by King, Thayer
Chapter Fifteen
Mystique could barely stand to look at Sean. She knew if she did, she wouldn’t be able to go on. The briefest of glimpses at him on the way down had made her legs tremble and filled her with fury. He had two long cuts on his face, one on each cheek. His chest was a mass of small cuts, shallow but effective. And her mother had done this. How could she? Was she insane?
“Is it? Did you do it to lure him here and pull me back into the fold?”
“You finally begin to understand. Our work is important.”
“Meadow, Sean is not evil. You’ve got to let him go.”
Meadow pressed the blade of her knife to Sean’s throat. “They’re all evil. And if I let this one live, you will find out all too well.”
“He is not my father. We are truly bound.” She chanced a quick glance at Sean. His eyes were closed. A thin line of blood was forming along his neck where the edge of the blade was piercing his flesh. She gulped and moved closer. Close enough that she could reach out and touch her mother. “Meadow, I love him.”
“Then you should thank me for killing him. You will never know the disillusionment of finding out you’re lying down with a devil.” She pressed the knife deeper.
Mystique stepped forward, a scream building in her throat.
Nikita moved ahead of her smoothly, plucking the knife from Meadow’s hand. “Let me. I’m stronger than you.”
“Nikita, please,” Mystique began, feeling that she at least had a chance of talking Nikita out of taking this action.
“Don’t worry, Myst, I’ll make this quick.” Nikita flipped the blade from hand to hand, her expertise obvious. When it was in her left hand, quick as lightning, she balled her right into a fist and punched Meadow square on the jaw. The much larger woman’s eyes widened even as she staggered and fell to the floor. Her head hit the concrete with a thump that made Mystique wince. Meadow’s eyes closed.
Mystique cupped Sean’s face in her hands. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Let’s get out of here.”
Nikita slashed through the rope holding him to the chair. Nikita and Mystique helped him to stand and assisted him up the stairs. Mystique didn’t pause until they had him strapped into the rental car. “You should go back and check on Meadow,” she said quietly to Nikita, unable to meet her cousin’s eyes. She felt like she had gone over to the other side. She still couldn’t believe Nikita had helped her.
“She’ll be fine. She’s a tough one.”
“I can’t thank you enough. If you ever need a favor—”
Nikita smiled. “Don’t offer me favors. You know I enjoy cashing them in. I’m sorry I helped get him in that situation. I didn’t know he was yours. Meadow should know better.”
“She’s never going to change.”
“Probably not. What are you going to do about him?” She nodded towards Sean. “You can’t take him to the hospital.”
She bit her lip. “I’ll handle it.” They shared a look. Mystique wanted to say more, to tell her cousin how much she loved her, but there wasn’t enough time. “I need to go…start handling it.”
“Yeah, and I should get Meadow off that cold floor.”
They hugged. Mystique broke it off and strode around to the driver side of the car. She gave a small wave before getting inside and starting the car. Sean’s head was supported by the headrest. He had pulled together the ends of his shirt. It was black. Though the blood showed through as wet spots, the color of the stains was obscure. He looked very tired. “How are you?”
“Still here. Want to tell me what the hell is going on?”
She was suddenly very angry with him. He could have died tonight. “None of this had to happen. Why are you here? I left you a note asking you to meet me at home.”
His eyes popped open, his gaze steady and lucid as it met hers. “Because I felt your anxiety. I couldn’t stay in Wilmington knowing you needed me. I came to support you.”
“I appreciate that. I wish you’d just called me instead.”
“You’ve been hiding this from me. Your mother claimed you kill witches. I want to hear it from your lips. What exactly does your family do for a living?”
Her hands tightened on the steering wheel. How did she explain her mother attempting to kill him? And why she wouldn’t be calling the police or taking him to a hospital? She didn’t want to tell him like this. Hell, she’d hoped to avoid telling him at all. “Sean, does your family have a history of being witches?”
“Since the 1700s.”
She nodded. “For just as long, my family has been witch hunters.”
“You kill witches,” he said dryly. He shifted in his seat. “Was it a plan all along to kill me? Did you intentionally lure me here?”
“Of course not! From the second we met, I’ve been trying to avoid this moment! Only you kept pushing it!”
“If you’d told me the truth from the beginning, I wouldn’t have.”
She took that to mean that he wished that he had never met her. Tears flooded her eyes, making her vision blurry. She blinked. They rode the rest of the way to the hotel in silence.
Fortunately the lobby was empty as they entered. Mystique offered her help but Sean refused her assistance. They made their way to the elevators as fast as his pain-stilted pace could take them. Once in the room, he stripped off his shirt and sat on the edge of the bed. Mystique filled the sink with water and used a cloth to clean away the excess blood. She studied his face and chest. Again she questioned how her mother could do this to another human being.
She lifted her hands to place them on his cheeks. He stopped her, holding her wrists. His blue eyes searched hers. “Have you ever killed a witch?”
“No. I could never do it. It’s why my mother considers me a failure, a weakling.” He nodded and released her hands. Very gently, she pressed her hands to his flesh. She closed her eyes. “I hope I can do this,” she whispered. She concentrated on the desired result. Energy surged in all her veins, surging and pulsing in waves. It coalesced in her fingers, in her palms. There it stayed. She couldn’t get it to flow outward. She frowned, urging harder but nothing was happening. “I don’t…I can’t…”
Sean spread his thighs and pulled her between them. “You can. You can do anything you want. I know you can do it.” He reached up and gripped her behind her neck and brought her down to him. He kissed her, his lips brushing over hers. “Relax. I know you’re scared. You’ve been taught that this is wrong, but it can be beautiful. You can do wonderful, amazing things. I’m so proud of you for trying.”
“Oh, Sean.” She covered his mouth, kissing him deeply. She didn’t end the kiss even as she began harnessing her magic again. It washed through her like water, gathered in her palms. This time it didn’t stop. It rained in healing drops along Sean’s scars, knitting his flesh back together until the bleeding ceased and all evidence of the cuts was healed.
She removed her hands, relieved to see his face was perfect once more. “I did it.”
“I knew you could.” He gestured to his chest. “Think you can do it again?”
Almost an hour later, Mystique collapsed against Sean, her forehead pressed to his. She’d healed each of his wounds and she was exhausted. All she wanted to do was sleep. She sighed and straightened to remove her clothes. “Call your brother. I’m too tired to do it.” She slid beneath the covers in only her underwear. Her head had barely touched the pillow before she was asleep. She didn’t wake until Sean wrapped himself around her, his chest heating her back, his hand spanning her belly.
“I wish you’d told me first and not under these circumstances.”
“I was hoping to not have to tell you at all. My mother and I are estranged. I never wanted you to know our family history.”
He kissed her neck. “That’s not what I meant. I wish you’d told me that you loved me when we were alone and not when I had a blade to my neck.”
Mystique turned into his embrace. She caressed his cheek with the backs
of her fingers. “Sean, I love you. I have for some time.”
“I know, but hearing you say it means so much to me.” He kissed her, his lips soft and sweet against hers.
“I thought you were angry with me. That-that you wished we’d never met,” she whispered unable to meet his gaze.
“Being angry with you doesn’t change what I feel for you. When I told you that I love you, it wasn’t conditional. My love is forever.”
Chapter Sixteen
Mystique stepped out of the shower and wrapped one towel around her hair and another around her body. She dried herself and her hair briskly. “Damn it,” she muttered when she realized she’d forgotten to bring her underwear into the bathroom.
She’d used the last of the towels. She shivered in revulsion at the thought of wrapping herself in the damp cotton. Knowing only Sean was in the hotel room, she left the bathroom naked.
Only Sean wasn’t alone. His back was to her as he stood talking to another man who looked so much like him, that he could only be his brother Keith. His eyes widened as they took in her naked form. Mystique shrieked and crossed her arms over her body to cover her breasts and her sex.
Sean whipped around. He frowned for a second and then his eyes flickered, the pupils disappearing even as the irises took on a supernatural glow. Suddenly, she was dressed in a t-shirt and jeans. “Thanks.” Her cheeks were hot with mortification.
“Mystique, this is my brother Keith. Keith, this is my Mystique.”
Keith moved forward, his hand outstretched. “Sean’s been going on about you for almost a year. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” He smiled. “You’re even lovelier in person than you are on film.”
“Um, thanks.” She shook his hand, her face going even redder at his words.
He colored a bit and chuckled. “Forgive me. I didn’t mean because of your state of undress. Though, I must reiterate, you are truly exquisite. ”
Sean growled and punched his brother in the shoulder. “You’re embarrassing her, you dolt.”
“I’ve heard a lot about you, too. Do you live near here?”
Keith exchanged glances with Sean before running a hand over the back of his head. “Um, no. I…um…”
“He transported here,” Sean said at last. “I told you Keith was stronger than me.”
“Not true. You were always too lazy to practice.”
“I’m glad you came,” Mystique said, interrupting their banter. “I did my best to heal Sean, but I’d like you to examine my handiwork.”
“I’ve checked him over. Your work is excellent. However, that’s not why I came.”
“Oh?” She frowned in confusion. “Then why are you here? Our flight leaves this afternoon.”
Keith opened his mouth, but Sean put a restraining hand on his arm. “Let me explain.”
“Explain what? Last night you sounded pretty eager to leave Asheville.”
“Sit for a second.” He led her to the couch and sat beside her. He laced her fingers with his. “So I told Keith about what happened. And I think we can all agree that what your mother did to me was wrong.”
She nodded. “Of course.”
“And we can’t let her keep doing that to witches.”
She snatched her hand out of his. “So you’re planning to kill her?”
“What? Hell, no.”
“Then what? Because my mother’s been doing this for years. Nothing short of death will stop her.”
“How about a little sorcery?” Keith sat on the other side of her. “I can put a spell on her that can make her forget that witches exist.”
Mystique arched a doubtful brow. “How do you intend to do that? It’s half of her existence. It would be like giving her a lobotomy.”
“She wouldn’t lose her memories. They would be…altered. Whenever she tries to think of witches it will be like trying to recall the lyrics to a song she heard long ago. It’ll be irritating that she can’t remember but eventually she’ll shrug and go on with her day.”
She thought they were simplifying this too much. “And when she thinks of my father? What will she recall as the reason they broke up? Or why she can’t accept me as her daughter? She’ll have to fill in blanks like that every day. And you’d have to get Mama Skye and Nikita to go along with this and never mention witches. And let me tell you, those two aren’t likely to agree to work with witches. They’re hunters also.”
“Then you talk to them,” Sean said. “They’ve got to see she’s unreasonable in her hatred of witches.”
She swore softly. They were right. Her mother had gone over the edge of reason. Good and evil didn’t enter the equation for her mother. Simply being born a witch was excuse for an execution for her. Mystique couldn’t let her continue to torture people because they were born different. “Let me dry my hair. I’ll call Mama Skye and arrange a meeting with her and Nikita.”
****
“I’ll be there in about ten minutes.” Sean watched as Mystique ended the call with her grandmother. She’d left her hair curly but pulled it into a ponytail high at the back of her head. She turned to him. “Everything’s set. I’m meeting them at the bakery. They’ll send Meadow on an errand so that we don’t run into each other.”
She gripped the keys to the rental car and stared at him. He crossed to her and pulled her into a hug. She melted in his embrace and kissed his cheek. “Be careful,” he told her.
“They won’t hurt me,” she said with confidence. She gave him one last squeeze. “I love you,” she whispered.
“I love you.” He pulled back so that he could look into the dark pools of her eyes. “This is for the best.” Like a small flower blooming, he could feel her hope that their plan would work. She nodded. He caressed her cheek. Keith cleared his throat as he was bending to kiss her again.
“I hate to be a pain, but the two of you are embarrassing the hell out of me again.”
Mystique smiled and gave him a quick peck. He groaned at the soft feel of her lips. He wanted to do so much more.
As soon as the door closed behind her, Keith arched a brow at him. “So of all the witches in the world, you bound yourself to a witch hunter?”
“Hey, when all this started I didn’t know she was a witch at all.”
“How could you not? The power is practically brimming off her. Her aura is electric.”
“That’s because she used her abilities to heal me. It’s the first time she’s used her magic since she was a child. She was discouraged from practicing by her mother.” His jaw tightened as he recalled her taunting voice and the feel of the knife stinging his flesh repeatedly. And all the while he’d been weak and defenseless. “That woman detests us all. The hatred is a poison in her blood. She’s let it spill over and ruin her relationship with her daughter.”
“Ah, now I understand why you picked this particular binding spell. Does Mystique realize what you’re doing for her?”
“Not yet. I don’t think it’s penetrated, but it will come to her. This is only part of it. I’m going to need some help for the next step.” He picked up his phone and called Neva.
Chapter Seventeen
Sean held Mystique in his arms on the landing outside Meadow’s bedroom. It was close to two in the morning. He kissed her forehead. “It’s going to be fine. Keith is very talented.”
Mystique nodded but remained silent. Keith and Nikita stood in front of her. Mama Skye had gone to bed, confident that all would be well. Keith was waiting for her to give the word before proceeding.
“Myst, it’s now or never,” Nikita encouraged.
She took a deep breath. She was apprehensive, but knew this was their best option. “Do it.”
Keith nodded and turned the knob. Nikita was right on his heels. He frowned down at her. “What?”
“I’m coming with you. I agree; Meadow is a fanatic. But that doesn’t mean I’m not keeping my eye on you, witch.”
He shrugged and slipped quietly into Meadow’s bedroom. Nikita followed, her fo
otsteps inaudible despite her customary high heels. They were gone for only a matter of minutes. Mystique clutched Sean’s hand. “It’s done?”
“Done,” Keith affirmed with a nod.
“How do you know?”
“I know,” Keith said. His voice was firm. He was so different from his brother. He was confident without flash or charm. It made his word all the more believable. “I took the liberty of also healing the bruise under her eye and the bump on her head.”
“Thank you, Keith.” She looked up at Sean. “I want to stay here tonight. I want to see her in the morning. You and Keith can go back to the hotel”
“All right.” He kissed her briefly.
She sensed his reluctance to leave her through their link. Stroking his cheek, she said, “I’ll call you in the morning.”
****
Mystique sat at the kitchen table watching as Mama Skye ambled about the kitchen preparing a large breakfast. She’d told her that it wasn’t necessary but her grandmother had insisted.
She was running her finger around the rim of her coffee cup when Meadow entered. Her mother was still in her dressing gown. She stretched her hands over her head, yawning. “I had the most wonderful sleep last night,” she began before she emitted a cry.
Mystique’s eyes widened. She looked around to see what could have startled her mother so.
“Myst, my baby! I’m so glad you’re here. I’m sorry about our argument.” She rushed over and she was enveloped in her mother’s embrace. She couldn’t recall the last time her mother had hugged her or held her. “You were the first thing on my mind this morning when I woke up.” She pulled back and looked at her, smoothing her hair. She smiled. “I’d like to meet your young man now, if that’s okay with you.”
Mystique’s mouth dropped open. She looked at Mama Skye. This was more than she’d been expecting. “Um...”
Meadow frowned. “Oh, that’s right. I met him. I wasn’t very nice to him. I can’t imagine why…” She seemed to be searching her memory. After a moment, she shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. If you approve of him and he treats you right, then I’m sure I’ll grow to love him, too.”