Harem of Magic

by Emma Dawn

“Any ideas where Etterson might have taken Rose?” Corbin didn’t move from his spot in the snow.

  I shook my head slowly. “He didn’t give me directions that’s for sure. But he did say something about a temple of light. Does that mean anything to you two?” I looked from Corbin to Sterling, seeing the recognition in their eyes. “It does, doesn’t it?”

  Sterling nodded first. “It is the home of our oracle.”

  “Of Auralee,” Corbin added.

  “Well, shit.” I rubbed a hand over my face. “Somehow I’m not surprised that Etterson and Auralee are in on whatever this is together.” I let out a deep breath. “Look, time is ticking and that means we need to get going. We need to get to this temple before he steals Rose’s power.” I didn’t want to say he was going to kill her because I had all the plans in the world to stop him. How, I had no idea on the details, but I was going to do it.

  Sterling helped me to my feet, and Corbin’s hand was on my back supporting me. “We have to take you into the realm of the Warlocks if we are going to the Temple of Light,” Sterling said. “What that means, though . . .is that unless you pass the tests of redemption--”

  “That doesn’t sound so bad.”

  “You will be killed if you fail,” Corbin said softly.

  I drew a breath. Well, that was a stickler of a rule. “Rose first. Then Diego, then whatever else I must face.” With adrenaline soaring through me, the brave words were easy.

  They both nodded, and for that, I was so grateful. They knew me well enough to know that even the threat of death wouldn’t scare me away from going after Rose, even if they didn’t think it was the right path. They were going to stand by my decision and it only made me love them more.

  Sterling took my left hand, and Corbin took my right, covering my hands with both of theirs. “This will feel strange. Our land is in the shadows of the real world. Here, but not; real, but not.”

  I nodded, feeling the truth of his words even though they made little sense. “Got it. Now let’s get this show on the road.”

  Their hands tightened over mine and their magic flared on their arms at the same time. Black on Corbin, green on Sterling, the sparkles danced along their skin, and down over my hands. A push of power slid through my skin and I couldn’t hold back the gasp that escaped my lips.

  “Oh.” My mouth parted on the word as a shot of pleasure caught me off guard, circling around my lower half and tightening the need even as the magic flowed and shimmered. Corbin let out a low groan.

  “I had not expected this.”

  “What?” I whispered even though I wanted to say don’t stop.

  “Our magic is tied to yours, tied to your pleasure now.” He took a step closer and I leaned into him even as Sterling closed the distance on my back side.

  I closed my eyes and focused on slowing my breathing, allowing the tingling sensations to grow and spread, making my muscles weak and my belly tighten in anticipation of the growing orgasm.

  The two men beside me breathed in tandem, syncing each intake and expulsion of air as they pressed in on me, their cocks making themselves very well-known against my ass and pussy through the material.

  “The magic needs to bind us together to travel,” Sterling said softly and I pushed my ass against him.

  “Sounds like a better way to travel than my granny’s RV that smelled of stale food and cheap perfume,” I murmured. Corbin laughed softly, bent and kissed me while Sterling kissed the back of my neck.

  Tongues on either side of me, and the magic exploded around us, a veritable orgasm of power that spread outward in a wave that sent the snow flying.

  That was the last thing I saw of my world, the last thing I saw before I came on a wave of pleasure that left me wrung out and unable to stand. A sound echoed in my ears . . . humming with magic and reminding me of another sound I’d heard, at another time but those thoughts faded quickly.

  My feet stuttered in place as I fought to keep them under me. Corbin’s mouth was still on mine and Sterling had let go of my hands to grab my hips and hold me tightly as he rubbed against my ass over and over.

  Whatever cognitive thought I’d had going was gone for just that moment until I pulled it together.

  I put a hand on Corbin’s chest. “Stop, we have to get Rose.”

  He blinked a few times and then nodded. “You’re right.”

  Sterling was not so easily dissuaded. I pushed him gently and then shook my head as his hands swept up around me, cupping my breasts.

  “Corbin, help me out here.”

  He laughed and shook his head. “The magic when it takes control does not let go easily. This is not his fault.”

  “I didn’t think for one moment it was.” I smiled. “And another time I’d totally take you two up on the offer.”

  His eyebrows shot up and a wicked grin slid over his lips. “I’m holding you to that.”

  I looked away, taking in where we were for the first time. Strange, we were still on the edge of the forest, but the world had . . .shifted for lack of a better word. What I saw in front of me were the trees, only they were loaded with flowers and fruit that did not exist in summer in New Hampshire, never mind the dead of winter.

  Fruit of every color of the rainbow, fruit that was not real, it couldn’t be . . .and the flowers were no more real from the size of them (many were easily a foot across from petal to petal) to the colors that were blended as if by a master artist.

  The grass below our feet was soft and with each step a burst of citrus curled upward, filling the air with the freshest of scents.

  I drew a deep breath. “Which way to the temple?”

  “In the ravine, past the home of the Windrun pack,” Sterling said. “Dominique, I’m sorry—”

  I put a hand up, stopping him. “Don’t apologize. There was no offence taken on my part. But I think for right now we shouldn’t touch. In case we lose control again.”

  The two warlocks nodded and we started off through the forest. I couldn’t help but look around, but I made my feet keep moving at a good pace. I ended up shedding my heavy winter jacket after only a few minutes as the warmth of the air was more than enough despite the thin T-shirt I wore underneath.

  “The temple is not guarded,” Corbin said. “But that doesn’t mean we won’t be challenged. If this Etterson is a high-ranking warlock, he could have others step up to stop us for him.”

  “And Auralee?” I raised an eyebrow. “What are we going to do about her?”

  Sterling shook his head. “We are going to hope she is still in the human world doing whatever it is she was doing. Except for our mentor, Gavin, she is the strongest of our mages, and she can see the future, which is no small thing when it comes to outmaneuvering others.”

  I nodded. “So, all along she’s been guiding Etterson, telling him where Rose and I would be?”

  Sterling nodded. “It seems likely.”

  A thought hit me so hard, I stopped in mid stride. “I was on the phone with Rose when she was in the accident.”

  Corbin looked at me. “You’ve thought of something. What is it?”

  I put my fingers to my throat, pressing in because I couldn’t believe it. The sounds . . .the sounds when we’d traveled here had been the same as the sound another time. An important time. “I heard something on the phone. I chalked it up to distortion because of the storm, but now that I’ve experienced your magic ... I think Etterson caused the car accident. I heard the magic.”

  Good mother of God, how had I not realized it before? The accident had been a set up to hurt Rose, to take her away, and the only thing stopping that had been the fact that he’d been interrupted by other cars, but the attendants. I frowned and started walking again, Sterling and Corbin keeping up easily as I picked up my pace.

  “That makes no sense. If he could do that, why didn’t he just take her then? If he wanted her, why didn’t he take her before the ambulance got there? He would have had at least ten minutes.” My mind scrambled to put the
pieces together, to figure out the plot at hand. I wished I had Ally with me, her mind jumped through plot holes like a lion through a burning hoop and she could guess an outcome with the agility of seasoned writer. Going to movies with her was awful.

  I smiled and then the smiled slipped as we approached the edge of the ravine. I turned to the left to see the shadowy outline of the Windrun pack’s castle. Here and there, I could see the ghostly images of people walking, doing things. I was sure that in a flash of movement, I caught a glimpse of Cassandra, my sister’s best friend, and female alpha for the Windrun pack. But she was there and gone before I could even call out to her.

  I turned back to the ravine, approached the edge and looked down. At the bottom of the deep gorge was a spired building that indeed resembled a temple. The blocks and cuts that created the frame were white, a sparkling white as if the magic had been imbued into the stone itself. Even in the dark of the night, the building glowed, lit up as if from within. I counted seven spires that twisted like unicorn horns. I snorted to myself. As if unicorns were real.

  “Unicorns aren’t real, are they?” I blurted the question, and when the two men nodded, I barely suppressed the desire to fist pump. Because unicorns were known for their healing properties. It meant there was another way to help Diego if I couldn’t.

  “They are rare and do not like warlocks. We have wronged them in the past,” Sterling said softly.

  I nodded. “But I’m not a warlock. I’m just a woman with a great mane of hair.” I flipped my hair back. “Here’s the thing. Rose is in that temple. We need to get in.” I looked to Corbin and then to Sterling. “Where is our best entrance?”

  Corbin crouched and pointed to the side of the Temple of Light. “There, that is a servant’s entrance. We can disguise you, and send you in that way as we go to the front entrance. Splitting up will give us the best chance to get into Rose.”

  Sterling nodded.

  “Only one problem,” I said. “I don’t know where Rose will be.” I waved a hand at the temple. “That’s a big building. It must cover a few acres, at least, and that is just on its footprint, the base, I mean.”

  “She will be on the third floor,” Sterling said. “That is where all the major transfers of power occur.”

  Corbin held his hands out to either side of my face and a flicker of his magic spread over me. A deep purple cloak slid over my shoulders and hooded my face. “The color seems fitting, considering your dress.” He smiled at me and I smiled back.

  “I love you,” I said and he startled. I turned and looked at Sterling. “And I love you, too. I love all four of you, and I know that once this is done, you won’t ever see me again. And in case I don’t get to tell Diego and Lucas I want you to tell them for me.” I spun and hurried down the slope before they could see the tears. Because in those few moments, I felt the reality of what I was going to face.

  A power mad warlock who held my best friend captive. An oracle who didn’t want me to find my magic. And the loss of four men who held my heart in their hands.

  The tears blurred my vision as I slid down the slope, the rocks trickling down around me. I slipped and stumbled, tripping more than once only to catch myself at the last second and then I was at the bottom of the ravine.

  The Temple of Light was far more beautiful close up. The ground around it was a carpet of flowers that shimmered with the same glow as the temple stone. I wondered if it was magic or just this realm I stood in. Here and there were pathways of glowing cobblestones that led in different directions, no doubt to keep the flowers from being squashed. I stepped onto the closest one with a hop and then hurried along it, taking the appropriated turns that allowed me to reach the side door of the temple.

  I bit my lower lip as I stared at the door. We’d not discussed what I would do if it was locked.

  “Just do it,” I whispered to myself and reached out to touch the door. The slab of white stone spun open to the left, showing me a shadowy interior. I stepped in and a soft light bloomed to my right. I looked up to see a tiny person floating on wings of pure shimmering light. Her hair was spun silver and her eyes were so blue that they would make a summer sky weep with envy. She wore a floating dress of white and creams that fluttered with the passing wind of her wings.

  “I will be your guide,” she whispered. “The master waits for you.”

  I swallowed hard. “He . . .you mean Etterson?”

  She shook her head. “I mean Master Gavin.”

  A breath of relief flowed through me. Gavin was the mentor of my men. Surely, he could be considered safe. But I was no foolish girl who had no life experience of being double crossed. “I need to go to the third level first, to where the power exchanges happen.”

  She sighed. “He will be disappointed. He had hoped you would free him.”

  “Free him?” I shook my head. “Why would I do that?”

  Her blue eyes filled with tears. “Because he is your father.”

  Chapter 11

  I stared at the glittering fairy in front of me, my heart racing out of control. Here in the Temple of Light, in the realm of the Warlocks, I was faced with a choice no one should ever have to make. To save my best friend. Or to free the father of my blood.

  “Is he in mortal danger?” I asked softly.

  “No. But he believes that Eric means you harm.”

  I blinked again. “Eric?”

  “The one who waits for you on the third level,” she said. “He will steal not only Rose’s power, but yours, too.” She dipped and then flowed so she was in front of me. “We share blood, you and me. It is why I was willing to help. We would like to see one of our own here in the Temple of Light once more.”

  I put my fingers to the sides of my head, thinking fast. This was not the time to be indecisive. This was the time to make things happen if I was going to save Rose.

  I looked at the fairy. “What is your name?”

  “Ella.”

  I nodded. “Ella, take me to my father. As fast as we can go.”

  She spun and flew away from me and I bolted after her, my purple cloak swirling out behind me in a thick wave.

  Ella led me to a blank spot on the wall and tapped against it. The wall opened and revealed a set of stairs that went straight down. “The catacombs.”

  “Of course,” I muttered, but I didn’t slow. Time was of the essence. I knew I was putting a great deal of faith in the fairy I’d just met but I had no reason to distrust her words.

  At the bottom of the stairs, Ella flew ahead, so fast I nearly lost her. I didn’t complain, just kept running as fast as I could, grateful for the workout routine that kept me in moderately good shape.

  My breath came in gulps by the time she’d slowed and I estimated we’d been running flat out for a solid ten minutes. She slowed and spun to face me. “Here, he’s in the pit.”

  She floated out over a grate in the floor, the metal glinting from the light cascading off her tiny body.

  “Gavin?” I called out.

  “Who is there?”

  His voice was a raspy rumble, as if he’d been without food or water for a long time. “My name is Dominique. I’m here to get you out. Corbin and Sterling are here, too.”

  “Ah, my men.” He gave a heavy groan. “There is no saving me. Get yourself out of her, girl. Before she comes back and finds you here.”

  I looked to Ella as she flitted here and there. Saw the sorrow in her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she said.

  The tickle of premonition was the only warning I had and acted on it, spinning and dropping as a blast of violent magic burst over my head. A swirl of vibrating red that heated my skin as it passed. I lay on my belly, staring at Auralee as she stalked toward me. “I knew you couldn’t resist coming to your father.”

  “You want to kill me?” I moved slowly to unhook the cloak from my back.

  “If I wanted to kill you, I would have done it when I cut your skin with my filet knife.” She grinned down at me. “But even that didn�
�t make your magic spill upward. You are blocked, and blocked mages must give over their magic and their life to further the protection of the rest of the world.”

  “Why didn’t you just do it then?” I didn’t move from where I was.

  “I promised your father I would do all I could to help you raise your power so we could use it properly. We thought you would be the strong one, but we were wrong.”

  I snorted. “You mean giving me pills to mask my abilities? To push them further away from me?” The anger in me was building, and with it, I could feel something that was not unlike the feeling of when I tangled with the bindings.

  Power. My own power rising on the wings of righteous anger for the harm this woman had caused.

  “The pills kept you from doing anything stupid that would alert the humans to your abilities. They should have kept the Cabal from your dreams as well, they were long lasting well past when you last took them. But they were determined to get to you. Fools that they are, it will cost them now.” She smirked.

  I would not be afraid of the power in me, because I knew it would be my only chance to survive. Auralee was only a few feet from me and I launched myself at her, hands outstretched. Her eyes widened as I grappled with her.

  Her magic flowed from her as we fell to the floor and I reached up and. . .grabbed it. I wrapped my fingers around her magic. The world around us froze, even though I could hear Gavin yelling for me to run. I stared at Auralee, my hands around her red roped magic that slithered and moved like a snake.

  Snake . . .leopard, why was I seeing a leopard in my head? I let out a slow breath and my own power spilled upward into a form that could tackle hers. A deep purple and white leopard leapt to life, tangling with the red snake as its head rose. My body didn’t move but my magic fought for me, the cat’s claws swiping though the snake’s body, over and over.

  The snake reared back and shot forward, fangs extended as it slammed them into the leopard’s shoulder. I felt the hit as if it were on me and I looked at Auralee then away from the fight. Wounds bled from her middle . . .where the leopard had gotten the snake.