The Silverwing's Sorceress: THe Shadow Slayers, Book 2.5 (13 page)

When he lifted his head to stare into her eyes, his smile was purely wicked. “Are you sure you don’t need more convincing?”

She chuckled and ran a hand down his arm. “Hmm… Maybe. You sure make a lot of claims when you’re in the heat of the moment. What was that thing about me coming until I can’t remember my name?”

He growled and flipped her to her stomach, pinning her to the mattress under two hundred pounds of pure muscle as his hand delved into the cleft of her ass. “Not just claims, dove. You’ve insulted my manhood—and now you’re going to pay.”

And pay she did, between small pockets of sleep and large doses of ecstasy all throughout the night. Until the only name she could remember was the one she kept repeating…
Jaxon
.

Chapter Nine

The first thing Abbey did when she woke to the sun in her eyes was feel her stomach. It was amazing to run her hand over the taut, unmarred plane after six months of oozing cuts and bulky bandages. The second thing she did was feel the bed for Jaxon and find him missing.

She let out a deep breath and stretched her arms and legs. She was so sore, she wasn’t sure she would even be able to get out of bed today. But it was a good sore—an I-had-my-universe-rocked sore. Damn Jaxon and his Demiáre blood, he probably wouldn’t even need an ibuprofen to recover.

She’d been having great sex for years, so she was embarrassed to admit that he’d done things to her that she hadn’t even imagined. He hadn’t taken her the same way twice. He was an absolute sex god, and he was all hers if she wanted him. And how could she not want him?

“It’s not that easy,” she mumbled to herself as she swung her legs over the side of the bed, then let out a pained groan. She was going to have to start stretching and putting protein bars by the bed if she and Jaxon made a regular thing of this.

Ah, crap.
She pressed her face into her hands and then rubbed her fingers over her cheeks and brows. What was she thinking? Yes, she’d had sex with him, and yes, she still loved him after the orgasms had faded, but he was a different species—an immortal species! And she wasn’t.

Not even the greatest sex of her life could change that fact. Her body was as fragile and temporal as her parents’ had been. She glanced around the room at the elegant but foreign surroundings. Even the first cabin had outlived them.

If she took what Jaxon offered and tried to build a life with him, how would he take it when her red hair turned to gray? How would she deal with it when new acquaintances though he was her son—or her grandson? They’d have to move somewhere remote, like Mercury Island, where he wouldn’t have to hide what he was.

And one day, she really would be too old to make love to him anymore. And years or days after that, she would die. All the while, he would remain as handsome and vigorous as he was last night. No matter what…she would lose him some day.

She walked to the balcony and opened the door to the large wood deck, intending to get some fresh air. Alone with her thoughts, she was getting downright depressed.

“Good morning, dove.”

Her head popped up, but when she didn’t see Jaxon, she glanced over the balcony. He was reclining in a chair on the back patio, facing the view of the valley, his feet propped up with
The Book of Death
in his hands.

“Hey…uh…good morning.” She hoped she didn’t look as guilty as she felt. He’d made her promise some crazy things last night, but in light of his sexual coercion, who could blame her for going along with it?

“Come down. I have chicken soup on the stove for you.”

“Okay, let me freshen up. I’ll be down in a minute.”

She took longer than usual getting ready for her day. There may have been a small part of her that was avoiding the inevitable discussion they needed to have. Once her jeans were in place with a long-sleeved green T-shirt, she wandered down the stairs into the kitchen and ladled a portion of soup into a bowl.

When she exited the door opening onto the back patio, Jaxon smiled, rose from his chair and put the big black book down on the seat. Then he came to her, took the soup from her hands and placed it on the table. When he returned, he bent to her level and kissed her so gently it made her heart flutter. “Mmm… I’ve tasted my woman’s lips. The day can begin now.”

She closed her eyes and rested her forehead against his jaw. She was going to tell him that they were better off as friends. Just not yet. She knew Jaxon, and he wasn’t going to take it well. She needed to be in the sanctuary of his arms a few minutes longer before she cut both their hearts out. She wrapped her arms around him tightly and clung to him. After a minute, she released her grip and pulled back.

His lips quirked into a slight frown as his gaze traveled over her face. “You’re the quiet one this morning. Not enough sleep?”

“Jaxon…” Her breath faltered, and she couldn’t say more. Her legs felt quivery and the muscles in her shoulders and neck went limp. Her head hung so low, her chin almost touched her chest. “I have to talk to you.”

He lifted her chin with his index finger and met her gaze. He didn’t say a word, just read her expression for a moment, and then swallowed. Something like desolation reflected in his eyes, but he attempted a smile. “Let’s talk later. I want to show you something.”

She took the out, not quite ready to say what needed to be said anyhow. “Really? What?”

“First off, you do remember what today is, don’t you?” He pulled her to the chair beside his and sat her down, then he picked up the book and joined her.

“Uh…Tuesday? We’re going to dinner at the neighbor’s tonight to use the phone.”

“Perhaps. But I was looking over your
book
—” the way he said it made her smile, as though the book itself was up to no good, “—and I think I may have found something.”

Her eyes widened and she followed his gaze to a page she’d already glanced over several times. “The exorcising spirits spell? How would that help?”

“Not so much spirits… Here, read carefully.” He put his thick finger to the page.

She ran her teeth over her bottom lip. “I did read it carefully, it’s just not worded for the modern woman.”

“Think of it not so much as spirits, but as energy. What if you shut down the energy to the mountain?”

“That might turn off the generator—and leave us in the dark, by the way—but how would it help with the ward?”

“This entire mountain is made of energy. Even I could feel it when you had the voice recorder in your hands. Perhaps if you cut the source of energy, it will take the ward down along with it.”

“Hmm…” She thought it wasn’t a bad idea, but then she read a little further. “Jaxon! That’s not just sorcery, that’s coven magic! Are you hiding any witches around here that I don’t know about who are going to help me make a circle strong enough to even attempt something like this?”

“Have I been wrong this entire time? I was under the impression that the high priests were the strongest in their covens.”

“Yes. It used to be that way, running in family lines from what I’ve heard. But if I were going to have impressive power like that, I would have already had it. It’s like the child of two basketball players. The potential is in the genes, but that doesn’t mean the kid’s making it to the NBA.”

“Would you at least consider trying?”

She looked over the spell again. “Nope. I can already tell you that I won’t have enough juice to get it done.”

He looked up to the blue sky and let out a deep breath, then he met her eyes. “Will you always allow fear to rule your life? Will you give up before you’ve even given it a chance?”

His heavy expression and wounded look made her doubt they were still talking about the spell. “I don’t see what’s the use of trying when there’s no way it can work. We’ll avoid a lot of pain if we just admit that now.” She brought a shaky hand to her cheek and tucked a long strand of hair behind her ear. “Anyways, by tonight, we’ll be phoning San Diego, and I’m sure it will be a matter of hours until someone comes to pick us up.”

“I love you, Abbey, but I can’t sit here any longer and watch you give up on your life without a fight.”

He set the book in her lap and strode down the embankment. “Hey!” she called to his back. “Even if I could do the spell, this is
nex veneficus
! That would make me a
sorceress
—remember?” But he didn’t turn around.

This
was why Abbey didn’t mix friendship and sex. One night between her legs, and now Jaxon was like the walking wounded. The sun was about to go down, and he’d barely spoken to her all day. There was a chance he was avoiding what she’d wanted to talk about earlier, but mostly, he just looked pissed. So much for him not being able to stay mad at her. He was doing a pretty good job.

He stabbed his pencil into the spiral-bound notebook on his lap and the lead snapped.

“Enjoying translating the journal, huh?” she asked.

He glowered at her, his lips a thin line. “Not really. The damn thing is gibberish. I’m going to have to give it back to Kara and admit that I failed. There comes a time in a man’s life when he has to be realistic and know when to cut his losses.”

“I’m sorry. I know you’re disappointed, but I think you’re right about knowing when to walk away. You tried your best. It isn’t your fault.” She fiddled with the edge of the black book and ran a finger over the red slashes on the cover. “Well, it’s almost time to leave for dinner.”

He exhaled and slammed the journal shut. “Then let’s get started. It’s not a long walk, but the terrain may take some time for you to navigate.”

“Nah. I know these hills pretty well. I’m not worried.” She was about to put the book on the coffee table and head out when Jaxon dashed across the room and wrapped a firm hand around her upper arm. “Shh…” he whispered in her ear.

“What?” she whispered back.

“There’s a man speaking quietly at the door. He sounds like our neighbor.”

Abbey strained her ears, but she couldn’t hear a thing. “Did he think we were supposed to meet here?”

Jaxon shook his head. “No. Definitely not.”

She clutched the book to her chest and put her lips to his ear. “Maybe his wife didn’t make it back yet and he wants to let us know…”

He turned his face to hers. “Then who is he speaking with if not his wife? And if his wife hasn’t returned, he can’t be using the phone.” When the melodic chime announced their visitor, Jaxon squeezed Abbey’s shoulder in encouragement and brought her eyes level with his. “Go wait in the tunnel.”

“You’re overreacting, don’t you think?”

With his hands at her back, he steered her toward the kitchen. “If your uncle really did cut the brakes on your and your parents’ cars, who’s to say he wouldn’t send someone to finish the job?”

“You really think he’d chance such a direct attack? Doesn’t seem like his style.” Her mother’s recording had been pretty damning evidence that Claudius was up to something, but when she thought about him actually sending someone to hurt her, she couldn’t conceive of the possibility. She caught herself when she almost defended him, declaring her uncle wouldn’t do that. In reality, she barely knew the man.

Jaxon dialed the code into the light switch and when the wall rolled open, he shoved Abbey into the tunnel. “Go.”

She grabbed his forearm. “Come with me.”

“No. I need to know who’s out there and what their intentions are. Don’t come out until I knock on this wall four times.”

A fist rapped on the front door loud enough that even Abbey could hear it. Jaxon kissed her hard and then turned, twisting the dial once again to make the panel slide shut.

On his way through the kitchen, Jaxon grabbed a chef’s knife and anchored it in the back of his jeans. The large double doors at the front of the house had an oval of clear stained glass in the center of each panel. When Jaxon peered through the decorative glass, there stood the man from down the hill with a half-empty carton of beer in his left hand. Jaxon smiled and glanced past him, surveying the entryway and the woods beyond. He didn’t see any others, but as surely as Jaxon breathed, that man had been talking to someone.

He opened one of the double doors and with a smile, thrust out his hand. “Brad. Thank you for coming. I’m sorry I took so long to answer. My fiancée and I weren’t quite ready yet. I thought we were supposed to head over your way for dinner…”

Brad glanced beyond Jaxon into the house, and the slight tension in his brow and the almost imperceptible quaking of his hands had Jaxon on full alert. Brad was wound tight, and that didn’t bode well for their evening. “Sorry, Jaxon. I wanted to come tell you before you came all that way that my wife’s been delayed. More shopping.” He laughed and shook his head. “She won’t be back until tomorrow, so I don’t even have the steaks to cook for you. I’m so sorry for the mix-up.”

The man was an impressive actor…so impressive that Jaxon might have believed him if Brad would have had any way of getting this information from his wife without having a phone himself. “No worries. Let’s try again tomorrow night.”

“Well, I did bring the last of my beer.” He smiled and held up the half-empty box, making the three dewy bottles clink together. “And I’d love to meet your fiancée.”

Somewhere from the direction of the living room, Jaxon heard a doorknob turn and click, and the sound of a door quietly being pushed open. Since Abbey hadn’t come out of the tunnel, his worst suspicions had been confirmed. “Thank you for the beer. I’m sure she’d love to meet you, too. Here, let me take that…”