by T. M. Cromer
“Hi. I’m Liz. I’m looking for Rafe Xuereb. I was told by the Council he might be here.”
Zane stood back and allowed her entry. He noticed her gaze flew immediately to Winnie to sum her up before she studied her surroundings.
“You seem familiar,” Winnie said. “Have we met?”
“Once. When we were kids.”
“I’m sorry, but you have me at a loss. I can’t seem to remember.”
Liz gave Winnie a half-smile. “I’m not surprised. You were about five or so at the time. I should clarify, my name is Elizabeth Thorne.”
Winnie’s jaw dropped. “Thorne?”
“We’re second cousins. My grandfather was your grandfather’s brother.”
“Well, come in! Let me get you a cup of coffee, or do you prefer tea?”
“You don’t have to go to any trouble. I’m only here to deliver this for Nash.”
“Wait! You work for Nash at Thorne Industries?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve left him messages, but he hasn’t returned my calls.”
Zane voiced his surprise.
Winnie smiled sheepishly. “I wanted to invite him for Thanksgiving. He’s Summer’s brother. He should be around family for the holiday.”
Liz’s countenance visibly softened. “I agree. I’ll do what I can to get him here.”
When Winnie turned her beaming smile on Liz, Zane grinned. She’d made another conquest. He didn’t know a single soul who didn’t love his beautiful woman.
“Won’t you join us too?” Winnie clasped one of Liz’s hands in hers. “We’ll have more than enough.”
“I usually spend it with my parents and brothers,” Liz demurred.
“They’re more than welcome too,” Winnie insisted. “I think it’s past time we got to know your side of the family. I know my sisters would love to meet you and your brothers. Say you’ll at least think about it.”
“I’ll at least think about—” Liz’s promise was halted in her throat as her eyes were drawn to the man descending the stairs. Her amber eyes bulged, and a strangled cry escaped her. “You!”
Rafe’s physical reaction was similar to Liz’s. He’d stopped mid-descent and stared as if he’d seen a ghost.
Zane cozied up to Winnie. “Think there’s a story there?”
“You know it. I’m a little hurt that Rafe kept it from me. I suspect Aunt GiGi is about to be kicked to the curb.”
“How are you here?” Rafe’s normally deep voice was hoarse as he continued to stare at Liz.
She had the presence of mind to lift the folder in her hand. “I was looking for Rafe Xuereb. The Council…”
“I’m he.”
Liz shook her head in wonder. “I had no idea you were one and the same Rafe.”
Rafe’s dark gaze consumed Liz as it swept her petite frame from head to toe. “I work for the WC. It’s why I had to leave that morning. I had no idea…” He trailed off and cast a side glance toward where Zane stood with his arms around Winnie and his chin resting on her head.
“Don’t mind us,” Zane laughed. “This is fascinating.”
A dark flush stained Rafe’s neck and moved to his cheeks. “Do you mind giving us some privacy, please.”
Zane laughed again as Winnie shoved him toward the kitchen. “Oh, to be a fly on the wall,” he murmured in her ear.
“I know! Did you see their faces? I’m guessing one-night stand, but he took off without an explanation.”
Zane peeked around the door frame to see Rafe approach Liz, and Liz back up. “I think you could be correct.”
“Hold on.”
Winnie locked hands with Zane and voiced a quick spell. When warmth fully surrounded him, he raised a brow in question.
“Cloaking spell. Now we can spy on them.”
“Why, Winter Thorne! You are one sneaky little minx.”
She grinned, and Zane was helpless not to kiss her.
“This was how I spied on you in the shower during high school.”
“Ah, so this was how it was done. Clever.”
“Shhh, let’s go, or we’ll miss the best part.”
“Wait! When you spied on me in the locker room, did you spy on the other guys too?”
She waved a hand in dismissal. “I didn’t even look at the others. I was too busy watching you.”
Somewhat mollified, he allowed her to drag him back into the foyer. He nearly snorted when she placed a finger to her lips to signal silence.
“I had no idea how to find you again,” Rafe was saying. “Qalbi, I had no intention of hurting you.”
Winnie gasped. “Qalbi? That’s his nickname for me! That player!”
“Shhh. And he better cool it with the nicknames for you. Only I can use them from here on out.”
Liz cast a sharp glance in their direction.
“Do you think she heard us?” Zane murmured in her ear.
“I’m not entirely certain. The cloak is supposed to come with soundproofing.”
“Your indignant response to his pet name might have stretched the limitations of the cloaking spell.”
“Shut it.”
“Really, if you’re attached to the endearment, babe, I can try to put it into play during our conversations,” he continued to tease.
“Will you be quiet? I’m missing their conversation.”
Zane’s hand crept under Winnie’s shirt and cupped her breast. “But I can think of a much better way for us to spend our time.”
Winnie leaned back into him and ran her hand down the front of his slacks, pausing to rub his arousal. “What about work?”
“Screw work,” he growled and teleported them to their bedroom.
Winnie came downstairs forty minutes later to find Rafe sipping coffee in the kitchen.
He smirked when he saw her and jutted his chin toward the fresh-baked cinnamon rolls on the stove. “I finished them for you.”
A blush heated her face. “Uh, yeah, thanks. I got distracted.”
Rafe chuckled and went back to reading the papers in his hand.
“Rafe?”
“Mmm?”
“You and Liz? What’s going on there?”
He cast her a sharp glance. “Are you jealous, Winter?”
She shrugged as she plated up a roll for each of them. “No. I’m happy. I just felt I was missing something. Like you and my cousin had a deeper connection going on.”
“Cousin? Liz is a Thorne?”
Surprised, she paused in eating. “You didn’t know?”
“She took off before we could talk.” His mouth twisted in disgust. “Do you know how I can find her?”
“Why would you want to?” she asked.
His dark, intense gaze burned into her.
“Ah. Okay. She works with my cousin, Nash, at Thorne Industries in North Carolina,” Winnie offered up.
The wide smile he graced her with had Winnie sucking in her breath. The man was gorgeous, no doubt.
“I have a gift for you.” Rafe laid an object on the flat wood surface and shoved it in her direction.
Her eyes widened as she locked onto the necklace. “The Uterine amulet! I thought Lin had it.”
“Zane didn’t tell you? I conjured a replica and switched them.”
“Rafe!” Overcome, tears burned her eyes, and she had a hard time focusing through the blurry curtain. “You don’t know what this means to me.”
“I think I do. Just as you know finding Liz means something to me.”
“What about the Council? You could lose your job.”
He held up his papers. “It appears I already have.” He gave an uncaring shrug. “That’s what happens when the WC doesn’t approve your decision to do the right thing.”
“Oh, Rafe. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. I’d rather your mother be returned to you. Thank you for saving my life, Winter Thorne.”
She smiled and reached across the table to grasp his hand. “It was entirely my pleasure.”
“Why can’t you keep your hands off my woman?” Zane complained as he entered the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee. “Every time I turn around, there you two are, flirting. It’s giving me a serious complex.”
Winnie and Rafe laughed at his teasing.
“On that note, I must bid you both goodbye. I’m heading home today,” Rafe informed them as he rose and dumped the remains of his mug into the sink. “I owe you both a debt of gratitude. If you ever need me, I’ll be there.”
The two men shook hands.
Zane shook his head. “No, you don’t owe us anything. It was a team effort to survive Lin. Don’t forget to leave your number with Winnie. But no sexting.”
Rafe conjured a piece of paper with his number and handed it to Winnie. After dropping a kiss on her cheek, he teleported away.
“I’m going to miss him,” Winnie said. A great sadness gripped her. Rafe had become an important part of their lives in the last weeks.
Zane pulled her up from her seat and hugged her close. “Oddly enough, me, too. But you have his number, and I’m sure we’ll see him again. I know he’s not American, but that’s no reason not to invite him for Thanksgiving.”
“I love you. Thanks for understanding.”
He reached past her to pinch off a piece of cinnamon roll and pop it into his mouth. “Damn! You did a great job on this batch, babe.”
“Rafe made those. I was upstairs with you, remember?” she said dryly.
“Get him back here! We need him to cook for us!”
Zane laughed when Winnie swatted his chest.
“Get going to work. I need to call Alastair and let him know I have the amulet,” she said.
After Zane left, she picked up the amulet and headed to her room. Once there, she grabbed the tanzanite pendant her uncle had given her.
“I have a present for you, uncle dear.”
“I’ll be there this afternoon. Can you gather your sisters?”
“Consider it done.”
“Thank you, child. I’ll see you at three.”
30
By three o’clock, the living room of Thorne Manor was packed with Thornes and Carlyles alike. Alastair stood off to one side in deep conversation with Winnie’s uncle Ryker and her father. What the three men discussed in their low, hushed tones was anyone’s guess.
GiGi served coffee and cookies while studiously avoiding looking in their direction. Winnie’s heart ached for her. Her aunt obviously still bore an intense affection for Ryker, who paid her little heed.
Winnie’s eyes met the tortured gaze of her aunt. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t know he’d be here when I messaged you earlier.”
With a pat to Winnie’s hand, GiGi conveyed her forgiveness and understanding.
Alastair called the meeting to order when Holly arrived followed closely by a scowling Quentin.
Zane lifted Winnie to sit, then pulled her back down onto his lap. The move caused Alastair to smile.
“It’s time to discuss the next mission.”
Everyone groaned.
“Sorry, kids, but we are on a tight schedule if we want to save Aurora.”
“I suppose that means the next object on your list is for me to find,” Spring said as she picked through the cookies on the tray.
Knox swiped a cookie she was reaching for. “Us, unless I miss my guess,” he corrected. As soon as he took a bite, he spit the cookie into a napkin and glared at Spring.
Her wicked grin left little doubt that she’d turned the cookie to dirt. “I’m fine on my own.”
“But as smart as you like to think you are, you missed the most important factor. A couple has to retrieve the object.”
“A couple in love most likely. That leaves us out altogether, doesn’t it?” Spring faced Alastair. “So, do Holly and Quentin go on the next mission?”
Holly sputtered her denial which the entire room ignored with a collective eye roll. Alastair held up a hand to cut her off.
“Relax, child. You’re not going.”
Winnie noticed her sister’s relief and Quentin’s amusement. Secretly, she was rooting for Quentin. The poor man was crazy for Holly, and Holly was the only one who refused to see it.
“To get back to your earlier statement, Spring, I will require you and Knox to retrieve Thor’s Hammer.” He passed out what information he had on the item. “There is very little to go on with this particular artifact. Here is a rough sketch drawn by Summer’s ape.”
“Morty?” Summer questioned as she took a second look at the paper in front of her.
“Yes. And based on his landscape paintings, all of which you’ve seen, I’m going to say the location is somewhere in the jungles of South America.”
“That doesn’t sound safe,” Winnie protested.
“I intend to oversee this particular retrieval from the beginning. Lin won’t get the upper hand again.”
“I have contacts at the Council,” Knox told him. “I can see what I can find out.”
“Try not to alert them of our interest. I suspect there is a spy in their midst. How else does Lin continue to get the drop on us?” Preston said.
Winnie was surprised to hear her father mention anything remotely negative about the Witches’ Council. Until recently, he’d been an advocate of the WC. Why that had changed was anyone’s guess.
“We think he somehow placed a tracking spell on me in Malta,” Winnie said with a gesture to include Zane. “Based on something he said, I believe you’re right. But you should all know, he’s connected. He’s also the descendent of Serqet. It gives him the added edge for his mindless pursuit in destroying our family.”
“Who is Serqet?” Coop asked.
“She was Isis’s sister,” Spring volunteered. “She sinned against mankind and her punishment was great. The other Gods stripped her powers. It’s a painful process from what I’ve read in the older passages of our grimoire.”
Autumn rounded on her. “Wait, you can read the older stuff? Is that a recent development?”
“Yes. Actually, Rafe helped me. He’d caught a glimpse of a similar writing in the antechamber of Isis’s temple. The symbols matched the Uterine amulet. I was able to decipher some of the runes.”
Zane leaned in to whisper, “Your younger sister is like Rain Man smart, isn’t she?”
“Mmhmm. She also has a gift for languages,” Winnie replied, careful to keep her voice low. Raising her voice for the others, she said, “Lin had a set of bracelets created that allows him to harness the wearer’s abilities for himself. I think we need a few engineers on the team to figure out how to counter that little weapon.”
Preston moved forward and placed a hand on Winnie’s shoulder, squeezing lightly. “Ryker and I are working on that. He was able to steal some information from Lin’s camp when he was disguised as Jolly.”
“I’m still not happy with you for letting them throw me in that damned dungeon,” Autumn told Ryker. She shuddered. “Those skeletons still give me nightmares.”
Their uncle uncrossed his arms and shoved off the wall to join the discussion. “I didn’t have a choice, Autumn. If I intervened other than to provide Alastair with the key, I would’ve been found out. As it is, my cover was blown helping everyone escape with Winnie.”
GiGi finally looked in Ryker’s direction. “Is that where you’ve been all this time?”
Their eyes met, and everyone in the room felt the ripple of energy indicating their hurt and anger with one another.
“Mostly,” Ryker said in a non-committal way. His eyes lingered on GiGi for another breath before he purposefully looked away, his face a mask of indifference.
Winnie’s heart broke for them. She couldn’t imagine being separated from Zane after sharing such a legendary love as GiGi and Ryker had been reported to have.
“You could apologize to her,” GiGi snapped. Her anger created another ripple in the room.
Without answering or acknowledging his wife in any way other than move to where Autumn
stood, Ryker took Autumn’s hand in his and pulled her into his embrace. “I’m sorry for what you went through, Tums. If I could take away the horrible memories, I would.”
“Thank you, Uncle Ryker.” Autumn returned his hug. “I appreciate the sentiment. But let’s get back to the matter at hand. I want to know how we kill Lin.”
To anyone on the outside, Autumn seemed a bit bloodthirsty, but she’d said what everyone in the room was thinking. Lin was responsible for their mother’s and Autumn’s stasis; he nearly killed two young children—one of which was Autumn’s stepdaughter; and lastly, he’d strangled Winnie and left her for dead.
Winnie’s gaze connected with Autumn’s across the room. Both sisters had a score to settle with that bastard. Winnie nodded her understanding. From here on, the two of them would work day and night to come up with a solution to take him out.
Winnie shifted her attention to Alastair, who had been silently studying her.
“Are you okay, child?”
“Perfectly fine, uncle. Just picturing the Karma bus driving over Lin’s body—multiple times.”
Delighted laughter poured out of him, and the entire room went silent to witness this rare phenomenon. When he sobered, a small smile playing about his mouth was the only tell-tale sign he’d been amused at all.
“I’ll do more research this week. Maybe I’ll be able to find the last known location of Thor’s Hammer.” Spring brought the conversation back to the beginning topic. “If it really is in South America, that works for me because I have a replanting project scheduled for the middle of next week.”
“If Coop and Keaton can manage the horses, I can be ready to leave then, too,” Knox added.
“I haven’t agreed to let you accompany me,” she replied.
“You don’t have a choice.”
Spring rounded on him. “I most certainly do, and I don’t want you to go.”
“Stop being a stubborn idiot and—Gah!” Knox spit out the dirt she’d magically stuffed into his mouth. “You do that one more time, and I’m turning you over my knee like the spoiled brat you are.”
“Try it, and you’ll be buried six feet under,” she snarled. “Trust me, I have the power to do it.”