by Linda Palmer
I leapt to my feet. "Fiamme essere andato!" A true white witch would never watch someone burn alive.
The flames vanished instantly. Hutch initiated a fist bump with me.
That did it for Ember. "This isn't over!" She stalked to the stairs, trailing smoke behind her. Moments after, I heard the outside door slam with a vengeance.
I stared where she'd once stood, my mind on overload and my hair standing on end.
Hutch tugged on a strand of it. "She's wrong, you know. We're done with her."
We?
"Ivy, are you all right?" He was looking me over for injuries.
"Me? Of course. I totally had this."
"No you didn't, and that's why I love you."
He loved me? I was so rattled I couldn't take it in. "Who are you?"
Hutch sighed. "Amos Merlin Hutchinson, direct descendant of Myrddin Emrys and sole heir of the Grand Master Sorcerer, Order of the Dragon."
"What?"
He grabbed my face and made me look at him. No blinking. No glancing away. Just he and I, finally eye-to-eye. Of course I stared into his soul, but I didn't get my usual flash of insight. I got a barrage of them. I saw his strength. I saw his power. I saw his wisdom.
I also saw his ability to love, and the depth of it scared the shit out of me.
Hutch abruptly blinked to break the contact. I swayed back, knees buckling. He caught me. "Sit."
Somehow my butt found the bucket again.
He turned, his gaze sweeping the obliterated room. "Restore."
Before my eyes Ember's damage reversed itself until nothing remained but the puddles of gooey tonics and potions on the floor.
I groaned. "All that mixing and crushing for nothing."
"Relax. I know a guy." Hutch snapped his fingers. A rag mop appeared. He pointed to the bucket on which I sat. "I'll be needing that."
I stood. It flipped over.
"Water."
The bucket filled.
"Wash."
The mop splashed into the bucket and then began to wipe up the mess. All I could think of was Paul Dukas's The Sorcerer's Apprentice, as played by Mickey Mouse. My laughter cleared my head. "Why didn't you tell me you had powers?"
Hutch shrugged. "I don't know. Why didn't you tell me you had some?"
"I thought you'd think I was crazy. I mean, you seemed so normal, so down to earth."
"That's because I am. Nice PJs by the way, but an obvious choice. Didn't they have any Luna Lovegoods in your size?"
"Are you for real?"
Bam. Bam. Bam.
I grabbed his hand so I could see his watch. Four in the morning. "Who could that be?" Stepping carefully on the wet floor, I went to the stairs, reaching the top one just as the outside door burst open. The cougar-coven spilled into the kitchen, led by Eduardo.
Tamsyn got to me first. "Ivy! Are you all right?"
"Fine, thanks to him." I nodded toward my hero. "Amos Hutchinson, meet my dear friends." I named them all.
Adele took one good look at him and gasped. "Amos Merlin Hutchinson? Direct descendant of Myrddin Emrys and sole heir of the Grand Master Sorcerer, Order of the Dragon?"
Speechless with shock, I nodded.
She offered Hutch her hand. "It is such an honor, sir."
He flushed. "Er, thanks."
Tamsyn, Thea, and Raven exchanged glances.
Eduardo sniffed and slyly smiled. "Those two have had sex."
Ew.
With a gasp, Raven placed her hands on her heart and gave me a smarmy smile. "I'm so glad. We'd almost given up on you, sweetheart. In fact, we were going to help out if you didn't find someone by the end of the year."
I tipped my head back, moaning, and spoke to the ceiling. "Please tell me you haven't—"
Eduardo cut me off. "Don't worry, sweet cheeks. I'd never let them."
Thank goddesses for that.
I realized all the ladies were now beaming at me and Hutch. I tried to break the silence by asking him the burning question. "How did you know I was in trouble?"
"Cedric."
"A miniature dragon made of pewter told you I needed help."
"Pretty much." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the tiny piece, which he placed on his open palm. It sprang to life, moving its head as if looking for something. Make that someone. Because Cedric quit searching when he saw me and slipped back into pewter mode.
My mouth fell open. "You charmed him? But how could he know about me if he was with you?"
"Dude's got friends in that armoire of yours. They stay in touch." He caught my expression. "What can I say? It's magic."
I gave up. "Does anyone want coffee? I really need coffee."
Tamsyn clapped her hands and squealed. "I know, I know. Why don't we all have breakfast together? Waffle House is open."
I immediately pictured bottles of maple syrup flying around the table. Was the world ready for that?
Tamsyn urged me on. "Ivy, you get dressed. We'll keep Hutch entertained."
"Actually, I think I'll go with her." Hutch smoothly caught my elbow and guided me out the kitchen and into the bedroom. There he burst out laughing. "Wow."
"I know, and I'm so sorry. They're not usually— Well, actually they are. But I won't let them— I mean, I'll try not to—"
He placed a finger on my lips. "Don't. I love them already."
Love. Oh boy.
I pulled off my top and put on my bra. "Earlier? When you said you loved me?" My pajama bottoms dropped to the floor, leaving me in tiny bikinis. "That was just a figure of speech, right? I mean, you don't really, do you?" I stepped into my jeans and tugged them over my thighs and hips before grabbing the sparkly shirt I'd worn earlier. "Do you?"
Hutch, who'd watched my every move, didn't speak.
"Hey! Do you?"
"What was the question?"
"Really?"
"You want answers? Then we need to finish up my soul gaze."
I snapped the jeans. "There's a name for what I do?"
"Sure. And I should tell you that you're not the only witch who can do it. So can I. And that means when you're reading my soul, I can read yours, even if that's not what you intended."
I slapped my hand over my mouth. I definitely should've researched my gift or, at least, told someone about it. "Before we do this, will you tell me how your parents died?"
"A curse inflicted on both by my dad's cousin, who was second in line for Grand Master Sorcerer."
"He killed them so he could inherit the title?"
"Yes."
"But Adele said you were sole heir. What happened to him?"
"Let's just say he got what he deserved."
"From you?"
"From many, one of them me. So what do you think of me now?"
"I'm not answering until I've seen all there is to see of you."
"Then let's get to it. Ready?"
I took a deep breath for courage and nodded.
Hutch sat on the bed and pulled me closer. I straddled his lap, which put us eye-to-eye. Once again I looked deep into them. What I saw made my own eyes fill. I broke the connection blinking back tears.
"Well?"
"You do love me."
"And you love me back. Anything else?"
"You believe in happily ever after."
He nodded. "Yep. I'm a forever man. And you're a forever woman."
"Yes."
"So how do you feel about us giving this forever thing a chance?"
I smiled so big it hurt. "I'm all for it. Who knows? This could be the start of something good."
"Better than good, baby."
"Magical?"
His long, wet kiss told me I was exactly right.
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About the Author
Linda Palmer has been writing for pleasure since the third grade and has letters from her teachers predicting she'd be an author. Though becoming a writer was never actually a dream, it was something she did naturally and with intent after joining a writer
's group. Silhouette Books published Linda's first novel in l989 and the next twenty over a ten year period (writing as Linda Varner). In 1999 she took a break to take care of her family. She learned that she couldn't not write, however, and began again, changing her genre to young adult/new adult paranormal romance. She has full-length novels out as e-reads and in print and there are always more in the works. She also has many novellas and short stories available. She loves movies with a paranormal twist, and is addicted to true crime TV, especially documentaries about serial killers.
Linda was a Romance Writers of America finalist twice and won the 2011 and 2012 EPIC eBook awards in the Young Adult category. She married her junior high school sweetheart many years ago and lives in Arkansas, USA with her family. Her website is www.lindavpalmer.com. Facebook her: Linda Varner Palmer.
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Table of Contents
Ivy's Eyes
About the Author