by Kimber White
“Have you been watching me?”
I considered her question. “I’ve been watching over you. You needed the rest. You’ve been through a lot.”
She turned on her side and rested her head on her arm. She yawned. “That was...Finn...I don’t even know…”
I leaned down and kissed her softly. She put a hand to my cheek. “How do you feel now?” I asked.
She sat up. Her hair fell in a shimmering curtain over her shoulder. “Good. Great, actually. I feel...calmer, somehow.”
“You are. Your magic is...uh...settled.”
She put a hand in front of her face, spreading her fingers wide. She snapped two fingers together and created a tiny ball of fire about the size of a golf ball. Then, she snapped her fingers again and made it disappear.
“Wow,” she said. “I haven’t been able to do that for a while. What did you do to me?”
“I didn’t do anything. That was all you. You...uh...you took what you needed from me.”
Her brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”
“I’m going on instinct here,” I said. “It’s not like there’s much precedent for dragon on witch sex. But, I felt you draw from me. When your fire joined mine, something just clicked, I think.”
“Hmmm.” Those worry lines hadn’t left her brow. She slid out of bed and found her bra and panties. I hated to watch her dress. I wanted to keep her here forever. But, I knew it wasn’t the safest plan. Durness was a small town. There was a good chance someone saw her come inside. They’d know she spent the night.
“Gemma, I want to see you again. I think I need to see you again.”
She pulled her t-shirt over her head and slipped on her jeans. She sat on the bed beside me. “This,” she said, gesturing to the space between us. “I don’t know what this is.”
I laced my fingers through her hair and pulled her into a kiss, leaving her gasping as I pulled away.
“I’ve been alone for a really long time,” she said. “I mean, since my parents died.”
“Who raised you?” I asked.
“The Coven. Well, the Five actually. I’ve lived with all of them at one point or another. They’re the closest thing I have left to family. And I’m scared, Finn. Scared they’re going to find out the trouble I was having. And scared of what they’re going to do to you.”
I rose. Fear came into Gemma’s eyes and I knew fire came into mine. “I can take care of myself,” I said. “If they try to do anything to harm you. I’m not asking you to betray your family. But, I won’t let them hurt you. I don’t care who I have to go through to keep that from happening.”
“We should tell them,” she said. “We should tell them who you are. I know it sounds crazy, but I know you. You said you wouldn’t let anyone hurt me. So, I know you know that taking coven lands away would hurt me. So, sign it over to us. Don’t give them a reason to have to take action.”
Again, I felt split in two. The heat of the dragonstone beneath my bed reached me. It would be so easy to tell her about it. I trusted Gemma. But, I didn’t trust the rest of her coven. Not yet.
“I’ll think about it,” I said. “I’ll talk to my family. But, Gemma, you have to keep my secret. The coven can’t know what I am. I know you think you owe them your life, but we’re dealing with something ancient. Something that goes further back than the both of us.”
She cocked her head to the side, considering something. “You’re old, aren’t you?”
“What?”
“I don’t know why it hadn’t occurred to me before. But now, it’s like...I feel it. Finn, you’re like really, really old.”
I smiled. “Do I look really, really old?”
She blushed. Then, she reached for me, tracing her finger over my abs. “Mmm, you don’t look a day over two hundred. But, seriously, when were you born?”
I hesitated. But, she already knew almost everything. I had secrets to keep, but I wouldn’t tell her lies. “I’m three hundred and four. But, that doesn’t really mean much in dragon years. Dragons and their mates can live for thousands of years.”
Her face went white as she processed the information. Then, she let out a breath. “Oh, boy. Okay then. Wow. I have...so many questions. So, you’re immortal.”
“No,” I said. “Just long-lived. And, there’s not much that can kill a dragon except for…”
She put a hand up. “Except for dragonstone,” she said. “I’ve heard that legend too. And I know metal forged with dragonfire is the only thing strong enough to bind any other kind of shifter. Witches too. And that dragonblood has healing powers. Is that it? Is that what you did to me?”
I opened my mouth to answer, then realized I didn’t have one. But no, it wasn’t my blood that gave her back some control of her magic. And I had no idea how long it would last.
Gemma’s phone buzzed. She jumped, startled. She took it out and her eyes widened.
“Oh, shit,” she said. “Finn, I’m sorry. I have to go. It’s the Five. They’re looking for me. It won’t take much for them to figure out I came here.”
“Okay,” I said, leaning forward to kiss her again. “But promise me you’ll be careful. Don’t take chances you don’t need to. And if you feel like you’re about to set something on fire again that you shouldn’t, call me.”
She smiled and gave me a salute. “Roger that.”
“And I want to see you again. Tonight.”
Her cheeks flamed red. “I...I don’t...I’ll try. That’s all I can promise.”
“That’s all I ask.”
She hesitated, tapping her fingers on the doorframe. Her sultry smile stirred my loins again. It took every ounce of willpower I had not to throw her back on the bed and take her again. I knew the same thought ran through her mind. But, her phone rang again. She was right. It would do neither of us any good if the coven showed up on my doorstep.
Chapter Twelve
Gemma
The coven was at my doorstep. Timothy, Benny, Paula, and Miles stood outside the front entrance to the gift shop. Jonas was off to the side looking pitiful at least. He mouthed an “I’m sorry,” as I adjusted the shoulder strap of my purse and took a steadying breath. Karina and Chelsea Burnett were there too. I was horrified that they’d dragged an eleven-year-old girl into this. From the window, I saw Delia peering out. She’d at least denied them entry to the store until I got here. Still, this felt like an ambush.
“Where have you been?” Paula asked. When Jonas tried to step forward, she put a hand on his arm.
“Out,” I said. My anger rose. I wasn’t some teenager out past her curfew. This was my home. My place of business.
“We need to talk,” Timothy said. “We’ve been trying to call you. You should have answered your phone.”
I had a million things to say to them. They couldn’t order me around. If I felt like flying halfway across the country or leaving Durness altogether, that was my business. The judgment in their eyes stoked the fire inside me. Maybe my eyes flashed. Paula’s jaw dropped and Miles leaned in to whisper something to her.
“Gemma,” Karina said. “We’ve all been to the woods. We wanted you to come with us. This isn’t a trial.”
“Really?” I made sure not to look at Chelsea. The child was scared to death. What the hell was Karina thinking making her a part of this? Though I really wished she’d kept her mouth shut, I knew she was just doing what she’d been taught. What we’d all been taught. If any witch saw the signs of another witch out of control, we had to speak up.
I pushed past Miles and unlocked the front door to the store. “I need to be open for business in about twenty minutes. I’ll give you ten. And not all of you are welcome.”
My message was clear. If I was being challenged, this was a matter for the Five and no one else. I felt mild guilt as Jonas’s eyes locked with mine. I knew he was trying to help. He’d warned me. If he hadn’t approached me yesterday, this meeting would have come as a complete blindside. Still, I was right. I wasn’t some novice
witch learning how to cast spells. I was Gemma Hayes. I was a member of the Five. As my fingers closed around the doorknob, it heated, becoming red hot. I lifted my chin and my heart hardened. I knew I was ten times stronger than any of them. Maybe more.
I let out a breath. As it flowed through me, my fire quieted. The doorknob grew cool again. Power and control. One was useless without the other. Something had shifted inside of me over the last twenty-four hours. I wished they would all just go away so I could explore it.
Delia blocked the door after I went in. She stared hard at the rest of them. Then, she turned to me.
I have a thing or two to say to you.
She transmitted her thoughts to me, unspoken. Delia’s eyes glowed. She didn’t use her powers like that much anymore. The air around her seemed charged.
I know. I answered her back. Then, she moved to the side, letting the rest of them in. I was more scared of Delia’s wrath than theirs.
We went to the back room. Murmurs rose among them. It occurred to me they weren’t all on the same page about how to deal with me. It wasn’t hard to figure out where they fell. Timothy and Benny would call for caution. Miles would be ready to fight. I would have expected Paula to rally to my side. She was the most maternal of the bunch. In her mind she often thought of me as one of her kids. The daughter she never had.
“Out with it,” I said. “You all think you know something about me. I’m not in the mood for diplomacy.”
“We’re worried about you, that’s all,” Timothy said. “We have reason to believe there was some type of incident out in the woods the other day. We want to hear your side of it.”
“I’ll save you the trouble,” I said. “Chelsea was out there trying to declare. Karina’s been sending her out there. I know she’s worried. Chelsea’s getting old not to have shown any powers at all. She saw me do something she didn’t understand. Then, she did what we’re all taught to do. She reported it.”
“We saw the aftermath,” Paula said. “Trees rendered to ash. The kind of heat that had to have taken. When no one saw the burn from here in town.”
“What else did you see?” I asked. This was dangerous ground. I was skirting the truth, protecting Finn. As far as I could tell, Chelsea hadn’t seen him. His cloaking spell didn’t work on me, but it did on her. I said a silent thanks for that.
“What do you mean?” Benny asked.
I pressed my advantage, crossing my arms in front of me I took two steps toward him. “I mean, what else did you see? Did it look like a controlled burn to you?”
“That’s not the point!” Miles shouted. “We don’t burn things like that in the wilderness.”
“We burn things all the time,” I said. “You of all people should know that. It’s how we test the limits of our power.”
“She’s right,” Benny said. “Those burn marks weren’t random. It was a circle.”
“You don’t do that kind of thing without telling someone!” Paula yelled. “It’s dangerous. Reckless. You could have done real damage. I mean, for heaven’s sake, you could have seriously hurt Chelsea. Admit it, you didn’t even know she was close by.”
My gut twisted. I was lying to all of them. At least, I was dealing in half-truths. Still, I knew in my heart that Chelsea Burnett was never in any danger that day. Except, it wasn’t me who would have been able to save her.
“Enough,” Miles said. “We’re spinning our wheels here. You haven’t been yourself for weeks, Gemma. You can make all the excuses and try to spin what you did out there all day long. The fact is, there’s enough evidence raised to make a challenge warranted. So, I’m issuing it. Prove to us right here and now that you have control of your powers.”
A gasp went around the room. Benny and Timothy looked sick to their stomachs. There was a crash in the store behind us as something fell to the ground. Delia shouldn’t have been, but she was listening.
“A challenge,” I said, my anger boiling. “You want to submit me to a council challenge?”
“Yes!” Miles didn’t back down. No member of the Five had challenged another like this in living memory. It should have terrified me. Maybe a week ago, it would have. But, right then, right there, it emboldened me.
“Miles, wait,” Benny said. “Everybody just hold on. You’re talking out of anger. No, fear, more likely. With everything going on, we’re all just on edge. Let’s talk about this. Let’s not forget the real threat. It’s Brandhart. It’s the land deal. It’s not going to help anything if we start fighting amongst ourselves.”
“I’m not fighting,” Miles said. “I’m asking for a simple challenge. If Gemma really does have control of her powers, she can prove that in a second. If she doesn’t, well...we need to know that too. And it’s my right to bring this forward as the only other fire mage on the council. No, not my right. It’s my responsibility.”
White sparks crackled from my fingertips. The smell of ozone filled the air.
“Jesus Christ on a cross!” Timothy said. “Here? You wanna do this here? Now? Emotions are too dang high right now. One of you is liable to set the building on fire.”
“Only if one of us lacks control,” Miles said. “I’ve kept my tongue for too long. There’s something off about you, Gemma. I’ve felt it. There’s white heat all around you. It shifts and ripples. It’s not normal.”
“Really?” I said, taking a step toward him. “What about now? Huh? What do you sense now, Miles?”
His face fell. His eyes flickered, searching my face. This was a dangerous game, but one I knew I could win. For the first time in months, I knew the edges of my power. Strength poured through me. It was as if every nerve ending in my body lit with flame. It pulsed and rose.
I was invincible. I was everything. Timothy was right. If I wanted to set the whole building on fire I could do it in a split second.
“Well?” I asked, keeping my gaze locked on Miles. I felt his magic rising to the surface. The Source might be the same, but his felt so much different than mine. Inferior. He had an old strength. Honed. Schooled. And he could do damage if he wanted. Still, in my mind’s eye I knew he was no match for me.
“An orb!” he commanded, earning a smile from me.
A simple orb of light. It was a fitting test. When they’re young, just learning the limits of their powers, most fire mages can’t manage that type of spell. But, for older, more seasoned mages, it was one of the most useful.
An orb is an ancient protection spell. At its simplest form, it’s merely a light source. It can be a beacon. And it can be a ward.
I took a breath, gathering my magic around me. The air shifted as a pocket of heat formed around me. Miles’s eyes widened. He hadn’t expected me to accept the challenge so readily. I was calling his bluff.
“Miles!” Paula cried.
I lifted my right hand, holding the palm flat, facing upward. I didn’t look at it. I didn’t need to. I closed my eyes and let the energy flow through me. The orb grew from a tiny speck of light, getting bigger and bigger until it was the size of a basketball.
Timothy stepped back, shielding his eyes. It was dangerous to look directly at it. The ball of light swirled and spun. The surface of it crackled with tiny bolts of lightning. The room brightened, as if the roof had blown off and the sun shone down.
Then, I started showing off. I lowered my hand but kept the orb suspended in place. I didn’t need to see it. I felt it. It was part of me. I turned my back on it and started toward the door.
“For heaven’s sake, Miles,” Benny said. “What more do you need?”
I looked over my shoulder and smiled. Miles’s expression shifted like a kaleidoscope. First, there was a flash of anger. No matter what else he was, Miles Marvin didn’t like being wrong. But, he was also a fire mage like me. He respected my power. His face brightened, his mouth curved into a smirk. Then, he took his index finger and passed it through the ball of light. It crackled. Flames shot out, striking him in the arm. It didn’t hurt him though. It was just a war
ning. More importantly, the orb maintained its shape.
“Enough,” Paula said. “We’ve seen enough.”
I turned, leaning against the wall. I lifted two fingers and waved them through the air. The orb spun at dizzying speed. Then, its light dimmed and it shrank to just a pinpoint of light. As the others looked on, the light flamed one last time, then went out.
The room held the weight of their silence. Benny and Timothy smiled at me with pride. Miles’s eyes held respect. Only Paula still looked scared.
“All right then,” Miles said. “I think we’re done here.”
With no further discussion, they all left the storeroom and headed out into the alley. I exhaled.
My power still coiled through me. It was mine again. I was in control. At the same time, another truth rippled through me. It was temporary. Maybe borrowed. It was Finn. What we shared last night had changed me. Tapping into his power had allowed me to better control my own.
And it all made me a liar to the Five. What would they do if they ever found out?
“You’re lucky,” Delia said. I jumped. I hadn’t even heard her open the door.
“And you’re eavesdropping when you know you shouldn’t be,” I said.
“Hmmph. It’s not like any of you were trying to be quiet. You just be careful, honey. I’ve known them far longer than you have. And I don’t like where they’re heading with any of this.”
She knew. How the hell could she know?
“It has to be you,” she said. “You know that, right?”
I did, and I didn’t. Delia Bradbury talked in riddles. But, she was right. The Five were headed down a path that could hurt Finn Brandhart. It would be up to me to stop it.
Chapter Thirteen
Finn
“You’re going to have to give her some kind of answer,” Xander said. He sat at the head of the conference room table in our Chicago skyrise office overlooking Lake Michigan. He’d been the one to call the meeting. I hated leaving Gemma for even a few hours, but it felt good to be here too.