Sebastian (Bowen Boys) (5 page)

“I can smell you.”
He moaned. “You’re aroused, and I would like nothing more than to press my body against yours.”

She wanted to pull away but couldn’t. As
his fingers moved along her elbow then up over her sleeve, she waited to see where he’d touch her next. She’d never known that having someone touch her like he was would feel so erotic. When he pressed his thumb over the pulse at her throat she moaned.

“I want to kiss you, Ama.
May I?” His voice was silky smooth and so husky that she found herself wanting him to do just that. As his head moved toward hers, she licked her own lips and watched as he got closer and closer to her. When his mouth brushed gently against hers, he leaned in more. But before she could touch her mouth to his for the promised kiss, she felt something she’d never felt before and pulled away.

“There’s something at the front door.”
He felt her stiffen, and another low growl came from him. She took a step back, then another. She was both glad and very sad that he let her go. She moved to the door that the others had moved through just as Khan was going to the front door to open it.

“Don’t.”
He stopped and looked at her. She heard Sebastian come up behind her but didn’t look at him. “Something is out there.”

Khan nodded and took a step back when she moved in front of him.
Sebastian put his hand on her arm and turned her to him so that he was whispering in her ear.

“You said something
, not someone. Is it dangerous enough that we should simply not answer?”

She looked up at him.
“He knows I’m here.”
When he started to push her behind him, she grabbed his arm. “
I’m stronger than him, but he knows that you’re going to answer the door. I’m not really sure what he is, but he plans to kill anyone that answers that’s not me. You’ll need to…. Can you trust me?”

“With my life.”
She hadn’t expected that and she was sure he knew it.
“We’re going to have to talk, Ama. The fact that you can speak to me like this and know something is out there is enough for me to know that we’re fated to be together.”

She didn’t answer but moved to the door after motioning for Khan to step back.
She didn’t touch the door but opened it, staying back about a foot. She looked at the creature there, knowing that she was seeing him for what he was and not what he was trying to project.

“You’re to come with me
, mistress. I have been sent by one stronger than you to bring you to him.” He bowed before her. “I am but a servant to him, so would ask that you not kill me.”

“A messenger
, not a servant, and one that is too weak for me to bother with. You do not serve him in any way other than as a profit to yourself. Don’t lie to me again.” He looked at her, then dropped his head again. “Who sent you and for what purpose?”

“As I have said, simply
to bring you to him. And I cannot say his name without permission.” She nodded. “Will you come with me and bring your mate?”

“I will not.”
She reached out into his mind and found nothing but an order to bring her to him, and the mate she had recently taken. “And you’re mistaken in thinking I have a mate. I have no one that I’ve bonded with.”

She felt Sebastian move up behind her
, but he didn’t touch her. Khan was close as well, and the others were coming, too. She had no idea what they would feel about her, but she had to send a message back to the one who’d sent this being.

“You know what I am?”
He nodded and smiled. Evil poured from his lips in the form of a mist, and she raised her hand to stop it. “You’ve pissed me off. Do you know what happens now?”

He took a step back
, and then another as her power stretched out to grab him. He was struggling to get away as she wrapped strong bands around his throat. She heard the men behind her and tried to ignore them. The being in front of her had her full attention.

“You’ve lied again.
You’ve no idea what I am. But I know what you are.” She tightened the bands more and watched him shift and twist. As soon as she was sure he was going to become real to the men behind her, she raised her other hand to protect them.

His body shifted again
, and he became real. “You’ve made a mistake, mistress. He’ll know what you are as soon as I go back to him. Then we shall see what happens to your precious mate.”

“Kill him.”
The words whispered through her mind.
“Kill him now before he gives the other the information.”

She pushed power into him
, and he screamed out in pain. As soon as he began to tremble in her grip, she pushed harder and he exploded. Mist, black as his evil, rained onto the porch. With a wave of her hand, the fragments of his body blew away.

Ama turned back to the men and saw that the women, Monica and Corrine
, had joined them. They were all looking at her with the most shocked faces she’d ever seen. There was no way she could explain what had just happened, wasn’t sure she wanted to. She walked to the kitchen, picked up her purse, and moved out of the house before anyone could tell her to leave. She was nearly to the turn-out driveway when someone stepped up beside her.

“May I ask where you’re going?”
She glanced at Sebastian and told him she was going to work. “If you’ll give me a minute to get my keys, I’ll take you.”

“No thanks.
I need to walk.” He handed her the glass of tea he’d made for her earlier, and she took it. “Thank you. I’ll make sure you get it back.”

“
This isn’t over, Ama. I don’t know what you did back there, but I have a feeling that you just saved my family. I’d like to take you to work, then pick you up afterwards so we can have a talk.”

“I told you before that there
can’t be anything between us. And as far as that demon went, he won’t bother you again. I promise.” He nodded. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”

“I’m not.”
He pulled her to him and held her. “I’m just sorry you had to deal with him…or whatever it was.”

As much as she wanted to be held by him
, she knew that she didn’t want this any more than he did. Pulling away, she moved toward the end of their drive and was walking along the sidewalk when he pulled up beside her in his car. When she kept moving, he got out of the driver’s side, leaving his car running in the street, and came up on the sidewalk beside her. Car horns started beeping right away.

“You’re going to get arrested.”
He shrugged and continued walking with her. “What are you doing? Are you trying to piss me off?”

“Will you do to me what you did to that being?”
He grinned at her. “If so, then no, I’m not. I’m just trying to take you to work.”

Horns continued beeping
, and she was so embarrassed that she went to his car to get in. He beat her and opened the door for her. As soon as he was in his side, they started moving.

“This doesn’t change anything. I’m still not going to see you after this.
You can find some other panther, a nice one that will take you on. I don’t have the time.”

He nodded
, and when they pulled up in front of Gunn’s Pizza, she got out without another word. Before she was inside, he yelled her name.

“I’ll be right here when you get off.
And if you think to avoid me, I’ll hunt you down. You owe me at least an explanation of what that was.” She nodded and went inside, knowing that there was no hope for it. He’d keep at her until she told him everything.

Chapter 5

Sebastian went back to his store.
He wasn’t sure what time Ama got off, but figured a quick call to Peter to ask him would give him all the information he needed. He also decided to have a cleaning crew hit his house pretty hard. He’d been too busy lately to do much more than toss his dirty dishes in the dishwasher.

As soon as he ente
red his office, he saw Jacob the wizard sitting there.

“She’s amazing,
isn’t she?” Sebastian sat down without answering him. “I told you the last time I was here that she was coming to change things for you.”

“Yes
, you did. But you said nothing about whatever that was that was at my brother’s house being a part of it.” Jacob had the good grace to drop his head. “What the hell was that thing anyway?”

“A demon.
Well, actually, he was a lesser demon. Not worth much other than to take messages and pick things up. He wouldn’t have been able to take her directly to his master, but he would have hurt her all the same.” Jacob smiled at him. “He didn’t tell his boss where she was, so in turn, he doesn’t know where you are either.”

“
But he knows that I’m her mate.” Jacob nodded. “How does he know that already? I’ve not so much as kissed her yet and he’s coming to—”

“You’ve not kissed her even?” Jacob seemed so surprised by that that Sebastian was
nervous. “You’ve touched her though, correct? I mean, there would be no way for him to find you if you hadn’t touched her at least.”

“I’ve touched her arm
, and I might have brushed my mouth over hers. What the hell does that have to do with anything?” And why did Jacob’s smile make him feel like he was being laughed at. “What’s going on?”

“She’s an earth fa
erie. And she’s not the last of her kind, though your mom and dad believe her to be. The one who wants her can breed with her, and that’s why he wants her. It’s all very complicated. He can’t claim her once you do. If you wish to claim her. Do you?”

“She keeps telling me no.
I can’t take her against her will no matter how much I want her.” Sebastian tried to muddle through what he was being told. “You say he can’t claim her once I have, yet he thinks I’ve already done so. Am I to assume that he thinks I’ve claimed her because you told him I have?”

“Oh no
, I can’t lie to him any more than I can Amarizi or you. She’s very powerful. Actually, I think she’s considered by most to be all that and a bag of chips, as your generation says.”

Sebastian had never said that in his life
, but he knew the reference. He sat up straighter in his chair and looked at Jacob for several minutes before speaking. He had to figure this out now so that when he picked up Ama from work he’d have intelligent questions to ask her.

“What is an earth faerie?” A book suddenly appeared on his desk
, and he moved back from it when it suddenly opened up and began flipping through the pages.

“Some say that they were created to care for the earth for all time.
See that picture?”

Sebastian nodded at the drawn picture once the book stopped moving.
Before he could ask anything about the man and woman on the page who looked similar to what he’d seen Ama look like, the pages were turning again.

“Others think she’s a daughter to one of the
Fates. Not able to say whether or not that one is true, because one just doesn’t ask.” Sebastian nodded, not sure what the hell he was talking about. “A few gainsayers say that earth faeries are simply that, faeries of the Earth.”

The book stopped again and there was another drawing
. He put his hands on the pages so that he’d be able to look at it without it changing. The faerie looked just like Ama, except in this drawing she looked more…well, more of everything.

“A mated earth faerie.”
Sebastian looked up at him. “That’s what they look like after they’ve mated. And she is everything people, all the people, think she is. Except for the daughter part. I honestly don’t know the answer to that one.”

The drawing showed her with streams of light coming from her fingers
, and her hair glowed as well. Her sigil was more pronounced, larger across her face than even when he’d seen her in the kitchen. And this faerie had wings, wide and longer than her body. They seemed to be translucent, and also in this picture she was naked, with only a few leafs to cover her breasts and the juncture at her thighs.

“She
said that you told her that she would come into her power once she mated.” Jacob nodded at him sadly. “This is what she doesn’t want. Not the extra power or me. She said she hates what she is and won’t become my mate because of it.”

“She said much the same to me when I told her about herself all those years ago.
Then she didn’t know what she was; only that she was going to become more powerful than anyone when she did.” Jacob laughed slightly. “She is very stubborn and will give you a run for your money, I believe.”

Sebastian silently agreed. When he lifted his hands
, the book began to move again. This time it went only a few pages before it stopped. The faerie lay on dark ground with what appeared to be blood around her, and her wings were gone. There was also a dagger sticking from her chest. He looked up at Jacob when he realized this was a male faerie.

“Her father.
I knew him long ago before this, obviously. He was a good man. He had great ideas for keeping this world clean and safe. It’s what got him killed before Amarizi was born. Her mother died of a broken heart, never able to tell his daughter what they were.”

It was suddenly too much.
The book closed and disappeared before Sebastian was able to form a question. And when he did, he watched Jacob’s face. He had told him he couldn’t lie to him. He hoped that was true.

“She’s an earth faerie and my mate
, but she won’t mate with me; so what will happen to her if this man, the demon, finds out?” Jacob looked away and Sebastian knew that his answer wasn’t going to come without some information that he didn’t want. “Jacob, tell me.”

“She’s going to die by her own hand
, because she won’t submit to him. And he’ll need her to submit or her powers won’t help him. You see, as an earth faerie the females carry most of the power and when they mate, the power is shared. But the bond must be freely given. Somewhat like the pledge given to your mate.” Jacob got up to pace around the small room. “Her father had been tricked into a deal. Not lied to but tricked. When he lost, the demon was to have his first-born child. When payment was to be made and the demon demanded his first-born, Amarizi’s father said that he would not pay. When the demon came to her father for the babe seconds before his daughter was born, the demon, in a fit of rage, destroyed him. Her father lay dying as Amarizi was being brought into the world. As soon as she took her first breath, her father sent her all his love and all of his power. All of it.”

“And that was a great
amount, I’m assuming.” Jacob smiled and nodded. “And you had to tell her what she was, and I guess you had to explain to her what these powers meant to her.”

“No.
I wish now that I had, but I was called away before I could help her with a little training, some control I guess. When I was able to return to her, she’d already changed and it was too late for me to talk to her then. She was too powerful for me.”

“So you left her to fend for herself.”
Jacob nodded. “And that was supposed to help her how? And if you ask me, I think she has a great deal more control over this thing than I bet you think she does. Or even that thing that came to my brother’s house thought she’d have.”

“She would have gotten that from her father.
He was, as I’ve said, very powerful as well. But there is something else you should know about the man who is trying to capture her. He isn’t just a demon, but a great one. If he gets her into his lair, he will breed with her and in turn, she will kill herself. The death of the last female of her kind will be a great loss to all mankind.”

And to me
was all that Sebastian could think about. Jacob paced some more, and Sebastian ignored him for the most part. She was his mate, and if he didn’t figure out some way for her to come to him willingly, she would end up with the demon that wanted her and die. When Jacob said his name, he looked up at him.

“She will need her
strength to beat him. If you can’t give it to her, I must find her another that can. She will not like it, but I’ll simply make her love another so that she will come into full power. She can’t survive without it.”

The thought of her going to another made him growl. His cat moved along his skin like he wanted out to kill the man who dare
d try to take what was his. Sebastian stood up and stretched to let his cat know that he’d take care of this. Moving to Jacob, he watched fear roll through his eyes and was happy for it.

“You even think those words again and you’ll wish for the demon to kill you, understand?” Jacob nodded and opened his mouth to speak.
Sebastian cut him off. “Let me talk with her tonight. I’ll let you know when I’ve convinced her that she needs me more than I need her.”

“Good luck, Sebastian.
I believe you’ll need it.” As he left, Sebastian was pretty sure Jacob was right. He was going to need a great deal more than luck to win this woman’s hand. He made his way to his desk again after Jacob left. His first call was to the cleaning crew to come out, the second to the pizza place where Ama worked.

“Peter, I was wondering if you can help me with a little romance problem I have.”
Peter laughed at him and Sebastian smiled. “Your dishwasher is my mate, and she seems to think she can tell me that she won’t want me.”

“You should know that she’s a bi
t stronger than you. Her power…I’ve never met a…her kind before, and I know them to be strong, but this girl is off-the-charts strong.” Sebastian remembered seeing on one of the pages of the book that you couldn’t say what she was until she gave you permission. She’d obviously not given it to Peter.

“
I know what she is and how strong she is, but what I don’t know is how to convince her that I want her in my life. She seems to think that she can simply say no and that I’ll say okay.” He laughed a little. “I hate when I’m told no when I want something.”

“You
might live longer if you just walk away from her if she continues to tell you no.” The laughter from the big bear made him think Peter was going to help him. “I’ll talk you up. She wants me to call her a cab when I’m about ready to shut the place down. Want maybe I should call you? You know, you could sort of be her ride, so to speak.”

“That would be very helpful and yes, I’d be very happy to give her a ride home.
Thanks.” He thought about the apartment that he thought she’d been about to move into, and asked Peter to tell her that it had been rented.

“I
can’t lie to her. I don’t know what it is about her that forbids it, but anyone who speaks to her can’t lie to her.” Sebastian knew that, but wasn’t sure if he’d realized it meant that no one could lie to her.

After making sure that Peter knew how to contact him
, he hung up. He knew that things weren’t moving into place really, but they were moving in the right direction. He went home to let the crew in. Sebastian said he’d pay them a bonus if they got it cleaned before midnight. He hoped they had enough time.

~~~

Her feet hurt more than she could have imagined they would. As she moved to the front of the shop to leave, she noticed that Peter was talking to someone. When he moved into the light, she saw who it was. Damn it all to hell.

“What the hell are you doing here?”
Sebastian grinned at her. “I’m going home in a cab or walking, but not with you.”

“I’m not taking you to your apartment.”
She wasn’t sure what she was missing, but was sure it was something when he grinned more. “Come on, I’ve got my car all warmed up for you.”

“I thought you just said you weren’t taking me home.
” He stood near his car and waited for her as they came out. “I’m really tired and just want you to leave me alone.”

“I can feel how tired you are. And I can also feel your hunger.
You come with me and I’ll feed you a thick steak and baked potato. I also think there might be a piece of strawberry shortcake in your future if you’ll be a good girl and eat all your dinner.”

There was something very appealing about him when he was teasing.
She tried to ignore the thought of steak and potato and strawberry shortcake, but her belly was singing to her to go with the man and feed it. She stood next to him and stared up at him.

“You’re not going to try and convince me that I should be your mate
, are you?” He just stared at her. “I want you to answer me.”

“I
can’t lie to you. And if I can’t lie to you, I don’t want to piss you off with the truth. How’s that for an answer?” She opened the door herself and got into the passenger seat. When he went around the car and got in, she wanted to touch him but knew that she couldn’t.

“Why are you doing this?”
He looked at her like he was confused. “Why do you care if I eat or not? It can’t matter to you if I’m hungry or not.”