Authors: Mary C. Moore
BloodWitchInferno (7 page)
“Karnon?” she whispered. Something was wrong. Her body didn’t
react with overpowering lust.
“Mira.”
Her heart skipped a beat. It was he.
“Yes, I am here.” She struck a match.
He blinked in the sudden light.
“What’s happening? Why aren’t we, you know?” she swallowed
her question and giggled, the wine’s influence still present.
His mouth quirked into the grin she remembered so well. She
had an urge to lean forward and run her fingers over his full lips but she
could control the urge. Instead she busied herself lighting candles.
“Mira.”
She looked up at him. His expression was gentle and maybe
even sad. Did he pity her? What if he was too busy? Did he want to tell her she
shouldn’t Call him? Was he more powerful now because of a new position? Why
wasn’t he saying anything?
He didn’t speak, simply looked at her. She stared back at
him, unable to break the silence. The candlelight flickered over his body and
she was glad she still wore clothes—at least a small protection for her
vulnerability.
His expression changed. Almost…fearful?
“Mira,” he whispered and reached out a hand.
She gasped. It wasn’t the candlelight. His body was
flickering.
“What’s happening?”
He watched her, not responding.
“Karnon! Are you leaving?”
He shook his head.
“Then why are you fading away?”
The flickering subsided. He turned misty.
“Karnon! What’s happening? What’s wrong?”
He opened his mouth but no words came out.
He let his hand fall. She rushed to him, arms outstretched
but they went right through him. He had disappeared. Only the shadow of his eyes
watched her.
“No!” she screamed, grappling at the air.
He was gone.
“No.”
She staggered and slipped to the floor, her cheek pressing
against the salt, mixing with the tears welling from her eyes.
“No.”
Somehow she knew he hadn’t just returned back to Hell. What
had she done? Why had she waited so long? Her pride? What did it matter if he
had rejected her? At least he would have known before—before—a sob heaved from
her—she couldn’t think it.
“I love you, Karnon. Don’t leave me alone.”
* * * * *
Sunlight filtered through the window of the attic. Mira’s
eyes were heavy and dry. She lifted herself off the cold floor. With salt
sticking to her cheek and nose she sat with her head bowed. She had fallen
asleep but she didn’t know how long she had lain there crying before she did.
“Mira.”
The sweet and joyful warmth flooded through her body. A hand
stroked her shoulder. She looked up.
Karnon smiled at her. “I love you too.”
They leaned in, lips brushing. The kiss grew in intensity
and he wrapped his arms around her. She relished in the moment, in amazement.
He loved her too! He was here, with her, without a spell.
He kissed her deeper. She welcomed it and returned the soft
passion. Gently he laid her down on the ground, unbuttoning her shirt, tracing
his fingertips over her naked skin, sending shivers through her. He flicked his
tongue over her nipple, causing her to arch up. This wasn’t the Calling, it was
more. He buried his face in her breasts. She stroked the muscles of his back,
wrapping her legs around him. They pressed against each other, skin on skin.
She shivered from the sensation.
She reached for him, hungry to have him. After waiting for
so long, she didn’t want to wait any longer. He responded to her request
eagerly, pulling his body up and kissing her deeply. He entered her, and she
both cried out with delight and love. They moved in rhythm, their bodies and
souls united, until she released with a burst of pleasure.
The One
“It’s a good thing you didn’t execute her. I would have been
very angry with you.” Lady Gaia smiled at her lover.
“How was I supposed to know she’s one of yours? She looks
nothing like you,” Satan responded.
“Her grandmother is my granddaughter. Don’t I look young for
my age?”
“You look beautiful, whatever age you show.”
“Charmer, don’t change the point. The amount of power she
wields should have been a clue to you that she wasn’t an ordinary blood-witch,”
Gaia said.
“My senses aren’t what they used to be. Whatever spell
Xander used to poison me I am afraid it was more effective than anyone knew. I’ll
have to step down soon.”
“I’ll join you when I can.”
“Are you ever going to tell her who you really are? What
kind of name is that anyway, Tink?”
“It’s my Earth name. And when I gave her that book, I did
tell her, in a way. She just hasn’t figured it out yet. She still thinks I’m a
human who dabbles in Wicca.”
“A risky move, my love,” Satan said with a tender smile.
“It was the only thing I could do. With Xander blocking all
communication with you and his hideous spell preventing me from entering Hell,
she was the only one still under his radar powerful enough to break through.
Although to be honest I didn’t expect her to perform a Calling and connect with
Karnon. I thought she would somehow reach Pharic.”
“Why Pharic? Because he’s also your son?” Satan asked.
“The only son I gave you. Yes, to quote, ‘Blood beckons
blood.’ It would have been much simpler.”
“You couldn’t have at least warned her? Trained her so she
would have met with Pharic and known what to do?”
“No, Xander would have recognized my influence. I couldn’t
risk tainting her power with mine or she would have been blocked out like
everyone else. That’s why her grandmother agreed to give up magic. We knew
enough by then that Mira had to go in blind to get around Xander’s shields. One
hell of a sacrifice by her grandmother. The woman loved magic.” Gaia leaned
back.
Satan rolled to one side and propped his head on one hand.
He looked weary and sad. “I think Xander may have killed his mother.”
Tink stroked the space where the side of Satan’s torso and
hips met. “I know,” she said softly. “That’s how he got enough power to trap
the girls and keep us out.”
“How did you know?”
“After their mother passed on and I investigated, I had my
suspicions.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I wasn’t sure and he was your son—and I was falling in love
with you, plus I was pregnant with Pharic. I couldn’t say anything to risk you
turning away from me, especially after the Betrayal. Both our sides needed our
union of peace more than ever.”
“So blind. I don’t know what to tell Karnon and Cronus.”
“Let them be. Karnon is happy with Mira and Cronus will be a
good replacement for you. They mourned their mother long ago.”
“You know your son fears you.”
“Pharic?”
“Yes. He doesn’t know you are his mother.”
Tink closed her eyes and rested her head on Satan’s
shoulder. “I couldn’t reach him or you. It was awful.”
He stroked her purple hair, the corners of his mouth lifting
as he traced the swirling tattoos on her back. “He will learn to love you. I
did.”
“I hope so.”
“I know so.”
“And you have chosen Cronus to be your heir, so you can
retire in peace.”
“When will you retire, so we can be in peace together?”
“Perhaps once Mira’s mother passes on. Then Mira will have
the time to search for the truth.” Gaia stared into the distance.
“Her mother won’t live the full blood-witch years?”
“Not after what Xander did to her but Selena will have a
full mortal life, and I think she will see passing on as a blessing. For now
she has her daughter to be proud of, so I believe I will leave them be until
then. But it’s all right, I don’t mind waiting to retire. It gives Mira time to
enjoy just being with your son, as I will enjoy just being with you in the
future.”
“So she is your heir, the next Lady, the next Gaia?”
“Yes, she is the one, my Satan.”
Mary is an offspring of the counter-culture mind-blown
hippie movement that sprang up north of the Bay Area after the sixties. She
roamed through the landscape with all the other half-feral, half-naked,
half-educated children running wild in the hills and forests of Northern
California. Like Titania's fairies roamed through the Grecian wood or Wendy’s
lost boys roamed through Neverland, dancing through buttercups, oak leaves and
wild strawberries.
She continued to roam as she grew older, through Africa,
Asia, Europe and the Americas, finally landing again in California where she
currently resides with three pesky roommates and two mellow cats. Armed with a
BS in biology, she spent a few years working as a zookeeper until she graduated
from Mills College, Oakland, with a MFA in Creative Writing and English.
Mary has taken her love of adventure and biology and turned
it to the pen to write about the strange, fabulous and unexpected in this world.
Mary welcomes comments from readers. You can find her
website and email addresses on her
author
bio page
at
www.ellorascave.com
.
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Ellora’s Cave Publishing
Blood Witch Inferno
ISBN 9781419949715
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Blood Witch Inferno Copyright © 2014 Mary C. Moore
Edited by Elizabeth London
Cover design by Syneca
Cover photography by Syneca, netfalls/shutterstock.com
Model: Georgio
Electronic book publication August 2014
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