Beyond Bewitching (9 page)

Shedding his wrinkled suit jacket, he tossed it on the suitcases at the bottom of the bed as he checked on Sarah one last time. He aimed for the corridor to the outer chamber.

Tanner paced the large living area, his own suit coat draped over the back of the couch. “All anyone needs to know is that we’re tracking down a lead.”

“Agreed. Without seeing the tattoo firsthand, no one would believe she isn’t what she seems.” John dropped into one chair and then dragged the other closer with his foot. “Sit. Your pacing is driving me nuts.”

“Fine, but you have to stop cracking your knuckles.” Lifting his eyebrows, Tanner grinned as he sat across from John. “You didn’t even know you were doing it, did you?”

John laid his palms on his thighs to halt the involuntary habit. His partner knew him too damn well. “Telling the matriarch we tracked a path to our target will suffice for now. It’s more than we’ve had to report in the two years we’ve been searching for Sarah.”

Their arms met in the middle, right hand clasping right forearm and left hand clasping left to form an X over their legs. Linking their minds, Tanner’s thoughts joined with John’s to call to the matriarch.

Leader of the Xanthus clan,
the horse shifters ask an audience of thee for guidance and a blessing. Will you share your wisdom?

Seldom did they receive an immediate response, and this night was no different. The matriarch met with the others in their clan almost every evening, so they’d simply have to wait their turn.

Neither he nor Tanner relaxed the grip that completed the connection, keeping their minds clear and ready for when they were summoned. The minutes silently ticked by until John had to wonder if they’d been able to penetrate the protection spells guarding the cavern and the compound. He was just about to break the link when a familiar voice sounded in his head.

You do not trust your instincts such that you seek my wisdom? Ah, well. I offer you both my greatest blessings and whatever knowledge I can impart to those who have been gone far too long. How are you, my sweet boys?

Tanner’s snort brought a smile to John’s lips.
Sweet? We are ruffians, dear lady, and we wouldn’t tolerate anything other than being well.

And you, Johnathon? Does Tanner speak for you?

John cringed at her use of his given name.
I speak for myself, matriarch. Though I should like to be home, I too am well.

Is there a chance you will return soon?
The vague question was as close as she ever came to asking how their search progressed.

Since Tanner didn’t seem inclined to answer, John responded.
We have found her trail. She was present at the Macska joining after Kazmer’s demise.

You must be careful. She is dangerous, and I should not like to mourn the loss of either of you. Your destiny awaits you yet as well.

He didn’t need the reminder. His destiny lay sleeping in the next room.
We will take care. Our training has always preserved us.

His mind was devoid of conversation for several seconds.

The matriarch’s slight hesitation was out of the norm. Her thoughts never failed to come with succinct timing.
You must be extra wary, my dear boys. Should she travel to the present, the danger will strike where men are weakest. Her birthday is two days past, and the fertility cycle of a Pennymead witch encompasses all the lunar phases. Her Black Triad power may allow impregnation by any man, not only her mate. To produce a child of the Triad…I dare not think of the consequences.

The information stole John’s ability to create a single thought, but Tanner managed to reply.
This is a helpful bit of knowledge. Rest assured, matriarch, we will not forget it as we continue our journey.

Be safe, my boys.

The inviting aroma of a hearty stew permeated Sarah’s half-asleep brain. How had she gotten back to Wyndham House?

Not ready to open her eyes, she rolled over, bumping into an immovable wall.

A wall?

Where was the luxurious velvet curtain surrounding her bed?

She forced herself into consciousness. A pair of dark eyes stared down at her, and her heart almost leapt out of her chest.

“Are you hungry?” Tanner held out a bowl.

The horrifying details of her meltdown sprang forward. She’d let John and Tanner touch her, bringing her to orgasm and making her lose control over her emotions. Tangled in a blanket, at least she wasn’t lying there naked and exposed.

Panic set in a moment later, but she did her best to cover it. “Yes. Yes, please. Would you mind if I had a little privacy for a few minutes? I’d like to get dressed.”

His smile nearly had her discarding that idea and seeking more sexual satisfaction, but luckily he slipped out of bed before she could act. He gestured to the left. “The bathroom is over there. When you’re done, why don’t you come out to the living area? It’s down that hall. John and I will be waiting for you.”

At a loss for words, she nodded. Had she imagined the whole episode? Tanner didn’t seem to have any memory of it—unless he was pretending to help her save face. He disappeared into the hallway he’d indicated, leaving her alone.

Struggling to escape the covers, she spotted the dress she’d been wearing. She reached for it rather than continuing the fight. Before she dressed, made a trip to the bathroom, or ate, one important task took precedence.

She dragged the pile of pale green fabric closer, patting the material while holding her breath.
Where are the pockets? It has to be there!

Her hand finally closed over a lump. Digging through the folds, she slid her fingers into the deep side-seam opening, exhaling when she found the precious packet. It was still tied closed, but she checked the contents anyway.

Samuel’s lock of hair. Mother’s locket. The bloodstone from the coven.

They were all there, safe and sound. She hadn’t lost them in her travels or during her encounter with Tanner and John. Desperate for a new hiding place, she jerked her legs free of the blankets and crawled to the end of the bed.

The three suitcases she’d conjured in the woods rested side by side at the footboard. Popping open the first, she found men’s clothing, so she moved to the next. A moss-colored muslin skirt unfolded as she pulled it from the baggage. She breathed a sigh of relief when she discovered a sleeveless top and sweater beneath. Thick cable-knit tights would complete the outfit. The more of her body she concealed, the better. She couldn’t risk another sexual encounter with John and Tanner.

Stuffing the small packet into the skirt pocket, she dressed. After a quick trip to the bathroom, she traced Tanner’s path along the hallway that resembled a carved tunnel through a wall of rock.

The channel opened into a mammoth chamber lit by flickering lanterns spaced at intervals on the smooth stone surface. Light reflected off a pool of water at the far end of the room, inviting her to venture closer. An occasional drip made the only sound. If she’d found this place after escaping the fire, she would’ve gladly spent the remainder of her days secluded in the private cavern.

Moving away from the hall, she scanned the rest of the chamber. John and Tanner seemed to study her from a pair of armchairs positioned across from a couch. The grouping was simple, the sofa and chairs clad in dark leather and the end tables made of rough-hewn slices of tree trunk.

Their watchful eyes unnerved her, especially since they sat still as statues. Finally, Tanner rose. “I got a bowl of stew ready for you. Will you join us?”

Rather than disturbing the comforting
drip, drip, drip
by responding, she walked toward them, the slight chill of the uncarpeted floor seeping through her woolen leggings. She huddled into the corner of the couch, tucking her feet under her as she picked up the steaming bowl of vegetables and thick broth from the table. “Thank you.”

Sitting back down in his chair, Tanner smiled. “You’re welcome. Are you warm enough?”

The curve of his mouth sent heat spreading outward from her center.

Not again.

Suppressing a groan, she cradled the dish in her palm. “Yes.”

They ate in relative silence, the steady dripping and the clink of spoons in bowls the only noises. Every minute challenged her to control the returning sexual urges. She wouldn’t capitulate—couldn’t. Another meltdown might destroy her. She’d been a fool to want to feel. Cold, distant, and wary suited her much better.

John set his empty dish on the table. “It’s time, Sarah. Besides showing us that you aren’t an elder of the Triad, your markings revealed other important things about you.”

His expression grew serious, warning her she probably wouldn’t want to hear what he was about to tell her. She forced her hand to lift the spoon to her mouth.

Open. Withdraw the spoon. Chew.

What else had Naga done? Was she cursed?

Ha! As if I don’t already know that.

Leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees, he glanced toward Tanner and then to her. “You’ve been foretold as the one holding the future in your hands. The prophecy states that a witch without age will create the new generation of the Xanthus clan and make us strong again. Your powers will combine with the abilities we possess.”

A shiver raced up her arms and down her spine. Something about his words sparked fear in her very soul. Placing her bowl on the table, she wrapped her arms around her waist and lifted her chin. She might be deathly afraid, but they wouldn’t see it. They’d witnessed enough vulnerability in her already.

His gaze never leaving hers, Tanner steepled his fingers. “The symbols in the ink indicate that you are our mate. John’s and mine. Together, we’ll—”

“Mate?” Her breath caught in her throat. Half her body readied itself with the hardening of her nipples and a rush of heat and wetness in her pussy. The other half screamed at her to escape. Mating meant continuing what they’d begun earlier—and baring even more of her emotions to them. No amount of desire could make her do that.

Shift! Run! Hide!

She had no choice. She’d rather go up against Naga completely alone than let anyone that close.

Concentrating on the change from solid to vapor, she pictured the one place she’d successfully hidden for three long years of her life. A thicket in the wilds was certainly uncivilized, but it had kept her safe. She closed her eyes and waited for the current to carry her away.

A second passed, then two, and three. The faint
drip, drip, drip
still chanted in her ears. Damp chill clung to her skin, and the deep sigh of one of the men joined in the hushed chorus.

She blinked away the moisture gathering in her eyes. Tanner and John hadn’t moved from their seats, but neither looked pleased. They’d likely guessed that she’d tried to leave. For whatever reason, she hadn’t succeeded.

Picking up his and John’s dishes, Tanner shook his head as he skulked toward the pool. He made a quick left and vanished through a doorway before he reached the water.

“You don’t trust us.” John lowered his head to his hands. “Only Tanner and I are capable of spellcasting inside the protection charm. Explore the cavern if you wish, and the bedroom you were in is yours. We’ll sleep elsewhere.”

The frustration in his voice held no anger, even though she’d told them she’d try to trust them. He rose, and she swallowed the urge to justify her reaction. Explaining herself wouldn’t do any good. Attraction or not, she was too damaged to extend the same belief in him and Tanner as they had in her.

He pushed to his feet, gathering her dishes as he headed in the direction Tanner had gone. His footsteps echoed off the walls and ceiling, its sound leaving her hollow.

They’d left her alone, just as she wished.

* * * *

Tightening his grip on the edge of the kitchen sink, Tanner slowly counted to thirty. Ten hadn’t begun to ease his impulse to smash the crockery bowls to shattered bits against the stone counter. Twenty almost put his frustration in perspective, but thirty reminded him of the reward of patience.

John’s booted footfalls sounded behind him. “Three hundred fifty years of trusting no one won’t change overnight.”

“I know.” Tanner turned to face his friend. “But we haven’t given her any reason to think she should run away from us. We pledged ourselves to her, for Goddess’s sake, and her first instinct was to leave us in her dust.”

“We’ll just have to work harder to prove we aren’t like the other men she’s known.” Reaching past him, John rinsed the dishes. “I’m just glad she was too exhausted to break through the protection spell. Hopefully, she’ll think she can’t and won’t try again.”

“Yeah. I can’t even imagine where she might’ve gone. Do you think she knows her fertility cycle is messing with her powers?”

John stacked the bowls and spoons in the dish drainer. “From the way she broke down when she came, I’m not sure she realizes her fertility cycle has
started
. I doubt she’s spent much more than a few minutes in the present over her time as Naga’s pawn.”

“I’ve been wondering if she had anything to do with the success of the seven new witch matings. Maybe she set up Kazmer to be taken out by Romána Macska.”