by S Cinders
I passed the family in a blur caring little to none about what they thought we might be doing. I opened my door and then slammed it quickly shut again ramming Apple's body against the door with a thud as I took her hands with one of my own I raised them high over her head. I then said a quick disrobing chant so that she was naked as the day she was born.
Her eyes popped out in surprise only for a second before a naughty smile broke across her lips. With the wink of her left eye, my clothes were suddenly gone as well. Her firm breasts were pressed tightly against my chest and pebbled with need. I lowered my face to hers and kissed the shit out of her.
I had been having this mental affair with her for the past few months, but it paled in comparison to writhing slick body against body. Picking her up again I carried her to the bed as I continued to devour her. Leaving her lips, I kissed my way across her jaw and down to her perfect breasts.
High and firm they begged to be taken. I squeezed them in my hands gently, twisting the tips and getting a sense of what turned her on. I kissed them gently all over and then paid special attention to the nipples, blowing and sucking, taking her closer and closer to the edge. "Harder" she rasped out, and I pulled on her tender nubs causing them to elongate a bit more. Her greedy moan went straight to my dick.
I knew she would be soaked when I touched her slit and her creamy softness was so hot that I struggled remembering that I wanted to take this slow, to make this special for her.
She rose into my hands, riding high as I fingered her. She was everything one could have wanted in a lover. Totally committed, unrestrained, passionate, tender, I knew that once I got inside her I'd be a ticking time bomb. I continued to stroke her until I saw that she was on the cusp of completion and then I leaned down and sucked her puckered nipple into my mouth as I rubbed her soaked slit. She shattered beautifully. I'd never seen anything like it and I would never ever forget it.
Not able to wait any longer I flipped us around so that I was laying under her and that she was atop me. Slowly I opened her and she began to take me in. I couldn't contain a guttural growl, "So damn tight, Apple. I don't want to hurt you. We will go at your pace."
She looked hesitantly at me but continued to slide down my cock. Her eyes closed when I was fully seated. I thought that I would die if she didn't move. I was literally throbbing inside of her, being squeezed in the most delicious way I could have ever imagined. If I had to die now I would go a happy man.
"Apple," I asked hesitantly, reaching up to brush a stray hair from her face. Her eyes were still closed and we still hadn't moved, not that I was complaining, just wanted to make sure I hadn't killed her.
That wicked smile returned, "Not dead yet." She slid up gingerly and then sunk back down.
Oh, my goddess, I might die after all.
Suddenly I couldn't take it any longer. I flipped us over and rammed into her over and over, my balls slapping against her ass. When the orgasm took over us, we both saw stars.
Returning to earth I realized what I had done.
"I'm so sorry Apple, I was trying to go slow and be a gentleman. Did I hurt you, are you ok?"
She opened one eye and looked up at me. Her blond hair a mass of curls spread around us, her breasts red and whisker burned from my ministrations. "Are you ready for round two?"
Goddess I loved this woman.
CHAPTER 28 - Emily
Patrick and I had been searching all night for the Applebottom Family Wand. I hated to say it, let alone think it, but maybe we never were going to find it.
Also, things had been weird between Patrick and I ever since he found out the truth connecting him to the Applebottom's. I know everyone thought things were peachy keen, but they were anything but. It was almost like he was putting on a show in front of them and then a completely different person when we were alone.
I know that he had to be overwhelmed with the fact that he now had a family, seeing as his adoptive human family would have passed on centuries ago and to not expose magic to the normals he would have cut ties with them centuries ago.
Nana and Patrick had been staying up late talking, trying to fit the missing pieces of the past together. I just wish that Apple wouldn't have left. I really don't understand the argument that she and Ryan got into and he won't talk to me about it.
I'm constantly left in the dark. It's always been this way.
From my earliest age, I was overlooked or deemed useless. How could I possibly help anyone when I'm not ever given all the information?
When I'm not trusted to be able to handle it, I went from being the weaker sibling to being the talentless witch.
From there I was the sister who had to be hidden from my own father, to being the reason my only brother had been separated from the woman he loves.
Something had to give soon. We were all in the pressure cooker and had been left on the back-burner way too long.
"There's nothing here, let's head back to base."
Patrick's voice yanked me out of my musing. I glanced over at him taking in his chiseled jaw now covered in black stubble.
His body was built, rock solid all the way with abs a girl could spend days exploring. And this girl wanted an all access pass.
His jeans were loose fitting and he had on his typical worn cowboy boots, a good ole boy all the way. What was that country song about? Something to the effect, 'save a horse, ride a cowboy' I could seriously get behind those words.
For a moment, his eyes locked on mine. The temperature seemed to sizzle for a moment and I swear his eyes darkened as my breathing picked up.
Finally, we might get somewhere! And then the damn phone rang.
"This is Yancy."
"Hey Gladys, yeah we're doing ok, but it's another dead-end."
"Apple? We're on our way."
I hated listening in on people when they were on the phone, but in these tight quarters I really couldn't avoid it.
"That was Gladys." He said.
I nodded like I hadn't just heard the whole thing.
"It would seem that Apple is back."
I couldn't tell from his tone how he really felt about it. Hesitantly I replied.
"I'm glad for Ryan, he has really missed her."
Now he nodded.
"Patrick, you wanted her to come back, right?"
His eyes shot to mine and for once I could see the uncertainty, not the tough COW that kicks ass and doesn't ask questions. But the kid inside that isn't sure where he fits with his new family and especially his new sister.
"She was pretty mad at me before she left. I felt comfortable and close with Apple ever since I met her. But I'm worried that maybe I inadvertently damaged that new relationship?
I haven't had a sister before. I can see how important you are to Ryan, and in return how important he is to you.
He told me about the dark magic he used to shield you from your dad. I know using that magic, blood magic, can alter the course for who you are supposed to be.
Some witches or warlocks even lose their ability to draw magic from their elements.
And then all this crazy stuff comes up with me being an Applebottom descendant. I know I've been running hot and cold with you Emily and I'm sorry.
There is something else that I've been keeping from you."
I felt bile try and rise in my throat. Did he have a wife or family somewhere? Was he just messing around with me? Did he feel sorry for me?
"What is it?" My voice a bit louder than I'd planned.
He looked so damn guilty. I may have to kill him.
"Ryan asked me to help him with something that changed the course of his life, actually all of our lives. I wasn't going to do it. But part of me was hoping that if I did it would tie me closer to you.
But now that it's done, I feel so guilty for taking choices away that I had no right to take."
"For the love of the Goddess, Patrick, spit it out!" I pleaded, not wanting any vaguer explanations.
"Ryan did another protect
ion spell using blood magic, it was on a much larger basis because he had no idea where Apple was."
I felt the color leave my face. Patrick rushed over to me and helped me sit and placed my head between my knees until I was certain I wouldn't pass out.
"When did he do this? Is his magic gone?" I trembled.
"It was about a month after she left. His magic isn't gone, but he used his blood and I gave him added power from this land. His magic is now tied here."
"What does that mean?" I felt like Patrick was trying to dance around the main issue.
He let out a sigh, "I'll just say it. Your father was furious about her escape. He was threatening to find her and rape her. Ryan was desperate. He performed the dark magic needed so that she is hidden as well as you were all those years.
But it came at a cost. Ryan no longer can wield magic from the Ruttledge line. He can no longer fulfill the prophecy.
It was a gamble. But he had no clue knowing when Apple would return and he would willingly give up everything even his life for her.
He is still a warlock, a damn good one, and a better man. But like the aunts and Nana he is now tied here."
I was trying to process all of this as quickly as I could but it was so much.
"So, the prophecy, it's just gone then?"
Patrick looked at me sadly, "No, there's still a chance. But it's one you would have to take with me.
I'm sorry Emily. You deserve romance and flowers, not death threats and prophecies."
CHAPTER 29 - Apple
Nana had called all of us into the great room of the cabin. Looking around me I finally realized just how far my life had changed in the previous year.
The three women still looked as youthful as ever to the unassuming eye. However, they held such strength, honor and grace between them. They had more experience, more knowledge than I could ever hope to gain in a million lifetimes.
James and Shana sat next to each other on a nearby bench. But despite the mere inches between them their body language couldn't have shown them farther apart.
She was fidgety and kept tapping her nails randomly against the wood. Her eyes lost in thought, her lips a thin line. This was irritated Shana, and it had me wondering what had set her off this time.
All at once James's hand darted out and grasped her wrist firmly to prevent her from tapping.
She looked at him in surprise and then her eyes narrowed dangerously.
He didn't say a word, just held her hand in his tight grasp. She struggled for a moment before huffing and rolling her eyes.
Immediately he released her and she crossed her arms in front of her. They both went back to their original positions. This was something that would most definitely need considering.
Emily and Patrick sat opposite Ryan and me. I wondered if we had ever looked anything like them, so completely moonstruck over each other and yet so hopelessly clueless about it.
It was strange that I now had a brother. But as soon as I saw him come in the door I saw the concern and worry in his eyes as they found mine. Did he think I wouldn't accept him?
I ran over to him and gave him a big barrel hug, "You great big idiot," I choked out, "You have almost 19 years of birthday's and Christmases you are behind on. A good brother would do something about that."
He just about squeezed the very life out of me, it was the best kind of hug. "I will do my best Appletini."
His eyes now when they landed on Emily would burn slightly amber. Since knowing about magical beings I can see these types of things more clearly.
The normals have us around them all the time but are desensitized to it. They don't see our eyes turn violet or amber during a spell or heightened emotion. They don't see the threads connecting us, and I do mean all of us.
Every living creature has some magic in them, I'm not even sure that magical people know that. But I've seen it.
In the city with Shana all these months, I saw it when someone helps a child in need or when one smiles at another. Magic is indeed everywhere, it's up to each of us to find those golden threads.
Nana cleared her throat, "I'm feeling emotional today, but I wanted to start by saying just how thankful we are that Apple and Shana are back with us."
I felt a rush of guilt and felt terrible for causing pain to those that I love. But then Ryan squeezed my hand and whispered, "It only matters that you came back."
I really love this man, with every fiber of my being. How could I have ever possibly thought that my feelings or his would go away? It didn't matter if I was gone a day, a week, a month or 100 years. I will always love him, nothing can change that.
Nana continued, "Too much has gone on in secret and shadows. I'm so very sorry for the years that we have already missed with my grandson Patrick. For the heartache and trouble Apple has gone through making such a huge adjustment this past year.
My sister's and I have spoken at length about this and feel that it would be best for the entire family, all of us here, if we went from this moment forward with full disclosure and total honesty between us."
We all nodded our heads in agreement. And then Nana turned to Ryan, "Do you and Patrick want to start?"
Ryan looked shocked and slightly betrayed towards Patrick. He only shrugged that typically male response of not responding when he didn't know what to say.
Nana rolled her eyes, "He didn't tell me Ryan, we are the keepers of this land's magic. Don't you think to tap into that we would have to approve of it?"
"That's why I had Patrick," Ryan said indignation ringing in his tones and yet the tips of his ears were pink in embarrassment from getting caught.
"One warlock, although of excellent stock, couldn't have granted you that kind of power. We all helped." Sally added grinning.
"What are they talking about?" I truly had no idea what was going on. But I could tell both Ryan and Patrick were not thrilled with where the conversation had been heading.
"Can't we start with someone else?" Ryan gave one last shot at evasion.
Seeing Nana's face was answer enough. His shoulders slumped and he told me what he had done.
I was shocked and aghast, "Ryan you didn't have to give up your birthright for me. I really am a powerful witch, and your father is not as strong as you think he is."
He shook his head, "I didn't give it up, I traded it for your safety. But even if I needed to give it up altogether I would have. I would do anything for you Apple."
"And you are wrong about my father, he has been gathering forces from all the elements, he is growing stronger every moment. He's using terrible magic to do it."
Emily sucked in a breath, "Transference?"
"What is that?" Noting the pallor of her cheeks I knew it couldn't be good.
Patrick spoke up, "It's similar to what we did giving Ryan more power to shield you, but in its truest form the transfer takes every ounce of energy from the being leaving them dry."
"He leaves them dead?" I whispered and he nodded in the affirmative.
Nana spoke up again, "Therefore we are meeting together. We can't shield all of us, nor can we allow a mad man loose in this world. We need to take him out, there is no other option, but we need to do it together. It's going to take all of us to do this."
Ryan and Patrick nodded; Emily was soon to follow, as were James and Shana.
I saw the aunts stand up and grasp hands together motioning for us all to do so. As we stood in that circle the threads curled and twirled around us. The eyes of the ones I loved began to glow blue, violet and amber.
The threads became stands constantly weaving in and around us, never breaking the circle. A sudden light began to appear in the center of the circle. The strands turning into thick bands radiating heat and energy like nothing I'd seen before.
The light became brighter and began to elongate, the shining so intense that it was difficult to watch with the naked eye.
I felt an intense sense of closeness with these people around me. Like I knew what their m
agic felt like in my heart and that they now knew mine.
I wasn't sure how long this lasted but I felt the effects as it started to recede. My body felt heavy and my muscles sore. The bands turned to strands and then once again into threads.
But floating there in the center of the circle was the one thing I had thought we would never see again.
It would seem we Applebottom's had finally found the family wand.
CHAPTER 30 - Patrick
You know that moment when you are about to do something so incredibly stupid your mind is begging for you to stop, to take a deep breath and ponder your insane idiocy or to at least think over the massive implications one more time before you dive off that cliff?
Yeah, none of that occurred to me as I reached out and grasped the handle of the family wand.
It immediately took hold of my hand and I gasped at the sheer force it was emitting into my arm.
"Patrick!"
I heard Emily cry out, she sounded close, but then she had been standing right next to me in the circle.
I tried to warn her not to touch me. But my lips wouldn't move and it wouldn't have mattered anyway because it was seconds later before I felt her hand close over mine, still fiercely grasping the wands handle.
We were shocked by what felt was thousands of volts of electricity, but I knew it was magic. We both landed a few feet from each other flat on our backs, the wand dropping to the floor between us.
The family raced over to us to see if we were okay but I stopped them, "Don't touch anything until we know it is safe."
They nodded uneasily waiting for Emily and me. I sat up a bit dizzy but no worse for wear. Avoiding the wand, I went to her and helped her to her feet. As I extended my hand I noticed what looked like a tribal tattoo that snaked around my wrist.
Grasping Emily's hand, I pushed her long sleeve back at the wrist and saw an identical one marking her arm. With our arms clasped it looked to be seamless.
"What does this mean?" Emily whispered.