“I know the weather report predicted more than one hard freeze in the past few weeks. How come the pumpkins are still growing? The vines still look healthy.”
“It’s part of the magic of this place. It’s also how my aunt Tara has such good luck growing prize-winning pumpkins.”
I laughed. “Would you like me to carry some of that?”
“Nope. I deliberately wanted your hands free.”
I was expecting him to make a naughty suggestion when Liam added, “Could you go over there and pick out a nice white pumpkin?” I paused. “I suppose so, but why?” I laughed softly. “Are we going to sacrifice it?” For some reason the thought of sacrificing a pumpkin was really funny to me. I guess it could’ve been the lack of sleep.
“Close enough,” Liam said. “It’s going to be part of our offering to Cernunnos.”
“And what’s the other part?”
“Some nice wine. And you.”
I was too shocked to do anything but stare openmouthed. After a second I closed my mouth and started walking toward the pumpkins.
“It’s not as bad as it sounds,” Liam called after me. “I’ll meet you just inside the trees.” When I didn’t turn back or respond he said, “Trust me. Oh, and take the knife out of my pocket.”
I walked back, still in shock. “It’s in my right pocket,” he said, nodding downward.
“Cernunnos will not hurt you.”
I didn’t respond. I just took the knife and started back toward the pumpkins.
If I was nervous before, I was scared out of my mind now. Was I seriously supposed to offer myself to a demigod? However, I did trust Liam and he didn’t appear concerned. I glanced toward the house and saw no signs of his aunt being awake yet.
The house was a comfortable-looking two-story with pale blue siding that matched what must be the guest house, visible a bit farther across the field to the left. Neatly trimmed hedges separated the house and its surrounding yard from the larger fields out front. The smaller pumpkin patch out back began where the yard ended.
When I finally came to the patch of white pumpkins I saw a small sign beside them that read Lumina. I guessed that was the name of the variety. I’d only seen white pumpkins in pictures before and took a moment to admire them. I wanted the offering to be nice. But I also had to take into consideration how much I could carry through the woods. Who knew how far we’d be walking. Some of these looked as if they might weigh fifty pounds. I picked a perfectly shaped little pumpkin that was probably closer to fifteen pounds. I used Liam’s knife to cut the vine and put the blade in my coat pocket before taking the pumpkin and following Liam into the woods.
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His white hair stood out against the shadows of the trees as I approached, making him easy to find in the semi-darkness.
“Don’t look so frightened,” he said softly. “If I thought this was a bad idea or that you would be harmed in any way, I would never bring you here.” I smiled and regretted my hands being full. Each time I looked at Liam, I wanted to touch him. “I believe you. Let’s get this over with.” We walked for another few minutes and my arms were getting tired when he said,
“We’re here.”
Liam’s broad shoulders were blocking my view. When I stepped beside him and looked around, the enchantment of the place was obvious. There was magic not only in the way things looked, but the way they felt. An old stone carving was most prominent in the small clearing, placed right in the middle like a totem. The image was faded and vines grew over it, making it difficult to see clearly. The only thing I could make out for sure was horns. Great. That was comforting.
“You can place the pumpkin on the altar there,” Liam said, nodding toward the statue. “Be careful of the circle.”
Mushrooms ringed the statue as if a magic circle was permanently in place. “Should I do something first, before entering?” I asked.
“Not yet. Just put the pumpkin down and come here.” Right in front of the statue was a stone altar where I placed the pumpkin. When I turned back to Liam he was searching his pockets and mumbling to himself.
“Is something wrong?”
“I know I brought it.” He checked another pocket. “Ah, here it is.” He passed me a tiny purple vial. “Drink this.”
I laughed. “Again? What does this one do?”
He offered me an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry. I realize I’m asking a lot of you.”
“And making me take a lot of different potions and magical substances.”
“If you don’t drink this one, you won’t be able to stand out here naked for several hours, which is what we need.”
I inspected the bottle again, holding it up to the light. “So this will keep me from freezing?”
Liam had begun to remove white candles and quartz crystals from his black bag. “I don’t mean to rush you, but if you don’t drink it soon, the potion won’t have enough time to work.”
“Got it. We can’t exactly proceed with the ritual until I get naked.”
“Right.”
Before I could put the potion to my lips, Liam pulled me close and gave me a quick kiss. “This won’t hurt a bit,” he said, giving me a playful wink.
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I downed the potion in one gulp. “Yum. Tastes like fruit punch.” I rubbed my hands together to fight both the cold and my nervousness. “What can I do to help?” Liam looked down at the supplies as he considered my question. “I’m not sure there’s anything that you need to do until we get started. The wine,” he said, pointing toward the bag, “is part of the ritual and shouldn’t be taken into the circle until everything is in place. I have to set up the crystals and the candles. I know you don’t want to hear it, but all you need to do is get naked, have a drink and say a few words.” I put my hands on my hips and gave him what I hoped was a sarcastic look worthy of Nym.
“Honestly,” Liam said. “Just be patient.”
I found a log not far from where Liam had placed the fancy box and his black bag, sat down and watched. He ringed the circle of mushrooms with white candles. Between the candles he placed quartz stones, speaking words I didn’t understand over each.
When he was finished with this he anointed each candle with oil, also speaking over them in what I assumed was Faerie.
After this he returned to me and put the oil back in the bag. “Open the box please.” I did as he asked. I wasn’t sure what to expect to see inside the box, but I was definitely surprised. He’d said it was his invisibility cloak, so it had occurred to me that I might not see anything at all.
“Wow. This is beautiful.”
Liam offered me a smile before turning his back. “Help me put it on?” The cloak was made of feathers of all different shapes, sizes and colors. I recognized some raven feathers, peacock, turkey and possibly dove. Others must have been dyed because there were colors like purple and lime green mixed in as well. While lime green might be possible for parrots, to my knowledge purple wasn’t. Not this shade. It may not sound possible, but all these different feathers fit together in one of the most beautiful tapestries of color I’d ever seen. It was a work of art and it was well over eight feet long.
I stood on the log so I could hold out the long sleeves well enough for Liam to reach them. I understood then why he needed help. Despite the cloak’s beauty, it was awkward and heavy.
A few minutes later he stood there looking magnificent in the strange cloak, and still completely visible.
“Um, why can I still see you? I thought you said this was an invisibility cloak?” He smiled. “It is and just as soon as I pull up the hood, I’ll disappear. Don’t worry,” he said, bending down to take a plastic bag of dried rose petals from the supplies. “I’ll still be right here with you.”
I started to fan myself and slipped out of my coat. “It’s getting warm out here. How long do I have to wait before that potion starts to work?”
“I think it’s already w
orking.”
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Chapter Thirteen
“This is excellent timing,” Liam said. “Take your clothes off and I’ll finish the candles.”
That suited me fine. “I’m burning up,” I said, pulling my sweater off. “How long will this last?”
“About four hours, give or take twenty minutes.” A most unpleasant warming sensation continued to work its way through my body.
Liam was still standing beside me, but I ignored him as I undressed. I was desperate to cool off.
“I don’t ever want to do this again,” I said. “I hate this feeling.” He looked concerned. “I’m really sorry. Most people don’t have an adverse reaction to the warming potion.”
I threw my shoes beside the log and pulled off my socks. I sighed when my bare feet finally touched the cold grass. “It’s not painful,” I said. “I just don’t like feeling the urge to roll naked in snow. I hate the heat.”
“That’s something I can relate to. The good news is, it won’t feel as if you’re burning up for four hours once Cernunnos shows up.” I finished stripping while Liam took hold of the hood on his cloak. The hood was ringed with hot pink feathers that to my thinking would obstruct his view. I only had a moment to notice this before he pulled the hood completely up and in an instant he vanished.
A piece of paper floated toward me. “Take this,” Liam said. “You need to get the wine and step into the circle while I finish lighting the candles. Once the candles are lit, the circle will be complete. Then, while you read this, I’ll spread the dried rose petals around the outside of the circle. Once you’ve spoken the words, take a sip of wine and offer the rest to Cernunnos.”
Talking to an invisible man was strange, but no more so than everything else lately.
It looked as if I was alone, but I could still feel Liam’s comforting presence.
“All right.” I picked up the wine and moved toward the circle. As I entered I tapped the bottle to get Liam’s attention, wherever he was. “How am I supposed to open it?”
“The cork should come out easily enough,” Liam said. “I loosened it with a spell.” The candles burned to life one by one and I could feel the magic closing in around me. It was as if something was growing physically closer with every second. I took a deep breath. Once I got all my clothes off, the warming spell ceased to burn. Now I was just comfortably nude in the freezing cold.
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I sat the bottle at my feet and opened the note Liam had given me. I glanced at the words.
“Liam, it’s not night.”
“That doesn’t matter,” he said as the last candle was lit. “Just say the words.” I cleared my throat and directed my words toward the statue in front of me. “By the flame that burneth bright O Horned One, we call thy name into the night. We invoke thee, Cernunnos.”
“Now the wine,” Liam whispered.
I pulled the cork and since we hadn’t brought any glasses, I took a big gulp from the bottle.
“How do I offer it to him?” I asked.
“Get creative.”
I’m not sure where the idea came from. I held the wine up high, tilted back my head and poured the crimson liquid down the front of my body.
“Holy shit,” Liam whispered.
Hey, he said to get creative. If Cernunnos liked naked women and wine, then I was betting I’d just found something else he liked.
The wine didn’t have time to dry on my skin before I heard footsteps behind the statue. Heavy footsteps. What emerged from behind the massive stone was neither a horse nor a man, but a combination of both that I’d only seen in mythology books.
“You’re a centaur,” I said breathlessly.
He smiled and my pulse raced. Whatever else he might be, Cernunnos was gorgeous. His body was that of a powerful warhorse. Only where the horse’s neck should have been, a man’s perfectly sculpted waist began. His human half was as finely muscled as the rest of him. His skin was lightly tanned, with a patch of dark chest hair that I wanted to curl my fingers through. This hair trailed down his abs where it connected to the equally dark fur of the rest of his body. Long, dark hair hung in waves, framing a strongly featured yet devastatingly handsome face. He looked down at me and that’s when I noticed the horns. They were smaller than a ram’s, but with the same shape. Since they were also black, his hair hid them until he turned a certain way.
“It isn’t night,” he said, laughing softly. “Come closer.” His voice was a deep rumble that made my entire body feel more alive.
He took one step closer and reached for me. “Did you give your consent to this summoning, or did the shaman trick you?” Before I could answer he turned to the right and said, “You can come out now, Liam. I know you’re here.” Liam removed his hood and the centaur turned his attention back to me. “I didn’t know what to expect, but I’m the one who needs your help. The ritual was his but I am the one who summoned you here.”
Cernunnos smiled his approval. “By the way you just looked at him, I can tell there is something between you.”
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Wow. I didn’t realize my glance toward Liam was so telling.
“Have you explained to her, Liam, that anything done with a demigod is not considered cheating?”
His tone was playful and I wondered if he was only teasing me. Still, my pulse quickened painfully at his words. What the hell had I gotten myself into?
“No, but it’s true,” Liam directed the last part of his answer toward me. “Whatever you do here is of your own free will and won’t be held against you.” Cernunnos looked down at me and though the smile faded from his lips, it remained in his gray eyes. “I don’t think that’s the answer she needs to hear.”
“You’re right,” I said. “If whatever it is you’ve got in mind isn’t cheating, then what is it?”
“A gift.”
Oh my God. I literally trembled at his words. “Before we go further, could you please give me some straight answers about what is going on here? Please.”
“Of course. I will answer any question except the one you summoned me for.” He took a deep breath. “What’s going on here is a mutual agreement. I will help you for a price. Once you’ve paid that price I will answer your question to the best of my ability.
If at any time you decide the price is too great, I will answer according to what you have paid.”
“You mean if I don’t go through with it I’ll only get half an answer.”
“Exactly. However, I think you’ll find that if you let go of your human reasoning and morality, you’ll enjoy the price just as much as the answer.” Damn that was sexy. I tried to keep the tremor from my voice as I asked, “How do we get this started?”
Cernunnos smiled and reached for me again, only this time I took his hand. The instant I touched him I felt better, stronger and somehow weaker at the same time. My legs shook a little but I felt charged with energy. Power flowed through him like a current and radiated out from him in waves. It wasn’t threatening, but very impressive.
“Explain to me what you need to know,” he said. As he spoke Cernunnos lightly caressed the backs of my knuckles, helping to calm me further.
“A few nights ago my friend was attacked by a creature that I’ve not been able to identify. I believe she was eaten. I saw the beginning of the attack, but looked away before the end. It was dark. The only things I know for sure are that the creature was big, hairy, had long claws and glowing red eyes. My first thought was a werewolf; however, the Wolf King, Marco Barak, thinks that’s unlikely. Mostly because of the glowing red eyes. I want to know what happened to my friend.”
“And you need my help in identifying this creature,” he finished.
“Yes. I’m sorry I don’t have a simple question. I summed it up as best I could.”
“That’s all right,” he said, shaking his long hair in a very horse-like gesture. “I don’t hav
e a simple answer. But I do believe I can help.” 99
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“What’s the price?” I asked.
His eyes sparkled with wicked promises. “I’m not so different from a mortal man when it comes down to it.”
“I find that very hard to believe. Now be honest, what do you want?”
“A good, stiff drink and a long, hard ride.”
My heart did another painful thump at his words. “You mean you want some wine?” I asked, my voice sounding faint.
Cernunnos pulled me closer and I had to tilt my head almost completely back to watch him. Did I forget to mention he was around seven feet tall? Oh yeah, the guy was huge.
“I thirst for more than the wine, but it’s a nice start.” Cernunnos put his hands underneath my arms and lifted me as if I weighed nothing. He pulled me tightly against his human half and I gasped at the contact. Skin against skin never fails to excite me. Strangely, I didn’t see him as a creature and definitely not as a beast. There was something in his eyes that couldn’t be mistaken for anything but a man. And yet he was something more. When he held me I knew through his touch—and my gift—that this was his favorite form, and Cernunnos had many.
Despite how the situation might sound, I wasn’t threatened by him. Even though I had gone into this unaware of what would be required, his touch was most welcome. I couldn’t imagine anyone turning away from him.
I held the bottle tightly in one hand as I wrapped my arms around his neck. The feel of his soft chest hair against my breasts made my nipples hard and my pussy ache. I arched against him as he ran his hand down my back to cup my ass. The demigod brushed his face against mine as he whispered, “You’re going to enjoy this.” I looked over the centaur’s shoulder to give Liam one more questioning glance.
“Consider it an early Winter Solstice present,” the shaman said.
Cernunnos laughed as he lifted me so that my breasts were directly in front of his face.
“Use my body to brace yourself if you need to,” he said, his voice deepened with desire. “Don’t be afraid, I won’t drop you. Now, pour the wine.” I watched him lower his handsome face toward my breasts, felt his breath against my skin and shivered with delight. I brought the bottle up to my chest and let a tentative little splash trickle down my right breast. Cernunnos flicked his tongue over the mound of my breast, licking the wine from my skin before taking my nipple into his mouth with a moan.
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