by Hickory Mack
Makkai’s smile was too bright. Chiori couldn’t tell him no. Not yet. She needed to speak to Ichio, and Gideon, and Moscow. She needed to learn everything she could before she decided if she wanted any part of this prophecy. All she could remember about Dragons was chaos and death and two near successful attempts to destroy the entire world. Another thought stopped her cold.
“Did she just… Did that woman just give me more magic?!” she demanded angrily. She mentally moved into the space she needed and looked at her hands. Sure enough, bright threads of bronze swirled around with the green. “Why would she do this to me?!”
“She’s one of the ancients, Chiori, there’s no knowing why they do the things they do. Gabija saw it as a gift, in my experience with creatures that old, it’s best not to refuse those gifts,” Makkai answered.
“I don’t see how I could refuse it, we haven’t figured out how to turn the Earthy tap off yet, and now there’s another one to deal with. I still get to be angry about this,” she grumbled.
“On the plus side, the alicanto are going to love this,” Makkai gave a placating grin.
She smiled at Makkai and let him take her hand. Worrying could wait. She had plenty of time, she wouldn’t be needed until after whenever the year of the lamb was.
Makkai took her home well after dark, kissing her hands and promising to see her on Sunday. When he left she ground her fists into her thighs and breathed. Her bond with Makkai had slowly strengthened over the past three years, and while they’d learned to swallow the pain of missing each other, it hadn’t gotten any easier.
Somewhere on the grounds she heard the cry of her alicanto. The birds had sensed her return and would be there soon to greet her, but Gideon arrived first.
He scooped her up in his arms and squeezed her tight. Peppering her face with kisses he walked her backward toward the house until she could hear the music. Somewhere out of sight, a demon was playing an acoustic guitar. Gideon twirled her around before pressing her close. Chiori laughed. He’d been teaching her all sorts of dances and he led her into a slow, comforting motion.
She lay her head on his shoulder and let him take control. Unhindered their bond had grown exponentially in the time they had together, and it had made their emotional link that much stronger. Gideon always knew exactly what she needed, when she needed it.
“We’ll talk about it tomorrow,” he promised in a low voice. “Tonight we dance and eat cake until we’re so fat Winry puts us on a regimen.”
“What kind of cake?”
“Lemon.”
“I love you, Gid,” Chiori said softly.
“All it takes is cake,” Gideon teased.
The birds came on the run. Twice as big as a peacock and three times as extravagant, their feathers glinting silver and gold and bronze in the light of the full red moon. Harvest, the cock, and two of the hens had come, the third was on her nest. Their first clutch of eggs. Chiori paused their dance long enough to give them all love and attention. She pulled a handful of shaved gold out of her pocket, feeding a bit to each of them. Giving them each extra kisses she dusted off her hands.
“Be good babies, I’ll see you in the morning,” she said, tugging on Gideon. “Cake.”
“Okay, okay,” he chuckled, letting her lead him up the steps. “I have good news. A message came while you were out cavorting with the Lord of the Castle.”
“Oh?”
“We think we’ve finally found your mother’s coven,” Gideon said. Chiori stopped in her tracks. “They’re reclusive, the type that don’t want to be found, but we have their last known location. I’ve got someone working on making contact.”
“Kin,” Chiori whispered, her mind racing. This was too soon, Gabija’s warning couldn’t happen this quickly. “Gid, when is the year of the lamb?” Gideon tasted the fear in her emotions, laced his fingers through hers and kissed her cheek.
“I’m not sure, that’s no longer a utilized measure of time, we can look into it though. I’ve just decided you’re staying with me tonight. We’ll eat cake and dance and sing and when you’re too sated and happy we’ll cuddle up together and you’ll tell me everything you’re worried about. I’ll take it all away so you can dream the sweetest dreams. Enjoy this day. We’ll tackle everything else in the morning,” Gideon said.
“You can’t take this away,” Chiori lit up her hands and showed him. Gideon frowned, squinting his eyes at the dual colors swirling in her palms. They weren’t equal parts, but the bronze was already thicker than before. She closed her eyes and nodded when he cursed. Gideon rarely cursed. Chiori stamped down her emotions and forced a smile, feeling guilty for ruining his plans.
“You’re right.” she agreed. “Take it away for tonight. We'll deal with it tomorrow.”
To keep reading, go get your copy of Witchling!
In Witching, Chiori faces the hunters head on and the temperature heats up in more ways than one.
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Keep reading for a teaser of Witchling, the second book in the Taming the Elements series!
Sneak Peek at Witching
Chapter One
3 Months Later
Gideon
“Chiori, I’m going to wait right here until you come out! I can be every bit as stubborn as you,” Gideon called, flopping back into the grass. He plucked a long strand from the ground and popped it into his mouth, chewing its crunchy parts. “Can you even hear me in there?”
He sat outside of the cabin by the lake, or at least, what remained of it. Chiori had turned the little building into a living enclosure, trees of every sort twisting and knotting, forming an impenetrable barrier of magically fortified wood. Rising into the canopy, the impromptu fortress was impressive, but its lack of a serviceable door was frustrating. Gideon tossed a twig at it but the projectile bounced harmlessly away.
She’d done it again. Another landslide.
Teenage hormones, unfinished mating bonds, and a mate that only visited once a week matched with the most absurd amount of power any of them had ever seen, all amounted to a recipe for disaster. The worst part was knowing her actions caused Lord Makkai pain. His connection with his territories meant that he felt the death or injury of every tree affected by the landslide. Chiori knew it hurt him; it was the guilt brought on by that knowledge that started the earthquakes. Then, to round her glorious morning off, she’d accidentally magnetized a twenty-foot circumference of the ground around her. Judging by the sharp objects firmly wedged into the earth around the cabin, that hadn’t been pretty either.
He could feel her annoyance at the cuts she’d sustained from that little accident. Thankfully, it was only annoyance and not fear, letting him know that she wasn’t hurt too badly.
Gideon regularly siphoned off as much of her power as he could handle, but it replenished itself faster than he could rid himself of the excess. They still hadn’t figured out where she was getting all that power from, there were no depletions in the surrounding lands and no demons complaining of mysterious siphoning.
Makkai had made it clear he didn’t care where she was getting it from, nor did he care about her mistakes. So far as he was concerned, she could split the world in half and he would forgive her. However, struggling with her magic made her unhappy, and that he couldn’t abide. If she was going to contain that much power, he wanted Gideon to figure out how she could control it. It didn’t matter how much power she had if she couldn’t harness and use it. That lack of control made her one of the weakest people in the house. Her volatility left her vulnerable.
Chiori couldn’t use her magic for small things anymore. She could hold it back when maintaining a calm control of her emotions, which meant time spent with Lord Makkai was incident free. Chiori was a pro at holding her emotions in check while with the fox, like she was personally responsible for making his life easier. Not a drop of errant power leaked on her one day with him each week. The rest of the week was hit or miss. She could somewhat direct her magic a
nd use it to manipulate larger spells, but anything intricate went awry.
Luckily, most of her classes were peaceful. Art, Languages, Demon Lore, physical training, all classes requiring concentration and no magic remained incident free. The only time she was able to remain focused while using magic was during the two days a week she was with Ichio. The forest spirit quietly absorbed large amounts of power while they worked on the gardens and discussed history.
Magic classes with Gideon gave her the most trouble. Nakia’s theory was that Chiori was at her most comfortable with him, allowing herself to be vulnerable in his classes, trusting him to cushion her mistakes. The snake wanted him to take a stricter hand in her magical education.
Yuuki had a different theory. He sexually frustrated her so deeply she couldn’t separate her feelings for him from her magic. Yuuki was convinced her Earthy and red moon powers wouldn’t settle until their bond was sealed. Gideon tended to agree with the sprite, but even if she were right he would honor Chiori’s wishes, and her wishes were tied to Makkai’s.
Winry had begun leaving the bruises she’d promised, right after Chiori had turned sixteen. Gideon didn’t like it, but Chiori was more than ready. She practiced her forms constantly during her free time, learning the motions, instilling muscle memory, drilling and working up a sweat before actually fighting with her instructor. They fought in the courtyard in front of the house, drawing crowds every time. Chiori was fast, but Winry had been doing this for years. So far, the otter was toying with her student, working her hard and strengthening her skills.
It worked to distract Chiori, tiring her out enough to calm a small amount of the magical leakage. Until two weeks ago, when Winry had taken leave, going home to an ailing mother. Nobody else had volunteered to cross blades with her and the magic built back up quickly. Gideon threw an arm over his eyes. He’d find her another sparring partner, Saya or Moscow would serve his purpose, or he’d do it himself if it helped.
“Chiori, you wanna come spar with me? I promise not to let you win,” he tried, speaking to an unresponsive wall of living wood. Then the air shifted and he pointed at the source without looking over. “I don’t know what you did, but I know this is your fault.”
“Tch,” Makkai approached Chiori’s make-shift fortress, his six tails swaying gently with each step. He touched the wood and sighed. “There’s no use trying to convince her to come out. She cannot hear you.”
“Don’t talk at me. I don’t want to hear your voice right now,” Gideon complained. Today was Sunday, Chiori’s day off from studies, and the one day a week she spent with Lord Makkai. Gideon had noted she was more anxious than usual that morning, but she’d guarded her thoughts carefully and the anxiety had melted away when she’d left with him. A few hours later, she’d emotionally fallen apart. He’d come to find her only to encounter the wall. The fox sighed and sat at the root of Chiori’s creation, leaning against its wall.
“I didn’t mean for this to happen,” Makkai said. Gideon flung his arm to the side and glared at him. Makkai’s signature frown was firmly in place.
“What did you do?” he demanded. Makkai studiously examined a speck of moss on a nearby tree.
“I thwarted disaster,” he said.
“Could you be any more cryptic?” Gideon snorted.
“She tried to kiss me,” Makkai said.
“She’s eighteen. She likes to be kissed. Often, and thoroughly,” Gideon retorted, then narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean she tried?”
“I turned her away.”
“You rejected her,” Gideon echoed. “Chiori doesn’t deserve that. This isn’t some young girl’s crush that you can simply brush off. She doesn’t just love you, she’s legitimately in love with you. Do you have any idea how long she’s been working up the courage to try kissing you?”
“It wasn’t a rejection. Chiori knows we can’t share intimacy, and why. Chiori knows it isn’t forever. She told you she was going to try this?” Makkai growled.
“Chiori tells me everything,” Gideon growled back.
Acknowledgments
Special thanks to the beta squad that helped clean this little project up, Melissa, Heather, Ella and Katie. You’re the best and you really helped bring my confidence back up!
About the Author
Hickory enjoys time with her 3 adventurous children and her goofy cat, Albus Kittydore. She enjoys hiking, reading and starting new hobbies with gusto, only to let them peeter out over time.
She has published the first book of the "Taming the Elements" series, Half-Breed, and is working hard to get the second book in the series written.
Join our reader group on Facebook The Hickory Mack Fam! for updates, teasers give-aways and release information!
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Character Index
Our Main Character
Chiori Kaede Sayuri Eustone (Alice)
The Guys
Lord Makkai of Osaka - Fox Demon, also known as a Kitsune
Gideon (Kai) - A witch and incubus cross
The Girls
Nakia - Water snake Demon, head of Chiori’s household
Yuuki - Garden sprite
Mai - Swan Demon
Saya - Maned Wolf Shifter
Hina - Dog Demon
Ani - Black Widow Spider Shifter
The Teachers
Ichio - Forest Spirit, teaches History and Garden Magic
Sen - Cat Demon, teaches linguistics
Moscow - Wyvern, teaches Demonology and Lore, Art, War Strategies etc.
Winry - Otter Shifter, Phys. Ed, Weaponry, Physical Combat Training
Gideon (see above) Magic
Important House Members
Airi - Celtic Goddess, (to be revealed in Witchling)
Fen - Boar Demon, Makkai’s right hand
Haruka - Badger Demon, manages the household
Milly – Kitchen Goddess, the house chef
Minor House Members
Asuka - Fae, type unspecified, non-contracted, healer
Nori and Sora - Twin Sparrow Hawk Shifters
Mori - Gideon’s assistant
Harvest - Alicanto rooster
Silk - type unspecified, runs house staffing
Yukio - Ferret Shifter, Deceased
Trouble Making Deity
Gabija - Lithuanian Goddess of Ashes (fire)
The Dryads
Creek - pining for Fog
Chasm - trapped in Tallow
Fog - Deceased
The Hunters
Stanley Eustone - father to Alice (Chiori), Monster and Demon Researcher
Doctor Pax - Hunter Squad Doctor, Clan Researcher
Haberly - Hunter Squad Captain
Ms. Blanchard - Hunter Clan Researcher
Angus Cornick - Weapons Research Specialist and Coordinator
Frank – Nurse
Jonah Martin - Marshall, Prosperity’s Hunter Clan Leader
Off Page Characters (mentions)
Elander - Elven Prophet
Merrick (Akunin Yaksha) - Progenitor of Vampires
The Light and Dark Dragons
Lili - Lord Makkai’s twin sister
Pied - Lili’s mate
Miranda and Joy - Girls that tormented Alice
Harry - Alice’s rooster
Elijah - The first Vampire
The Dragon Priestess