Karina’s bell-like laugh flowed out of her and she shook her head in exasperation. “You would have me answer everything at once. First, take a deep breath and calm down. Your mates are with your body, guarding you to make sure that nothing happens. As for your sister, there is a bit of prophecy that I must share with you, Kamali, daughter of Maya and Matias, future leader of the circle and a sister above all else. Your love for your sisters, Umbra included, has given you a mighty gift indeed. Fate has decreed that Umbra is not unreachable. She can be redeemed. She can be saved. You have started the process by planting a seed of light into her soul. Remember when you sent that bolt of spirit into her? That is what has given you and your sisters a fighting chance.”
Kamali couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “So we can save our sister? It’s not too late?”
“No, daughter, sister, friend. It is indeed not too late. You must contact your sisters and call a meeting of the circle.” Seeing Kamali’s mouth open to ask she quickly interjected, “No, Kamali. Not the old circle. Fate has also decreed that the previous give up their positions as circle members when you made the decision to try to save Umbra. When you sent that blast of power, how did you feel doing it?”
Remembering the feeling, Kamali stated in a daze, “Powerful. I have never felt that much power before.”
“That’s because you were not only channeling your power but your sisters’ powers as well as the previous circle’s powers. When you let that blast out, all of the elders’ powers were given to the next generation.”
“Holy crap! Are saying I took my mother’s powers? Because Karina, if that is indeed what you are saying, I am in deep shit! The council wasn’t supposed to relinquish their powers for a while yet. If anyone tells that I’m the reason that some of the most powerful witches were stripped and de-ranked, then there are going to be some serious problems with backlash. Mostly with backlash, I’m talking about some crazy old ladies comings after me from taking their spotlight and sewing circle conversations!”
Karina just laughed at her and shook her head in disbelief. “I just told you that Fate has gifted you with the circle leader’s powers and you are scared silly by some old biddies and a sewing circle.”
“Um, you have met my mother and aunts, right? They can be sweet and cuddly like kittens one minute, and the next shoot at some group of disobeying boys with their old 20 gauge shotguns! I actually saw my Aunt Maude take a shot with her shotgun and hit poor Billy Thomson in the ass cheek when he was twenty-two! He and some of his friends had gone to town and gotten drunk. When they came back they apparently thought it would be a fun idea to send their girlfriends a bouquet of lilies and roses. Unfortunately, the only person who grew them both was her trigger-happy aunt.”
Karina looked like she was suffocating from laughing so hard. After a few minutes, Kamali was getting concerned so she started hitting her on the back. After another couple of minutes, she was back to normal.
“Listen Kamali, I know that they can be a handful, but it will all work out. Fate is behind you, no matter what or who stands in the way. She is proud of you and of what you are achieving and are meant to achieve. Do not give up the hope that light will always prevail because that is what will get us through this darkness.”
Hearing her voice echo, Kamali fell once more through darkness. This time, instead of fear overtaking her body, she felt the sweetest essence of peace surround her and what she thought were motherly arms surrounding her in a tight embrace of comfort.
Sleep, my precious child. I will forever protect you and those who you claim as yours. Sleep.
Chapter 14
As Kamali slowly came to consciousness, she became aware of the hands that seemed to stroke her everywhere. From the top of her head to the bottom of her feet, she felt wrapped in a safe cocoon of warmth and love.
When Kamali opened her eyes, the last thing that she expected to see was the identical terrified looks that her mates appeared to share.
Kamali looked from one to the other as they both looked at her before she asked, “What happened?”
Ezekiel had a devastated look on his face, and he carefully pulled her into his arms. It was only then that she realized he was crying.
“Kamali, I am so sorry. I should have protected you. Instead you had to fight and was hurt in the process,” Ezekiel said as he continued to hold her tightly, as if he never intended to let her go. Kamali ran her hands over his back, shocked because she never expected to see her tough mate cry over her.
Looking over to Mikel, who had moved beside her, she said, “I’m okay, guys. Nothing happened to me and nothing will ever take me from both of you.” Leaning over, she softly kissed first one mate then the other. The need she had for her mates had been amplified because of all of the high strung emotions coming off of everyone.
Unable to take it any longer, she begged her mates, “Please make love to me. I need to feel you both inside of me, claiming me and making me feel whole again.”
The guys quickly looked at each other before shedding first their clothes and then all of hers as well.
Mikel captured her mouth into a punishing kiss that made her blood feel as though it was being boiled. “This time it will be quick, sweetheart, only because we can’t control ourselves and our worry for you.”
Kamali smiled her sexy little smile that had a small tinge of smugness to it. “Rough, fast, and hard. That is what I need right now. Think you boys could handle that?”
They smirked before Mikel quickly captured her into his arms. “Sweetheart, you have no idea what you just asked for. Just lie back and let us do all of the work.”
With a ‘cat that ate the canary’ grin, Kamali leaned back and allowed them to pleasure her body however they desired.
Hmm, she thought wickedly, I really can’t wait to see how creative they can be with all of the different positions I’ve always wanted to try.
Epilogue
It had been a couple of weeks since the fight between Kamali and Umbra, and things were suddenly turning normal. For once. She would spend her days either meditating and looking for divine answers, or hanging out with Ange. The crazy girl had become one of Kamali’s closest friends and confidants. Plus, it didn’t hurt that the two loved messing with the guys. Kamali thought back to the day that Ange had taken her out shopping. With barely a “hi and goodbye” to the guys in the living room, she stole Kamali away to have a girls’ day out. Ange had taken her to a local sex store that specialized in role-play and fetish costumes.
Kamali smiled as she remembers her guys’ appreciation for the sexy nurse costume, the Alice in Wonderland costume, and her favorite, a wicked witch costume with crotchless panties and a broom that the guys used to tie her hands above her head and keep them there. Lordy mercy, was that some yummy fun.
“Hey, baby, your mom’s on the phone again. Something about a fertility spell that went wrong.”
Sighing, she walked past Mikel, giving him a quick kiss, and into the kitchen where the phone is.
Picking up the phone she answered, “Yeah, Mom?”
“Sweetheart, I was just calling to remind you that you and your mates need to be at the winter solstice party this year. I know that it’s still a month away, but please start getting ready now. You will be in charge of casting the circle and making the winter sacrifice. It has to go perfectly.”
“Yes, Mom, I know what I have to do. I already wrote the speech and everything else can be done when I come home in a month. Is there anything else?”
“Yes, there is. I want you to try to find out if your sisters will have their mates by the time of the winter solstice. We need as many mates there as possible. I can’t get a straight answer out of any of them!”
That’s because they are still pretty angry with you. Of course, she actually would not say this. So instead of saying what she really wanted to say, she agreed to find out how her sisters’ mate searches were going. Saying goodbye, she quickly hung up the phone and heaved a rel
ieved sigh. There had been a lot of hard feelings between the elders and the new circle since the powers were transferred over. Add in the fact that the circle was trying to save a fellow sister, and suddenly all hell broke loose in the ranks.
When Kamali had told her sisters about Umbra, it was unanimously decided to keep what was going on from their mother and aunts. Afraid of outside interference, they made a pact to do whatever Fate decreed to get their lost sister back. Kamali just hoped that it wouldn’t kill one of them in the process.
* * * *
Umbra couldn’t stop the shaking that had overtaken her body. She knew it was a side effect of going against her older sister Kamali, but she just couldn’t stop herself. When she had seen her meditating among the beautiful flowers of her mate’s garden, anger, sadness, and a deep sense of loss swept through her body. It had made her act foolishly, giving Kamali the chance to see into her mind at one of the keenest memories that Umbra possessed.
That day in the kitchen with Jamina was the day she had accepted that nobody wanted her. She was alone and unwanted. Never good enough for a real family, yet never good enough to just be left alone to her own devices either. Turned into something that was no better than a slave, Umbra started to plan. She wished with everything in her that she could be free of the shadows of her past. Someday. Somehow. Umbra knew that she would be free because nobody could escape darkness.
She was darkness.
She would win.
THE END
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cam Gallagher is a hopeless romantic who spends her time thinking about what would make the “perfect man” and coming up stories to go with their personalities. She has many stories that are bouncing around in her head that will probably never be spoken out loud, let alone be written down so others can see them. Kamali’s Courage is the first of those stories to see the light of day. She is addicted to crushed ice and Chinese food. You can find her curled up with her spoiled Jack Russell Terrier dog named Bulley under a heating blanket reading whatever new erotic romance she bought on her Nook that day.
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Kamali's Courage [Sisters of the Circle] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 7