Had her mom just been overwhelmed at the thought that her daughter would have to have a knife stuck in her heart to break the curse?
“Shit, Mom. What the hell am I supposed to do?”
Was she supposed to let a madman kill her to break a magical curse on five-hundred-year-old women she’d never met?
She laughed but slapped a hand over her mouth when the sound escaped. She sounded crazy.
Or course, she might be crazy. That would actually make more sense than believing her death could break a curse.
But she wasn’t crazy and she knew it.
If she broke the curse, would Dario stop pursuing Leo?
Could she save her brother by letting Dario kill her?
Fear made her shiver and she rubbed at the goosebumps breaking out all over her arms and legs. It made her stomach roll.
Not fair. So not fair.
“Yeah, like anything in life is fair,” she muttered. “What if…”
She didn’t finish. She had too many questions and no answers. Would Serena or Madrona have answers? And to which questions?
“Stop, just stop. You don’t have the answers and you’re going to make yourself sick with worry.”
And she couldn’t afford that. They couldn’t afford that. She had to think about Leo.
And Gabriel. Actually, she was probably thinking too much about that man. About his dark, steady eyes. Broad shoulders, wide chest and slim hips. She allowed herself one brief minute to fantasize about what she might do with Gabriel and a few uninterrupted hours. The feel of his body covering hers, his hair trailing along her skin…
She stepped forward—and the throb of pain in her leg killed that daydream. Still, it didn’t hurt as badly as it had, and she bent her leg at the knee a few times, testing her mobility. She’d healed fairly quickly. That was a good sign.
Walking out of the library, she heard the ping of metal on metal and followed the sound to the stairs in the dining room. In the stairwell, she heard their voices perfectly.
“You’re doing fine, Leo.” Gabriel sounded pleased. “Just remember to move your feet when you parry. Try that move again. Keep your arms loose, drop your shoulders. There, like that. It makes it easier to maneuver the blades.”
“Did you use these, Gabriel?” Leo’s sweet voice carried down to her.
“No, I started with a bo staff. It’s not something you can carry around, but you can take that training and apply it to most anything you can pick up on the street.”
She could practically hear Leo turning that one over in his brain in the short silence that followed. “You mean like sticks?”
“Yeah and other stuff.”
“Show me?”
“Sure. Hang on a sec.”
Not wanting to miss the show, but not wanting to distract them, she drew on her arus and whispered the spell to pull a glamour over her body, ignoring the slight throb in her temples. She crept up a few more stairs until she could see the room. And the two hot men and one little boy.
Leo sat cross-legged on a corner of the huge mat covering half the floor space, his wide-eyed gaze glued to Gabriel. Quinn rested against the opposite wall, using his discarded shirt as a pillow. He looked tired, a sheen of sweat on his lean body. Quite the sight for any red-blooded female.
But it was Gabriel who made her hormones dance the happy dance as he walked into the middle of the circle, shirtless, holding a long wooden pole. That chest should be classified a deadly weapon. Deadly to her common sense because she wanted to lick the beaded sweat off his skin.
He’d taste amazing, she decided. Salty and hot and…
Well, shit. She dragged her gaze away from his chest and checked out his weapon. And she didn’t mean the one in his pants, though, she decided after a quick check, maybe she—
Bad Shea.
Regretfully, she focused her gaze on the bo staff, looking almost delicate in his large hands, but, she knew from watching her dad train that the pole could be just as deadly as any gun.
Gabriel started slow, the weapon slicing the air with a gentle whoosh. As he picked up speed, she could tell he’d logged many hours with the instrument.
His movements were as graceful as any ballet and just as hypnotizing. Concentration shone in his eyes as he dipped and swayed and swung the staff, gaining momentum.
Gabriel’s body moved in a dance of strength and power, and soon she wasn’t watching the staff. Instead, she watched the play of muscles in his broad shoulders as he swung the weapon over his head, let her gaze glide to his strong forearms as he brought the staff down hard, stopping just before it hit the ground.
Then he crouched, drawing her gaze to the black cargo pants molded over his bulging thighs.
She didn’t notice Quinn had moved until he was in the ring. He’d picked up another staff and now swung it at Gabriel’s head from behind. She managed to stifle her gasp just as Gabriel turned and blocked the swing.
Grinning, Gabriel stood and the fight began in earnest. It looked almost choreographed, like something they’d worked on for years. But she knew by the amount of effort they put into it that this was no memorized routine.
They fought each other with a ferocity that would have been frightening if she hadn’t known how much they cared for each other. Their staffs met with solid snaps as they tried to find the other’s weakness, moving all over the mat. They never came close to Leo, though, and Shea knew that took a high level of skill.
They must have fought for close to ten minutes, neither of them gaining the advantage for long.
When it seemed like Gabriel had Quinn on the defensive, Quinn would retreat then attack with a burst of speed. Gabriel never faltered, no matter what Quinn threw at him. He wore the other man down, letting Quinn get close then beating him back.
And when Quinn finally made one wrong move, Gabriel took out his legs with one swipe. Quinn hit the mat with a hard smack and Gabriel had the tip of the staff pointed at his neck in half a second.
Quinn started to laugh and Gabriel’s intent expression faded into a smile that wasn’t any less fierce. He tossed the staff to the side and extended his hand to Quinn, who promptly tried to throw Gabriel over his head. But Gabriel must have known what Quinn had in mind because he braced and flipped Quinn away. Still laughing.
“I never could get you to fall for that one.” Quinn stood and brushed himself off. “Good to know you haven’t lost your edge with age, buddy.”
“You’re still telling, Quinn. Those cub eyes do you in every time.”
“Yeah, but only because you know me too well. My enemies fear me, kid.” Quinn turned to wink at Leo then looked straight at Shea. “And the ladies love me.”
She should have known the glamour wouldn’t work with these two, and she dispelled it with a huff. Jeez, Leo could probably see through it now.
“Sissy, did you see? I’m going to fight like that.”
Bittersweet emotion filled her chest at the excitement in Leo’s voice. Seemed he’d finally found something to talk about. Standing, she walked up the stairs, aware that Gabriel watched her every move.
“That was beautiful.” She stopped at the top of the stairs, knowing if she got any closer she wouldn’t be able to resist sniffing the sweat on Gabriel’s body, his olive-toned skin shimmering in the bright sunlight from the skylights. The only other outward sign of his physical exertion was the faster pace of his breathing. She had to tear her gaze away before she drooled. “Did you and Quinn train together?”
Gabriel nodded. “For a few years, yeah. Of course, Quinn liked to play dirty.”
“Hey, I had no control over my change back then.” He tried to sound pissed off, but she didn’t think Quinn did anger. She didn’t think he was made for it. “Whenever I got excited or frightened, I’d grow claws. One of the lucani defense mechanisms. We learn how to control it as we get older, but Gabe has a few scars to show for it.”
“So do you.” Gabriel turned to replace the staff on the wall and she noticed t
he faint scar of claw marks near the waistband of his jeans.
“Yeah, but you never gave me a hassle about yours.”
“Then I guess I was too easy on you.” Gabriel stopped in front of Leo and held out his hand, which Leo didn’t hesitate to take, letting Gabriel pull him to his feet. And he didn’t let go.
Jealousy rose, leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. Goddess, how stupid was she? Forcing a smile, she reached out to ruffle Leo’s too-long bangs.
“Did you learn a lot, bud?”
Leo nodded, looking a little unsure now that he was standing in front of her, unsure how she would respond. “It was cool.”
Her smile softened at the excitement in his tone. “Then you’ll have to show me. But how about after we get something to eat? I bet you’re hungry.”
Now he gave her the tiniest bit of a smile, as if trying to remember how to do it, and the jealousy abated. A little.
“How about a snack?” she said. “I’m in the mood for chocolate.”
Gabriel laid his hand on her forearm as she turned to go, stopping her in her tracks. His hand felt slick and warm against her skin, making her heart pound. “Shea, give me a minute. Leo, go with Quinn, okay?”
Leo didn’t even hesitate. Just nodded and followed Quinn down the stairs.
“Did you find anything?”
She dropped her gaze and she knew Gabriel would know she was lying. But she wasn’t ready.
Not yet.
“I need more time to go through the rest of journals. There’s a lot of information. I just…need some time.”
When she fell silent, she held her breath, knowing he wouldn’t let her off the hook that easily. Of course, he wanted to hear what she’d learned. But she couldn’t. Not yet.
“Fine.” Surprise made her gaze jump back to his, staring down at her with compassion. “I’ve got a question for you.”
Gabriel dropped his hand and she nearly grabbed for him, restraining herself at the last minute. She needed something to hold onto and he was fast becoming her rock.
“If I tell you to shoot me, will you do it?”
Her mouth dropped open. “What the hell are you talking about?”
He walked to a large chest on the back wall and pulled out one of the drawers. “Just what I said. If I tell you to shoot me, will you do it?”
Had he lost his mind? “Why would you tell me to do that?”
He turned to face her again, a small revolver in his hand. It looked downright silly there, feminine. Walking back to her, he held out the gun, butt first, determination etched on his face. “I won’t be taken by Dario’s men. If it looks like I will be, I want you to kill me. I won’t let them have that pleasure. So, can you do it? Will you shoot me if I tell you to?”
Could she? Gabriel stared at her with his steady dark gaze, hair loose around his shoulders.
The man was gorgeous. He had the body of an Etruscan god—broad shoulders, wide chest, narrow waist and muscular legs. But it wasn’t just the size of his body, so much as the way he held himself. His confidence.
She transferred her gaze to the gun in his hand, a Beretta Px4 Storm. Like the one she’d had to leave behind in their apartment in the city.
Grasping the weapon by the butt, she pointed the muzzle down and away. She checked to make sure the safety was on then checked to see if it was loaded. Yes to both questions.
She wasn’t afraid of guns. Her father had trained her well, and she’d become proficient over the years, though the only thing she’d ever shot had been targets.
She would shoot anyone who tried to take Leo. But could she shoot Gabriel?
She shook her head and looked away. “I don’t know. I don’t know if I could pull the trigger.”
“Come on, baby, you know you want to hurt me.”
His tone teased a reluctant smile out of her. “Yeah, you’re a bastard, but I still don’t know if I could do it.”
“Let’s hope you don’t have to find out.”
He turned and walked down the stairs.
She took the gun to her room and hid it in her backpack then returned to the kitchen where the guys had a smorgasbord of junk food laid out on the table. Quinn had made sandwiches, enough for all of them. But chips, pretzels, cookies, candy and soda littered the table as well. All the things she’d tried so hard not to let Leo get hooked on. A habit she’d picked up from her mom. The first time she’d tasted chocolate, she’d been fifteen. Her dad had given her a Godiva chocolate bar as a birthday present.
Of course, she’d been hooked after that and, when she’d started to make secret forays into the nearest town, chocolate was always the first thing she’d buy.
The males congregated at the table, talking about weapons and fighting, guy stuff. She pulled herself onto the counter to munch Double Stuff Oreos and watch the testosterone show. Men were interesting creatures, particularly in the way they dealt with each other.
Quinn and Gabriel appeared to be on their best behavior, she assumed because of Leo and, for that, she wanted to kiss them. Both of them. Okay, maybe she’d give Quinn a hug, but Gabriel she wanted to keep in her arms for a while.
And that was probably the worst thing that could happen. But damn, he was fascinating.
“When did you know what you are, Gabriel?”
Leo’s boyish voice rang out through the rustle of bags and the background music of AC/DC coming from a small CD player on the counter.
Gabriel didn’t hesitate. “My dad started my training at birth, I think. I don’t remember a time when I didn’t know what I am.”
Must have been nice, she thought, to have a purpose in life from the time you were born. She’d grown up without one, never knowing from one day to the next what life held for her. She hadn’t cared until she’d realized there was more to the world than their house and the forest. Then she’d discovered ballet and thought she’d found her reason for living.
“Where’d you grow up?” Leo asked.
“Mostly southeastern Pennsylvania.”
“What about your mom?”
Gabriel paused before answering. “I didn’t see my mom much.”
“Why?”
“Because it wasn’t safe.”
“Why?”
Shea was sure Gabriel would redirect Leo’s question. He surprised her.
“Because those men that are after you, they’re after my mom, too. She didn’t want anything to happen to me until I could defend myself.”
Leo’s expression hardened into one she’d never seen. It was mean with determination, anguish and fury. “They killed my parents.”
Grief, biting and terrible, knifed through her.
Gabriel nodded. “Yeah, they did. And that’s why we’re here. The women need us to protect them. They have power, but they’re not fighters. We fight for them.”
Leo looked over at her. “I’ll never let anything happen to you, Shea.”
Tears she couldn’t control sprang to her eyes but she blinked them back and smiled at her brother, forty pounds of skin and bones with too-long dark hair, big brown eyes and a solemn expression.
“I know, bud.”
“Hey, Shea.”
Gabriel’s voice drew her attention. She couldn’t read his expression. There was something in his eyes, something she wanted so badly to decipher.
“What?” she asked, but didn’t get answered.
The phone rang.
Chapter Twelve
Quinn waited for Gabe to get the phone but the guy never acknowledged its ringing.
Hell, his gaze didn’t stray from Shea for the slightest second. Probably didn’t even hear the phone, if his expression was anything to go by. He’d never seen Gabe so fixated on a woman before. Any other time, Quinn would jump for joy. Now…
With a sigh, Quinn snagged the receiver off the wall.
“Speak fast.”
“Quinn? Quinn, is that you?”
The voice on the other end of the phone froze him in place.
S
hit, not now.
He had to swallow to loosen his tongue. “Hey, Tammi. How’s it going?”
Gabriel turned to stare at him.
Oh, sure, now he had the guy’s attention.
“Quinn, it is you.” The young woman sounded so happy, guilt practically knocked him on his ass. “I thought you fell off the face of the earth. I had to badger your boss all day to get this number. Where are you?”
Spell Bound (Darkly Enchanted) Page 18