Bewitching My Love

by Diane Story

  His desire to see Jonathan was tempting. Maybe he could just a take peek before going back. But he knew better, they had to remain as discreet as possible. Even still, it would be interesting to see what his ancestor looked like. Today he would only be gone long enough to purchase their supplies, and then he’d head straight back. Fern had him worried. If he couldn’t convince her to stay put, this might all be for nothing. Now that he’d stopped her from killing Sarah and Jonathan, he had to stop the curse completely, even if it meant Fern would have to die.

  Although Rowen had been primed for the next few days all his life, he hadn’t been prepared for the possibility of being attracted to Fern. The image of her red hair as it fell down her back when he undressed her in his bedroom, and the sweet lift of her breasts. “Damn it!” he cursed to himself. He had to keep his emotions in check and his hands off when it came to Fern; they couldn’t afford the luxury of romance right now. Managing to push the thought aside, he continued toward town.

  * * * *

  The sun was beginning to beat down on the top of the woodshed, bringing forth heat waves from the slanted roof. Inside, the occupants were oblivious to anything but themselves.

  “Oh my Mary, you are but a vixen. What am I to do, but love thee.” Jonathan held Mary close to his damp chest. They’d just made love and he was exhausted from the union, as always.

  “If it please my lover, then I shall love only him.” Mary cuddled close to Jonathan. It was morning and she knew they would have to be getting back. Her mother would be angry if she woke to find her gone again. “Jonathan! When will you take me as your wife?”

  “My love, you know it shall never be. Sarah is with child, I cannot not leave her now.” He was left alone when she stood to dress. “Would you have me abandon my child, Mary? I cannot and will not.” He noticed the flush in her cheeks almost matched the color of her hair. He could tell himself that it was caused by their lovemaking, but knew it was more from her anger.

  “Are we never to be together, Jonathan? Am I only to have you in these shameless acts of adultery?” She wept as she dressed. Now that he was to be a father by Sarah she could never tell him about his own girl child. She understood his silence to be his answer. “I love ye Jonathan, but I cannot continue to wait for ye. Is my heart mistaken? Does my lover truly love me?”

  “Aye, you know I do, my Mary,” he replied.

  “Then you know why I cannot wait for ye.” Her red mane blew into tangled wisps when she stood in the doorway to leave. “But I will think on it, Jonathan.”

  Jonathan watched her slam the door hard behind her then stood to dress. Sarah would be waiting for his return. How he loved his Mary. If only God could have seen fit to bring her to him before his betrothal to Sarah. It was a cruel fate to love her, but not to have her. He’d just finished lacing his shoe when the door flew open again. There, in the light of morning, stood his young wife Sarah. Full with child and torment written upon her face.

  “My husband has dishonored me! You bed with a whore whilst your wife sleeps but a few feet away.” Turning away, Sarah let her anger guide her.

  Jonathan tried to follow but she’d gotten away before he could get his other shoe on. He knew this wasn’t good, should he warn Mary? After hobbling back to the house with his other shoe dangling from his hand, he paced in his study. He would wait for Sarah to return then make his excuses. She was young still, but surely she understood the ways of a man. Tomorrow he would make it up to her and purchase her a new dress and maybe some fresh peaches for cider.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  By the time Rowen got back to the cave, Fern was gone. Cursing under his breath, he laid his purchases down then went in search of her. He was hoping she hadn’t gone too far. He didn’t see her along the way, and he hadn’t seen her in the village. He prayed she didn’t try to go back to the wardrobe, there was no telling what the old woman would do to her if she was caught.

  The grass was tall so finding her tracks wasn’t hard. He’d just cleared the top of a hill when he saw her; she was sitting next to the Wooleston River. Breathing a sigh of relief, he descended the hill toward her. Her cape was down and her hair was fanned out around her face from the wind. With her bare feet dangling over the rock she was sitting on, to rest in the cool water, she looked as if she didn’t have a care in the world. “Fern, I told you to stay in the cave. Someone might see you here.”

  Fern smiled up at Rowen from her spot on the rock. “I couldn’t sit in that cave all day, Rowen. Besides, it is a beautiful day and I’m so hot in these wretched clothes. I needed something to help cool me down.” She turned away to look out across the water. “Salem is beautiful without all of the pollution in the air, isn’t it, Rowen? I find that my senses are more acute here in this century for some reason. Tell me, did you get a look at Jonathan?”

  “What makes you think I wanted to?” he replied.

  “Because I want to see Mary. It’s only natural to be curious, Rowen! After all, they are our ancestors, aren’t they?”

  Rowen watched her chew the end of a piece of grass. She seemed way too content for his liking. “What’s going on, Fern? I thought you would have still been angry with me for leaving you behind today.”

  “I don’t know, Rowen! It’s strange, but I sensed somehow that I would be all right. What do you think that means?” She looked at him with her brows furrowed and her lips puckered to one side.

  “I don’t know.” She was really starting to scare him. “Fern, no one saw you today, did they? The old woman didn’t come back while I was gone, did she?”

  “No, of course not. It’s just been me, all alone.” She watched as uncertainty crept across his face. “Really Rowen, I swear! You have nothing to be concerned about.”

  “Let’s get back to the cave, then, I have some new clothes and food for our dinner.” Taking her hand he helped her to her feet when she reached out to him. As they made their way back up the hill she started humming a strange little tune, one he’d never heard before. It was giving him the creeps.

  * * * *

  “Atce, atce, atce ete el ikaw.” Fern hummed the words over and over in her mind all afternoon until she thought they would drive her nuts. What did they mean? She didn’t even know the language, why would she know this tune? As she tried to push it from her mind, she concentrated on the items Rowen brought back with him from the village. Amongst the items there were some candles; she lit two of them when it started getting dark and they were now casting their glow against the walls of the cave.

  Rowen had remained deep in thought all afternoon. They had so much to do and he had no clue where to start. Fern was still humming her tune with a cheery little smile and it was beginning to irritate him. When she stood and twirled around with the dress he’d bought her pressed to her body, he almost lost it.

  “This dress was a wonderful choice, Rowen, thank you for picking it out for me.” She smiled, then sat back down and ate a piece of her cheese.

  After throwing the rest of his cheese into the bag he looked up at her. “What the hell is wrong with you, Fern? This morning you were prepared to kill me for bringing you here, and now you act as if you haven’t a care in the world.”

  “What is there to be worried about, Rowen, we can’t stop the past, now, can we? Don’t you think it would be better to start trying to figure out a way to ensure our future? Like you, I have no intention of falling in love right now, so we obviously will have to come up with a better idea.” She smiled at him sweetly. “You know what? I’m hot. I’m going to undress and lie down on this beautiful blanket you brought me.” Standing up in front of him she did just that. Throwing her clothes in a pile at the end of her blanket, she stripped all the way down to her royal blue wonder bra and matching thong.

  Rowen was in such a sweat over her strip tease that he didn’t know what he should do, throw her down and take her, or turn his head and act like a gentleman. He closed his eyes and thought about what it would be like to touch her soft ski
n. His eyes hadn’t missed even one inch of her voluptuous curves. She was laid out perfectly, with a sort of a Rachel Welch look, only with a little more flesh to make her even more tempting. If ever given the chance, he knew exactly what he’d do first. He’d start by winding his fingers deeply into her red hair, and then while holding her naked body hard against his own he’d....

  Cursing himself he laid back on his own blanket and rolled away from her, he didn’t trust himself not to touch. If he touched her he might want to taste her, then after that he would have to nibble on the soft flesh below her ear. Then after teasing her cute little belly button with his tongue he would…. Frustrated with the direction his mind was taking him, he turned away to avoid temptation. “I’m going to get some rest, Fern, I didn’t sleep well last night sitting up.”

  Fern didn’t answer; she couldn’t because she was still fighting the battle that was raging through her blood, like hot lava from a volcano it rushed through her veins. The temptation to force Rowen away, to get rid of him was becoming so strong, so, so strong. What was happening to her? She’d never wanted to hurt a soul in her life. One minute she couldn’t stop herself from wanting to seduce him and the next she couldn’t wait to be rid of him. The voice, it was becoming so loud. It was chanting the same thing over and over “Kill him, kill him Fern.” Sitting up, she put her hands over her ears and screamed a silent plea. “Leave me be, please go away, I don’t want to listen to you.” But the pleas bounced right back against her like rocks from a lynch mob, forcing her to listen.

  “Fern, what’s going on?” Rowen saw the torment in her eyes instantly. In the dark of the cave the whites of her eyes glowed against her fair skin. “What the devil?”

  “Atce, atce, atce ete el ikaw.” Fern yelled the words out loud this time. “I’ll do as you bid me, please stop tormenting me.” Leaping from her blanket like a female tiger that had just caught its prey, she landed on Rowen’s chest. A rock hovered in her hand as she prepared to take her first strike.

  Rowen gasped as the wind was knocked out of his lungs when Fern landed on his chest. She had her head raised to the roof of the cave with her eyes wide as she screamed the strange words over and over again. Her arm was posed over her head as if she would strike out any second. He knew he would have to do something, or she would. “Fern, look at me!” he yelled. She brought her eyes down, they were still wide open and her breathing had become heavy as if she was gasping for air. “Put the rock down, honey.” She raised her head back to the ceiling and the strange words came out of her mouth again, loud and slurred.

  Fern’s mind was screaming, telling her to stop. She could see the fear in Rowen’s eyes; that much had at least registered. But it was as if she were possessed, she couldn’t stop herself, no matter how she tried. “Rowen, please help me. I cannot stop this.” She pleaded.

  Fern’s knees were pressing on the inside of his elbows making it difficult to move. She wasn’t heavy, but the awkwardness of the way she sat made it difficult for him to get out from underneath her. With effort, he managed to get one arm free, grasping her fist just as it took its first swing. In one quick movement, he had her underneath him. Her body thrashed as she screamed the atce, atce words again. “Fern, stop it, stop this now.”

  It wasn’t until her flailing arm slammed onto the candle that she came out of it. She screamed loudly again when she felt the pain of the flame. With eyes wide and tears streaming down her cheeks, she stared up at him. “I’m sorry, oh my God, Rowen. What have I done?”

  “You almost killed me, Fern.” He was still hovering over her, not sure if he should let her go just yet. She’d obviously been put under a spell. Then he felt her body soften and knew she was all right. The burn of the candle must have brought her out of it. “You’ll be alright now, Fern.”

  Rowen scanned Fern’s body with his eyes, stopping to rest on the creamy white skin nestled in the middle of her breasts where they pressed against each other. It took a lot of concentration but he eventually let his eyes creep back up to settle on hers. They drew him in to the very depths of her soul. He’d removed his coat and shoes earlier to help ward off some of the heat and had unbuttoned his under shirt. Relaxing slowly, he laid down on top of her before taking her mouth with his. His entire body tensed when the hard buds of her breasts reacted from underneath the silk of her bra, raking against the hairs of his chest.

  Fern wound her fingers through Rowen’s black hair as she gave in to his kiss. Arching her back she pushed her breasts against him harder until the hairs of his chest poked all the way through her bra. Their tickles brought forth an instant moan of satisfaction from her throat. When his mouth pulled away she grumbled her disapproval. Trailing tiny kisses down his neck, she urged him to continue.

  “Fern, don’t do that, I shouldn’t have kissed you.” He was fighting his urge to take her. She wasn’t making it easy. “Come on, let me go, honey.” He bit his lip when Fern gently suckled his earlobe, then let it rake between her teeth. Grumbling, he placed his hands on her shoulders, hesitating when she ran the tip of her tongue along his jaw. Shaking his head, he pushed her back down against the blanket.

  “Did you forget where we are, Fern? I haven’t. Nor can I forget what we are here to do. How can I make love to a woman I might have to watch…” He almost blew it. “We can’t do this, come on, stop what you’re doing before I’m unable to stop myself.”

  Fern rolled back to her blanket. Rowen was right; they had to stop before they both regretted it. “I’m sorry Rowen, I don’t know what got into me, again.” Blinking her eyes, she concentrated on pulling herself out of the remaining effects of the spell. Never had she been so prepared to give herself to a man she hardly knew. If he knew she was still a virgin he wouldn’t believe it, she certainly hadn’t acted the part. “Rowen, what happened to me earlier? Was I under a spell of some sort? Those words I kept saying must have meaning. Do you suppose that old woman put a spell on me to kill you?”

  He rolled over and faced her. “I am sure we can consider her the culprit, Fern. How long had you been down by the river before I came back?” He kept his eyes averted to keep from gawking at her body. He wished she would put her dress back on.

  “You know, Rowen! I don’t even remember leaving. One moment I was clearing rocks out of the cave, the next I found myself sitting by the water. She must have hidden until you left.” She gasped then when it all came back to her in a flood of unexpected memories. Sitting up, she stared down at him. “Rowen! I remember what happened. I was still irritated with you for leaving me alone, so I started throwing rocks out of the cave to keep busy.”

  Pointing to the far side of the cave, she continued. “Over there I found a beautiful gold cross on a chain. I was so engrossed with it that I didn’t notice the old woman had returned. She told me to give her the cross because it belonged to Mary. I hesitated only for a second Rowen, but it was long enough for her to get inside with me and cast her spell. Those words, I know what they mean now. They were meant to freeze you out of my life, for good.” She was working hard to keep herself from shaking, her teeth rattled together as if she were cold. “E-Even if it meant I-I had to kill you! Oh my God R-Rowen, what are we to do now? If she can get to me t-this easily, I don’t think I should be left alone any m-more.”

  He nodded his head to agree. “This means we stick together from now on, Fern, no matter what. We’ll just have to think of a way to conceal your face. I think if you wear your cape and put a cloth over your face, no one will know. We’ll work it out in the morning. Come back over here and lie next to me, I know you’re frightened.” He wound his arms around her as she cuddled close.

  Fern would have found her way eventually even without his invitation. Somehow the fact that she was practically naked didn’t seem to matter any more. When the muscles of his arm wrapped around her, she lost all fear. But when the soft stubble of his short beard rubbed against her forehead she knew that all she had to do was look up into his eyes and the spell would s
tart all over again. She feared she would not have the ability to stop if it did.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  “I tell your worship the truth, Mary Wilds is a witch.” Sarah stood in front of the judge, tears streaming down her cheeks “Sir, I say before God, and before your worship, that I know Mary Wilds is a witch. I witnessed her practicing her witchcraft.”

  “Has Mary Wilds hurt you, Sarah Nichols?” Judge Hauthorn sat forward in his chair listening to yet another story of witchcraft. How many more would have to die before his village was free of this curse?

  “No, your worship. I have not been hurt.” She looked down at the pebbles under her feet and smiled. He believed her. She was still angry with Jonathan for trying to keep her quiet with a gift. He was her husband; she would make Mary suffer for trying to take him from her.

  “Go back to your home, Sarah Nichols and tell thy husband to come here. I will have him arrest Mary Wilds straight away.”

  * * * *

  Fern was feeling a little apprehensive, as much as she wanted to go to the village. She feared the unknown. “I’m nervous Rowen, today is the seventh of June, isn’t Mary supposed to be arrested today?”

  “Yes, Fern. That is why we have come to the village. To make sure history takes place the way it is supposed to. I don’t understand the powers of Elizabeth Wilds; I’m hoping she hasn’t done anything to stop it again.”

  “Forgive me sir, I meant not to step in your and your lovely wife’s way.”

  They stood maybe ten feet apart. Fern and Rowen were both practically speechless when they realized the woman was Mary. Rowen cleared his head and managed to speak first.

  “Pardon me, madam.” Her smile was breathtaking, almost as beautiful as Fern’s.

  “What sort of language do you speak, sir? You be not from our village, lest I would have noticed you before now. Who is your family?” Mary noticed he didn’t wear a wig. Not many of the men in her village were seen without them nowadays. She found it attractive, much more masculine.