Bound by Witchcraft: Charmed by My Masters (6 page)

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Dietrich heard the ghostly images gasp behind them and whispered “no,” but before he knew what was happening, Blair had moved him away from his daughter. Her spell book floated and hovered over Betsy’s bed as she circled the bed with salt and magic. Her jogging suit disappeared. Her hair, now free of its knot, flowed around her as if it had a life of its own, as she moved naked around his daughter. Her body glistened with sweat as ancient words flowed out of her mouth, her hands weaving patterns which formed around Betsy.

“Blair!” He stepped forward, but Gray grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

“No, right now we need you to cover her magic Dietrich. We’ll help. Maybe with all of us, we can protect the house.” Gray and his men surrounded them, their magic floated up and out of the room, it surrounded the huge estate, masking what was going on inside the mansion.

“Thank you.” He nodded to everyone as the magic held all the while everyone watched. Blair was beautiful. If he didn’t know better he would have sworn she was fae, the way she floated around her daughter’s bed, whispering her spell.

The images of her sisters swayed in front of him and moved closer to Blair, as all of them sang. Their power flowed freely around the room and into Blair, as her magic formed words above her as she sang each line of her spell.

“
I take what was not mine, I release what is good, I embrace what has been brought upon this child.”

Dietrich stumbled, his own part of the cover spell faltered as he heard Blair’s words. She was taking the spell into herself, to free his child. “No!” He tried to break the circle, but her sisters shook their heads and circled Blair, protectively.

“She has already started. You cannot stop her now. Cover her magic. We will take care of our sister, as we have before.” The sister name Lizzie said to him.

His daughter turned her head, tears streamed down her face, and her body rose off the bed. She screamed as she fell back down. Blair laid her body over his daughter’s to hold her down.

“
Oh goddess of the ground hear me. Ggoddess of the skie, hear my cry. Oh green man hear my plea. This child has done no harm to anyone, but yet she has suffered at the hand of an evil one. Bring it into me if you must, but release this spell; send it back to that which had cast it. He is no child of yours if he would do this to one of your small ones.
” Blair gasped and was flung off his daughter; a black cloud filled the circle.

At first he could have sworn a face appeared in the smoke and then he heard the voice.
“I will kill all that you hold dear. Remember that wizard.”

The smoke slammed into Blair seeping into every pore in her body. Sweat covered her, her eyes rolled back into her head, and slashes appeared on her arms, face and stomach. Dietrich watched in horror as invisible punches landed on her stomach and face. He could hear her bones crack with the force of the blows.

Next to him, Jax shifted, the beast inside him snarled and paced back and forth, wanting to get to its mate. All the while, the only thing he heard come out of Blair’s mouth were the words of her magical song. Never once did she falter.

Tears filled his eyes, his hands in fists, his anger now released in the power of the shield that protected them. One day soon he would find the man that did this and make sure he suffered twice as much as his mate was suffering.

“
I am just a servant. You are my protector, my teacher, my family. I follow you everywhere, I embrace you, I worship you, dear green man. Only you can save me, only you can have my soul. I know no love as of yet, just your words of a promise it would come. If it is your wish for me to come to you, so be it. I open my heart and body to you.”

She had saved his daughter, but at a high price. He had hidden her power from the outside world, the ghostly images of her sisters wavered. Once more Lizzie turned to him. “She has done it, the spell has been broken, but Dietrich, she will need time to rest and heal. We all will. I will see you soon.” Lizzie’s image disappeared, with the rest of her sisters. Her book shrank and disappeared once more, as the circle around his daughter’s bed disappeared and Blair sank to the floor.

Jax rushed forward. Carefully he picked her bruised and cut body up in his arms. He whispered words of love to her. “Take her to her room. I’ll bring Betsy down in a few minutes.” He sat down on his daughter’s bed, and brushed her tears away. “How do you feel, little girl?”

Her big, blue eyes, now filled with life, glanced up at him. She threw herself into his arms, her body tiny frail from being in bed for so long. He carefully wrapped his arms around her, afraid to squeeze. “I heard everything you said to me Daddy, but I couldn’t talk or move. I was so scared.” Her voice a whisper, rough from not speaking for so long.

Gray handed him a cup of apple juice, her favorite. “Drink this Betsy. Then I’ll take you down to your own room. We’ll get you all cleaned up and in your pajamas.”

“Why don’t you let me take her? We can get a nice warm bath, maybe something small to eat?” Gray’s mom smiled down at Betsy and held out her arms, but Betsy wouldn’t release him.

“Thank you Bethany, but I think right now she needs her Daddy.” He stood her grip around his neck tightened. “Easy Betsy, I’ve got you. No one is going to hurt you again.” Moving through the room, he could see the tears in everyone’s face knowing that they too had given up hope of his daughter ever talking to him again.

“Who is she Daddy? The woman with the red hair. She talked to me the whole time that she pushed that bad man away from me. She was so brave.”

He moved slowly towards their personal quarters. “She is my wife Betsy and your mother now. I’m afraid I have a lot to explain to her and to you, but first we need to get you and her healthy again.” The spell to his domain disappeared as he and Gray entered the main room, followed by Gray’s and Jax’s parents.

Jax greeted him as soon as he heard them. “She has locked herself in the bathroom and won’t come out. Something about needing some “alone time”. How can I see to her wounds when she won’t let me?” Jax snapped as he tried to keep his temper glancing at Dietrich’s daughter.

“Jax, sweetie are you sure she’s your mate? I mean she’s being so rude, she’s small and…” The woman didn’t get another word out of her mouth. Duct tape covered her mouth.

Betsy lifted her head and glared at the woman. “That’s my new mommy, so be nice.”

Dietrich glanced at Jax, and he too was trying to hold back the laugh. “Betsy what were you told about your magic? Please remove the tape from the lady’s mouth.”

“Fine, but she better not say anything else about her. None of you know what it did to her.” Fresh tears slipped down her small cheeks, her magic words a whisper as the tape disappeared, and she lay her head back down on his chest.

“Thank you, we all know Blair has cuts on her body, they will heal Betsy.” He turned to go to her room, but she shook her head.

“No Daddy, I want to see Blair. He hurt her more, and you couldn’t see what he did. I can’t say what he said, it was bad.” Betsy’s little fingers clasped his shirt. “Please let me see her. I want to thank her, and give her a hug.”

Dietrich stopped and stared down at his little girl. Something was not right. He turned and headed toward Blair’s room. Sure enough the door to the bathroom was shut and locked. “Blair can we come in? Betsy would like to give you a hug.”

Then he would be able to take a closer look at his mate. The door slowly opened, healing candles were lit around the room, the smell of sage burned in the air, and a towel was wrapped around her body as she tried get to her feet.

He grabbed onto her arm and helped her stand. She looked up and he sucked in his breath. Blair had dark circles under her eyes, small cuts all over her face, hands, arms and down her neck. Her skin was pale white and her grip on his arm tight as if it took everything in her to stand.

Somehow Blair managed to smile at Betsy. “Are you okay?” Blair’s voice was scratchy and weak.

Jax slipped room behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “I’ve got you.” He held her up and Dietrich watched her release her breath and her shoulders sagged.

Blair released her grip on his arm and let hers fall down to her side. Betsy leaned over and held out her arms to Blair. She smiled and reached out again hugging her. “You still need to rest Betsy, we both do. Why don’t you take a nice hot bath in your room and then your Daddy can bring you in here with me. We can get to know each other while we rest.”

Betsy pulled back and smiled at him. “Can we Daddy?”

Dietrich nodded. “Yes, for a couple of hours, but tonight I want you in your own bed. Now come on, let’s get you cleaned up, then we can come back.” Dietrich brushed a strand of Blair’s hair back and cupped her cheek.

“I can’t thank you enough for what you did. I love you Blair.” He saw the surprise in her gaze and vowed to prove to her each day how much he loved her, beginning with bringing Tony here. He turned to leave, when Betsy yelled.

“Wait!” Betsy turned with a scared look on her face to Blair. “I’m sorry he hurt you. He knew you would come, he told me. Thank you.” Dietrich lowered his gaze and sucked in his breath. Her legs bled, but also blood seeped through the towel near her pussy.

“Blair?” He reached down and placed two fingers under her chin. “Did he?”

She smiled and tried to pull away. “I’ll be fine, now go. I’d like to finish my bath please.”

“We will talk about this later, Blair. Come Betsy, let’s get you cleaned up, then we’ll pamper the both of you while you two rest.” Dietrich moved out of the bathroom hearing Blair try to get Jax and Gray to leave as well, but she was failing.

He smiled and moved into his daughter’s room. The curtains had been opened, the bed had new sheets, and all her favorite toys had been dusted and cleaned. “See, just like you left it.” Dietrich sat down on her bed. “I’m sorry Betsy, I gave up.” Tears slipped down his face not afraid for her to see them.

“It’s okay, don’t cry Daddy.” Dietrich laughed when Betsy tried to tickle him. “See, made you laugh.”

“I love you Betsy and I promise no one will hurt you again. Now. let’s get you in the tub, I believe your Grandma Bethany has your water all ready for you.”

Dietrich stripped his little girl and cringed at how skinny she was. “We are going to have to put some fat on you.” He picked her up and moved into the bathroom. The tub was filled with bubbles and toys floated in the water.

Betsy squealed, grabbing the small dolls and started to play as soon as he sat her down in the water. He grabbed the washcloth and slowly started to wash her skin, as her long dark hair floated on the water behind her.

“You know he’ll be back Daddy.” Betsy glanced at him as he grabbed the shampoo.

Totally drained and sore, Blair pulled the blanket up over her and watched as Jax and Gray moved around the room. Each man paced back and forth in front of the large oversized king bed. “You can’t do that again, Blair. It takes too much out of you, and that thing touched you, down there.” Gray snapped and glared at her.

She tried not to smile, but Blair couldn’t help it. “Down there? You mean my pussy, don’t you?” She sighed. “Gray, Jax sit, we need to talk.” She patted the sides of the bed next to her and both men joined her on the bed.

“I know you’re both worried, but this is my gift. I was given this gift to help people, and you can’t forbid me from helping our people. Gray, I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if I hadn’t healed Betsy. She’s Dietrich’s daughter, how could I not? So this man’s magic touched me, it wasn’t him touching me. He just pushed through me, that’s all.” Blair shook as a small chill rode up her arms.

Jax’s eyes glowed and fur started to sprout out of his skin. She lifted her hand and cupped his cheek. “Jax, you are my mate, but this is just a shell. What matters is in here.” She placed her other hand on his chest, above his heart.

He leaned in and nipped at her bottom lip. “We need to talk, but not now, after you rest.” The fur disappeared and his eyes returned to normal.

“Tomorrow, you and I will talk. Now, don’t you three have a meeting this afternoon, with a certain cat gang? Don’t you think you should be concentrating on that? Plus, Betsy and I are just going to veg out here and watch some TV together.” She glanced over as Dietrich brought in Betsy all dressed in her little princess pajamas and laid her down on the bed. He covered her up and kissed her nose.

“The both of you will not leave this bed. If you need anything you will call one of us, Blair.” He turned his dark blue eyes on her and she grinned.

“I am perfectly able to take care of the both of us, I did raise fourteen children. Now off with the three of you, and let us girls get to know each other. Oh and Dietrich, I will be down there for the football party tonight.” Blair wasn’t about to let the three of them show up without her there. They needed their bonding partner with them.

Dietrich leaned over the bed, his face inches from hers. “We will see, but for now Gray’s mom is making the both of you breakfast, and I expect all of your food to be eaten.” He kissed her lips softly and stood up.

“As far as our meeting this afternoon, it’s our business. There is no need for you to worry about it.” He nodded to Jax and Gray, moving to the door.

“Good. Then there is no reason why I can’t take a walk this afternoon if I’m up to it, now, is there?”

Blair watched the play of Dietrich’s muscles across his back ripple as he stretched his neck and slowly turned to stare at her. “Are you purposely pushing me, Blair?”

Betsy giggled under the covers, her gaze flew to Blair’s then to her fathers’. “Who me? I would never dream of pushing you…” She tapped Betsy’s nose. “Of course I haven’t yet seen the whole grounds, and the weather is supposed to be sunny today. It would be great to get some sun.” She tapped her finger to her lips.

“Maybe a stroll around noon, plus I do have to pick up my car at work. Oh crap!” Using her magic, her cell phone flew into her hand. “I forgot to call my boss.” She punched the numbers, but the phone flew out of her hand to Dietrich’s, who now stood next to her.

“How did you…” She closed her mouth and laid back down on her pillow as Dietrich leaned over her, his eyes twirled with mirth. “Did you know I just love a challenge, and I do believe you challenged me?” His chest hovered over hers, his warm breath at her ear. “That will be ten smacks when you are up to it, and if you even go anywhere near outside this afternoon…” He bit her ear lobe.

“I’ll tie you downstairs to the Saint Andrew cross for all to see.” He rose up and stared at her again. “Please be a good girl and stay in bed. Oh I’ve already talked with your boss and I have Marci bringing your car over tonight.”

Blair grabbed onto his hand and squeezed. “Please be careful. I still don’t know who did this to your daughter, and he’s powerful, Dietrich.”

Dietrich frowned. “Did the cats use magic?”

She shook her head. “No, not that I could tell, but I also didn’t know they were near me untill it was too late. And I always know when others are around Dietrich. Well, usually. I can’t explain it, but I know. Like earlier, when we were supposed to go for our jog. I knew someone was watching us, someone that shouldn’t have been here.” She glanced down at the bed and frowned.

“One minute he was watching us, but then when you and Gray showed up, he was gone. Almost as if he vanished. I only know a few who can do this. Do you know anyone?” Blair glanced up at Dietrich who was now furious.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” His gaze flew to his daughter then back to hers.

Slowly she sat up and flinched, her body tender. “First…” Blair gasped a sharp pain from her ribs had her grabbing the blanket. Tears filled her eyes when Dietrich tried to help her. “Don’t!”

Releasing her breath, Blair glanced up at him. “I told Jax, I told all of you, but you didn’t listen. So don’t accuse me of anything. Go, get out of here.” She turned on the large flatscreen TV, which hung up on the wall in front of her bed.

“We need to look at your ribs, Blair.” Dietrich sat down gently on the bed next to her, and lowered the covers.

“I’m fine. I just need to rest.” She tried to pull the covers back up, but he refused to let them go.

“I need to check you, Blair. If your ribs are broken, they need to be wrapped.” Dietrich would not give up, he just waited.

She sighed and rolled her eyes towards Betsy who giggled again, but watched as Dietrich lifted up her nightshirt and hissed. Blair knew what he saw, the hand prints on her ribs which were bruises, small cuts from her hips and up.

His large hands moved up her stomach to her ribs where she gasped and flinched. He leaned over her and removed the pillow so she was flat on the bed. “I see at least two ribs that are cracked. You are bruised inside and out. I’m going to wrap you Blair, and I don’t want you out of this bed today or tonight.” Dietrich grabbed the bandage from Gray.

Blair grabbed onto his hand. “Dietrich, everything will be healed by this afternoon. I’ve had worse.” She met his gaze. “I just need to rest right now.”

He leaned over her. “I will check back in two hours. We are going to have a nice long talk when I come back.” Dietrich pulled the covers back up around her and replaced the pillow. “Both of you be good.” Kissing her, he got up, and she thought that his body was truly any woman’s fantasy. All three of her men could make anyone drool.

Finally alone with Betsy, she turned over onto her side slowly, and smiled at the little girl. “When I saw you upstairs, I knew you were your daddy’s daughter. You look just like him. Now you are going to tell me who he is? And how you let this man close to you?”

Betsy glanced behind her and then at her. Her eyes filled with tears and her lip quivered. “He used to live here. Sabar’s not like us…” She scooted closer to her. “He could change into a rat. He was nice at first, then one day he bit me. I didn’t know why.”

She pulled Betsy into her arms and kissed the top of her head. “Hush, I’ll figure something out, but you are right, he’s not like us. So what would you like to watch on TV?” Blair leaned back, ground her teeth together at the pain.

“It’s time for you two to eat.” Gray’s mom, Bethany, moved into the room followed by Jax’s mom, carrying trays for both of them, loaded with food and drinks. “My name is Bethany and I want to apologize for earlier, but when it comes to my son and Dietrich, I’m a little over protective.”

She smiled and placed the tray over her lap. “Here, let me help you to sit up. Gray told us your ribs are cracked.” Bethany reached under her arms and lifted her up without a sweat. “I used to lift my husband when he was laid up last year, plus working out helps.”

Bethany laughed and handed her a napkin. “I mean it Blair, I’m sorry. We both are.”

Jax’s mom sat on the other side of Betsy and looked up at her nodding, “I too owe you an apology. You’ll be able to hold your own when you met the pack. My name is Tracy, welcome to our family.” She smiled and started cutting Betsy’s pancakes up for her.

“I hope you two like blueberry pancakes and sausages?” Bethany laughed and shook her head. “The cooks downstairs wanted to send up a feast, but we figured you two didn’t need want a dozen cooks coming up here with food, but I did make a promise to them. They would like a word with you, Blair, when you are up to it.”

Blair took a bite of her pancakes and moaned. “I’ll talk with them later this afternoon. I should be healed by then, thank you both.” Blair glanced at Betsy and winked at her. “Do you two know of a man named Saber? I keep hearing stories of him.”

Focusing her attention on Bethany, Blair watched as she frowned then, eyed her. “What do you want to know about Saber? He’s been gone for a good year now. Why would people be talking about him?”

A snarl drew her attention to Tracy. “You haven’t even been with your men twenty-four hours and you’re already asking about another man?”

Blair laughed and held Tracy’s gaze. “I ask for security reasons, nothing else. I don’t have any need for another man. I know I belong to my three men in their customs, but know this Tracy.” She leaned towards Tracy. “Jax and I will decided when I am changed or not. Neither you nor the pack will influence me.”

She sat back up and sucked in her breath. “Damn, I wish this crap would heal already. I have work to do.” Blair stuffed some pancakes into her mouth

Betsy giggled next to her and she glanced at her. “What are you laughing at munchkin?” Blair smiled and pointed to her food. “Eat, we need to get you strong.”

“You have syrup on your chin.” She giggled again and stuffed her mouth.

“I was saving it for later, but since it bugs you so much.” She wiped her chin and poked Betsy’s tummy. “Now I’ll have to find something else for a snack.”

“Am I interrupting?” Her friend Marci said from the doorway.

“Get your skinny butt in here, girlfriend, I have so much to talk to you about.” Tracy and Bethany made their way to the door. “Bethany, Tracy, thank you for bringing us food. Maybe we could do lunch later in the week to get to know each other?”

Tracy nodded, but frowned when Marci walked past her. “How did you get up here? Only certain people are allowed in these quarters.” Tracy watched and waited for Marci to answer.

Before Blair could do anything, Tracy started to shift, Betsy whimpered next to her. On automatic drive her hand wove the magic spell, words flew from her mouth, and everyone in the room froze, but her.

Slowly, Blair moved the tray from in front of her to the floor. “Xam, I need you.”

The large black, worn book appeared and opened. “You’re friend isn’t who she claims to be.” He circled around Marci. “The magic that hides her true identity is black. It’s not the same that was used on the child, but similar.”

Blair released her spell from Tracy and Bethany. “I’m sorry about that, but I needed to know what was going on. Please, take Betsy out of here before I release Marci. Oh, and Tracy.” She turned and watched as both women shook their heads staring at her. “Thank you for warning me. Go now, I don’t want Betsy here when I evoke her camouflage. Who knows what is hiding under there.”

Tracy nodded. “I’m sorry, I know you thought of her as a friend. Jax has been told, your men will be here soon.” She scooped a now terrified Betsy into her arms.

“It will be alright sweetie, go with Tracy and I’ll meet you in the family room in a few minutes.” Blair moved to Tracy and kissed Betsy’s forehead and turned to Xam as they left the room. “Do it now.” Blair snapped, jeans, a long sleeve shirt, and her boots now covered her body. She ignored the pain, her broadswords now in her hands. Blair circled Marci calling out the thing inside the shell.

She screamed and hissed, but couldn’t move. Her hair now a dirty blond, gray color, a large scar ran down her left cheek, and she was shorter, but the thing that shocked Blair was that she was a vampire. Not one that fed on blood, but on other’s life energy force. “Why. Marci, if that is even your name? What do you want?”

Hate and anger twirled in the creature’s eyes as she hissed at her. “It’s your kind that killed my family, but yet we need your power to survive. Yes, that’s right, I’ve been feeding from you for the past three weeks, and you didn’t even know it.”

A large warm body pressed against her from behind and she jumped and hissed with pain, but Dietrich held her still. Jax and Gray walked around Marci. “Tison is going to be furious he was tricked.” Gray snapped. “And to think she was near you…” Gray shook, he was enraged.