Finding her voice, Sarah held her head higher and stuck her chin out. “I shall enter the portal to depart to the day before I arrived here. And mark this, the second I do, I shall seek you out and end your despicable life.” She took a step closer, and he cried out in pain as his arm twisted over farther. “Ridding this time of you and your hateful thoughts shall be my gift to the future.”
Hazel watched the fear flicker across his face and wanted to make sure they were clear about their intentions. “Sarah and Ayotunde will end this where it all started, the hallowed ground of Salem.” She walked closer and put her mouth next to his ear. “It will be as if you never existed at all; even Blaise won’t remember your name.”
He growled with anger and tried to get up, groaning when the position of his arm wouldn’t allow it. “You’ll never get the chance. It will be me that ends this, and Blaise will sing my praise from the rooftops of your fallen city.”
Electricity crackled at Hazel’s fingertips. She felt the energy building with each word he said. She wanted to trace a large H on his face, retribution for what Blaise had done to Raven. She’d leave her mark on him. She raised her hand, the desire to cause him pain growing stronger with each passing second. Then Morgan’s voice appeared in her head as if she were standing next to her. Get to the hotel. The intrusion into her thoughts snapped her back to reality, and she pulled her hand back.
She looked between Ayotunde and Sarah. “Fate will give them what they have coming. Let’s get out of here.”
Sarah’s narrowed eyelids and the way she glared at Lucien indicated that she wanted to say more. She was clearly trapped somewhere between wanting to inflict pain on this revolting man and following through with the plan. In the end, her greater angels won, and Sarah backed away from him.
Before they left, Hazel ran her hands in several circles, creating a windstorm in the small studio. Papers flew in every direction, the chair tipped over, and two ceramic lamps fell to the ground, shattering. Ayotunde left Dirk where he sat playing with imaginary blocks as papers whipped across his face. Hazel winked at Sarah, wanting to convey that everything would be okay. They walked out the door and hurried to the car, needing to meet Raven and Morgan at the hotel.
As Hazel ran through the hallway, she prayed to the goddess that the blood she saw on the carpet belonged to anyone but Raven.
Chapter Nineteen
Raven made her fifth lap around the hotel room, unable to settle down since they returned. The hellhound had rendered her unconscious just as Morgan had him swept into her orb. Her head throbbed from the exchange, but the adrenaline that raced through her system wasn’t letting up.
Morgan sat on the large leather chair in the corner and sipped her scotch. “Stop pacing; you’re making me dizzy. If you want something to do to pass the time, I can think of a few more entertaining options.” She winked.
Raven continued, now chewing on her thumb. “We shouldn’t have left them. They weren’t ready to be kicked out of the nest.”
Morgan ran a hand through her hair, snapped her fingers, and an invisible force thrust Raven into a seat. “You underestimate them. They’re extremely capable women who were trained by the best mentors. I want to talk to you while we have a minute.”
Raven picked up her glass of scotch, assuming she’d need the mind lubricant for whatever Morgan wanted to say. “I’m all ears.” She took a sip and leaned forward, putting her elbows on her knees.
“This thing going on between you and Hazel.” She put her hand up when Raven was about to protest. “Don’t bother. Even if I wasn’t the most powerful witch who ever lived, I’m not blind.” She paused for Raven to bite back her retort. “What is your endgame?”
Raven took another sip of her drink. “My endgame?”
Morgan waved her hand in the air. “What do you hope will happen between you two? Before you answer, please remember that I know whenever someone lies to me.”
Raven shook her head. “I don’t know. I’ve never been in a situation like this before. I’m drawn to her, I think about her constantly, and I want to be near her all the time.” She ran a hand over her face. “Christ, I sound like a teenager.”
Morgan nodded. “Desperation isn’t an attractive look on you, darling.” She ran her hands down the tops of her legs, looking slightly distressed. “I can see her destiny, and Raven, you aren’t in it.”
Raven had been hit hundreds, if not thousands, of times in her life. She had come face-to-face with evil so old, its origins might never be discovered. She had felt the pits of Hell burning in the eyes of the damned and tasted the trappings of death more times than she could remember. She was also sure that none of that had ever frightened or hurt her more than Morgan’s cutting words. Her stomach rolled, and she sat back, hoping the room would stop spinning.
Morgan looked as if she was going to say more, but before she had the chance, the door opened, and the three witches entered the room in a flurry. Hazel was in front of her in an instant. She ran her hands over Raven’s face and body, clearly checking to verify that she was in one piece. Hazel’s touch burned, but not like it had before with lust and tenderness. This time, the fire she felt as Hazel touched her was born in the truly unobtainable.
“Did everything go as planned?” Morgan asked.
Sarah and Ayotunde recounted the details, but Hazel never took her eyes off Raven. Raven willed Hazel’s focus to be on something else, but she’d never have that power. She’d never be Hazel’s equal and never be anything more than Morgan’s shadowhunter. The complete picture that formed in Raven’s mind nauseated her. She stood like stone, trying to protect herself from the anguish of an inevitable reality. She wanted to bolt but knew Hazel would chase her, and she couldn’t deal with that, not yet.
“Hazel?” Morgan asked.
Hazel finally released her eyes from Raven. “Hmm?”
“Are you okay?” Morgan’s tone didn’t hold real concern—contempt maybe, but not concern.
Hazel shook her head, a blank expression clouding her face. “I wanted to hurt him. I almost did. I’ve never felt like that before. It scared the hell out of me.”
A wicked smile split Morgan’s face. “The powers within you compelled you to hurt Lucien?”
Hazel nodded.
“It’s the white magic in you. It inherently wants to destroy the dark, and vice versa. It’s a dirty little trick the goddess dreamt up, her version of balance.”
“What’s our next move?” Hazel said. “We’ve convinced them we’re going to foil their plans at every turn, so Blaise isn’t going to be very happy with us.”
“And that’s exactly what we wanted,” Morgan said. “Our plan to get them back to the portal in Salem has been set in motion.” She clapped, and flutes bubbling with champagne appeared in all of their hands. “We leave for Salem tomorrow. We have a week until All Hallows’ Eve, and we need to prepare. Blaise will need to gather some reinforcements before him and his cronies make the journey. We’ll have to get there, gather supplies, and do a few run-throughs before the big night.” She clapped. “One of the reasons I needed to see Blaise in person today was to see what his primary source of energy is. Now that I know, I can beat him once and for all.” She sipped her champagne. “Lucien, Dirk, and Tammi—without them, he will fall. Their power is stronger because they’re related. Once we are able to get rid of them, it won’t matter how many others he’s drawing from. I’ll be able to terminate his life force once and for all.”
Ayotunde looked concerned. “What effect will that have on the other realms?”
Morgan shrugged. “I honestly don’t know, but I can’t let him wander around snagging other dum-dums who are willing to do his bidding.” She smiled and rocked back and forth in her seat.
Raven’s ears were hot, partially from Hazel’s eyes and partially because she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “You don’t know what will happen to the realms if you kill him?”
Morgan shrugged. “Nope. That’s why I di
dn’t to it a few thousand years ago. Oh my God, you guys have no idea; he’s always been a total buzzkill. Always with the there can be only one and I’m the most powerful. Seriously, terrible at parties.”
Raven stood and walked out of the room, needing space and some quiet. And to be away from Hazel. She couldn’t bear the way her eyes seemed to claim possession of Raven. It was too much, it was all too much.
* * *
Hazel knocked on the door to Raven’s room and waited. She could sense Raven’s unease and wanted nothing more than to make it stop. She hadn’t been able to tap into Raven earlier with Morgan in the hallway. Still learning how to control and manifest her powers was both exciting and frustrating. She wasn’t sure when she’d have another opportunity to get Raven alone, and she wanted to discuss what she’d found back in New Orleans while perusing her family grimoire. Raven might not feel like company, but this was important. She pressed the electric lock and felt the buzzing in her fingers until it opened. Raven looked up when she entered, but there was no look of surprise.
“Don’t,” Raven said.
“Don’t what?”
“I can feel you trying to ease my feelings. Don’t.”
“Okay.” Hazel took a seat at the desk across from her. She sat quietly for a moment, trying to gather her thoughts and choose her words carefully. “You know, everything has been such a whirlwind lately: you discovering Blaise, almost dying, and us coming here. It’s like…” She shook her head. “Then there was our brief encounter and then tonight. Through it all, I haven’t had the chance to really talk to you.”
Raven rubbed her hands over her face. “There’s nothing for us to talk about, Hazel. Please, let’s not complicate this mission even further with speculation about things that will never be.”
“Raven, there’s something you need to know. Something I found.” She stood and walked over, sitting next to her on the bed. “There’s something in the grimoire, something that can save you.”
Raven turned and looked at her. “Save me from what?” She put her hands in front of her. “From Morgan, from this life, from you? What are you trying to save me from today?”
Hazel searched Raven’s eyes. Their vibrancy was fueled by anger, mistrust, and the loss of control. “From whichever you choose. But it should be your choice, Raven. The rest…it just doesn’t matter.” She took her hands. “Morgan hasn’t told you the whole truth about the curse. The curse is contained in something called the Dare Stone. It’s what ties you to Morgan, to this life, and if it’s destroyed, you can have your life back.”
Raven regarded her with skepticism and walked to the other side of the room. “What about my uncle?” she said as she looked out the window.
Hazel stayed where she was, wanting to give Raven her space. “As far as I can tell, it’s your whole family line. If we can get it and break it, you’ll be free.”
Hazel thought of tapping into Raven now. She wanted to know what she was thinking, but she didn’t. Some considerations deserved privacy. Raven deserved to wade through this information without her intrusion.
Raven crossed her arms. “Morgan knows about the stone?”
Hazel swallowed her laugh. “Raven, Morgan created the stone. It contains the details of the fate of the original Roanoke colony. Your cursed lineage was forged in their blood.”
Raven turned toward her now, and Hazel clenched her fists to keep herself from going to her and wiping the tears away. “Where is the stone?”
“Morgan wears a piece of it around her neck. From what I read, it acts like a homing device. If we can get it, we can locate the rest.”
Raven leaned against the wall and slid to the ground. She looked utterly defeated. “You’re saying there’s a way out that doesn’t include my death?”
Hazel sat next to her and took her hand. She intertwined their fingers and kissed Raven’s knuckles. “If that’s what you want. I’ll help you find it and destroy it, but only if that’s what you want. I wanted to tell you earlier. In fact, I’ve wanted to tell you ever since I discovered it. But I didn’t want it to be a distraction for you, and I didn’t want to cause any unease between you and Morgan before dealing with Blaise. But now I think it may act as an inspiration for you, like the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel.”
Raven watched her. She seemed to be searching for the truth in her words, and Hazel hoped she could feel it.
Hazel put Raven’s hand against her face. “Whatever is happening between us, or doesn’t end up happening, I want your future to be yours. I want you to choose it. You deserve that.”
As Raven bit her lower lip, Hazel wanted nothing more than to cover her mouth with hers, but she remained rooted in her spot. The energy between them was different this time. It was laced with possibility and the hints of a potential future. But if anything happened right now, it needed to be Raven’s decision.
Raven gently brushed a hand against Hazel’s cheek. Hazel felt it trembling against her face and wanted so badly to soothe all her trepidation, but she did nothing. Her heart starting pounding in her ears as Raven’s mouth moved closer to hers. Raven’s breath against her face accented with hints of champagne, scotch, and Raven’s unique scent awakened her body from head to toe. Her breathing stopped in anticipation, and she only hoped she wouldn’t pass out before Raven made up her mind.
The kiss came so softly, it was like a whisper between their mouths. Hazel knew this moment would change everything between them. This kiss had the potential to change Hazel to her very core, and she could feel it doing just that. Raven’s soft, warm lips moved gently against hers. Hazel’s entire body reacted to the tenderness. She wanted to drink Raven in as slowly and completely as possible.
Raven’s hand cascaded from her face down to her neck and pulled her more tightly against her. She felt her tongue in her mouth as Raven deepened the kiss. Hazel felt the weight of a lifetime of self-deprecating doubt bubble up through her body and ease out. Kissing Raven in this moment was the closest she’d ever come to understanding what the poets meant when they threw around words like fate and destiny. A soft moan escaped Raven as their mouths continued to explore each other, and Hazel felt her ears warm when the wonderful sound entered her psyche.
Raven stood and brought Hazel up along with her. She walked her over in front of the bed and sat her down. Hazel watched in amazement as the colors on Raven’s body changed. Her normally perfect tanned complexion flushed red at her cheeks and down her neck as she ripped her shirt from her torso. Hazel marveled at the lines that made up Raven’s structure. If she wasn’t here, sitting in front of her, able to touch her, she would swear they were painted by an artist. Her curves were so soft, so welcoming, they begged to be caressed and appreciated. Her muscles were lean and firm, a perfect contrast to the exquisite curvature. Hazel reached for Raven, not only because she needed to feel her skin but also to ground herself to this moment. She needed to know it was real, to feel her senses come alive with the contact of her skin.
Hazel put a hand on Raven’s waist, running her thumb over the expanse of her stomach. Her throat caught when she saw the goose bumps that erupted in the wake of her touch, realizing the effect she had. Raven leaned down and stripped Hazel’s shirt off. In the past, Hazel would have felt exposed, shy, even embarrassed. That wasn’t what she felt under Raven’s gaze. She felt truly beautiful for the first time in her life as Raven’s eyes traced over her. Her gaze seemed to consume every inch of her exposed skin like small kisses, intimate in a way Hazel had never experienced.
Hazel waited as long as she could; her body hummed with need. It was almost primitive, the urgency of desire and fervor. She craved Raven, felt the deprivation in every part of her body. When Hazel pulled Raven on top of her, the sense of relief and passion that flooded her senses when their skin touched was all-consuming.
Raven nipped and kissed her neck as she let her fingers push into the fleshy hollow of Raven’s spine. Raven stopped to look at her, and for a split second, Haze
l thought words like can’t and shouldn’t were going to fall from her lips. But concern was quickly replaced with a feverish kiss that was filled with intentions of want and need.
Hazel traced Raven’s side and slipped her fingers below her waistband. She was rewarded with a shudder that traveled through Raven’s body. Hazel undid the button and zipper on Raven’s pants and slid the garments down her body. Raven traced kisses down her neck, stopping at her chest to tease the sensitive area. Hazel could feel her need growing with each caress of Raven’s lips against her skin. She shoved her hands into Raven’s short dark hair as her head moved lower.
Raven undid Hazel’s pants and yanked them off her body. Her mouth traced along the area her clothing had just occupied, and Hazel almost cried out at the wonderful contradiction of the cool air and Raven’s warmth that was seemingly trying to memorize every inch of her.
Raven worked her way farther down to Hazel’s center, and when her warm tongue finally found its place on Hazel’s sex, the sensation was so overwhelming, Hazel groaned in the exquisite abandon of Raven’s touch. The noise that escaped her wasn’t one Hazel had ever heard before. It conveyed pure sensuality and craving, and Hazel wanted more. Her senses started to ignite with anticipation as Raven moved her mouth around her center. She wanted this sensation to last forever, this closeness and sense of belonging she felt with Raven to go on for all of her days, but her ability to hang on was waning with each expert maneuver of Raven’s tongue. Her rhythmic movements were becoming more focused, more intense. She was pushing Hazel closer to climax. Hazel felt as if she was swimming in a sea of euphoria when the first edge of the orgasm exploded through her body. Raven wrapped her hands around her legs and pushed deeper inside her. Hazel’s body reacted in kind to Raven’s attention, dispatching waves of bliss to every nerve ending in her body as she cried out her name.
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