Charmed by the Werewolf (25 page)

When Alexia grinned angelically, Sophia stiffened. If it weren’t for Xavier’s hand on her waist, she would have rushed the unicorn. “Fine.
” Pinching his arm, she drew in a deep breath.

He growled but kept his hold firm. “Please continue, Alexia. I’m sure Sophia will behave herself from this point forward.
”

“At least
you
have manners. I didn’t really expect anyone working for the Portal Master to be polite.” She ignored Sophia but batted her eyelashes at the werewolf. “Marvin was the resident leprechaun who travelled with the rainbow guardians.” She edged away to sit on the shiny hood of the Aston. “He asked me to stick around for a few minutes so he could run down the road for something to eat. Like an idiot, I agreed. How was I supposed to know he could only be free of this pathetic job if someone showed up to replace him?”

The werewolf ran a hand through his curls. “Then you feel Sophia is at fault because you
’re now the keeper of the treasure? To be fair, she had no direct interference on your current situation. She’d never harm you intentionally.”

“Oh, Xavier.
” Her heart lurched from his defense. She stopped trying to be free of his grasp. “Thank you.” She teetered at the edge of those golden pools of his eyes. “It’s about time someone believed me.” His lingering fingers warmed her waist.

“I
’ve never doubted your word without just cause.” He chucked her under the chin. “And I’ve met Sterling, so, with enough information from both sides, I can form my own opinion.” He gently set her aside then took a few steps toward the ticked off unicorn. “Alexia has no reason to trust you yet, so your earlier anger is misplaced, Sophia.”

So much for my champion
. “Fine.” She leveled a semi-patient look at the unicorn. “Why are you pissed at me?”

Alexia gazed at Xavier as he draped himself against the driver’s door of the car. “Because this job is so boring!
” She clasped her hands together. A tiny, dreamy smile tugged at her lips. “What I’d really like to do is go to Hollywood and host my own talk show.”

“A talk show?
” Sophia closed her open jaw with a snap of teeth.

“What? Have you seen some of those hosts out there? I can do a much better job, but I’ll never get the chance to try because I’m stuck here.
”

The sparkling stream of the rainbow’s beams beckoned, recalling to Sophia’s mind the reason why they came. “Have you tried to get away? I mean, did you sign a contract, which prevents you from leaving? Did the leprechaun explain the rules?
” She met Xavier’s amused gaze. When he winked, prickles of excitement careened through her stomach. “I’m just asking because the magical world is oftentimes very literal.”

“She
’s correct, Alexia.” Xavier pushed away from the car. “There’s no evidence of a ward binding you to the rainbow.”

“Uh…
” Sophia forgot the unicorn’s plight as Xavier strolled in her direction, his stance slow and intent as a jungle cat on the prowl. “Good luck on the Hollywood thing.” She licked suddenly dry lips, anticipation crawling over her skin at the hungry look in his eye. Raw charisma oozed from him to smack her in the head. At the last moment, she stifled a sigh. “Damn.”

“Hey, sexy.
” He’d closed the distance between them and stroked her cheek. “Ever thought about making love in one of the most awesome vehicles created?”

“Oh no.
” Alexia shook her head so violently her hair swung. “You two aren’t going anywhere.” Taking a slim dagger from the folds of her skirt, she waved it in a menacing fashion. “I’m not taking any chances. You’ll remain here as the rainbow’s guardians because I’m leaving.”

“Can we have our three ounces of magical dust?
” Sophia bit her bottom lip. Xavier met her gaze, his golden eyes shuttered. “I mean, that’s why we came in the first place.” Her heart thumped as Alexia slammed the Aston’s trunk lid shut.

A shrug lifted her plump shoulders while a pout decorated her ruby lips. “Sure, but you’d better do it soon. The rainbow only lasts for thirty minutes at a time before it moves to a different location.
” She glanced at a silver watch on her wrist. “Five minutes left.” With a grin, she wrenched open the driver’s door of the car and flung herself behind the wheel.

“The least you can do is let us have the treasure.
” Sophia’s steps faltered. Alexia revved the engine and turned the car around. “Dammit.”

“No, I
could
kill you.” She stuck her head out the window. “I’m taking the treasure with me. I’ll use it to create a new life in Los Angeles. The Aston alone should fetch a half million dollars.” She slithered back into the car. In a flurry of grass blades and pellets of dirt, Alexia peeled out of the clearing.

Two seconds after reaching the road, she disappeared from view. “Fuck.
”

“Indeed.
” Xavier stroked his goatee, his voice sad.

“I
’m sorry.” Sophia squeezed his arm, felt his muscles tighten. “It’s my fault.

“Nonsense.
” He brought her hand to his lips. “I’ll feel the loss of that Aston for some time to come.” He sighed and gave her a wobbly grin. “Unfortunately, there’s no time to mourn, especially without a good glass of wine. Let’s gather the dust before the rainbow disappears as well.”

Sophia dug the leather pouch from her blazer pocket then tossed it to him. “The scale and tooth are in there. Don’t lose them.
”

“Give me some credit. I
’ve been dreaming of this moment all my life. Now that it’s so close, I won’t let anything stop me.”

“Sorry.
” She followed him to the rainbow’s shaft. The vivid colors shimmered and beckoned, almost danced. When she poked a tentative finger into the beam, pleasant warmth not unlike tepid tap water greeted her. “How bizarre.” Plunging a hand into the green stripe, she giggled as the fine grains flowed through her fingers. “It’s alive.”

“Of course it is. Did you think someone flipped a switch that lights the rainbow?
” His eyes twinkled and a grin creased his tired face.

“I guess I didn’t really think about it outside of the scientific explanation.
” Cupping her hands under blue, green, and yellow, she watched in fascination as the sparkling dust flowed into the cavity she created. “It’s amazing.” The tiny crystals emitted a faint high-pitch humming. “It’s awesome.”

Xavier undid the strings of the leather pouch. “Watching your reaction to something as mundane as a rainbow is refreshing, makes me rethink my life.
” He held the open bag into the red beam until the glittering dust overflowed the confines. “When you let your true self crack through that hard outer shell, I admire that woman the most.”

Sophia’s gaze faltered. She ran her fingers through the whole of the rainbow as if it were a water fountain. “Thanks.
”

The vivid colors faded until they were only a shadow of themselves. Reluctantly, she pulled away from the rainbow then sighed when it vanished altogether. “That was the single greatest experience I’ve ever had.
” Shaking the remaining dust from her fingers, she rubbed them on her skirt. “Too bad we have nothing to show for chasing it down.”

“I wouldn’t say that.
”

“Why?
” Sophia held her breath as Xavier bent to retrieve an object from the flattened grass where the Aston once rested. “What is it?” Flutters of excitement skipped in her stomach. He held a gold coin between his thumb and forefinger.

“Let’s call it a souvenir.
” With a flick of his thumb, he sent the coin sailing through the air in her direction. “Keep it close. It might come in handy.”

Two hours later, Sophia and Xavier stood on the sidewalk outside the strip mall where Madame Mirela’s office was located. They’d had to wait a whole day until she could clear her schedule and fit them in. Sophia suspected she only delayed to vex the werewolf due to familial differences. It was fine since they’d filled the bulk of the lost day sleeping and making love. At least they were here now.

“Can’t you go in by yourself? Why do I have to go?
” She hated the kindergarten tone that crept into her voice, but couldn’t help it. They teetered on one of the biggest moments in Xavier’s life, and while it would be the start of great things, she worried about the ramifications in the paranormal world. “Just run in, exchange the items for the potion, and run out. It’s Halloween. We’ll spend the day together in case things don’t go well tonight.” She drew in a deep breath, willing herself not to dissolve into tears. She’d already shed enough in the last few days.

“I want to share this moment with you.
” A blond eyebrow raised in inquiry. “Besides, the sooner we receive the potion, the sooner we can indulge in other things.”

“What are you talking about?
” Sophia gripped the metal door handle, floundering in his intense golden gaze that brimmed with dark promises of carnal pleasure. “Oh.” The burning in her cheeks couldn’t compare to the heat building in her core.

His chuckle washed over her. “So, shall we continue?
” He gently detached her fingers from the door handle and pulled it open. “Or would you rather gawk at me here?”

“Uh, we’ll go inside.
” She preceded him into the fortuneteller’s office, desperate for a distraction from him. A rumble in her stomach provided it. “I’m hungry.” A cursory glance around the waiting area showed a few couples, all of whom looked up when they pushed into the room. “You didn’t want to spare the minutes to stop for lunch.”

“There
’s a Mongolian barbeque next door. You can alleviate your hunger pangs there while I talk with Mirela.” His lips twitched as he signed in at the receptionist’s desk. “Or, if that is not to your liking, I believe we passed a sushi bar two blocks over.”

“You know I’m a vegetarian.
” Her stomach rolled in protest. “Why did you even suggest those places?” She flopped into a hard plastic chair, glaring at the two women who regarded her with avid curiosity.

“I simply gave you options.
”

As Xavier sat beside her, his arm jostled with hers for the shared armrest. His closeness, his intoxicating scent, the mere whisper of his body heat that seeped into her skin where their arms touched, sent electric currents of awareness through her until

Sophia thought she’d scream out her need. In an effort to keep her mind away from the werewolf, she made eye contact with a rotund woman to her left. “Don’t you hate it when your partner thinks he knows what’s best for you when he clearly has no clue?” Xavier listened to the conversation, and she purposefully baited him.

“And then they just continue on as if you never spoke to begin with,
” the woman asserted, shooting a black look to her equally round husband.

Sophia resisted the urge to laugh. “Men, what do we need them for anyway?
” She turned toward Xavier and almost jumped off her chair when he slipped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her close and brought his lips to her ear. “What are you doing?”

“If you’d care to step into the supply closet with me for a few minutes, I’d be happy to show you.
” A flood of warmth rushed through her bloodstream to gather between her thighs. “There are some things men are exceedingly good at and most definitely needed for.”

“Um…
” She made the critical mistake of peering into his eyes. Deep amber, they drew her into his soul with the blatant hunger reflected there. “That won’t be necessary.” She swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. Nervously crossing her legs, she turned to regard the woman beside her. “On second thought, I think I’ll just stop complaining.”

An envious grin skated across the woman’s broad face. “Honey, if my man looked at me with half the fire yours shows you, I could die a happy woman.
” She swept her gaze over Xavier as if undressing him before she snapped her attention to Sophia. “You be nice to him. He’s a keeper.”

Xavier elbowed Sophia’s arm, smiling at the woman. “I
won’t give her the chance to get away, ma’am. I think Sophia and I will be quite happy together.”

“Kiss up.
” She rolled her eyes, hid behind an outdated magazine on parenting, and ignored every occupant of the waiting room as Xavier and the woman chatted quietly. Finally, after what seemed like two eternity’s worth of waiting, Mirela stepped out of her office.

“Ah, my favorite troubled couple has returned. Happy Halloween. Come on back.
”

Sophia’s stomach plummeted to her toes. “Gee, I can hardly wait.
” Tossing the magazine aside, she followed Xavier into Mirela’s office, cringing when the door closed behind her with firm finality.

“It’s good to see you again, Madame.
” Xavier bowed over her hand before taking a chair.

“I hope the last few days have been good to you.
”

“I
’ve been busy, yes, and not happy with the unneeded delay.”

Mirela shrugged, unsuccessfully hiding a smile. “These things happen.
”

“Mmhmm.
” Sophia gazed at her over the tops of her glasses with a mixture of anxiety and foreboding. Her teeth hurt from the asinine chatter. Had Xavier’s talk about mates been a ploy to gather the ingredients? Dread dripped down her spine. She couldn’t let him go. Eventually, she realized both Mirela and the werewolf stared at her. She cleared her throat and attempted to shove her thoughts to the back of her mind and tried to dial into the confidence that lurked somewhere deep within. “We’ve brought the items for the potion.”

“So I assumed.
” Today, Mirela wore a flowing caftan of deep purple polyester, complete with golden sequins. Fuchsia lipstick clung to her lips, while enormous gold hoops winked from her ears. Her gaze flashed to Xavier. “You must be excited. Tomorrow you’ll no longer be a wolf.”

The brief smile that touched his lips caused Sophia’s heart to skip a beat. “I’ve waited my whole life for this moment.
” He caressed the leather pouch as he pulled it from his suit. “It’s a melancholy feeling to think I’ll leave my wolf-self behind, but to have a future as a man is worth the sacrifice.”

Taking several quick breaths, Sophia bit her bottom lip, laced her fingers together in her lap to stop their shaking as she looked at the man beside her. He leaned forward with anticipation, his hand outstretched, offering the pouch to the gypsy. His sensuous lips parted, his amber eyes glittered. This time she couldn’t prevent the sigh from escaping her throat.
He’ll be free, yet I won’t.

“Why so sad, Sophia? Now you’ll be able to live a normal life with your handsome man
and have babies.” Mirela snatched the pouch from Xavier’s hand. “I imagine Xavier will keep you quite busy.” Yanking on the strings, she poured the contents into a small earthenware bowl on her desktop.

A normal life—if only she knew
. “Normalcy is in the eye of the beholder. My question is from whose eyes are we being judged.” The confines of the room stifled her so much that she fanned her face with her hand. “I didn’t mind Xavier’s wolfish tendencies—much. Of course, I did frown on the people eating, but I’m glad he’ll lift the curse. He deserves all the happiness life can offer.” She blinked rapidly, willing the tears away. Since she’d met him, her emotional balance swerved wildly in every direction.

He pried her fingers apart to enfold her right hand in his left. “Thank you for the support.
” He nodded to the gypsy. “Please continue. Our time is rapidly running out and there are things Sophia and I need to…explore before the deadline.”

“As you wish.
” Mirela poked a finger through the bowl of magical artifacts, then handed Sophia the mermaid scale that dangled from its black leather string. “You may have this back. Consider it a souvenir of your journey.” When the gypsy located the dragon’s tooth, she held it aloft between her thumb and forefinger. “That’s a nasty piece of business, huh?” Before either Xavier or Sophia could comment, she chucked the molar into a metal trash bin near her desk.

“What did you do that for? You have no idea what we had to go through to get that tooth!
” Sophia had half risen from her chair before Xavier pulled her back down. “We were locked in a basement dungeon, barely escaped an angry dragon, had a huge argument—”

“I know.
” Mirela grinned, baring her lipstick smeared teeth. “I’m well aware of the trials you’ve endured.” Upending the contents of the bowl back into the leather pouch, she tied off the strings. “The magical world doesn’t operate the same way the mortal world does. I think you both are well versed in this logic.” Yanking open a desk drawer, she dropped the bag of magic dust inside then withdrew a slim vial of black liquid.

“What’s that?
” As the gypsy held in her palm, red and blue glittering swirls moved within the dark brew.

“My dear, this is the sought after antidote Xavier needs.
” She set the vial on the desktop in front of her then tucked a strand of frizzy blonde hair behind her ear. “Isn’t this why you came here?”

“Yes, but…
” Sophia’s jaw hung open for a moment. “You’re a con artist.” Only Xavier’s steady grip on her hand prevented her from scrabbling over the desk. “You told us you needed those three ingredients in order to make the potion.” Her heart raced in double time as she glared at the gypsy. “You cheated us.”

“I did no such thing. I never told you I need these three things
specifically
to make the potion.” She touched the vial with a fuchsia tipped nail. “I said the potion would be
useless
without the ingredients, yes. That’s because if the two of you didn’t locate each item together, then turning Xavier into a human would be pointless.” She pinned each of them with a calculating glare. “The motivation behind his wish to be free of the curse is largely due to you, as your mate. In order for him to provide for you, care for you in the manner he wishes, he can’t do that as a wolf. However, your motivation in helping him overcome his obstacle is still unclear to me at this point.”

Sophia squirmed. “What’s that supposed to mean? Of course, I don’t want Xavier to spend his life as a wolf if he doesn’t want to be one. I’m not that heartless.
”

Mirela sighed. “I was hoping it wouldn’t come to this, but you leave me no choice.
”

Anxiety gripped Sophia’s stomach, kneaded it into an angry wad when the gypsy reached for a coffee carafe filled with water. “What are you doing?
” Scenarios of water torture with scalding water flitted through her mind. Mirela didn’t answer, only filled two small green teacups with the water.

“It’s tea, Sophia. Don’t be paranoid. Not everyone is out to harm you.
” She dropped a scant teaspoon of what looked like withered herbs into the water. “Drink then I’ll read the leaves.” Mirela handed them each a teacup. “Don’t dawdle. I’ve got other clients.”

“What’s the point of this?
” Sophia’s hand shook as she guided the cup to her lips and sipped. Simple and straightforward, it was plain black, unsweetened, and tepid in temperature. “Can you really see into our futures by tea leaves?”

Mirela arched an over-plucked brow. “Do I question how you do your job?
”

Xavier chuckled. “She does have a point, darling.
” He drained the last of his beverage. “Let’s see what she has to say before you offer up doubts.”

“Fine.
” She glowered into her now empty teacup, seeing only the dark, withered bits of leaves that clung to the bottom. “Here you go.” She handed over the cup. “I must warn you, I don’t believe any of it.”

“You
’re entitled to your opinion, of course, but I’ve been in this business for a number of years. I know what I’m doing.” She peeked inside Xavier’s cup. “Ah, just as I expected.” Mirela placed the teacup to the side of her desk. “Xavier, there is a great change ahead of you as well as great happiness. Count yourself fortunate. Rarely do I see such an encouraging future.”

He nodded. “You have my appreciation and gratitude.
”

“Of course
you’re
happy.” Sophia frowned. She wished he’d hold her hand again, something, just a tiny touch to set her fears at ease. “You got a good one. I have a feeling mine won’t be so glamorous.” She glanced at the gypsy. “Let me hear it.”

“Mmhmm.
” Mirela stared into Sophia’s teacup as she gnawed the lipstick from her lips. “You’ll be faced with an enormous decision, one that will leave your life and others hanging in the balance.” She tilted the cup then sucked in a sharp breath. “Your future is unclear to me.” She frowned. When she lifted her eyes, they were troubled. “I’ve never seen such a blank and cloudy reading. It’s almost as if the Fates haven’t decided on you.”

Cold fingers of dread marched down Sophia’s spine. “But I have a future, right? I’m not going to die in the next twenty-four hours,
right
?” Fear tightened her chest and made her throat close. “Will I…how long will I have?” She sputtered to a halt as warmth flooded her body when Xavier grasped her hand.