Enchant Me

by Anne Violet

  “Come on dear, time for us to go inside,” I heard Charles say.

  Sheepishly I drew back just a little, to smile at them in good night, and then turned back again to my personal shaman, looking from him down to my hands and up again. “Everything still feels so dreamlike to me, what about you?”

  Wrapping an arm around me and pulling me onto his lap, he grasped my hands lightly in his, massaging from the palms out to my fingers. It felt so good; I completely relaxed against him, tucking my head on his shoulder.

  He seemed to be thinking before he spoke. “It probably should, but it doesn’t.”

  I studied him for a moment while he studied me, we were so much alike, and yet so different. “You’re practical,” I said as I cupped his face in my hand, just because I wanted to touch him. “You’ve already moved past wonderment and straight into acceptance.” His lips quirked adorably up in the corners and he shrugged his shoulders.

  “That’s ok; one of us has to be,” I said.

  He pulled me into another warm melting kiss before he drew away. “If I want to graduate I should probably go home and try to take care of any coursework I missed. My grandparents should probably know that I am still alive and planning on graduating on time too but-.”

  “I’ll be fine,” I interrupted. “I’ll even go to school tomorrow.”

  “Alright, if you need me…”

  “I know,” I breathed. As we stood up from the bench, he looked so beautiful and romantic; I just had to get a picture. “Wait here,” I ordered. I ran into the house, straight to my room and fumbled with my bag until I found my camera. I flipped it to the night setting and attempted to walk with more dignity on the way out than on the way in. With a small bashful smile to my grandmother and Charles, sitting in the dark in the kitchen, obviously playing chaperone, I walked back out into the dark to find my magic man.

  He was sitting again, stretched out almost completely across the seat, his eyes closed, arms folded relaxed against his chest, his feet crossed at the ankles, his midnight hair falling in his face, he looked like some dark angel. I almost dropped to my knees when he opened his eyes and that slow seductive smile crossed his lips. I quickly took the picture before I leaned over, braced myself on the bench and brushed a teasing kiss across his lips.

  Lifting away, an old pickup line I heard came to mind. “Did it hurt?”

  His brows pulled together in confusion. “Did what hurt?”

  “When you fell from heaven,” I breathed across his lips.

  “You’re an idiot,” he said and laughed. I gave him a little kidney punch as he stood up.

  “Hey, I am trying to give you a compliment.”

  “Damn, remind me never to get you really angry,” he said while staring down at me, a challenge in his eyes.

  “I will, don’t you worry,” I said and gasped as he suddenly he threw me up over his shoulder and carried me all the way to his car like that.

  I considered giving him a wedgie since I was in a prime spot to do it, but thought better of it. I would rather not know how we would retaliate for that. “Christian, I yield. I promise to--try to never sucker punch you again.”

  He joggled me on his shoulder for a second before letting me down. After setting me down he took a step back, eyeing me warily. “You’re fighting the urge to do it right now, aren’t you?”

  I started to smile and just to freak him out I lurched for him, only to wrap my arms around his taut waist and hug him tightly to me. He laughed softly in my ear and skimmed my neck with his lips before he stepped back and opened his car door. He looked back at me again as if unsure that he should leave. Touched by his worry, I pressed the door against him, hinting for him to leave. “I swear you will see me happy and well, tomorrow at school.”

  “What if those things come back?”

  For a second I couldn’t figure out what he was talking about. The black wraiths, he was worried they would come for me again. “They won’t. My grandmother said that they only appear during the transition because our powers are at their strongest, but our bodies are at their weakest; that’s the only way they could get to us. But… if you are just looking for an excuse to stay, I would be happy to share my bed with you again.” I gave him the wickedest look I could.

  “I’m leaving. Try to stay out of trouble.”

  Captivated, I watched as he folded his glorious body into his car, and I closed the door behind him. While I was sad that he had to leave, I was excited as I thought about more things to try with my power. He brought down his window and looked at my grin, suspicious of me. “You are going to go nuts with your power when I leave aren’t you?”

  “I don’t know what you are talking about,” I said, walking around and away from the car, throwing a wave behind me.

  I could hear him call my name in overbearing warning, but I ignored it, closing and locking the back door after me. My Christian smile burst across my face even as I turned to face my grandmother and her boyfriend. Even in the candlelit kitchen I could see the amused expression on Charles’s face and the wry expression on hers. She motioned for me to have a seat next to her.

  “I’m hoping that you still plan on going to Athboy, Ireland this summer,” she said, giving me a severe look. “Considering how much stronger your powers are--more then I would have ever thought, you need the training now even more.”

  My smile faded. I knew she was concerned that my relationship with Christian would interfere with my Druid training and education. I inwardly sighed, I really didn’t want to leave Christian for any length of time, especially after all we’d been through, but at the same time, I knew I needed to go. Learning everything I could about my gifts and how to use them could save my life or someone else’s.

  Before I had a chance to respond, she spoke again. “Do you know how you got your name?”

  I started to feel nervous. Whenever she started asking random questions like this, I knew to be leery, “why?” When she didn’t answer but just looked at me patiently, I finally answered, “as far as I was told, you browbeat my mom and dad into using it.”

  She laughed at this but grew serious again as she watched me. “Alexis is short for Alexandra, which means the helper and defender of mankind.”

  I glared at her for a moment. “That’s a lot of pressure to put on someone.”

  She gave me an arch look. “I have faith in you.”

  I watched warily as she got up, went over to the counter and brought back another dreaded tincture and glass of water. Without a word, I downed both, grimacing the whole time. “I’ll go to Athboy this summer. I know it’s important,” I sighed.

  “Good. I will make arrangements tomorrow for your flight and let our family and the grove know you will be coming a couple days after school lets out.” She noted my nod in agreement, then continued in her path to align my life as she saw fit. “I think you know that you can’t tell anyone about your or Christian’s gifts.”

  “I know,” I said quietly, automatically excusing Tina from that.

  “Would you like me to drop off Cody at your house tomorrow?”

  Smiling, I tried to imagine how Cody would react to riding on a motorcycle for a good forty minutes until we got home. “Yes,” I smirked, “that would probably be best.”

  Glancing from the always quiet Charles to my talkative, dictatorial grandmother, it occurred to me he was the perfect match for her. Briefly I wondered if they were ever going to marry. Probably not, they both seemed quite happy and set in their ways. As much as they seemed to like being in each other’s company, they also seemed to like having their own place to retreat to. Getting up I placed kisses on both their cheeks and went to my bedroom. Cody leapt off the bed and padded straight to me, his tail straight up in the air as usual.

  I sat down cross-legged on the floor and just petted him for awhile. Eventually he seemed to get restless and started batting at my hands. Looking around for something he could play with, all I noticed was a white fussy looking curtain tieback. C
onsidering, I looked down at Cody then back over to the tieback. I hoped my grandmother would forgive me.

  Lifting my hand towards it, I closed my eyes and concentrated as hard as I could. I actually jerked in surprise when suddenly it was in my hand. I glanced down at Cody who was staring fixedly at the bundle of threads and ribbons in my hand. Carefully using my powers, I lifted it back up into the air a safe couple feet away from me and his sharp little nails, and started to let it bob up and down. Cody in turn, got into his hunting crouch, and when he thought it was low enough, he sprang for it. We played like that for awhile until both of us wanted to pass out from exhaustion. We both literally crawled into bed and I reached over to set the alarm for tomorrow. I groaned, realizing how early I would have to get up to go home, shower and get ready for school but I passed out before I really had time to get a healthy amount of dread going.

  CHAPTER 12

  When I got home the next morning from my grandmother’s, my mom had already left for work, saving me from any time-consuming explanations or rather-- lies. I was going to need every spare minute I had to get ready for school today. After feeling like I had looked like a zombie from The Night of the Living Dead for what felt like days, I felt the need to look my most beautiful. I decided to wear the same outfit as when Christian and I first met but as I looked into the mirror I realized something was missing. Quickly grabbing my airbrush and filling it with ink, I found my Celtic knot stencil and applied it to my hand and with a quick spray of black ink over it, now I was ready. Pulling into the parking lot, I automatically looked for Christian’s car. Disappointment rippled through me when I didn’t see it. I wondered if he was too exhausted and slept in. I would have to call him after first period. Coming down my own lane, I noticed him then. He had parked next to my usual spot. Leaning against his car, a patient smile on his full lips, dark hair ruffling in the breeze, he was utter temptation wrapped up into one ridiculously masculine package. Once off my bike I practically leapt into his arms. He actually did fall back a little against his car but seemed to appreciate my enthusiasm.

  “I missed you last night,” I said honestly but with a bit of mischievousness too. His brown eyes sparkled with intent.

  “Me too, I had a hard time going to sleep without you there.”

  My interest in going to school started to crumble while I stared up at him, enchanted as always. His eyes shuttered as he bent towards me but I could still see the glint of desire underneath his lashes as his lips touched mine. I felt my own desire crash into me; my feeble sense of restraint slipped and I found myself sinking my teeth into his bottom lip to let him know. We both pulled away breathing heavily; eyes open, studying each other, considering…

  “You know,” I said, “You could just fail out this year and re-do your senior year with me.”

  His lips quirked up at this, but then he shook his head. “No way in hell.”

  Releasing me, he grabbed my hand and towed me into school. “You can’t blame a girl for trying,” I called to him, trying to be heard over the roar that was the hallway just before class.

  He pulled us up short in front of my class door, yanked me into his arms, and pressed a thoroughly devastating kiss on me, and then whirled my completely stunned self into class. He proceeded to do this for the next couple of classes and then met me on my way to lunch. I took a quick peek at him, almost afraid of what he would be tempted to do if I did anymore than that.

  “Are you making up for lost time or are you just staking your claim?” I said and laughed. His arm was tight around my waist as we walked into the lunchroom, and when he glanced down at me I could still see that same heat in his eyes. “Both.”

  When we sat down at the table with a mixture of both our friends, I could see that Tina and Becca were bursting to get me alone to ask about my prom weekend. Their eyes were wide and they were wriggling their brows suggestively at me. I tried to give them one of my sternest warning glances to not completely embarrass me. While Tina got the message, Becca did not. As soon as Christian’s attention was elsewhere, I jabbed the heel of my boot into Becca’s foot. In shock, and I guess a little pain, she yelped, jerked her knee up in surprise, which of course then slammed the table, and she yelped again. I knew that I should feel bad, but I just couldn’t drum up a bit of regret. Instead I started laughing so hard tears streamed down my face. Becca glared daggers at me while Tina, doing her best to keep a straight face, rubbed her back and asked her if she was ok. Christian had turned to us at the first yelp and glanced between the three of us, trying to figure out what was so funny, or irritating, depending on your perspective. Although I wasn’t going to tell him exactly what happened, when I did try to talk, I started laughing all over again. Eventually I wound down but Becca, having lost patience, swept off in a huff and limped out of the cafeteria.

  Lunch was almost over and I realized I hadn’t even touched the lunch I had brought from home, and glancing over at Tina, saw that neither had she. I had a feeling that we had the same affliction…the love diet. That feeling when you are so in love, you never seem hungry. Like love is enough. She gave me a signal with her eyes that she wanted to be alone to talk. While I wanted to spend every minute with Christian and definitely enjoyed having his body pressed against my side, I really did want to talk to Tina too. I turned to Christian.

  Sensing my stare, he looked down at me. “What’s up?” he said, smiling.

  “I am going to talk to Tina for a little bit before class.”

  He was pondering something but I couldn’t tell what it was. “Keep an eye out,” he murmured before quickly kissing me goodbye.

  I knew Christian was worried about Nicolas. With everything that had happened, I had forgotten about him. Shaking off the cold feeling of dread that went down my spine, I turned to Tina and her news of the weekend. Arm in arm we walked out of the lunchroom heading for the parking lot outside so we could walk and talk somewhat privately.

  “So how did it go?” I asked, excited for her.

  Her dark eyes lit up from within with remembered memories. “Didn’t Jim look gorgeous, oh my god, I couldn’t take my eyes off of him,” she giggled at herself and I smiled. “Of course, most of the other girls couldn’t stop staring too,” I heard the disgruntlement in her voice at this.

  “Don’t worry,” I said and gave her a little nudge in the ribs. “They don’t stand a chance. He is so head over heels for you.”

  She slanted a glance at me. “I bet you’re pretty pleased with yourself, aren’t you?”

  I smiled and then laughed. “Yeah.”

  I watched as she dutifully checked her watch. “Oh no, the bell is about to ring and we didn’t even get to really talk.”

  “I will call you later, after Christian leaves tonight.”

  “You promise?” she said, giving me a quick hug.

  “Yes,” I said, watching her run ahead of me since her class was farther away.

  I followed behind at a more leisurely pace, observing the other students all rushing into the building until I was the last one outside. As I started to reach for the door, I felt that uncomfortable and becoming all too familiar, feeling of being watched. The sensation felt like someone had dripped ice water down my back. I gripped the door handle in my hand, but swung around and looked over at the mental hospital. I saw Nicolas then, almost blending into the tree that he was leaned against. I felt torn in two, part of me trembled in fear begging me to take the two steps into the safety of the school, the other side bellowed in anger and I had to fight the urge to not go over there and demand he leave me alone. As I stared into his ice blue eyes I started to sense something that shouldn’t be there, couldn’t be there. I concentrated harder on him just as a supply truck passed between us. When I looked again he was gone. I scanned the whole area but couldn’t see him. My aggressive side urged me to walk over and try to find him, but ultimately caution won over and I opened the door and went to class.

  The rest of the school day passed in a blur. Christian an
d I almost got into an argument because I refused to discuss what was wrong until we got to my place after school. I had a feeling that he already had a pretty good guess on what the issue was. I really wasn’t sure if I should tell him. While I did revel in Christian’s possessiveness and protectiveness, I knew in this case, especially with his powers, how dangerous the situation could get. Worse-- now I had to worry about what Nicolas might be capable of, too. I was still considering my options as we parked and went into my house.

  Cody was at the door to greet us, having already been dropped off by my grandmother who had a spare key. He chirped in the cute little way he had, his tail straight up in the air in happiness. Unable to resist, we both dropped to our knees and started petting him. After a couple minutes I lifted him up in my arms and rubbed my face against the soft plushness of his.

  “You are so perfect,” I said putting him back down and patting his back as I got up.

  Following me into the kitchen, Christian arched a brow, staring at me. “You know, I was joking about the whole competition for your heart thing.”

  Laughing, I poured us both glasses of water and walked to my room. Deciding that sitting on my bed together would be too tempting, I dropped down into my Papasan chair and watched spellbound as Christian descended onto my bed. Spreading the length of his tall muscular form across my bed, his dark hair fell across his face as he stared back at me, silently compelling me to lie next to him. I had to lock every muscle down to stay where I was. We needed to talk and that wasn’t going to happen if I went over there.

  “Stop tempting me; we really have to talk.”

  He shrugged his shoulders and threw my pillows behind his back so he could recline, but still look at me.

  “Can’t blame a guy for trying,” he replied, his eyes sparkling with wickedness.