Claimed By Magic

by Claire Marta

  Licking her dry lips, Jasmine nodded. The sound of the sea breaking against the stones was the only thing that could be heard for a moment.

  “Men are fools.” The other woman said finally. “My own husband was blind for a long time before he recognised his feelings. His beloved duty always came first, until it was nearly too late, and we almost lost each other.”

  Jasmine’s attention was drawn from the calm water. “What happened to make him see the light?”

  “I lay dying on a battlefield.” Mag smiled faintly. “Holding me in his arms, as I took what were virtually my last breaths, he admitted his love and that nothing else mattered.”

  “Eric…he doesn’t love me. It was just lust on his side.” Something tightened painfully in Jasmine’s chest again. “I was just a convenient fuck.”

  Reaching over, Mag patted her hand comfortingly. “Then the bastard does not deserve your heart ache. Nor should you waste your thoughts on him. He is unworthy of you.”

  Biting on the edge of her lower lip, Jasmine lowered her eyelashes to hide her emotions. Maybe this woman was right. Yet she didn’t have time to sit here and psychoanalyze herself. This was no fairytale. No Prince was coming to the rescue. It was down to her to help Twitch and the rest of the islanders. As far as she knew she was their only chance.

  “I am sorry about your dress, by the way.” Jasmine glanced down at it regretfully.

  Mag snorted with laughter. “Don’t worry, I have plenty of them.”

  With one hand, Jasmine adjusted the drooping bust. “Your name’s not really Mag is it, and I have a feeling Wyllt’s isn’t either.”

  Mag didn’t look surprised at her statement. In fact her smile was pleased. “And who do you think we really are?”

  Jasmine hesitated for only a second. Somehow deep inside she knew her suspicions were right. “The enchantress, Morgana Le Fey, and the wizard, Merlin.”

  The enchantress’ smile became delighted. “Merlin said you were sharp. Yes child, we are. Do you know you’re the first one to work that out?” she admitted with a soft chuckle. “You think after all this time it would have been someone who actually lives here.”

  “Why the fuck aren’t you up there stopping the witches and freeing the Jinn then?” Jasmine asked, unable to hide her flash of anger. She was frantically worried about Twitch. God knows what had happened to him, and she just prayed he was safe. “Why send me into danger to get the sword?”

  The smile slipped from Morgana’s face. “My husband does not want us to interfere any more than we have already.” She informed Jasmine with a hint of haughty impatience. “The task falls to you to save Avalon. But fear not, you will find allies on the way.”

  Jasmine tried not to roll her eyes. What was this? A session of dungeons and dragons? It was starting to fucking feel like it.

  “Seriously? You’re both powerful, immortal, magic wielders and you’re leaving it up to me to rescue your kin, and save this mystical island without getting myself annihilated?” she asked, incredulously. “What am I? Just some kind of pawn to be used?”

  The other woman sighed. Raising a dainty hand, she ran it through her long, dark hair. “You are more than suited for this, child. Have you not just proven your bravery in the cave? You are our champion.”

  “So, that’s a no to helping then,” Jasmine responded flatly. “And you mean; I didn’t get myself killed.”

  In one graceful movement Morgana rose to her feet. “We will be watching.”

  “Great, that’s really going to be fucking helpful,” Jasmine muttered, hauling herself up to stand. Cramps stabbed up through her legs where they had gone numb. “I guess now I have to get back into the city?” she asked, biting back a moan of pain.

  No way would Wyllt/Merlin let her back into the cottage now. Jasmine was pretty sure of that. She was stuck in these clothes a while longer. With a disgruntled sigh she scrunched up her nose. Why did these things always happen to her? Fate had to be having a really good laugh.

  Turning slightly, the enchantress pointed towards the brooding tree line back along the shore. “You are right, you have no time to dally. The forest is the quickest way. Head west.”

  Jasmine followed the direction. The forest was somewhere she wasn’t looking forward to going. Twitch had told her that dangerous things lived inside. Yet now she was being forced to trek through it. This day couldn’t get any worse.

  At this rate she would probably get eaten by some kind of monster before she even made it through. She felt like she was on one of those bad game shows. The kind that made the contestants do dumb and dangerous tasks. Yet, it wasn’t a shiny new car waiting for her if she survived. This was the freedom of her friend and all the magic wielders who lived on the island. That was infinitely more precious.

  In a sudden flutter of green skirts and black feathers, Morgana was gone.

  The forest lay thick and dense. Jasmine’s sixth sense was chiming softly in her head like church bells. Not a warning of danger, just to be vigilant. It was a place teeming with creatures. She could sense them. Magic was flowing all around her. Jasmine had never felt anything like this before, drenching the air and making every inch of her tingle with awareness. It left her feeling edgy.

  Excalibur was a welcome weight on her back. Without the sword she wasn’t sure she would have been brave enough to enter. Just knowing she had a weapon reassured her. Its magic seemed to be dormant again. Yet, every so often she could feel it shimmer to life.

  A pleasant breeze was coming off the sea. Jasmine’s heated skin was cooling in the draft. She was still picking bits of monster guts from her hair and clothes. The stench of rotting fish was almost over powering. The smell kept clogging her nostrils. Sighing, Jasmine plucked a large jelly-like chunk from her shoulder. It was disgusting. She was not sure she would ever be able to look at sushi the same way again. Let alone want to eat it.

  Wrinkling her nose, she adjusted the front of her dress. It was damp with ick and goo. She could feel it starting to dry against her breasts. A shudder ran through her. All she wanted was a shower and a change of clothes. Why hadn’t they at least given her that?

  The scent of sun-warmed earth and exotic flowers thickened the breeze. Sparkling, chaotic lights kept zooming from tree to tree to her left. Moving fast like humming birds, Jasmine had a feeling they weren’t birds or bugs. They didn’t venture any closer. Yet still they seemed to be curious.

  When one stopped to hover for a second by the trunk of a tree Jasmine swore she saw little humanoid limbs. But before she could look again it vanished before her eyes. Fairies? She looked around nervously. That’s what she was seeing? Twitch had said there were things living in the forest but she would never have guessed this. What other creatures were lurking around? She hoped they were friendly. Maybe if she was lucky they would all leave her alone.

  Ancient oaks towered over the shorter ones like guardians. Their thick, green canopy of branches and leaves provided welcomed shade against the blazing, hot sun. Below them were smaller trees and saplings, slowly on their way, over time, to join the giants above.

  Jasmine couldn’t see more than twenty to thirty yards in any direction. The undergrowth and greenery were far too thick to see far ahead. This was a problem. Disorientation was setting in because she couldn’t see the sky. She was also finding it difficult to walk in a straight line. Biting her lip, she stopped to gauge her course. West, she was sure, was forwards. She just had to keep going. With a hum she continued to hike.

  Large roots lay twisted, stretching like bent fingers across the heavily moss covered ground. These would make it difficult to run. Wild flowers were growing scattered among fallen leaves. More colourful flowers grew from an abundance of dense high shrubs and bushes. She could hear the mingled call of birds. They filled the forest in a chorus of notes and songs.

  Tiredly, she trudged onwards. No matter how she tried she couldn’t keep from making noises. Twigs snapped under her feet. Sometimes it was the crunch of plant
s or branches being accidentally kicked. The sounds around her were the ones which had her worried more. Strange noises would sometimes break sharply into the silence. A long, mournful cry of something that didn’t sound like an animal had pierced the forest. It had only come once.

  Then the straining wisps of music had caught her ears. She wondered if her imagination was playing tricks on her. Jasmine admitted to herself, she was probably lost. Everything looked the same. Traipsing over a large root, she glanced anxiously around. She really did not like the idea of being stuck out here at night. Whatever was out here would probably be braver in the dark.

  She had no light or camping equipment which meant she would have to sleep in a tree. If she was lucky, the things wouldn’t know how to climb. Jasmine chewed on her thumb nail fretfully. Knowing her luck, they probably lived in the fucking trees. They could probably also climb.

  A glimpse of a pair of hoofed feet caught her attention. They were at the edge of a dense, green thicket. Frowning, Jasmine moved cautiously closer. Was it a deer? They seemed too large for one. These were more sheep or horse like. She stopped. Craning her neck, she tried to get a better look.

  A pointed face peered out at her from the bushes. The shape was long with a sharp chin. Nose rounded, she could see pointed ears. Mischievous, chestnut, brown eyes regarded her with curiosity. Two short horns protruded from a bristly wild mane of sandy hair. It pushed through the bushes to step closer.

  The creature had goat legs. Sandy hair, thick and shaggy, covered it from his hooves to his waist. Upper half human, it had thick, black chest hair. A Satyr. Jasmine stared right back at it in astonishment. She had read about them in books, but had thought them extinct.

  The male continued to silently watch her. Then slowly it raised an arm. A flute was clutched in its hairy hand. He pressed the instrument to fleshy, glistening, pink lips. Plump notes quivered in the air. Beguiling, bewitching, they encircled her playfully.

  Everything became so vibrant, so alive. Magic surged through every atom, every particle of the vegetation around her. Jasmine felt her spirits soar. Heartache fluttering away on the breeze, her body began to sway with the sound. She felt carefree, like nothing really mattered. Raising her arms, she moved them to the rhythm. Any tiredness or pain was forgotten, only the music mattered now.

  When the music abruptly stopped Jasmine felt the loss like a physical blow. Shaking slightly, she opened her eyes. The Satyr had lowered its flute. His smile became leering. Eyes lowering, he was staring at her chest. Looking down, Jasmine found a substantial area of boobage on show.

  With a cry of outrage, she snatched the wilting bust line up. “Great! The forest is full of fucking perverts. That’s all I need.”

  The Satyr laughed gruffly. Tilting her chin back up, she gave him a stony, narrowed-eyed glare. Yellowish teeth on display, he grinned back. His eyes had darkened with sexual interest.

  Fuck.

  If she remembered correctly, from what she had read, Satyr’s were highly sexual creatures. They lusted after females like dogs after bones. Jasmine tensed. Was she going to have to fight off a half goat-man now? This was really not her day, or even her week.

  “I’m really not in the fucking mood for this,” she muttered loudly in its direction.

  He raised an eyebrow as if it had understood her words. With a confident step, he edged closer. O-kay, so he wasn’t going to back off. She pressed her lips together in annoyance. Jasmine raised a hand and settled it on the hilt of Excalibur above her left shoulder. The weight was comfortable in her palm. If he wanted to play she was more than happy to oblige.

  The Satyr followed the movement. Stilling, its eyes locked warily with hers. A faint smile crossed Jasmine’s lips. Now she had his attention and understanding. Good. She wasn’t going to be taken down so easily. Defenceless was something she was not. Not anymore. She was done being weak. Done being a pushover.

  The Satyr’s nostrils flared. Turning sharply, he scanned the undergrowth to the left. Something startled him. With graceful movements, the male abruptly bounded away. Jasmine froze as a branch snapped. Before she had time to whirl around a thick, brawny arm snaked around her waist. With a tug she was pulled into a firm, muscled body. The scarab was crushed on her back, between them.

  “Hey babe, you come looking for a good time, after all?” Words were whispered hotly against her ear. A familiar, cold, hard, metal hand was resting on her hip. The other human one was still holding her close; lips brushed heatedly against the curve of her neck.

  Jasmine shivered with the sensation. “If you don’t remove your arm, I’m going to rip the metal one off and beat you to death with it,” she muttered fiercely to Twitch’s cousin as she tried to escape.

  Benedict laughed. Deep and smooth, the sound vibrated against her through the sword. The bard seemed to be enjoying all her struggling from the ridge of hard flesh which was poking her in the back.

  He reluctantly released her. “You’re a feisty, little bitch.”

  Jasmine spun to face him, almost losing her balance in the process. “Keep your hands to yourself, micro dick.” Her eyes skimmed over his handsome face. She could see the points of his elf-like ears. Chest bare, his bulging muscles and milk chocolate skin were on display.

  His hazel eyes were twinkling with merriment. The silver around his irises sparkled. He grinned down at her. “I can assure you it’s more than a handful, Red. Probably bigger than anything you have handled before.”

  Jasmine kept her hand on the bust of her dress to keep it up and rolled her eyes. “Oh, I’m sorry, was I supposed to have felt something?”

  Surprise lit Benedict’s face and then his grin grew wider. “I’ll give you a peek if you like.” His hands settled on his shiny belt buckle.” I’ve got moves that will blow your mind.”

  Raising an eyebrow, Jasmine looked him up and down. Her cheeks reddened. “Keep it in your pants, Champ. If I’m after five minutes of fun, I’ll let you know.”

  A burst of laughter came from their right. Jasmine glanced in the direction to find Twitch’s other cousins watching them. Dane the wizard, with his white dreadlocks and silvery cabled hair, had Ella tucked under the crook of his arm. She was snuggled up against his firm, hard, tattooed chest. A contented smile brightened her pretty face.

  He was still in his black jeans and open white shirt. One of Ella’s hands was playing idly with the coloured beads which hung around her neck. The many bangles she wore on her arms gleamed in the light. Her ash blond hair was still up in a ponytail and was draped over her left shoulder.

  They looked more at ease out here. Happy. Jasmine could see the intimacy between them, which back in the city they had tried so hard to hide. Now it was obvious they were a couple.

  “You really don’t like Ben do you?” Dane asked, his lips curving slightly upwards. The semi-smile lightened the sternness of his face.

  Benedict was running a hand through his blue, spiky Mohawk. Those strange eyes of his doing a slow wander up and down Jasmine’s body. His interest was more than clear.

  Jasmine eyed him warily. “He just rubs me the wrong way,” she admitted slowly. “Every time he opens his mouth I get the urge to punch him and I barely know him.”

  The bard stepped towards her, raising his hands. “I’ll rub you anyway you like.” He husked, wiggling his thick fingers. “Just let me get them on that hot, little body.”

  Jasmine backed up until she bumped into the trunk of a tree. Her hand tightened on the material she was holding to her chest. “Oh God, can one of you gag him or something please. I swear if you don’t I’m going to stab him.”

  “Ohh, you’re into kinky shit. I like that.” He grinned, waggling his eyebrows.

  Growling under her breath, Jasmine decided to ignore him. “What are you guys doing out here?” She directed the question at Dane. He seemed to be the leader of their group.

  Dark eyebrows sloped down into a sombre expression. “We got caught outside when the city went into lock-down.
Now it’s almost impossible to get back in.”

  “How did you get out?” Ella asked, with a hint of suspicion. Her eggshell blue eyes were narrowed, furrowing her freckled brow. She had lowered her hand to pluck at her orange, flowing skirts.

  Jasmine’s shoulders slumped tiredly. “I fell off a cliff, but one of Twitch’s…Morgan’s gadgets saved me.”

  “You mean his magic worked?” Dane looked shocked.

  Jasmine frowned. “Of course it did. I wouldn’t be standing here now if it hadn’t. All his stuff does.”

  The wizard exchanged a strange look with the woman on his arm, before answering. “Sorry, but when he left the island he couldn’t get his magic to work, not properly anyway,” he explained.

  Now that she had stopped moving, Jasmine realised how tired she felt. Every inch of her was aching. Her muscles were sore and all she wanted to do was sleep for a week.

  “He’s not the same guy you knew,” she murmured, rubbing her free hand over her weary eyes. “What he can do is pretty amazing.”

  “What’s that in your hair?” Benedict asked, picking at a piece of fishy entrails. “Fuck, you look a mess girl, you’re all beaten up.”

  Jasmine slapped his hand away. “Will you please stop touching me! Don’t you know anything about personal space?” She grumbled with a growl.

  Ella wrinkled her nose. “You smell awful.”

  “Trust me, you don’t want to know,” Jasmine told her, as she stepped away from Benedict. He had a habit of getting too close. That made her nervous.

  “Come on, Red, it can’t be that bad,” he cajoled, closing the distance she had just put between them.

  Placing a hand on his muscled chest, she halted his advance. His skin was warm and firm beneath her palm. “I had an argument with a giant squid. It lost. I won. End of story.”

  Benedict’s eyes widened slightly, his lips twitching. The other two looked at her disbelievingly.

  “I told you that you wouldn’t want to know.” She sniffed, trying to tighten the lace corset bust of her dress, once more. Somewhere off among the denseness of the forest the strained notes of flute music could be heard.