The Sorceress (20 page)

But it was one-sided conversation. Unable to hear Eris, Tara made no response.

Livid, Eris continued to rant. “These stupid demons can't hurt me. I rule this hellish domain. It's those earthlings who keep finding ways to dispatch me to this revolting habitat. Humans are shrewd beings. They're full of trickery. I am so insulted that my own sister kept such valuable information from me.” Eris shouted. “Listen to me, Tara!” She trembled with anger.

Tara couldn't hear her, but that didn't stop Eris from venting. “When I was captured and taken in as a runaway slave, my ring was turned over to the master. Slaves were not allowed to promenade around wearing trinkets. I didn't care about that ring. I didn't know it had any value. But I know where it is. It was mixed in with the mistress's fine jewels, which I stole and hid inside a crude wooden box. I wasted years, coveting the mistress's sparkling jewels, when my very own goddess ring would have imbibed the power to rule nations!”

Infuriated as she envisioned the snotty-nose Stovall child with access to her fine jewelry and her powerful goddess ring, Eris kicked up a swirl of bristly obsidian. “I hate you, Tara. I lost my earth life twice. I could've ruled the entire earth, had I known about the powers of my goddess ring. Now, some little scallywag of a child is prancing about and wearing my jewelry. A snot-nose little twit has my life-preserving, all powerful, goddess ring!”

Overwhelmed by the desire to cause pain, Eris shot sparks from her blue eyes, sending stinging pops to any creature lurking
nearby. She derived a small measure of excitement from hearing their yelps of pain. But the thrill was short-lived. She wanted revenge on Tara.

“You're going to pay dearly for the error of omission, you stupid, compassionate fool. I'm going to make sure that you and your winged playmate die slow and torturous deaths. If I have to escort you to the Dark Realm with my own bare hands, I'll do it. You deserve a taste of this kind of unrelenting suffering!” Eris snarled and shook her fists. The nearby ghouls, fearing they'd be burned or lose an appendage, scurried deeper into the shadows.

In the midst of her tirade, she noticed wooden planks. Could she be actually seeing what she thought? She turned up her blue gaze, illuminating the mysterious sight. And there it was…a beautiful, well-constructed, sturdy bridge! But it was located in a different place, much further in distance than the previous one.

Ever the prankster, Xavier was having great fun taunting her by constructing her passage from hell far away. Afraid she might miss another opportunity to escape incarceration from this stifling and forsaken place, Eris shouted, “Boozer!”

Boozer came running.

“Hurry!” she implored him.

Like a running back, Boozer knocked down ghouls that stood in his path as he heeded Eris's call. He scooped Eris up in his arms and ran like hell, speeding in the direction she pointed.

“Are we gonna hightail it out of this hell?”

“Shut up and run.”

Boozer galloped along blindly. “I don't see nothing, goddess.”

She jabbed her finger toward a sight that only she could see. “Do as I say! Speed it up!”

Boozer brought his fur-covered knees up higher to add power to his fierce gallop.

“Faster!” she demanded. “Stop lollygagging, you clumsy oaf.”

Boozer increased his speed, looking down at Eris in astonishment when his bare hooves touched on something smooth and cool. “Hot damn!” he exclaimed, excited as he looked down at his hoofed feet, expecting to see something reminiscent from his earthly existence.

But his hooves were still embedded in soot and obsidian. Confused, he arched a scraggly eyebrow. “Are we still in hell?”

“No time for questions, numbskull. Run! Hurry, we're almost there. Make haste before that damned portal closes up on us.”

Suddenly, Eris and Boozer inhaled air…fresh night air.

“We made it.”

Boozer looked around. “It don't look we're in Jackson. But we're damn sure outta hell.” He lowered Eris's bare feet to cool planks of wood.

Bathed in moonlight, Eris and Boozer joined hands and launched into a macabre jig, both butt-naked, howling with malicious pleasure as they danced on Piper's Bridge.

K
issed all over and sexed in numerous positions, Jen was finally satisfied. After three badly needed and deeply appreciated orgasms, she fell asleep wearing a contented smile. A few hours later, she opened her eyes. Momentarily startled, she blinked at the darkness inside the unfamiliar room.

Though still asleep, Rome cuddled closer, comforting her as if he sensed her confusion. The musky aroma she inhaled was Rome's own natural scent and it was intoxicatingly arousing, but Jen kept her hands from roaming along his strong, athletic body. She smiled and caressed the top of his hand.

Her eyes searched and set on the red digits of the clock. Four a.m. She sprang upright. She glanced at prince charming sleeping next to her, hoping she didn't jolt him out of what looked like a peaceful sleep.

Hopefully, she could rejoin him under the covers. It all depended. Stretching her hand down to the floor, she picked up her handbag and routed around until she located her cell.

She pressed a button, lighting up the small screen. No messages.
Fantastic!
The senator was distracted by his clandestine affair and his wife was totally preoccupied with her campaign. Apparently neither of Ethan's parents knew or cared that Jen was not inside the Provost home.

Rome woke up and gawked at the clock. “Damn!” He looked at Jen, his eyes soft with concern. “I'm sorry, baby. I didn't mean to keep you out this late.”

“What time do you get up for work?”

“Usually at six. But I don't have to work in the morning. My day off.”

“Oh. Then, lie down,” she whispered. “Let's sleep for a few more hours.”

Rome didn't argue with Jen. He pulled her close and drifted back to sleep. Wrapped in his arms, warmed by his body heat, and lulled by the beat of his heart, Jen was quickly pulled back to dreamland.

When the alarm went off at six, they were both jolted awake, but Rome kept her locked in his embrace.

Jen hated having to extricate herself from his arms.

“I don't want to let you go,” Rome muttered, reaching for her.

“The maid starts work at six and the cook gets there at seven. I could call Lizzy and ask her to cover for me…” Jen paused, trying to come up with a lie. “She could tell the senator that I went out for an early morning run.”

Rome sat up, yawned, and then stretched. “No, we have to get dressed. It was selfish of me to keep you out so long. Get up, baby. I don't want you getting in trouble because of me.”

“But I'm not ready to leave,” Jen's said, her voice lilting in frustration.

“Can you get some time off tonight?” A devilish smile crept on his lips.

She shrugged. “I don't know. Depends. The senator is supposed to be conducting interviews today. Adding another nanny to the staff, so I can get a break.”

“So, up until this point, you haven't been getting any time off?”

“No. But it didn't matter. I have some personal problems…”
She looked down, ashamed of the way she'd been kicked out of school. “To be honest, trying to work through my issues were more important than having an active social life.”

“I can dig it.” Rome patted her back. “It's okay. You don't have to talk about it.”

God, how she adored this man. She wanted to stay in this bed with him forever. He was gorgeous; even with sleep in his eyes. She felt herself warming inside, becoming moist with need, and it was all she could do not to jump his bones right there on the spot. She took a deep breath and restrained herself. Maybe this wasn't a one-night stand.

“I'm not comfortable keeping you from that little boy you take care. So, get dressed and I'll give you a call later to find out if you can come out and play tonight. Okay?”

If she didn't think it would make her appear reckless and desperate, she would have picked up her cell phone, called the senator, and quit on the spot. But Rome was a keeper and she didn't want to scare him away.

Rome wound his fingers in her tangled hair. “I miss you already.” Tilting her head, he kissed her.

Oh, my God, I'm in love!

With windblown hair, frizzled out and covering her head like a red helmet, Jen used her key and let herself inside the house. She tried to creep toward the stairs, unnoticed by Lizzy. But Carmen entered the house a few moments later.

Carmen cleared her throat. Jen paused and turned around. “Am I seeing things or did you get dropped off outside the gate by a man driving a blue truck?”

“Shh.” Jen held a finger to her lips. “It's personal.”

Carrying a dustpan filled with shattered glass, Lizzy came out
of the senator's study, brows furrowed in curiosity. “You've been out all night?” Lizzy asked Jen.

“I'm grown. God, you two act like I committed a crime.”

Jen went into the dining room and sat down, prepared for an interrogation.

“Who's been watching the little terror?” Carmen inquired.

“No one. He dressed himself and he's sitting in front of that contraption, staring at bridges. I know this sounds strange, but the grumpy little boy seems…sort of cheerful,” Lizzy said, scratching her head.

Carmen gave a big hearty laugh. “Maybe he's happy that he didn't have to put up with his scheduled tinkle time. He might be sitting in a puddle of urine…happy as a lark.”

Jen sighed at the thought of having to deal with Ethan's incontinence. She instantly switched her thoughts to her new romance.

“Aren't you anxious to find out if he peed his pants while you were out gallivanting with your mystery man?”

“For your information, the senator is going to interview nannies today. Someone else is going to have to deal with Ethan's tinkle time,” Jen informed with a giggle.

“They're replacing you?” Lizzy frowned at the thought of a new personality in the household.

“No. The new nanny will be part-time. A fill-in so I can have some time off.”

Lizzy chuckled. “Ah! So, you need some time off to be with your new boyfriend, huh?” She nudged Jen with her elbow.

“Ow!” Jen grabbed her arm playfully.

“Stop fooling around. My elbow didn't hurt you.”

“Thank goodness your bony little elbow is cushioned by that heavy wool sweater. Otherwise you could have stabbed her,” Carmen chimed in, laughing. Lizzy and Jen laughed. For the
first time since Jen had started working for the Provosts, there was genuine fun and laughter inside the solemn home. Of course, her rendezvous with Rome had a great deal to do with her cheerful mood.

“So…what's the story? You got a secret lover?” Carmen pried.

Jen rolled her eyes upward. “I'm not telling.”

“Look at you. You're blushing. And you have a glow.” Carmen looked at Lizzy. “She's glowing, isn't she?”

Lizzy smiled and nodded. “You can trust us,” Lizzy prompted. “By the way,” she said in a lowered voice, “Jen's not the only one in this house with a secret lover.” Lizzy pointed to the ceiling. “A woman is in bed with the senator,” she whispered.

Carmen's brows knit together in disapproval. Aghast, she shook her head. “Sinful,” she said quietly and then made the sign of the cross.

“She stayed overnight?” Jen queried.

“Apparently. She's in there with him. And they've been pretty noisy.” Lizzy grimaced.

“Disgraceful. He has a child in this home.”

Lizzy and Jen gawked at Carmen, surprised that she was defending Ethan's honor when she usually complained that he was possessed.

“It's not the boy's fault that he's possessed,” Carmen said, responding to the looks she was getting. “Instead of burying their heads in the sand, his parents should have converted to Catholicism, had the child christened, and then, if that didn't work, they could have asked the priest to call in an exorcist.”

Lizzy defended the senator. “His wife neglects him something terrible and a man has his needs.”

“Mrs. Provost is a piece of work. Very ambitious, but I don't think she's out on the campaign trail sleeping with other men. That woman may be a lot of terrible things, but she's not an
adulterer. She respects the sanctity of marriage. I'm shocked at the senator. He seemed like such a noble man.”

“You know, guys…it's really not our business,” Jen piped in. “I'm going to bring Ethan down for breakfast. Don't worry, Carmen. I'll fix him something to eat.”

“You can't cook.” Tying on her apron, Carmen placed a hand on her hip. “I don't want you fooling around in my kitchen.”

“You're stressed and I don't want to add to it.” Actually, Jen was floating on air over Rome and she didn't mind taking on the extra chore of preparing Ethan's breakfast. In fact, she'd be daydreaming about the passionate love they'd made last night while Ethan fiddled with his food.