“Oh, God,” Willow cried, scrambling on her knees to reach him. She shoved him to his back, then pressed her ear to his chest. “His heart isn’t beating!”
Damon’s voice was soft as he knelt by her side. “Maybe he’s gone, honey.”
“No!” she growled, pushing Noah’s hair back from his face. “He isn’t gone and he isn’t evil! The spell wouldn’t have killed him. Just Calder.”
“Okay, Low. If your man’s still in there, then it’s up to you to get him back.”
Willow jerked her gaze to the demon. “What are you talking about?”
“Before she died, Sienna said to tell you that the key to the spell that would save your heart is love. I think she was talking about the Life-Spell.”
She blinked hot tears from her eyes, her lips trembling with shock. “But the Life-Spell is something that only the most powerful spellmakers can complete successfully. I’m a fighter, Damon. I’m not… I don’t know how to…”
He placed a comforting hand across the back of her neck. “Si believed you could do it, Low. And so do I.”
“Oh, God.” She swiped at the tears streaming down her cheeks. “Okay. I’ll do it. But I need my knife,” she said, patting her jeans. “Where the hell is my knife?”
Damon grabbed her hand, turned it over and laid his knife across her palm. “Use mine.”
“Thanks.” She stared down at the shiny steel of the blade…hating what she was about to do with it. “I’m going to kill him for putting me through this,” she muttered under her breath.
Damon gave a rough laugh. “Uh, honey, I already did. Now just do your thing and bring him back.”
“I’m scared,” she whispered, staring down at Noah’s beloved face. “I don’t know if I can do this, Damon.”
“You love him?”
“More than anything,” she answered without hesitation.
“Then it’s gonna be fine.”
Knowing she couldn’t wait any longer, Willow wrapped both hands around the hilt of the knife and closed her eyes, reciting the words of the ancient spell that all young Chastain witches were forced to memorize. When she’d finished, she opened her eyes and lifted the knife, plunging the blade straight into his heart. A sob broke from her throat as she closed her eyes again and kept reciting the chant, praying with everything she had that it would work. The seconds ticked by, heavy and slow, but she refused to give up hope, her hands gripping the hilt of the knife so tightly they started to tingle. But then she felt a surge of warmth coming from the knife, and she realized the tingle was from the slight vibration moving up through the blade.
Opening her eyes, Willow’s breath caught on a gasp as she found the knife glowing with a white, vibrant light. When she released her hold on the hilt, the knife began lifting out of Noah’s chest, rising higher and higher, until it hovered nearly a foot in the air above his body. Suddenly, a powerful stream of light shot from the tip of the vibrating blade, straight into Noah’s chest, the beam glowing increasingly brighter until she had to lift her hand to shield her eyes.
Then the vibrating stopped, the knife fell on its side against Noah’s chest and he jerked into an upright position with a sharp gasp. “Where’s Calder?” he croaked, his eyes wild with panic as he grabbed her arm.
“It’s okay,” Willow told him, trying to curve her trembling lips into a smile. “He’s dead.”
Noah’s brow furrowed, as if he was trying to remember something important, and she said, “Damon killed him with the Death-Spell.” His eyes went wide, and she explained how the demon had still had some of her blood in his pocket.
Damon pulled out the vial and jiggled it in the air. “There’s still a little left. I’m thinking of maybe tracking down the ex and handling her once and for all,” he drawled, and Willow gave a watery laugh.
Rubbing at the center of his blood-covered chest, Noah stared up at the demon. “If you pulled Calder out with the spell, then why do I remember having a knife plunged into my chest?” He tucked in his chin and glanced down. “There’s blood, but no wound.”
Willow was still explaining why she’d had to stab him, and how the spell had healed the wound, when Damon looked at the watch on his wrist and whistled. “Hey, Low. Guess what? The prophecy didn’t come true.”
STILL FEELING AS if he’d had the crap beaten out of him, Noah slanted the demon a piercing look, wondering what the hell he was talking about. “What prophecy?”
Damon held up his hands and shook his head. “Ask Low. I’m not touching that one for love or money.”
Noah looked at her, intending to do just that, but she sidetracked him with a smile.
“You came for me,” she whispered, staring at him with tear-drenched eyes. “Even knowing what that bastard would do to you, you came for me.”
“Always,” he said in a low voice, wanting to take her into his arms, but knowing it wasn’t the time. His body ached as he got to his feet, but he choked down the pain and reached for her hand to help her up, enjoying the way she melted into his side. Looking at the demon, he said, “Thanks for your help.”
“How did the two of you get here so fast?” Willow asked.
It was Damon who answered her question, saying, “I was on my way up to your bungalow to check on you, when I felt the power surge from Sienna’s portal spell.”
Again, Noah had that feeling there was something going on he didn’t know about. “Why were you checking on Willow?”
“Don’t worry about that now,” she murmured, squeezing his hand. Her precious face was drawn with grief and exhaustion, and he forced himself to let it go. For the moment. But once they were alone, Noah planned to sit her ass down and finally get an answer.
“Come on,” Damon rumbled. “Let me get you guys out of here.”
Noah looked over his shoulder, a low curse on his lips when he saw where Jackson’s body had fallen after Calder had left it. He couldn’t just leave him there, damn it.
Damon’s hand settled heavily on his shoulder. “Don’t worry about him,” the demon said in a low voice. “Let me get you guys back to the others, and then I’ll come back for your brother.”
“Thanks,” Noah rasped, wondering if the demon realized he’d just earned himself a friend. For life.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Six days later
STANDING ON A Broussard’s doorstep was always a stressful place for a man to find himself, and this time wasn’t any different. Except for the fact that Noah was getting ready to pledge undying love to the woman he couldn’t live without. That was sure as hell something he’d never done before.
It’d been almost a week since he’d gone into hell after Willow, and he missed her. He’d hated spending that time apart from her, but if things turned out well for him today, he’d promised himself that he’d never be apart from her again.
Before leaving California, he’d talked with the guys from his unit, who’d made it back to En gland, and the conversation had been a good one. Aiden had dragged Olivia down to the village church and gotten married. Now that the war they’d been fighting for the past year was officially over, Noah figured all the guys would be hitched by the time August rolled around. Which meant there were going to be lots of weddings and celebrations going on back in England, and he didn’t plan on suffering through them alone. He wanted his woman at his side, sharing in the laughter and the smiles. He wanted Willow. Forever.
Coming to the decision had been easy.
The hard part was what came next.
Noah imagined it would entail a lot of groveling and saying he was sorry, but he was ready. Hell, he’d been born for this. For taking care of her. Making a life with her. Loving her. Worshipping her. He just had to convince the gorgeous little witch that he was in this for the long haul, which was something he’d never let himself admit when he’d had the threat of Calder hanging over his head.
Ashe had told him to just open his heart and tell her how he felt.
Kellan had suggested he soften her up
with some mind-blowing orgasms first, and spring a proposal on her while she was still dazed with pleasure.
Noah figured he would start with the first idea, and if things weren’t going well, then he’d slide right into the second.
Finally working up the courage to knock, he held his breath as he waited for Willow to answer the door. She lived in Baton Rouge, in a pretty little white house with dark green shutters, and a front garden that was damn near overflowing with flowers. The morning was warm, the Louisiana sun beating down on the back of his neck as he waited on her front porch. He was just getting ready to knock again, when the door finally opened, the sight of her standing there in the sexy cutoffs and halter top damn near stopping his heart.
She blinked as she pushed a handful of those golden curls out of her face, looking surprised to see him. “How did you find me?”
Soaking in the sight of her with hungry eyes, he said, “Damon gave me a call, and I begged him for your address.” The demon had phoned Noah to let him know that his help was available if he ever needed it, saying he’d be happy to give the Watchmen a hand tracking down the remaining Casus, including those assholes who had come through Sienna’s portal with Calder during the battle in Meridian. He just had to sort out the situation with his ex, and then he said he’d be in touch. Noah had actually thanked him…and told him he was looking forward to working with him. Then he’d gotten right to the begging part.
Leaning a smooth shoulder against the door frame, Willow crossed her arms under her breasts, her dark eyes shining with humor. “I can’t believe Damon gave it to you, seeing as how he was sworn to secrecy.”
Noah grinned. “Yeah, well, before you’re too hard on him, I had to promise to worship the ground you walk on and listen to some colorful warnings about what will happen to me if I ever hurt you. But he finally shut up and gave me the damn address.”
The look in her eyes turned warm and soft. “I can’t believe you’re here,” she whispered.
“And I still can’t believe you left the way you did.” He knew damn well she could hear the hurt in the low words. The fear he couldn’t shake that she’d left because she didn’t want him.
Once Damon had brought them back to their bungalow at the resort, Noah had gone down to talk to Kierland about what had happened, and to let his friends know that he would be taking his brother’s body back to California. When he’d come back to the room, Willow was gone. It hadn’t taken long to figure out that Damon had borrowed one of the unit’s rented trucks to drive her back home, and they’d taken Sienna’s body with them.
Clearing his throat, he said, “You didn’t even tell me goodbye, Will.”
IT WAS TAKING everything Willow had not to throw herself into Noah’s arms, but she knew she had to do this right. Knew there were things that needed to be said.
She wet her lips and tried to keep her voice steady. “I’m sorry I left like that, Noah. I just… I knew I had to get out of there. If I didn’t, I was going to fling myself at you and beg.”
He stepped closer, and the wicked slant of his mouth made her shiver. “I wouldn’t mind a little begging from you.”
Willow bit back a smile. “I figured your ego was already big enough.”
The look in his eyes got brighter. “And now?”
She moved out of the doorway so that he could come inside the house, and closed the door behind him. Then she leaned her back against the door, soaking up the sight of him in the faded jeans and T-shirt, completely undone by the fact that he’d come after her. She didn’t know how it was possible, but he was even more gorgeous than she remembered. Hard and dark and dangerously beautiful, with that lean, ripped body and rugged face. She was breathless with excitement, her heart pounding to such a wild rhythm she could feel the vibrations shuddering through her body. “Will?”
She gave herself a little shake, locking her gaze with his hot stare, and finally said, “I spent a lot of the time we were together last week wondering how people could stand to take the risk of falling in love. I mean, there’s so much potential for pain. Heartache. But then, after those Death-Walkers came after us in the church, I got over being scared. I just didn’t get the chance to tell you.”
“To tell me what?” he asked.
She took a deep breath, and explained. “That day, I figured out that love is what gives us the strength to take the risk. To open ourselves up and let the one we love inside. To give them everything that we are, both the good parts and the bad. To embrace all the wild chaos of emotion that comes with falling in love and build something solid out of it. Something beautiful. So I’m ready to fling my heart at you, Noah Winston. If you want it, it’s all yours. Actually,” she said a little unsteadily, “it’s yours no matter what. I can’t stop loving you.”
“Oh, I want.” His voice was a deep, dark drawl that sounded like sin. “I definitely want.”
The corner of Willow’s mouth twisted with a grin, and she rubbed her damp palms on her shorts. “That’s good to hear. Because I was tired of waiting.”
He stepped closer, vibing his hot sexual energy at her. “Is that why your bag is packed?” he asked.
Willow flicked a quick glance at the bag she’d set beside the door that morning, and nodded. “I got tired of waiting, so I was coming after you,” she confessed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she looked into his beautiful eyes. “You know. To do that whole flashy flinging myself at your feet thing.”
“I think I would have liked that,” he said with another sexy smile. Then the smile fell, and he said, “I’m sorry I didn’t get here sooner, Will. There was a lot to get settled with my family, and honestly, I told myself that you needed the time to think about what you wanted.” He rubbed his jaw, then blew out a rough breath. “But I think I was just scared of what you would say. That’s why I didn’t call. Figured if I was here in person, it’d be harder for you to turn me down.”
Her tone was wry. “I can’t imagine you’ve ever been turned down.”
“Not for sex,” he rasped, the look in his eyes turning molten, melting her down. “But I’m going after something more this time.”
“You don’t want sex?” she asked with a soft laugh, teasing him. Her chest felt so light, she was amazed she didn’t just float away, the happiness surging through her veins making her light-headed. “Man, I’m crushed.”
“Oh, I want the sex,” he drawled. “You’re standing there breathing, which means I want sex. But I’m going for the ultimate prize. I want it all.”
The pounding of her heart got faster. “All?”
“I want forever, Will.” A corner of his mouth kicked up. “And the sex.”
“You can stop going on about the sex,” she said, rolling her eyes. “The sex is a given, buddy.”
His voice lowered. “And what about the rest?”
She crossed her arms again and lifted her chin. “Before we talk about the rest, you need to know that I won’t let you walk away from me again.”
His expression tightened, and he took a step closer, bringing that hot, mouthwatering male scent with him. “I’m an idiot, Will. I know it sucks, but you’re just going to have to live with it because I can’t live without you. I had thought I was making the biggest mistake of my life by coming back to Sacred, but it turns out I’d already made it. The biggest mistake of my life was walking away from you all those years ago, and if you’ll give me the chance, I promise that I’ll never do anything that stupid again.”
He didn’t wait for her response. He just pulled her close, holding her in his strong arms, and pressed his forehead to hers. “I know I’ll make mistakes, but I will work my ass off to be the best damn thing that ever happened to you,” he told her, his deep voice rough with emotion. “Because that’s what you are to me—the best, most beautiful, amazing person I’ve ever known. Because I want to spend my life making you happy.” He lifted his head, and stared into her eyes. “I want you shining with it, Will. I want everyone in the world to know how much I
love you.”
“That’s what you were going to say, isn’t it?” she whispered, a salty rush of tears burning at the back of her throat. “Before Calder took you over.”
“Yeah.” He lifted his hand, pushing her curls back from her face. “It killed me that I didn’t get the chance to tell you how I felt.”
She gave him a watery smile. “You’ve told me now. And I loved hearing it.”
“Actually, I’m glad you brought that bastard up, because I need to…” He struggled for the right words. “Will, you know what’s been going on with me. The fangs, the claws. There’s no guarantee where this is headed.”
“I don’t care.”
“You sure about that? Because it’s a helluva weight to pack on your shoulders.”
“I love you, Noah. Whatever the future brings, we’ll handle it together. I promise I’ll be right there with you.”
Then she took his hand and led him back to her bedroom, until they were standing beside her lace-covered bed with its colorful mound of pillows. Noah was the first man she’d ever taken into her bedroom, and she loved the way he looked there. So hard and masculine and tough, surrounded by her feminine things.
His big hands were warm on the bare skin of her lower back as he looked down at her and said, “I want you to tell me about that prophecy, Will.”
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