Taken (3 page)

The final transformation from hut to home, occurred on December 20, the day before Josh’s birthday, when Channie hung curtains over the windows.
 

As soon as she learned they were going to have real windows, Channie asked Hunter to bring Momma’s rag box and sewing kit from the cabin. There was a scrap of fabric from every item of clothing Momma had ever sewn, from her great grandmother’s burial gown to the trips’ baby clothes. Each square stirred a memory that pricked Channie’s heart more often than the needle pricked her fingers.

Channie loved living with Josh and seeing Aunt Wisdom again had lifted a weight from her shoulders she hadn’t known she was carrying. But she missed her family. She even missed Colorado. As unhappy as she’d been at Monarch High School, she’d loved living in the modern house Momma and Daddy rented next to Heritage Park.
 

Channie had grown up in a log cabin without running
water, indoor plumbing or electricity so she was better prepared for living in the shack than Josh, but it was still hard. A twinge of jealousy crept under her skin at the thought of Hunter living in the cabin her daddy had built with his own hands, while she and Josh had to make do in an abandoned shack.
 

It wasn’t Hunter’s fault the Veyjivik spies had insisted he live there so he’d know the instant Channie’s family returned. And it was too dangerous for Channie and Josh to stay in any of the abandoned cabins, left by the other clans fleeing from Dominance’s wrath. Still, she couldn’t help wishing things were different as she nailed the curtains to the walls over the windows.
 

The next morning, Channie woke up with Josh’s face two inches from hers.
 
He smiled and said, “Good morning, Mrs. Abrim.”
 

Channie smiled back. She’d never get tired of waking up next to Josh, or hearing him call her “Mrs. Abrim.” Technically, she was “Mrs. Veyjivik” since she and Josh were bound with the magic of his power-name, but neither of them liked the reminder that Josh had been born into the enemies’ clan. She yawned then kept her hand over her mouth to hide her morning breath. “Happy birthday, Josh.”
 

His pupils dilated, darkening his eyes. “Guess what I want for my birthday.”

Ah-oh.
Channie shook her head.
“Josh, we can’t. Aunt Wisdom said—”

“What difference will two more days make?” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
 

“Aunt Wisdom wants to examine you first.”

“Why don’t you examine me instead.” He grabbed her wrist and guided her hand under his pajama shirt to the rock hard muscles of his belly.

Channie knew Josh was just trying to seduce her, but his suggestive comment reminded her that she’d lost the ability to ever examine anyone with magic. She pulled her hand away and sighed.

“Come on, Channie.” He lifted the inside corners of his eyebrows and gave her his sad-puppy look. “It’s my birthday.”
 

Channie cupped his cheek in her hand and traced his lower lip with her thumb.“Do you remember a couple of months ago, when we were talking about your birthday and I asked you what you wanted?”

“I said all I wanted was a kiss. But that was before we were married. I
need
you.”

“Do you want that kiss or not?”

Josh leaned in, but Channie pressed her fingers over his lips. “I need to brush my teeth. It wouldn’t be much of a gift if my breath makes you gag.”

He caught her fingers between his teeth and gave them a playful nip then pulled her hand away from his mouth and kissed her. He tasted like spearmint.

Channie pulled back and said, “No fair. You’ve already brushed your teeth.” He must have gotten up while she was still sleeping then snuck back into bed.

“All’s fair in love and war, babe.” He kissed her again then rolled her onto her back.
 

She closed her eyes and gave in to the pleasure of his kiss and the thrill of his body pressed against hers.

A soft tapping at the door jerked Channie out of her lust-filled daze. Josh threw his shield over her so fast, there was no way it could have been anything but instinctive. He crouched over her, sheltering her with his body as well as his magic.
 

“Who’s there!”
 

“It’s just me, Hunter Feenie.”
 

Josh’s energy flashed from high-alert to irate then settled somewhere between disappointed and devastated. He collapsed on top of Channie and buried his face in her hair. “Go. Away.”
 

“Sorry to bother you, Mr. Josh but Miss Wisdom told me I was supposed to start your training today.”

Channie wove her fingers through Josh’s hair and lifted his head, forcing him to meet her gaze. “Be nice.”

He groaned and said, “I’m always nice,” as if it were a bad thing, then raised his chin and glared at the door. “Hang on. I’ll be out in a second.”
 

“Take your time, Mr. Josh.”

Yes, take your time.
Channie chewed her lip as she watched Josh peel off his flannel pajamas. She admired his bare back as he sat on the edge of the bed and tied his shoes.

Josh pulled a sapphire-blue sweater on over his head then lifted his chin and stared at the ceiling. “That butt-kissing attitude of his is driving me crazy.”

“He’s just scared. Give him some time. He’ll relax once he realizes you don’t want to kill him.”

“What makes you think I don’t?”

“Because I know you. And
you
know you have no reason to be jealous of Hunter.”

 
Josh twisted around and leaned over Channie, putting his hands on either side of her hips then pressed his forehead against hers. “He has nothing to worry about — as long as he stays the hell away from you.”
 

Channie wove her fingers through his hair and kissed the tip of his nose. “Hunter and I’ve known each other all our lives. He’s my friend. So please, stop intimidating him. Besides, you two are blood related.”

“Crap. I forgot he’s a
royal mage
.” Josh sat back and wrinkled his nose. “Just how closely related are we?”

“Hunter’s grandfather, on his momma’s side, was Dominance’s brother, which means Hunter is your second cousin.”

Josh’s eyes flicked back and forth as he processed that bit of information. It was clear he didn’t like the idea of being related to Hunter.

“You can’t afford to alienate him. He’s the only mage still in the area that’s willing and able to train you.” Everyone else had either run away, like Channie’s family — or they’d joined Aunt Wisdom’s secret band of rebels and were hidden away at her secret training camp.

Another knock on the door startled them both. But this time it was Aunt Wisdom. “Hurry it up in there, I don’t have all day.”
 

Channie said, “Yes ma’am,” and climbed out of bed. She shouldn’t have been surprised. It was only natural that Aunt Wisdom would want to witness Josh’s first real training session.

Josh handed Channie her clothes and watched her get dressed with hungry eyes. The shiver that ran down her spine was part self-conscious nerves and part lust. Cuddling was nice, but she was ready to start acting like a married couple again.
 

Ever the gentleman, Josh stepped in front of her to open and hold the door. He brushed her cheek with his lips as she passed then smacked her butt.
So much for gentlemanly behavior.

Aunt Wisdom started scanning Josh as soon as he stepped outside. “You’ve made quite a bit of progress. I think you can handle casting a few curses, as long as you take it easy.”

“So … that means I’m strong enough to start bonding with Channie again, right?”
 

Hunter balled his hands into fists and looked Josh in the eye for the first time since they’d learned he was a mage. He trembled like a cornered rabbit, but kept his gaze locked on Josh. “Your wife has a price on her head. You need to learn how to protect her.”

“And you need to shut your mouth before I do it for you.”

Channie put one hand on his shoulder and the other on the inside of his elbow, tugging him closer so she could whisper in his ear. “Josh, don’t. If you lose your temper and accidentally curse Hunter, you could kill him.”

“I don’t like his snotty attitude.”
 

“It took a lot of courage for him to speak out like that.”

“I don’t care, I still don’t like him.”

“Josh, please.”

He sighed then kissed the top of her head.

Aunt Wisdom cleared her throat and said, “Follow me,” then led everyone around to the back of the shack where a live-trap held a snarling possum.

Hunter grinned and said, “That’s the little thief that’s been stealing my eggs!”

Channie decided to remind Hunter that
his
eggs came from her momma’s hens. “Those ain’t your eggs. Just cause the Veyjivik clan ordered you to set up spy quarters in my family’s cabin, don’t mean you git to claim it as your own.”

Aunt Wisdom shot her an irritated look. Channie was pretty sure it was because she’d slipped into the local dialect and not because she’d been rude to Hunter. The kids that attended Wisdom’s Academy of Magic and Modern Living were teased for using correct grammar and enunciation. But at Monarch, Channie had been ridiculed for her hillbilly accent.
 

Aunt Wisdom returned her gaze to the possum and said, “I caught him this morning and thought he might prove useful.”

Josh bent down and peered into the cage. The possum hissed then froze and tipped onto its side.

Josh jumped back and said, “What the hell?”

Channie, Hunter and Aunt Wisdom all laughed. Josh frowned and jiggled the cage. The possum didn’t even twitch.

Channie tried to stop laughing but it was impossible. “Haven’t you ever heard of playing possum?”
 

“It looks like a huge rat. A very
dead
, huge rat.”

“They play dead to discourage predators.”

“It doesn’t look like he’s playing to me.”

Hunter said, “It ain’t an act. When a possum gets scared, it freezes up and sort of faints. She cain’t help it.”

Josh said, “She? How can you tell it’s a female?”

Hunter pointed at the possum’s belly. “See that?”

Josh nodded.

“She’s got a litter of babies in her pouch.”

“Pouch? Like a kangaroo?”

“Yup.”

“Well, turn her loose.”

“What?”

“I said, ‘turn her loose.’ I’m not hungry enough to eat possum stew, especially not
pregnant
possum stew.”

“She ain’t exactly pregnant. Them babies are in her pouch, not her womb.”

“I don’t care.”

Aunt Wisdom said, “Josh. I brought the possum so you can practice casting a killing curse. Whether or not we add it to the stew-pot is up to you.”

Josh shook his head and backed away from the trap. “Oh hell no. Killing to eat is one thing, but I’m not killing some poor defenseless animal for practice!”

Hunter scratched the back of his head. “I thought you said you didn’t want to eat no possum.”

“That’s not the point!”

“I don’t get it.”

Channie felt Hunter’s energy shift from fear and respect to doubt. She didn’t want him to be afraid of Josh, but she didn’t want him to lose respect for him either. “Killing anything without reason goes against Josh’s beliefs and since he doesn’t want to eat the possum, he feels it would be wrong to kill it.”

Hunter said, “Every egg this critter steals from the henhouse takes food outta my mouth. That’s reason enough to kill it in my books. Possums ain’t nothing but a dang nuisance.”

Josh said, “So are you.”
 

“I don’t mean no disrespect, Mr. Josh, but how are you going to kill a mage if you cain’t even kill a varmint?”

“I am not killing that animal. Turn her loose.”

“She’ll just start stealing my eggs again.”

Channie said, “Just fix the damn fence.”

She put her hands on Josh’s cheeks. His knotted jaw relaxed under her palms, but his energy field still pulsed. She closed her eyes and bit back a moan of pleasure as his magic flowed into her. She tried to convince herself that her only motivation was to help Josh gain control before he accidentally cursed someone, but the truth was … she craved his magic.
 

Without a power-name, Channie had no control over magical energy. She couldn’t use it, or even direct it into her scarred power-well or barely functioning heart-of-hearts. But she was still a mage. She could still read energy fields. She could still see their heart-bond. She could still feel magic, even if it didn’t belong to her. And she wanted it.
 

Hunter said, “How am I gonna fix the fence? I ain’t got no chicken wire.”
 

Channie yanked her hands away from Josh’s face. How much power had she siphoned? What was wrong with her? Her self-loathing migrated to Hunter. “There’s at least half a roll of chicken wire in the shed behind Daddy’s still, but if you’re too lazy to fix the fence, then just shut up about the damn eggs. I can’t remember the last time I had fresh eggs for breakfast.”

All eyes turned towards Channie. Her cheeks blazed.

Aunt Wisdom finally spoke up and said, “Josh, you’re a married man. You need to prove you’re man enough to protect your wife.”

Josh jerked his head towards Aunt Wisdom and glared at her, “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
 

Aunt Wisdom just stood there, arms folded across her chest, and stared at Josh.

Hunter said, “I think it means you need to kill something.”

Josh’s energy spiked again. “How about I start with you.”

Hunter raised his shield and scrambled backwards.

“Josh! No.” Channie angled her body so she was between Josh and Hunter and put her hands on his chest. His energy was building faster than she could drain it. He could still cast a curse over her head, but she didn’t think he’d risk it if there was even the slightest chance of hurting her.
 

Josh closed his eyes and shuddered. Channie remembered how hard it had been to control Chastity’s magic and wondered if
 
Valor’s power was as difficult to manage. She ran her hands over Josh’s biceps, trying to soothe him so he could focus.