Chapter Six

Lisette leaned into Michael, doing as he suggested, enjoying the moment one more time.

She rested her head on Michael’s chest, listening to the heavy beat of his heart. Questions, so many questions. “You watched me the night I discovered my powers. They were your eyes.”

She felt the blush heat her cheeks.

“Yes. I’ll never forget watching the beauty of your naked power circling you, your aura shooting off colors like fireworks on the Fourth of July. Very impressive. The moment you turned and faced me, I saw you, and my heart clicked into place. I felt…relieved it was you.”

“I tried joining the coven.”

“No one said anything—” Giselle? He wondered. He stared, scowling, and stiffened. “I’ve been gone a lot.”

“I was afraid to face you. I needed to work through all this and learn more about my power.”

“I could have helped,” he said. “The coven—”

“Really? No one trusted me enough to tell you I’d asked for you. They don’t believe who I am. To prove myself, I needed to develop my power on my own.”

“I looked for you at all the places where you used to hang out. Finally, I found out where you moved. I stopped by one night, but…there was a man with you.”

Her stomach flipped as a smile pulled at the corner of her lips. “Were you jealous?”

“No. Worse.” Michael cut off her question and contemplated before he answered, “Worried.”

“Worried? About what?”

“Hell, everything. That I’d blown it with you. That you’d never forgive me. That I’d been stupid to care about the ridiculous prophecy, that—”

“Wow. All that?” Lisette put her hand on Michael’s and wove her fingers through his. “There is no other man. Sean is Marisa’s brother. He helped me research my parents’ scrolls. He’s a linguist.”

“So, you’re available?”

“What do you think?”

“I think you’re pissed. And you should torture me for a while.” His eyes crinkled when he chuckled. “Hey, I’m a guy.” His voice grew light with the laughter. “Our needs are a little more concrete. Innuendos don’t work with us. We tend to miss less than obvious signals.”

“How come you didn’t feel our connection before? I had an excuse. I was untrained, ignorant about my gifts.”

“I did sense the connection. Your dormant power was benign. It buzzed like a beehive when we were together. I passed it off to wishful thinking, my imagination.” The resonance of his voice rumbled through her. “But now your power is at the surface, full-blown, untapped energy. Tonight, when you walked in the room, I felt it, and then when I touched you, your energy ripped through my soul like a windstorm out of control. I felt it all right.” He winked those lush black lashes at her. “You can’t be subtle with us guys, or we miss all the cues.”

“Okay. I’ll try to remember that in the future.”

She stood on her toes and linked her arms around his neck, tugging his head down for a kiss. For now, this would have to be enough. Someone wanted her dead, and her one hope of protection depended on Michael and his coven—the coven that didn’t trust her and didn’t want her joined with their warlock.

Michael gripped her chin and forced her face up so he could see her expression. “You’re thinking too hard. What’s wrong?”

“Would anyone in your coven kill to keep us apart?” Lisette shivered in his arms and pulled away.

“I don’t think so,” he said, but the expression in his eyes told her he wouldn’t dismiss the question.

She rubbed her arms and glanced away. “I don’t trust my instincts, yet. Someone killed my parents and thought the fire killed me, too. Since I’ve been practicing the craft, I’ve sensed a sinister presence. I’m afraid.”

“Here? Now?”

When she nodded, Michael glanced through the crowd in the club, trying to get a sense of any evil vibes, but he didn’t feel evil directed at her, specifically.

“Come on.” Hand in hand, he walked her back to the table and Marisa. When Lisette didn’t sit, he handed her a water bottle and dismissed Marisa’s worried gaze with a shrug.

“Drink. Clear your head.” He lowered his voice and whispered in Lisette’s ear, “Draw your power in. Remember to wrap it around you like a cocoon for protection, and repeat the Golden Mist Shield spell. You know it?”

She closed her eyes and nodded. “Uh-ha.”

He took the water bottle, placed it on the table, and gripped Lisette’s hands in his. The trembling in her lower lip stopped when her shoulders squared. And Marisa visibly relaxed when he winked at her, letting her know Lisette would be okay.

“There you go,” he said as Lisette cloaked her power around her like a mantle. “Excellent, that one is simple to call on when confronted with negative people, demons, or curses. It’s a temporary measure, but it’s effective enough. And I’m here with you—”

Her eyes popped wide open. “What happens when you’re not?”

“Not an issue.” He wrapped himself around her from behind and nuzzled her neck.

Turning her in his arms, he stared deep into her eyes to reassure her. “Are you packed?” he asked casually. Picking up the bill, he pulled out enough cash to cover the tab and a generous tip.

“Packed? No—”

“Yes. I packed for the weekend for both of us,” Marisa stood and chimed in before Lisette could answer. “Our suitcases are in my car out front.”

“You did?” Lisette turned to her friend and her brow furrowed. “What for?”

Thank goodness, Marisa was on his side. He wanted to chuckle at Marisa’s match making efforts but didn’t dare. Hell, he wouldn’t risk a smile if it meant pissing off Lisette, not after she was coming around.

“We’ll just ride with you,” Marisa said to Michael, ignoring Lisette’s questions.

“You get your things, and I’ll pick you up out front.” He rubbed at the rough shadow beard on his jaw and suddenly realized Lisette had grown rigid in his arms.

“Lisette?” He cupped her nape. “You okay with coming to the estate, tonight?” He dipped his head and drew her mouth toward his. As her eyes shuttered closed, he murmured against her lips, “I want to keep you safe.”

She pulled back, suddenly fidgeting with nervous energy he could feel pouring off her. “I need to get a costume. And a group of us were going to visit the voodoo shop and get a commemorative tattoo—”

“Shh, shh. I’ll bring you back into town in the morning. If you want, you and Marisa can pick up your cars, then. Don’t worry about the tattoo. We’ll take care of that tonight.”

“I can’t shake the danger.” She trembled in his arms. “A grizzly-looking man the size of a bear—”

“What?” Recalling his vision, tension gripped Michael’s soul. He glanced around and held her tighter. “Where?”

“A vision.” Her skin felt like ice. “He’s a warlock with a pentacle tattoo on his chest. A tattoo like...yours.” She put her hand to her lower back as if thinking about her own mark. “You do have one on the base of your spine, don’t you? I’ve seen it, but when?”

The exact instant the memory spell exploded, it jarred the old mistrust she’d been holding back. “The woods!”

Her anger hit him like a slap in the face, and because he deserved it, he let her rage beat at him like a whip.

“The Blood Moon. Beltane…” He helped her remember it all.

“Y-you...put a memory spell on the drink you gave me.” Disbelief and fear clouded her expression.

“I was responsible for the safety of my coven, and to my soul mate, don’t forget.” He half laughed. “You realize the irony of all this? The soul mate I was protecting is you.”

She waved her hands and tried to back away from him, but he’d have none of her resistance. He tugged her closer and whispered. “My heart knew before my mind did that you were the one. I kept fighting the idea for the sake of the coven. No more.”

Lisette inhaled rapidly. “You had a disturbing vision...a warlock turned into a bear. It attacked a wolf...me. A panther...you. You fought the bear. The warlock in my vision is the bear in yours. I think he’s the one who killed my parents, and tried to kill me...for this.” She gripped her pendant.

“That settles it. Stay with me tonight—”

“Yes,” she quietly acquiesced, and her lashes fluttered closed in defeat.

“No argument?”

“No. I’m more afraid of a murdering warlock who can turn into a bear than I am interested in keeping my pride. I’m not stupid enough to risk my life because I’m disappointed in you.”

“Don’t be, please. I’m so sorry.” He brushed his lips against hers hoping, in time, he could make her understand. “I need you to believe in me.”

When her head tilted up, she gave him a worried little grin and blinked away the dampness from her eyes. Her emotion hit him like a punch to his chest. The emotion gripped his heart and squeezed.

Oh, she was the one all right. What they’d had between them before was nothing compared to this. With each day since she began practicing the craft, her power had grown, and so had their bond. How much more could he stand?

He bent to kiss her and to his surprise, she dove into the lip action with more enthusiasm than he expected, or could handle in public. She opened her lips and explored his mouth, her tongue passionately tangling with his. He was aching, hard, and ready when her breasts pressed into his chest and her hips brushed his groin.

Above the bar chatter and music, a few cat calls shouted, “Get a room.”

Reluctantly, Michael broke the kiss, exhaling a long ragged sigh. “O-o-okay. Ah, great.”

She had no idea what she was capable of sexually or magically. The glazed look in her eyes told him at least he could still affect her, too. Influenced by her magic, the sexual desire in the club built to a dangerous level. Everyone in the vicinity would be driven into an erotic frenzy if he didn’t get her out of there soon.

Pressing his forehead to hers, he touched the pad of his thumb to her lips. “Don’t forget where we left off, cher.”

The trembling in her body started again, and this time Michael felt the dark magic slide like a snake, weaving its way around them, sniffing and searching, probing her protective shell. Instinct demanded he shield her.

Someone didn’t want them together. Someone wanted the power. Someone he knew. Someone he trusted.

Protect her. Damn right. But how? If anything happened to her, he’d never survive the loss.

The tattoo first.

Lisette’s commemorative tattoo would be more special than she anticipated. He would arrange for her birthmark to be completed. The sooner she had the power, the safer she’d be. Tonight, he’d make the arrangements. There wasn’t time to explain.

Once the voodoo queen magically filled Lisette’s birthmark with the special tattoo, no one in the coven would question Lisette’s rightful position, and he’d bind her to him immediately. Then, when he wasn’t around, she’d be able to call on the elemental powers through the spirit animals to protect her.

Before dawn, the Pentacle of Power would be rejoined, and they would have fulfilled their function in the prophecy.

“Let’s get out of here.” Michael kept Lisette between Marisa and himself as they made their way from the back to the door, where the big bouncer stood like a sentry.

“Desmond, give us a ten minute head-start. Understand?”

The big man smiled, squeezed Michael’s shoulder, and winked at Lisette. “Be my pleasure, my friends.”

Michael cringed, considering the way Desmond would delay the evil following them, but all the same, he was grateful the fallen angel was on their side.

“Wait,” he said, and then Desmond did something puzzling. He cupped Marisa’s face in his big hands and lowered his mouth to hers. “Take care my little angel. I’ll meet you later.”

Lisette’s look of surprise matched his own. Michael asked, “Ah, when did…” He pointed to Marisa and Desmond.

Lisette interrupted, “Angel? Marissa, what’s going on?”

Marissa just grinned. “You two were dancing and I was bored. A girl has a right to have a secret or two.” She did a little finger wave at Desmond and walked out, leaving Lisette and Michael to follow, stunned.