“Hold on,” he said, and I wrapped my arms around his neck. Despite the violent shaking, he managed to get us out of my apartment .
When we got outside onto the sidewalk, we both turned around and stared at the unmoving building. I looked back inside the door and could tell the earthquake was still happening inside, only there was nothing anywhere outside of the building .
“Definitely magic,” Erik said .
“I should be able to stop it,” I said with a frown .
Erik grabbed my hand. “You’ll get it. Come on .”
He pulled me to a car waiting across the street. He opened the door, and when I sat down inside Darrin, Roman and Gage all stared at me .
I slid over to the middle and Erik climbed in .
“What was going on exactly?” Darrin said pulling away from the curb .
“An earthquake spell of some sort,” Erik said taking in a sharp breath. “We have to get her out of here .”
“The cabin,” Roman said, and Darrin nodded .
It was beyond weird to be with all of them at the same time. All of their worried eyes taking turns looking at me to make sure I was still in one piece .
I was sitting between Erik and Gage, Roman and Darrin were in the front. Every so often I’d catch Darrin looking at me in the rearview mirror .
“I’m OK, really,” I said when I got fed up with the secret glances in my direction. “If anything, I’m pissed off I couldn’t stop it .”
“It must have been Marcus,” Gage grumbled. “But why ?”
“To get to Lorne,” Darrin said turning the wheel to take a left to get onto the highway. “It’s the only thing he can do that could even come close to touching her .”
Roman shook his head. “He’s her brother, why would he — ”
“Half-brother,” Darrin said. “I don’t think that half means anything to him .”
“What does he want?” Roman asked .
“Everything,” Gage answered, as he stared out at the scenery. “He wants all of her territories .”
Darrin whipped his head around and looked at Gage. “You know this for a fact ?”
“No, but I worked for Marcus. I know he’d do anything for more power. More control. That has to be it.” Gage tightened his hand into a fist. “I should have warned Lorne .”
“She’s already suspicious of him,” I said with a shrug. “It’s not your fault .”
“Maybe she would have done more to stop him,” Gage said, looking into my eyes. “I don’t think she ever thought he’d take it this far. I mean, I guess I should have .”
* * *
W e’d been driving for hours. I had no idea where we were, but it didn’t really matter. I just wanted to get somewhere I didn’t have to worry about Marcus’s magical attacks .
We stopped at a nearly empty wayside to take a short break. While I used the restroom, Darrin called Lorne .
“She didn’t want to talk to me?” I asked when I came out, and he was tucking his phone into his pocket .
“She just wants us to get you someplace safe,” Darrin said putting his arm around my shoulder .
“How much further is this place ?”
Darrin rubbed his hand up and down my arm. “Not too much further .”
I took in a slow breath and hugged myself. It suddenly felt quite cold. The day had turned into night rather quickly .
“Take me to the car,” I said with a shiver .
“It’s going to be OK,” Darrin said. “We aren’t going to let anything — ”
Darrin was suddenly pulled away from me. I turned and watched as his back slammed against a thick tree trunk .
“What the — ”
Roman, Erik, and Gage were running toward me. I could tell by their expressions they knew something was wrong .
Roman was closest, but when he reached out to me, he was blasted back the same way Darrin had been. Erik and Gage stopped short .
“There’s a shield,” Gage shouted. “Don’t touch her !”
I couldn’t see it, but it seemed as though Gage could. He clicked on his phone a turned on the flashlight, pointing it towards me. A blue glass-like bubble surrounded me .
“Shit,” Erik said running his hand through his hair .
All of a sudden, feet appeared in the top of the bubble. Someone was slowly descending down into the bubble with me. It didn’t take long for me to realize uncle Marcus was inside with me .
“Don’t worry, Eve. I’m not going to hurt you,” uncle Marcus said touching my cheek with the back of his fingers .
“Then why not just let me go ?”
“Ha! Cute. I’m sorry, but that’s going to be impossible.” His finger moved down and across my jawline stopping at my chin. “I need you. Did you get my note ?”
I shook my head. “Note? What note ?”
“The one about your mother? I thought it was the best way to inform you about her evil ways .”
“What are you even talking about ?”
He clicked his tongue. “Oh, dear child. The woman has been lying to you your entire life. Go on try to cast a spell. Attack me. Do anything .”
“I… I …,”
“Let me guess, you’ve been having trouble with your spells,” uncle Marcus said folding his hands together .
I glanced at Roman, Erik, Darrin, and Gage who were surrounding the bubble. They were angry, but I could tell they didn’t know what to do .
“They can’t hear us,” uncle Marcus said when he noticed me looking at them. “I have a really big secret I’m going to share with you, but only because I love you dearly my beautiful niece .”
“What?” I asked glaring at him .
He leaned in close. “You’re not a witch. You can’t be one no matter how hard you try .”
Uncle Marcus was the one full of lies. My mom said it would just take time. I needed energy and practice .
I tried to focus my energy, but there was nothing there. If I couldn’t use magic surely, I could use my fists .
I tightened my hand and threw it toward his face. My hand stopped less than an inch from his nose .
Uncle Marcus stepped to the side, and my hand finished the motion causing me to lose balance. I stepped forward, but I couldn’t stop myself from falling to the ground .
“The reason you can’t be a witch is because you don’t have our blood,” Uncle Marcus said .
“That doesn’t make any sense. I have the same blood as my mom, who unfortunately shares some with you,” I said clenching my teeth .
“Unless, say, you were adopted.” He smirked as he walked around me, looking down into my eyes .
I swallowed hard. “But I’m not adopted .”
Could I have been? Why would my mom have kept that a secret all this time ?
Lightning crashed into the ground several feet behind Roman. Something was wrong. Uncle Marcus suddenly looked very angry .
He pushed out his palms which caused the bubble to pulse. Roman, Erik, Darrin, and Gage flew backward and out of sight .
My mom stepped forward out of the lightning and walked slowly toward us. If she’d seen what had happened to my guardians, she ignored it .
“Release her,” my mom ordered .
Uncle Marcus laughed. “You’re in no position to make demands .”
My mom jerked her palm forward, and lightning snapped out and cracked uncle Marcus’s bubble shield. I felt him tense as he tried to reinforce it .
“You are no match for me,” my mother said with a forced laugh. She blasted the bubble again .
“Without an heir to your throne, you’re nothing,” uncle Marcus said grabbing my shirt and pulling me up off of the ground .
My mom narrowed her eyes. “I have an heir .”
“That’s what I thought too, but all I needed was a DNA sample,” uncle Marcus said .
My mom’s arms dropped down to her sides. Her eyes quickly focused on me .
“Is it true?” I asked .
“You are m
y daughter,” she said taking a step toward me. “Everything will be hers regardless of blood .”
I could tell instantly that uncle Marcus had told me the truth. My mom must have adopted me .
“I have no magic? Then why pull?” I asked and sucked in a sharp breath that pinched my lungs. “But I could feel it !”
“That was only making my shields on you stronger. You were feeling them recharging,” my mom said swallowing hard. “I knew the woman who gave birth to you. I was there the day you were born. She begged me to take care of you .”
My world felt as though it had been pulled out from under me. Who was I? I had a birth mother? I felt dizzy .
I wasn’t a witch. All this time, pulling and practicing for nothing .
“Without an heir, we are on level playing fields. If she doesn’t have magic we are equals,” uncle Marcus, or maybe just Marcus said with a smirk .
“We will never be equals,” my mom roared .
The bubble started rising up off of the ground. Erik had come back and took a step closer before remembering he couldn’t touch the bubble .
“Eve!” he shouted .
My mom held her hand up until it glowed blue. She threw a blue ball of light at the bubble causing it to crack again .
“Ha!” uncle Marcus laughed. “You’re so weak !”
I wiggled out of uncle Marcus’s grip and pressed my palms against the bubble. “Mom!” I shouted. “Please! Do something !”
She charged her hand again, but this time the ball of light around her hands was red. It looked like a flame. She threw it, and it encompassed the entire bubble. I couldn’t see anything, but I could feel the heat .
I cried out as it felt as though I was being burned. In a matter of seconds, I was falling through the air .
Chapter 18
Eve
W hen I opened my eyes, I was lying on the ground with fluffy white feathers scattered all around me. They lifted into the air and poofed away one by one .
“What happened? I asked as I tried to sit up. My hand shot up to the back of my head. “Oww !”
“Lorne’s spell caught you in time, but it was still a bit of a rough landing,” Darrin said smiling at me .
“Where’s uncle Marcus?” I asked squinting as I looked around the area .
My mom kneeled down next to me and put her hands on my forehead. She mumbled something before looking into my eyes. “He got away, but it won’t be for long.” She smiled. “I know where the bastard lives, and I’m sure as hell going to make him pay .”
She stared at me for a few moments before shooing away my guardians. Her eyebrows dipped down .
“I should have told you,” my mom said. “I just hoped that maybe .”
“It’s OK. I mean, I wish you would have told me too, but this doesn’t change anything. As far as I’m concerned you’re still my mom .”
My mom leaned forward and wrapped her arms around me. “You have no idea how happy that makes me .”
“What does this mean for your powers ?”
“Nothing. It only would have weakened me if our bond would have been broken. When I was able to break you free, I knew it hadn’t been,” she said stroking my hair. “Thanks be to the Gods and Goddesses !”
I looked around and saw my guardians huddled together. They took turns glancing over at us .
“I picked some really good ones, didn’t I?” she said grinning .
I rolled my eyes at her, but the truth was, she had. My bond with them had only started, but it was strong .
“If I’m not a witch, and they aren’t anything special, why do I need them?” I asked not sure if I wanted to hear the answer .
“You will be protected by me and my magic, and so will they. As long as people like uncle Marcus are after me, you’ll need to be protected .”
“So, I don’t need to pull anymore ?”
My mom cocked her head to the side. “Pulling will keep my protection spells stronger on all of you. You should continue. Come now, we can talk more about all of this later. Let’s get you home .”
“Home home, or my apartment home?” I asked, wobbling as I got to my feet .
“Which do you prefer ?”
I swallowed and glanced over my shoulder at my guardians. “The temple if we can all stay .”
“Of course,” my mom said with a smile. “Whatever makes you happy .”
I smiled at them, and they all smiled back. They definitely made me happy .
* * *
M y guardians came back to my room with me. Roman was to my left and Gage to my right, while Erik and Darrin looked around my room .
“Your bed is too small,” Erik said as he set down a little ballerina figurine I’d gotten when I was five .
I swallowed hard. “I’d never expected to have anyone in my room, let alone four guys .”
“Well, here we are,” Erik said leaning back against the wall, smiling as he looked into my eyes. “Guess it’s time to think about a bigger bed .”
“Why?” I said narrowing my eyes at him. “Are we going to have big slumber parties ?”
“God, I hope so,” Gage said, his eyes moving down my body .
“Really? You guys don’t mind sharing?” I asked cocking my head to the side .
Darrin raised an eyebrow. “Should we ?”
“It’s just that, well, most guys — ”
“We’re not most guys,” Erik said with a sexy smirk .
My cheeks filled with warmth. It was hard to breathe with all of their eyes on me .
I was exhausted from everything that had happened, but at the same time, I didn’t want them to leave my room. Everything just felt better, and safer with them near me .
“How does it feel to be back home?” Darrin asked .
“Good… I think .”
Roman was lazily dragging his fingertip up and down my arm. Each time I blinked my eyes stayed closed longer and longer .
“What happens to your apartment?” Erik asked .
I shook my head and sighed. “I think I’ll go back, but I just need a break. It wasn’t really all it cracked up to be .”
“Wherever you go, I’ll follow,” Roman said, kissing the side of my neck .
The others echoed his words. I closed my eyes unable to believe that this was all real .
I had four incredible guys who cared for me unconditionally, and they were incredibly attractive to boot. How had I gotten so lucky ?
There was only one thing that could explain it… magic .
Other Books
P ARANORMAL ROMANCE
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Her Guardian
C ONTEMPORARY
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Caught
Revenge
The Middle of Nowhere
Forgiven
The Choice
M C - ROMANCE
——————
Stone - The Brother Rebellion - Book 1
Pike - The Brother’s Rebellion - Book 2
Dust & Rager - The Brother’s Rebellion - Book 3
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H ey!
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Her Guardians Page 9