Mystical Seduction

by Dorothy McFalls

  After what felt like a hundred forevers, they finally reached the end of the cave. The passageway stopped abruptly at a flat wall.

  Horace gave Faith time to take out her flashlight and explore the primitive glyphs covering the walls, before clearing his throat.

  “This is where we part,” he said, fiercely pressing his will on her. He’d promised Faith’s parents he’d protect her. And he saw now that the best way he could keep her safe was to let her go. No matter how much it hurt him, he had to let her go. “Stay here, on earth. Live your life. Become the woman you are meant to become.”

  All signs of life drained from her eyes as she nodded in agreement. It had worked. She started to head back toward the cave’s opening.

  But suddenly she blinked several times and shook her head.

  “Oh no, you don’t. I won’t let you wiggle out of our relationship after everything we’ve been through.”

  “Don’t fight me,” he said, his voice vibrating with all the power he could gather. “Go with Muk. Let him take you home.”

  She sighed deeply and twined her fingers with his. “I know it’s difficult for you to trust me, to trust our relationship.”

  He didn’t want her to touch him. He didn’t want any of this. But the warmth of her hand kept him from pulling away. Though earlier in the jungle he’d asked her to give him a chance to prove himself, he was no longer convinced he could be the man she needed.

  She deserved someone who could give her the moon and the stars—and his heart.

  “I’ve been listening to everything, you know,” she told him. “I’ve been paying attention. I understand that you didn’t have parents or a family to love and protect you when you were growing up. So this must feel unnatural. Frightening, even.”

  What could he say to that? He tried to come up with something to prove her wrong. No one respected weakness, especially not women. He’d learned that lesson well enough on the streets.

  “I also know that you’re a born leader, Horace. It’s in your blood to be in control,” she blazed on before he had a chance to explain away her doubts about him. “I know you want to control me. To protect me.”

  She gave his hand a squeeze. “I’m learning that in your own way, you are trying to show me that you care for me. But you don’t have to prove yourself. I care for you, too. And as your queen, I’m going to be by your side. Whether you like it or not, I’m not going to let you face the unknown that waits for you on the other side of that portal alone.”

  “But the danger—”

  She pressed a finger to his lips. “We’re in this together. Like it or not, we’re a team. And no matter what you do, you won’t get rid of me.”

  He felt a sudden urge to fight her. To rage against her. To push her away. She had worked her way under his skin again, and it was making him itchy as hell.

  “I never wanted you!” he shouted, more frustrated at his own inadequacies than with her. “I never wanted any of this!”

  Faith opened her mouth then pinched her lips together. A halo of golden light flared around her head. The power lashed at the sloping walls, sending loose stones clattering to the ground.

  Muk backed out of the cave—smart man.

  “You can’t go without me.” Her voice had turned as hard as stone. She pointed to a petroglyph of a man and a woman holding hands that had been carved into the cave wall. The woman had one arm raised. Jagged lines representing lightning replaced the woman’s fingers. “You need me to open the portal.”

  He traced the deep grooves cut into the stone. The petroglyph glowed a ruby red in response to his touch.

  “The sages can open the portal,” he said.

  “We can,” they agreed.

  He swung toward them. “I want to release Faith. She deserves more than I can offer her. She deserves to follow her own dreams. I don’t want her bound within the confines of my hell.”

  “You have mated with her,” the sages reminded him. “The two of you are bonded.”

  “Horace, I don’t—” she started to protest.

  He pressed a finger to her lips.

  “This is my gift to you, Faith.” He turned back to the sages. “You can untie us? You can remove the marks?”

  They nodded gravely. “We can.”

  “Horace, don’t—”

  Afraid he’d be tempted to selfishly keep her with him if he listened to her reasons why he should change his mind, he kissed her.

  It would be better this way, he told himself as their lips met. He would be better off. The lie contracted in his chest. Just the thought of losing Faith threatened to tear apart his sanity.

  He deepened the kiss. This was his gift to her. She felt limp in his arms. Her tongue touched his, and his power flowed back and forth between them.

  Their passion had the power to ignite the night sky. Such turbulence would destroy them both unless he opened up his heart and let her get closer than anyone had ever been to him.

  No. He couldn’t let her stay.

  He had to send her away.

  In time, she would understand.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  How could he do this to her? The jerk. A loveable, sexy jerk. Faith couldn’t think of anyone else she would want to spend her life with. But she didn’t know how to prove her love for him. Perhaps he would never trust her. Perhaps he’d never be able to love her back.

  “Tell us,” the sages demanded of Faith. “Is this your wish?”

  Was it? To leave her life in Chicago, her dreams, her family, her friends, in exchange for a man who held back his love? Was that the life she wanted for herself?

  Horace offered her freedom, her last chance to hold onto her own identity.

  Why was the cost of love so high? Her parents were happy, but even they’d admitted that it took compromise and sacrifice to make their relationship work. And they were both loving and willing.

  Her situation wasn’t the same. Horace was too afraid to love her. Perhaps he couldn’t love her. Ever.

  “Yes,” she whispered, tears burning in the back of her eyes. “Yes, I’d rather continue my studies in Chicago than follow Horace into the unknown.” And if that meant she wouldn’t be in his life, so be it.

  She’d survive the heartbreak, she hoped.

  “V-v-very well-well-well,” the sages said, sounding somewhat uncertain and completely out of sync with each other. “T-th-the heart h-has-as s-spoken.”

  A low humming filled her ears. The words of a droning language that sounded both ancient and strangely familiar called to her soul. The sound soothed her.

  The words swirled around her, turning the world gray. And then black. She felt no pain, only a dull knowledge of what was happening. The only way to break the ties that bound their auras and linked their souls together was to kill her.

  And while she didn’t want to die, but it wasn’t her death but the words that had been left unsaid that had her heart screaming in distress.

  She’d never told Horace how she felt about him. Just as he’d accused in the forest, Faith hadn’t given him the chance to love her.

  Horace hadn’t been the only one holding back when it came to love. Faith had been so worried about her future that she’d been too afraid to trust Horace with her heart.

  “No!” She tried to shout but her mouth wouldn’t move.

  She should have told Horace about her feelings right after he’d made that third mark. She should have trusted that he could be strong enough to accept her love.

  “Horace, I love you. Please, I love you. Please, don’t let me go.”

  Faith vaguely heard someone shout her name. And then a crash.

  Someone grabbed her hand. In a blinding flash, she saw sparks fly from the tips of her fingers, and the wall at the end of the cave opened up into a swirling blue portal. A blast of wind pushed the three sages through the gaping hole.

  And then a force more powerful than anything Faith had ever experienced knocked her breathless. Hands rubbed up and down h
er back, peeling off her clothes. Lips rained feather-light kisses over her face. A loving mouth breathed life back into her body.

  “Faith, I love you, too.” Horace squeezed her so hard she worried her ribs might crack. “You can have your life in Chicago. I’ll do whatever it takes to give it to you. Just...just don’t die. And don’t ever let me push you away from me again. I need you, Faith. I need you as fiercely as I need the air to breathe.”

  He loved her. Hearing him admit his love and seeing the passion and fear in his midnight blues eyes made her believe in miracles.

  He kissed her, sending her heart reeling. The world dissolved and there was only the two of them. Two lovers being naked and honest with each other.

  ****

  Unfortunately, kisses never lasted forever. The unearthly blue light at the back of the cave continued to swirl, waiting. Horace drew a shuddering breath and with a wave of his hand, their clothes returned.

  “This will be a new adventure,” Faith said, trying to sound braver than she felt. But her voice squeaked, betraying the terror beating in the back of her throat.

  She heard Horace release a shuddering breath. “It’ll be a new start for the both of us. Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

  Swallowing hard, Faith nodded. This wasn’t the path she’d expected to take with her life, but it was an adventure nonetheless. She was prepared. Her parents had taught her to listen to her heart. Right now, she heard her heart singing. Their love had the power to conquer the steepest obstacles. The unknown that waited for them on the other side of that portal couldn’t defeat them.

  Horace closed his hand over Faith’s, and they walked toward the swirling abyss.

  Together, they would face their destiny.

  Epilogue

  Five months later.

  The door of The Oblique Café flew open and slammed against the outside brick wall, nearly shattering the glass.

  “Not again!” Jake cried. He dropped the dishcloth he’d been using on the counter and looked ready to faint.

  His patrons leapt to their feet. A few moved toward the back, fearful of an attack.

  But Frank Stone, who’d been expecting this, sat back and smiled as a mystically charged gust of wind sent snow swirling into the café. The pair entered as if they hadn’t missed a day in the past five months.

  Horace was dressed all in black. His snow-covered overcoat hung past his ankles. The melting ice crystals dripped on the floor as he helped his queen with her wrap, revealing her very pregnant belly.

  Dallas squealed with delight and rushed to hug Faith while Brendan squared off with the man he loved like a brother. After a long silence he grumbled, “I was wondering when you’d remember to visit your friends.”

  “I’ve been emailing,” Horace protested.

  “It’s not the same.”

  “Time moves at a different pace in the other realm, and I’d been an absent king for nearly seven years. Work had piled up in my absence.”

  “That’s no excuse.”

  Horace looked different, more confident with his place in the world. Instead of bristling at Brendan’s disapproval, Horace simply shrugged and gave a self-depreciating smile. “I was also on my honeymoon.”

  Brendan laughed. “Well, that’s an excuse I can understand. Welcome back, Horace.”

  While the two men embraced, Frank greeted Faith. “You’re glowing,” he said and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

  “Am I?” She frowned and glanced down at her hands. “I haven’t done that in ages.”

  “He means because of the baby,” Horace said softly. Her belly had swelled quite beautifully. And a diamond and ruby-studded wedding band adorned her finger.

  “Does this mean Horace’s power is no longer unleashed?” Dallas asked.

  Faith nodded. Her cheeks were rosy in color. “Once we accepted that we loved each other, his power stopped fighting us.”

  “Took the two of you long enough to come to your senses.”

  Faith shared a smile with Horace. Neither of them needed to say anything. Their relationship had finally evolved into what it had meant to be all along.

  “But what’s with the ring?” Dallas asked, her brows furrowing. She didn’t sound upset, well not too seriously. “Here I was hoping I could be matron of honor or something.”

  “The royal sages of the Otherworld are a pushy bunch. They insisted we get married right away with some ceremony they’d devised. But we’re planning a spring ceremony.” Faith patted her round belly and added, “After the baby is born.”

  “Your parents must be thrilled,” Dallas said.

  “They’re even more thrilled to know that we’re moving back to Chicago, and that I’m resuming my work at the university after the winter break.”

  That seemed to surprise everyone. “You can do that?” Brendan asked.

  “I’m king,” Horace said proudly. “I can do whatever I want.”

  “Does that mean you’ll be—?” Derrick started to ask, his shoulders bunching. He’d been helping Brendan run Club West in Horace’s absence.

  “No,” Horace answered without hesitation. “I won’t have the time to be a hands-on owner at the club anymore. And I hear that you’re doing a fine job acting as manager in my absence.”

  Derrick’s shoulders relaxed, and the two men started talking business until Faith interrupted. “Don’t forget the other reason we needed to come to the café today.”

  “Oh, right.” Horace reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a silver baby’s rattle. “Brendan, the present you gave me for my birthday this summer, I just got around to opening it.” He dropped the rattle into his friend’s hand. “How did you know?”

  Brendan turned to Dallas, his mouth gaping. “Dallas had bought it and wrapped it. I never even looked in the gift bag.”

  “You’re not the only one who can have a vision or two, husband of mine,” Dallas said with a laugh and patted her own belly. “Perhaps one day we’ll be shopping for a rattle of our own.”

  Brendan nearly fell on the floor. Everyone laughed. Even Frank found pleasure in the moment, which had become rare lately. Holding his small group together seemed to be growing all the more difficult. All the more tiring. At least some of his friends had found happiness and love.

  Seeing the pleasure in Horace’s expression when he’d touched Faith’s growing belly made the sacrifices he’d been making for them seem worth the effort.

  “There’s something else that needs to be said,” Faith said, her tone growing dark.

  “You found out what we are?” Dallas asked hopefully.

  “I did,” Horace said, and then grabbed his head. His complexion turned pasty. Frank could feel some of the roiling pain that must have sliced through Horace’s temples.

  “They won’t let him tell you,” Faith explained as she rubbed her husband’s shoulders. “They won’t even let him think about it without giving him a pounding migraine. Sorry.”

  “We’re definitely part of the mystical realm, though,” Horace managed to grind out.

  “I suppose that means we can cross aliens off our list of possibilities.” Derrick sounded disappointed.

  “Nope, no aliens,” Horace said. Some of his color had returned. “And Faith is right. There is something I need to tell you.”

  Frank had suspected as much. He’d felt a dark ripple in the air for a few years now. Lately, it had been growing. “It’s about the future,” he said.

  Horace nodded gravely. “All of the turmoil in the mortal realm, the killing and the rampant hatred, is stirring up the mystical world. Long-dormant dark forces are awakening. The sages warn that a war is brewing. Many lives may be lost. Civilizations may fall. And the Protectors will be called on to balance the scales of justice. That is one reason why they picked one of us to be king.”

  “I don’t like how that sounds,” Frank said.

  “You shouldn’t. It’s going to be especially hard on you, Stone.” Horace sucked in a sharp breath. He must
have said too much, been too specific. “It won’t be easy for any of us.”

  “I suspected as much,” Frank said.

  The café fell silent.

  “I’ll be around, and I’ll do whatever I can to lend a helping hand,” Horace promised.

  Faith hugged her husband’s arm. “We both will.” Her smile lit up the café. “So let’s not waste our time drowning ourselves in worry about what may or may not happen sometime in the foggy future. We have a wedding to plan!”

  Thank you for reading

  MYSTICAL SEDUCTION

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