Believe: The Complete Channie Series (130 page)

“It’s very important.” Channie wasn’t looking forward to spending the day alone, but she agreed with Ezra. Josh had to go to school. “The Book of the Dead instructed you to live your life as you did before. Remember?”

He reached out with one hand and laced his fingers through hers. “All I care about is protecting you.”

“But the best way to do that is to obey the Book of the Dead.” Channie squeezed his hand.

Josh stood up and grabbed the poker. The tendons on his neck stood out as he stabbed at the fire. “Tell that to Wisdom.”

The heat from the fire had warmed Channie’s skin to a rosy glow, but a chill ran down her spine. “Aunt Wisdom took Momma so you wouldn’t kill her, didn’t she?”

“She’s already killed your father, your sister and your brother-in-law. She’s going to kill you too, if she gets the chance.” Josh replaced the poker then turned towards Channie. His eyes hardened. “What do you expect me to do? Stand back and watch her carve your heart out of your chest?”

“No. But I don’t expect you to murder her in cold blood either.”

“I don’t want to kill your mother.” Josh raked his hands through his hair then pointed at Channie. “But you’re the one that created this situation, binding yourself to her with a death pledge! What were you thinking?”

“I was trying to save you!” Channie’s eyes burned, but she refused to cry. She dug her fingers into the bear’s fur. “That death pledge was nothing. Watching our bond fade as the light of recognition left your face was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”

“Try lying helpless on the floor while the person you love more than anything rips your heart out of your chest and stomps on it. Try waking up and discovering that the past six months of your life are gone. Obliterated. You have no idea what I’ve been through because of that damn memory spell.”

“I wasn’t trying to hurt you.” Channie pressed her hands over her own aching heart.

Josh turned his back.

Channie waited for him to reach out for her, but all he did was stare at the fire.

“Are you still mad at me?”

“Extremely.”

“Do you…do you still love me?” Channie hugged her knees and rocked back and forth.

Josh leaned over and grabbed her elbows, pulling her to her feet. “We’re going to argue. We’re going to get mad at each other. Sometimes, we’ll even say hurtful things to each other, but that doesn’t mean we don’t love each other. Channie, I’d die for you.”

“I don’t want you to die.”

“I’ll do my damnedest not to, but you have to stop working against me. I can’t lead the fight against Dominance if my own wife doesn’t believe in me.”

“I do believe in you, Josh.”

“Then promise me you won’t try to keep me from doing whatever it is I need to do—no matter how dangerous or foolish you think it might be.”

Channie blinked. The tears she’d been fighting overflowed and ran down her cheeks. Hunter had been right the first time. Josh had changed. She still loved him—just as fiercely as she ever had—and knew that he still loved her. But he
was
different. And it wasn’t the Book of the Dead’s influence.

He’d led men into battle and watched them die. He’d killed the enemy to save innocent men, women and children from certain death. He’d faced down evil and won, but in doing so, he lost his own innocence.

“I promise to obey you as my general.” She wiped the tears from her cheeks and smiled. “But not as my husband.”

“What does that mean, exactly?”

“It means, I won’t automatically agree with every non-military decision you make.” She stretched up on her toes to press a quick kiss to his lips. “You’ll have to convince me.”

She gazed into his eyes, those infinite pools of sapphire blue, searching for the boy that loved showing off on his bicycle and BMX racing and teasing his little brother. She searched for the young man that teared up after killing a baby mouse. She searched for Josh, but found a warrior instead. She found Valor.

DOUBLE LIFE

J
OSH
HATED
THE
IDEA
OF
leaving Channie every day just to go to school. And how many times could he use magic to persuade all his teachers to let him make up the work he missed? There was no doubt in his mind that he would miss more school. He needed to check on things at Freedom Ridge and Bowling Green at least a couple of times before graduation.

Plus there was the Prudence situation. As soon as Hunter and Vince found her, they were going to call Zen and ask him to commandeer the helicopter to fly Josh to wherever the bitch was so he could take care of the problem. Vince had volunteered to kill her as soon as he found her, but the Book of the Dead had demanded that Josh do it, so that’s what he’d do.

By the time Josh arrived at Monarch, he’d come up with a plan. Independent study.

It was a hard sell—even with magic—since Monarch didn’t have an independent study program. But the right people finally agreed when Josh used Channie’s fake pregnancy as an excuse for both of them. Josh had to show up every Friday to take any tests he missed and to check in with his teachers. Channie was on strict bed rest, doctor’s orders—also fake, so she could do everything, including tests, online.

Josh would have pushed for online testing for himself, but he’d already agreed to meet with Dad every Friday for lunch. No reason to push it. Or to tell Dad about the change of plans.

After getting squared away with all his and Channie’s teachers, Josh swung by Dad’s place to pick up a few things. The place was deserted, as it should be, since everyone was supposed to be in Breckenridge, hiding from the Veyjivik trackers. Josh stuffed a week’s worth of clothes into a duffle bag then loaded last year’s bike on top of his car and raced back to Channie. He stopped at a convenience store in Nederland to pick up a box of condoms then swung through the McDonald’s for an order of fries.

Josh
parked the car outside Vince's protection spells and rode his bike to the cabin. No way was he going to give Channie any ideas about stealing his car to escape. Non-living matter shielded magic. The phrase, “too smart for her own good,” definitely applied. She might be able to hot wire his car, but even if she managed to defeat the dual Kryptonite U locks on his bike, she wouldn’t get past Vince's magical barrier.

His heart jumped when the cabin came into view and he found Channie waiting for him on the porch.

He dropped his duffle bag, jumped off his bike then ran to Channie and swept her off her feet.

She nuzzled his neck and laughed. “It’s going to start raining any second. You better get your stuff inside before it does.”

If a tree lost a limb in the storm and hit his car, it wouldn’t be good. But Josh wasn’t going to risk parking it in the garage where his devious little wife could get her hands on it.

He kissed Channie, sucking her lower lip into his mouth then set her down. “I hope you’re prepared to feed me. I’m starving.”

“Just put your bike in the garage and the rest of your stuff in the master bedroom.”

“Oh, okay.” Josh tried to keep the disappointment out of his voice. He’d assumed that since they’d had sex, they’d be sharing a room, and more importantly, a bed. Maybe Channie wasn’t quite ready to share everything.

“I hung all my clothes on the lower rods in the closet, but if you need more space let me know. I can move some of it back upstairs.”

“I don’t have that much, I’m sure it’s fine.” Josh waited for Channie to turn her back then pumped his fist.

They ate lunch, assembled a puzzle, and watched the storm race across the mountain. Josh was sitting on the front porch swing with Channie in his lap. He was still a little shy about asking for sex but he didn’t want to wait until bedtime. “The storm’s over. I think I’ll jump in the hot tub. Wanna join me?”

“I don’t have a bathing suit.”

“You don’t need one.” Josh lowered his voice, trying to sound seductive, but he could tell from the heat radiating off his skin that his face was beet red.

Channie arched an eyebrow. “Oh?”

Crap.
Had he offended her?

A slow smile spread across her face.

Apparently, not. Josh heaved a sigh of relief. “The house is completely secluded and protected by keep-away spells.” He nipped her earlobe. “We can hot tub naked.”

Channie lifted her chin, giving him access to her neck. “We can do everything naked.”

“Everything?” Josh’s voice cracked. So much for sounding confident and seductive. He shifted his weight and tried to readjust himself without her noticing…and failed.

Channie laughed. “Well, not
everything.
I’m not frying bacon and eggs in the buff.”

Josh grinned at her. “I’ll let you wear an apron while you’re cooking.”

“Are you going to ride your bike naked?”

“Do you want me to?”

“I want kids someday, so it’s probably not a good idea.”

The mention of kids shot a dart of sadness into Josh’s heart.
Channie was never pregnant. We didn’t lose a baby
, but it sure felt like it to him. “Okay, no naked bike rides or cooking in the nude, but I’ve been fantasizing about skinny-dipping in a hot tub with a hot girl ever since Dad bought one for the cabin in Breck.”

“When was that?”

“The summer before I started high school.”

“And just who exactly was this hot girl you imagined in there with you?” Channie scooted off Josh’s lap and stood up.

“Uh…no one?”

“Yeah, right.” She rolled her eyes.

“Well, it wasn’t anyone in particular, it was just a vague idea of a generic woman.”

“Generic woman?”

“You know…” Josh held his cupped hands in front of his chest, but dropped his arms when Channie narrowed her eyes. “It was just an adolescent fantasy.”

Channie jammed her fists on her hips. “Your fantasy woman has watermelon sized breasts?”

“No!” Josh repeated the hand gesture, keeping his fingers together this time, indicating a much smaller fruit. “Not unless they’re baby watermelons.”

Channie’s eyebrows shot up.

“Cantaloupe?”

She twisted her mouth to the side and shook her head.

“I’m just making this worse, aren’t I?”

“Yep.”

“Can I start over?”

“Please, do. This is more entertaining than television.”

“Entertaining? You’re not mad at me?”

Channie took Josh’s wrists and tugged him to his feet then guided his hands to her boobs. “Try grapefruit.”

“Oh!” His voice cracked. He cleared his throat and tried again. “Yeah, definitely my favorite.”

Channie giggled.

The sound of her laughter warmed his heart as well as other parts of his body. “Why don’t you go grab us a couple of robes while I get the cover off the hot tub?”

“I’ll meet you outside.”

The rain that had pooled on the hot tub cover soaked Josh when he lifted it off. “Yikes! That’s cold!”

“You should have taken your clothes off first.”

Josh whirled around and nearly swallowed his tongue.

Channie untied her robe and slipped it off her shoulders. She hung it on a hook then glided up the steps into the hot tub.

Josh sighed as her perfect body sank beneath the steaming surface.

She draped an arm over the side and turned her head to look at him. “Well? What are you waiting for?”

Josh stripped down in record time then tripped over his feet as he bolted up the steps.

Channie’s bell-like laughter more than compensated for Josh’s embarrassment over his clumsiness. Hell, he’d gladly fall on his face if it made her laugh again.

“Are you okay?” Her eyes still sparkled, but she arched her brows as she stood up and offered a hand to steady him.

“I’m fine.” Josh gulped then forced his gaze back to Channie’s face only to discover that her eyes had travelled south.

The water covered his hips, but just barely. He backed up until he felt the molded recliner behind his knees and sat down.

Channie leaned forward and drifted across the hot tub towards Josh. Her hair streamed behind her, floating on the surface of the water. She placed her hands on his knees then leaned in and kissed him.

Josh braced a foot against the bottom step to keep from floating off the recliner then gripped her waist. He slid his hands up and down her sides as the kiss became more frantic. She thrust her tongue inside his mouth then retreated as he advanced.

Channie straddled his hips.

Josh’s eyes rolled into the back of his head. This was it, his fantasy was about to become a reality.

Her hot breath caressed his ear. “You better go get one of those things on before we go any further.”

“What things…oh…yeah.” He’d forgotten all about the box of condoms in his duffle bag. He kissed the tip of Channie’s nose then slid out from under her. “Hold that thought. I’ll be right back.”

She sucked her lower lip into her mouth then pulled it through her teeth.

Holy crap.
Josh vaulted out of the hot tub, sloshing water all over the deck. He ran inside and dug the box of Trojans out his bag. He hadn’t tried to apply a condom since the eighth grade—that’s the only time he remembered. They’d all been given a couple during the human sexuality unit in health class. Josh had locked himself in the bathroom as soon as he’d gotten home to try it out. It wasn’t that difficult, but that had been in the privacy of his own bathroom. He pulled the instruction sheet out of the box and skimmed the information. He froze when he read, “not recommended for use underwater.”

“What the hell?” Josh read it again. It didn’t say why it wasn’t recommended, but since it warned against the use of oil based lubricants, he suspected it had something to do with the chemicals in the water weakening the latex. He’d left his phone in his car so he couldn’t even look it up online. “Damn it.”

Josh tucked the box in the top drawer of the nightstand next to the bed then grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his hips. He remembered Dad explaining that the reason he wasn’t going in the hot tub anymore was because it lowered his sperm count and he and Liz were trying to have a baby. He shuddered at the memory of that awkward revelation, but it was useful information. Maybe if he soaked in the hot water for a couple of hours before using the condom it would be safe enough? What kind of a selfish prick thought like that?

There was no such thing as ‘safe enough.’ Not when it came to Channie. He wasn’t going to risk getting her pregnant in the hot tub just to fulfill a selfish fantasy.

“Josh? You okay?”

He looked up and found Channie standing in the doorway wrapped up in her robe, a towel wound around her head like a turban.

He sighed then forced a smile. “We can’t have sex in the hot tub.”

“Why not?”

He handed her the condom instruction sheet and pointed to the warning about sex underwater.