To Wrangle A Witch (Southern Sanctuary Book 3)

by Jane Cousins

  Locke moved past her, deftly taking the plates and cutlery. In less than a minute he’d placed the dirty dishes out of sight in the dishwasher, and the left over salad in the fridge. “How about a glass of wine? We can have it in the living room.”

  “Sure.” Serena moved to stand by the open doors, taking a deep cleansing breath. “I meant to ask you earlier, are we near the ocean? I keep thinking I can feel and smell it.”

  “The nearest town and the beach are a ten minute car ride away.”

  “And it’s so quiet here.” Serena accepted a glass from Locke with a smile of thanks. Moving over to take a seat on one of the comfy sofas she collapsed back into the gold, yellow and saffron cushions.

  Locke took a seat on the sofa directly across from her, stretching his long legs out in front of him casually. “My nearest neighbour is three miles away. Being who… what we are, my family tends to like a lot of space. Some of my eccentric older relatives still farm the land.”

  “I’m surprised some development company hasn’t swooped in and made a land grab.”

  Locke smiled, an appreciative look on his face as he took a sip from his glass. “My family tends to exert a lot of influence on who comes and goes in the region. We’re understandably wary of strangers with agendas.”

  “And no one… outside, gets a little suspicious by your reclusive enclave?”

  “Not really, the land tends to be family owned and remains that way from generation to generation. Plus the real attraction in the area is one town over further inland, an artistic community that we’ve encouraged to flourish. They have quite a few well known galleries and a big market every Saturday, people come from miles around. For some reason tourists no matter how hard they try to go elsewhere in the region they always end up there.”

  “Tricky.” Serena gave a contented smile, curling her bare feet up under her. “So… I haven’t thanked you yet for the shower outside. I know I’ve come here, disrupted your life… not to mention your garden. But I promise as soon as I’m a hundred per cent I’ll put everything back the way it was and get out of your hair. I really do appreciate everything you’re doing for me.”

  Locke knew mentally he should be rejoicing, soon she would be long gone and his home and life could return to normal. So why then did his gut clench at the thought of her disappearing from his world? “Will you go back to working on the show?”

  “I don’t know. I heard one of your cousins has replaced Xander.”

  “Daniel.” Locke supplied the name.

  “And Hadleigh fills in for me occasionally?”

  Locke laughed loudly. “She would be the first down on bended knee pleading with you to return. Life as a faux paranormal hunter is not for her, she’d much rather be out there for real, beheading and not bothering to take names or have to worry about camera angles.”

  “Sounds like she’s a perfect fit for Vaughn. How did they meet?”

  “From what I gather my Great Aunt Alma set it all up. She’s the family match maker.”

  “You have a family match maker?”

  “It would seem so.”

  “And did she work her magic on you yet?” Perhaps it had been his Aunt who’d introduced him to Nell.

  “Why would she meddle with perfection?” Locke held his arms out wide.

  “Right.” Serena smiled, turning her head slightly to look out at the inner garden. With only the fountain lit up this evening the courtyard looked shadowy and mysterious.

  “You’re like an addict aren’t you? That look on your face. You spent most of last night and all of today out there and still it wasn’t enough, was it?”

  Serena felt colour flood her cheeks. “I can’t stop thinking about the hospital.” She took a sip of wine. “I’d never really thought about the source of my magic before I was sent to that place. I can’t believe how much I took for granted.”

  “You’re never going back there, you know that right?”

  “Yes, but now I just have to worry about blood sucking vampires and the sons of the God of Chaos coming for me.”

  “Did you really kill one of them?”

  Serena nodded abruptly. “Bal. When they first took me they locked me up, chained me, but all too stupidly kept me in a dirt cell. I was barely there half a day when I made a run for it. It wasn’t deliberate… exactly, but I was cornered and scared. Even knowing now that they are creatures of sand and sky, I’m not sure I would have done things differently.”

  “What happened?”

  “They came after me, tracked me down and I lashed out using almost all my magic, buried Bal so deep in the earth that by the time his brothers dug him up he was dead. They were beyond rage… Sek and Mot, but it was a cold anger. They said a quick death, my life for their brother’s would not be enough. That’s when they demanded Xander find them another witch for the ritual and they took me away. The first place they tried to keep me… it took me a few days to escape again but they caught me. From then on one of the brothers was always watching me. I made one last ditch effort to get away, diving through a portal Xander created, found myself in a warehouse but they came after me. Next time I woke up I was in that place… that hospital.”

  “And now you’re safe.” Locke assured.

  “They’re not going to stop looking for me. Even if they find another witch for their ritual, they’ll always want vengeance for their brother’s death.”

  “You think Vaughn and the others don’t know that? That they’re not moving heaven and earth to track those bastards down?”

  Serena set her unfinished wine down and rose to her feet, pacing the room. “Intellectually I know that, but it doesn’t stop me from being afraid. They’ve found me so many times before, what’s to stop them this time?”

  “I will.” Locke oozed confidence and integrity, his words ringing of promise and truth.

  Serena raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “Not to rain on your parade there lawyer man but what can you do? Hit them with an injunction? Object strenuously?”

  “I’m sorry,” Locke gave her a cool amused look. “Do I detect the slightest hint of doubt in your tone? After all we’ve been through together?”

  Serena stopped pacing to face him, resting her hands on her hips. “Locke you’re a lawyer. What can you do against two demi-gods?”

  “Not even the Gods are exempt from the consequences of the truth.” Locke insisted in a surprisingly mild tone.

  “I’m seriously beginning to wonder if you’re not delusional.” Didn’t the man realise by sheer proximity to her he was in danger too?

  “This from a woman who runs around perpetually naked teasing the local wildlife.”

  Serena’s bare foot began to tap. He could be so smug, so superior… so frustrating. “I’m communicating with nature… not teasing anything. And it’s Skyclad… not naked. I hadn’t realised you were the uptight morality police. I can only hope this dress meets your very high standards.”

  “What there is of it, yes.” He couldn’t help but note the brevity of the hemline and the way the flimsy red material clung to her soft curves like paint to a canvas.

  “Oh, what’s your problem now? Too short? Too red? Well I can fix that!” With a dramatic click of her fingers for effect - she hadn’t been a stage magician’s assistant for nothing - the dress collapsed, a cascade of red hibiscus petals fluttering to the floor to settle around her bare feet.

  “And she’s naked again.” Locke muttered, shaking his head, his expression shifting into neutral unreadable lawyer mode. The tempting little S.O.B, didn’t she realise the effect she had on a man?

  “I told you… it’s not naked…. it’s skyclad!” With a toss of her long hair she turned and marched outside, she’d show him communicating with nature. It was time to dance up a storm.

  Locke was frozen in indecision. The sight of Serena naked versus the annoying mess of petals she’d left behind marring the perfection of his floorboards. Hard as it was to believe he had to force himself to get up and fetc
h the dustpan. Goddess he hoped those blood suckers made a move soon. He needed the stubborn all too tempting little witch out of his home, out of his life, before he did something irretrievably stupid.

  Chapter Nine

  Serena was too embarrassed to get out of bed the next morning. The way she had acted! Of all the ungrateful, petulant, silly stunts. Locke Valhalla had risked his life to save hers. He’d opened his home to her. He’d cooked for her! He’d gifted her with an outdoor shower for Earth’s sake, even though she’d turned his serene, elegant, if perhaps a little monastic courtyard into a tropical jungle. What had she done in return? Acted like a complete brat.

  Okay so he pressed her buttons. Sweet and cocky one moment. Teasing but cool the next. The man was all colours of frustrating. He couldn’t seem to get it through that overconfident big brain box of his the threat Sek and Mot posed. Yes she was scared, but it wasn’t just her own safety she was concerned about, she especially didn’t want someone who’d only trained as a lawyer to get caught in the cross fire. Didn’t he understand he could get hurt… or worse?

  She should have taken the time to explain the reality to him, not stormed off in a huff. Strike that, stormed off in a skyclad huff. Earth and all the Stars, what point had she been trying to make exactly with her little stunt? She shivered in memory of those dark blue eyes travelling ever so slowly down her body. His face might have turned into an unreadable mask but there’d been something in his eyes. Heat?

  Earth help her, she’d wanted him to follow her outside, touch her, take her down to the grass and make love to her under the stars.

  She wished she could blame her insane attraction to Locke on the intoxicating feeling of reconnecting with the earth and her magic. But she’d wanted him from the moment she’d laid eyes on him back at the hospital. When he’d picked her up, his scent had ignited something deep in her core. Mother Earth help her, she wanted the unattainable man in the three piece suits. How shameful she was. Taunting him with her nudity when she knew his affections lay elsewhere. And even if Nell didn’t exist, just what exactly did she and Locke have in common? She was earth, dirt and open skies in all her skyclad glory. He was wealth, status symbols and solid walls in all his three piece suit suaveness. What was she going to do?

  She could make a run for it? But to where? She couldn’t put her friends or family at risk. Or even innocent strangers for that matter. So that left her stuck here with a man she lusted after who was completely ill suited to her, and belonged to another to boot. Grr, she wanted to scream. A few days ago she’d been locked in a prison, dying, dreaming of freedom. Now here she was, fast on the mend, hunted by blood sucking vampires and more trapped than she’d ever been.

  Sitting up in bed she noted the late morning sun shining brightly, the promise of another beautiful summer’s day in the offing. Urgh, she needed to get over her ridiculous self. Forget Locke Valhalla, she needed to work on getting her magic back to full power and concentrate on her health. At least that way as soon as the vampire threat was dealt with she could exit stage left post haste. Then it would just be a matter of will power to forget Locke Valhalla and his taunting midnight blue eyes, distracting touchable mane of dark hair and broad swimmer’s shoulders. In the meantime she would keep her distance and dial back on the whole skyclad thing. Creating and maintaining garments made from nature would be too draining on her powers fulltime. For the first time in her life clothes were suddenly her number one priority, she needed to make a phone call,

  * * *

  The sun had just set as Serena moved around the kitchen turning on some lights. She’d spent the entire day in the garden, only inside now because she was hungry. Should she make something for Locke? He hadn’t stepped out of his office all day. Should she go knock? No he was probably busy and it would be better for her equilibrium if she kept her distance. Hmmm, that just left her to fend for herself.

  Turning she surveyed the immaculate kitchen. Where should she start? Wine… a big glass of wine. She’d just poured herself a glass when there sounded the click of high heels approaching on the hardwood floors. Frozen in place she looked up as Nell strode into view on peep toe green ankle suede boots. An elegant vision in a soft green blouse and calf length black skirt, her hair pulled back in a complicated twist.

  “Hey there, don’t suppose there’s enough for another glass?”

  Gulp, way to make a girl feel under dressed. “Sure.” Serena forced a smile and went in search of another glass. So big deal she was barefoot, her hair up in a sloppy ponytail and she was wearing only white shorts and a V-necked raspberry coloured tank top. This wasn’t a competition, and if it was…well Nell had already won, hadn’t she?

  “If you’re looking for Locke, I haven’t seen him all day.” She advised pouring the wine as Nell took a seat on one of the bar stools across the kitchen bench.

  “We spoke earlier.” Nell accepted the glass with a grateful smile. “He told me then he was snowed under with conference calls regarding this latest merger he’s working on. It was you I stopped by to see.”

  “Me?”

  “I wanted to check on your recovery. Though if looks are anything to go by I’d have to say you’re doing very well…. blooming in fact.”

  Damn the woman for being so nice, she couldn’t even dislike her, let alone resent her. “Thanks… have you eaten? If not you’re welcome to join me.”

  Nell’s blue eyes brimmed with delight. “That would be great. If it’s no trouble?”

  “None.”

  Which is how Serena came to be sitting across the dining room table from Nell ten minutes later, where the night before Locke had sat. For their meal she’d combined the remnants of last night’s salad with some tinned tuna and fresh slices of avocado. Perhaps not five star but fresh and edible. Nell certainly seemed happy with the fare.

  As they chatted it surprised Serena to realise just how much the two of them had in common despite their different career paths. Nell was completely obsessed with plants that had natural healing properties. She even boasted her own greenhouse. And there were uncanny similarities when it came to their magic, Nell could pull electricity from the human body comparable to the way she could pull it from the earth. Kind of freaky really. Perhaps there was an Earth Witch relative somewhere way back in Nell’s family tree.

  Once the meal was eaten they remained at the table finishing off the last of the wine and talking about an array of topics. Nell regaled her with a few funny stories regarding her practice and some of her more eccentric magically minded patients. Serena added a few of her own amusing tales from life working on a reality TV show that claimed to be in search of the paranormal.

  “Will you go back to the show?” Nell enquired, wiping a tear of laughter away as Serena finished recounting a particularly amusing tale that involved Dash and a creature that spat slime.

  “I’m not sure I can. Even once the vampire threat is dealt with Sek and Mot are still out there. What’s to stop them from sending more assassins after my blood?”

  “So where does that leave you?”

  “I don’t know.” Serena picked up her glass, studying the contents intently for a moment. “Part of me wants to join the fight. I mean, no witch is safe until Sek and Mot are dealt with. And if they manage to bring their father back to life, what will the world be like if the God of Chaos walks amongst us?”

  “I would think that would be Maat’s problem.”

  “She tends to have a strict policy of non-interference.”

  Nell smiled. “Everyone says that but have you ever known a Goddess to keep their nose out of other people’s business?”

  Serena shrugged. “Well she was certainly happy to let me rot in that mental facility.”

  “Was she?” Nell gave her a soft smile. “As you said you have your freedom now. How do you know Maat didn’t play a hand in that?”

  * * *

  Standing in the shadows Locke took a moment to compare the two women. His cousin Nell, looking tired bu
t happy, barely married a week to her brick outhouse of a warrior Drum. Her elegant prim exterior hiding the steely independent woman that was more than a match for her new meld mate. Then there was Serena, all petite soft curves and heat, her skin a moonlight lustre despite the number of hours she’d been spending outdoors. Her unkempt hair, half up and half down in a casual ponytail and those lips, in a perpetual pout begging to be kissed.

  “Typical.” Locke’s deep voice had both women jumping. “I do all the hard work and the God’s get the credit.”

  “Locke!” Nell beamed in welcome. “You scared me.”

  “Don’t get up.” He moved forward to stop Nell.

  “No, I need to get back, I have late rounds scheduled.”

  “Everything okay?” He looked between Nell and Serena.

  “Everything’s fine.” Nell scooped up her bag, bidding Serena goodnight and thanks.

  “I’ll walk you out.” Locke offered, sliding an arm around his cousin’s slim waist, she really did look exhausted. “How are you holding up? You look tired?”

  “I’m fine. Just hellishly busy.” Nell gave him a reassuring squeeze.

  “Are you getting any sleep?”

  Nell laughed softly, her voice low and husky. “Suddenly I find I can’t sleep alone.”

  “Well it won’t be for much longer, this will all be over soon enough.”

  “Goddess I hope so.” Nell kissed him goodbye on the cheek, disappearing into the linen closet.

  Leaving Locke alone to face the five foot four bundle of alluring trouble waiting for him at the dining room table. Well he’d managed to keep his distance all day, peeking through the curtains occasionally didn’t count surely. And it wasn’t like he’d been spying on her, she was his responsibility. It was his duty to check up on her.

  Just like it had been his duty to conduct a little research project this afternoon between meetings. Doing a background check on Serena Chastain was just playing it smart. Though the exercise itself had proven more than a little distracting. The number of sites out there dedicated to her and her sparkly purple short-shorts had been amusing at first but that had quickly changed as an uncomfortable feeling began to gnaw at his gut. Though why it should bother him if a bunch of pre-pubescent boys spent hours discussing what comic books a girl like Serena would read was beyond him.