The First Spell

by Rachel Carrington

  “Now, Riordan! Now!” Dana shouted over the din. The darkening sky flashed brilliant shades of blue before a portal stretched open.

  From the corner of his eye, Jensen saw Charlemaine run forward, and it took every ounce of his self-control not to order her back.

  Winds as strong as a wizard’s cry widened the gap in the clouds, and a red cloak waved violently in the air. Charlemaine cried for her father just as the wizard plummeted from the sky.

  “Claudo!” Falcon transferred the combined energy of the wizards to the portal, and it closed upon command.

  Laughing and crying at the same time, Charlemaine and Dana wrapped their arms around Riordan. He hugged them back tightly, looking a little frayed and confused. Realization quickly dawned, and he pulled free of his family to face Falcon.

  “You took a great risk to help me and my family.” Shoulders squarely erect, he crossed the cobblestones and held out his hand. “I thank you.”

  Falcon accepted the gesture. “I do not need to tell you what must happen now.”

  Riordan nodded. “I will gladly give up my magic to remain with my family.”

  “Unfortunately, the choice is not yours to make.”

  The sky rumbled again, and Jensen yanked Charlemaine out of the way seconds before a body thumped against the stones. Amidst curses, Galen struggled to his feet, swiping the robe from his face with agitated hands.

  “What is going on?” He pointed a finger at Falcon first then Jensen. “You! I might have known.” His entire body shaking, he began to chant. When nothing happened, he stopped and started again before his face purpled. “What have you done to me?”

  “We have done nothing,” Jensen replied.

  “When the Council discovered your treachery, it unanimously voted to remove your magic. Since you were lost to us, the spell did not work until you returned to this galaxy.” Dana’s response infuriated Galen, and he rushed her, hands extended as though to circle her neck.

  Riordan interceded with an uppercut to his brother’s chin that felled him. “You have brought nothing but shame to this family, and from this point forward, you are nothing to us. Now remove yourself from my sight before I crush you into tiny pieces.”

  Galen got to his feet much slower, but he kept his eyes on Dana. “You will pay for this. All of you.” His sweeping gaze included Charlemaine which brought Jensen closer to her. Though he moved casually, the look in his eyes told Jensen his intentions were anything but.

  “I’ll make sure each of you suffer just as my family did.” Galen back-stepped away from the crowd of wizards, paused, then threw all of his body weight into Dana, taking her to the hard ground.

  With more speed than accuracy, he tore at her neck, her clothes until Riordan ripped him away with a sweep of his hand. Galen flew across the courtyard, landing against a stone wall with resounding crack of bone. Though he cried out, Dana had everyone’s attention.

  Tears filled her eyes when she responded to her husband’s numerous questions with a quiet, “I think we’ve discovered whose magic has been taken.”

  Charlie twisted her hands in her lap while her lower lip wobbled. How long was it going to take her to accept what she could not change? Her mother had been handling the loss of her magic surprisingly well, but Charlie had spent the past three days trying to figure out how to reverse this travesty.

  The door to the bedchamber opened, and Jensen walked in, long blue robe trailing behind him. “Your father has returned to Nocturne.” He sat beside her on the edge of the bed. “He did not ask why you did not say goodbye to him, but I told him you were not feeling well.” Though slight, the censure in his voice was enough to set her off.

  “How can he be so calm? And you? Why haven’t you and the others tried to find a solution to this? I don’t understand why everyone is just accepting this like it has to be this way.”

  “It does have to be this way, Charlemaine, and you are not the only one who is hurting right now.”

  She blew out a breath and covered her eyes. “I know. I spoke to Mama. She seems a bit lost. I suppose I would be the same if I lost my magic.” Her fingers snapped, and a tiny flame appeared. “It’s second nature.”

  Jensen placed his hand at the small of her back. “Your mother knows this was the price for her husband’s return, and she is willing to pay it. Fighting against an invisible enemy will only exhaust everyone. There is no resolution because there is no problem.”

  Though he spoke the truth, Charlie wanted to argue with the logic. She so desperately wanted to believe there was another way, that her family could be fully restored.

  “I wish the Universe could have taken mine.” She lowered her head to Jensen’s shoulder. “I just don’t know what they’re going to do now.”

  “Will you listen to yourself?” Jensen shifted so she was forced to raise her head. “You sound as though this is the end of their lives now, that what they had and could have in the future is over. Your parents love one another, with or without magic. They did not fall in love because of the spells or the fire balls. They fell in love with who they are. That is why they chose to build a life together.”

  Charlie closed her eyes as the gentle rebuke sank in, seeped into her pores. She hadn’t questioned her parents’ love in her many years of life, and there wasn’t any reason to start now. Her mother was strong, as strong as any woman she knew, wizard or not. The loss of magic wouldn’t change the person she was. And, if anything, it would only make her father love her more.

  “I’m such an idiot sometimes,” Charlie whispered.

  “While I would love to argue with you, you have spent the past three days essentially sulking over something you did not lose.”

  “Sulking?” Charlie frowned at him. “I don’t sulk.”

  One eyebrow lifted. “I hate to differ with you.”

  “Since when?’

  His charming smile erased her irritation. “Perhaps now we can return to our wedding.” The warmth of his palm cupped her cheek. “And then there is this ritual I believe we will both find particularly interesting.”

  “Ritual?’ It didn’t sound pleasant or interesting.

  “I believe it is called a honeymoon.”

  Heat suffused her cheeks. “Haven’t we already started that?” Charlie leaned her head into his palm.

  “Perhaps, but this particular ritual involves much time spent alone.”

  “Alone? You mean without people?” Her arms went around his neck.

  “Or summons.” He pulled her closer. “Or any other interruptions.”

  “You mean like your brother?”

  “Exactly like my brother.”

  “Could we really be that fortunate?”

  “That is certainly my wish, but there really is only one way to find out.” His large hands stroked up and down her spine until Charlie began to melt against him.

  “What’s that?” She lost her breath when his lips traveled a path from her ear to the curve of her neck.

  “We have to get married first.”

  “Well, if you would have mentioned that at the start, we wouldn’t have wasted all this time planning.”

  “I would never dream of depriving your family of the union ceremony.”

  Charlie’s gaze dropped to his lips before connecting with again. “Listen to you. Always thinking of others.”

  “Absolutely.” Nimble fingers began to release the ties at the back of her dress. “And there is one person in particular that is in my thoughts at present. “

  “Really? Do I know her?”

  “Yes, I believe you do. And I would very much like to show her what I think about when I am with her…or without her.” He lowered her to the mattress, and magically, the rest of her dress disappeared.

  “I wonder if this woman knows how lucky she is.”

  “It is the man who is most fortunate.” He kissed her shoulder then the tender spot next to her clavicle.

  Charlie raised her head as his hands sifted down her body
in gentle sweeping strokes. “Well, you know how much I hate to differ.”

  Acknowledgements

  I want to thank Denise Vance Fluhr for reading through the errors and helping me stay on track with the plot and all the other necessary bits that go into making my books better than they originally were.

  Another special thanks to Elaina Lee of For the Muse Designs (www.forthemusedesigns.com) for creating the beautiful cover for The First Spell. She has created all of my covers that I have indie-published, and they’ve all been stunning. I don’t know what I would do without her talent.

  I’ve also been fortunate to find wonderful readers who willingly review my books in advance of publication. I can’t thank them enough! I can’t name them all for fear I’ll leave one out, but here’s a special shout-out to all my Facebook friends who review for me!

  As always, thanks to my friend and fellow author on this indie journey, Lisa Renee Jones. She’s fabulous. Check her out at www.lisareneejones.com.

  About Rachel Carrington

  Rachel Carrington began her career writing fantasy romances of powerful wizards and wicked witches. Since then, she has branched out into contemporary romance and romantic suspense and has had books published with Ellora’s Cave, Samhain Publishing, Red Sage Publishing, and more.

  Currently, a freelance editor/writer residing in historical Charleston, South Carolina, Rachel has written non-fiction articles for Absolute Write, The Writer’s Journal, Writing for Dollars, Writer’s Magazine, and Writer’s Weekly.

  Because she likes staying busy, Rachel has also taught classes for Suite 101 and for author groups regarding promoting, writing, starting your own business, and editing.

  When not writing, Rachel loves to read romantic suspense (Lisa Gardner and Roxanne St. Claire are two of her favorites), rework old furniture, cross-stitch, cook, and drink lots of coffee.

  Rachel’s website is www.dawnrachel.com, and she’s also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/rachelcarringtonwrites, on Twitter at rcarrington2004, and on Pinterest at rcarrington2004.

  Now Available

  Vampires Destined Series

  Three vampires. Separate destinies. All desiring a woman to love them for who they are not what they are.

  Vampire Cursed

  Vampire Forgotten

  Vampire Betrayed

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  And Coming August 2012

  The Deja-Vu Series

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