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“Are you threatening to kill me, Molly, or are you just having some fun with me?

Because from what I read in your diary, and let me tell you, yours was by far the most fascinating, you wrote that you never take the life of an innocent. And let me assure you, I am innocent. “

She raised her eyebrow, and snorted loudly into the phone. “And my ass is green. “ She rolled her eyes.

“I concede that perhaps my body is not as innocent as it once was, but I have never done any of the troubling things which you describe in your diary. “

She groaned, and turned toward the mansion’s front door.

Grunting, she began rummaging around in her purse for her keys. Her fingers were glowing when she found the key, and she grimaced as she concentrated to make the glow disappear. She had taken a vow not to use her magic for anything but the hunt. She’d only cheated once that day…there was no need to blacken her record again.

Right at the moment, she was really regretting her decision. Finding the diaries would have to be done the hard way, because she didn’t have to use her magical abilities to tell her that Remington wasn’t as bad as everyone thought. After all, he wasn’t the only one that had been doing their research.

When the diaries had gone missing from her safe spot, she had quickly run through all of the possible people that might be in the market for them. She’d known that Royal had taken them and that he would be looking for the highest bidder.

Collin Remington had money, brains, power and good looks. All in all, he was a force to be reckoned with. He also harbored a secret that only she was aware of, and if she played her cards right, she might just be able to use that secret against him.

Slipping the key into the lock, she heard the deadbolt slide back, and pushed open the door.

The scent of cinnamon and brown sugar lingered in the air, telling her that the owner of the B&B was making another batch of her famous cinnamon rolls. It was nearly ten o’clock, but then, Mrs. Carpenter was known to do her baking at late hours.

She stepped all of the way into the entryway, and quickly took off her coat, setting her phone aside. The bastard could wait until she was good and ready to talk to him.

With any luck, he might have already hung up on her. She was fully prepared to pay Remington a visit tomorrow afternoon, but right now, she just wanted to have a soothing cup of LADY PENDRAGON MARLEY MATHEWS 16

tea, a hot shower and then go to her bed. Her empty bed. She pursed her lips and reached for her purse and phone.

She heard a noise from the guest family room, and it immediately caught her attention.

Fighting the impulse to use her magic and pop into the room, she instead slung her purse over her shoulder, and put the phone back up to her ear.

Marching resolutely toward the family room door, she expected to see Mrs. Carpenter, or even one of the many ghosts that haunted the B&B.

When she did open the door, she saw one ghost by the window, but sitting by the fire was someone that was definitely made of flesh and bones. Man, was he made of some good-looking flesh…and bones. She swallowed.

Crossing her arms angrily against her chest, she huffed out a gust of hot air.

His smoldering green eyes made her heart miss a beat, and she absently placed her cool hand against her face that had become unexplainably hot.

She thought it was desire making her burn up, but as soon as he parted that luscious mouth of his to begin speaking, she knew the desire was merely anger, boiled down to its purest form.

“Hello, Molly,” he said, saying her name with a caress, which jolted her senses. “I thought I would pay you a visit, in person. “

She slowly moved toward him, blazing daggers at him all the while.

“Where are my diaries?” she clipped out, trying desperately to master the fury that rioted through her.

If she weren’t careful, she would turn him into some hideous creature without really meaning to.

“You are even more beautiful in person. The photographs my men took of you didn’t do you justice,” he mused, staring hungrily up at her. “In fact, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine a witch of your talents would even be pretty. In all honesty, I think I expected a crooked backed hag, with a long hook of a nose, and a wart on the tip of it,” he continued, his words caused her hands to start glowing with blue fire.

Reacting on instinct, she tucked them into her pockets, and plopped her butt down on the overstuffed sofa.

“You have bewitched me, my dearest Molly. “

She held her hand up, imperiously ordering his silence. “If you weren’t the only child of one of my oldest and dearest friends, you’d be dead right now, even if you are an innocent,” she decided, flashing him a mischievous grin.

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Instead of seeming flustered by her threat of bodily harm, Collin merely looked upon her with enough thirst and hunger to make her shift uncomfortably in her seat. She unbuttoned the second button on her blouse…for some reason she felt inexplicably hot. She wanted to fan herself.

His mouth lifted into a crooked grin that made her heart miss a beat. The man was too damn good-looking for his own good. Bastard.

“Come away with me,” he proposed. His eyes flashed with molten fire.

His low sexy tone made her palms sweat.

“Only if you’re taking me to where you’ve stashed my diaries. “ She didn’t miss a beat.

He had no idea what he was getting himself into. He definitely didn’t want to screw with her.

“I don’t think that will be possible. “

Collin reached inside his Armani suit jacket, still holding her gaze.

Molly stiffened. Her gaze darted to the ghost. It didn’t take her magic to know he was fretting about something. She watched him carefully, moving to the edge of her seat, her senses became alert.

“Did you by chance bring some company with you?” she asked.

Bolting to her feet she moved toward the family room window. Trouble was brewing.

She could feel it down in her bones.

Collin lazily brought himself up to his impressive height and moved over to join her. She glanced back at him and realized with the scantest trace of remorse that she had to crane her neck to stare up at him. She’d get a kink in her neck if she didn’t take care.

She had never seen Adrian’s child, had nearly forgotten that her old friend had even sired one. But she was painfully reminded of Adrian, and Adrian’s mother, Adria.

She reached down to her side, murmured something inaudible, and summoned her sword.

Anwyn sang out to her and she patted her magical sword, as if Anwyn could understand her comforting gesture. In a way, she knew that Anwyn could.

No matter how crazy it seemed, her Elvin blade had gotten her through many a desperate trial, and when her magic had failed her, it had triumphed.

Obviously, in the modern day world, she had to conceal her identity as a warrior witch, and since people no longer went around in public touting their swords, she was forced to hide Anwyn with her magic and only call upon her sword when she was in need of it.

Collin was so intense in finding out what had caught her interest that he bumped into her and sent her stumbling toward the window seat.

Breathless, she glared at him and moved the velvet drape ever so slightly to gaze out into the blanketing darkness.

It was a completely black night, as the moon was resting, and would not cast its ethereal glow for the entire night. Only a few stars twinkled in the sky, but their slight illumination was of little help to them.

“I trust you’ve met Mrs. Carpenter,” she whispered. Her eyes darted to the ghost. He placed his finger to his lips. Their trouble was getting closer.

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She nodded at him, and watched Collin’s confused stare.

“Of course I have. Mrs. Carpenter let me in, and no, I didn’t bring any company with me. I came alone. I wanted to prove that witches truly existed, and from meeting you, I can safely say I’ve done that. “ Collin stared at where the ghost stood and then glanced at her as if she had lost her marbles.

The ghost had been a minister when he had roamed the Earth in human form, and now he had grounded himself to the establishment, simply because he didn’t want to change, by moving on. His name was Cameron; she had discovered him upon her first night here, almost two weeks ago.

At the moment, Molly was the only guest at the house. Mrs. Carpenter was a childless widow, so Molly only needed to be concerned about hers and Collin’s safety.

“Take Mrs. Carpenter upstairs, and stay there until I come for you. “ Her voice was soft, yet firm. Collin needed to know that it was a command and not a request.

Heavy footfalls of men surrounding the house reached her keen hearing. Mrs. Carpenter had probably locked up tight for the night, but her deadbolts and chains weren’t going to keep these men out. They were coming for Molly and she was going to give them one hell of a bloody welcome. A sour smell wafted through the house, overpowering the delicious scent of baking. It was the smell of pure evil.

She stared in expectation at Collin, and gave him a scowl.

“I mean tonight,” she muttered, pushing him aside. “Go, now!” Just then the minister disappeared up the back stairs.

“I’ll stay and help you,” Collin offered, watching her transformation with rapt fascination.

Her copper curls flared out around her and haloed her in their bewitching fire.

“If you knew what was good for you, you’d hightail it up the stairs, and barricade yourself behind the door. Here take this. “ She pulled out her gun, which happened to be loaded with Elvin silver bullets, and handed it to him.

“Some scary assed shit is about to go down…you need to get Mrs. Carpenter to safety.

Take this gun. If I don’t announce myself and someone knocks down the door, shoot the bastard! Don’t give it a second thought. “ She looked into his eyes to see if he even listened to her. By the expression in his eyes he was taking every single word in. She nodded her head at him and then dashed out into the hallway.

She concealed Anwyn beneath her long coat, as Collin followed her. She slipped into the kitchen, and smiled calmly at Mrs. Carpenter.

“Mrs. Carpenter, I’m going to have to ask you to go upstairs with my friend, Collin. I fear someone is trying to break into your house. “

“Merciful Heavens!” Mrs. Carpenter exclaimed, pressing her hand to her heart. She turned and reached for her phone. “I’ll dial 911, don’t you worry, dear,” she said, giving Molly a comforting smile, even though her hands were trembling.

Here she was, a fifteen-hundred-year-old witch with a heap of wisdom and life experience, and this mature woman was trying to ease her worries.

She felt a wealth of emotion reach out toward the woman, and Mrs. Carpenter’s hands stopped shaking. Molly moved over toward her and gently took the receiver from her hand.

“I fear the police won’t be able to help,” she murmured, filling her voice with warmth.

“But I promise you, I can. “ She placed her arm around Mrs. Carpenter’s shoulder, and gave her a reassuring squeeze.

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Molly didn’t have much time. Eventually, the men would break through her hastily erected shield. Reaching into her purse, she pulled out a glowing pink crystal orb. She placed it in Collin’s solid grasp.

“The phone wasn’t working anyway,” Mrs. Carpenter said, perplexed. “It just kept on ringing and ringing,” she rambled.

Collin put a hand on Mrs. Carpenter’s shoulder, and shuffled them toward the kitchen door.

“Place the crystal in front of the bedroom door, and as I said before, shoot anything that comes in the room. Don’t hesitate. If they break through the crystal’s defenses, blow them straight back to hell!” she said with urgency breaking into her voice.

Collin grabbed Mrs. Carpenter’s hand, and continued to pull her toward the stairwell off of the kitchen.

“What about you?” Collin halted in mid-step.

Mrs. Carpenter didn’t even look behind her. The woman had gotten the message. She’d already begun climbing the steps.

“I’ll be fine,” she assured him, unsheathing Anwyn from her scabbard now that Mrs.

Carpenter was out of viewing distance.

Anwyn’s long blade arced through the air, as she limbered up her sword arm.

“Adria, and Millicent weren’t fine,” he pointed out, worry creasing his brow.

How the hell had he figured out how to use that knowledge against her? He hadn’t been kidding when he’d told her he was a fast read. She grimaced, feeling her forehead crease into a frown. Well, at least she didn’t have to worry about wrinkles.

“And I was the first and I will most likely be the last,” she shot back, wishing that she had more time to explain her situation to Collin.

He had merely read the diaries. He didn’t fully understand the whole picture. She would have a hard time giving him full appreciation about what had happened to her in the past.

She was a witch of Merlin’s High Order, and the great white wizard had taught her everything she knew. He had long since disappeared into the fabric of time, though she still wished to see him again one day.

Adria and Millicent were still alive somewhere in time, even though they’d been killed in this century.

She would find out who was murdering the members of her High Order, and then she would vanquish them. After that, she would consider whether or not to travel back in time, and correct everything that had been wrought upon her friends, or leave it all to fate. Time traveling could be tricky. She didn’t really have the right passport for that kind of trip.

It was a conundrum she didn’t want to ponder, especially before a challenging battle.