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PAIGE’S ARMS WERE NUMB from having them tied over her head. When Selene started chanting and held the blade to her throat, she thought she was going to die. Her biggest regret was not telling Aidan how she’d felt about him. Then, like a scene from a fairy tale, the door moved, and he appeared.
She’d glimpsed the look of betrayal on his face after Selene revealed how she’d used witchcraft to control him. His jaw muscles tightened and she could tell he was struggling with his anger. She wished she could go to him, comfort the hurt she knew he must be experiencing.
“Let her go, and I’ll agree to leave with you.” He held his hand out to Selene. “We can go anywhere you want. Do whatever you want.”
What is he doing? She couldn’t believe he was risking his own life to save hers. She had to find a way to stop him.
“Really, you’d do anything for me?” Selene seemed enthralled with his offer. She lowered the knife and stepped toward him.
“Yes,” he said and moved forward.
Clearly, the woman was unstable if she believed he’d want to be a magically induced pet catering to all her whims. Selene had believed him too easily, and it worried Paige. What happened when she realized he was lying? Would she punish him for coming to rescue her?
All Selene had to do was touch someone’s bare skin and she could make them do whatever she wanted. If she got close enough to Aidan, she’d be able to restrain and control him. Again.
A painful tingle spread along the back of her legs. At first, she thought the feeling was caused from dangling from the rope for so long. Then she felt a twinge in her right foot and was able to wiggle her toes. She wanted to cry. The compulsion spell was starting to wear off. Too bad it wasn’t releasing her quickly enough to stop Selene from reaching him. “No,” she cried. “Don’t do it. Not for me.”
Selene spun around and pointed the knife at her. “Shut up. He doesn’t want you anymore. He wants to be with me.”
Paige’s fingertips twitched against the rope, then the area where the rope bit into her wrists started to burn. Please, wear off faster. “I don’t think so.”
Aidan inched forward. “Selene, don’t listen to her. You’re the only one I want.”
Selene’s chest heaved. Her full attention was on her now, and she planned to keep it there. Paige ignored Aidan’s glowering expression. “Why would he want you?” She flexed her leg muscles, the movements hidden by her flared skirt. Now if she could get her hands to function, she might be able to draw on the demon power and use it to burn through the rope. “You’re still a deranged bitch.”
Selene growled. She raised the knife above her head, ready to strike.
“No!” Aidan threw himself at Selene. He grabbed her around the waist. The momentum tore her away from Paige, but not before the knife sliced through the air and cut the underside of her arm.
Son of a bitch, that hurts. She glanced up and saw a thin red line where the blade had grazed her arm. Paige wasn’t happy about the pain radiating across her skin, but it was a good thing. It meant the spell had broken and she was free to draw on her powers. She ignored the stinging sensation in her hands and clasped the rope. She concentrated on drawing out her powers, praying she could control the malevolent forces long enough to implement her plan.
Aidan and Selene struggled. Their bodies collided with a row of desks, shoving them across the floor and filling the room with the sound of scraping metal. His back hit the floor first, with her slamming on top of him.
When Selene rolled off him, Paige stared in horror at the handle of the knife protruding from the right side of his chest, below his shoulder. His eyes were closed, and he wasn’t moving.
“Aidan!” Paige screamed, frantically twisting her hands around the rope, trying to break free and get to him.
No, no, no. Paige’s anger flared and triggered her powers. The dark energy surged from her core and spiraled through her system. Heat burst from her palms. The pungent odor of burning fiber stung her nostrils. The rope snapped, and her feet leveled out on the floor.
Selene scrambled to her feet and pinned her with a venomous glare. “This is all your fault.” She screeched and dove at her.
Paige sidestepped out of her reach. She ripped the remaining rope from around her wrists and tossed it to the ground.
At the periphery of her vision, she saw Cassie and Chance enter the room. “Help Aidan,” she shouted, keeping her focus on Selene.
The couple skirted around the desk and knelt beside him.
“Is he...” she asked, her voice crackling around the knot constricting her throat.
“He’s still breathing.” Cassie pulled out her phone. “We need a healer...” she said to whoever was on the other end of the line.
Paige didn’t hear the rest of the conversation. Selene picked the same moment to shove past her, growling, “Keep away from him.”
Paige grabbed a handful of her long hair and yanked Selene backward. She stepped to the left, blocking her path. “You will never touch him again.” Relieved to know help was on the way, Paige kicked off her shoes.
“And who’s going to stop me. You?” Selene laughed and moved to her right. “Get out of my way.”
Paige sidestepped to block her. “Make me.”. As long as Selene was conscious, she could still use her powers to manipulate everyone in the room, including her. She wasn’t about to let that happen. The bitch was definitely going to pay for what she’d done to the people she cared about. Especially Aidan.
“I’m going to enjoy this.” Selene smirked and lunged at her.
#
“DON’T PULL OUT THE knife. He could bleed out before Drake gets here with the healer.” Cassie’s voice penetrated the haze swirling around in Aidan’s mind. “Give me your cape.”
“What for?” Chance asked.
“So I can prop up his head.”
“Oh.”
At first he thought the dialogue was part of a dream, until he felt pressure against the back of his head. The aching throb in his skull was a close second to the sharp pain radiating from his chest. He forced his eyes open and found Chance and Cassie hovering over him.
“Welcome back,” Cassie said and gently lowered his head onto something soft, which he assumed must be his friend’s cape.
He glanced at his chest to see what the hell was causing him so much agony. He saw the hilt of a knife sticking out and reached for it.
Cassie slapped his hand away. “Leave it alone.”
“Fuck, what happened?” He had a vague recollection of tearing Selene away from Paige. After that, his memory got a little hazy.
“Apparently, you tried to be a hero and got stabbed.” Chance flashed him a disapproving frown. “We got here right after you tackled the woman with the dark hair.”
He must be talking about Selene. Images of Paige being threatened swirled through his mind. Panic seized him, and he tried to sit up. “Where’s Paige? Is she all right?”
Cassie pressed a hand to the uninjured side of his chest. “She’s fine. You need to stay put. There’s nothing you can do to help her.” She scooted a little to her left, providing him with a clear view of the center of the classroom. Paige was no longer dangling from the rope. She was facing Selene, her body hunched and arms spread as if she were preparing to wrestle.
“What does she think she’s doing?”
“Apparently, getting ready to kick Selene’s ass.”
He saw Paige’s determined expression, and his worry eased. He understood her motivation and knew she’d be angry if anyone interfered.
“Shouldn’t we do something to help her?” Chance asked.
“Relax, she’s got this,” Cassie said.
#
SELENE SHRIEKED LIKE a wounded banshee and lunged at Paige. It was a good thing Alex had coerced her into being a training partner when she’d taken a self-defense class as part of her PI training. She would never complain again about the four weeks she’d endured a sore and bruised body.
Using one of her favorite maneuvers, Paige dodged the other woman’s blow, then rammed an elbow into her ribs. Selene groaned and clutched her side. Her nostrils flared. “Why you little...” She curled her fingers into claws and leapt at her again.
Paige managed to avoid a direct hit, but not the sharp nails scraping her forearm. Luckily, Selene was reacting with her emotions and not concentrating clearly enough to invoke her powers. And Paige planned to keep it that way.
She shot a quick glance at Aidan. Thank God he’s awake. His pained expression and extremely pale complexion troubled her. She needed to touch him, to help him.
Paige wasn’t an advocate of fighting dirty, but for Selene, she was going to make an exception. She held up her hands and motioned with her fingers. “Come on, Selene. You can do better than that.”
Selene growled and dove for her. Paige sidestepped to the right and grabbed her arm. She formed a fist and drove it into her jaw. Selene’s head snapped to the side, and she dropped to the floor.
Pain shot through Paige’s hand, and she tucked it under her other arm. Dammit, that probably wasn’t a smart thing to do. Selene might not be moving, but Paige didn’t trust that she’d knocked her out. Cautiously, she knelt beside Selene. She fisted her hand, ready to pummel her again if she so much as twitched. She grabbed a handful of hair and lifted her head. Convinced she wasn’t going to get back up, Paige released Selene’s head and stepped around her.
She hurried over to Aidan, bunched up her skirt, and knelt beside him. “Hey, there,” she said, cupping his cheek.
He pressed his hand over hers. “I didn’t know I was dating a ninja.”
“A few tricks I picked up from your sister.”
“Figures.” His laugh came out as a cough, and he winced.
“Did Alex also teach you how to fight dirty?” Chance asked.
“No, that was me.” Cassie grinned and winked.
Paige knew her friends were using humor to distract her, to keep her from worrying, and she appreciated their efforts. She clasped his hand and stared at the blood-soaked area surrounding the handle of the blade. It appeared to be getting worse. She glanced at Cassie. “How long before the healer gets here?”
She nervously twisted her long braid. “I thought they’d be here by now. With the bad roads...”
This can’t be happening. If he died trying to save her, she’d never forgive herself. Tears trickled down her cheeks.
“Please don’t cry. It’s going to be okay,” Aidan said.
She had to do something. Anything. She refused to sit by and watch his life slip away. She sniffed and wiped the moisture off her face. “My charmed magic is nowhere near as strong as a healer’s powers. Maybe I can use it to slow down the bleeding. Buy you more time.”
“It’s worth a try,” Cassie said.
“Wait, don’t you need an object to use your powers?” Aidan asked.
“I’m going to use the blade.” She squeezed his hand.
“What about...you know, the other thing?”
She knew he was asking about the dark powers and trying to protect her secret. “Gone.” At least I hope so. She hadn’t felt any of the invasive energies since she’d used it to burn through the rope. “Selene told me it was temporary. She forced Harker to lie to me because she wanted the powers for herself.”
“What can we do?” Cassie asked.
She gave her friend a weak smile. “Nothing. Just get back.” In case something goes seriously wrong.
She waited for Cassie and Chance to move away from Aidan, then curled her fingers around the knife’s hilt.
Aidan placed his hand over hers. “If this doesn’t help, promise me you won’t blame yourself.”
“I’m not promising, because it’s going to work.”
He nodded and placed his hands on the floor. “Okay.”
Please, please, please let this work. I can’t lose him. She stared at the metal in her hands and focused on her powers. The familiar surge of energy awakened at her core. Concentrating on the flow, she drew it through her body and forced it into the cold metal. At first, the handle glowed a brilliant red. Afraid she’d been wrong about the dark powers, she eased the pressure. Within seconds, the crimson light transformed into a glittering crystal blue brighter than any enchantment she’d managed to dispel in the past.
Aidan gasped, then jerked, and he slammed his palms against the floor. “Is it supposed to feel like that?”
“Like what?” Oh no, I’m hurting him. She quickly released the handle.
His pupils darkened, and the color returned to his cheeks. “Like a night of really great sex.”
Heat flushed along her throat and across her cheeks. She glanced up at her friends. Cassie had two fingers over her mouth, trying to hide a smirk, and Chance stared at the floor, pretending to toe an invisible object with his shoe.
Drake entered the room followed by two coven elders whom she recognized. Behind them came an older gray-haired man she hoped was the healer. He wore a pair of striped flannel pajamas underneath his beige wool coat. The man tightened his thin lips and tromped toward them, his snow-covered boots squeaking on the tiled floor.
The elders walked over to Selene’s unconscious form. “How is he?” Drake stopped next to Cassie and stared down at his nephew.
“Great,” Aidan said before anyone else could answer.
“I’d like to see for myself, if you don’t mind,” the older man responded, his voice condescending and gruff.
“Everyone, this is Durwyn Price. He’s the coven healer,” said Drake.
“Young lady, would you mind?” He held his hand out to Paige.
“No, not at all.” She let him help her off the floor.
Once she stepped aside, the healer knelt next to Aidan. He waved his hand palm down over the area around the hilt. Vibrant blue light resembling miniature lightning bolts shot from his fingertips. Aidan flinched as they danced across his chest.
Durwyn flicked his wrist, then clenched his hand into a fist, causing the light to disappear. “Interesting.” He rubbed his chin, then slid out the knife and set it on the floor.
Paige bit her lower lip as the healer unbuttoned Aidan’s vest and shirt. He slowly pulled back the blood-soaked fabric to reveal a long gash.
Durwyn pressed his fingertips to the skin, and the edges of the wound sealed together. He glanced at Drake and growled, “I thought you dragged me out of bed for an emergency. This is nothing more than a scratch.” He patted Aidan’s chest. “You’re going to be fine. I recommend keeping the arm in a sling for at least two weeks. And no driving.” The healer got to his feet and scrutinized each member of the group. “Who’s handiwork is this?”
“I’m afraid it’s mine.” Paige said.
“Nice work. A bit unrefined, but still a good job.” He pulled a small piece of paper out of his jacket pocket and handed it to her. “If you’re ever interested in developing your skills, give me a call.”
Too stunned to speak, she bobbed her head and accepted the business card.
“Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going home and back to bed.” He tipped his head toward Drake. “St. Claire, you coming?” He didn’t wait for a response before heading out of the room.
Drake pulled Paige into an unexpected hug. He whispered into her ear, “Thank you,” then released her and turned to his nephew. “You sure you’re all right?”
Chance was helping Aidan to his feet. “I’m fine.”
“Good. Take a few days off.” Drake briefly touched her shoulder. “You’ll take care of him? Make sure he stays out of trouble.”
“Absolutely.”
Selene had awoken and was on her feet. As Paige expected, the elders had cuffed her with restraining bracelets and now dragged her across the floor.
Selene struggled against the constraints and glared over her shoulder. “You don’t understand. This is all her fault.”
“You can explain it to the high council,” said one of the elders as they hauled her from the room.
After everyone had gone, Cassie tugged on Chance’s shirt. “Come on, Professor. I believe you still owe me a dance.”
“Okay, yeah...I guess.” He took her offered hand and let her lead him from the room.
Once they were gone, Aidan took Paige’s hand and pulled her toward him. He fingered the dried blood at the base of her neck. “What were you thinking?” he asked in a stern tone.
Unbelievable. She’d saved his life and now he was going to chastise her. “When?”
“When you purposely tried to provoke Selene.”
She pulled away and fisted the fabric of her skirt. “I was trying to keep her from using her magic to control you. “Because that’s what you do when you love someone.”
He slipped his arm around her waist. “You love me. Really?”
“Yes and...”
He placed a finger against her lips. “I love you too. Thank you for saving my life.”
She cupped his jaw and gave him a gentle kiss. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
He pulled her closer. “I’m good.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Better than a night of great sex, huh?”
His expression lit with desire. “About that...”
#
FOUR DAYS LATER, AIDAN sat on the edge of his desk with Paige standing in front of him, her hips wedged between his thighs. It was his first day back to the office, and he didn’t want to let her leave.
She’d been adamant he follow Durwyn’s instructions and insisted he wear the annoying sling. Since her sister had given birth to a little girl and Margaret had returned home, Paige had volunteered to be his personal chauffeur. He hadn’t argued one bit, because it meant she was also spending every night at his place.
He pressed his free hand against the middle of her back and pulled her into a kiss.
“There you two are,” Alex said as he walked into the room, with Mason tagging along behind her.
He groaned and glared at his sister. “I was in the middle of something here.” The snowstorm the city had received the night of the ball had caused travel delays. The couple hadn’t made it home until the day before.
She swiped a dismissive hand at him. “It can wait.” She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “Besides, I haven’t seen my friend in forever.” She stepped back and tugged Paige into a rib-crushing hug. “I missed you.”
“Me too. I’m glad you’re back.” Paige beamed at her friend.
The women stepped aside to make room for Mason. “Glad to see you’re all right.” He hooked his arm across Alex’s shoulder.
Aidan bent forward and stared at his coworker’s singed eyebrows. “What happened to your face?”
“Long story.” Mason frowned at his sister.
She waved her hands defensively. “Not my fault. I swear.”
“Sure,” Aidan said and laughed. He’d have to get the details from Mason later, when Alex wasn’t around.
Cassie popped through the doorway and pointed at Mason and Alex. “Drake needs to see you two, like ASAP.”
Mason tugged her toward the door. “Guess we’ll catch up with you guys later.”
As soon as they were out of sight, Aidan slid off the desk and approached Paige. “Where were we?”
“Right about here.” She cupped his cheeks and kissed him, then she stepped back. “But I should probably get going and let you get back to work.”
Oh hell. He snagged her hand to stop her. “There’s something...” He’d wanted to wait until they were alone, to make the moment special, but he couldn’t. If he delayed any longer, he was going to explode. He took a deep breath, reached inside the sling and withdrew a small black velvet case.
He opened the case, revealing a diamond ring set with small ice-blue stones matching the color of her eyes. “Marry me.”
