Love Spell: Book 2 of The Grimm Laws

by Youngblood, Jennifer

  This was getting ridiculous! She gritted her teeth. “You don’t trust me.”

  He gave her a hard smile. “We’re talking about Gatsby and Daisy.”

  “No, we’re talking about us, and I’m not going to sit here and play these silly games with you.”

  “But, I thought games were your specialty,” he countered softly, a taunting edge to his voice.

  “I’m not the same person I was before the accident! If you’d open your stupid eyes, you’d see that.” Her eyes narrowed. “I tried to tell you how I feel about you, but you shut me down. And then you started going out with Lynessa!” She made a face. “Of all the people!”

  He let out a mirthless laugh. “Not jealous, are you?”

  “Not hardly!” she spat. “Can we get back to the essay?”

  “Of course.”

  “If Gatsby hadn’t been such an elusive jerk then maybe he and Daisy would’ve had a chance. He pops into her life one day and expects her to just drop everything with the snap of his fingers, and when she doesn’t, he drops her flat. Maybe if he’d given her a chance …” She stopped when she saw the smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

  “Drops her flat? That’s not exactly how the story ended … at least the one I read.”

  She rolled her eyes as heat crept up her neck. Oops, she’d taken that analogy a little too far. “Whatever. You get the point.”

  “I’m starting to,” he said thoughtfully as his eyes locked with hers. Energy whooshed through her, and she had the distinct memory of a familiarity that was so strong that she could nearly taste it. She’d loved him so completely that it consumed her. Images of another life flooded over her—dancing in his arms in a meadow, holding him tightly as they galloped on a horse. It all seemed so real, but yet like a dream at the same time. She tried to make sense of what was happening. Everything seemed to slow down, and she could feel her blood coursing through her veins, the tantalizing tingling of her skin. When he stood and sat down beside her on the bed, her breath caught, and she was almost hesitant to breathe for fear of ruining the moment. His nearness was so intoxicating that it was electric. There was a mixture of frustration and desire in his eyes. She had the incredible urge to throw her arms around him and demand that he kiss her until her need for him subsided. She could tell from the tortured look on his face that he felt it too—this incredible force pulling them together. Then it was too much, she couldn’t help herself. She leaned in closer. The very scent of him was dizzying. She closed her eyes and allowed herself one moment of being this close to him—one moment of perfection. When she opened her eyes, she realized that he was studying her. He took the tip of his finger and began lightly tracing the curve of her cheek. Then he stroked the hollow of her neck with his thumb back and forth until sweet tingles circled down her spine, making her crazy. She parted her lips expectantly, knowing that he would kiss her. But he didn’t. Instead, his eyes grew troubled. “You are my poison—my kryptonite,” he muttered, almost as if he were talking to himself. His eyes clouded, and she feared he would retreat.

  She caught his arm. “As you are mine.”

  A slow flame flickered in his eyes, kindling the fire in her. Oh, how she could get lost in those fierce eyes that held all of the confidence in the world. She slipped her arms around his neck and pulled him into her. Then she pressed her mouth against his and parted his lips with her tongue. He went stiff, but she tightened her hold on him and continued the kiss. A few moments later, he pulled back from her and searched her eyes. She waited on bated breath for him to say something, but the last thing she expected him to do was to chuckle. “Is that the best you can do?” Before she could react, he slid his arms around her waist and up her back. She thrilled at the touch of his hands. “My turn,” he said savagely. Her heart started hammering wildly as his lips met hers. The kiss was harsh and demanding at first, but she met it measure for measure, sending them tumbling into a black hole of emotion that was all consuming. A thrill shot through her as his lips grew tender, flooding her with an intoxicating passion that scorched her blood and turned her bones to liquid. His tongue caressed hers, and she couldn’t stop the groan from rising in her throat. There was no escaping him. She was tired of fighting it. Brilliant lights exploded around her like bursting stars, and she clung to him as a feeling of completeness settled over her. When he finally pulled away, she felt the loss of him instantly. They were both breathing hard.

  Her heart dropped when she saw the look of regret that washed over his face. He moved to back away, but she clutched his sweater in her fists. “Don’t,” she implored.

  He gave her a quizzical look. “Don’t what?”

  “Don’t shut me out.” Her eyes caught his, and she tried to keep the desperation out of her voice. “I need you.”

  “Really?” There was a haunted look in his eyes.

  “Yes.”

  His jaw grew hard as he manacled her wrists and held them behind her back. Her breath caught as he leaned down so that his mouth was a fraction away from hers. She couldn’t see or think straight when he was this close. Her lips parted expectantly as a heady dizziness settled over her. He began lightly kissing her neck with soft kisses, causing her to practically melt into his arms. She had the sensation of floating in a clear blue sky where everything was right and perfect in the world. A tantalizing shiver worked its way down her spine as his lips grazed her ear. She felt his warm breath on her skin. “Prove it,” he whispered.

  She went stiff. “What?”

  He pulled away and looked her in the eye. “You said you need me. Prove it.”

  Wariness crept over her. “What do you mean?”

  He released her arms and reached for her phone on the dressing table. “Call Edward and tell him it’s over.”

  Her throat grew tight. “What?”

  He cocked his head, studying her. “If you really want me then you’ll call Edward right now.” He placed the phone in her hand. “You said everyone deserves a second chance. Here’s yours.”

  Panic rippled over her. “But that’s not fair to him.”

  Rush lifted an eyebrow as a hard look settled into his eyes.

  Anger pushed out the panic as Elle glared at him. “This is not fair. You’re bullying me into calling Edward. It’s not Edward’s fault that I …” She stopped, her eyes wild.

  “That you what?” he prompted.

  She was about to say, I love you. Where had that come from? A sense of Déjà vu pelted over her as the layers of time peeled away. For a split second, she caught something—something that had been there before. A love that conquered her soul and divided a kingdom. Then the realization settled over her. She didn’t know when it had happened or how, but she did love him. She loved him so fiercely that she would never have the strength to resist him. No doubt she was attracted to him—so attracted she could hardly form a clear thought when he was near her, but there was more. She’d felt it that first day she saw him standing on the front porch, scrutinizing her. He knew her as she knew him. Their souls had connected in a way that could never be undone.

  “What were you going to say?” he repeated.

  She made a face. “I was going to say that I care a great deal about you.” She rolled her eyes. “Although at the moment, I’m not sure why,” she quipped. How could she love someone so much and want to pummel him the next moment?

  He chuckled. “Call him.” His expression grew serious, and there was an earnest look in his eyes that nearly took her breath away. “Call him,” he said softly.

  “I don’t know,” she hedged, looking down at the phone.

  He scowled, and she saw the condemnation on his face. The horrid vision from the shadow crawler flashed before her eyes, and she had the sensation of being trapped within the jaws of the monster. She shuddered. He was about to move away from her. Panic raced through her. “Stop.” She couldn’t lose him. She couldn’t botch things up this time! She knew breaking up with Edward was an inevitable thing. She just hadn’t exp
ected it to be this way—with Rush looking on.

  “Fine. I’ll call him.” She pushed the button.

  “Put it on speaker.”

  “What?” Anger seared over her. “You really don’t trust me, do you?” she said bitterly.

  A hard smile curved his lips. “Trust is something that has to be earned.”

  “Fine.” She glared at him as she put it on speaker. The call went through and began ringing. Her heart felt like it would fall out of her chest at any minute. She wondered what she was going to say. How she was going to phrase it in order to let him down easily. She glanced at Rush, his jaw hard and unyielding. Relief flooded through her when it went to voicemail. When she hesitated, Rush made a motion with his hand, prompting her to continue.

  “Um … Edward … it’s me … Elle.” She swallowed hard. “There’s something I need to talk to you about. Something important.” She hesitated.

  “Say it,” he commanded through clenched teeth.

  “I …” her voice caught. Why was this so difficult? She loved Rush, but she felt this responsibility toward Edward. In fact, her loyalty to Edward seemed to come from some deep part of herself, almost as though it had come from another time and place. That castle she’d seen in that vision! It was somehow connected to all of this! “Um … I don’t know quite how to say this …” She ran a hand through her hair. “I know things have been kind of tense between us lately.” She glanced at Rush’s peeved expression and then at his clenched fists. A wave of sympathy washed over her. The old Elle had put him through so much. No wonder he didn’t trust her. She forced the words out of her mouth. “What I mean is that I’m so sorry, but—” The phone beeped, letting her know her time was up. The call ended. She sat there, feeling numb, holding the phone in her lap. When Rush scowled, frustration pricked her. “I was going to tell him,” she said defensively, “but the time ran out.” She touched his arm. “Besides, Edward deserves to hear it from me … especially after what happened …”

  He gave her a skeptical look. “What happened?” He paused, eyeing her. “And this had better not be another one of your games,” he warned.

  “I told you I’m not the same person I was before the accident,” she snapped.

  He spread his hands. “Which is why I’m still here.”

  “Jerk,” she muttered.

  He laughed and shook his head. “Well, you’ve gotta love that sharp tongue.” He began lightly rubbing her arm. Electricity surged through her, making it hard to concentrate. She glanced at his lips, remembering how they’d felt against hers. He seemed to be reading her thoughts and gave her a quirky smile. “Talk first, and we’ll kiss later.”

  Heat scorched up her face. “Don’t flatter yourself,” she muttered.

  Amusement danced in his eyes. “Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it,” he said innocently. “Okay, continue your story.”

  She moistened her lips, trying to find a way to phrase her words so that she wouldn’t come off sounding completely crazy. “The other night …” Crud! She’d forgotten this tidbit. She would have to admit that she’d gone up in the canyon with Edward. This wasn’t going to end well.

  He leaned in closer. “The other night.”

  Geez! He was making it super difficult for her to concentrate when every part of her wanted to kiss him again. And judging from the look on his face, he knew it. There was no other way to do this but to come right out and say it, like jumping into a cold swimming pool before reason could make her reconsider. “The other night, Edward and I went to the canyon.” The words spilled out, leaving a rotten taste in her mouth.

  His hand dropped from her arm and down to his side.

  There was no stopping this freight train now. The brakes were gone, and she had to plunge on through. “I’m not trying to make you angry,” she continued, “but while we were up there, this black thing—this shadow crawler—circled around us.” She shivered involuntarily as her face drained. Her throat felt tight.

  He gave her a concerned look. “Are you okay?”

  She nodded. “This thing. It’s part monster and part human.” She glanced around the room, feeling like they were somehow being watched. “It was terrifying,” she whispered. She winced as his expression went from surprise to doubt, and then she saw the look she dreaded most—the one that believed she was a loon. “I know this isn’t making any sense and that you think I’m crazy, but something happened up there, and it involves Adele.”

  He shook his head. “Adele?”

  “Yes, she knows what’s happening to us.”

  “Okay,” he said slowly, scratching his head.

  She caught hold of his hands and locked eyes with him. “Do you ever get the feeling that all of this is some sort of dream or test? That we came from somewhere else?” She could just picture how crazy he would think she was if she told him the truth. You see, I saw a castle and the two of us on a horse, in a meadow. Oh, and by the way, something screwy is going on with my mirror. My reflection isn’t really my reflection, and I saw this gold key that somehow fits into all of this. Oh, and Adele wants me to bring it to her when I gain possession of it because she’s afraid that some lady named Griselda’s going to steal it away from me. No, she certainly couldn’t tell him that. Geez! Maybe she was going crazy! It had finally happened—Adele dragged her into her kooky world.

  “Elle, you’re not making any sense.”

  “I know.” She let out an uneasy laugh. “Believe me, I know. It sounds crazy, and if someone had told me this a few weeks ago, I would’ve thought they were crazy, but something is happening here.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Adele has powers,” she said in a low tone.

  “Powers?” he asked dubiously.

  “Yes, she can start a fire with the flick of her fingers, and her chocolate—it makes people forget things.”

  A furrow appeared between his brows, and then he blew out a breath. His eyes narrowed. “You’re making this up. This is all some silly game you’ve concocted to throw me off.”

  “No!” Her eyes went wide. “I promise! You have to believe me.” Frustration welled up inside of her, and she wanted to scream! How could she possibly expect him to believe her when she could scarcely believe it herself? “The mirror.” It was a long shot but worth a try.

  “What? Elle, this is crazy!”

  She clutched his hand and pulled him to his feet. “The mirror. Look into it,” she ordered.

  He frowned. “Okay.” He looked into the mirror.

  “What do you see?”

  “My reflection … your reflection.”

  “Look closer.”

  He peered into the mirror.

  “Show him!” she ordered. “Show him … please.” Desperation was clawing at her, and she could feel the fingers of hysteria clutching at what little sanity she had left.

  “Show me what? Who are you talking to?” He shot her a sympathetic look.

  Tears pressed against her eyes as she looked and saw only their reflections staring back. There was no way he was going to believe her. He led her back to the bed and sat down beside her. Silence settled between them. “Are you okay,” he finally said.

  She gave him a weak smile. “Yes, I’m fine.”

  He looked unconvinced.

  “I promise.”

  “What’s really going on here?” His voice was tender … concerned, and he began stroking her hair.

  She sought for a way to repair the damage. “I guess I’m just scared.”

  “Scared of what?”

  “Scared of myself … scared of you.”

  His lips turned down. “Of me?”

  “Scared of losing you,” she clarified, giving him a pleading look. “I’ve only been able to gather bits and pieces of how I was before the accident, but it sounds like I did some pretty mean things. I know I treated you terribly.” Her eyes filled with tears. “I’m so sorry.”

  He nodded.

  Her phone buzzed. Alarm raced through her as she saw who was calling. “It’s Ed
ward,” she whispered, wiping away the tears with the palms of her hands.

  “Answer it and cut him loose. That’s my condition. You can apologize profusely or concoct all of the crazy stories you want, but it won’t change the fact that I won’t keep being a stand-in for the golden boy. I require your complete fidelity or we’re through … for good this time,” he said firmly. “One small action is greater than a thousand words, Elle. Show me.”

  Her throat felt like it was closing as the ominous buzzing continued. Everything was hanging in the balance as she reached for the phone.

  Chapter Nine

  The Dungeon

  If the map Seraphina gave her was correct, she was nearly there. Cinderella held up the torch in an attempt to illuminate the path in front of her, trying to keep her focus on what was ahead rather than on the damp walls, oozing moisture. Even the walls were crying in despair. Crying over Rushton’s impending death and the role her treachery would play in the event. The air was growing cooler with each step, and the ground kept sloping downward. She shuddered thinking that Rushton had been in this wretched place for over a week now, all because of her. Tears welled, and she swallowed them back, willing herself to keep walking forward. She stopped and strained to hear the noise in the distance. It sounded like a heavy door closing, followed by footsteps. Her heart began to race, and she looked around wildly for a place to hide. If anyone saw her, she’d be done for.

  It had taken Seraphina a full two days to put the plan together—partly because the dungeon was heavily guarded and partly because Seraphina had been forced to sell a ruby ring in order to secure the information they needed. The plan hinged on two key factors: knowing how to get to the dungeon unseen and when the change of guards would take place. According to Seraphina, the guards worked in groups of three and rotated out twice a day—once in the morning, just after the first meal and once in the evening, just after the last meal. There was only a small window of time (when the guards took their meals) that the dungeon was left unguarded. What if the information Seraphina purchased was incorrect? What if the guards were there? The walls seemed to close in around her, and Cinderella had to will herself to remain calm. This useless worry was doing her no good, but she couldn’t seem to stop it. She thrust her free hand into the pocket of her frock, and felt a little better when her hands encircled the pouch of gold coins she had tucked away to use in case something went wrong and she needed to bribe one of the guards.