To Wrangle A Witch (Southern Sanctuary Book 3)

by Jane Cousins

Serena continued to stare at him hard for a few more seconds; there was an edge of smugness to Locke’s response that was twitching her antenna. There was definitely something weird going on with Locke and her missing shoes, but now wasn’t the time to delve into it. Fine so she’d be barefoot, Maat’s warriors were as good as family, they wouldn’t care. Shrugging off her suspicions she turned and entered the closet, she was eager to hear Hadleigh’s audacious plan that had the normally easy going Vaughn upset. Whatever it was it sounded like it had the potential to distract her from her current obsession with all things Locke Valhalla. Oh Earth, she bit back a sigh as he joined her in the closet, his wonderful scent encasing her, please bring on the distraction.

  They stepped out of the closet to find Flynn waiting for them.

  Flynn’s green edged hazel eyes filling with relief on sighting them, stress and tension evident at the corners of his strained smile. “Thank Maat you’re here. I’m not sure how much more the rest of us can stand.” He stepped forward giving Serena a warm hug and a friendly peck on the cheek.

  Locke cleared his throat to remind the walking mountain that he was present and hopefully distract him so he’d get his paws off of Serena.

  “Lawyer dude.” Flynn nodded his head. “Come on, we’d better get to the conference room before things go nuclear.”

  Serena fell into step beside Flynn. “The fighting is really that bad?” She couldn’t believe relaxed and easy going Vaughn would get out of control angry enough to have a screaming match with his wife.

  “Oh the yelling only lasted a minute or two, now it’s much much worse than that.”

  “Worse than yelling?” Serena glanced up at Flynn confused as they stepped off the elevator onto the conference level floor.

  “Oh Goddess they haven’t gone silent have they?” Locke shuddered at the thought.

  “Yeah, about twenty minutes ago, we thought you’d never get here.”

  “I’m missing something here, aren’t I?” Serena looked between the two.

  Flynn opened his mouth, blushed and snapped it shut. Okay it took an awful lot to embarrass Flynn, now she was starting to get really worried.

  Locke just looked resigned. “Why don’t you go tell them we’re here, I’ll give Serena a quick run-down of the salient details so she’s prepared.”

  Flynn gave him an abrupt nod of thanks, took a deep breath and headed towards the conference room

  “What is going on?” Serena was beyond curious.

  “Okay you know Hadleigh and Vaughn are melded right?”

  Serena nodded.

  “And you know about the Sanctuary grid.”

  “Oh yes, you have a 30 foot palm tree in your courtyard thanks to that grid.”

  “With a little help from you.” Reminded Locke with a brief fleeting smile. “Okay so the grid is powered by melded couples.”

  “Their magics?” Serena took his statement through to the logical conclusion.

  Locke shook his head. “Try sex.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Sex, there’s a whole ‘power – feedback’ arrangement that it doesn’t pay to think about too much. What it boils down to is that melded couples are like… batteries, and gold meld matches like what Vaughn and Hadleigh have, well that creates a lot of out-put and requires a lot of…”

  “Input?” She finished for him.

  “Yes, sex and magic, it’s all intertwined at the Sanctuary.”

  “So what does that have to do with what’s going on in the conference room that has Flynn looking so… stressed?”

  “Okay so when a meld couple fight it creates a lot of energy, in fact fights don’t usually last very long because they create so much friction… heat, between the couple.”

  “I’m still lost here.”

  Locke shifted uncomfortably. This was so not the conversation he should be having with Serena of all people. “Okay, what it boils down to is my people basically invented the concept of make-up sex. The grid exerts a lot of influence over meld couples. A lot of the older generation meld couples invent things to fight over with their spouses because they enjoy a really good tiff, the energy, the tension, the friction, it all results supposedly in ultra-hot make-up sex.”

  Speaking of ultra-hot Serena wanted to fan herself. Swallowing hard she desperately tried to recall why they’d started this incredibly uncomfortable discussion. “So the fact that Hadleigh and Vaughn… are fighting, and haven’t made up yet is causing… tension?”

  Locke nodded abruptly. “Lots of tension… and it spills over on to everyone around them so when we go in there be prepared for well… anything.”

  “Okay.” Serena squared her shoulders, forewarned was forearmed. “Let’s do this.” She flung open the conference room door and came to an abrupt halt as the thick atmosphere in the room settled like a heavy blanket over her.

  Everyone in the room except for Hadleigh and Vaughn turned to look at her with grateful relief in their eyes. Hadleigh and Vaughn were too busy glaring at each other across the table to care about the interlopers. That was until Serena made to walk around the table to take the empty chair directly on Vaughn’s right. The warning growl issuing from deep within Hadleigh’s throat had her freezing in place abruptly, Locke desperately grabbing at the back of her dress helping her to retrace her steps slowly and carefully backwards… away from Hadleigh’s mate.

  Meekly she followed Locke around to Hadleigh’s empty side of the conference table; all of Maat’s warriors had obviously already learnt the lesson of staying a safe distance away from their Captain’s woman when the twosome fought. Sliding into the seat directly on Hadleigh’s left Serena took a deep fortifying breath before making an attempt to interrupt their heated staring competition. “I’d like to hear this plan.”

  “It’s not an option.” Vaughn snarled, glaring at his wife with a heated gold gaze that would have melted the will power of a lesser woman than Hadleigh, who met his glare and raised him an icy grey fierce look of her own.

  Hadleigh magic’d a jewel encrusted dagger out of thin air, twirling it carelessly between her fingers, her eyes never leaving Vaughn. “Let the witch decide.”

  “Hadleigh.” Vaughn said his wife’s name in a low warning rumble that sent a wave of sexual heat spiking down Serena’s spine. Everyone in the room shifted uncomfortably. Earth, these two were dangerous to be around in this state. The heat they were throwing off was uncomfortably contagious.

  Okay it was time to step up and play mediator for these two. “Vaughn…” Serena bit back a squeak as Hadleigh turned her head abruptly to glare at her. It was hard to know what was more intimidating, the warrior’s grey cold eyes or the dagger gripped at the ready suddenly stilled and pointed in her direction. Umm right, do not upset the crazy jealous wife in mating heat. “Captain, I have fought and trained with Maat’s warriors for four years. I know my strengths, my weaknesses, as well as you do. I am not a hot head nor do I have a death wish. But I think I at least deserve to hear this plan before it is dismissed.”

  Vaughn gave a slight twitch of his index finger, Drum as his second recognised the sign and began talking. “At the lair we discovered the Queen has a kiss of five vampires at her call. Two are now dead thanks to Locke.” Drum flicked the briefest of respectful nods in Locke’s direction. “That means the Queen and her final three will be coming for you Serena to fulfil the contract. At the same time they need vengeance, they know their two brethren have been killed and their nest destroyed along with the blood they had stored there… Xander’s blood.”

  Serena nodded. “So you think this might potentially make them careless?” She looked around the table as Maat’s warriors suddenly found the ceiling interesting as she took Drum’s words through to their logical conclusion.

  Locke must have reached the conclusion at the same time she did, as he was on his feet yelling at his sister. “You want to use her as bait!”

  Vaughn was on his feet, microseconds later, leaping across the table towards Locke w
ho was looming over and threatening his mate. Only Drum’s quick save, catching Vaughn by the belt of his pants and dragging him back into his seat negated the shedding of blood.

  “Sit down.” Hissed Rafe, glaring hard at Locke.

  “Hell no.” Locke kicked his chair away, storming around the table to stand next to the still seated Vaughn. Shaking his finger across the table at his sister. “You are not going to use Serena as bait to catch three suckers and their even deadlier assassin Queen.”

  Hadleigh was on her own feet, leaning across the table. “If we don’t do this now whilst their blood is hot and their blinded by vengeance this could stretch out for years. We do not want to give the Queen time to recruit more assassin minions into her kiss.”

  Vaughn’s eyes dipped automatically to the slight gaping V-neck of his wife’s top. Gripping the edge of the table he ignored the groan of the wood under his touch. “Stop flashing your breasts to get me to agree with your idiotic plan.”

  Hadleigh rolled her eyes to the heavens, seeking help from the Goddess to deal with her stubborn, arrogant, sex mad meld mate. “Eyes up here Viking.” She clicked her fingers in front of her face. “We’ll all be there to protect her and I’ve arranged for Sanctuary enforcement backup, your little witch will be perfectly safe.”

  “You can’t guarantee that!” Locke leant over the table to meet his sister’s glare, mirroring her stubborn stance.

  Vaughn glanced up at Locke, blinking as if for the first time realising the man was in the room. He noted Locke’s clenched jaw, high colour and the fierce protective gleam in his eyes. Vaughn leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms, returning his gaze to that of his lovely wife’s cleavage. “What he said.”

  Hadleigh shifted her stance slightly to meet her brother’s attack now. “The witch’s safety will be our number one priority.”

  “Please I know you, your number one priority when the battle begins will be to find and behead as many suckers as you can. It’s too risky.”

  “And if we don’t do this now whilst their blood thirst is high the threat could drag out for weeks, months even. All the while we’ll never know when the next attack is planned. But we know for a fact they’re coming for her tonight… all of them. We need to do it now and we need to bait the trap with something irresistible.”

  “Then wear a blonde wig and stand out there yourself.”

  “Oh, if only I could.” Heated blood lust filled Hadleigh’s eyes for a moment. “But I don’t smell like the witch.”

  “Just roll in some dirt, you’ll smell like her in no time.”

  “Hey.” Serena shot to her feet, joining Hadleigh leaning across the table. “I do not smell like dirt.”

  Hadleigh looked down at the petite little witch at her side before turning to look at her brother. “Plus there’s the small difference in our height.”

  “Serena is not going to act as bait for a pack of rabid vampires.” Locke stated with a finality that cut through the room like a scythe.

  “Hey, you don’t get to decide that.” Serena banged her fist down hard on the table, dispelling instantly Locke’s unreasonable statement.

  The bang of the witch’s fist against the table had Hadleigh blinking as she stared first at the stubborn little witch with rebellious fire in her eyes and then at her brother who was acting uncharacteristically pig headed and macho. Oh… just like that she realised this wasn’t even her fight, sliding back into her seat she met Vaughn’s heated gaze across the table. There was a slight twist to his gorgeous lips as he smiled at her whilst his eyes filled with heated promise of all the naughty things he intended to do to her when they were alone.

  “I’m doing it.” Serena stated, wishing she had Locke’s power for a moment so everyone in the room would realise how serious she was. She didn’t want this threat of the vampires hanging over her head any longer than necessary and if Hadleigh was right, luring them into a trap tonight would be their best opportunity to annihilate the threat completely. The sooner the vamps were dealt with the sooner she could run as far and as fast from Locke Valhalla as the winds would take her.

  “Serena…” Locke had over a hundred reasons why Serena was not going to participate in this insane plan, and he was prepared to start listing them off one by one.

  Serena held up a hand to stop him. “I’m the one they’re after. I’m the one who gets to decide.” She glared first at Locke, then at Vaughn. “Understood?” When she received no response she sent a sharp zap of electricity through the wood, causing Locke to leap back shaking his tingling hands. “Understood?”

  Vaughn stood up abruptly, followed two seconds later by Hadleigh. “Okay so we’re agreed. You guys sort out the logistics, Hadleigh and I will be…” He tried to think up some suitable excuse but nothing came to mind but getting his wife alone.

  “Just go for Maat’s sake.” Marcus pleaded on behalf of everyone in the room.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Serena slammed out of Locke’s linen closet at a fast clip, her eyes snapping purple and blue sparks of fire, her teeth clenched so tightly together her jaw ached. She was mad… red flag to a bull, disturb a hornet’s nest, mad.

  And Locke was seething right back at her, stalking hot on her heels into the living room. “Serena, you’re being stubborn an unreasonable.”

  She whirled to face him. “I’m being?” She couldn’t believe he was still sulking because she had insisted upon stepping up and ensuring that the vampire threat hovering over her would soon be a thing of the past. “I’m being stubborn an unreasonable? Are you listening to how crazy you sound Locke Valhalla?”

  “It’s madness. You’re not trained for combat. Acting as bait to lure out vampire assassins, not to mention their even deadlier, more ruthless Queen, is beyond insane.”

  Serena couldn’t believe how stubborn he was acting. “Maat’s warriors and Hadleigh will all be there to back me up, not to mention a multitude of Southern Sanctuary enforcers. If anything I’m a little worried with that many people lurking about the vamps will smell a trap.”

  “Which brings us to the dumbest idea ever. Cutting yourself to sweeten the trap and distract them is just ludicrous.”

  “You’re the one who gave me the idea… saying I smelt like dirt, the scent of my blood is sure to send them over the edge. It’s a brilliant strategic move.”

  “Don’t be stupid.”

  Serena’s left eyebrow arched upwards for a split second. “Did you just call me stupid?” Her hands went to her hips as her left foot began to tap out a steady impatient rhythm.

  Locke issued a deep sigh. “The situation is stupid, not you.”

  “I don’t have lie detector abilities like some people but even I can tell you didn’t mean that.”

  Locke was an experienced urbane man, a feared lawyer renowned for his logical mind and fast verbal arguments that inevitably cowed his opposition into submission. So he wanted Serena to listen and listen well to his irrefutable smartly worded reply. He gave her his haughtiest ‘fear me I am lawyer hear me roar’ look, and then opened his mouth. “Because you’re being stupid!” He all but yelled at her.

  Something inside Serena snapped.

  This would probably be the last conversation they ever shared together before all the warriors and enforcers arrived and he knew she planned to leave as soon as the battle was over and he… had… just … called … her … stupid!

  “You arrogant, opinionated, know-it-all… Man!” Earth he was lucky she couldn’t shoot the electricity she could gather from the earth out her eyes or right this moment his light grey suit would be smouldering. “Need I remind you yet again that I have spent several years working and training with Maat’s elite warriors? That I’m a powerful Earth Witch in my own right? That I’m also one very pissed off woman who just wants her life back?” Tapping her foot, she looked down, her eyes snapping back up to glare at Locke. “And by the Tides, where are my shoes?”

  “I don’t know anything about your shoes.”
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  There was something in his tone that failed to convince Serena. The man was impossible to deal with right now. She needed some distance from him and some serious alone time before she did… or said something she’d really regret, or worse, burst into tears demanding to know how he could possibly be so mean to her after the night they’d just shared together. Earth Serena, not going there, remember?

  Whirling she stomped outside, he wouldn’t dare follow her out there and if he did, well she’d teach him to mess with a… she came to an abrupt halt, Locke practically slamming into her, his hands coming up to grip her arms to prevent bowling her over as he took in the surprising sight of three ladies, having tea, of all bizarre things, in the middle of the garden.

  Two sets of eyes were wide with surprise at their dramatic entrance whilst the remaining set brimmed with amusement and the strangest little gold flashes of light.

  “Shit.” Locke muttered under his breath, his hands instinctively tightening on Serena’s arms. “My mother.”

  “Your mother?” Serena whispered through clenched teeth and a fake smile she’d instantly plastered to her features. Earth, her eyes travelling over the beautifully laid table, full of plates of tiny sandwiches and a lovely blue and silver tea service. Someone had gone to a lot of trouble.

  “And my Great Aunt Alma.” Locke warned under his breath.

  “The match maker?” Serena hissed back in a whisper, not letting her smile waver as she scoped out Alma’s elegant flipped back shoulder length grey hair, her warm brown eyes and stylish black and white wrap dress. “So I guess that makes piggy in the middle the new Mrs Locke Valhalla.” She identified through clenched teeth, determined not to let her smile waver.

  Great the three ladies had no doubt heard their entire argument and were thinking Earth knows what. What else could Serena do but prise herself out from Locke’s hold and walk forward, back straight, head held high. Damn her bare feet, messy mane of barely brushed locks and flimsy yellow sundress and double damn Locke Valhalla and for that matter, Miss Perfect, with her designer cream coloured suit, dark blonde sleek page cut coiffure and bold red lips. Anyone with half a brain could see this woman was perfect for Locke Valhalla: serenely beautiful, professional and poised.