by T. M. Cromer
Leaning in, he touched his mouth to her glossy lips and kissed his new wife. She opened under his gentle persuasion, and he slipped his tongue inside. The touch was butterfly-light. A flitting about, to taste, tease, and savor the sweetness of their first kiss as man and wife. When he drew back, he gave her one last clinging kiss, noticing the stars in her eyes. He imagined his reflected the same.
Damian turned them to face Sebastian’s family. “Ladies and Gentleman, I present to you, Lord and Lady Kilbride.”
Seeing the tearful gazes of his sister and aunts turned their way, Sebastian felt his own tears well up. They all knew how temporary this could be, but he would channel Mackenzie’s zest for life and live it to the fullest for whatever time they had left.
He inhaled a deep, cleansing breath. “If anyone is still awake enough for a celebration, there will be cake.” He placed his mouth next to her ear. “And for you, chocolate and me in a kilt.”
“Can you be any more perfect?”
“Probably, but then you would take me for granted.”
Chapter 9
“I’m thrilled to finally catch you alone. You’re a difficult man to pin down.”
Damian fought a smile as he turned to face Mackenzie. She was here to ask him about Leopold, and her determined expression said she wasn’t leaving without answers.
“About Leo…” Her brows clashed together when he laughed. “What?”
“I’m not at liberty to reveal secrets, Mack.”
“But there is a secret?”
He felt his lips twitch despite his effort to curb another laugh. “Perhaps.”
“‘Perhaps.’ You must spend a lot of time with Alastair. Because I swear to the Goddess, your mannerisms and avoidance tactics are exactly the same.”
“As a matter of fact, we’ve been friends for an entire lifetime.” Damian wasn’t more forthcoming regarding their familial connection, and he half expected her to stomp her foot in frustration.
She narrowed her eyes instead.
“I can see why Sebastian is so taken with you.” His gaze traveled from the top of her shockingly red hair to the tips of her pointy shoes. “Not only are you stunningly beautiful, but you are wickedly intelligent. I don’t expect much escapes your notice. Not that it’s going to help you where I’m concerned. However, you’re more than welcome to keep trying. It’s providing me with endless entertainment.”
“I swear, if you weren’t the Aether, I’d zap you.”
He chuckled. “I suppose you could say Alastair and I are cousins, although distant. I trust you to tell no one. It may be dangerous to be related to me.”
“No worries here.” She shook her head. “De Thorne. When I first heard the name, I wondered. How is it your last name is Dethridge if your mother was a de Thorne?”
“Actually, she married her second cousin, Damarius Dethridge. She was a Thorne through her father’s line, and when the Dethridge family disowned her for her crimes, she went back to her maiden name.”
Fixing his gaze on her, he stepped closer and clasped her hand. “I’m sorry, Mack. If I had it within me to stop Mother, I would. It’s not to say I’ll leave you and Sebastian to face this alone, because I absolutely won’t. I intend to work day and night to prevent what is to come, but you need to know, if I fail and she succeeds in her plan to use you against the rest of us, I’ll have no choice but to destroy you.”
He felt her trepidation through his empathic ability and through the physical connection of their joined hands when she shivered.
“Your daughter predicted this. This is what she saw in the garden and again in the church.”
Mackenzie hadn’t said it as a question, but he confirmed it anyway. “Yes.”
“Do either of you know why this is happening? Why me in particular?”
“Not yet, but as soon as I know anything, I’ll inform you straight away.”
“I would never willingly hurt any of you.” She shot a worried glance across the room at Sebastian. “Mr. Dethridge—”
“Damian.”
“Damian,” she conceded as she pulled her hand back. “Is Baz’s family in danger because of me?”
“You love him?” As an empath, he’d already picked up on her feelings, but sometimes other people needed a nudge in the proper direction.
“Love? I don’t know this early in the game, but I believe so. His light is brighter than any I’ve ever seen. With the exception of yours, but you don’t hold an attraction for me like he does.” She shook her head and finally dragged her attention from him to meet Sebastian’s steady gaze from across the room. “It’s strange, but I want to cling to him and never let go.”
“Then I urge you to build on your mutual feelings. It will serve you well when the time comes,” Damian said.
She looked up into his face, and he was positive he couldn’t hide his sadness. “I’m scared.”
He had no words to soothe her. Mackenzie was the witch the Goddess had foretold would be the catalyst to wake Isolde. When or how was a mystery, but Damian didn’t believe it would be long.
“What have you seen so far?” he asked.
She hesitated, the picture of indecision.
“Don’t hold back, Mack. This is important.” He narrowed his eyes as he studied her, searching for what, he couldn’t say. Perhaps he needed a sign she wasn’t intentionally going to bring about the destruction of the magical world as they knew it.
“I have two faces. One wants to hurt people; the second is terrified of the first.” Mackenzie wrapped her arms around her waist as if to chase away a chill.
He couldn’t make heads nor tails of her vision, but he suspected possession. Sure, it would be a different tactic for Isolde, who was prone to steal a person’s magic and leave a broken shell in his or her place, but it didn’t mean she wouldn’t take over another’s body completely if she needed to. “We’ll figure this out, my dear.”
“Sadly, I think we’re screwed.”
Silently, he agreed, but he smiled to reassure her. “Remain positive, all right?”
He wasn’t expecting her fierce hug or the influx of feelings and visions that came with it. When she pulled away, his mind was still churning with all the possible outcomes for the future. Each showed the resurrection of his mother. Somehow, he had to find a way to sort through them and find the best solution to stop her forever.
“Mack?”
She must’ve heard the heaviness in his tone, because her worried expression deepened. Damian wanted to send calming energy her way, but it would be a waste. She, too, knew what was on the horizon.
“If you had a choice, would you take your life to save the others?”
Her eyes flew wide, and she sucked in her breath. “Is that what I have to do?”
“No!” Sebastian’s shout startled them both. Caught up in their conversation, they hadn’t heard his approach. “That is not an option.” He pulled Mackenzie into his tight embrace and glared at Damian. “Get the fuck out of my house.”
“Baz—”
“No, Mack. Just no.”
If ever there was a man more tortured, Damian was unlikely to see it. “Sebastian, you’re a Keeper of the Gate. You should know the prophecy well enough, and you definitely know what Isolde can do.”
“I said, no,” Sebastian snarled. “How dare you suggest Mack end her life? How dare you?”
The small reception room was eerily silent, with all eyes turned in their direction. For maybe the first time in his life, Damian grew nervous under everyone’s wary stares.
“I didn’t suggest she do it,” he said softly. “I merely asked if she was willing to.”
“I don’t see a difference.”
“But it’s there.”
Sebastian frowned and loosened his hold enough to look down into Mackenzie’s anxious face. “Don’t ever do it, Mack. Promise me,” he said hoarsely. “Promise me.”
“I won’t promise, Baz. I can’t if it means saving your family. Saving you.”
Damian shrugged when she looked his way. “I wasn’t advising you do it, Mack. I was simply trying to determine your level of commitment to stopping Isolde.” He sighed, weary down to his soul. Moments like these made him remember his advanced age and how young this couple was in comparison. “But we have time to work out a plan yet. I’ll collect Sabrina and leave you to your celebration.”
“Please stay, Damian.” Mackenzie arched a challenging brow toward her new husband. “We both want you to.”
“Not true,” Sebastian retorted. A teasing smile curled his lips as he made what Damian considered a valiant attempt to shrug off his righteous anger. “I want everyone to leave so I can get you alone, wife.”
“On that note, I’ll bid you adieu,” Damian said with a forced chuckle. “Enjoy your honeymoon.” He started to go, but turned back. “If either of you need me, day or night, call me. This is more than your issue now. This problem belongs to all of us.”
* * *
Sebastian wanted to dismiss Damian’s words as quickly as the man left, but he couldn’t. For the remaining half hour of their small reception, he was plagued with the sickening fear Mackenzie would take it into her head to end this problem of Isolde with a bottle of witchbane or a poisoned blade to her wrists.
He watched her as she interacted with his family. Although she was quick to smile, the strain around her eyes was apparent to him. When he could take no more, he swept in to hustle her off to bed. “Sorry, all, but it’s well past time for everyone to be in bed.” He smiled down into her upturned face. “And I want some alone time with my new bride.”
She smiled through her fatigue.
Resting his brow against hers, he said in a hushed voice, “To sleep and to hold you, Mack. Everything else can wait until you’re a little more awake.”
“I’m down for anything. Tired or not.”
“I’m honestly going to love having you for my wife.”
“I should hope so,” she replied, her tone sassy and full of herself.
Sebastian laughed as he spun her toward the door.
She stopped in her tracks. “Wait! I thought newlyweds were supposed to have a first dance.”
“I thought I’d leave that for a more formal reception with your family, but if you desire dancing, dancing you shall have, love.”
Closing his eyes, he mentally thumbed through songs that might be good for a waltz. Deciding on one, he withdrew his phone from his tuxedo pocket and scrolled until he found what he was looking for. He placed his cell in the center of the floor, pressed play, and held out his hand. “May I have this dance, Mack?”
Her beaming smile was his reward, and she stepped into his embrace.
Sebastian spun them in wide circles worthy of the finest ballrooms, and when the music concluded, he brought them to a halt by the device on the parquet floor. The adoration in her eyes stalled the breath in his lungs. Never had anyone looked at him the way she did now, as if he’d hung the moon and stars for her alone.
I love her.
He didn’t know how it happened this quickly, but he recognized his soulmate in the woman before him. “Remind me to thank Damian the next time I see him,” Sebastian murmured as he drew her closer.
“Why’s that?”
“He did me a favor the day he absconded with Vivian.” He drew back slightly to meet her curious gaze. “Had she and I been married, I’d have never met you or had this perfect moment.”
“Oh, Baz.”
He detected the sheen of tears but suspected, like him, her emotion was based on pure happiness. “Let’s go to bed. The sooner we get some sleep, the sooner I can wake and make love to you properly.”
“I appreciate that you’re thinking about my needs, but unless you’re completely exhausted, I have other needs.”
Sebastian couldn’t stop his wolfish grin. “Hold on tight, love. We’re taking the speedy route to our bedroom.”
Within seconds, they were standing by the foot of their bed. Someone had thought to fill the room with lit candles and to add rose petals atop an ivory bedspread. Gossamer netting hung over their bed, suspended by a wreath of red and pink roses. Crystal flutes sat on a bedside table and contained a bubbling champagne to complement the chocolate-covered strawberries on the china plate next to it. A true honeymoon suite.
“Oh, Baz,” Mackenzie gushed after taking it all in. “When did you have time to do this?”
“I’m ashamed to admit I didn’t think of it first. This must be Arabella’s doing.”
“Remind me to thank your sister for all she’s done tonight.”
He took off his suit jacket, hung it over the back of a chair, and tugged at his tie. “How about we don’t think about my sister or anyone else for a few hours?”
Mackenzie’s smile turned decidedly wicked. “I’m cool with it.” She approached him and replaced his hands with hers so she could unbutton his shirt. “I’ve wanted to do this since the first time I saw you.”
“Really?”
“Oh, yeah.”
“I remember how reserved you seemed at our first meeting.”
She smirked but didn’t look up. “You don’t say.”
“Mackenzie Drake! Were you putting on an act?”
“Absolutely. And every time we met afterwards.”
He halted her dexterous hands, mainly to get her attention. “You wily, little minx. You made me think the attraction was one-sided.”
She pulled a hand away to press to the opening of his shirtfront. Her clever fingers explored his exposed skin, trailing small circles as she stood, absorbed by their progress.
“Mack,” he growled. “Tell me it wasn’t only one-sided.”
“It was never one-sided, Baz.” She finally raised her gaze to his, and Sebastian was able to see the burning emotion she fought to hide. “Never.”
“Thornes only love once,” he murmured.
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? I feel like we wasted so many months.”
She shrugged and traced the column of his throat. “I suppose I was afraid to care. Afraid you would never love me back. My track record with relationships is crap.”
“Because they weren’t me.”
Her smile was so sudden and wide, it stole his breath. “Thank the Goddess for that. Now, help me out of this dress. I can’t wait to be with you.”
He obligingly unzipped the gown, not surprised to see his hand shook. Their joining would be monumental for them both. For him, this was the last woman he ever wanted to make love with, the only one he wanted to give his name to, and to be able to share this perfect moment with. This night was a gift he would treasure always. Because he loved her and intended to show her exactly how much when he finally had her naked in his bed.
Sebastian eased open the sides of the dress and allowed it to drop, pooling at her feet. Instead of assisting her in stepping out, he swept her up into his arms and deposited her in the center of the bed. Following her down and covering her body with his.
Their gazes locked, and he let his eyes communicate for him all the things he couldn’t say past the emotion locking his throat. She smiled her understanding and raised her arms.
Kissing her, knowing this time they wouldn’t be rushed or interrupted and, knowing they had the rest of the night and into the morning to explore one another’s likes was heaven on earth. She tasted of champagne and sweet dreams.
“The sweetest of dreams,” he murmured against her silky throat, repeating his thoughts.
“Mmm.” She arched her neck to give him better access, and he blazed a trail of kisses down to her breasts.
Taking one beaded nipple into his mouth, he moaned in his pleasure and reveled in the sound of her echoed agreement. He could spend hours tasting her skin, suckling her breasts, but Mackenzie was impatient and gripped his hair to draw him level with her so she could plant her lips on his.
Passionate and panting, she pulled back after ravaging his mouth and said, “Time to see what’s under that kilt, darling. I’ve waited way too long.”
Sebastian took her hand and placed it directly on his dick. “This. And I’ve had a permanent erection since the first moment we met.”
“Mmm. We have to do something about that.”
“Christ, I was hoping you’d say that.” He rolled onto his back and spread his arms to his sides.
Mackenzie grinned as she lifted the hem of his plaid. One excruciatingly slow inch by one excruciatingly slow inch. He could feel the cool air hit his bollocks first, but it did nothing to dampen his ardor. It would take a whole lot more than a brisk room now that his gorgeous wife was hovering over him, with her exquisite breasts brushing tantalizingly across his thighs.
He heard the catch of her breath as she finally caught sight of him.
“I hope that’s a good thing,” he teased.
“Well, let’s just say the rumors are all true. You are a big dill.”
He laughed and tugged her more fully on top of him. “I don’t know that I’ve ever laughed in the middle of sex before.”
“We’re not in the middle,” she said with a sassy smile. “We’re just getting started.”
He rolled them over and pressed a kiss to her lips. “Goddess, I love you.”
“Just you wait. After tonight, you’ll worship the ground I walk on.”
“I have no doubts.”
He kissed her more fully then, too impatient to taste her, touch her, and be buried deep inside her to play anymore. The snap of her fingers was loud in the room, but not unexpected. And the feel of skin on skin made them both sigh their pleasure as she melted into him.
He gave into his unrelenting need and stroked her core, pleased to feel her wet and ready for his entry. Sitting back on his knees, he spread her legs wide and used the head of his penis to caress her folds. Running the tip up and down until her body wept with desire.
Sebastian bent and touched his tongue to her, sweeping it along her opening and stopping only when he touched her clit. When she arched into him, he smiled and sucked on the tiny bud.