by Bianca D’Arc
He bowed his head in acknowledgment. “Ask me no questions, and I’ll tell you no lies.”
“It wasn’t a question. It was a statement of fact.” She reached for the pot of coffee, switching off the machine that had finished its job for the moment. She’d bring the whole pot out to the guys, and she was pretty sure it would all be gone before it had time to grow tepid.
“I stand corrected.” He didn’t move when she made a motion forward.
He wasn’t exactly blocking her in a hostile way, but it was pretty clear he wanted to speak to her. She placed the carafe of coffee back on the warmer and turned to face the fey warrior, copying his stance and leaning her hip against the kitchen counter.
“Spit it out.” She thought a slight challenge was in order. He seemed to like battling verbally, and being Italian, the fine art of argument—not in an angry way—was her forte.
“Ah, the direct approach. Just like your ol’ granny.”
Cam smiled at her again, and she had to stop herself from reacting to the reminder that he was the next best thing to immortal and had known her Nonna as a young woman. It was a strange feeling, dealing with a fey. Even weirder was the juxtaposition of his role as knight protector and this wise ass side of him that was all troublesome male. Who was the real Cameron? Would she ever get to know him well enough to know what his real personality was? Or did she even want to get that close to a fey?
After all, he would never grow old. Perhaps this standoffishness on his part was a protective defense. If everyone he befriended eventually died and he just kept going, that had to be hard on his heart. Losing friends was always hard. Maybe he’d decided to keep everyone at arm’s length as a way to prevent the pain of loss.
Unfortunately, she didn’t think that was going to work out for him. No matter how hard you tried, you could never completely shut out the world from your heart. Not if you were a good person. And there was no doubt in her mind that Cam was good. He would never have been blessed by the Goddess to be one of Her chosen knights if he wasn’t pure of heart.
So the cocky attitude had to be a defense mechanism. She couldn’t really blame him, though it was a little annoying.
“What’s on your mind, Cam?”
He seemed to study her for a moment before replying. He squinted a bit, tilting his head as if examining a specimen under a microscope.
“I wanted to be sure you were in the right frame of mind for tonight’s work. It’s all well and good for the bears out there to come up with an action plan, but you’re the one on whom everything will rise or fall. Your role cannot be underestimated, and your emotional state is crucial.” His expression lightened just a tiny bit. “So, tell me, how are you feeling?”
“Truthfully?” She dropped her head, looking up at him from the side, allowing her shoulders to slump a bit. “Tired.” She rolled her head around, trying to loosen the kinks in her neck. “I’ve never done this much sustained magic in my life. And I’ve never handled so much raw power. The bears…”
“They pack a wallop, don’t they?” Cam agreed, smiling kindly. “Furry little buggers.”
She had to chuckle at that ridiculous description of the mighty grizzlies and their assorted friends who sat in the other room and, even now, she knew, guarded the perimeter of their Alpha’s land. There was nothing little about any of them. Not their size, nor their magical power. Each and every one of them was formidable on every level.
“I suspect only a fey could get away with saying that.”
“And only out of earshot. Aye, you’re right, lass.” Cam kept the mood between them convivial. “And how are you doing with the Alpha? Are things settled between you?”
“Settled?” She had to think about that for a moment. “We have feelings for each other, but I’m not sure how his people will react to it. Frankly, I’m worried they’ll still want to run me and my sister out of town after this is all over.” She slumped against the counter a bit more. “We come from such different traditions. I keep wondering if a shifter and a strega can really make a go of it.”
Cam seemed to study her before saying quietly, “Francisco and Violetta did, and the world was a better place for them in it.”
That sounded as if…
“Did you know them?” She had to ask, though the very thought of it boggled her mind.
Cam sighed. “Aye. I knew your ancestors and called them friends. They would both be very proud of what you’re doing here, and I think Francisco, in particular, would’ve liked your Alpha. They are cut very much of the same cloth.”
This was a rare opportunity. Cam had been there. He’d seen how her ancestors interacted, the challenges they’d faced, the way they’d managed such a diverse relationship. She could pick his brain…if he let her.
“How did they do it?” she asked simply, hoping he’d give her some clue, some hope.
“That would be telling.” Cam’s eyes twinkled as he grinned, and she couldn’t believe he was teasing her now, about something so very important.
She growled at him, surprising herself a bit. She’d never growled at someone before. Maybe John was rubbing off on her more than she knew.
Cam straightened away from the counter and gazed at her, approval in his eyes.
“Now that, right there, is why you’ll probably have an easier time of it than they did. You have Francisco’s blood in your veins. The others will recognize it on some level, if they haven’t already. The more you are around John and his people, the more you will feel the influence. Oh, you’ll never be a bear shifter, but you’re an Alpha female in your own right. That ought to go a long way toward solving any problems that might crop up.”
“I’m not that strong,” Urse insisted, almost afraid to believe what he said might be true. It meant so much to her that John’s people accept their relationship. She didn’t want to cause a rift between him and his comrades.
“Being an Alpha female is more than the kind of strength you’re probably talking about. Being a true Alpha female means being like the Goddess—kind and benevolent when needed, nurturing all in Her path, being there for anyone who needs help, but also steadfast when necessary, as you are being now in placing your wards. You are already caring for the Clan gathered here by doing so. They recognize it. You’ll see. You’re earning their respect with everything you do here, lass.” Cam’s expression was serious. She almost believed him. “And if you canna believe me…” he said, as if reading her mind, “…then have a talk with Steve before he leaves. Ask him about his mother. Now there was an Alpha female of the highest caliber, Goddess bless her.”
Cam walked closer and put his hands on both of her shoulders. He was a lot taller than she was—taller even than John—so she felt tiny and sort of enclosed by his presence. His gaze held hers, and the space between them became charged with a benevolent sort of energy.
“You must put all these thoughts from your mind tonight, lass. You have to focus your mind, body, heart and soul on the spell. Only then, will you succeed in protecting this place and its people.”
She felt every word as if it were an imperative, etched in her mind. Was he using some kind of magic on her? She wasn’t sure, but did it really matter? It was for good. He was a knight, pledged to the Goddess Herself. She trusted him.
And as she thought that, the magic he had been using absorbed into her skin, into her body, mind, and soul. Probably just as he’d intended. And she could feel the goodness. This was his way of helping her.
Cam smiled at her. “I wish I could do more for ye, lassie, but this is your trial. Your task. I do not doubt you. See that you do not doubt yourself.”
She smiled back at him. “I’ll do my best.”
“Aye.” He dropped his hands and stepped back. “That is all we can ever ask of ourselves.”
Cam moved away, toward the entrance to the kitchen, and that’s when Urse saw John standing there, in the archway. He was frowning at Cam, but the fey merely smiled and sauntered out of the room.
&nb
sp; John moved inside and walked closer to her.
“You okay?” he asked, still frowning.
She went right up to him and put her arms around his waist, hugging him close and resting her cheek against his chest.
John wasn’t sure what to make of the scene he had just walked in on, but having Urse in his arms felt good. Good enough for him to not go after the fey bastard who had just been way too close to his mate.
“I’m good, John,” she said softly, her words muffled against his chest. “In fact, when I’m with you, I’m the best I’ve ever been.”
His breath caught. She’d just hit the nail on the head of feelings he’d been having for a while now, but couldn’t quite articulate. There was something about having Urse in his life that made him a better man. A better leader. A better Alpha.
“Roger that, honey, and right back at’cha,” he whispered, bending his head so that he could kiss the crown of her hair.
They stood there, content in each other’s arms for long moments. Only the arrival of Zak, looking for fresh coffee, broke them apart. Zak stole the carafe from the warming plate and went back out into the living room, but by then, John and Urse had let go of each other, though they didn’t go far. Arm in arm, they walked back into the living room to face the knowing looks of the rest of the team.
Nobody said anything for a moment until finally Zak broke the tension by the simple act of pouring more coffee for everyone. Eventually, he sat back down in his spot around the low table, and they all got back to work.
John felt like roaring with Urse tucked close to his side as the guys kept right on making plans. None of them objected, which meant they tacitly approved of the relationship. It was a good omen for breaking the news to everyone.
But that could wait until after the ceremony tonight. Actually, it could wait until John and Urse were damn good and ready to talk about their mating.
Chapter Fifteen
Long before the moon rose, everyone was in position. John had taken Urse to a spot she never would have expected on the southern tip of the cove. On a rocky bluff stood a short circle of stones. A sacred place.
Oh, it wasn’t Stonehenge. The rocks here were smaller and uncut. They looked more like the standing stones in France than the more orderly blocks of England, but they would get the job done. This felt like a natural formation, put here when the earth was young, blessed of the Goddess.
The circle itself had a small diameter. It was only a few yards across at its widest point, but the energy of the place was powerful. Wild. Untamed. And intense.
Urse caught her breath the moment she walked inside the small ring. John was right beside her. Steadying her.
“Yeah, I was wondering how you were going to take that. This place…” His words were low, not carrying out beyond the circle. “I have a buddy who’s a shaman. He lives near here, and he’s been keeping an eye on this circle. It’s not quite ready for the uninitiated yet, he tells me. How is it for you?”
Urse breathed shallowly. “I’ll be okay. Just let me get my bearings.”
She reached out for the nearest of the standing stones, which was about at waist height. Touching the rock, she felt its hum of power straight down to her toes. It was unlike anything she’d ever felt before.
“Best way to do it.” She heard Cam’s comment as if from far away.
He was standing beside John, watching her. When had he arrived? She wasn’t sure. She’d been too overwhelmed by the hum of magical energy contained in the ring to be aware of much else.
She saw Cam frowning and realized he’d asked her something.
“What?” She shook her head, but all she heard was the hum of the ring in her mind.
She saw Cam reach out to touch the standing stone nearest him. The hum increased, but then settled down. Words came to her. Cam’s words, though she was looking right at him and his mouth didn’t open once.
“Control it, lass. Do not get swept up in it. Form it to your will.” He did something, manipulating the energy. “Like this.”
He showed her the way, teaching her something she never could have put into words. He taught by example, how to take the power of the ring into herself and shape it to what she needed, subduing it to do as she wished. It was truly amazing.
Within a few minutes, she had learned how to control it, though she never could have imagined such a thing only an hour ago. She hadn’t known such places held so much raw energy. The only stone circles she’d ever been to had been well regulated by use and time…which made her think.
“This is new, isn’t it?” she asked Cam as the power dialed back to something she could handle.
“Aye. This ring cropped up probably about the same time the bears moved in. Such things do still happen once in a very long while. The concentration of shifter magic probably caused this to form, a benevolent outcropping to concentrate power they could use—if any were so gifted.”
They were speaking aloud now, and the background noise filtered back in. Her senses were returning to normal as she regulated the flow of raw energy back to something she could handle.
“That’s why Gus, the shaman, chose to live nearby,” John told them. “He’s heavily involved with the native community to the south, and when this place is ready, he’ll act on our behalf as well. He’s got a foot in both worlds. I wish he were here for this, but he’s back east at the moment.”
“I think she’s got the hang of it now,” Cam said, looking at Urse but speaking to John. “Judging by the sky, and the sea, we should probably start getting ready.” Cam nodded toward the disturbance in the ocean, clearly heading their way.
John whistled, and the men just outside the stone circle stepped in. Tonight, everyone would be inside the ring of protection afforded by the standing stones. Urse wouldn’t have to cast a ring in salt. Not when a much more formidable circle, formed of the earth itself, was already there to shield them.
Her full attention and energy could be focused on forming the spell and wielding the power of their combined magics at the enemy. This would be the most powerful spell of all. Probably the most powerful she would ever be called upon to make in her life. She vowed to make it a good one. It would be her master work.
The men took up positions in a circle, just inside the circle of stones. They faced the center of the ring, where she, John and Cam were standing in a triangle, back to back, shoulder to shoulder, facing outward. Urse faced the ocean. John faced the cove. And Cam had the edge of the triangle facing the land. He was their support, guarding the rear while she and John faced the threat head on. As it should be.
Through the circle of men and stones, she could see the ocean roiling with anger as the creatures within it—the evil one and its minions—let loose their rage. It was a mighty sight, designed, she believed, to strike terror into her heart. But she wasn’t so easily scared. Not after her success with the three spells that had gone before.
This would be the most demanding yet, but she also had the best setup she’d ever had. Powerful shifters all around her, willing to guard her and lend her some of their magic. Plus the wild magic of the newly-formed ring of standing stones, pushed up from Mother Earth in response to the magical creatures living nearby, probably for just such a purpose.
If she understood her early lessons on such things correctly, the ancient rings were formed to help the magical races focus their power and give them ceremonial places. Places to marry. Places to celebrate life and death. Places to seek shelter and understanding. Places to increase their own power to use for good works.
Well, this had to be the biggest good work Urse would ever attempt. The three spells that had gone before had been powerful, but with the light of the full moon and the input of the shifters, the fey and the presence of the stones… She figured this final spell was going to be a doozy.
She just hoped she lived through it.
Either way though, she would see it set. If she had to give up her life to protect the people of this place and deny
the sea monster any further incursion on this land, then so be it. Her only regret was leaving John. And her sister. Both would be crushed if she left them, but they would also understand why she did what she was about to do.
Because unbeknownst to either of them, the ward she was going to cast tonight was going to take all her power…and then some.
Cam knew. She had seen the knowledge in his eyes as they were making their plans. If she was reading him right, even he wasn’t sure the combined powers that were being lent to her tonight would be enough to keep her from flaming out. She had no idea, but they were about to find out.
The moon had been up for a while, raining its powerful light down on the stones. It was so bright there was no need for additional lights. Everything was lit by the moon’s reflected light for miles and miles all around. It was beautiful, but it was also a thrumming beat in Urse’s blood.
The moon was an aspect of the Goddess worshiped the world over in centuries past. And for good reason. Her Light was powerful when the moon showed her full face.
“Now, lass,” Cam whispered behind her. “The moon nears its peak.”
All this time, Urse had been quietly gathering her power…and her courage. She felt the build-up, pulsing through the earth at the center of the circle, just below her feet. The power was frightening, but she wasn’t scared. She felt a calm come over her as she invoked the Goddess, starting her chant that would form the ward she’d spent a lifetime learning how to cast.
This was the greatest spell she knew. The greatest spell she would ever cast, if she was lucky. It would take everything within and without to make this work.
But she wasn’t alone. The Goddess was with her. And her mate was with her too. And Cam. Quiet, blessed, supportive Cam. A new friend who went back with her family, almost to its beginning.
She saw it all in those brief moments when the power coalesced in her. She felt the individual magics of the shifters gathered all around. Many bears, but also the great horned owl spirit of Joe Nightwing and the golden jackal of Seth. The mighty cougar that shared Steve Redstone’s soul blinked at her from Steve’s eyes where he faced her in the protective inner ring.