“More cherry bread?” Ali asked with a self-satisfied grin as she extended the basket across the table to her husband.
He accepted a piece with a suspicious sniff.
“It’s absolutely delicious, dear,” Sydney said, having broken off a small piece from the slice on her bread place and reaching to take another more generous one.
“It is,” Dagon said with surprise after finishing a sample and deciding on a bigger slice.
Sebastian popped a piece into his mouth, and his taste buds raised a ruckus, demanding more of the deliciously flavored bread. “This is really good.”
Ali beamed proudly. “I told you we would have cherry bread for supper.”
“Margaret didn’t help you?” Dagon asked certain that someone had lent an experienced hand somewhere.
“No,” Ali assured him, “though I could have never baked such marvelous-tasting bread without Sarina’s help and firm kindness.”
“Firm kindness,” Sebastian repeated.
Ali thanked the server, who placed a bowl of steaming leek soup in front of her, and then continued with her explanation. “After you both left us in the kitchen, Sarina took charge. She told me that we were going to clean up the kitchen, and then I was going to make cherry bread under her strict supervision. I was to follow her every word and ask for her advice before I decided to alter the recipe. And you know it works quite well following a recipe.”
“You actually followed her instructions?” Dagon asked surprised.
“She can be quite persuasive, and in a strange way she seemed more knowledgeable, then she took control of the messy situation. It was almost as if she were a wise teacher confronting an irate pupil that she was adequately equipped to handle.”
“You should have invited her to share supper with us,” Sydney said and looked to Dagon sitting at the opposite end of the table. “I don’t think Dagon would have minded.”
“Not at all, Sydney, she would be more than welcome to join us,” he said and wished for her presence beside him.
“I asked her,” Ali informed them, “but she said she had other plans.”
“What plans?” Dagon asked, sitting straighter in his chair and intent on Ali’s answer.
Ali shrugged. “Don’t know. It wasn’t my place to inquiry as to her personal business.”
Dagon wondered over her plans. Had she remained in the castle or had she gone out? And if so, where would she go? He was suddenly very curious.
Ali purposely changed the subject. “I am finalizing the dinner party plans. You will have ten guests here the night after tomorrow; all eagerly accepted and are looking forward to the evening. Margaret is seeing to the menu and no doubt will outdo herself as usual. Your staff is excellent in their duties. The silver is polished, the crystal and china shines, and the table linen is all ready for use. I requested that the gardener make certain there were fresh flowers for the dining table—”
Dagon interrupted. “Did Sarina say she was going?”
Sydney, Sebastian, and Ali smiled, though Ali answered him. “I really couldn’t say, Dagon. She didn’t mention what her plans were, and as I said I didn’t feel I should snoop.”
Dagon nodded but made no other reply.
“Is there anything else you feel that is needed for the party?” Ali asked, though she didn’t wait for a reply. “I had thought to ask Sarina to join us, but I didn’t think it was my place to invite her without your permission.”
Dagon stood abruptly, nodding his head. “With all the help she gave you today, I think it would be only fitting to invite her.”
Ali smiled sweetly at him. “Perhaps you should ask her now before she makes plans.”
“A good idea,” Dagon said, continuing his nod. “Please excuse me.”
Sebastian laughed at his quick exit. “Poor guy, he’s nodding and shaking his head. He’s got it bad and doesn’t even realize it. At least I knew I was crazy about you.”
“But you took your sweet time in admitting it,” Ali informed him, raising the bread basket across the table to him again.
“You’re going to make me eat the whole loaf, aren’t you?” he asked and snatched up another piece.
“Just think of it as if you were eating your own words,” she advised him pleasantly.
Sebastian’s smile was pure wicked. “No problem, sweetheart, I love cherries, especially yours.”
o0o
Dagon entered the kitchen in a rush.
“Something I can do for you, sir?” Margaret asked, busy slicing the roasted lamb for the main course.
“Do you know where Sarina is? Ali said she mentioned something about having plans this evening.”
“Those would be the same plans she has every Thursday evening, sir.”
Dagon waited, concerned by her weekly rendezvous.
“She’s in the laundry room doing her laundry,” Margaret said and continued slicing the lamb.
Dagon breathed a sigh of relief. “That looks and smells delicious, Margaret.”
“Thank you, sir, shall I wait to serve it?”
“No, continue to serve and advise my guests I will return momentarily.”
Margaret nodded and whispered as he left the room. “An interesting day.”
Sarina sat in one of the three wooden rockers provided for the staff that chose to wait until their clothes finished washing and drying instead of running up and down the many flights of steps. Lady Lily slept peacefully in the wicker laundry basket on top of Sarina’s freshly laundered flannel nightgown.
She had changed into comfortable clothes, a long brick red knit jumper with an ivory cotton tee beneath and thick ivory socks on her feet. She disliked confining her feet to shoes and went barefoot whenever possible or wore socks, which kept her shoe selection extremely limited. She had pinned her hair up with a clip and as usual stubborn strands fell loose to tease her neck. She brought a book to occupy her time, though her jumbled thoughts did not allow for concentration.
The rocking motion soothed her, and she gave free rein to her disturbing thoughts and the words that haunted her mind.
You are quite beautiful, dear heart.
Why had he told her that? When he leaned down to whisper in her ear, she had been prepared for a scolding, and his words took her completely by surprise. And it wasn’t only his words that had startled her but the sincerity in which he delivered them. He had meant every word. Truly and honestly he thought her beautiful.
She sighed, drawing her legs up to rest her feet on the edge of the rocker and wrapping her arms around them before resting her head on the top of her knees. She had to remain patient and yet she wanted so badly for him to take her in his arms and love her.
Love.
When had it become so important in her life? Her long life had always been busy, active, and happy. She had many friends and had a few relationships along the way. And love had simply been a word. Now love was an emotion that tore at her heart, touched her soul, and made her act foolishly.
Foolishness was not something she was accustomed to and yet—she smiled. She enjoyed those unexpected moments with Dagon. Magical moments. When he lost his senses as badly as she did and they surrendered to their unbridled desires. Almost surrendered.
She wondered what it would be like to completely surrender to him. To release her fear, her doubt, and her vulnerability. An unconditional love that held no promise or commitment only love in its purest form.
Was that what she truly wanted? To disregard the spell and love him whether he could help her or not? And if he couldn’t, would she be able to walk away from him in the end?
The sad thought brought a tear to her eye.
“Sarina.”
His gentle familiar voice startled her, and her feet slipped off the rocker so swiftly that the sudden movement caused the rocker to jerk forward, smacking her in the back of the head.
“Damn,” she heard him say and he rushed toward her.
He went down on bended knees in front of her, his hand going to the back of her head to tenderly survey the damage. But it was the tear that fell from her eye that brought another “damn” to his lips.
He wiped the lone tear off her cheek with his finger. “Are you all right?”
How did she tell him that now that he was here she was fine? That his presence was a necessity in her life? That she wanted nothing more than to be with him here and now and if possible... forever. So this was love? Another tear slipped from her eye. No one had ever warned her that it would hurt so much.
“I’m fine,” she said quickly, not trusting her voice.
“I’m sorry,” Dagon said. “It’s all my fault.”
She stared at him. Why did she sense that he wasn’t talking about the bump on her head?
“I should have been more careful, more attentive, more—”
She stopped him with a finger to his lips. “It’s all right.”
He kissed her finger and moved her hand away. “No, it’s not.”
He kissed her then, a gentle, soft, and achingly tender kiss as though he were afraid she would break or fade away from him. His hands reached up and cupped her face, and after a lingering brush of his lips over hers, he rested his forehead to hers.
“Whatever am I going to do with you, Sarina?”
“Whatever you’d like?” she invited freely.
He pulled back to look into her eyes, his hands still cupping her face. “Don’t tempt me.”
“Why? You forever tempt me.”
“And what if I invited you to do whatever you liked?”
“Then we tempt fate,” she said softly. “Do you have the courage?”
“Now you issue me a challenge,” he said with a brief laugh and a smile that melted her insides.
“Do you accept?” she asked hopefully.
He gave her a quick kiss and said, “I never turn down a challenge.”
Her smile was teasing. “I rather thought you didn’t.”
He looked about to kiss her and grew hesitant, his hands falling away from her face to rest in her lap.
“You think of your plans,” she said, knowing his troubled thoughts and also knowing that he questioned them.
“You brought chaos to my orderly world.”
She wanted to kiss him badly but instead ran her finger over his tempting lips. “Perhaps it was your orderly world that brought the chaos.”
He looked at her oddly, losing himself in the depths of her amazing soft blue eyes. They imprisoned him and yet freed him, and they made him feel alive with every bit of his senses and every breath he took.
Kiss me, Dagon, please kiss me.
He heard her soft plea in his mind, and it echoed down to his soul. Without thought or reason he stood, grabbed her around the waist, and lifted her up, his mouth meeting hers.
The kiss shocked them senseless, rationale thought escaped them, and blind passion devoured them. He carried her to the washing machine and sat her down hard on top of it. His hands rushed down her legs and up her jumper all the while his mouth continued to feed with hers. Two hungry souls aching for the nourishment of love.
His fingers squeezed along her thighs and slipped between her legs with an eager roughness that excited them both. He worked one finger beneath the edge of her panties, finding her already swollen nub of passion and tormenting it beyond reason.
She moaned and tore her mouth away from his, her head falling back and her sensual moans resonating around him, fueling his own feverish emotions. His fingers moved to swiftly enter her, and she cried out at the sheer pleasure of his determined entrance. She moaned, his fingers working their magic so fast and furiously that she was sure to climax, and she cried out to
him, “Dagon, please, I’ll—”
“Come,” he urged, “I want you to.”
His fingers turned frantic and his whispered urgings pushed her over the edge. She climaxed fast and furiously, her satisfied cries filling the room. When she thought it over and a final shudder drifted away, he ran his thumb intimately over her one more time causing a small yet powerful climax to shudder her entire body.
He pulled her to him, her head dropping to rest on his shoulder, her legs draped limply at his sides and her arms barely able to hold on to him. He brushed a kiss over her lips. “I like the feel of you when you come.”
She breathed a heavy sigh and shivered in his arms.
He held her close and whispered in her ear, “You did say whatever I liked.”
She nodded against his shoulder, her breath laborious, her heart pounding, and her body pleasured beyond reason.
“You drive me to the brink of insanity, Sarina,” he said, nibbling at her neck.
She sighed, her skin still tingling from the aftermath of her climax, and her reply was barely audible. “Then join me in this madness, for I want no one else.”
He looked into her eyes and saw the sweet gratification he had given her, and he shook his head. “You were not part of my plans.”
“Nor you mine.” She kissed him gently and urged, “Come tempt fate with me.”
He shook his head again, and she knew he attempted to shake sense into himself. She would not push, nor grow impatient. She had made her choice, and now he must make his. And she must accept the consequences.
She offered him time. “Think on this, Dagon, for the next time we come together, it will be a complete joining or none at all. And the decision will ultimately be yours.”
o0o
Dagon sat alone in the small receiving parlor, brandy in hand and his eyes intent on the low flame in the hearth. He had not fared well at all after leaving Sarina in the laundry room.
He returned to his guests after freshening himself and found his mind constantly wandering to Sarina and his conversation with his dinner guests sorely limited. She tormented his thoughts and his heart, not to mention his emotions. He did not know what to do about this unexpected situation. He had thought his plans were set, his future basically secured, and now?
He wanted to throw his hands up in surrender to a blue-eyed, powerless witch.
He was crazy.
“Troubled thoughts?”
Dagon looked to the doorway with a smile, and he held an inviting hand out to Ali. She hurried to the sofa to join him, her bare feet peeking out from beneath her long white silk robe. She cuddled beside him on the couch, stealing his glass to sip at his brandy.
“You torment yourself, you know,” she said, handing the glass back to him.
“I don’t recall asking for advice.”
“You need it.”
He laughed. “From you?”
Her expression softened to one of concern. “I owe you, Dagon, for all the scrapes and troubles you got me out of, for all the times you have protected me even against myself, and for always being there like a big brother and loving me no matter how irrational or how foolish I act. You’re like a brother to me and I love you and I want you to find a love as rare and magical as the one I share with Sebastian.”
Her words touched him, and he hugged her to him. “I love you, too, and you are a sister to me in heart and soul. The first day we met when your parents visited here with mine and left us to play by the mermaid pond, I knew I would spend the rest of my life looking out for you.”
“It was your fault I fell into that pond,” she said with a playful poke to his ribs.
Dagon smiled. “I wasn’t the one looking for a toad you insisted you could make fly.”
“You told me there were toads in there.”
“No, I told you there might be, but as usual you leaped before you looked.”
Ali laughed. “And you got all wet saving me.”
“And scolded for not watching you properly.”
“Your own fault for telling me there were toads in the pond,” she said and snatched his brandy glass to take another sip.
Dagon shook his head and snatched his brandy glass back when she finished sipping. “I envy the love you share with Sebastian.”
Ali remained quiet, knowing he needed to talk.
“I think that’s why I wanted so badly to help the both of you. After watching your heart almost break and Sebastian hurt with the pain of loving you yet feeling himself helpless, I realized you both shared a love worth saving. It also gave me reason to pause and examine my own life.”
“You want love,” she said, understanding his need.
“So badly that it frightens me,” he admitted. “And I had thought to secure it for myself and yet now I wonder if I do the right thing.”
“If you question it, then perhaps you have your answer.”
He tapped her nose with his finger. “How did you become so wise?”
She smiled with appreciation and love. “My big brother taught me.”
“If he’s so bright, why does he feel so stupid?”
“Love can rob you of your senses.”
“How did you know you loved Sebastian and wanted him for a lifemate?” he asked seriously.
Ali answered just as earnestly. “I knew the moment I looked into his eyes. I could see and feel the love. Oh, how I felt it, Dagon. It wrapped around me and invaded my heart and soul.”
“You were that certain?”
“Love doesn’t come with a guarantee or a refundable receipt.”
“Then how—”
“Could I be certain that I loved Sebastian?” she finished and answered quickly, “I made a choice and took a chance.”
“On love,” Dagon confirmed.
“Yes, that’s all any of us can do, whether witch or mortal.”
“I thought I knew of love, b u t... “He shook his head.
“Don’t look to know love, Dagon, free yourself to feel it.” She kissed him on the cheek. “I’d better get back to Sebastian.”
“You mean you want to get back to Sebastian,” Dagon said with a grin.
“That’s love, darling,” she said with a smile and a pat to his cheek. “Try it.”
o0o
She hurried out of the room and up the stairs. Her robe fell to the carpet after shutting the door to their room, her nightgown followed, and she slipped naked into the bed.
Sebastian’s eager arms greeted her. “Is he feeling any better?”
She cuddled against him, running her leg up and down his, the tiny bell on her toe ring chiming. “I don’t know, I hope so, but it wouldn’t hurt for you to speak with him.”
“Not now,” he said firmly.
Ali laughed softly and ran her hand over his body until she cupped him intimately. “No, darling, not now.”