To Wrangle A Witch (Southern Sanctuary Book 3)

by Jane Cousins

  “You know your voice gets all breathless when you say his name?”

  “Does not.” Horrified she looked down to find her hand seemingly of its own accord was once more reaching out to caress his amazingly tight bicep.

  “Does too.”

  “What are you twelve?” She fisted her hand giving him a swift hard punch. “Stop trying to capture me in your web to tease Locke… or.” Serena tilted her head to the side and contemplated the dimly lit living room.

  “Or?” Declan was rubbing his arm, more to be polite than because Serena’s light punch actually had hurt him. But he knew women, they liked to think they made an impact.

  “Maybe it’s not Locke you’re trying to tease right now… who’s the babe in the boots again?”

  There was a sudden tenseness around Declan’s eyes but he covered it well with a flash of dimples and a soft laugh. “Darcy… I should imagine she’s in there now talking to Locke about how much trouble he’s in for bringing you and all your vampy friends to the Sanctuary.”

  “Shit, I need to get in there and handle this. Locke’s still recovering from his injuries. He’s in no fit state to defend himself right now.”

  Declan laughed heartily. “Locke came out of the womb threatening to sue the doctor if he even contemplated the idea of slapping him on the butt. I’m sure he’s fine.”

  “This is my mess, because of me he’s been dragged into this nightmare, his home is under attack, people are coming and going at all hours and he was almost killed.”

  “Well when you put it like that…”

  Serena’s eyes narrowed. “You really are a pain in the ass, you know that right? If I ever bump into a jealous husband looking for you I’m going to hand over your GPS co-ordinates faster than you can say ‘but she said she wasn’t married’.”

  “Harsh Serena… fine.” He held out an arm. “Let’s go defend the maiden fair from the dragon.”

  Serena snorted in derision. “Locke is not a dragon.”

  “Actually in this particular situation I was probably thinking Locke more for the fair maiden role.”

  * * *

  Locke’s eyes narrowed as Serena entered the room, her hand resting lightly on Declan’s arm. Only vaguely did he register the fact that his cousin had tracked mud into his living room. But Serena had as she looked down, whispered a word and like that the mud disappeared. Goddess she made him hot.

  Darcy rose to her feet, acknowledging Declan with a grudging nod of her head. “Cyrano.”

  “High Priestess of Hi-Jinx. Are you here tonight to right wrongs or create mayhem?”

  “I’m here purely in an official capacity, catching up on all the drama surrounding our newest visitor to the Sanctuary.” Darcy gave Serena a slow head to toe perusal.

  Serena returned the look in kind.

  The tension factor in the room tripled instantly as Declan jumped to head off any potential smack down looming. “Darcy meet Serena, Earth Witch and good friend to our Maat warrior colleagues. Serena meet Darcy, the Special Liaison officer for the Southern Sanctuary.”

  There was a pause as the two women continued to take each other’s measure. Declan edging ever so slightly in front of Serena, ready to act as a human shield if this all went horribly wrong.

  It was Serena who broke the silence. “I love those boots, totally kick ass.”

  “Thanks.” Darcy smiled, a kind of scary smile but a smile nevertheless. “They’re an occupational necessity in my job, plus they look really awesome.”

  And just like that a détente was reached.

  Whilst the women talked Declan collapsed onto the sofa next to Locke. “Whew, I thought that was totally going to go down differently there for a moment.”

  Locke nodded in complete agreement. “Yes, I can’t help but think we dodged a bullet. I assume since you were out there flashing your flesh around freely that you’ve healed up since last night.” Locke absently ran a hand over his own chest, feeling the slight ridges of scars that were fading fast. Maybe he should send Nell some flowers.

  “Yeah… unfortunately, what I wouldn’t give for a few scars.”

  “I’d be happy to help test the extent of your healing powers.” Locke offered, finishing off the last of his wine.

  “Now, now cousin. I only escorted Serena around the garden, nothing happened.”

  “And there goes your perfect hot streak.”

  “Please, my hotness is not in question. The question you should be asking yourself is why the beautiful Earth Witch is immune to my immense and all too obvious charms?”

  “She didn’t look particularly immune to them last night when she was snuggled in your arms whilst I was bleeding out on my reclaimed hard wood floors.”

  Declan arched a perfect eyebrow. “You know you’re sounding positively jealous.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.”

  “I may not be a human lie detector but even my bullshit meter is ringing right now. And for clarification purposes only, I was snuggling with Serena last night under doctor’s orders, she was going into shock, heat, especially the amount my body generates is a great counteragent.”

  “And the sad thing is you actually believe that.”

  Declan chuffed an easy going laugh. “Enough about me, we’re getting off topic.”

  “I’ve already told you there’s nothing going on between me and Serena, I’m not jealous, I’m just looking out for a house guest who’s not back to her full strength yet and doesn’t have the ability to fend off your feeble charms.”

  “Hmmm, interesting you think that’s the topic I was referring to, nope, I was talking about my performance appraisal form.”

  “No we weren’t.”

  “Sure, remember last night I mentioned it, then we got side tracked a little when your guts started falling out.”

  “This is the way you badger people to complete the form? No wonder you’re still an apprentice.”

  “Please, what would Hadleigh do without me?”

  “Well if you keep pissing Vaughn and Drum off like you do I’m guessing it won’t be too much longer before we get to find out.”

  “Why does everyone keep saying that? You tease Hadleigh mercilessly and no one warns you of imminent death by Maat warrior? And don’t say it’s because you’re family… I’m family too remember.”

  “And yet for some reason the male members of the clan keep forgetting that little factoid, perhaps because you keep taking your t-shirt off in public.”

  “It gets torn sometimes when I fight.”

  “What about the time you lost your jeans?”

  “Hey that coffee was hot, and it’s not like I spilt it on myself.”

  “I heard the story, four women leapt forward to help, the resulting catfight and jail time for those girls was the talk of the Sanctuary.”

  “Oh the Swedish backpackers, nice girls… they still send me a Christmas card each year, but I don’t get why I’m always the one designated the culprit when quite clearly I’m the victim.”

  “You took photos of the catfight and posted them online.”

  “I said I didn’t instigate the fight, not that I didn’t enjoy it. Besides, they all made up in the end.”

  “Only because you promised to go out with each of them.”

  “Hey I played it fair, took them all out at the same time and everything.”

  “And you wonder why other men hate you.”

  Declan frowned, and it wasn’t one of his fake ‘oh woe is me – feel sorry for me’ poses; it was a genuine perplexed look. “But Vaughn and Drum are melded, I’d never hit on married women, or let them hit on me, let alone my own cousins.”

  “What can I say, you push their buttons, try keeping your shirt on and your lips to yourself.”

  “So judgemental for a lawyer, whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty?”

  “Says the man with the lipstick imprint on his right cheek.”

  “Damn really?” Declan scrubbed his cheek hard with the sid
e his hand. “It must have been Aunt Lucy, I ran into her right before I came here.”

  Locke tensed. “You spoke to my mother?”

  “Sure, she was over at Hadleigh’s dropping off a couple of bags of fresh peaches.”

  “Where was she headed next? Is she coming here? Did she have anyone with her?”

  “Jeez dude, get a grip. As a matter fact she had a young lady with her, one of those arty types, wouldn’t keep her hands to herself, I kind of felt embarrassed for her. I thought they were headed over to Erik’s but the woman wouldn’t leave me alone, I think Aunt Lucy said something about dropping her off somewhere instead.”

  “Phew, Erik owes you big time.”

  “Whatever, now about my evaluation form?”

  In the kitchen the oven timer sounded, time to take the lamb out of the oven so it could rest. Which reminded him. “Don’t you have some where you need to be? Cedric’s farm? Handling the peace talk agreements?”

  “It’s a waste of time, he’s never going to agree to be a vegetarian.”

  “You know what I do when I can’t get two clients to agree, I lock them in a room together until they do.”

  “Are you kidding. Those invisible sheep will kick Cedric’s ass.”

  Locke smiled. “Exactly, now go be all that you can be young apprentice.”

  Declan smiled and nodded. “Simple yet devious, I should have asked for your advice weeks ago. Okay, I’ll probably see you tomorrow night, I understand the big smack down is scheduled for then.”

  Locke looked around his immaculately clean house and heaved a sigh. “Yeah, looks like it.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  “I like your cousin.”

  “Which one?” Locke looked up from the kitchen counter where he was the process of cutting the meat.

  “Well I was talking about Darcy but I like Declan too.” Serena stood back watching Locke work… hmmm, the man had such capable hands.

  “I’m not sure there isn’t a woman alive who doesn’t like Declan.” Locke muttered dryly.

  “I was talking about the man, not the package. He’s funny, witty, a bit of a tease and a flirt I’ll grant you, but considering what he could be doing with those powers of his… well I suppose it’s a good thing he’s a happy well-adjusted member of your community.”

  “As opposed to?”

  “Well cutting a swathe through the female population, uncaring of the devastation he leaves behind.”

  Locke scoffed a derisive laugh. “According to Darcy he leaves quite the trail of broken hearts behind in his wake.”

  “Oh I’m sure there are any number of women who take one look at the golden boy and imagine they are in love but I highly doubt that he encourages them actively or makes promises to them that he has no intention of keeping. For all his dimples he has a noble heart, I suppose he has growing up amidst such a large number of righteous warriors and enforcers to thank for that.”

  “I suppose.” Locke mulled over Serena’s words. True for all his good looks, charm and hideously unnatural good luck with the ladies Declan rarely went on dates, he never strung his admirers along and had certainly never boasted of his conquests to Locke or anyone else for that matter. Funny, now that he came to think of it as far as he knew Declan had never even had a girlfriend.

  Serena bustled around behind him, opening a new bottle of wine and fetching fresh glasses. “And Darcy… she’s a hoot.”

  “You don’t want to get on the wrong side of Darcy.” Locke warned, drizzling his made from scratch gravy over the perfectly cooked lamb.

  “Oh you don’t have to warn me.” Serena placed the glasses on the dining room table and took a seat. Moments later Locke joined her, passing over a plate that smelled divine. “Thanks, it looks delicious.” She took a bite, boy she could get used to Locke Valhalla’s cooking. “She seems a little…”

  “Unstable?”

  “I was going to say intense. Those eyes of hers, it’s like she can see straight through to your soul.”

  Locke shrugged. “Either that or she’s just contemplating whether to kill you quick or kill you slow.”

  Serena laughed. “Still, I‘d love to see her in action.”

  “You hang around the Sanctuary long enough you’re bound to see Darcy blow…” Okay that wasn’t awkward at all. Of course Serena would be leaving soon. Maybe even as early as tomorrow night when the final sucker battle took place.

  “Ahh… sure. Oh, I don’t suppose you’ve see my sneakers have you? I thought I left them outside.”

  Locke shook his head not trusting himself to lie convincingly. Of course he knew where her sneakers were; at the bottom of the trashcan, exactly where he’d placed them earlier.

  Serena shook her head in puzzlement. “Weird, well they can’t have gotten too far.”

  Silence fell between them, awkward and heavy.

  Locke reached for his wine. “So have you decided whether you’ll head back to Atlanta with the Chippendales once the vamps are all done and dusted?”

  “Er…” Serena put her knife and fork down. Why did his question cause her stomach to lurch uncomfortably and dread to flood her system? It’s what she’d been planning to do all along so why did the thought of returning to her old life suddenly make her feel queasy?

  “With Sek and Mot still out there looking for revenge and needing your blood, you’re welcome to stay you know… here.”

  “That’s a very… kind offer.” Though she would have preferred Locke ask her to stay because he wanted her too. She pushed her half eaten dinner away. Earth Serena, get it through your thick skull that you and Locke Valhalla are not compatible.

  “Finished?”

  Twirling a dangling lock of hair around her finger she nodded. “Yes, thanks… I guess I’m just not hungry after all… nerves maybe.” She shot him a grateful smile as he cleared the plates away. Neither of them having done justice to the wonderful meal Locke had organised.

  Picking up her wine glass she wandered over to the open doorway leading outside. For a moment she hesitated before the pull of the garden gently wrapped around her senses and beckoned her forward, promising peace.

  It was like coming home, the grass under her feet, the caress of a nearby hibiscus along her arm and the warm summer night air playing over her skin, causing the fallen tendrils of hair around her neck to dance. Earth and Stars she loved it out here. Moments like this she could understand how her Grandmother and Mother could connect to their little parcels of heaven on earth and choose to stay in one place, forming a permanent bond with their gardens. Not only did it grant them a greater sense of peace but the deeper connection heightened their powers, it was heady stuff, and her bond to Locke’s garden was only temporary, imagine if she formed a permanent one… whoa, what was she thinking?

  “Nice night.”

  The words sounded right in her ear causing her to gasp and spin only to find Locke standing a few feet away from her. “Oh, you scared me.” She dropped her hand from her chest, her heart continuing to beat fast, not in fright now but at Locke’s close proximity.

  “Sorry.” Funny he didn’t look it as he took a sip of his wine and studied her with dark tantalising eyes that reminded her of the night sky above her head. “So what’s the decision? Does reality TV stardom beckon? I suppose you could always change your name and your hair colour. Or back on the road as a magician’s assistant?”

  “I hadn’t really thought that far ahead. I tend to make decisions on the fly... following my instincts. They’ve got me this far.”

  The edges of Locke’s mouth quirked up. “I suppose it would be impolite of me to mention the five month stay in the mental hospital, the vampire contract out on your ass and the Chaos demi-gods who want you dead or worse.”

  Serena chuffed a husky laugh. “Hey I never said my instincts were perfect. Just that I was still alive to talk about it.”

  “And I think we’d all prefer it if you stayed that way. Maybe re-think heading out into the big wide worl
d quite so soon.”

  “Well I can’t stay here forever.”

  Her words didn’t quite ring truthful to his ears… or was that wishful thinking on his part? No, you don’t tie down a rolling stone. You be thankful for the time you’ve spent with them... make every moment count. With that in mind he reached over took her glass away and placed it and his own down on a flat section of nearby moss. Serena’s eyes were wide with surprise as he grabbed her by the hand, tugging her into his arms.

  “Dance with me?”

  Even if she’d had a choice she wouldn’t have said no. She’d been dying to dance with Locke Valhalla from that very first night. Okay so they were fully clothed and they weren’t moving to the rhythm of the night garden but to the soft sounds of a jazz number playing in the living room. It was still heaven, this close she could feel the heat of his body, the hard corded muscle of his arm under her light touch.

  “You smell nice.” He murmured softly, almost whispering.

  “Funny.” She smiled up at him, likewise keeping her voice soft. “I was thinking the same thing about you.”

  “Finally something we have in common.” Locke laughed softly under his breath.

  “I’ve always found having things in common to be vastly overrated.” Okay, no she didn’t, but tonight she was definitely an advocate.

  “Me too.” Which was an outrageous lie since he’d always dated women who mirrored himself; driven professionals who valued style and the very best things in life money could buy. But tonight with Serena in his arms he couldn’t get past how beautiful the night sky was, how exotic the garden smelt and how wild and sexy the barefoot woman in his arms was. Damn he knew he was going to regret this in the morning and double damn him he knew he’d regret it more if he didn’t.

  So he did the one thing he’d been dying to do again all afternoon, he kissed her. Crushed her to him and took ownership of those bee stung rosy lips. And she, Goddess be praised, sank into his kiss like she was made especially for him.

  Serena went up on the balls of her feet to meet his lips. Thank Earth he wasn’t Maat warrior tall otherwise the logistics of this would have been a nightmare. Running her fingers along the silky material of his waistcoat she appreciated the rich fabric whilst at the same time loathing its very existence. The man was wearing too many clothes.