Tainted Waters: A Dark Paranormal Fantasy Novel (Paranormal Peacekeepers Book 1)

by Lucretia Stanhope

  She licked her chapped lips. “I need to know. I only had one night to do this, before the moon phase changed.”

  “Was it worth it?”

  “Any little bit that can help me find out who did this is worth any-thing.” Gwen loosened the blanket.

  “You were hurt.”

  “Yes. Burned.” She held out her arms, and examined the unmarred flesh. “You healed them already?”

  “Of course I healed them. You knew she was burned. What have you learned?” His words started out soothing, but grew harsh as he chastised her.

  Gwen rubbed her hands together. “She was burned alive. They, whoever killed her, put her to death as a witch.”

  “Did you see who did it?”

  “No. I saw brown eyes, and heard a crazy laugh.” She lost the struggle to keep her voice from cracking.

  “Brown eyes, and how exactly is that useful?”

  “I can't be sure. It's something.”

  “It’s not something worth dying for in a snowstorm.”

  Gwen laid her head back and closed her eyes. Did they have to argue again? “Thank you, was what started this conversation. How about you just say you're welcome, and we call it a night?”

  “Welcome.” He preened, and then stretched his wings.

  She interpreted that as ravenspeak for, 'this is not worth my time.' “Lewis?”

  “Yes, my witch.”

  “What can pull me into the past?” She watched the shadows dance against the walls, remembering the trees.

  “Did you feel out of control?” He changed forms, strode to the couch, and sat beside her.

  “I did. Whatever it was, with the eyes, kept pulling me back every time I tried to come back to here.” A tickle ran up her neck.

  His thin brows creased with the same concern that was in every one of his sharp features. His rich coffee eyes, rimmed in black, also held worry. He stroked her hair. It glistened as black as his own that matched his feathers.

  Being in his arms soothed her. She nuzzled against his neck. If only it wasn’t frowned upon for a witch and familiar to explore the attraction between them.

  “I don't feel any magic on you. No links or residue.” His brows un-creased.

  “Do you think I was in danger? I've never felt like things noticed me before when I look in the past.” She pressed against him, enjoying the sensation of their mingling auras.

  “They shouldn't have noticed you. It should have been like watching a film. It engaged you?” His tone came out riddled with concern.

  “Yeah, you don't think I could have called something here somehow? Maybe I wasn't seeing the past. Maybe some supernatural being was showing me something?”

  “Nothing seemed extraordinary from here. I didn't feel any magic in the air aside from yours.” His hand drifted from her hair to her back.

  “Are we safe now?” She sat up, putting a small distance between them.

  “Yes, of course. Lay down and rest. I will get you something hot to drink, and add wood to the fire before I shift back.” He stood, his finger trailing across her cheek. “You are safe now.”

  Her gaze followed him. Did he know something he wasn’t telling her? Lately, the wedge between them grew in size at an alarming rate. Something about the night rattled him. Not only did it show in his eyes, but he shifted forms. What had startled him enough to do that?

  When he came back, he handed her a cup of hot chocolate, and then tossed wood on the fire.

  She sipped her drink, watching him over the top of the cup. “What scared you?”

  “You screaming, to start with.” The roaring fire cast light over the angles of his face. “I never want to hear you hurting.”

  “No, what scared you enough that you are here, now, like this?”

  “I wanted to touch you and make sure there was nothing on you that needed magic to remove it.” He looked everywhere but at her.

  “You are lying. I thought as my familiar you had to help me.”

  “I do. I will always do what is best for you.”

  Those words stung as she remembered the argument about him and her never being romantic.

  “Yes, well make sure in protecting me, you also keep me aware of the dangers too.” The cup clinked against the saucer, when she sat it down, signaling her frustration.

  “It sounds like a witch, voodoo maybe, or a demon.” The edges of his mouth turned down, sinking into a frown. “A demon is not some-thing either of us needs to be tangling with.”

  “Why would a demon burn grandma at the stake?”

  “I don't know, and I am sad you had to see that.”

  “I lived it, bound and burned. It was awful and painful.” Gwen tugged the blanket around her shoulders as a chill raced over her.

  He sat down, and engulfed her in an embrace. “I'm so sorry you had to feel that. Please stay away from that spot. It is clearly active with something.”

  “For now. But I won’t stop looking for answers. If you know some-thing, you can save me some work.”

  He didn't answer.

  What was he hiding?

  LUCRETIA STANHOPE is the award-winning author of The Elemental Witch Trials series, featuring witches and vampires in an eternal struggle for power. She also writes horror, and paranormal romance.

  Say hello on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/diana.stanhope to connect and keep up to date with new releases, crochet projects, pets, random musings, and whatever else has her attention on any given day.