by Vella Day
Connor was a good man. “I have patients all day too. How about I tell Patsy we’ll meet her at 5:15?”
He smiled then stabbed a fork into the spaghetti. “Works for me.”
*
Blair had to work hard to get through the day and not become totally distracted. She kept visualizing Darinda popping up in the corner of her office as soon as one of her clients left. The last thing she needed was for her anxiety to rub off on them, but it was hard to stay upbeat.
Forcing herself to think of the future, she tried to imagine the perfect place for her and Ronan to live. They didn’t need a lot of space, but she longed for a porch and enough room to plant some herbs in the back yard. She could even picture little bear and wolf shifters running around in the fenced-in back yard, nipping at Ronan’s heels. She sighed. He would make such a wonderful father.
When she finished with her last client, Blair waited for Ronan by the Wellness Center’s front door. Exiting out the side to the alley no longer held any appeal. She’d parked in back the Monday following Vinea’s memory repair, and Blair swore she could still smell the coppery scent of blood in the alley, along with the stench of gunpowder. She understood her imagination had gotten the best of her, but it seemed real to her.
Today, Ronan would be picking her up at five so they could drive together to see their possible new house. Once he arrived, he leaned over the passenger seat and pushed open the door for her. As soon as Blair climbed in, her bear started to pant.
Behave. We’ll be home soon enough, she said. We have to check out a place to live first.
Then at least kiss him, her bear demanded.
There were times when she wished her bear would go back into hiding, as she always had sex on her mind. Blair slid closer, turned his head, and then did as her bear desired. His moan almost convinced her to call Patsy and cancel their appointment, but the realtor said this property would go fast if they didn’t decide quickly.
Ronan took in his fill before leaning back. “Maybe I should pick you up from work every day.” When he smiled, she fell a little more in love with him.
“If you had regular hours, I’d welcome it.”
Ronan put the Jeep in gear. “Where exactly are we meeting this agent?”
“At the house,” Blair gave him instructions. A few minutes later, he rounded the corner and the house came into view. Her pulse quickened. The sides were brick, and it even had a nice front porch. “It’s perfect.”
Ronan glanced over at her. “It is.”
Patsy was waiting for them when they turned down the driveway. They both slid out and greeted her.
“I think this will be ideal for you two,” she said. “It’s a three-bedroom, two bath house with a garage.”
Blair glanced over at Ronan. “I’m not sure we need three bedrooms.”
“Sure we do,” he said. “For when we have a boy and a girl.”
From the way he looked almost wistful, he wanted children as much as she did. Without thinking, she placed a hand on her stomach. “There is that.”
For the next twenty minutes, Patsy showed them the house. While the appliances were rather worn and the walls could use a good coat of paint, the space was perfect.
“The good news,” Patsy said, “is that the owner said if you’re ever interested in buying the place, he’d consider selling.”
Ronan reached out, grabbed Blair’s hand, and smiled. The dark goddess seemed so far off right now that Blair allowed the joy of the moment to sink in.
The rent was in their price range, and after a short discussion, they decided they wanted it. The tenant would be moving out in two weeks, and Blair just hoped they were still alive to enjoy it.
Chapter Seventeen
‡
Darinda was convinced Androf was giving her all the shit jobs to do as a punishment for messing up in Silver Lake. Otherwise, she would have returned to exact her revenge.
“I think it’s time you make amends for that botched murder,” Androf said out of the blue. Most likely it was because the last few jobs had been executed flawlessly if she did say so herself.
Darinda stood tall and forced a dark red aura to encompass her as a show of extreme confidence. “I will prove to you that I am far worthier than any other goddess in the realm, past and present.”
Androf grinned, which pleased her to no end. “I see your hatred of Vinea still burns bright. Good. Now take care of business and don’t come back until you succeed.” His smile had been fake for sure.
“I won’t fail.”
After that little discussion, Darinda immediately sought out Cynthia, her ward. As much as Darinda had balked about having to train some newbie, she did have her uses. The girl had more or less befriended Blair when Cynthia had taken over for Eve, and while Cynthia no longer worked at the Wellness Center, if she appeared as a client, she might be able to find out what Blair and that no-good boyfriend of hers were up to. Until the moment was right, Darinda didn’t want to show her face in Silver Lake.
Sure, Darinda could hover in Blair and Ronan’s house to learn their plans, but of late her ability to remain invisible had been sketchy. It had been Androf’s way of showing his disapproval. It didn’t really matter. Once she succeeded at removing those two, she’d ask him to remove his stupid curse. Then she’d be eternally powerful.
It was time to have Cynthia do her bidding.
She found her young ward in the arena learning how to fight. Those skills were beneath a goddess of Darinda’s status, but if Cynthia wanted to test her skills, so be it.
Darinda floated toward her and stepped in between her and her opponent. “I need you to do something for me.”
Cynthia’s eyes flashed dark, but she held her tongue. Smart girl. “What is it?”
“I need for you to find out what Blair Murdoch is up to. I want to know if she remembers anything about the little incident in the alley.”
“How can I find that out?”
The girl’s lack of imagination pissed her off. “Go in as a client and fucking ask her.” Stupid bitch. The youth of today was so lacking.
“But I’m not injured.”
Darinda smiled. “That can be arranged.”
*
Blair was surprised at the identity of her next client. She hadn’t recognized Cynthia’s name when Eve handed her the list but knew her as soon as Cynthia walked in. Blair smiled. “Hey, nice to see you again. Have a seat on the table. It says here, you are experiencing back pain?” Cynthia nodded. “How did you hurt yourself? And how long have you been in pain?” It couldn’t have been too long since she was in good shape when she worked those few days for Eve.
Rubbing her lower back, Cynthia blew out a breath. “I injured it yesterday. I stupidly decided to take up martial arts, and someone slammed me to the mat. The pain has been excruciating.”
“Ouch. Let me check that out.”
Blair began pressing on different spots, and as soon as Cynthia winced, Blair had a good idea what she needed to do.
“You said you lived a few towns over, right?” Blair asked.
“Yes.”
“There’s no clinic there?”
Cynthia looked uncomfortable. “They were booked up, and I was hoping for some quick relief.”
“I’m glad you sought help. Backs usually don’t heal themselves. You’re lucky you are young.”
Blair had her lie on her back and pull up her knees one at a time to stretch out the muscles.
“I heard what happened in the alley,” Cynthia said. “You must have nightmares.”
A lot of people had asked her that. “Not really. For the longest time, I remembered nothing. I was lucky, I think.”
“For the longest time?”
“Bits and pieces have slowly emerged.”
She sucked in a breath, but Blair wasn’t sure if it was because of her back pain or what she’d just said. “So, you saw that guy kill the drug dealer?”
Something was off about this woman. Since
Ronan’s father had confessed, it was best to go along with the story, but she didn’t remember reading that Timothy Delahart dealt drugs. “Yes. I remember the gunshot, but then everything becomes really blurry. I hope I never remember the rest.” For the remainder of the treatment, Blair remained highly professional. “You should schedule three appointments a week until the pain goes away.”
Cynthia smiled. “It’s a bit far for me to drive. Now that I know therapy can help, I’m going to see if I can find someone over in Crenshaw.”
“Ask Eve to fax the report to your new doctor.”
“Will do.”
After the woman left, Blair replayed the questions in her head. If she hadn’t felt the swelling in her back, she would have thought she’d made the appointment just for the gossip. Ridiculous. Darinda must be getting into her head after all.
*
“What did she say?” Darinda asked Cynthia.
“Blair’s memory is spotty. She doesn’t recall seeing anyone kill that man. All she remembers is hearing the gunshot.”
“Did you believe her, or did she figure out why you were asking so many questions?”
Cynthia planted a hand on her hip. “I was careful. Trust me.”
She didn’t trust her one bit. “You are dismissed.”
That was a wasted trip. As soon as Cynthia left, Darinda skulked around, waiting to see if Androf would need her. Since he appeared to be chastising another goddess, she took off so she could see for herself what was going on. When she’d erased Blair’s and Ronan’s memory, it was supposed to stay erased, but she had a bad feeling about this. If Vinea had interfered, her two little friends would pay dearly with their lives.
Luckily, Blair was still at work when Darinda arrived in her invisible form. She couldn’t afford to stay long, but the moment she located her target, she almost lost it. Every time Darinda interacted with a mortal, she left a bit of her signature inside them. Now that piece of her was gone—erased so to speak.
As much as she wanted to harm Vinea personally, goddesses were impossible to find if they didn’t want to be located. Darinda would have to be content with harming those Vinea and her weak little mate cared for.
While she planned her revenge, Darinda shot over to McKinnon and Associates, hoping to find Ronan, only he wasn’t there. Crap. It made sense that Vinea would have removed the curse from both of them. Fuck you, Vinea!
Before Androf realized she’d left, Darinda returned to the dark realm, but it wouldn’t be long before she came back.
*
“I was thinking about a Sunday picnic near the lake, and then a romp in the woods,” Ronan said. “What do you think?”
“I’d love that! Work has been a little crazy, and I can certainly use the exercise. But first, I want to call Izzy to see if she can contact Ophelia for me.”
“Why? She wasn’t able to retrieve our memories.”
“Doesn’t mean she can’t help. Ophelia gave Missy a powder that killed a demon on Cargonia. Maybe she has something that will slow down a goddess.”
Ronan shrugged. “It can’t hurt.”
“I’ll only be a moment.”
“How about I make some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches while you make the call? That’s the limit of my culinary skills.”
Blair smiled. “You do make the best PB&J sandwiches.”
While Ronan set about gathering the food for the picnic, she located her phone and called her friend, pleased when she answered on the first ring. “Hey, Izzy, I was wondering if you could contact Ophelia for me.”
She hesitated. “I would, but she’s not in town.”
Blair’s shoulders slumped. Damn. She might have only returned to Silver Lake three years ago, but in all that time she’d never heard of the witch leaving town. “Do you know when she’ll return?”
“Within the week I suspect. Is something wrong?”
Every Murdoch and McKinnon was well aware of what had happened. “I have this terrible feeling that Darinda will be returning here soon, wanting revenge against Vinea. She might try to harm us to get back at her.”
“You two are loose ends in Timothy Delahart’s murder, but what were you hoping Ophelia could do?”
“She gave Missy some potion that killed the demon that was attacking Zane. I thought maybe she could help me against a goddess.”
“I’ve never heard of anything like that. Next time I speak with Ophelia, I’ll ask her what she can do.”
It was all Blair could ask. “Thanks.”
Ronan looked up expectantly. “Any luck?”
“No.” But that setback wouldn’t dampen her day. Spending time with Ronan would be wonderful. Besides, she had some incredible news to tell him, news she was sure he’d be happy to hear. “I need to change. I’ll be right back.”
Blair rushed off to put on some shorts and an easy-to-remove top. After a hard run, redressing was often trying, especially if her clothes were too tight. She placed a hand on her belly, wondering how long it would be before she showed. Blair could already feel some changes starting to happen. As much as she wanted to wait until she believed she could take the baby to term, it was time to let Ronan know what was in store for their future—assuming they both lived that long.
Now why did she have to think that depressing thought? The joy that she’d been filled with a moment ago evaporated. Blair glanced at the ceiling. “Why can’t you leave us alone, Darinda?” she whispered, not wanting Ronan to hear.
Of course, she received no response, which she decided was for the best. Blair returned to the living room where the sack with their food sat on the table next to a blanket.
“You’re hot,” he said with a familiar gleam in his eye.
She grinned then wagged a finger at him, “I know that look—picnic first—then playtime.” She wanted to break the news to him about the baby before anything else. Then she wanted to discuss mating.
Ronan chuckled, a sound that had been all too absent in the house as of late. “Spoilsport.”
The drive to Silver Lake was mercifully short. The sun shone brilliantly, the sky was a deep cerulean blue, and the delicate breeze would help keep the flies away.
Once they arrived, Ronan slung his sword over his shoulder and picked up a shield, along with the bag of food. Blair apparently was in charge of the blanket.
She nodded to the shield. “When did you get that?”
“Zane just made it for me. He said he was able to add some special elements that would repel my opponent’s blows. He wasn’t positive it would work against a goddess, but it had been effective against a demon.
“Can I see how heavy it is?” she asked.
“Sure.” He handed it to her and grabbed the blanket she was carrying.
“Not bad. I like it.” It was a lot lighter than she expected. When she held it in front, she tripped on a root but caught herself. “You better take this.”
Ronan smiled. “It’s best to leave the battling to the man.”
When he stuck out his chest, she laughed. “Why are you taking it with you to a picnic?”
“I want to practice using the shield with the sword. I suspect my balance will be off having both. Don’t worry, you get to sit back and watch your hot man practice his smooth moves.”
She chuckled. “I do enjoy any reason to watch, and I thank you for waiting until you have room to practice.” The one and only time he had tried to demonstrate his expertise in the house, he’d broken a decorative plate.
A few minutes later, they arrived at the clearing, and she was thankful no one had the same idea about a picnic.
“How about this spot?” Ronan said, setting down his gear.
“Perfect.”
“It was right around here that you found my bear for me,” she said.
“I did?” Ronan acted all innocent. “Hmm. Maybe I did.” A second later she was in his arms enjoying a warm and wonderful kiss.
Blair might not have stopped had her stomach not grumbled. “Sorry.”
“I’m hungry too. How about we eat and then take advantage of the wonderful day?”
“Sounds divine.”
Once he spread out the blanket, she emptied the contents of the bag. He’d packed four bottles of water, three sandwiches, and two bags of chips. It was such a guy picnic. Before she had polished off half of the sandwich, a red glowing object materialized to her right. When she looked directly at the light, a body of woman appeared, and Blair’s heart took a major jolt. “Ronan,” Blair said, her voice cracking. “We have company.”
Faster than she thought possible, Ronan jumped to his feet and grabbed his sword. “Darinda.”
Chapter Eighteen
‡
“Well, well, lookie who is here.” Darinda grinned and stepped closer.
“Blair,” Ronan growled. “Go back to the car.”
That wasn’t going to happen. “No.”
“Don’t argue. Please.”
Not wanting to distract him, she stepped back a few feet, searching for something she could use to harm the goddess. Her muscles were close to mush, and her brain was becoming scrambled, but she looked around anyway. It was almost as if Darinda was sending out signals to interfere with her thought process. Blair could only hope the goddess didn’t try to erase their memories again since they needed to remember that this goddess was someone who wanted to destroy them.
Blair picked up a rock, but she doubted it would do any good. Now she wished she had asked Vinea more questions about what kind of things could hurt someone like Darinda.
The dark goddess cackled. “Oh, Blair. You are so charming. Do you really think that little pebble can harm me? I am immortal, you know.” She glanced over at Ronan, her eyes widening. “My, what a big sword you have. Too bad it won’t do you any good against me, but it will be cute to see you try.”
Ronan unsheathed his sword and swung it overhead, looking powerful and in control.
Darinda clapped. “Oh, this is going to be such fun,” she said with so much cheer in her voice, it scared Blair even more.
A second later, a wolf emerged from behind the goddess, looking exactly like Ronan. This animal had the same brown snout, even down to the distinctive white patch under his right eye.