Beyond The Veil: A Paranormal & Magical Romance Boxed Set

by Multiple Authors

  “They claimed to have something personal from each member of the household, like blood from some, and hairs of others. An example of why they did this is, the hairs were braided together with the hairs of a black cat and a white dog so those family members would fight like cats and dogs. Anyway, once they filled the bottle, they cast a spell over it with meditation and incantations full of hatred and bad intentions. Then, to deploy the curse, the bottle was buried on the property where foot traffic of the cursed is employed to continue the power of the curse. It gives permanence to the spell.”

  “Hold up. Give me a minute to take this all in. These people hate you that much and you have no idea who they are? Really?” Kyna stopped shaking her head and bit her lip to quiet a slew of curses that came to her mind. Ones not worthwhile in any way, shape, or form.

  “I’m sure my father knew, but somehow he thought us safer to not know. He alluded to telling me once, that I needed to know more about the group, and then…well, he died before he could tell me. He had a horrible accident on the grounds. You should know that your birth was near then, and—”

  “And?” Kyna demanded as she watched her aunt start to wring her hands. She felt sorry for the seemingly frail woman, she did, but she needed more to go on here.

  “Well…and…well, your mother…Alana, she went nuts. She…she tore up the yard, with a shovel, until a servant found her, sitting on the ground, the wooden handle of the shovel broken in two from hitting a large tree root, and her palm bleeding. With everything in her she wanted you safe. With every fiber of her being she had to protect you. Eventually, right after you were born, the bottle still out there and more than enough proof of its existence, or so we thought, she sent you to America so you wouldn’t have to be raised here. It broke her heart, a wound she never recovered from,” her Aunt Saoirse practically wailed as tears flooded her ruddy cheeks.

  Darcaryn, oddly enough, went to comfort her. Sobs ravaged the woman’s body as Darcaryn pulled her into a full embrace. She couldn’t see his facial expressions, but for such a mysterious man, one a little dark around the edges, he whispered words of comfort as he held her aunt tight.

  Aedan nodded at her when she looked at him. Her mouth hung open, and she shrugged. His mouth, on the other hand, formed a tight line, as did his entire frame. He looked ready to pounce, though she wasn’t sure onto whom.

  A buzzing sound filled the room, and her aunt stopped her crying jag immediately to pull a phone out of her pocket. After reading the message there, she pushed the phone back into her pocket.

  Furiously wiping at her tears, she spoke. “I’m so sorry. I have to go. The staff needs me. There’s a storm coming in. You’ll be privileged to witness, Kyna, one of our rare storms here. We only get a few a year; some ice then light snow. It usually disappears in a day or two here in Ireland, but the woods and the stream around the house look simply magical. Anyway, I must attend to a few issues. I’m going to take Aedan with me, if you don’t mind, Kyna. I could use his help. You’ll be more than safe in Darcaryn’s hands, and he must start your training at once. We shall meet for dinner. If you require lunch, there’s plenty here that Darcaryn can share with you, just ask.”

  “Okay,” Kyna replied, though thoughts of abandonment came to mind.

  Chapter Five

  Darcaryn wasted no time getting right to business, and right to touchy-feely. With his lean but solid body pressed against her back, he took the stance of a man trying flirtatiously to teach a woman how to golf or shoot pool or something. With each of her hands cupped in his and his arms curved under hers, he woke her every nerve ending. Unlike lust or attraction though, this seemed purely electrical in nature, as if he’d rubbed a hundred balloons on his head to give her a powerful shock. Steady, without the pain. She swallowed a groan and resigned herself to grinning and bearing it for as long as she could. At the same time, she yearned for a glimpse of some semblance of her world not being so ass backwards.

  “You feel the power stirring within you,” he stated rather than asked. “You need to tap into it and learn to control it. First, feel the heat that stirs in your stomach. Don’t fear it. Instead, embrace it. Open your mind to it. Think of things you love. For right now, the positive side of emotions will be easier to deal with. The negative or darker side, while more powerful, is harder to control. Anyway, that aside, imagine the heat in your core as a ball of light. Now, make that light flow down your arms and to your hands.

  “I know it seems silly and awkward, but in time, you won’t even have to think about it. The whole process will just come naturally. All you’ll have to do is imagine what you want, and then create it into being. Of course, some things, the more complicated efforts, require study. Some spells require ritual, knowledge, elements, and such to bring things into reality. But, the most basic of things, like control over the elements, are just your powers meshing with the energies of the earth. First, you have to learn to harness the power you were never taught to recognize or understand.”

  Sexy and nuts, this guy stood too close. That she understood. If a fire warmed in her core, she could just blame him and call it a day. Yes, the man was gorgeous. No denying that. Yet, a sixth sense, one she had learned to trust in over the years, one that made her good at reading people, gave her a very creepy and uneasy feeling about him. Even the energy, as he called it, between them, had a sinister element. Her only confirmation of this fact remained a constant, creeping cold sensation that snaked down her spine when he touched her. Never had she met such a truly bad boy on some cellular level. Good thing her mom had spent painstaking hours teaching her to recognize them and giving her the strength to walk away.

  “Kyna, Kyna, you need to focus,” he chastised.

  “I’m trying, but these powers, this energy, this heat you talk about… I’ve always blamed it on other things. And even now, here, where it’s so strong it’s driving me close to crazy, I’m not sure I understand the insanity, forgive me, of how to imagine the power into doing anything but making me feel like I want to jump out of my own skin,” she ranted, her mouth tight as she tried to resist the urge to shake him off.

  “Just listen to my voice,” he whispered in a husky tone, his breath fast and warm as it trailed across her ear. “Concentrate only on your core, the feeling of heat whirling in your belly, like a thousand butterflies when you’re nervous.”

  He moved in closer, if that were even possible. So close she had to bear down weight upon her feet to stop from rocking forward. He’d placed a hand firmly against her abdomen, so the whole butterfly scenario seemed legit. Focusing on the churning in her middle rather than the hard body pressed against hers, his crotch nestled in the small of her back, seemed a move in the right direction, at least. She hadn’t come to Ireland for dates, but she was a woman. She’d never met this caliber of men before. Each of their occupations were beyond what she could imagine. Their personalities so dominant, looks aside, she had to fight for air and a clear head in their presence. Maybe West Virginia just didn’t grow them that way. Oh, that would make the guys back home mad.

  “You feel it?” he quizzed.

  “Yes,” she sighed.

  Which thing he referenced she wasn’t really sure.

  “Now, imagine it forming into a white ball of light. You have to really see it in your mind. Ignore what you feel emotionally. Quiet the practical side of your brain. Just envision a white ball of light inside you, create it within your core.”

  “Okay,” she whispered back, unsure why they talked in such hushed tones when locked in a room so far away from civilization.

  She tried, focusing on her belly beneath his hand where currently it felt like a large, heated knot. She’d always had a big imagination, so why not, right?

  Determined, she focused her energy in the pit of her stomach, forcing it to the center of the lump, trying to see what he described.

  Excited now, she yelped, "I think I have it! I feel something, heat, a sort of light rolling through my gut, churning
within me.

  “Good. Now, make the light move. Make it into a long stream, like a snake, and begin to imagine it slithering down your arms.”

  He quieted for a second.

  She forced herself to focus on this imaginary light rather than the feeling of his chest rising and falling against her back, or the caress of air tracing her neck with each breath. The knot in her stomach tightened, made her nauseous as she imagined the ball of light stretching out. Beads of sweat broke out over her skin as the energy coiled inside her, ready to strike. Power raced down her arms without her trying, made her palms hot and her fingers feel as if she'd submerged them in extremely hot water.

  A memory snuck in. She recalled her mom, Sarah, the woman who’d raised her, standing behind her, her hands on her waist to steady her on a chair before the sink. Together, they’d washed dishes as Kyna had complained the water was too hot. She fought the image, wrestled with it and the emotions it brought crashing over her, as she refocused on the task at hand. With her jaw clenched, she opened her eyes wide, focusing on a spot on the floor in front of her. She let it blur and fade until all she could see in her mind’s eye, was a bright light filling her body.

  “Next, move the light into your palms,” Darcaryn’s deep voice startled her, so juxtaposed to the soft, encouraging voice of her mother in her memory just seconds ago.

  She let the tremble, the discomfort, merge into the energy inside her.

  “Let it build there, strengthen, and then cup your hands to form a circle between your palms. Now, let the light go. Let the energy move from you into the air,” he instructed in a rhythmic voice.

  She tried. What better did she have to do, remained her rationale. Also, simply not wanting to upset such a man drove her, too. A fear of the unknown along with a strong intuition nagged at her. Who knew what this man was capable of, magic wise; and she didn’t like the sinister vibes that flowed from him. Intimidation acted a strong motivator, keeping her cautious as she played along.

  She followed his instructions to the letter, as stupid as she felt. With her vivid imagination, she could’ve sworn actual light flowed through her anyway. Hot, sizzling vibrations traveled through her muscles, made her body twitch and shake all over, even though no physical representation of these sensations presented themselves. Her fingers began to tingle like they were falling asleep. In an automatic response, she wiggled them a bit. Instinct made her want release from the pressure that built inside her. She imagined sparks coming from her fingertips, but at the same time closed her eyes as a heated blush crept up her cheeks. In her mind, tiny white fragments of light began to form a circle between her palms.

  “Open your eyes, Kyna,” Darcaryn exclaimed, his tone a bit higher than usual.

  She opened the lids she’d held tightly closed, and then blinked several times at the unexpected rays of light so white in their brilliance, they sparkled like glitter between her palms.

  “Seriously?” she shrieked, and the light vanished.

  With it, so did her physical stability. Shadows of darkness and light blurred her vision, like the pinpricks that blind before one faints. Her hands scrambled for purchase, to find some surface to prevent her inevitable fall. The strong arms around her tightened as her world fell to blackness.

  Minutes later, she struggled to open her eyes as if she’d slept for days. A heavy weight of fatigue blanketed her body, made even lifting her head a chore.

  “Kyna,” a deep voice whispered her name just as Darcaryn’s face came into view hovering over her, his mouth pulled tight, eyes squinted,.

  “Stay still, my sweet,” he gave the command in a soft growl.

  She felt his hand, warm and large, trail down over her cheek before he cupped the back of her head in his palm, forcing her to remain still.

  “What- happened? Where? Why am I—” she stammered.

  “The magic overwhelmed you is all. You’re safe with me,” he insisted, cutting off her inquiries.

  Somehow, she doubted that. Her skin crawled. The need to curl into a defensive ball, protect herself from some unseen element, overwhelmed her and tightened each and every muscle. In the arms of the enemy, some sixth sense washed over her like a great wind in a storm, told her she’d fallen into the wrong arms. She inhaled deep, closing her eyes against the sight before her, forcing herself to suppress the scream that waited in her throat. Her aunt trusted Darcaryn. So, why couldn’t she? Thing was, could she even trust her aunt?

  She opened her eyes again, tried to see this man with his long ponytail falling down over his shoulder as an ally. She shivered, feeling an iciness rush up her spine. A screech escaped her as he suddenly scooped her up in his arms, pinning her against his large, firm chest.

  “Sorry, didn’t mean to frighten you, but, you’re cold on the ground.”

  He carried her to a chair, a soft leather recliner she hadn’t seen tucked into the far corner on the opposite wall from the fireplace. A little reading nook, she assumed, with a side table full of books.

  “Thank—” was the only word she got out before she shrieked. The place had fallen dark again, save for the pitiful glow of the dying fire across the room. Only this time, her eyes had remained open.

  Small flickers of light gave an eerie warmth to half the room as the red-orange embers gasped for the elusive oxygen, but left her and Darcaryn bound in the shadows.

  “It’s okay." he soothed. "Must be the storm your aunt spoke of. Ice or heavy snow probably messed with the power.”

  He scooted to her side, pressing tightly against her from where he knelt on the floor. Wrapping his arm around her back, he pulled her against his warm chest as much as he could while leaving her remaining seated on the chair.

  Her breathing, already labored, only filled her lungs to half-capacity with rapid pants. Her mind swirled around on thoughts she couldn’t comprehend.

  “You’re safe with me,” he attempted to reassure her again. “I can’t get over you. The power that flows through you, it’s addictive. I crave the way it intermingles with mine, makes me feel strong, more of a man.”

  She tried to wrap her mind around the inappropriate innuendo of the words. Instead, calmness washed over her, even as she found her pulse multiplying. For the first time since coming into this room she felt safe in his arms, rather than apprehensive and off balance. The dimly lit room took on romantic overtones that layered over the dark, mysterious shadows it had possessed just moments ago. Her ability to think muffled, her mind hazy, she relaxed into him.

  Warmth built in her stomach again. She felt drawn to Darcaryn’s strong body, to the heat he gave off. What seemed like invisible fingers created a fluttering feeling inside her.

  “Our magic together. That’s what you feel. Me inside you, I guess you could say,” he whispered in a purely seductive toned voice.

  She trembled, ached to have him pull her into his arms further. With a fluttering sensation building deeper in her core, a womanly desire crept warm between her legs, seduced by the sexual suggestion of his words. Her breasts felt full, heavy, and tingled to be touched.

  He pulled her body onto his lap and crushed her chest to his, soft against hard. His lips came over hers, soft, persistent, as his fingers raked through her hair with just enough roughness to entice her.

  She moved until her legs embraced his torso. Desire, passionate and intense, flooded her.

  Energy, a force intermingled with panic and lust all at once, swirled within. She pressed herself into him. As much as she wanted to fight this, the thought passed quickly. Soon, all she felt was a need to give into her sudden urges.

  His lips, full on hers, became more persistent. She opened her mouth to submit to his tongue. Their breaths moved in an opposing rhythm, created a dizzying sensation of him stealing her breath away for real. Her energy, all of which had built to ignite a fire inside her under his instruction, started to slip away. Darcaryn's touch felt warmer by the minute. As if his sudden scorching heat had burned her, she pushed back away fr
om him, her palms flat against his rock hard chest.

  “Stop,” she growled out. “What the hell was that? I felt myself, my power, slipping into you. I may be a novice here, I may even be still skeptical of the whole magic thing, but I felt that loss.”

  “It’s just the feeling of giving and receiving, my dear. When two powerful people share their bodies, they share their magic as well. You just don’t have control over yours yet, so it was easy for me to take too much from you. I apologize. It wasn’t intentional. When you want, truly want, and are stronger, when we kiss, you will feel my energy slip into you, too.”

  He shook his head and squared his shoulders before standing up.

  “Here, just sit. It’s been too much for one day, and I apologize for my part in it.”

  The overhead light flickered back on.

  “Damn,” he exclaimed, as he paced to the table.

  He slammed his hands down on the wooden surface. Bottles and bowls rattled. A book fell from the table, slammed into the ground with a noise resembling a gunshot.

  Seconds later, a statue in the image of a man dying, his sword hanging by his side, fell to the ground. Darcaryn didn’t even turn, let alone appear startled by the sound. Instead, he curled his curled into fists, seemingly lost in thought. The energy in the room changed again. Kyna swore she sucked in a lung full of dense smoke, though the air remained clear. The pervasive feeling of evil hung thick in the atmosphere.

  “It’s not possible. I don’t know how they got access to here,” he exclaimed a little too loudly, as if his words were forced, fake.

  “Who? What are you talking about?” she questioned as her stomach sank.

  “The group, these dark sorcerers your aunt hired me to help protect you from,” he answered briefly with great anger muffling his words.

  “I thought Aedan was hired to protect me?”