Blessedly Bound

by Lucretia Stanhope

  “Yes, I should, and no, I didn't.”

  “I told you I want to sever her hold on you. I need something personal.”

  “I… I can't do that. I can be here with you. I can give you something of his. I won't betray her like that. I know you wouldn't use it just to sever our bond.”

  “Oh, how do you 'know' this. Is that what Sebastian tells you? You know he can't be trusted.”

  “She won't come after you,” Lewis said in a flat tone.

  “Bring me something of hers,” she said, her voice hissing.

  “No, I will not. I will never hurt Gwen.”

  Fannie licked her lips, her hand trailing up his thigh. “You need more persuasion?” she asked, and he felt a sharp pain in his head.

  “Cruel doesn't get you far with me. You should have learned that by now.”

  “No? Come here,” she said firmly, and walked into another room, a room he was familiar with.

  He walked in behind her and she handed him a mirror. “Make a link with your child witch,” she demanded.

  “Why?”

  “You have a nasty case of the stubborns tonight. I have a cure you may recall.”

  Lewis winced, remembering the pain she had caused him on one of the many times he tried to refuse her. “Why?”

  “I want to see what her and Sebastian get up to in your absence before I decide what to do with you.”

  “What to do with me?”

  “I might have a little cage ready for my favorite pet.” Her eyes danced across his handsome face and she stepped closer, kissing his jaw, working to his lips where she bit him, drawing blood. “Link with her now. I won't ask nicely again.”

  Lewis held the mirror and gently let his mind connect to Gwen. He tried to be as subtle as possible, not wanting her or Sebastian to sense it. The image in the mirror made him want to drop it.

  Gwen leaned back in Sebastian's arms, her head on his chest, his face buried in her hair. Had they really fought? Had they been lovers? Was all his help just to get closer to Gwen? Why had she lied to him about Sebastian? She had been with other men, dated, she always told him. Now he knew the soul crushing feeling Gwen must have had when she realized he was keeping things from her. It wasn't just that she was in 'his' arms of all people, but that she had lied about it.

  He handed the mirror back to Fannie, who easily felt he was in a vulnerable place.

  She reached over, stroking his shoulders, kissing the back of his neck. “You belong to me,” she whispered in his ear. “Bring me something of theirs. I will free you from her, and punish him.”

  Lewis tried to get the image to go away, but when he closed his eyes it seemed even more clear. He could feel Fannie wrap her arms around his waist, feel her pressed into his back. Was this what he wanted? To betray his own witch. Could he leave her alone like that? She wasn't alone, she was with him.

  The bond, he thought, enraged.

  “They are connecting,” he offered as an angry grumble.

  “As we did?” she asked, circling him and watching his face for truth.

  “Similar, but not as deep.”

  Her lips curled in a sneer. “You do as I say and we both get our revenge.”

  “I still can't hurt her,” Lewis said, defeated, when he realized he still loved Gwen. It didn't matter that she had moved on with Sebastian. He still loved her even if it wasn’t the kind of love she felt. That made him feel a strange mix of hurt and angry.

  With her hand on his throat, Fannie backed him up against the wall. “I can be your lover and you can have all the pleasure you ever imagined, or you can defy me and find out what eternal suffering feels like, pet.”

  Lewis reached up, pulling her hand away. “Bitter will give you wrinkles.”

  She raked a finger across his bare chest, drawing his magic essence. She sucked gently on her finger, chanting a few words before he fell to the floor.

  Fannie used a small dagger to cut his arm and then she let his essence drip on her mirror. She swirled her finger in it and watched as the image reappeared. She laughed as Gwen banished Sebastian to the chair, thinking the timing of the first image was perfect. The baby witch hadn't betrayed Lewis but he need not know that.

  She spied on them a bit longer, growing bored with the sweet scene, wondering where the dark Sebastian she mentored had vanished too. The thought of that baby witch tapping into his power and knowledge made her cringe.

  No matter what Fannie had done with Lewis to aid her against Gwen the vision of her death still haunted her. If she broke the bond between Lewis and his witch for good and the visions still showed her death at the hands of Gwen, Sebastian would have to be the answer. Maybe he was the answer all along and she had been wasting her time with the bird. She thought back to the day she took Winnie and felt regret. Had she had the visions sooner, she could have destroyed Gwen while she was a harmless child, without all the games.

  She looked down at him on the floor. At least he was a pleasant mistake if so, she thought and laughed. She kicked him awake.

  Lewis sat up and looked around, remembering where he was.

  “Bring me what I asked for,” she said and walked out.

  He stood up and rubbed his hands over his face. It was always like this with her. At her place, with her smell, and sweat still on his skin he thought he would do what she wanted and come to her bed again, the only place things were quiet.

  However, as soon as he got home and looked at Gwen, heard her voice, smelled her sweet scent, the innocence tugged at his heart and he couldn't. Then there was Sebastian who whispered of things being okay. Sebastian who had failed to mention when he wasn't there, that he and Gwen took comfort in each other’s arms.

  Lewis walked back to her bedroom and regarded her. She looked at him with beautiful but cold eyes. Her sharp features made her look regal and dangerous. He could love her if she wasn't such an evil soul. Love wasn't what it was about though. It was about silencing the misery that his life had become, and that she did, evil or no.

  He walked over and kissed her deeply before shifting and flying away.

  A t the house he paused, wondering if he even wanted to go in or if he just wanted to wait until sunup so the creature inside would be forced to go away. He could sense Gwen was sleeping and knew that Sebastian would have one of his glorious lectures ready.

  The door opened, making up his mind.

  “What are you doing creeping around in the dark, while she sleeps?” Lewis asked as Sebastian stepped outside.

  “I thought you weren't going to see her again.”

  “I changed my mind. It happens.”

  “What changed? We…”

  “We? No, we are done. You stay out of things.”

  “Now we are back at that? Look the link is made, it's going to be okay. Soon you will be totally free of her.”

  “Maybe I don't want to be free of her.”

  Sebastian looked at him with hard eyes and walked closer. “You reek of her. You reek of her bed.”

  “Sex, that is what I reek of. Her bed, don't play pretentious games with me.” Lewis stepped into his space.

  “Why are you so angry? Do you need a new charm? A cleansing? I can't help you if you don't tell me what's happened.”

  “What happened was simple. I didn't want to sit around and watch you two 'knit' so I went off for a little fun.”

  Sebastian narrowed his eyes. Something changed. Something changed dangerously. His instincts were telling him that Gwen might have more to worry about with Fannie and Lewis than he first imagined. It was too late tonight, but elemental lessons were in order. Quickly.

  “I won't make your personal pleasures my business, but Gwen needs to be your priority. Let me know how I can help. I need to go home.” Sebastian wanted to say more but he knew that agitating Lewis right now, when he couldn't stay to make sure Gwen was safe, wasn't best.

  They walked in and Sebastian took the yarn she had dyed, all of it, based on his gut feeling about Lewis. He knew
it was vital to Gwen's safety right now.

  Lewis had clearly been affected by Fannie.

  When he got home, Sebastian put the yarn in his room, feeling it would be safer bolted in with him. Before settling in he gave instructions to Yardley. “Don't answer to anyone today. Lewis, Miss Hensley's guide is not to be let in under any circumstances. Should she need assistance, do what you can to keep her safe until I wake.”

  “Sir, of course, Sir. Is there anything I need to do tomorrow?”

  “No, just be aware. Things are about to become very dangerous. I rely on you.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  After Sebastian bolted himself in, Yardley walked the house, securing doors and windows. It wasn't the first time he and Sebastian had faced dangers together. He very seldom saw Sebastian look so worried, but he assumed that was more about Miss Hensley than for the two of them.

  O nce alone, Lewis paced a little. He tried to sort out what he was feeling and what his next step was. He could leave them all. Leave Gwen with Sebastian, he would watch over her. Leave Fannie, take the charm Sebastian gave him to keep her at bay, go to some beautiful island, have sex with locals, and drink in magical vibrations until he didn't feel a thing.

  What would happen if he left Gwen? Would he be called back to the other realm where magic lived as the collective? Would they turn him to a fallen, and strip his magic? Would he be banished like Sebastian? Locked in this awful world where humans used magical creatures to their own ends? He almost felt sorry for the bastard being stuck there forever.

  He felt Fannie slip into his mind, felt her cold hands wrap around his thoughts. “Bring me what I want, pet.”

  He walked to where he had the charm hidden and put it on, feeling it heat up instantly as she tried to reach into his mind again.

  Once he was sure it was holding her off, he walked in to watch Gwen sleeping.

  So sweet, so innocent. Almost innocent. He thought of her in Sebastian's arms, relaxed against his chest. Why him? If it weren't for him trying to do right by her, she would be in his own arms. She had wanted to be. He had wanted her to be, but he knew it wasn't allowed. It would have put her in such danger, danger she was facing now. What did it matter now if Fannie had already tainted the bond he had with Gwen? They could be lovers, couldn't they?

  He walked over to the bed and sat beside her, running a hand over her forehead. He leaned down and breathed her in again, enjoying her sweet scents. He kissed her once on each eye.

  “I do love you, my witch.”

  She stretched and stirred a little.

  He slid into the bed, cuddling behind her, holding her close to him, enjoying the way her warmth felt.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  G wen woke and hit the ground running. She paced, her phone pressed between her shoulder and ear, talking to the detective while her coffee was still brewing.

  “I have two clues that might help you narrow things down,” she said, after they exchanged hellos.

  He made a grunting sound and she heard him exhale, imagining him blowing out a cloud of smoke into his unorganized office. “Miss Hensley, you may want to leave this to me from here on out. I've found a few disturbing things that I am trying to piece together. Once I have something solid I will call you. Probably by Wednesday I should think.”

  “Well don't you even want to know what I found?” she asked, put off that he would just let that slip.

  “Go on,” he said, now sounding a little frustrated.

  “I have a record of William requesting and being granted a name change. I can send you the picture of the document. I also have reason to think he had a brother, or family at the least. It might be best to start with the boys that were brothers.”

  “Send me the picture. What was the surname?”

  “Livingston.” She listened as he drew another drag on his cigarette.

  “You will want to make sure you keep the brother card close to the vest.”

  “What, why?”

  “Don't tell anyone close to the victims about it and I will be in touch very soon.”

  “Wait, you tell me.”

  “Those boys were involved in another murder.”

  Gwen felt the room spin. “Who, which one?”

  “I'm getting those records. Juvenile files are sealed and harder to get into. I have my ways, it ain't gonna be cheap Miss, but your answers should be here this week.”

  She asked a few more questions and she hung up, feeling worse for having found out that bit of information. While she got dressed, Lewis stood in the door watching her.

  “That's creepy you know,” she said, sensing him staring.

  “You didn't used to mind.”

  “Lewis, behave yourself. I have to get ready to go see Lenny. Today is important. Today I could find out who the killer is. We both need to be sharp.”

  He shrugged his shoulders and walked in. “This killer is just a person. Once you have a name, give it to Curtis, problem solved.”

  She furrowed her brows, cinching them as she looked at him. “Why are you being so flippant? You know how important this is to me.”

  “Me, flippant? Nah, I'll be here doing handyman things, waiting for your next orders.”

  “Orders? What the hell, Lewis? What is it now?”

  He stepped into her space and she got a strange vibration from him that caused her to take a few steps back. “Stop it. That feels awful.”

  “Sometimes things do feel awful.” He stepped closer, backing her to the wall.

  She pulsed some magic at him, not knowing what else to do as she got uncomfortable with his nearness. Her instincts told her to get away and leave him a lot of space.

  “Now, that feels nice,” he said, and reached a hand for her face.

  She batted his hand away. “Stop, now, I'm serious.”

  He watched her face, saw the fear in her eyes and smiled a little before frowning and stepping back. He wasn't sure where that had come from exactly, but it was a nice change from skating through the day frustrated. “Eh suit yourself. I'll be around if you want to play.”

  “Play?” she said, to his back as he walked out.

  As she finished getting ready, she thought about what had just happened. She had been through a lot with Lewis, but fear was never something they had between them.

  She sighed, wondering what was next. Was there ever going to be a normal, happy day where something crazy didn't happen?

  She was in the kitchen making her to go coffee when the doorbell rang. She grabbed her cup and purse and headed to answer it on her way out.

  When the door flung open, she was startled to see Curtis standing there on her porch, looking official.

  “Miss Gwen, we need to talk.”

  “I'm sorry, can it wait? I have an appointment.”

  “No ma'am. It is about your appointment.”

  “I'll be late,” she protested, trying to edge by him, but finding he took up too much of the porch to skate around. “I'll call you after. We can meet at Mel's,” she said and looked at him impatiently, waiting for him to move.

  He narrowed his eyes at her. “Miss Hensley, Lenny is dead.”

  Gwen reached out, taking the arm he offered. “Dead?” she asked, and stepped backward. “Dead?”

  “Let's go inside,” he said, and walked inside with her on his arm. He closed the door and helped her to the couch. Her hands were shaking and she had a hard time focusing on him.

  “Dead? What happened?” she asked, and sipped her coffee, hoping it would warm the chill she felt race over her.

  “That's what you need to tell me.”

  “Me? How the hell would I know?”

  “That's not language for ladies.”

  “No, what makes you think I would know anything?”

  “You were the last visitor he had. You were due to see him again. Seems your visits prompted him killing himself. You want to tell me what you were talking about?”

  The questions flew over her comprehension as s
he still tried to figure out what he was saying. “Oh, Curtis, dead? He killed himself?”

  “Yes. What was it you were going to see him about today?”

  “I have reason to believe he saw who killed William.” Her eyes drifted around the room as she thought back to talking with Lenny. He had seemed afraid. Maybe someone in the prison was harassing him, unrelated to her visits.

  “He killed William.”

  “No, I am getting close to answers.”

  “Answers,” Curtis said, and moved a little in his seat, his gun belt making a squeaking leather sound that took her back to her memories of when she watched that night.

  “Yes, he wasn't alone. He didn't pull the trigger.” Her voice shook a little as she remembered watching William die.

  “He told you that? You know a killer can't be believed.” Curtis spoke in a reassured tone that pulled her back from her thoughts.

  “Let me make you coffee. There is more to this, maybe you can help.”

  Curtis followed her, watching as she made coffee. He took both cups since she was unsteady and they walked back to the main room.

  “Tell me what you think you know Gwen.” His tone was hard but not harsh.

  She took a sip of her coffee. “William had family. Mike was looking into it and I think that he found something. Something he told Lizzy and she died for it. She died and the killer framed Mike. They are the same person. The same person killed William and Lizzy. His brother, I think.”

  Curtis sat up rigid in his seat. “This you heard from a condemned man? Did Mike tell this to Trisha?”

  “No, there were papers at his house. Mike's house.”

  “Didn't I tell you to come to me with things? It's my job to follow the leads if you have real evidence. What were you doing in Mike's house?”

  “I am friends with his mother, we were having coffee. Besides, I wanted to have something for you other than speculation.”

  “Right, and this is speculation. Wild speculation at that. What do you know about this mysterious brother?” While he waited for her to answer he sipped his coffee, his eyes still observing her in his suspicious police way.

  “Well I know they were both involved in some juvenile case.”