“It wasn’t real?” he argued back, his eyes suddenly flaring with a heated emotion. “It felt pretty real to me. I can tell you honestly that there were times you’d lay in my arms and I burned with the need to bite you, drink you, even to the point of killing you. I wanted to so badly it hurt, and then it would all tangle in with that horrible sex drive. You have no idea how much I ached to do these things to you, all while you lay so trustingly in my arms.”
I was shocked by his bluntness. I hadn’t realized how hard I had been pushing him. I didn’t know what to say.
“Even now things are still difficult for me. While I may not have the desire to kill you like I did before, the physical needs are still driving me crazy. I don’t think it has diminished at all!”
I smiled then, pursing my lips to keep from laughing.
“What?” he asked, looking annoyed at me.
“Have you ever considered that maybe we just have really strong chemistry?” I asked him.
He shrugged his shoulders then, and he glanced away from me.
“Well, consider this then,” I whispered, and I moved as close as I could to his face, turning his head back toward me. “I burn with the same desires that you do, and I’ve never tasted a drop of demon blood. Explain that.”
I looked at him triumphantly when he struggled with a comeback but couldn’t find one.
“See?” I asked. “This connection has nothing to do with your dark past. We’re linked together because we’re soulmates, plain and simple.”
He sighed, giving in completely then.
“I don’t know how. You and I are complete opposites.”
“It’s our opposition that works for us,” I replied, tapping the end of his nose lightly with my fingertip. “I’m a woman, you’re a man. I’m a witch, you’re a warlock. You are an Aries, I’m a Virgo, and though we aren’t completely opposite there, it’s close. Your magical powers rule from fire, and mine from ice. You know what they say…opposites attract.” I smiled impishly at him. “Even wise philosophers say there must be opposition in all things.”
He laughed then.
“I don’t think they were referring to our relationship,” he said, and he smiled broadly.
“I don’t care,” I replied while I stared at his beautiful blue eyes and flashing smile. “I just want you know, without reservation, that I love and trust you completely.”
His smile slowly faded, and he reached a finger under my chin, pulling me toward him, kissing me gently.
“Thank you,” he said. “That means more to me than you’ll ever know.”
Chapter 19
We sat around the large dining table with everyone else while the food was being passed around for dinner from one hand to the next.
We had discussed the fact that Brian had not known about the box for the ritual when I had questioned him about it. This led to the general consensus that there was a good possibility that the rest of the Cummingses’ demon coven was unaware of the box also. This made sense since it would have eliminated the possibility of someone else wanting to take the box for themselves.
“I think we should look for Darcy,” I said popping into the conversation after listening to several suggestions from the others.
“Why is that?” Dad asked with a curious look on his face.
“Well, we know she worked closely with Damien in Las Vegas. He wanted the Awakening for himself. That’s why he hid Vance from Douglas and Fiona. It’s also why he was performing the demon kiss. He knew the Awakening would greatly enhance any powers he was carrying. He was stealing as many as he could so he could be even that much more powerful. I assume that Douglas and Fiona have probably done the same thing.”
“What does that have to do with Darcy?” Shelly asked with a slightly confused look crossing her features.
“Damien was actively preparing for this event. I think it might suggest that he was the one in possession of the box. Think about it. Darcy has now been accepted into the welcoming arms of Douglas and Fiona after she served their wayward son. What could she have possibly offered them that would’ve made them interested in her?” I asked, and I looked around the table at each of them.
“That could make sense,” my dad said. “It could also mean that she’s the only one besides Douglas and Fiona that knows where the box is. However, I’m inclined to think perhaps Damien was still working with his parents. Otherwise, why would they have helped him out with Krista?”
“That’s true. Either way we need to get hold of Darcy. I’m sure she could help us with answers,” Vance interjected in a no-nonsense tone of voice, as if kidnapping a demon was an everyday discussion. “She’s a housemaid now at Bell Tower. Surely she must have time off or run errands. I doubt that Crispin and his coven would watch her much, probably thinking she’s insignificant.”
“You’re right,” my dad agreed as he looked back at him. “They’ve tended to focus on the more influential members of the coven. Perhaps it’s the ones they’re overlooking that are actually carrying out the dirty work, so to speak.”
“It’s a crafty idea,” Vance said, agreeing with my dad’s assumption. “If there’s one thing I learned about my grandmother while I was there, it’s that she’s definitely crafty.”
“I agree,” I added softly, thinking of the prim and proper Fiona who in reality was probably one of the most devious people I had ever known in my life, which was really saying something after I had met her son.
Vance looked at me with an apologetic glance, reaching over to pat my leg under the table.
“It’s settled then,” Dad said, while he buttered his roll with a knife. “We go after Darcy. We need to set up a containment area somewhere too in the event that we find her. It would have to be someplace that wouldn’t alert the construction workers that are in and out of this place.”
“Well, this is a Scottish keep,” Vance said with a mischievous smile spreading across his face. “Portia and I had an excellent time exploring the dungeons underneath here. They haven’t been touched at all, and it’s my understanding that they’re to remain that way since the owner wishes to use them as a point of interest to the guests who stay here.”
“Hmmm, holding a prisoner in the dungeon? What a novel idea,” Dad smiled before he bit into his roll.
“You boys are having way too much fun with this idea,” my mom said, shaking her head from side to side.
Vance and Dad looked at each other and chuckled, while I blushed at remembering the ever-so-hot kisses Vance had shared with me during our exploration of the dungeon.
Vance noticed my blush immediately and sent a seductive little wink in my direction, which caused me to flush even harder.
“I’ll get started on our guest preparations right after dinner,” Grandma said, giving a disapproving look to Vance and my dad before glancing at me also. “I’m going to need the magical help of you two and Portia, though, when it comes time to reinforce the cell. Hopefully that’ll be enough power to contain her.”
“I don’t see why it wouldn’t be,” Vance replied with a slight shrug. “I got the impression that she was a less than desirable subordinate.”
“Now you sound like a snob,” I whispered over his shoulder into his ear, and I elbowed him lightly in the ribs.
“What?” he replied, turning to look at me, his eyes flashing over me. “I’m just telling it like it is.”
He grinned widely at me then.
“You are being a snob!” I said in shock, and I looked at him in amazement, never having seen him in this light before.
He turned back to take a bite of his food.
“Maybe,” he replied with a smile, and he quirked a handsome eyebrow at me while he chewed his food.
“You’re a bad boy,” I said, my eyes widening at his teasing behavior.
He swallowed and then leaned over close to my ear.
“You like that, if I recall correctly.” His grin took on a completely seductive light, and I suddenly realized that
he was grandstanding for my benefit.
“You’re a chauvinistic pig.” I smirked back at him.
He laughed and placed a quick kiss on my cheek.
“Thank you,” he said with all the machismo in the world.
This was definitely a new surprising side of him I had never seen before. He had never been self-boasting, always modest. While it made me nervous, it kind of turned me on, too, mostly because I couldn’t argue with it. He really was as good as he thought he was.
“Don’t over analyze it, Portia,” he said into my head then. “I’m just messing with you.”
“Why?” I asked back, curiously.
“Because it’s fun.” He chuckled.
I reached out and slugged him hard in the arm, making everyone at the table look over at me in disbelief since they hadn’t heard our mental conversation.
“You all are my witnesses,” Vance said, pointing around at them, waving his arm in a sweeping motion.
“Witness to what?” I asked him incredulously.
“Spousal abuse,” he said and grinned even broader, and I slugged him again.
“You’re just building my case.” He laughed. He raised his arms then, crossing them in front of him as if he were warding off an impending attack.
I stood up and wrapped my arms around his upheld ones reaching behind his shoulders, wrestling him to my chest.
“You’re going to get a beating for real now.” I laughed, and he squirmed in my grasp.
“Quick!” Brad said, suddenly grabbing Shelly’s plate from in front of her. “Let’s get out of here before they start making out on the table.”
Everyone started laughing at us then.
The light was dancing in Vance’s eyes, and he looked up at me with a mischievous smirk, arching an eyebrow at the suggestion as if it were a wonderful idea.
“Are we really that obvious?” I sighed, releasing him and plopping back into my chair.
“If the two of you were any more obvious, we’d have to give you an x rating,” Brad replied dryly.
Vance laughed right out loud, and I blushed to my roots.
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” he said with a boyish grin, winking at me before turning to look at Brad.
“You would,” Brad replied, with a shake of his head.
Brad suddenly reached out and grabbed Shelly to him, plastering a giant kiss on her lips, right in front of everybody, before releasing her so quickly that she almost fell out of her chair.
“See. I can act like that, too. How does that make you feel when you have to watch it?” he said, directing his comment at Vance.
“I’d say it’s about dang time,” Vance replied, a huge grin spreading widely across his face, and he winked in Shelly’s direction.
This time Shelly blushed, and everyone laughed again.
“Enough of this conversation,” Mom scolded us with a small smile. She stood and began clearing dishes. “Milly, why don’t you and Sean head downstairs to the dungeon and start working on things there while the kids help me clean up things here? I’ll send them down when they’re finished.”
“That sounds good,” Grandma agreed, turning to my dad. “Sean, you want to help me get my things?”
“Sure thing, Mom,” he replied, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
She reciprocated, wrapping her arm around his waist, and the two strolled out of the room together.
Clean up was easy since we all chipped in with a little magic to get the work done in the kitchen.
Thankfully, Dad and Grandma had been able to combine their magic to restore the damaged kitchen back to its original condition after Vance had attacked Brian. No one would ever realize that a magical battle had taken place here.
When we were done, we all made our way to the small wooden door that opened to reveal the stone steps into the dungeon.
There was no electricity in this part of the building. A bright torch was lit on the wall to light our way, and it was as if we had stepped back in time about two hundred years.
We carefully made our way down the narrow stairs, Vance holding my hand as he led me, Brad leading Shelly behind me.
We reached the bottom of the steps and stepped off onto the hard-packed earth. More torches were lit in the passageway. We followed them through the labyrinth of tunnels until we arrived at the furthest cell.
Dad and Grandma had the door to the cell open and had cast a circle inside. They were performing a ritual to purify the space. They walked around the circle waving special herbs and chanting quietly together.
We watched in silence while they moved in perfect unity, their magic twisting together to do the work that was asked of it.
When they were finished, they released the circle and invited us to join them inside.
Grandma explained how they were going to reinforce the structure with a magical glass, much the same as they had when Vance had been contained during his near demon conversion.
We would all be placing our hands together, one pair next to the other, and we actually would cause the surfaces we were touching to become solidified.
Once that was complete, the cell would only be able to be breached from the outside and not the inside.
We did as we were instructed on each of the walls. When we were done, Grandma added an electrical current that would shock from the inside also, thus discouraging the prisoner from touching the surface.
Once we were done, the cell was closed up, to await its possible captive. Dad and Grandma then placed a cloaking spell in the hallway.
This spell made the hallway appear to be completely normal and untouched in the off chance that someone wandered by. It would work also, even if Darcy were in the cell and someone happened by.
“Looks good,” Dad said to no one in particular, stepping back to survey their work. “I think it’ll pass.”
“I agree. Good job,” Grandma replied, and she draped her arm around him. “Now we just need our guest.”
Dad nodded. “We’ll start working on that first thing tomorrow. We’ll set a plan together at breakfast.”
“Sounds good,” Grandma said before turning to the four of us. “Can I get you all to help carry these supplies back upstairs?”
“Absolutely,” Vance said, stepping forward.
When we had gathered everything together, we headed up the stairs. We placed everything in Grandma’s room and headed off into the different directions of our rooms.
Vance smiled and nudged me when we saw Brad stop at Shelly’s door, waiting for us to pass so he could kiss her goodnight in private.
We walked slowly past them, and Vance sidled up against me, pulling my face over to his so he could kiss my check with a loud smack.
I giggled softly.
“You’re so bad,” I said, nudging him in the ribs with my elbow.
He couldn’t resist turning back to look at Shelly and Brad.
Brad was glaring at him, while Shelly was nervously toeing the carpet beneath her feet.
“Just kiss her already,” Vance said with a grin before he turned back around and we continued on down the hall.
When we reached the door to our room, he opened it and ushered me inside, closing it behind us.
I had only walked about two steps away from him when he grabbed me roughly by the arm and pulled me back, shoving me up against the door.
He placed both hands on either side of my head and leaned over me, staring at me with a smile.
“I was just thinking about how much I enjoy being married. No more holding back, having to say goodnight at the door like that schmuck out in the hall is doing right now. But then I got to thinking about how I really enjoy the passion of a goodnight kiss, and I thought maybe I should kiss you goodnight anyway. You know, see if the fire is still there.”
I started laughing as he eyed my face, his sexy grin plastered on his face, his hot gaze trailing over me.
“That might’ve been the lamest stunt to get a kiss that I’ve ever seen,??
? I said, and my eyes started watering a bit in my mirth.
He hung his head then and shook it slowly from side to side.
“I knew it,” he said in feigned sadness, and he took a deep sigh. “I’m losing my touch.”
“You sure are,” I replied, and I ducked under his arm, walking past him, biting my lip in anticipation of what I knew would follow.
I didn’t make it far before he grabbed me again, pinning me up against the door with his body this time.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked totally serious now, running his hands over my shoulders and down my arms.
“To bed?” I answered with a question.
He nodded his head slowly.
“Yes, you certainly are, eventually,” he replied, his voice thick with desire.
He dipped his head in for the kiss, I wrapped my arms around his neck, and his mouth moved over mine. He bit my bottom lip gently. I closed my eyes, opening my mouth to him and just enjoyed the taste of him. There was no question; the fire was definitely still there.
The kiss went on for ages, and I never wanted it to stop. He kept me pressed hard against the door with his body while his hands held the sides of my head, tangled in my hair, his mouth never leaving mine for an instant as he ravaged it with heated enthusiasm for several long minutes.
He finally broke away from me, looking intensely at me.
“Well?” he asked a little bit breathlessly.
I was completely honest.
“That was the best goodnight kiss I’ve ever had in my life,” I said, looking up at him, my quick breath matching his own.
He smiled then, continuing to look down at me.
“Would you think I was bragging if I said I thought so too?” he asked with his sexy grin.
“Not at all,” I said, my arms still wrapped around him, and I toyed with some of his hair at the nape of his neck.
“Shall we try to top it?” he said.
“Please,” I responded.
He dipped his head in again, and I kissed him with everything I had in me, until it felt as if the very air was sizzling around us. I wasn’t at all surprised when, without breaking the kiss, he swept me off my feet and carried me to the bed.