by T. M. Cromer
“The Six were the founding families: the Thornes, Dethridges, Champeaus, O’Malleys, Carlyles, and my family, the Drakes. Yours has always been the strongest, with the exception of Damian. It’s why few want to incur Alastair’s wrath.” He removed the forgotten tumbler from her fingers, sipped her brandy, and held the glass to her lips. After she swallowed a little, he lowered his hand and continued his explanation. “Just shy of two hundred years ago, Isis crossed from the Otherworld with some of the deceased members from all those lines. Her intent was to have them join with their descendants to neutralize Isolde’s power and stop her from hurting anyone else.”
“Apparently, they succeeded. The Aether said she was ‘contained,’ so it would indicate she is no longer a danger.”
“Yes. She was entombed in a magical box.”
But was she?
Mackenzie looked out the window toward the center of the garden. “How was Isolde able to get to me tonight?”
“I don’t know, but I intend to find out. I’ll call Damian in the morning and see if he has any insight.”
“You’re going to willingly call Damian?” she taunted. “Will wonders never cease?”
Sebastian dropped his gaze from hers, looking decidedly uncomfortable. “I owe you a more in-depth explanation than the one I offered earlier tonight. Damian Dethridge is my trigger.”
Mackenzie no longer felt like teasing him. It hurt her to think Sebastian was pining for Vivian after all this time. Needing more to drink for this particular conversation, she retrieved the tumbler from Baz and concentrated on the smidgeon of brandy left at the bottom, visualizing it tripling.
After taking a fortifying gulp, she fanned her eyes to stop them from tearing due to the alcohol’s burning trail down to her stomach. She blew out a breath and faced him. The sardonic smile he sported tempted her to kiss the hell out of him, if only to see if he was experiencing the same emotions and feelings as she.
“Okay, shoot. Tell me all the gritty details of your hate-hate relationship with Damian.”
“Hate-hate relationship?” he asked with a chuckle.
“Well, for sure there is no love lost.”
His lips twisted into something resembling a grimace. “Vivian and I knew each other growing up. Her family and mine have been intertwined throughout time. Our parents wanted to arrange a match, and neither of us was opposed, because the attraction was there.”
He stared off into space as if trying to recall the past. A small frown marred his forehead, and Mackenzie suppressed the urge to smooth it.
“I loved her.”
The bottom of her stomach fell out. “And now?”
“I suppose I’ll always hold affection for her because of our shared memories, but no. She transferred her love to Damian so quickly, I was left wondering if what we had was ever real.” Sebastian met her inquiring gaze head-on. “I won’t lie and say it didn’t cut me to the core, but it was a long time ago. I think the residual anger is the lack of closure.”
“She never apologized?” she asked, shocked anyone could throw him over. From everything she’d seen, he was attentive and caring with his family, a pillar of the witches community, and did everything in his power to walk the proper path. Add to that his killer body, and Mackenzie had to wonder what was not to love about him.
“She tried. I wasn’t in a place to hear her excuses. I was too devastated.” He snorted and took the glass from her hand. After a long swallow, he said, “Looking back, I believe it was mostly ego on my part. I had it all, didn’t I? Looks, money, a sparkling wit.” He rolled his eyes at his own arrogance. “Vivian was right to leave me, Mack. I was an arrogant prat. And an assuming one at that. She didn’t deserve my cockiness or the assumption I was the Goddess’s gift to all women.”
“You cheated on her?”
“No! Never. I merely strutted about, acting as if I were the best thing since sliced bread. I’m sure, for her, the act got old.” He smiled slightly. “I believe you called me out on it a time or two.”
“But it’s all an act, isn’t it?” Mackenzie said knowingly. “To hide the caring man inside. The question is, why?”
“I’m not sure. I suppose if I reflected on it more, I could figure it out, but the simple answer is most likely I don’t care to be hurt again.”
“It’s hard to reconcile who you describe with the man sitting next to me.” She smoothed back a stray lock of hair from his forehead. “You are kind, Baz. I see it in the way you treat everyone around you. Perhaps it’s why I called you out on your ‘act.’ I sensed it wasn’t the real you. The you I like.”
He captured her hand and kissed her fingertips. “Thank you.”
“But why do you hate Damian so much if you understand why Vivian defected?”
“Habit, I suppose. He was everything I wasn’t. Suave, intelligent, powerful, and he has the ability to seduce with a look.”
She smiled. “You want to seduce with a look?”
Sebastian shot her a smoldering glance. “It would be helpful.”
“Mm.” Mackenzie took the glass from his fingers and sipped. “You can totally seduce with a look.”
He laughed and kissed her cheek. “You’re adorable, Mack.”
“So I’m told. But you should set aside the animosity for Damian, Baz. You’re a better man than that, and you have all the things you envy about him. You’re highly intelligent. You’re a powerful warlock. As for suave, you may be a little rougher around the edges than he is, but it’s nice and a whole lotta sexy. It makes a woman feel protected.”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“This little counseling session. You’ve made me see I’m holding on to emotions I should’ve let go of a long time ago. Perhaps it’s time to call Vivian and apologize.”
A small swirl of jealousy danced about inside Mackenzie’s mind. “Perhaps it isn’t a bad idea if you wish to move forward.”
Sebastian narrowed his eyes as he watched her. “You hate the idea?”
“No. Not at all. I was wondering if it would drag up old feelings to talk to her, is all.”
“Maybe I should let sleeping dogs lie?” he teased as he ran a finger along her upper lip.
She bit him. “That’s on you either way. Just don’t poke the bear in the cage.” She leaned closer until their lips were mere inches apart. “The bear is the Aether, in case you were clueless. He’s got a powerful love for his wife.”
Sebastian closed the distance between them. His lips just shy of brushing hers. “To make it perfectly clear, I’m no longer interested in Vivian, Mack.”
“Good to know,” she whispered.
She kissed him. Tentative at first then with more aggression as she felt his arms come around her and tug her to his chest. Desire exploded inside her, and she wanted to climb onto his lap, humping him until his eyes rolled back in his head and he lost all control.
But the timing was off. She had yet to receive a vision of where a relationship with Sebastian would lead, and a quick tumble between the sheets wasn’t her style. She wouldn’t place her money on a risky bet. Not at this early stage.
With a great deal of regret, Mackenzie pulled back and took a sip of her drink. If her hand shook a little and sloshed the liquid inside the glass, it was understandable. There was a lot of passion at play between them. Unfulfilled passion that would keep her awake the remainder of the night.
She took a deep breath to cool her ardor and recalled why they were sitting here to begin with. “Back to the Enchantress. What do you think is happening?” She couldn’t keep her nervous tremble from her voice. “Do you think Isolde wants to drain my powers?” She jumped up and hugged herself against the cold trying to invade her soul as the hint of a premonition swept her. “That had to be what Sabrina was trying to warn me about. She said the Darkness wanted me, too. What I thought was a little girl’s imagination might be a prediction.”
Sebastian got to his feet and crossed to where she stood, staring out int
o the night. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he squeezed gently. “It would make sense if she’s a seer. Most Aethers are to a degree. We should probably call Damian right now.”
Mackenzie looked at the grandfather clock. “Baz, it’s three in the morning, and as big a crisis as this feels to me, I’m a little leery of waking the Aether—a man I don’t know well—in the middle of the night.”
“Mack, if this pertains to Isolde, he should know. If there’s even a remote possibility she’s been resurrected—or is about to be—we can’t wait on this.” As he picked his phone up to make the call, it rang. He frowned down at the screen and turned it to face her.
Alastair Thorne.
She gave him the universal “What are you waiting for? Answer it!” sign by rolling her hand. Leaning forward, she prepared herself for bad news.
“Drake, I know Mackenzie’s staying with you. Is she within hearing distance?” Alastair sounded grim, and it didn’t bode well.
She met Sebastian’s concerned gaze. She had the foolish desire to inch closer to his large body and have him ward off any impending disaster on her behalf. “I’m here, cousin.”
“Good.” A heavy sigh sounded on his end. However, it couldn’t be good if he was stalling.
“What is it, Alastair?” Sebastian’s tone was brisk. “We’re already dealing with one crisis here.”
“Let me guess. The lovely Mackenzie is having visions of the Enchantress.” There was no question in Alastair’s tone. He acted as if it was a foregone conclusion.
She took the phone from Sebastian. “How the hell did you know that?”
“Sabrina Dethridge just woke Damian in a panic. She is insistent the Enchantress is about to possess you.”
Sebastian’s eyes flared wide in disbelief. “Bloody hell!”
“I don’t understand. How can she possess an unwilling vessel? Should we summon Isis?” Mackenzie asked.
“I’ll see to it.” Alastair sighed again. “In the meantime, you should leave the Drake estate. Come here, where we can watch out for you.”
“She’ll stay here.”
Mackenzie shot Sebastian a surprised look. “It’s too dangerous for your family if she intends to target me, Baz.”
“We can hold our own, and I’m not sending you away until we know for sure what this is and how to combat it.”
Before she could protest, Alastair’s smug voice came across the line. “Excellent. I’m thrilled you’re willing to help, Drake. Keep her close, won’t you, son?”
An amused smile twisted Sebastian’s lips at the same time Mackenzie rolled her eyes.
“Could you be any more obvious, cousin? If I didn’t know better, I’d say you called so you could play matchmaker.” She jerked when Sebastian wrapped an arm around her waist. “What are you doing?” she squeaked, jumping sideways.
“Keeping you close.”
Alastair’s deep chuckle came across the line. “We’ll be in touch in the morning. Try to get some rest.”
“Oh, no you don’t—! He hung up on me!” Mackenzie tossed the phone on the settee in disgust and glared around the room. As surely as she drew a breath in her lungs, her wily cousin was scrying even now. “Alastair is never satisfied unless he’s meddling in someone else’s life. Jerk.”
Sebastian rested against his desk, hands gripping the wooden edge and ankles crossed. His white shirt hung open, and half-curled forward as he was, his abdominal muscles were on full display. The man didn’t have an ounce of fat covering that mouth-watering stomach, and Mackenzie was hard-pressed not to drool. As it was, she found her concentration wandering at inappropriate times.
When she saw his contemplative expression, her nerves got the better of her. “What?”
“I didn’t say anything.” He grinned. “But I find myself unopposed to Alastair’s games this time around.” Sebastian pushed off the desk and stalked to where she stood, gaping, by the sofa. “Come on, let’s get you to bed.”
Her jaw dropped even more.
He tapped it closed with a chuckle. “To your bed. Alone. I need to remain awake and enforce the wards on our home.”
She finally found her wits enough to ask, “What about Isolde and Damian?”
“I’ll call him as soon as I’m confident the estate is secure. Don’t worry, Mack. We’ll get this sorted.”
Her mind careened from one worrisome thought to the next on the long walk to her room. Sebastian remained quiet by her side, and Mackenzie assumed he was locked in his own private hell. For sure, calling Damian would eat at him, but what choice did they have?
After they reached her suite, he opened the door and gave the room a cursory glance. Turning to her, he smiled. “All safe and sound.”
Whenever he flashed those pearly whites in a genuine grin, Mackenzie wanted nothing more than to jump his bones. To feel skin on skin and melt into him until she didn’t know where her body ended and his began.
“If you keep looking at me that way, love, I’m going to say the hell with it and tumble you into bed.” His voice dropped, low and raspy, as his eyes took on a hot gleam.
Mackenzie bit back a sigh. Even if she was being cautious, a woman could dream, couldn’t she? “Sorry. I—”
He didn’t wait for her to finish. Sebastian swooped in for the kiss Mackenzie had been fantasizing about since the moment she saw him. It put their kiss in his study to shame.
Her knees went weak, and if it hadn’t been for his steely arms wrapped around her waist, she’d have been a puddle on the floor. Her low moan seemed to echo in the corridor, but she didn’t care if anyone heard it or not. Doubtless they’d heard a lot more from the ghosts haunting these old halls.
Sebastian slowly eased back, looking as shell-shocked as she felt.
She released a girly sigh. “Dude.”
His sputtering laughter triggered her giggle.
With an engaging grin and an unholy gleam in his mocha eyes, he traced her jawline.
“Good night, Mack. Sleep well.”
Chapter 6
Sebastian’s grin lasted all the way to the Drakes’ magical stronghold, located in the east tower. He couldn’t have wiped the smile from his face for all the tea in China. Mackenzie Thorne made him feel things he’d never experienced before. Primarily, the desire to laugh at inappropriate moments.
She’d also opened his eyes to the residual hurt and anger he felt toward Vivian, which should be resolved posthaste. If he intended to pursue Mackenzie, and he most definitely did, then he needed to clear his mind and heart of the past. With a lighter step, he opened the door to the tower room. And promptly halted in his tracks.
“Aunt Gwennie, what are you doing up here?”
“I saw the Thorne chit in the garden.” She lifted her troubled gaze from the family grimoire to fix him with a penetrating look. “There was something off about her. It was as if she was sleepwalking. Never blinked. Not once. And she walked straight into the red mist.”
“You saw the mist, too?”
“I did.”
“Alastair Thorne called tonight.”
“What did that wily old fox want?” Gwennie’s mouth curled downward to show her distaste.
Sebastian was suddenly hesitant to reveal tonight’s discovery. Not that he didn’t trust his beloved aunt, but the fewer people who knew Mackenzie might be the one vulnerable to the Enchantress, the better.
“He was concerned for our family with Mackenzie being in residence. He suggested we need to fortify the wards on the estate as a precaution.” The lie came smoothly, and he didn’t question why. Part of him knew he’d do whatever it took to protect her because in the span of forty-eight hours, she’d brightened his life in a way no one else ever had.
Gwennie’s narrow-eyed stare made him uncomfortable as hell. She’d seen right through his antics as a boy, and he suspected she did so again now. Just when he was ready to confess all, she smiled and tossed back her black veil. “Come, dear Baz. I’ve the perfect spell.”
She
held out a frail hand, and he clasped it with great care and a relieved grin. “You always do, Auntie.”
Sebastian delighted in Gwennie’s indulgent chuckle. It took him back to the past when he was a small child. She’d been constantly amused by his tomfoolery and always slipped him sweet treats when his parents weren’t looking.
Gwennie directed Sebastian to gather the twelve-inch ceremonial crystals. He placed them on the five points of the pentagram engraved in the wood floor beneath his feet. The symbol was thirteen feet in diameter and took up half of their ritual room. Next, he set candles along the perimeter of the circle surrounding the pentagram, roughly a foot apart.
Together, they cast a protective ring and lit the candles required for the ritual. In the air, Gwennie drew the tyet sign to represent Isis. She repeated the gesture for north, south, east, and west to pay homage to the Goddess.
“Dear Goddess, hear our plea and assist us in our time of need.” Gwennie lifted her arms toward the sky, and the ceiling rolled back on the built-in metal tracks, parting to allow the moon to shine down upon them.
“Goddess, we ask you to ward our home from the rising evil and protect those within our property’s border.” Sebastian knelt to pay homage.
Gwennie joined him at the center of their circle and clasped his hand. “And protect the children of this household—Sebastian, Arabella, and Mackenzie—so they will have the strength for the trials to come.”
Sebastian almost broke his neck, whipping his head around to stare at her. He didn’t dare interrupt the ceremony, but his aunt had some explaining to do when it was over. Because his mind had blanked at the idea of “trials to come,” Gwennie took over the rest of ritual, added a few more heartfelt requests for the powers that be, and closed the circle.
He doused the candles with a wave of his hand.
“Care to tell me what that was about, Auntie?”