by T. M. Cromer
“It’s okay, love,” he said, cutting off her mention of GiGi.
Glass crunched, signaling another person’s entry into the room.
“How does it look that you made it here before me, Ryker?” Alastair complained good-naturedly.
“Like you’re a slacker?” Ryker retorted.
The two men grinned and clasped hands.
Alastair surveyed Winnie where she stayed tucked against Ryker’s side. “Are you okay, child?”
“I think so. I was a bit freaked out when I realized my magic had been neutralized.”
“I’ve been there. I can imagine what you went through.” He tapped her nose. “But you handled it beautifully. Thank you for making sure I didn’t walk into a trap.”
High praise, indeed.
Winnie finally remembered her sister had been staying over and grew frantic. “Where’s Spring?”
“I sent her home the second you relayed to me there was a problem. She should be secure in the Manor, but if you want to message her, you can.”
“Did Lin ward the whole hotel against magic or only my room?” she asked as she found the strength to pull away from her uncle and stand on her own.
Rafe answered. “From what we can tell, only this room.”
One thing bothered her: that someone still had the kind of power to perform magic even when a room was warded. She needed to know who that person was and what abilities they possessed. “Who froze time?”
All the men looked at her as if she’d lost her mind.
“What?” she asked nervously.
“Winnie, you were the one who created the time shift,” Rafe said. His troubled expression unnerved her.
“But I didn’t,” she denied. “I heard the shot and waited for the impact of the bullet. When I turned, everyone was frozen in place. It wasn’t me. As far as I know, only Summer can do that, and it’s accidental at best.” She sat heavily on the bed. “My magic was gone, remember?”
“Your sister?” Ryker stepped in close and addressed Alastair. He was careful to keep his voice low enough that Winnie could barely make out what he was saying. “With the exception of Preston, she’s the only other witch I know who can. She must’ve been scrying when this all went down.”
“That’s the most likely scenario,” Alastair agreed.
With a sharp glance around the room, Ryker leaned down and kissed Winnie on the crown of her head. “Take care of yourself, kid.”
“You’re not leaving?” she cried, heartbroken at the thought of their reunion, however impromptu, cut short.
“Yes. But I’ll be back in touch soon. I promise.”
He was gone before she could form a protest.
“Where is the Carlyle boy?” Alastair wanted to know.
“I sent him away this morning.”
Rafe’s head came up from where he’d been fidgeting with his smartphone. “Sent him away? For good?”
“For now,” she returned.
Her uncle studied her silently. Alastair’s expression was bland, but Winnie could almost see the wheels spinning in his brain.
“Where is he?” he asked again. This time, there was more menace in his tone.
Winnie was left to wonder what he believed he knew. “Has Zane done something?”
“That depends,” Alastair said silkily. “He was ordered to protect you.”
“Ordered. Pfft.” Winnie’s irritation spiked. “He’s a newbie, Uncle. What could he possibly do to protect me?”
“He’s six-feet-three, and you’re all of five-feet-seven. In a situation like this, where your magic was neutralized, he can physically fight.”
“Zane would’ve gotten himself shot based on his inability to hold his temper. I did better without him here.”
“Did you?” Alastair crossed his arms and tilted his head. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but had another witch—or warlock—not altered time, you would not be breathing right now.”
He wasn’t wrong.
Winnie intended to give her savior a big smacking kiss when she found him or her. “Don’t be angry with Zane, Uncle. I’m the one who got ugly and sent him away.”
When Alastair changed tactics by shifting to kind and caring, it threw her. “He’s a Carlyle, dear girl. Remember, he can’t help being a stubborn ass. Try to bear that in mind when you deal with him in the future, okay? It will save you both heartache.”
18
Winnie said her goodbyes to Rafe thirty minutes later. It was time to get back to the safety of Thorne Manor and plan out the recovery of the amulet.
“If you are ever back in my neck of the woods…” He smiled and drew her into his warm embrace.
“Same goes,” she said as she squeezed him tight. “Be careful. I don’t think Lin was too happy that you disrupted his little plan.”
“Same goes,” he repeated and kissed her forehead. As he pulled away, he caressed the line of her jaw. “I would be devastated to learn something had happened to you.”
Alastair approached and shot Rafe a disapproving scowl.
“No Zane?” Winnie asked her uncle. They hadn’t been able to reach him since the incident with Lin had gone down. Worry, dark and ugly, wormed its way into her thoughts. “Why do you suppose he isn’t answering his phone? I know he was upset with me, but I doubt he’d purposely hold out, knowing what had gone down.”
“I don’t know, child. Once we get back to Thorne Manor, we can search for him on the off chance he hasn’t returned. Your sister is scrying as we speak.”
“You don’t think Lin grabbed him, do you?” Her worry kicked up into the alarmed zone.
“I couldn’t say for sure.” Alastair laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. “But we’ll find him.”
Winnie nodded, slightly reassured by his confidence. She returned her gaze to Rafe. “I think I’m going to miss you most of all, Scarecrow.”
His lips twisted in a half-smile at the Wizard of Oz quote. “Time to click your heels together, Dorothy.” Rafe squeezed her hand. “Goodbye.”
In a flash of warmth, Winnie and Alastair teleported home. When they arrived in the living room of the manor, a shout went up, and her family piled into the room.
Winnie glanced around at all the beloved faces: her dad, Aunt GiGi, Summer, and Spring. For the short time she’d faced down Lin, she’d been heartbroken at the thought that she hadn’t said goodbye. They’d never know how much she loved them. She hugged each in turn.
“Has anyone found Zane?” Winnie asked.
“No. Coop and Keaton are out looking for him,” Spring said. “Autumn is upstairs scrying right now.”
“Did anyone check the clearing?”
“I’ll go,” Alastair said, and teleported out.
Her father hugged her a second time, holding on a little longer than necessary. “GiGi told us what happened,” Preston said.
She turned to her aunt. “Uncle Ryker was there, but I guess you know that.”
“I do.” GiGi smiled through her tears. “I’m glad he helped you, dear girl.”
“He said he thought you might have been the one to save me by suspending time. I didn’t know you could do that.”
“I can, but I didn’t. The room was warded against magic.”
“I don’t understand. Then who saved me?” Winnie asked. “Summer?”
Summer shook her blonde head. “Not me. I was at my animal clinic. Holly was with me, so even if she had the same ability, which none of us is sure she does, it couldn’t have been her.”
Winnie was at a loss. For the moment, the mystery of the time suspension would have to wait. “We need to find Zane. I’ll head upstair—”
Alastair arrived with a rumpled Zane in tow.
Winnie took one look into Zane’s tortured dark eyes and ran to him. With his hard, tight arms around her, they fell to their knees.
“God, Win! I had no idea!”
“It’s okay,” she assured him. She shoved aside her resolve to keep her distance, if only for the time be
ing. The feeling of being loved, even if it wasn’t real, was too much to resist.
“I should’ve been there. I should’ve—”
“You’d have only gotten hurt. Lin was out to cause havoc.”
“I’m sorry, babe.”
“It’s okay,” Winnie said again. “Really.” She pulled back and studied him. “Where have you been? The glen?”
“I went straight there after… I needed to clear my head.”
She nodded and smoothed the wrinkled material of his shirt. Having never seen him rumpled before, she was taken aback. “What happened to you? You’re a mess.”
A telling glance was shared between Zane and Alastair.
Winnie whipped her head in her uncle’s direction. “Did you hurt him?”
“Not really. I may have given him a bit of an attitude adjustment when I found him, but he’s unhurt.” Alastair’s bored, arrogant tone grated on her nerves.
“You had no right!” She stood and charged to where he rested a shoulder against the wall.
“Didn’t I?” he asked as he straightened. He leaned in as if to impart a secret. “Know that I have no problem meting out justice, child. As I see it, he deserved a thrashing and more.”
“Butt out of my love life, Uncle,” she snapped.
A self-satisfied smile transformed his face and left Winnie befuddled.
Warm arms encircled her from behind. “It’s okay, Win. I’m fine. None of that’s important right now.”
She closed her eyes, leaned back against Zane’s chest, and centered herself, struggling not to blow the roof off the manor.
Autumn chose that moment to rush down the stairs. “Winnie!”
Winnie pulled away from Zane to embrace her sister. “I’m okay, Tums.”
“Lin! I almost had a heart attack when I saw he showed up.”
“You saw?” Winnie frowned. “You were spying?”
Her sister gave her a sheepish look and uttered one word, “Hallmark.”
“My life isn’t a made-for-TV movie, Tums!”
“I don’t know, the hottie who saved you made the perfect hero.”
“Hottie?” Zane thundered. “You ran right to that Italian playboy after I left?”
“Maltese,” Winnie corrected. “And no. He charged in when Lin arrived. He saved me, Zane, and I owe him.”
“I don’t want you to be indebted to that asshat,” he growled.
Autumn laughed and gave a sharp clap of her hands. “See? This is what I’m talking about. Drama, drama, drama. It’s good stuff.”
Winnie sighed her exasperation.
Zane wasn’t so nice and swore a blue streak. He glared down at Winnie. “Do you think we can have this conversation in private. I’m tired of being your sisters’ personal amusement source.”
“That’s just mean spirited of you, Studly,” Autumn stated.
“Bite me,” he snarled.
Her sister cocked her head to the side as if contemplating his seriousness. “You know, I’d always believed you were the nice one. Always calm in the face of every situation. Who knew you were so volatile?”
“The woman I love was in danger from a psycho who likes to kill witches. I wasn’t there to save her. So yeah, I think I have the right to be a little upset, Autumn,” Zane stated somewhat calmer.
“Don’t forget the hot Maltese,” Autumn taunted.
Zane’s jaw tightened, and the muscle there started to tick.
Winnie was sure he would snap and murder her sister at any second. She ran her fingertips along his clenched jaw. “Zane.”
The uncertain gaze he turned on her nearly broke Winnie’s heart. “I’m home, and I’m fine.”
He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against hers.
* * *
Zane was unable to speak. He’d almost lost Winnie while he was wallowing in his pain earlier today. Pain he’d caused himself by his stupid revenge scheme. Why Winnie was reassuring him now was beyond his ability to comprehend, but she was, and he loved her all the more for it.
He hated that they had an audience for this, but then again, he didn’t intend to rock the boat. For whatever reason, Winnie seemed to have released her anger toward his past actions. Maybe it was only temporary, but he’d take it.
“Can we go somewhere to talk?” he finally managed to ask.
“Nothing has changed,” she whispered. “I can’t allow myself to love you, Zane.”
When he drew back and opened his eyes, they were alone in the room. Zane supposed he should be grateful the Thornes allowed him the courtesy of being rejected and crushed in private. Yet somehow, it didn’t make Winnie’s rejection any easier.
“But you do anyway. I know you do, Win. I can feel it as sure as I’m standing here.”
“Even if I do, it makes no difference. Autumn wasn’t wrong—you are volatile.”
“I’m not—or not normally. I swear it. You’ve seen me at my worst, but you have to admit; there have been extenuating circumstances.”
“And should things get worse instead of better? How do you plan to react then, Zane?”
He threw up his hands and turned away. How could he convince her the man whose terrifyingly erratic behavior she’d witnessed up to this point wasn’t him? It was some crazy, out of control, version of himself who was spawned in his rage over being duped.
“I don’t think you should go to Egypt with me, Zane.”
He closed his eyes and shook his head in frustration.
Winnie’s warm palm settled on his mid-back. “I’m not trying to be hateful. I just think it’s better for all involved if we cut the ties now.”
“I promised to help you find the amulet. Your mother’s welfare trumps my feelings, Win.” Zane pivoted around and gently clasped her hand before she could drop it. He kissed her fingertips and released her. “I’ll be a wreck until you return, wondering and worrying if Lin would show up and nab you at any second. It couldn’t hurt to have me there.”
Her unhappy look said it could hurt, but she didn’t object. “I need a day or two to recover. Then we can head over.”
“Don’t go without me, Win. Please. I’ll go insane with worry.”
Winnie nodded. “I won’t.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
Because he wanted to touch her, to sweep her into his arms and never let her go, Zane stepped back. “You have my number.”
“Electronics don’t work in the clearing. The Stones,” she said by way of explanation due to their inability to reach him earlier.
His cousin, Keaton, had explained about the massive ancient stones hidden below ground that rose up when all the witches had performed a healing ceremony for Autumn last month. Zane had yet to see them, but he had no doubt their power could easily interfere with cell phone reception.
“I’ll be at home. You know what my room looks like, so if you need to teleport…”
She snorted and looked away.
“What?”
“I won’t be teleporting into your room, Zane. Goddess knows, I don’t want to catch you in the act with another woman.”
Self-disgust and irritation flared to life inside him. “Jesus, Win. How many times can I apologize for the set-up?”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be catty or spiteful,” she said quietly in an about-face. “I’ll call you tomorrow to schedule a time. Now if you don’t mind, I need some sleep.”
Zane was loathe to leave it like this. His instinct screamed to push until she relented and understood how much he loved her. But logic told him she wouldn’t be moved, and compassion encouraged him to retreat to allow her the time she needed to rest after her ordeal.
But what he couldn’t do was leave without touching her one last time. He approached as if he were dealing with one of his family’s skittish horses. “Win?”
She lifted her head. Sure enough, Zane saw the same wild look in her eye as an untrained mare. Winnie wanted to trust, but a stronger urge to bolt remained.
“That I can promise.”
For a long moment, they stared into each other’s eyes. Zane had so many things he longed to say but didn’t know how, and from the solemn, watchful look on Winnie’s face, she felt the same.
His gaze dropped to her berry bright lips. No makeup, and still she was stunning. He gave in to the urge to taste her. She met him halfway.
The kiss was life affirming and passionate. Wrapped up inside it was all the words they wanted to speak, but couldn’t.
Zane ended the kiss and inched away. His thumb caressed her swollen lower lip. “I’ve always loved you, Win. From the first time I saw you in the glen playing with your sisters, I knew you were my soulmate.” He trailed his fingers over the beautiful skin of her face. “I carved our initials in the old oak by the clearing after our first date. Did you know that? And even after you’d taken my memory, I’d see you in town on occasion and think I wanted to know you better. I dreamed of the day I would ask you out. But somehow, the timing was off and you’d walk away before I could screw up my courage. That should tell you why I reacted badly.” He dropped his hand. “My feelings will never change, babe. If you never give me another chance, I’ll understand. But more than anything in this world, I wish you would.”
Zane left by way of the front door. He could teleport, but he wanted the time to walk and clear his head. He’d just cleared the porch when the sound of running feet on wood caught his attention.
“Zane!”
Swinging back around, he held out his arms. “Take the leap, Win. I’ll catch you.” Indecision was written in every line of her body. He saw the moment she made her decision and sighed his relief.
Winnie flung herself off the porch, and true to his word, Zane caught her mid-air. She wrapped her legs around his waist, and he cupped her bottom to hold her against him.
“I love you, too,” she choked out.
The sting of his salty tears burned behind his lids. “I’m so glad,” he said gruffly. “I don’t know what I would’ve done without you in my life.”
