Shadow Magic (16 page)
Authors: Cheyenne McCray
Water pushed back and forth from the rock just below the lip of the cavern's entrance. As they sat on the rocks for a moment, Hannah thought about the change in his skin tones and hair when he was in the daylight. He had been magnificent. Beautiful yet dangerous. His hair had gleamed white-gold in the sunrise and his skin had been almost the same color as the Great Guardian's. Fair, but a little darker than hers.
She studied him as he sat beside her, still the proud, strong, dangerous warrior king despite the fact that somehow he'd been weakened. And he was gorgeousâeven with his skin color again the Drow shade of bluish gray and with his silvery-blue hair. It was beautiful as it rested on his shoulders. His liquid silver eyes, powerful build, and regal bearing were enough to take a woman's breath away. She wanted to reach up and trace his ear to its point and down â¦
Garran looked at her with his slow, lazy perusal that made her body tighten and the place between her thighs ache.
With a slight smile to his lips, he looked to the mouth of the cave. Immediately she sensed him using his powersâthe darkness and strength of it made her shiver.
The magic faded and he took her hand as they both rose to their feet. He looked beyond tired as they walked to the short drop-off to the water. When she peeked over, the black sphere was waiting for them.
“So you did have some magic left,” she said.
“When I came close enough to it, I was able to draw the
geodess
.” He looked down as if he weren't sure how he was going to climb the distance. He frowned and took Hannah's hand. “We will have to jump.”
geodess
.” He looked down as if he weren't sure how he was going to climb the distance. He frowned and took Hannah's hand. “We will have to jump.”
Hannah gripped Garran's hand tighter. “We won't bounce off?”
He shook his head. Before she had time to realize what he was doing, he pulled her to the edge of the entranceâand jumped, bringing her with him.
A cry ripped from her as they fell. When they hit the bubble, it cushioned their fall then immediately sucked them inside. Garran and Hannah landed on their asses and her head knocked against his.
“Ow.” She rolled away and rubbed the temple that had struck him. “You're thickheaded in more ways than one.”
His lips curved into a slight smile as he closed his eyes and his body went slack.
Hannah's heart jumped and she immediately used her magic to examine him. He was fine. He just needed to recover fromâfrom whatever had happened back there.
She kept her hand on his chest, feeling the hardness through his T-shirt. Thank Anu the Fomorii hadn't gotten their claws into him.
The sphere rocked, spun a little, causing her to feel a bit dizzy, then slowly began moving toward San Francisco. The spell that had woven the
geodess
together didn't seem as strong as it had before. She could see through the walls and it wasn't as dark. It also moved more slowly.
geodess
together didn't seem as strong as it had before. She could see through the walls and it wasn't as dark. It also moved more slowly.
She glanced at Garran, who remained passed out on the floor of the sphere. A grasping sensation made her belly squeeze tight as the bubble slowed even more and seemed to sink a little. She looked around at the walls that grew lighter with every second.
Her belly clenched againâand then she knew exactly what to do. She raised her hands and released her green magic, creating a spellshield all around them and intertwining it with Garran's magic. She shivered at the darkness of the power he'd used to create the sphere. It wasn't black, but it was so, so dark.
Confidence remained in Hannah that even combining her gray magic with Garran's dark, she'd never fall so far out of
line that she would cross into black magic. It simply wasn't an option.
line that she would cross into black magic. It simply wasn't an option.
With her magic joining his, she could see outside the bubble. The lights of San Francisco sparkled against the skyline, growing larger as the sphere started skimming the water, heading closer to the city.
On the journey back, she kept one of her palms on Garran's chest, feeling his heartbeat. She resisted cupping his smooth jaw then running her fingers through his hair.
Hannah rolled her eyes up to the domed ceiling of the sphere. Since when had she started getting mushy like that? For the Ancestors' sake, he was one of the Dark Elves.
She looked down at Garran and her heart softened.
The
geodess
bumped into something, jarring Hannah so that she fell across Garran. He opened his eyes as she started to push herself up.
geodess
bumped into something, jarring Hannah so that she fell across Garran. He opened his eyes as she started to push herself up.
Those mesmerizing, liquid silver eyes â¦
Garran caught her face in his hands and brought her to him so that their lips met, and Hannah sighed. He kissed her softly then gently rose so that the two of them sat face-to-face before he looked at the sphere.
He frowned as he reached out and touched the wall that now swirled with both his dark magic and her green power. “My spell failed?”
“It just needed a little reinforcement.” Hannah's gaze found the dock that was now above their heads. There was no rocky shore, just wooden pilings and a sheer wall. “I don't suppose you can get this thing to go up again, can you?”
When she returned her gaze to Garran's he was shaking his head, a frustrated, angry expression on his features. “My powers have never been weak in all my years.” He clenched his fist on his thigh.
She put her hand on his fist. “It happens to the best of us.”
His voice came out in a low growl. “Not
me
.”
me
.”
“Well, guess you're not so perfect after all.” She pushed herself to her feet and glared at him. “Maybe you're a little like everyone else.”
Garran glared back, but she looked upward at one of the dock's reinforcements. She raised her hand and let loose a magic rope that glittered in the night. The rope wrapped around a wooden pole protruding from the edge of the dock.
Without waiting for he-man, she grasped the rope and started to pull herself up. She wrapped her legs around it and her arms strained from holding her own weight as she inched her way higher. It would sure be handy to have Garran's power and have the rope draw her up the way his magic had at the island.
When she reached the walkway she paused. How was she going to swing herself onto the dock?
She let out a little yelp as she felt pressure on her rear. Like a hand was pushing on her ass, she began to rise until she could climb fully on to the walkway. She looked down to see, as she'd expected, Garran sending some of his magic up to help her. So he wasn't
totally
depleted. That was good.
totally
depleted. That was good.
He grabbed her magic rope and began making his way up. His muscles bulged in all the right places. It would have made her mouth water if she wasn't so concerned for him. His jaw was tense in the soft light coming from the pier. Whatever had happened in the Fomorii lair had really zapped his strength.
When he reached the top of the rope, she started to grab his hand to help him the rest of the way up, but with one powerful move he swung himself up and onto the pier. He flipped and landed on his back and let out a low groan as he stared up at the foggy night sky.
Hannah leaned over the side of the pier to watch the
geodess
fade and diminish as Garran pulled his magic back into himself, and she drew hers back inside her.
geodess
fade and diminish as Garran pulled his magic back into himself, and she drew hers back inside her.
She remained on her ass for a moment before pushing herself to her feet and looking down at Garran. “I think we need to get back and get to bed.”
This time his look was entirely too seductive. “It will be my pleasure.”
Hannah shook her head and smiled. “Let's see if you can get your butt back to the warehouse.”
He got to his feet and she pretended not to notice that he was still wobbly. His warrior pride was probably killing him.
Exhaustion made her lean into Garran, who wrapped his arm around her shoulders as if knowing she needed his support. More likely they needed each other's support. It was probably close to midnight.
When they finally reached the warehouse, they bypassed the D'Danann warrior guards with Garran's shroud and entered the building.
When they were a good distance away from the entryway, Garran dropped the shroud.
They came to a complete stop as Hawk, Rhiannon, and Jake stepped through the kitchen door. Without hesitation, the three strode toward Hannah and Garran. Each of them wore an expression ranging from concern to questioning to angry.
Goddess, I
so
do not need this right now
.
so
do not need this right now
.
“Why aren't you all in bed?” Hannah asked, feeling grumpy and irritable, as the three reached her and Garran. “It's late.”
“Where've you been?” Jake looked from Garran to Hannah, his voice filled with mistrust.
“I had a strong vision.” Rhiannon looked slightly rumpled with her chin-length hair ruffled. She was barefoot, wearing a pair of faded blue jeans and a bright pink T-shirt. “You both went to Alcatraz tonight.”
“Yes.” All weariness vanished from Garran's voice as he straightened to his full height, looking every bit the powerful warrior.
Jake glanced at Hannah, who sighed. “There and back again.”
“But what my vision showed me ⦔ Rhiannon shook her head as in disbelief. “The cavern was filled with Fomorii. You were there, Garran, with all the demonsâand then they just vanished. Every last demon that was in the cavern.”
“Is this the case?” Jake narrowed his gaze at Garran.
Hannah wondered exactly what he would say.
She
had no idea what had occurred in that cavern.
She
had no idea what had occurred in that cavern.
Garran appeared calm, as if nothing had happened. “Rhiannon's vision is correct.” He met his daughter's gaze. “I was in the cavern and the demons did vanish.”
Rhiannon, Hawk, and Jake looked at one another with astonished expressions before returning their gazes to Hannah and Garran.
“It's true.” Exhaustion was catching up with Hannah. She felt it to her bones, like each one was made of lead. “I heard a massive amount of roars and shrieks, but I didn't get into the cavern until after the Fomorii were gone. I found Garran unconscious and no signs of the demons.”
“Care to explain?” Jake's sharp tone had Hannah wondering what had him on edge. “Did
you
do something to the Fomorii?”
you
do something to the Fomorii?”
“All I am able to tell you is that the demons have returned to Underworld,” Garran said clearly, and Hannah looked up at him in surprise.
He knows they were sent to Underworld? How?
Jake folded his arms across his chest and shook his head. “I'll believe it when I see it.”
“As you will.” Garran kept his gaze focused on the three. Small lines had formed at the outside corners of his eyes, and Hannah realized it was a sign he was tired. “But now Hannah and I must retire. We have had no sleep for many hours.”
Hawk's jaw tensed. “How did this happen? How do you have this knowledge the Fomorii returned to Underworld?”
Garran's gaze didn't waver from Hawk's. “I cannot say.”
“You can't or won't?” Jake asked.
“For the blessed goddess's sake.” Hannah's head ached and her temper soared as she glared at both Hawk and Jake. “Isn't it good enough for you that the demons are gone?”
“For all we know, he had something to do with hiding the demons”âJake's eyes flashed his skepticismâ“not sending them back to Underworld.”
“Believe what you will.” Garran's voice remained so even
that Hannah didn't understand how he accomplished it. She was totally about to lose her composure, and she prided herself on keeping it together. “But for now, as I said, Hannah and I require sleep.”
that Hannah didn't understand how he accomplished it. She was totally about to lose her composure, and she prided herself on keeping it together. “But for now, as I said, Hannah and I require sleep.”
Rhiannon pushed aside Hawk and Jake and glared up at each of them. “Give it a rest for now. If it'll make you feel better, we can go to Alcatraz ourselves and check it out.”
Before she tugged Jake and Hawk away, Rhiannon told two D'Danann that Hannah and Garran needed someplace to lie down for a good, long sleep, a place where they wouldn't be disturbed.
One of the warriors led them to an empty “room” that was simply a place with plywood walls, a door, and no ceiling.
Oops. One room.
Good enough.
When the D'Danann warrior left, Hannah and Garran sank onto the concrete floor, and she realized she didn't give a damn where they lay down, so long as they got some rest. But the warrior came back with a couple of sleeping bags and Hannah thanked him before he closed the door.
As soon as she and Garran rolled out the sleeping bags, side by side, and settled on them, he pulled her close, so that her head rested on his chest.
Odd, but she didn't want to separate herself from him. Instead she had the intense desire to be as near him as possible.
Hannah let all thoughts of missing demons and arguing men float away from her mind.
She closed her eyes and immediately slipped into darkness.
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