grabbed the laptop. With only minutes to spare, Jake sauntered back to his office and waited as if he had all the time in the world.
Emily had walked down the street to the coffee shop she’d seen earlier while she’d been circling the block looking for the doctor’s address.
She hardly tasted the coffee she drank; her thoughts were consumed with Jake and what he might be able to offer. Something tugged at her when she thought about the witch doctor. She knew it was impossible, but he felt somehow familiar. It was almost like she was experiencing an intense sense of déjà-vu.
As Emily sipped on her coffee thoughts of her aunt repeatedly popped into her mind. For some reason she felt the need to call her and warn her about something, but as she groped around her brain, Emily had no idea what it was. She looked down at her watch and counted down the minutes until she could return to Jake’s office.
She tried not to think about his tousled hair and deep brown eyes. She glanced at her watch again and tried to ignore the heat she felt when she thought about the enticing witch doctor. She didn’t need any magical abilities to recognize that she was wildly attracted to the handsome witch doctor.
Alright, let’s see what you’ve got, she thought to herself. After almost an hour of waiting impatiently, Emily pushed back her chair, left a generous tip on the table and made her way back to Jake’s office.
“Hi there,” Nancy greeted her as soon as she swung open the door. “Jake is ready, come on in.” She stood from behind her desk and led Emily down the hall. Nancy gently knocked on the door at the far end of the hall, then ushered Emily in.
Emily took a step back in shock. She was immediately transported to another place entirely once she stepped into the room. “Oh my God!” She squealed out loud, unable to contain her amazement.
“How did you . . ?” She couldn’t even finish the question. “Wow, look at the picture.” Emily gasped as she took in the details of the enormous image plastered on the wall; the Santa Monica Pier was staring back at her. Bright with lights and alive with energy, the photograph captured the epic life of Santa Monica in all its perfection.
Jake carefully studied Emily’s reaction. He allowed himself to be only mildly disappointed when he saw no obvious signs of any memories being triggered. He wanted to get started right away so didn’t waste any time. “I’m glad you like it. Now...let’s get to work.”
“Alright, but I have to ask,” Emily’s blue eyes were filled with confusion, “what does all of this,” she spun around, her arms wide, “sand and palm trees and...pictures of Santa Monica, what does this have to do with recovering my magical abilities?”
“Hopefully you will see shortly.” He tore his eyes away from her and reminded himself to stay completely professional.
Although the room was filled with the sweet aroma of sage and sandalwood, Jake found Emily’s scent overwhelming. He took a sideways step away from her and barely missed one of the palm trees. All he wanted to do was ravish her right there in the soft dunes of sand he had created with his own hand.
“First we are going to start with Air,” Jake said, reigning in his thoughts, reminding himself why they were there. He walked to one of the tall windows at the back of the room and opened it wide. “Let’s have some fun shall we?”
Hoping the element of surprise would let him know just how deep Emily’s trauma was, Jake didn’t give her any warning when he harnessed the air, spun around and pushed an energy ball in her direction.
CHAPTER SIX
Instinctively Emily swerved to the side to miss the invisible ball of energy from hitting her. Although she couldn’t see it, she felt the charge in the air as it barreled toward her.
“What the hell?” Her glare was filled with daggers. And they were aimed straight at Jake.
Pleased with her reaction, he ignored her icy stare. “Your mind may not be allowing you remember your abilities but deep down your intuition is strong.” He smiled, pleased that she showed some obvious latent memory. “We just need to harness that. Let’s try again. This time I want you to stay still and try to push the energy ball back to me if you can.”
He didn’t want to surprise her this time. “Are you ready?”
No longer irritated, Emily was instead inexplicably filled with renewed hope. “Be prepared,” she warned.
Jake made the next energy ball just slightly bigger and pushed it towards her. God she’s beautiful, he thought to himself as he watched her concentrate.
She stood completely still, her eyes narrowed slightly as she focused on him. He watched as she tried to feel the energy ball, to anticipate its arrival, but instead it knocked her off balance landing her butt in the sand.
“Now I know why the sand is here! It’s a nice soft landing.” She pushed herself up from the ground. “Okay, let’s try again.”
Determination ran through her veins. There was something about being tossed around by an invisible ball of energy that annoyed her. Or perhaps it was falling down in front of Jake. Somewhere deep inside was a desire to impress him. There were other things she wanted to do to him, but she couldn’t afford to think about that right now. She would ponder those thoughts over later; when she was alone.
“Are you alright?” Jake asked, although he knew she would be fine, physically at least. The energy ball was small, too small to do
any real damage.
Emily just waved her hand for him to go ahead. She planted her feet firmly in the sand, set to do battle with the invisible ball once again.
“Wait, I’ve got an idea.” Jake put his hands up and walked across the room to her. “I think you should take off your shoes.” He smiled at the memory of Emily walking barefoot in the sand and hoped the same sensation might help jog something inside her.
She smiled at him and nodded her head. “Okay.” Emily slowly started taking off her shoes but never once broke eye contact with Jake.
He saw something flash behind Emily’s eyes that made his blood run hot. It wasn’t just her shoes he wanted her to remove. His smile turned serious as his mind filled with images he couldn’t afford to think of at the moment. He shook his head in an effort to remove the thoughts he knew he needed to keep to himself. For now.
“You need to connect with the sand, draw strength from the earth beneath you. Does that make sense?” He braved another step then leaned in closer, studying her carefully, watching her eyes for even the faintest hint of recognition.
Emily tingled at his nearness. She had an insane urge to reach out and touch him. With only the top button of his shirt undone, just a hint of skin peeked out from behind his collared shirt. She had to force herself not to reach out and touch the next button.
His sleeves were rolled up, like he’d been working hard building something. His hands looked strong and calloused and she wanted nothing more than to lace his fingers through her own. Instead she broke eye contact and tried to focus on completing the simple task of removing her shoes and socks.
She was grateful when he walked to the other side of the room. She buried her toes in the sand. It felt amazing. There was something oddly familiar and very enticing about the sand between her toes.
