Unruly Magic (12 page)

“Yeah.”

“And you didn’t have any problem using your magic after that?”

I shook my head again, no, thought it surprised and concerned me that Étoile and Seren seemed to have problems afterwards. “If anything it seemed to come easier. Like something just unlocked inside me. Whatever I wanted to happen, happened.”

“Interesting.”

“Why’s that?”

“Everyone else was weakened by Eleanor’s magic, but not you.”

I edged out of Evan’s arms so that I could face him. He was deep in thought, his hand casually moving across my back in long strokes. “What does that mean?”

“It means you’re a lot stronger than we all thought. Étoile and Seren had great difficulty using their magic. By rights, as a novice, you shouldn’t have been able to use yours at all. You should have been considerably weakened.” He thought for a moment. “Who have you told?”

“Only you guys.”

“Don’t tell anyone else.”

“Why?” Étoile’s whisper echoed in my head:
Trust no one.

“Eleanor was a very powerful witch who could disable just about anyone, but not you. I don’t think it would be wise to tell many people. Certainly not other witches.”

I let that sink in. “Are they going to come after me? These other witches?”

“Maybe, maybe not. You’ve kept a low profile these past few months. Perhaps, it’s best to stay that way for now, anyway.”

“Except Étoile, Seren and David all think this Chyler is looking for me. And other witches want her, right? How can I keep a low profile?” I really wanted an answer to that and I hoped Evan would have some solution. It wasn’t enough to rely on his protection when I needed the answers so I could rely on my own. If something was coming for Chyler, and that something, or someone, wanted me too, I wanted to know about it.

“I need to think some more about that.” Evan was silent for a moment before he fixed his eyes on me. “Do you like living here?” he asked, surprising me.

“Wilding? Sure. It’s a lot different from London.
A lot
. But I like it, it’s quiet and the people are nice. I’ll introduce you to my neighbours.” Gage. Uh-oh. No. Maybe I wouldn’t I thought as a crease of guilt made me wince inside. I brushed it aside, continuing, “I like being in my parents’ house though there isn’t really any personal stuff here. Or, at least, nothing that I’ve found yet, but it’s the strongest connection I’ve ever had to them.”

“Do you have a job?”

I shook my head. “No. I’ve been thinking about looking, or, maybe, going to college. I always wanted to go to university in England, but I wasn’t really encouraged so I kind of gave up on that. I’m not too old.”

“You’re barely old at all,” Evan chided. “If you came back to Texas with me, you could go to college there. The University of Texas in Austin is very well regarded.”

“Go to Texas with you?” I repeated like an idiot.

“It’s where I live. If you wanted to come, that is.”

“It’s a long way from Wilding. I wouldn’t be able to commute,” was my stupidly practical non-answer. My new-to-me car wouldn’t be able to take the strain and witch-by-broomstick wasn’t actually a physical possibility. Another thought occurred to me. I could shimmer there. Maybe. It’s was a long way but it wasn’t impossible. I wouldn’t have to leave Wilding; I wasn’t sure I wanted to. This was the first home I’d ever had and it meant a lot to me to have a space of my own to call home. I hadn’t realised how much until now. Nevertheless it didn’t override what I felt for Evan, or my desire to be close to him. I couldn’t fathom being apart again.

“You could live with me. We could come out here on vacations if you wanted to.”

“Are you asking me to move in with you?”

“I’m asking you to think about it. You don’t have to decide right away.” His voice was steady and sure like he felt certain what my answer would be.

“Okay.”

“Okay... yes?” Evan’s voice betrayed hope.

“Okay, I’ll think about it,” I clarified through gritted teeth because a part of me wanted to shout yes, yes, yes.

Evan resumed stroking my stomach with the flat of his hand, encouraging another part of my being that wanted to shout yes, yes, yes too, but for very different reasons. I sighed at the recognition of that part of me surging forward pleasurably. I could feel the blood leap in my veins.

“I can feel your magic.”

“It seems to be drawn to you.”

“Magic calls to magic,” he whispered as he tipped my chin up to his and kissed me. It wasn’t like the kiss earlier, our brief moment of crushing our lips against each other in the delight and relief of seeing each other. It was like the kisses we’d first shared months ago, passionate and deep, full of desire. It awoke me in a way I had almost forgotten. It made me ache for him. Our tongues touched and tangled and I tasted mint on him. I heard him moan with pleasure and when he pulled away for a moment, his face questioning, I pulled him back in, allowing his tongue to thrust into my mouth, met by mine.

His hand slipped under my back and he unclipped my bra with a flick of his fingers, pulling it off and tossing it to the floor. He dipped his head to trail kisses down my neck, kissing the crux of my clavicle, and then he took one nipple, circling it with his tongue and drew it into his mouth while his hands moved lower to tug at my skimpy shorts. His head moved lower again, kissing his way down my stomach, further down until he was kissing my inner thighs, making them tremble with waiting, then licking me, making me gasp as his tongue delved inside and I exploded into stars that swept me away on a cloud of happiness and lust.

I pushed my fingers through his hair as I arched against him, his firm hands holding me still while he drove me to the brink of excitement, before pulling me back, time and again. When I thought I finally couldn’t take it anymore he lifted his head, cool purple-black eyes assessing me and he held my eyes in his gaze as he slid up my body. I felt the soft texture of cotton between us then that was gone, leaving us skin against skin, panting and trembling in anticipation.

‘Stella...’ he sighed as I touched the hard swell of his cock as I used my hand to guide him inside me, swiftly moving my hands up his back to grasp him as he pushed his way fully into me and I held him as he slid in and out, increasing his rhythm, pressing against me firmly until I could wrap my legs over his then it felt like we were melting in to each other and I crested the wave of pure longing.

Oh yes, there was a reason Evan rhymed with heaven.

I came moments before him, and his cries outweighed mine before he crushed my mouth with his, his tongue searching for mine as great shudders rippled through him. Panting, sated, he lay on me as I gasped air into my starved lungs.

“You’ve no idea how much I longed for that,” Evan rasped, rolling away from me to collapse by my side, then pulling me into him in a tangle of hot, sticky limbs. “Next time, I’ll be gentler, I promise. Next time, I’ll...”

I raised myself slightly to lean over and put my finger to his lips. “This time was perfect.” I sank back into the pillows to enjoy the aftershocks coursing through me. Evan had been my first, and only, lover and the sex had always been outstanding. I wondered if it was like this for everyone, always, or if I’d pulled a very lucky straw. It wasn’t that he was eager to please; it was that he knew exactly which buttons to push and when, like we were made for each other. It was a silly, romantic notion and it galled me when a thought flitted across my head: he must have had other lovers. I heaved a breath and shoved that thought firmly away into the back of my mind. I didn’t even know where such an idea had come from. Except that it was just another reminder that there was a lot I didn’t know. Frankly, it was spoiling the moment and I wanted to stay in the best part of that moment, the part that had Evan wanting me and only me. That was the only thing that mattered.

“I said we might join the others for dinner in town, if you want to?” he whispered, his hands cupping my face so he could kiss me long and slow.

I raised my eyebrows. “Not right now, surely?”

“I don’t think we’re dressed for it right now. Seren said eight. We have the rest of the day to ourselves.”

“Will you come home with me after?” I asked with a sly smile that belied how hopeful I was.

“I have my bag in the car. I have someone covering work. I can stay as long as you want.”

“I might want a long time.”

Evan grinned at that and kissed me again, a soft groan slipping from his throat.

“If you keep on doing that we might be seeing them for breakfast rather than dinner,” I laughed.

“That wouldn’t be a great tragedy,” he mumbled between kisses and I felt something stir against me, pressing into my solar plexus.

“Again?” I asked, surprised.

“Oh yes.” Evan grinned wickedly. “That’s something you’ll learn about demons: great stamina.” Then he set about proving it.

~

Later, after we’d dozed and he’d pressed his healing hands against me and taken away the ache of too much great sex, Evan had gone out to the car to get his bag. When he came back in, he’d stripped off his clothes and climbed in the shower while I lay in bed and listened to the water patter. Stepping into my room a few minutes later, one soft towel wrapped around his waist and another in his hand patting his short hair dry, he grinned at me. I drank in his muscular body, the firm pecs that met a hard six pack and smiled happily.

“You are pleased to see me?” he teased.

“Like you would not believe.”

“All the way here, I thought ‘what if she doesn’t want to see me?’” Evan lent against the door frame and waited, almost cautiously like he was expecting some kind of knockback. Where had the man been for the last few hours?

I was sat cross legged with the covers pulled up over my chest. “Why would you think that?”

“I couldn’t think of any reason why you wouldn’t come looking for me,” he said simply. “But I know now.”

“Who could I have asked? Everyone was gone. I didn’t know where anyone was. The Brotherhood were the reason that I was brought here and I saw on the news that they were suspected behind a string of murders across the eastern seaboard. I didn’t want to attract attention.” After a moment I added, “And I could barely think straight.”

“The Brotherhood have been quiet lately,” Evan said, changing tack slightly to address my big problem.

“Do you think they’re gone? Back to Europe?” I’d once been told I was the last of the English witches, the ones that were magic to the core anyway as those who spell cast had hidden more easily. I’d been the last one they were going to pick off. Étoile had saved me from a desperate and final fate and, though I didn’t say it, I’d never cease feeling grateful to her.

Evan shook his head, shaking a few droplets that were making their way from his freshly washed hair which now stood in little peaks. “I think they’ve drawn too much attention to themselves and they need to lay low. I think they’ll be searching for witches quietly and when they come back, they’ll be back with a vengeance.”

“Will we ever be safe?” I whispered.

“I can keep you safe in Texas.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “What if I stay here?”

“You’ll be safer with me,” Evan replied, which didn’t really answer my question. I got the feeling Evan thought me leaving with him would be a very natural move. After all, what was he offering? A home, the chance of college, safety... himself. It was hardly a poor offering. I would be foolish not to think about it. I was thinking about it. “Just say you’ll think about it,” he said, like he had caught the thoughts spilling through my mind.

“I will,” I promised. Like I said, it wasn’t a poor offer – it was Evan with cherries on top.

“I left the water on,” he said, switching topics abruptly again. “If you wanted a shower?”

“I do.”

“I could help.” He flicked his eyebrows in a lascivious way which certainly added to the general appeal of upping sticks and moving across the country.

“We’ll never get to dinner if you ‘help’,” I giggled. I cast the sheets to one side and strode naked into the bathroom, pushing the door behind me so I could dive under the water in peace while Evan dressed. As I dipped my head under the water, I thought I heard knocking but I ignored it when I heard the soft strains of music flick on in the living room, and instead lathered and rinsed until I felt I could squeak with cleanliness.

When I got out, my bedroom was empty and re-made so I towelled off and then blow dried my hair until it was straight. I pulled on a simple sheath dress in light blue and slipped a patent belt around it. Both were new even though I didn’t really know where I was going to wear them when I bought it. I smiled to myself, Étoile would have known but I wasn’t blessed with being psychic. I found a soft black cardigan with little jewel buttons to wear over the top seeing as it was cool, and finished the look with black opaque hose and flats. Evan would tower over me, even if I was in heels so I went for the comfort option. This would look fine wherever we were eating, plus Étoile and Seren were almost certain to be dressed up seeing as ‘casual’ wasn’t in their lexicon. At least I wouldn’t look like the poor cousin.

Evan gave a low whistle of appreciation when I walked into the living room. “Right black at you,” I murmured, taking in his black chinos and mulberry-coloured shirt, shot with thin black stripes. The dark colours made his eyes flash and emphasised the darkness of his hair and olive skin. I felt a flash of pride to have him as my date. It didn’t hurt to know he would be coming home with me too.

“You look sensational,” he said, then after a moment, “your neighbour Annalise came by.”

“I thought I heard someone at the door. Did she say what she wanted?”

“To remind me that there was some kind of film show on in town and that she wanted to know if you wanted to go with her and her brother.”