* * * * *
Karl stood quietly under the burning sky, his arms hanging loosely at his sides. Fingers clenching and unclenching. He shifted his naked feet on the rocky ground, seeking his center. Balancing on the strength of the stones. His breathing was soft and even. He took a few practice steps, going through the path of a kata for the first time in years.
The moves all came back easily. His hands, his body accepted the gravity. Learned the limitations. He stopped and drew in his breath, feeding his chi.
He could sense the moment the wolves appeared along the skyline. Lifting his head he watched the figures flying toward him, their claws barely touching the ground. Three. Only three attackers today. No. There, the queen, the bitch, running a few steps behind.
Karl flexed his toes, balanced on his heels. The old patterns returned so easily to his mind. As the lead wolf approached he leaned sideways, shifted his weight and swung his leg up high and hard. He snap-thrust his foot hard into the nearest wolf’s chest. The animal yipped in surprise and pain, crashing to the ground. Spinning Karl sagged his knees bringing himself down to chest height with the following wolf. His fists moved smoothly through the heavy air, slamming into her face and chest. She staggered, snarling. Karl glided three steps back, moving lightly over the stones. Without pause he ran forward again, for the first time in all his nightmares not resisting, struggling against the weight of the air, but passing through lightly. He ignored the heat, the aching dryness of his mouth. His mind was clear. Focused.
Right hand, left fist, foot flew at their target impacting solidly in the flesh of his tormentors. The startled wolves howled and dodged, tumbling over each other in their confusion. He got three solid hits on the she-wolf before she retreated snarling from the mêlée. Karl planted another kick to the hip of the nearest wolf as the dreamscape faded.
* * * * *
“Amber. Amber. Wake up. What time is it?”
Amber extended one arm from within her nest of blankets and reached blindly for the clock radio. Blinking rapidly she focused on the glowing numbers.
“Seven forty-seven,” she croaked.
“It worked. It really worked,” crowed Karl, throwing back his blankets and leaping out of bed.
“What worked?” muttered Amber as she struggled free of the sheets that had tangled around her feet in the night.
Karl bounced onto Amber’s bed, threw both arms around her and hugged her tight.
“Your idea worked! You are officially brilliant.”
Amber coughed and tried to draw in a deep breath. Karl’s tangled white curls tickled her nose. She gently brushed them away from her face, letting the strands run through her fingers. The pressure of his fingers on her back and shoulders seemed to burn through the thin fabric of her T-shirt. She wiggled uncomfortably, pushing against the weight of his body. Surprisingly she was unable to make him move away. He seemed more substantial this morning. Stronger. Heavier. And touching him wasn’t making her personal energy flow into him.
“Make sense will you?” her voice was harsher than she intended. She closed her eyes and settled back under the blankets. “It’s too early in the morning for riddles.”
“That’s the whole point,” cried Karl. “It’s late. It’s almost eight. We didn’t wake up at 5:16. They didn’t drain us. I beat their asses, and it was all your idea.”
Amber’s eyes snapped open and she struggled to sit up. Karl rolled off her and sprawled on the other side of her bed, mock punching the air in his glee. Levering herself up onto her elbows she looked again at the clock. For the first time in days she hadn’t been woken by the five a.m. energy drain. Amber turned back to Karl, scanning his aura. It was almost as bright as a healthy, uninfected person. His aura bore some signs of the chronic damage, but otherwise he looked well. She raised her hand and tried to summon her personal power. After a moment she saw a brief flicker. Carrying the weight of so many more threads it would take her more than one night to recover.
“Elements protect us. What did you do?”
Karl’s grin was positively vicious.
“Karate.” he said. “I remember what you said about Tai Chi being slowed down martial arts. I just waited for them. When the wolves arrived I just stood there and let them get good and close. I practiced a few moves after you went to bed last night. I did the punches and kicks really slowly. I used to have a black belt, you know. I may not have the old strength and flexibility, but they weren’t expecting me to be able to fight at all. When the wolves attacked, I gave them a couple of kicks in the butt; that’s only a downpayment on what I owe them. I got the bitch queen a couple of good ones in the chest and the face. I hope she has a good bright shiner today.” Karl rolled to face Amber, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. “I couldn’t have done it without you. I didn’t know what was happening. If you hadn’t made me realize that the dream was real – made me remember it when I was awake, then I wouldn’t have been able to plan, to prepare for them. Thank you, Amber.”
He leaned down to lightly kiss her. Raising his head he gazed down at her, a faintly puzzled expression on his face. He moved his hand lightly over her mixed silver and brown hair and cupped her face. As he gently moved his fingers over her neck he lowered his head again, taking possession of her lips. Amber’s body stiffened under his touch. Her hands pressed hard against his chest, but she couldn’t push him away. The fire that ran through her system at his touch soothed the aching and abused nerves. She relaxed slowly under the insistent pressure of his mouth moving over hers. Karl ran a line of kisses across her neck, his hands wandering possessively over her curves. He pushed down the thin sheet to give him better access to the breasts he’d stared at so often, stroking and teasing her sensitive skin through the fabric of her shirt. Amber shifted restlessly under his hands, heat blossoming under her skin as his fingers and lips passed. She reached up to thread her fingers through his thick curly hair and guided his mouth back to hers, welcoming his invading tongue.
Karl slid his hand under her loose T-shirt sliding it up to expose her breasts. He drew back, smiling as he ran his fingers over the soft skin. Amber’s blush spread a vivid glow over her breasts.
“Nice to meet them finally, in the flesh, so to speak.”
Amber laughed raggedly and tried to pull down her shirt. Karl caught her hand and lifted her fingers to his lips.
“I need you, Amber,” he whispered, “I’ve needed you for a long time.”
Amber freed her hand and pulled down her shirt.
“Karl, now isn’t the right time for this,” she dodged his questing mouth, sighing as his tongue brushed down her neck.
He struggled with her over the hem of her shirt. When she wouldn’t yield he closed his mouth over her breast, licking at her nipple through the fabric. Amber shuddered at the heat rising from her core. Hunger rose, clouding her mind, weakening her will, yet she twisted away from Karl’s clever tongue. She tightened her grip on his hair, tugging insistently.
“Karl. Karl, I mean it. Stop.”
“This is more fun than stopping,” he said, nuzzling at her ear.
Chapter Fourteen
“Karl. Please! Listen to me.”
Karl continued to run his hands down her sides, teasingly brushing his thumbs along the undersides of her breasts.
“Karl, we can’t do this.”
Karl’s hands stilled, but he kept his eyes down.
“Right now you want me, but I don’t want it to be for the wrong reasons,” Amber put both hands on both sides of his face. “We’ve been together for a couple of days. Aside from the fact that we’re both dying we haven’t got that much in common. You didn’t choose to hang with me. You’re here because I said you’d die if we didn’t deal with the web. I don’t want you to turn to me, the first time you’ve had some good news and try to …” she blushed and glanced away, “I don’t want to celebrate the first win in bed. Just because I’m here doesn’t mean I’ve available to you in that way.”
Te
nsion drained out of Karl’s body and he lowered himself onto her, resting his face against her shoulder. He lay unmoving for several heart beats.
“Do you understand? It’s not that … um,” Her color rose. “Not that I don’t want to be with you. It’s just …”
“Yes,” Karl rolled off to sit on the edge of the bed. “I get it.”
“No, I don’t think you do,” said Amber, reaching out to run her hand over his stiff back. “It would hurt me to have you turn away from me after … uh … after we sort everything out. I’m not the sort of person who can separate her body from her heart. Besides, we have energy flowing back and forward between us. Even if we didn’t get drained last night we’re both still suffering from old injuries. Every time you touch me and I’m not ready you pull a little more. We can’t get involved in anything so sharing and energy intensive as sex …”
“Until we get the equivalent of a psychic condom?” Karl lurched to his feet and unzipped his overnight bag. “Good excuse.”
Amber swallowed a curse then changed her mind. She’d swallowed so much since she’d met Karl she had butterflies with razor blade wings in her stomach.
“Be sensible, Karl!” she shouted. “When have you ever trusted me for more than a few seconds? I’ve ignored a lot of insults from you because I thought some of it was due to the spells that were put on you. But from the beginning you said that you hated magic and magic users. Suppose we fool around now? Whether the sex is good or not, before the end of today I will give good odds that you will be cursing me out for being a foul, evil, manipulating witch and tricking you into bed. I will not let you abuse me that way.”
When he kept his back to her she continued.
“Right now you’re having a lust surge. That’s great. I’m glad for you. It is a good sign that you will eventually have a full recovery. But right now you don’t love me. You don’t even like me. And I can’t think of any other reason to make lo … to have sex.”
“Don’t I?” Karl spun to face her. His voice was cool, even. He took two steps toward the bed, “Oh, I do lust after you. I don’t really want to admit to how long my dry spell has been. You fell at my feet at the store and all I could think of was I hoped I’d get a chance to get your phone number. Why do you think I brought flowers and candy to the hospital?”
“Law suit prevention?”
Karl laughed.
“Hey, girl, I’m tired; I’m not dead. I may not be able to feel lust, but I can still think it. I wanted you then and I’ve wanted you almost every moment since. I may not have had the strength to act on it, but the need – the wish was there. Before I even knew who you were I wanted to kiss you.” He sat beside her on the bed, gently tucking the thin sheet up around her shoulders. “Since then I’ve wanted you at the strangest times, and you’re the only person I’ve met the last few years that does that for me. I just … until this morning I haven’t been able … but God, I’ve wanted to.” He transferred his burning gaze to her eyes. “I’ve never been able to say anything to you. I’ll try now. I’m sorry about some of the things I’ve said. I respect you. Admire you. You’re capable, kind, funny, and remarkably patient with me. It’s been tough and you’ve been great. So, if I haven’t said it before, thanks for staying around.” He smiled, a slight movement of one side of his mouth, “and I do lust after you. More than just a little.”
“Those threads that are anchored on you,” she said, softly, blushing and hugging her knees to her chest. “One of them goes straight through your root chakra. That’s where you keep your sex drive. That’s why no women arouse you. That bitch did it to you on purpose. When they’re removed … things will be different.”
“Then what I feel for you must be pretty strong to make it through all that stuff,” Karl grinned and moved forward, pushing her back against the pillow. He brushed his lips over her forehead. “I may not have much lust left, Amber, but it’s all for you.”
“What if I want more?” Amber whispered.
“More than lust?” Karl tapped himself on the chest with his fist. “When you take the thread out of my – what? – root chakra, and the other damn threads out of my heart and head, we’ll look and see what’s buried in there. I think we both might be surprised. Be patient with me a little longer, Amber. Please.”
Amber settled back on the pillows convinced that he could hear her heart fluttering hard in her throat. She almost looked at his aura, except peeking now seemed like a massive invasion of privacy.
“Sure, but write this down in your notebook, please. I don’t want you to forget.”
“Smooth move, you moron,” Karl told his reflection. He put both hands on the tiled shower wall and let the barely tepid water pound on his head. “Real stylish. Charming. Idiot.”
Trying to seduce Amber rated up there in the top five stupid things he’d done in his life. It was on par with putting a poison ivy leaf in his bathtub on a bet. No, it was dumber than that. The most offensive thing a guy could do was make time with a girl who didn’t welcome the attention. And what did he do? He had kissed the only person, the only witch who could help him.
Dumb, Karl. Real dumb.
Poor Amber, thought Karl, turning up the temperature before the cold water gave him a headache. Here she is, being dragged cross country to save the life of a guy she’d only met days ago. Her own life is at risk. Her beautiful hair is turning white. And what do I do? The first chance I get I give in to a “lust surge.” What made me think that I’d be welcome after all the insults and shouting?
Smooth, Romeo, real smooth.
Karl swore and banged his head lightly against the tiles. Amber had been polite about it. Of all the turndowns he’d ever received, hers had been the kindest. He had to admit, turning down lust because it wasn’t love, that was sweet. Just like the soft warm taste of her skin, the heat he could feel under his fingertips when she blushed.
Groaning, Karl turned the water temperature down. The heat in his own body should be enough to boil water, and the proverbial cold shower was not doing anything to control his lust. His whole body ached with it. He was still weaker than he should be for a guy his age, but he had enough natural guy power surging through his body right now to make concentration on anything other than the memory of Amber’s smooth skin, her soft breasts, impossible. All he could think of, feel, was the heat of Amber’s body in his arms, the response of her mouth to his kiss.
He snapped off the shower with a curse. Cold showers were not healthy. Grabbing a towel from the rack Karl dried off rapidly and pulled on his jeans. The bulge in his boxers kept getting in the way of the zip.
Emerging from the bathroom he followed the sound of packing to the sitting room. Amber was carefully returning the piles of books to their boxes. A room service cart stood just inside the main door scenting the air gently with the irresistible aroma of fresh coffee and bacon.
Karl hesitated at the door watching her work for a moment.
“Amber. I’m sorry.”
Amber tossed her pale hair out of her eyes and grinned at him. A faint blush stained her face and neck, the only sign of any discomfort.
“No problem. I’ve already eaten, so I’ll take my shower now. Keep packing. We’ll hit the road as soon as I’m ready.”
“Okay.”
“But before I shower, I want to take care of something.”
She handed him a small paperback.
“Read the title. I want to get that reading prohibition spell off and give you some time to recover before we leave here.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
Karl stared into Amber’s wide eyes. Her expression was so innocent, so guileless. She was beautiful. Even under the weight of the threads, that horrendous web, her spirit glowed. His hand twitched wanting to brush the silver strands of her hair off her forehead, but he kept it firmly at his side.
“Why not?” asked Amber, smiling.
“No problem,” said Karl slowly. “Just checking that you’re recovered e
nough.”
“Uh huh,” Amber nodded, “good recovery. Now just lie down on the bed like a good boy. Do everything that the nice witch says.”
Karl led the way back to the bedroom and sat down on the first of the double beds. He patted the rumpled comforter.
“Lie down beside me,” he invited.
Amber blushed and cast the circle, then climbed on the other side of the bed. They lay down side by side as far from each other as they could and still be on the same bed. Amber reached over and handed Karl a small paperback.
“Okay. You look at the title and I’ll take care of the spells.”
Before turning the book over Karl grasped Amber’s hand in his. He lifted her fingers to his lips. It was a risk flirting with her, but he couldn’t resist. With hope, Amber would stay around until this problem was solved and he was back to being his true self; the man he should be, free of the drain and the weight of the spells.
Maybe if she stayed, if she gave him a chance, then one day seduction might be welcome.
Which begged the question, would he? Could he seduce a person so voluntarily steeped in magic? It was so much a part of her he couldn’t imagine her anywhere without her fan, her books.
Once he’d had the spells taken out of his spirit could he endure being with a woman who practiced magic?
For now, he reached out and brushed his fingers down her arm.
“Just hanging on tight to something soft and warm,” he said. “I left my security blanket at home.”
Amber laughed.
“Go on, little boy. Look at the book. I’ll take care of the monsters in the dark.”
“We’ll take care of them,” and he read the book cover.
Immediately his muscles cramped, the searing pain stabbing deep into his brain. His tightly clenched teeth could not prevent the escape of his strangled cry.
Amber placed her free hand on his chest and dove into trance state. She hadn’t expected the pain to be so fierce or so swift. Karl’s body was outlined in radiance. The spell, several layers deep roiled and twisted around his body, sharp spikes digging, stabbing into Karl’s spirit. The bitch. Amber bit her lip and concentrated.
First Destroy All Giant Monsters (The World Wide Witches Research Association) Page 30