The Seduced

by Cheyenne McCray

  She slid her hands down so that she grasped his thighs as he moved in and out. “Don’t go so slow!”

  He gave her a wicked smile and didn’t pick up his pace. His slow thrusts made her crazy. She looked between their bodies and saw him moving in and out of her and she gripped his thighs tighter so that her nails were digging into his muscled flesh. If he was going to tease her, then she was certainly going to leave her mark.

  He picked up speed, his thrusts coming harder and faster. His body was so slick between her thighs from sweat and the moisture created between them. The magical gold bubbles grew in number, and she was vaguely aware of them penetrating his skin as well as her own.

  Closer, closer, closer, she came to climaxing again. Just a little more, and she’d be there. But she wanted to wait for him, wanted to feel his release at the same time as her own.

  She dug her nails deeper into his thighs. “Tell me when you’re going to come, big man.”

  Tiernan grunted and he pumped his hips so hard she knew he was close. He clenched his jaw, his eyes wild, and his body rigid.

  “Now,” he growled. “Right now!”

  “Do it!” she cried as her own orgasm burst through her.

  “You’re mine, little fire,” Tiernan shouted, his voice echoing through the room. He pulsed inside her and the walls of her channel contracted around him. He continued thrusting his hips as her body took from him all that he offered.

  When they both stopped shuddering, but continued to gasp for breath, Tiernan released his hold on her and withdrew. He rolled to his side, taking her with him. He nestled her thigh between his. He felt hot and sweaty and the room smelled of sex.

  Gradually, the gold magical bubbles drifted away as if carried on a gentle breeze. The intensity of feelings in her body began to subside and she relaxed in Tiernan’s arms.

  Copper sighed, completely sated. She snuggled into his embrace, her head resting on his arm, and easily fell into a deep sleep.

  16

  As Copper slept, Tiernan dressed in his robe. He paused to look down upon her beautiful face and brushed a stray lock of hair from her cheek.

  The Faerie kisses across her nose made her even more lovely. While sleeping she still had a mischievous expression that made him shake his head and grin.

  A great weight seemed to tug at his heart and his smile turned into a frown. If he did not come up with a satisfactory solution, he would have to leave for Otherworld to wed Airell. That thought sat heavier with him now than it ever had.

  As he drew his hand away from Copper, Tiernan wondered why she did not appear so young to him, the way Airell did. Copper was headstrong, impulsive, maddening. Yet he found himself captivated by her like no other woman whom he had shared pleasures with. It had seemed as if their physical joining were more than simply fucking.

  He straightened his spine and hardened his expression.

  Impossible. Illogical.

  Then he remembered his own words from last night. “You’re mine, little fire.”

  What had he been thinking?

  He had been thinking with his cock.

  After one final look at Copper, Tiernan turned and quietly strode to the front door and let himself out of the apartment.

  Copper woke to an empty bed. She slipped into her robe and headed to Silver’s apartment. Of course, Copper didn’t have her own soaps and supplies in her apartment bathroom yet. She’d also have to hit the store and buy herself an honest-to-goodness real toothbrush, along with other supplies.

  When she went to Silver’s apartment, Zeph joined Copper, riding on his favorite place, the upper curve of her ear. Copper knocked on Silver’s apartment door and Copper heard a cheery, “Come in.”

  The minute Copper walked through the doorway, the smell of breakfast washed over her at the same time Silver met her at the door and hugged her.

  “I have to touch you again to make sure you’re real.” Silver gave her another big squeeze before releasing her.

  Copper grinned, then closed her eyes at the heavenly smells coming from the small kitchen. “If I’m not mistaken that’s Mother’s recipe for breakfast casserole. Eggs, potatoes, broccoli.”

  She opened her eyes as her stomach rumbled. “I’ve missed real food so much. I know I said that last night about ten times, but I don’t think I’ll be able to eat enough. I doubt I could look at another Faerie seedcake or grass-and-berry tart again.”

  Silver laughed and headed back to the kitchen. She was all in royal purple, wearing heels, a short skirt, and silk blouse. “There’s plenty of casserole.” She grabbed a pair of pot holders as she headed to the oven. “As long as you eat before Hawk comes back. That man is never satisfied. He’ll probably have Tiernan with him. I’d bet he’s had his fill of Faerie food, too.”

  The thought of Tiernan caused a delicious warmth to sweep over Copper. The memory of their incredible night made her smile. It had been sheer heaven. She felt sore all over, especially her nipples. And damn, but it felt good.

  Silver caught Copper’s attention again when she said, “You have a kind of dreamy look to your eyes, little sister. I don’t suppose you have a thing for a certain Tuatha D’Danann warrior?”

  “I’ll never tell.” Copper teased her sister with a wink. “Mind if I use the shower and grab more of my clothes?”

  “Of course, not.” Silver brought the casserole out of the oven and set it on the stovetop. With her oven mitts still on, she made shooing motions with her hands toward the bedroom. “This can cool a bit while you shower. Make yourself totally at home.”

  Copper paused in mid-step. “By the way—what about all my stuff and my bank account?”

  “Your furniture and everything but your clothes are in storage.” Silver picked up an orange from the counter, sliced it in half then grabbed a juicer. “I do believe your mutual funds and bank account have been growing quite nicely over the last fifteen months or so.”

  “I figured you’d take care of all of it.” Copper smiled at her sister. “Thank you for everything. It’ll be great to have money again. And to go shopping.”

  “I knew you’d be back.” Silver’s expression became solemn. “I never doubted it for a moment. It was just a matter of when you’d return.”

  Copper gave her sister another smile before heading to the bedroom, and Zephyr zipped off to go hang around Silver and Polaris.

  She was too hungry to take long at her shower and getting dressed. Her foot felt lots better, but she still flinched when she unwrapped it before her shower. The wounds looked much improved, and had mostly healed, so she decided not to wrap it again. It was good being a witch.

  When she dried off, she grabbed one of several pairs of her jogging shoes from one of the trunks of clothing Silver had kept in the room for her. These shoes were a pretty shade of sea blue. She put on a royal-blue crop-top T-shirt, faded blue jeans, and then the shoes.

  She stuck her wand in her back pocket. She’d been so tired last night she’d left it on Silver’s vanity table. All the time she’d spent in Otherworld, she’d worn her jewelry constantly, never taking it off, and last night she’d slept in it all as usual. It had become a part of her, even more than it was before.

  She dried her hair magically with her fingers again and studied herself in the mirror. She preferred shoulder-length hair, but long hair didn’t look too bad on her. Wanting to keep it out of her face, she braided it into a long single plait. She brought the end over her shoulder and tied it with one of Silver’s blue hair ties. Copper’s pentagram earrings swung at her neck and the pentagram on her thick bracelet sparkled against her wrist with her movements.

  In no time she was out of Silver’s bedroom and in the kitchen, thankfully before the D’Danann men showed up. She and Silver scooted up to the table and started spooning out the casserole. Copper took an entire plateful from the giant serving pan. Goddess, was she ever hungry.

  She took a big bite and closed her eyes in heavenly bliss. “As good as Mother used to mak
e,” Copper said when she finished chewing. She saddened and opened her eyes to look at Silver. “I just can’t believe she’ll never make it again.”

  The sparkle left Silver’s eyes and she squeezed Copper’s hand. “We just have to believe that she’s happy and well in Summerland. One day we will be with her again.”

  After what Tiernan had told her, his confidence that there was truly a Summerland made Copper feel a little better. Since he was of Otherworld, and a former god, he no doubt knew what he was talking about.

  Silver released Copper’s hand to pour them each a big glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice. Copper loved the citrus scent, and the taste was just as heavenly as everything else had been.

  When he came in with Hawk, Tiernan was wearing black leather as always, and a different long black coat. He’d left his other one in Otherworld. Hawk had a long coat on, too, and she figured they wore them to hide their daggers and swords.

  Tiernan’s hair was damp, obviously from taking a shower. His hair hung to his shoulders, still a little wavy, and his deep-blue eyes made her squirm as he looked at her.

  Hawk looked from Tiernan to Copper and frowned as if he disapproved, which surprised Copper. But the big warrior said nothing as he scooted up to the table and began spooning giant scoops of casserole onto his plate.

  By then Silver and Copper had finished eating. After she took care of her dishes, Copper wandered around Silver’s living room. She ran her fingers along the back of the delicate couch and touched the blue lampshade and crystal lamp. She noticed a huge overstuffed recliner that Silver must have gotten for the big D’Danann warrior who no doubt felt uncomfortable on Silver’s furniture.

  Copper loved Silver’s oil paintings of various sites around San Francisco, like the Golden Gate Bridge and the most crooked street in the world, Lombard Street.

  She paused at a crystal vase of fresh white lilies and yellow daisies and touched the blooms, which were soft under her fingertips. From one of the chairs, Polaris watched Copper’s every movement. If snakes could smile, she thought he did.

  Copper went to one of the curtained windows, Zeph riding on her ear, and drew aside the lacy white curtain. Down below, the street was fairly quiet but would soon be swarmed with tourists and locals. The Haight-Ashbury district was always filled with colorful people.

  She turned away from the window and spotted Silver’s desk with its mess of papers, a flat-screen computer monitor, what looked like a state-of-the-art printer, and a cordless phone. She felt like a kid at Christmas as she went to investigate. She couldn’t wait to get her own stuff. Sure, it was materialistic, but she found joy in the modern world, especially after being exiled for so long.

  In the background she heard the rumble of male voices, both men speaking in their strong Irish brogues. Silver was talking with them, and since she wasn’t really paying attention, Copper vaguely heard the words plan, location, and search.

  She walked to the desk and the first thing she picked up was a picture of their family. Her heart felt crushed by a heavy weight as she studied Moondust’s ethereal beauty, her precious smile. Copper could see the Elvin in her now.

  Her gaze traveled to their stern father, who had a proud expression on his face, and on to her sister and herself. The picture had been taken in Ireland on one of their excursions a couple of years ago.

  Copper set it down and picked up a crystal-framed picture of her and Silver. It was the same photo Copper had posted on her social media account shortly before she found herself in Otherworld. The picture made her feel both happy and sad. Happy to see both their familiar expressions, and sadness that she had missed so much over the last months.

  She sighed, set the framed photo down, and noticed a picture of herself alone. She scrunched her nose. Did she really look like that? All those bright freckles, a pert nose, and a grin that made her look like she was up to no good.

  Copper had to smile. She usually was up to something.

  A paper lying next to the picture caught her eye and she frowned. It was a piece of parchment with strange symbols on it. Runes.

  She picked it up. The parchment felt heavier than paper and rough between her fingertips. It smelled of ancient books and dust.

  As she studied it, her stomach clenched and she felt blood drain from her face. Her hand shook, and so did the parchment.

  The drawing was of the door from her nightmare last night. And below the door was the double ring containing the same evil runes.

  17

  The parchment slipped from her fingers and floated to the floor like a fallen leaf drifting from a tree. She couldn’t move. Her mind raced and her heart thudded.

  “Copper?” Silver grasped Copper’s shoulder. She looked up into her sister’s worried expression. “You’re so pale. What’s wrong? Does it have something to do with this?” Silver picked the parchment up from the floor and her fingers trembled enough to make the paper shake. “You’re scaring me.”

  Before Copper realized it, Tiernan and Hawk surrounded her.

  “You know of this?” Tiernan asked, his tone both concerned and harsh—not at her, but for how it had upset her, she was sure.

  Copper cleared her throat. “Last night—in my nightmare, that was the door.” She pointed to the rectangle. “I dreamed that I was standing in the middle of a circle just like that one, except that at the center was a giant eye, like a big flat version of the one Darkwolf wears around his neck.”

  She looked from the parchment back to Silver. “It was bloody. And it was my blood beneath my feet, as if the thing was sucking it out of me.”

  Everyone remained silent as they looked from one to another. Silver’s face had gone beyond pale.

  Copper went on to explain that she’d had various versions of this dream, each time traveling a little farther, and each time it got more frightening.

  “I’m certain now, very certain, that these are dream-visions, not just nightmares.” Copper glanced at the parchment, but didn’t want to hold it—the evil in her vision came strongly and forcefully just from staring at it.

  Tiernan put his hands at her shoulders and massaged some of the tenseness from her. She was surprised at his consideration and she leaned back into his touch, enjoying the way he loosened up the muscles of her neck, shoulders, and upper back. He was very, very good.

  Hawk gave Tiernan a look of disapproval, and Copper wondered what Hawk’s problem was.

  “Maybe I can scry again and learn more from your vision.” Silver took the parchment to the table reluctantly, as if she was afraid of what she might see.

  Copper began clearing away the now-empty casserole pan and juice pitcher, and the men took their dishes from the table into the kitchen and to the sink. Apparently these men had manners—or Silver had trained them well. Before Silver dragged out her pewter cauldron and the jug of purified water, Copper washed and dried off the table.

  Everyone had crowded around Silver by the time she’d filled the cauldron and was ready to scry. Polaris was up on the surface of the table now, his body wrapped around the cauldron, obviously to add his own magic.

  Silver held up her hands and glared at the men. “Back off. I can’t do this with you hanging over my shoulders. It’s probably better if you leave.”

  Both men scowled. “I will not,” Hawk said.

  Silver jabbed her finger at the big man’s chest. “You will if you want me to get anything out of this. Last time you two watched, it made me nervous. Copper and her familiar can stay, but the two of you have to go.”

  Their scowls deepened, but Hawk and Tiernan strode from the apartment. Hawk closed the door a little too loudly.

  “Phew.” Silver pushed her hair over her shoulder so that it didn’t hang into the cauldron. “It’s not easy getting rid of those two.”

  Copper smiled, but her insides still chilled from the sight of the drawing on the parchment.

  Zephyr buzzed from Copper’s ear to perch on the lip of the cauldron. She felt his magic, along with
Polaris’s. The honeybee might be small in comparison to Polaris or other familiars, but his magic was just as strong.

  Silver braced her palms on the tabletop, to either side of the cauldron. Copper waited two steps away, not wanting to distract her sister. Sometimes Silver saw visions in the water itself, while other times images rose in misty fog and played themselves out in a three-dimensional scene.

  Copper forced herself to pick up the parchment, her hands still shaking, and focused on the crude drawing. At the same time, she lent her own magical support to Silver’s.

  Wisps of fog dragged her attention from the parchment to the cauldron. The strands coalesced, slowly combining to form figures Copper immediately recognized. The forms were Copper and her sister. Both were at a lonely pier at the bay, a pier that wasn’t familiar to Copper. They were alone and light from a waxing moon glistened on the water that barely moved against the shore.

  Wait—was someone else there?

  In the foggy image from the cauldron, both Copper and Silver crept through the darkness to one of the huge pilings, telephone-pole-sized legs holding up the wooden pier. They peeked around the pilings, obviously taking care not to be seen.

  Three figures stood beneath the pier. Darkwolf, Junga in her human form, and someone who stood too far into the shadows for Copper to make out. The figure had long hair that glistened in what little moonlight there was, and something struck her as familiar.

  In the next moment purple light blazed through the darkness—

  And the foggy images vanished.

  Both Copper and Silver stared at the cauldron, willing the images to come back.

  “No!” Silver shouted, and Zephyr flew off the lip of the cauldron and returned to Copper’s ear. “Bless it, that wasn’t enough. I hate when that happens.”

  Silver looked to Copper, frustration on her features as she continued. “I recognize that pier. That’s where the D’Danann and some of our group of witches battled the Fomorii. We won the battle, but we lost one of the D’Danann and McNulty.”