She shook her head. “No, I won’t allow you to do that. And I won’t take a chance I might break up another family. So there are only two choices as far as I’m concerned—I either repeat the ceremony with whoever remains eligible, or I marry Hollister.”
Her father shook his head. “I don’t want you to marry Hollister. After what I saw yesterday, I must admit, I would be afraid for your safety. And we would be allowing the fox into the henhouse. He might then find a way to get our entire empire eventually. My preference would be to buy out the contract and rebuild.”
She shook her head and stood. “No. This is my life we are talking about here and if there is a chance I might get out of this agreement without ruining my family financially, I will risk being alone the rest of my life. It is preferable to life with that horrid man.”
Quayk’s father leaned forward and rested his head on his hands. When he finally lifted his head, the pain in his eyes made her flinch. “Quayk, I regret I didn’t listen to you sooner. I’m sorry this has happened to you, and I wish you didn’t have to make this choice. Are you absolutely certain this is the way you want to go? We could rebuild, I know we could.”
She nodded. “I am absolutely certain. How soon can we schedule the ceremony?”
He seemed to shrink in his chair as he replied, “I will call S’Mone today and let you know what she says.” He rose and came around his desk to take her in his arms.
Quayk leaned against him and buried her face in his chest as she sobbed and he patted her back and repeated, “I am so sorry…so very sorry…”
Two weeks had passed since Quayk made the choice to repeat the Destiny Determination Ceremony. She had been on pins and needles, but the day had finally come—the day that would determine if she found true love, lost love forever, or ended up married to a man she despised.
As she came out of her bedroom, ready for the trip downtown, she found her father waiting at the end of the hallway.
He smiled and held out his arms.
She snuggled against him as he engulfed her in a big ‘ol bear hug—the kind he used to give her when she was small. Her mother stood behind them with tears in her eyes.
This last week there had been many discussions with both her mother and her father. They had made it clear neither of them wanted her to marry Hollister, but she was determined she would not be the cause for her family to have to struggle.
Her father took her by the arms and backed her up a half step. “I want you to know how very proud I am of you for the strength and fortitude of spirit you have shown me these past weeks.
Her mother stepped forward and took her father’s arm. “We are both incredibly proud of you.”
She smiled and nodded, confident she wouldn’t cry again. She had cried the proverbial river this week, and she didn’t think there were any tears left.
Her father pinned her gaze with his own. “Your mother and I discussed this situation in length and we have come to a joint decision. There is no way we will allow you to marry Hollister Firedrake.”
Her breath caught in her throat. “But—.”
He cut her off. “No. We won’t allow it. I’ve already had Dale Benson draw up the papers to notify the Firedrakes of our intent to terminate the contract. They will be served immediately after the ceremony, regardless of the outcome.”
She shook her head, but her throat wouldn’t allow her to speak.
Her mother put her arms around Quayk and rubbed her back. “Baby, your father and I are in total agreement. By repeating the ceremony, you at least have a chance to fine true love. But if magic again chooses Hollister, we still won’t allow you to marry him. There is no amount of money that’s worth watching your child live in misery.”
“But you’ll lose so much.” She clung to her mother.
“It doesn’t matter. Even if you marry the man, he will try to take it from us anyway, and he might succeed in the long run. No, this is the only way. But we have both prayed you find a new and true love.”
She had been wrong when she thought she had no tears left. Because they fell now by the bucketful.
CHAPTER EIGHT
As Quayk left the house with her parents and followed them out to the driveway, Alex McCall’s team was there, except for Alex…and they were all dressed up.
“Wow, you guys look great.” She walked over to Slicer and fingered the ruffled pink shirt he was wearing. “I might have to borrow this shirt sometime. It’s hot.”
The cat shifter smiled and rotated one shoulder as he purred softly. “Well, I did hear there were going to be a lot of hot men at this soiree.”
She grinned, “So, what’s the occasion? You going to a big party?”
Alex stepped out from behind his truck in a dark suit and a beautiful black cowboy hat.
Her throat slammed shut.
Holy shit! The man’s hot in his casual work clothes, but put him in a suit and he could set my hair on fire.
She suppressed a chuckle at the thought of her head going up in flames and smoothed the side of her hair just to make sure it wasn’t singed.
She hadn’t seen Alex all week, even though she had asked Slicer about him every morning, and was assured he “was around somewhere.” She’d tried to make the inquiry seem casual, but was pretty sure she hadn’t fooled anyone—certainly not the observant shapeshifter.
For some reason, Alex had gotten under her skin, and Quayk had to will herself to breathe when he came close and held out his elbow for her to take.
She narrowed her eyes and smiled slightly as she looked toward her father for an explanation. But he and her mother were already headed toward their car.
Alex smiled. “You’ll ride with me.”
She looked around at the group. “You’re all going to the ceremony?”
They all nodded, and Slicer licked his little finger and smoothed one brow. “Actually, Garcia is the only one that won’t participate in the ceremony.”
“What?”
Alex smiled as he took her arm and slipped it through his. “We were all part of your original marriage pool, and we’re all still single.” As he led her around the truck, he winked at her, “So it’s entirely possible you could end up with one of us.”
She stopped and pulled her hand from his grasp. “Shut up!” She looked around at Alex’s entire security crew. She pointed her finger at each of them in turn and asked, “Are you saying I might end up married to one of you guys?”
Slicer smiled and sashayed forward to put his arms around her and hug her close. “Would that be so bad? After all, you and I could do each other’s nails. We’d be absolute best friends.”
She stared at him and then laughed. “That is freaking awesome!” Tears came to her eyes as she looked at each of the men she’d come to really care for over the past week. “This gives me hope, and I’d be a really lucky girl to get any one of you.”
A tear fell on her cheek and Slicer wiped it away with the ruffled sleeve of his shirt. “Honey, you just go do your stuff. Everything is gonna work out fine, you’ll see. We’re all gonna be there for ya, baby girl.”
She patted his cheek and pinched her lips together to keep from crying as she turned to look at Alex. Her heart constricted with fear as she wondered if she could dare hope to be so lucky. This was a man she could love. Hell, she might already be in love with him.
She took his arm, but couldn’t look him in the eye as she followed him around the truck and sent out a silent prayer that magic would hear her cry.
The ceremony was always performed in the church located at the heart of town, so that’s where everyone was gathered. Quayk was overwhelmed as Alex pulled up to the front doors of the church. She couldn’t believe the line of people outside the church. Apparently helping a SpellMaker girl find true love was big doin’s in this town.
Alex opened the door and helped her out of the truck. He must have sensed her panic because he put his hands on her shoulders. “Quayk, don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”
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She tried to smile, but it felt more like a grimace. “I’m so overwhelmed and scared right now. I don’t know if I can do this. What if I don’t find anyone, and I end up alone?”
He smiled and rubbed his hands up and down her arms. “That won’t happen. You hold your head high and remember who you are—you’re Quayk SpellMaker, the most incredible woman in this town.”
Hope shot through her, warm and bright, as his words tore at her mind. She searched his face, but it was a mask of calm.
She had to know. “Do you mean that?”
Before he could answer, the Oracle swooped up the sidewalk and snagged her arm, urging Quayk toward the church. She struggled to look over her shoulder at Alex. He watched her, and she hoped maybe he would give her some indication, some answer. Nothing. He smiled and nodded as she was led through double doors at the side of the church.
Her mind screamed at her to go back, but her gut knew she couldn’t. She was committed to this course of action. To go outside the process now could ruin her family forever.
She realized the Oracle had been speaking to her. “What? I’m sorry. I’m just so…”
S’Mone took her by the shoulders. “Deep breath, girl. Take a deep breath.”
Quayk pulled in a lungful of air.
“Good.” The Oracle crooned in a very soothing voice. “Now another.”
Quayk stared into her eyes as she followed S’Mone’s instructions. “Good girl. That’s the way. Another deep breath. Now, you feel better?”
Quayk nodded, not trusting her voice.
“Good. Now, while they get everyone seated in the church, I will explain what to expect. I want you to know, I believe this ceremony is the right thing to do. I have sensed magic’s presence here all morning, swirling around the church, around me, in and out of the pews. Magic is excited, girl. It tells me this ceremony is good, it is right.”
Quayk’s throat relaxed enough to speak. “So you think it will choose someone new for me today?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. All I can say is I believe magic will make everything clear today, it will make things right. I have a good feeling here.” She pointed to her belly. “And here.” She pointed to her heart.
Quayk nodded. “Okay, I trust you.”
“No, girl,” she shook her head, “you must trust magic. Can you do that?”
Panic clutched at her throat. Magic had already screwed up once. What if it made another mistake?
She pursed her lips and took a deep breath, blowing it out slowly. She felt her head clear, and she nodded. “Yes. I will trust magic’s decision.” What choice did she have?
“Good. Okay, girl, let’s get this over with. Come with me.” S’Mone took her by the hand and led her through a door and into the church sanctuary. As soon as they stepped into the church, an unnerving hush fell over the crowd.
Quayk began to shake as she looked at the huge crowd that had gathered. The church was enormous, every seat full, and the walls lined with people standing two and three deep.
She searched the crowd for familiar faces, and found her family seated in the front row. Her twin sisters and her brother all gave her a synchronized thumbs-up, which almost made her laugh.
Her father leaned forward and scowled at them, and they all sat back and rolled their eyes when he wasn’t looking.
Quayk smiled. It helped to have them here. Then she realized S’Mone was speaking and she tried to listen to what the woman was saying, but her brain felt scattered, and it took a lot of effort to focus. Finally, she managed to regain her composure.
S’Mone explained she would be in a trance to channel the magic, and the choice would be made very quickly once the trance began.
Quayk took a deep breath and watched the beautiful woman with skin the color of a dark coffee brew. S’Mone smiled and nodded. Then she closed her eyes and lowered her head until her chin rested against her chest.
When she again raised her head and opened her eyes, the beautiful golden eyes with the strange vertical irises had gone as white as her hair.
At first it scared Quayk, but no one else seemed panicked, so she figured it must be part of the explanation she’d missed.
S’Mone walked to the edge of the stage and Quayk, feared she would fall off, because she was fairly certain the woman couldn’t see through those eyes right now. She rushed to take her hand, and S’Mone smiled and waved her off. “I’m fine, child. Don’t worry about me.”
Then she turned toward the crowd and pointed a finger as her voice projected over the crowd. “But there is another who should be worried…worried for himself. Magic is angry.” A gasp ran through the crowd.
S’Mone moved her head, as if scanning everyone in the crowd. Finally, she focused her gaze on Hollister. “I do not understand what is happening here.” Her eyes were open wide, exposing the unnerving white irises.
“I see two men for this woman. How can it be? One woman cannot be expected to marry two men.”
The crowd gasped again.
Quayk almost ran. Panic gripped her heart. Talk about things going from bad to worse!
S’Mone pointed at Quayk’s father as he stood. “No! Sit. All will be revealed. Wait.”
Her father sat, but she could tell he was ready at the drop of a hat to pull her off the stage if he thought she was in danger.
At that moment, Quayk caught sight of Alex as he moved to stand a few feet behind and to the side of Hollister.
She also noticed Slicer as he stood in the wings, behind the curtain on her side of the stage.
Just knowing the men were there to protect her from harm calmed her nerves. She smiled at Slicer when he grinned and waved at her, pink sleeve ruffles fluttering at his wrists.
When she returned her attention to S’Mone at the center of the stage, she caught sight of Cowboy in the wings on the other side, wearing what looked like a brand new black felt hat.
She took a deep breath as an incredible calm washed over her. She had friends who were there for her. She could do this.
S’Mone seemed to grow even taller as she straightened to her full height. She pointed at Sullivan, who now stood at the foot of the stage. “Magic tells me you lie, that you are responsible for this.”
“Charlatan!” Sullivan stepped forward, one hand fisted at his side, the other pointed at S’Mone.
S’Mone continued even louder. “Magic says you cheated it. You. Cheated. Magic.”
“You lie, Hag!” Sullivan turned and shouted to a man in the back, who immediately shifted into a horse.
People in the church were frozen in place, watching as the horse galloped to the front of the church. Sullivan grabbed a handful of mane and swung up onto the back of the horse.
With a powerful leap into the air, the horse again shifted—into a black dragon who circled the church, shooting flames from its mouth above the crowd.
People began to scream and push as they shoved and fell over each other in their rush to get out.
Alex motioned to someone in the back as he moved toward the stage.
S’Mone continued to point at Sullivan as he rode the black dragon overhead, “You paid the weak Oracle to lie.”
Sullivan moved to grab S’Mone as the dragon swooped low, but Cowboy was quicker, as he knocked S’Mone to the floor and threw himself on top of her.
Suddenly Hollister had Quayk by the arm and dragged her off the stage.
She screamed.
The church erupted in chaos as shifters began to shift everywhere. The sound of wings filled the church as gargoyles and birds of every shape took flight.
Hollister switched directions and dragged her toward the back of the stage, as Slicer shifted to an enormous black cat and ran at him from the wings. Being the coward he was, Hollister let go of her and cowered against the wall as the cat growled and sat in front of him to keep him in place.
Quayk heard S’Mone shout for Alex from just a few feet away. She turned and saw an enormous gargoyle descend on the Or
acle, who was holding out a sword.
As she opened her mouth to scream, she realized the gargoyle wore a cowboy hat.
Alex.
How does he keep that hat on his head when he’s flying?
S’Mone handed him the sword and shouted, “This is the only thing that can kill a dragon. Wield it well.”
Alex took the sword and turned as the dragon swung around to face him.
Horror gripped her by the throat as she realized Alex was faced off against the dragon and Sullivan.
Suddenly, a shot rang out. She looked in the direction of the noise and saw her father holding a smoking gun.
She swung her gaze back in the direction he had fired to see Sullivan slip from the back of the dragon and fall toward the floor of the church. He hit hard on the back of a pew, right in the middle of his back, which was clearly broken as his body draped lifelessly over both sides of the pew.
After Sullivan fell from the dragon, the beast roared and shifted directions as it flew straight at Alex, who hovered in mid-air with the sword in his hand. When the dragon was within reach, it shot fire at Alex, who dove for the floor and came up under the dragon, driving the sword hilt-deep into the beast.
The dragon seemed to hover for a split second before it began to shift back into a horse and crashed to the floor—half horse, half dragon, sprawled lifelessly across the stage.
When Quayk realized the beast had fallen on Slicer, she let out a blood-curdling scream.
With Slicer nowhere in sight, Hollister moved quickly as he scrambled over the dead beast and came up with a gun. He aimed the gun at Alex and snagged Quayk by the shirt with his other hand.
Quayk shrieked, “Alex!” She slapped and scratched at Hollister, who pulled the trigger, and the gun went off in Alex’s direction just as she broke free.
She plunged forward and reached Alex just as Hollister took aim again.
This time Alex swooped her into his arms. As his wings wrapped around her, she heard the gun fire again.
A moment later, she could hear nothing. She tried to move, but she couldn’t. She seemed to be trapped in some sort of soft, pebbly material.
BodyGuard (Butterscotch Martini Shots Book 2) Page 35