Which Witch is Willing? (The Witches of Port Townsend Book 4)

by Kerrigan Byrne

  Claire smiled. “You’re fierce and strong. Smart and cunning. If you have an enemy in your sights, he won’t likely get away.”

  Dru snorted. “Likely? You mean never. I always complete my missions.”

  And that was a fact.

  She studied his face and grinned. “Except me. I got away.”

  A flash of fire, her fire, grew the flames into an inferno. “Only because you bewitched me. And, I might add, you only temporarily got away. In case you haven’t noticed, you’re trapped in my lair right now.”

  She laughed and drew her hands over his powerful shoulders, sending a frisson of powerful sensations rushing through him. “Uh, excuse me, but I believe you are in my lair. This is my house.”

  He pushed hair from her shoulder and laid a kiss on her sweet flesh. “Only because you blew mine up.”

  She sent him a look of sarcasm that he found entertaining. “Manresa Castle wasn’t yours,” she said.

  Dru slipped the sheet down and exposed her breasts. Her nipples pebbled and begged for his touch. “The cabin was mine,” he said, his focus turning elsewhere.

  A growl, fueled by intense need, rumbled from deep in his throat. Unable to deny himself the pleasures before him, he claimed a nipple with his mouth, and he swore her eyes rolled back from pleasure.

  “Sorry about your cabin, but really, that was your fault,” she said breathlessly.

  He paused for a breath. “Mmm-hmm.”

  Holding her gaze, he slid a hand down her thigh and brushed her nether regions.

  She tensed in response. “Are you trying to distract me from our conversation?”

  Damn straight. “Distraction should never be underestimated when planning an attack.”

  He slipped his fingers inside her, and her groan of pleasure nearly undid him.

  “Is this an attack, Mr. War?” she whispered.

  He hovered above her, maintaining a position of power, but they both knew who was in charge. “It’s an all-out war, if that’s what it takes.”

  He held her gaze and pressed his manhood against her. “Are you prepared to surrender, my fierce warrior?”

  She grinned and shook her head. “Never surrender.”

  Dru lifted his brows, enjoying their teasing. “Never?”

  He pressed closer, and she lifted her hips.

  He took her response as an invitation and buried himself inside her. She gasped and squeezed his shoulders with her fingertips.

  “I’ll never tire of that,” she whispered.

  He paused, sheathed to the hilt and whispered an ancient expletive that didn’t come close to explaining the fierce emotion their joining drew from him.

  She took his cheeks in her hands and tugged him closer. He lowered his weight to his forearms, bringing himself close enough to feel her breath on his face. Her expression of love and passion mirrored what burned in his heart, and she kissed him with sensuous lips that would forever own him.

  He could not, would not deny her anything.

  His heart thundered in his chest as he rested on one arm and claimed her breast with his other hand. He massaged her soft mound and pinched her nipple. She tightened in response around him, and he growled. “Felt that.”

  She gave him a dazed smile. “Did you now?”

  He smiled, savoring this moment together.

  She arched against him and pushed at his hips with her hands as though to move him. “Don’t you want to feel that again?”

  More than he could say, but her body wasn’t enough. He wanted all of her. “You must surrender, Claire. Surrender your life and love only to me. Always.”

  Curiosity lit in her eyes. “I already pledged myself to you when we bonded.”

  “Yes, but I want to hear again that we’ll always belong to each other.”

  A softness fell over her features. She placed her mouth against him and kissed him. Without moving away, she whispered. “I surrender to you, my love. Always and forever.”

  That was all he needed. He slid out and pushed deep inside again, over and over, until she cried out from the pleasure. “Oh, Goddess.”

  He thrust harder. “It’s not the Goddess who’s making love to you.”

  She gripped his shoulders hard and accepted him again and again. “No, but I’m forever grateful that she sent me to you.”

  He ceased talking then, and she must have lost herself in the pleasure of their joined bodies. Blinding white bliss grew to a crescendo. Suddenly, her body convulsed around him once again. He growled with pleasure and plunged forward to find his own satisfaction.

  Pounding on their bedroom door brought their lovemaking to a screeching halt, with him only seconds away from achieving the ultimate bliss.

  Dru growled his frustration. “What the fuck do you want?”

  Death opened the door, took in the sight before him. “Sorry, man. Sexy times are over. We’ve got a fucking mob outside, and I need your help.”

  At that moment, if his brother Horseman wasn’t immortal, Dru would have killed him.

  35

  Dru cursed Killian’s interruption, and Claire held back a smile, feeling only slightly bad that Dru hadn’t found ecstasy like she had. Poor man. She silently vowed make it up to him later.

  Killian grinned. “I need your help, man.”

  Dru shook his head and tugged the sheet over Claire. “Get Nick to help you and leave me alone with my woman.”

  Death acknowledged Claire with a nod.

  She smiled in return. Despite the fact that Death broke hearts daily when he stole loved ones from friends and family, she admired the man and the way he cared for Tierra and their baby.

  Killian flicked his gaze to Dru. “Sorry, but Nick’s not here.”

  Dru turned over fully in bed, not bothering to cover himself. “Where the hell is he?”

  Killian shrugged. “Moira’s craving turducken and some…boudin sausage thing. He’s gone on the hunt looking for it.”

  Dru scoffed. “We’re facing the end of the world, and Nick’s out looking for turducken? What the ever-living fuck?”

  Death shook his head as though he commiserated with Nick. “You don’t understand. You think battling a hundred demons is bad, try living with a pregnant woman craving something ridiculous, who absolutely won’t take no for an answer. Tierra ate bacon for hell’s sake.”

  Dru slid his gaze to Claire, and she recognized a hint of fear in his expression.

  She laughed. “Don’t worry. I have no plans of getting pregnant anytime soon, if ever.”

  Dru scrubbed the stubble on his chin and climbed out of bed. He reached for the jeans he’d left in a pile on the floor next to Claire’s lacy red bra. “Why can’t you take care of them yourself?”

  Killian thumbed over his shoulder. “If it’s left up to me, there will be bodies in the street outside the house. Pretty sure Tierra would have my hide for that.”

  Probably, Claire thought. But Tierra would have to understand if the crowd left them no choice. “Won’t Dru kill them, too?”

  Dru slid a black t-shirt over his head, and Claire watched with appreciation as the fabric hugged his muscles. “Not necessarily. I could send them home bruised and beaten if I wanted.”

  She supposed that made sense. “Then I guess Julian is out of the question, too.”

  Killian lifted his hands in defeat. “Again, hundreds of bodies dead in the street.”

  The actual number of people he mentioned caught Claire by surprise, and worry burrowed deep into her heart. “Hundreds? Really? I don’t hear them.”

  “That’s the weird thing,” Killian said. “They’re being all respectful and shit. I don’t get it, and I don’t trust it. That’s why I need my buddy there as a backup.”

  He’d have more than one person there. There was no way she was going to miss this, either.

  Claire circled her finger in the air. “Turn around, Killian. I’m coming, too.”

  He nodded toward the doorway to her bedroom. “I’ll wait out there.
”

  Before Killian had finished closing the door, Claire was out of bed, reaching for her own pair of jeans.

  Dru regarded her with a cautious look. “I don’t suppose you’d stay in the house if I asked.”

  She pulled a black silky tee from her closet and slid it over her head. “Nope.”

  He nodded solemnly. “You still have access to my sword if you need it, you know.”

  Claire wiggled her nails in a wave motion, and fire shot from each tip. “I can take care of myself.”

  Dru held up her red bra. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Don’t have time for that right now. Let’s go.”

  He gave her the once-over. “Okay, Moira. But if I see even one dude checking you out, he’s dead.”

  And she knew he meant it. A drawback to bonding with a horseman, she supposed.

  They descended the stairs and met Killian. Something brushed against Claire’s leg, and she looked down to find Kai had joined them as well, always her fierce little protector. He rubbed against her, and she sensed his concern. She reached for him and pulled him close against her chest. “It’s okay, buddy. Nothing to worry about.”

  Before Dru could reach for the front doorknob, Aerin called out as she hurried down the stairs, wearing light blue silk pajamas. “Have you guys looked outside? What the shit is going on?”

  Killian lifted his chin in greeting. “We’re about to find out.”

  She regarded the three of them. “Then I’m coming, too.”

  Killian and Dru opened the door, blocking Claire’s view. On purpose, she was sure, because it also blocked the crowd’s view of her and Aerin, thereby protecting them.

  A chorus of cheers raised into the atmosphere, like angels praising the heavens, and Claire shared a questioning look with Aerin.

  “What the hell?” Killian said, sounding bemused.

  Dru and Killian stepped out onto the porch and scanned the crowd. “I don’t see any weapons,” Dru said.

  Claire and Aerin pushed out behind them. “Can’t sense anything evil, either,” Claire said, but Kai bristled in her arms.

  Dru strode to the edge of the porch and down the steps. “What’s going on?” he said in a loud voice to the growing crowd. “Why are you all here?”

  A bunch of people spoke at once, drowning out each other’s words.

  Aerin leaned close to Claire. “Do you feel it? The calm peacefulness in the air?”

  After months of Port Townsend declining into the dark depths of despair, the world seemed somehow lighter. Claire looked to the sky, and the brilliant rays of sun caused her eyes to water. She nodded. “I feel it, but I don’t trust it. Neither does Kai.”

  Aerin agreed with a quick nod. “Agreed. It’s a little too peaceful. Too hopeful.”

  Dru cast a quick glance back toward Killian and then proceeded to the front gate. The cheers grew louder, and Dru leaned to talk to a woman and man both garbed completely in white. He nodded a few times and turned.

  The bewildered expression on his face as he returned to them puzzled Claire. The second he stepped onto the porch, she hurried to him. “What is it? What do they want?”

  He puffed up his cheeks and blew out a breath. “They want to see Violet.”

  “What?” Aerin exclaimed. “No fucking way.”

  “Apparently, some in the coven spread the word that Violet has white wings,” Dru continued. “Now, people believe she’s an angel, here to light the way for the second coming of the Lord. I think they want to worship her.”

  The four of them stared at each other for a long moment. Then Killian cleared his throat. “She’s an angel, all right, and worthy of their worshipping, but she’s here to bring about the apocalypse, along with Moira’s baby. They’re not going to like it when they learn that part.”

  Dru whispered a string of cuss words. “We need a meeting. Right now. Between the eight of us. Can’t wait until evening. Someone call Nick and tell him to get his ass back here.”

  Aerin’s eyes grew wide. “I hope you all understand that something big has shifted in the world. Likely caused by Violet’s arrival. While it seems all rosy and shit, I believe we’ve entered the eye of the hurricane.”

  36

  Claire waited in the secret room in the attic, entertaining little Violet while her parents took a brief rest until Nick returned. No one needed to tell Claire that parenthood wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Long nights with no sleep didn’t appeal to her at all.

  Kai rested next to the door, keeping guard Claire supposed.

  Violet grew nearly as fast as Moira’s baby. Born only a few weeks ago, Violet now looked more like a toddler and had no trouble sitting upright.

  Claire bounced the fussy baby on her hip while she pointed out various jars of herbs and crystals resting on a bookshelf in the room. She pointed to a six-inch purple tower gemstone pointed toward the sky. “This is an amethyst. It’s violet like you,” she said in a sing-song voice.

  The little girl quieted and widened her violet eyes to stare at the stone.

  Encouraged, Claire continued. “Did you know that purple and violet represent the future, imagination and dreams? Just like you.”

  Violet turned her gaze to Claire in wonder.

  An odd feeling of connection ran straight through Claire, and she pondered the meaning for a moment. “You understand everything I’m saying, don’t you? You might not be talking yet, but you’re fully aware of what’s happening around you.”

  Violet grinned and clapped her pudgy hands together.

  Maybe children weren’t so bad after all.

  Claire shifted her gaze to the fist-sized rose quartz ball displayed on another shelf. “Would you like to try playing ball?”

  “Baa,” Violet said.

  Claire blinked in surprise. “Oh, shit. I hope that wasn’t your first word. Don’t tell your mommy or daddy. They’ll be so disappointed that it wasn’t one of them.”

  Violet’s cheeks grew pinker, and she grinned.

  Claire hugged her. “You’re just a cute little thing, aren’t you? Wait until you get older, and Auntie Claire will teach you all kinds of things like how to ride a bike, a real one, and how to throw knives. All kinds of important stuff.”

  Things her mother wouldn’t need to know about.

  Claire retrieved the rose quartz and carried the small child toward an ancient wooden chest. She set her down, anchoring her against the chest, and tucked her frilly, rose-print dress so it would be out of the way. Violet complied when Claire pushed her feet outward for balance. “Okay, you sit here, and I’m going to sit across from you.”

  Violet didn’t squawk even once.

  Claire sat on the hardwood floor with her legs open and her feet touching Violet’s so that they formed a diamond shape. This way, the gemstone ball couldn’t escape. “I’m going to roll it to you, and then you roll it back to me, okay?”

  She hoped the little girl understood and that the quartz wasn’t too heavy to push.

  Gently, Claire sent the ball rolling in Violet’s direction. Violet release a squeal of delight. She caught it and quickly pushed it back to Claire.

  “You are such a smart girl. Your mom is going to have her hands full with you.”

  They rolled it back and forth several times, and each time it was Violet’s turn, she giggled. When she rolled it the next time, however, the ball didn’t make it to Claire, but ended up hitting their shoes where they met. “That’s all right, Violet. I can get—”

  Before Claire could finish her sentence, the ball rotated and rolled in her direction. She caught it and eyed the little girl. “Very clever girl. Does your mom know you can do that?”

  Violet only smiled.

  Claire held out her arms, and Violet crawled to her. “I guess if you’re capable of stealing Aunt Justine’s soul, then moving a ball isn’t any big deal.”

  The moment the words left her mouth, inspiration struck. Violet had taken Aunt Justine�
�s soul… So, did that mean it was possible that she could do the same with Claire’s? If so, that had to be considered dying, didn’t it?

  If Violet was able to take her soul, then Claire would know she wasn’t immortal. The question burning in her soul would be answered.

  Plus, odds were that she wouldn’t ultimately stay dead because Violet would probably play with her spirit like she had with Aunt Justine’s. And Killian certainly wouldn’t accept it. Dru would never forgive him if he did.

  She pondered the idea for several moments, and then decided that it might be irresponsible to leave her lifeless body with a child who could get into all kinds of trouble if she wanted.

  What she needed was a co-conspirator. Someone to watch over everything.

  Kai lifted his head and sniffed the air as though sensing her plan.

  She snorted. He certainly wouldn’t help her.

  And she knew damn well no one else in the house would be willing to take the small, very teeny, tiny chance that she might not be able to re-inhabit her body.

  And that was only if she died at all.

  And now she had a mostly-solid plan to prove her immortality one way or the other, with only a small risk. Some would call her crazy for even attempting it, but she’d always lived life on the edge.

  Claire stood and scooped up Kai. He protested when she set him outside the door and closed it. She snatched a notepad from the antique writing desk and quickly jotted down her plans and wishes to see her soul rightfully returned should Violet manage to extract it.

  She slipped the phone from her pocket and texted Aerin, asking her to come to the attic in five minutes. Her experiment shouldn’t take any longer than that. And if Violet did remove her soul, five minutes wasn’t long enough for her body to reject it when Aerin told her to put it back.

  Claire scooted until they were both propped against the old trunk. “Violet, I need you to do something for me. Do you remember how you took Aunt Justine’s soul?”

  Violet giggled and nodded her head several times. Claire hoped her nodding was from understanding and not excitement.

  She looked the little girl straight in the eyes. “I want you to do that to me. Do you understand?”