Spell Me Always

by Cherie Marks

  “What the hell, Lucian? What are you doing?”

  Even if he had an answer for her, he couldn’t speak to her until he’d shifted back into his human form, so he nosed her toward the break in the rocks that led to the canyon a few feet away.

  She got his meaning and began moving forward. Once they were beside his pack, tucked up under a low, rocky overhang, he shifted.

  Not wasting any time, she grabbed his arm and asked, “What were you thinking?” The minute she saw he was completely bare-assed naked, though, she dropped his arm and turned away.

  He shrugged. “I can’t say that I was thinking anything at all.” Except that he was thinking something. He was thinking that she was his mate. And he was thinking she couldn’t treat him like he was expendable. He’d show her how hard it was to be a prisoner.

  “You have to take me back.” She held up a book with a green cover. “The cure for my magical malady is in here. I need Kresley to fix me.”

  “I think you’re fine the way you are. You don’t need to be fixed.”

  “Come on! You can’t be serious. Lucian, I’m dangerous the way I am. I can’t control when I’m going to blast ice all over everything or throw someone or something into another dimension. It’s not something I can live with.”

  He understood her concern, but he wasn’t about to go back. “Didn’t you say you needed to find someone? Peps, I think. It sounded like delaying any longer was a bad idea.”

  “It is, which is why you need to take me back. The sooner Kresley can make things right, the sooner I can find Peps and head home.”

  “I’ll help you find this Peps.”

  And kill him if it’s another man.

  Where had that come from? Maybe he was getting in a little too deep. Maybe he should send her back, and then, he could continue with what he needed to do without any more distractions. Mate or not, they could choose not to be together. Maybe it would be the best for both of them.

  Now, he was trying to fool his own self.

  “How can you help me?”

  He tapped his nose. “Super sense of smell. I have abilities besides my skill at escape. Scenting prey...er...targets is one of them. Tell me more about Peps, and I’ll see what I can figure out.”

  “Um, I don’t know. Peps is kind of hard to describe, and he doesn’t trust a lot of people. I think I should go on my own.”

  He didn’t like that she was being vague about this Peps person. Was it a current lover? A former lover? Was that why she was trying to leave Lucian behind? Something like a wild, hot flame burned inside him at the thought of her with anyone else but him. So much for not choosing her.

  “That’s what I thought you would say.” He crawled under the rocky overhang and pulled out his pack. He dressed while she tapped her foot impatiently, and once everything that he didn’t need was secured back in his pack, he pulled a set of cuffs free. He didn’t give her a chance to protest. Instead, he immediately snapped them around her wrists and said, “I think I’ll give you a taste of your own medicine for a while first.”

  “What? Are you serious?”

  “Completely.” He wasn’t, but she didn’t need to know that yet.

  “This is just wasting more time. I might just show you what I can do and send you to another dimension right here, right now.”

  “Then, do it. What are you waiting for?”

  She wiggled her nose a few times, but nothing happened. He assumed she was hoping for a sneeze or a hiccough or something. Neither came.

  He laughed at her pitiful attempt and then freed her from the cuffs. As much as he wanted to keep her with him, to protect her, and join with her completely, he would never force it upon her. She would always have a choice.

  “I was just kidding. You’re free to go. Take your book and get your cure. Just realize that I am a terrific hunter, but I refuse to offer my services any longer.” He bowed dramatically. “Good day to you, and if you don’t mind, tell Kresley that I won’t be any more trouble for her. There is no need for a round two between us.”

  At first, she looked thoroughly confused, but then a wide grin spread over her face as she said, “Lucian, it has been a pleasure knowing you. I hope things work out for you in all your endeavors.”

  She held out her hand for him to shake, but he wrapped both his arms around her instead.

  “I think we’re past handshakes, Mez. Don’t you?” He tipped her head back with one hand on her chin and lowered his mouth to hers. He kissed her hard and hot, and she couldn’t get enough of him. When he finally pulled away, she was breathless and disoriented. Let her think about that all the way back to Kresley’s house.

  He steadied her with his hands on her waist as he said, “Maybe we’ll run into each other again someday. Until then, take care of yourself. Get that problem with your magic straightened out and find your friend. Good luck to you.”

  He turned away, ready to pick up his pack and start walking when he paused at the sound of voices. They were coming from the land formation above them that hung over the secret canyon. He put his finger to his lips, and they both listened.

  “Now, the general wants us to bring the old witch, too. It wasn’t enough to steal her stink root. Now, they want her.”

  “So, what are we supposed to do? She’s guarded on all sides and rarely leaves her property.”

  “We’ve had people watching the place, and apparently, one of our recent volunteers made it on the inside. I guess, he’s supposed to help us get in once the defenses are lowered.” They were talking about him. One of the men gave a low chuckle. “Supposedly, the general has a secret weapon, too.”

  “Really? What is it?”

  “Now, how the hell should I know. Do I look like the general?”

  “No. Not even close.”

  “Doh! You’re such a knob.”

  “What do we do until the general gets here?”

  “We’re supposed to make camp. This looks like a good enough spot.”

  “Looks like a damn, boring spot. Why do we always get stuck with the worst jobs?”

  They worked in silence for a little while as Lucian and Mez remained as quiet as possible. Neither said much to the other except to follow the requests that Lucian assumed were made by the general.

  One of them finally said, “I wish we had a more important job than making camp.”

  “Oh! You know what? I did overhear that they needed one more thing to complete the spell. Maybe we could get that for them.”

  “What do they need?”

  “A book. With a green cover.”

  Mez looked down at the book in her hands. Lucian noticed it had a bright green cover.

  Things just got interesting.

  Chapter 14

  Mez couldn’t look away from the book in her hand.

  Had Kresley known all along? Had she masterminded this whole situation?

  In the end, Mez knew it didn’t matter. Whether she did plan this all out or whether she didn’t really wasn’t important. All Mez knew for now was that she had a job to do. Keep the book out of the hands of the bad guys. And she planned to do it well.

  She looked at Lucian, determined to get the shifter to help her. He might have impulsively grabbed her from the library on his way out, but she was thankful she wasn’t alone. She just had to convince him he was on her side.

  With purpose, she held up the book, and he nodded.

  He motioned for her to walk further into the canyon as he shouldered his pack and began making his way in the direction he had indicated.

  Once they had hiked for a good twenty minutes, he looked at the ridges above them and reached for her arm to pull her under another rocky overhang.

  “I didn’t see anyone nearby, but we should talk quietly just in case.”

  She nodded to show she understood.

  “Do you know what secret weapon they were talking about?”

  Mez tried to think through what they could possibly be talking about, but she wasn’t aware of
anything that would be considered a secret weapon. Unless...oh, she hoped it wasn’t what she thought it was. She wasn’t ready to commit to that idea yet though, so she shook her head back and forth and said, “Nothing that I know of for sure.”

  “Okay. Something else they said is bothering me. Why do you think they want Kresley?”

  Suddenly, the book flew out of Mez’s hands and landed on the ground. The pages began to turn rapidly until they stopped on a particular page and stayed flat and open.

  Mez and Lucian approached cautiously, peering gingerly at the open book. When Mez saw the title of the spell, she nearly forgot to breathe.

  She fell to her knees, and with a tug, pulled Lucian down with her. She met his gaze briefly before she asked, “Do you know what this is?”

  “I’m afraid to ask.”

  “It’s a possession spell.” Her heart raced at the realization. “They’re not going to resurrect the High Priestess in her old, decaying body. They’re going to use Kresley as a host.”

  She watched his face for a reaction. And when he shook his head back and forth, she wondered if he understood the consequences.

  “We have to do something, Lucian. If the High Priestess comes back in Kresley’s body, she’ll have access to Kresley’s magic. She’ll wreak havoc on the land, and people won’t even see her coming.

  “You’re right. I have to take care of something first, but then, we’ll plan what the best course of action is. Don’t worry about Kresley. We’ll keep her safe.”

  He settled Mez under the makeshift shelter, pulled some supplies from his pack, and took off for an upper part of the canyon. She was a little curious as to what he was taking care of. It made her nervous. After all, how did she know he wasn’t contacting the Secret Army right now, telling them exactly how to get their hands on Kresley?

  Mez really didn’t like so many unknowns. She also didn’t like the small space of an indentation under a cliffside either, but she tried not to think about it and busied herself looking at the possession spell in the book.

  Looked like they would need the stink root for this particular spell, which they now had, but they also needed other ingredients that weren’t easy to find. She wondered if they already had the Immort weed and the Wootbyr. Both were rare and one was even from another dimension. Could they have possibly gotten both?

  After a short time, though, he returned, and settled down next to her, pulling a container of water from the bottom of his pack and handing it to her. He pulled one for himself as well.

  “It’s obviously up to you and me to save Kresley and, well, the kingdom. But we don’t want to move too quickly and play our hand for all to see.”

  “Agreed. We need to see what this secret weapon is before we try anything.” She had an idea what it was already. It had to be Peps. It had to be the reason they took him in the first place. She had to get him back before they used him for something that hurt others.

  “Then, we’ll camp in the canyon tonight. Far enough away that we won’t be discovered but close enough that we will see when they make a move or something arrives.”

  The thought of staying with Lucian another night both thrilled and scared Mez, but she nodded and asked, “What do we do while we’re waiting?”

  “There’s always seduction.”

  She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. How could he think of sex at a time like this?

  He laughed and reached into his pack. “We could just play cards.”

  That crooked grin of his brought a reluctant smile to her own lips. She uncrossed her arms and agreed.

  Chapter 15

  Lucian stared at Mez and laid down his card. He didn’t even glance at the pile. Instead, he watched for her reaction.

  “Well, shit.”

  He laughed at her understated response. “Get used to it. I can do this all night.”

  “You know, you’re kind of cute when you’re smug. But I don’t plan on getting used to it. I plan on getting better. Deal them again.”

  They played another couple of hands, and although Mez came close the last time, he still beat her in the end.

  “Ugh! Let’s do something else for a while.”

  Lucian’s mind immediately turned to something he’d like to do with her. But he doubted she was ready for it. He needed to distract himself.

  His gaze landed on the green book once more. “Did you find anything in the book that might help us? Or, at least, will help you?”

  “I just skimmed through, but nothing seemed to be a cure for misfiring magic. I need to get it back to Kresley.”

  “Once things are safe again.”

  “Right. Of course.” He could tell she had more for him to consider by the unsure look in her eyes. Finally, she asked, “You don’t think Kresley knew all of this was going to happen, do you?”

  “You mean, like a premonition or something like that?”

  “Yeah. Something like that. Like, maybe she orchestrated it all.”

  It did seem possible. But there would have been so many pieces to fit into place for that to work. He wasn’t sure even the amazing Kresley could do that. “I think you and I presented an opportunity for her. I’m not sure she’s a mastermind so much as a very lucky person. We fell right into her lap.”

  “Speak for yourself. I turned her into a popsicle first.”

  “Good point. I got duped by chocolately deliciousness.”

  “Do you think she put us together on purpose? I mean, she kept throwing me in that room with you, time and again.”

  Could Kresley have known they were destined mates? Had she been trying to push them together from the start?

  “For instance, when she attacked you. That was so out-of-character for her, but it made me get all protective of you. Maybe she only did that so that we would grow closer.”

  What Mez was saying sort of made sense. Kresley had thrown them together in a small space as often as she could, and she didn’t seem to be trying incredibly hard to stop him when he’d escaped with Mez in tow. As a matter of fact, as she threw her spells at him in the library, her magic had seemed overly inaccurate now that he thought about it. What if all of this had been part of her plan?

  If that were the case, then she had clearly wanted Lucian to take Mez outside of the protections of the property with the green book, knowing full well that, as his mate, he would protect Mez with his life.

  “All we can do is ask her next time we see her.” He stretched out his hands with a yawn. “For now, I think we’ll have to wait to find out more tomorrow. I’ll take the first guard shift and let you rest. When I’m ready to lie down, I’ll wake you up and let you take over.”

  He started to head back out to do a little reconnaissance but changed his mind when it started to rain. Instead, he sat at the entrance, waiting for the storm to pass. His gaze kept drifting back to her time after time. Each time, she was watching him.

  She looked the slightest bit nervous as she asked, “Do you think you could lie next to me until I fall asleep?”

  He couldn’t have resisted if she’d been covered in spikes. He laid a blanket down and pulled out a second rolled up blanket that he dropped onto the side he expected to lay his head. He lowered himself and stretched out on his side, patting the blanket-covered ground in front of him. She laid down in front of him, her back to him and, without a bit of shyness at all, scooted herself against him, pulling his arm over her.

  He grinned to himself, knowing that she had no idea how right this felt to him. If the boulders came crashing down around them at this moment, he would die a happy man. Having your mate in your arms, smelling her floral scent, and feeling her body next to yours was what every wolf shifter dreamed of.

  Pulling her closer, he breathed in her light, lavender scent. Lucian wanted to tell her the truth. He wanted her to see him for who he really was. He was fighting for a life of freedom in the kingdom, a life he could build with his mate, a life that he could tell the ten-year-old version of himself was goo
d, despite the horrors of his childhood. He wanted to say this and more to Mez, but as he opened his mouth to speak, she turned over and reached a hand up to stroke his cheek.

  “Kiss me again, Lucian.”

  He’d never had a more tempting request. Even if he’d wanted to, he couldn’t resist such a sweet request from his mate. Without hesitation, he lowered his mouth to hers and softly met her lips. Time seemed to stop in that moment, and the world faded away as life itself could be found, here, in his mate’s kiss.

  He slipped his tongue inside her mouth to move against hers. He was growing more and more mindless every moment with each low moan she fed him. While one arm kept him balanced beside her, he began to explore her body with his free hand. He ran his hand along the side of her torso until he could lift the hem of her shirt slightly and feel the bare skin of her midriff, making little circles just below her breasts. He felt her heartbeat pick up, betraying her reaction to his touch.

  His own breathing was erratic as he pulled free of the kiss and gazed down at her plump lips, plumper now because of the attention he’d given them. Every inch of his body hummed with anticipation, and his cock was harder than he ever remembered, ready to make her his.

  “If we don’t stop now, I won’t be able to. You are better than a dream right now. Nothing better.”

  Her face softened at his words, and he knew it had the opposite effect from what he had intended. Rather than have the good sense to stop him, she rolled her hips toward him, and it was all the invitation he needed. He hoped she knew what she was doing because once he’d possessed her physically, he was going to be damned hard to shake. It was the nature of the mating between two who were fated. She would be his, and he would be hers forever.

  He lowered his lips to hers again and shifted so that he hovered over her, his lower body resting on hers as their mouths slanted together. He wasn’t in a hurry, but his need to be with her urged him on, and he bucked against her with a groan. Through their clothes, there was still no denying how turned on he was by her.

  As he pulled back from their kiss once more, she uttered, “It’s so good. I don’t want you to stop.”