The Beltane Witch (Cloudburst Colorado) (8 page)

She’d had this sort of experience before with a few of the people in town. Everyone had a distinct energy signature, but some showed tarnish where their physical or mental health suffered from one malady or another. She’d always been sensitive to those who needed healing, often knowing exactly which herbs or creams to use to relieve the symptoms.

With Darius, it appeared he needed something to invigorate him, but not something physical. From what she’d seen earlier, he hadn’t required physical energy.
No, not at all.
Instead, he seemed to need a mental spa day, something to recharge his internal batteries, as if his lifestyle had run him down.

“Are you tired, Darius?”
She opened her eyes to scan his face.

“Sorry?” He looked startled. “Tired?”

“Yeah, you know, like you need a break from the stresses of life.”

He chuckled, but the warmth had drained from his laugh. “Not at all. Visiting your world is no travail for me.”

“Just the difficulties of convincing one stubborn witch.”

His eyes smoldered for a moment before he winked. “’Tis a challenge, to be sure, but a welcome one.”
He frowned. “But I’m afraid my small magics aren’t enough to relieve the last of your pain. Perhaps you could help me by augmenting my abilities with your own.”

“What?”

“I have a little healing magic, but as you know, most of the Goddess’s strengths are passed through the maternal lines.” He stroked her hair and she resisted the urge to close her eyes again. “I have more ability than my brothers, but in truth, my magical strengths are greatly reduced by my sex. If you could lend me the energy, I could help you heal yourself.”

Sabrina stared with amazement. “Heal myself? I wouldn’t even know how.”

“That’s why we must work together.” Again, he stroked her hair. “I know how to direct the healing energy, I just don’t have enough of it.”

“You want me to give you energy?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

He sat back and took her hands, staring into her eyes. “It’s a simple enough procedure, but it requires honesty and trust between those transferring energy.”

“And I don’t know you
very well.”

“Precisely.”
Darius nodded with a rueful smile. “However, desire can take the place of trust, at least for short bursts.”

“Desire? As in ‘sexual’ desire?”
Oh, please Goddess, don’t let him know I’m remotely interested in him. He’d use it against me.

His rich laugh flowed over her, warming her as much as his hands. “Much as I’d prefer
such desire, this is merely the intention for the transfer to work long enough for your pain to be vanquished.”

“Oh. So I have to want it to work bad enough to override the trust issue.”

“Yes.”

Sabrina mulled the idea over in her mind. “Can I trust you enough not to do damage with the energy I give you, particularly to me?”

She felt the surge of his anger before it suffused his expression, but it cut off as his logic caught up with his emotions. “Ah, you have no reason to trust me, but I might remind you I’ve helped you heal this head injury for the last few days without your extra energy. And I made the vow to protect you before the Goddess. I don’t wish to hurt you, Lady Foxglove. Far from it.”

Something about the way he said the
last convinced her. More than just the words, her gut told her he meant them with every fiber of his being.
Ha, you’re probably just tired and wishing a handsome man like this could truly feel something for you.

It wouldn’t hurt if he did.

“All right. Let’s try it so I can get some sleep. What do I need to do?”

“First, close your eyes and try to mesh your energy with mine. I’ll be looking to receive you.”

“Oh, something easy, then.” She snorted as she closed her eyes.

He chuckled. “No more lip, woman. Focus.”

Pleasure bloomed through Sabrina’s chest at his humor and his energy signature glowed clearly in her mind’s eye. It swirled in warm earthen colors: brown, gold, orange, yellow, crimson, and pulsed to the beat of his heart. Her own energy looked bluish-green to her, almost the same color of Darius’s eyes. With the recognition of the similarity, her energy surged into him, locking on the gold and yellow swirls until they turned a summer green.

“
Holy Goddess!” Darius’s exclamation surprised her and she opened her eyes, losing the connection.

“No, no, I’m sorry, Sabrina.” He smiled at her with wonder. “
It was amazing and so well done. Please, try again.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to hurt you or anything.”

“No, you were fine. I simply wasn’t prepared for the strength of your offering.”

“I’m sorry, Darius. I don’t know how to dial it back.”

“Fear not, I’m ready for you this time. Try again.” He squeezed her hands with reassurance.

Sabrina
bit her lip, but closed her eyes and reached out with her energy again. This time when the swirls changed color, Darius inhaled sharply but didn’t pull away. She tried to modulate the flow of energy to him, but she had no idea if she’d succeeded in stemming the current.

“Well done, Sabrina.” Darius placed his hands on her head again and soon the throbbing stopped while her vision filled with green light.

She sighed and relaxed, completely losing grip on her energy flow. The throbbing pain didn’t return, but the heat of Darius’s hands faded, and she opened her eyes.

“What happened?”

He smiled. “It’s done and you should be feeling better. True?”

“Yes, no more pain.”

“Excellent.” He patted her hand and stood. “Then I shall bid you good night and leave you to rest.”

“Thank you, for everything, Darius. I really appreciate it.”

He paused on the threshold of her room. “You’re welcome. Sleep well, Sabrina.”

She belatedly realized she hadn’t made up a bed for him. “Where will you sleep?”

“Your divan was very hospitable last night.”

“Div
—oh, the couch.” Why did it seem so gauche? “At least let me get you some blankets.” She threw off the covers and pushed her feet out of bed.

“No, no,
it’s not necessary.” He strode back into the room and stopped in front of her. “Please, get back into bed. I’m quite comfortable there.”

“But
I’m
not comfortable with you on my couch without any pillows or anything. I have to be the worst hostess ever.”

You can always offer him space in your bed.

“I’m perfectly comfortable and I have all the amenities I need.”

Darius set his hands on her shoulders, giving her more warmth than she expected. Heat flooded her body and she had the sudden urge to throw her arms around him and lean her head against his chest. Sabrina met his teal gaze and sank into the seductive
comfort swirling in his eyes.

He’s just playing you. Yeah, I don’t care.

“Darius…”

He leaned in and her nipples
pebbled with the anticipation of his kiss. But he diverted his motion at the last second to brush his lips against her forehead. Disappointment surged as he pulled back and gave her a gentle smile.

“Be at ease and rest, Sabrina. I shall see you in the morning.”

He left the room without another word, switching off the light as he sailed out the door.

****

Sweet Goddess, I turned her down.

Darius flopped onto the divan and wondered when he’d lost his mind. A beautiful woman had just offered herself to him and he’d
walked away.
What’s wrong with me?
His cock wanted to know the same information as it throbbed hungrily against his fly. Sabrina made him hard as diamond, but he couldn’t take advantage of her after they’d shared her magic.

Even if the Queen suggested I do
the same.

Something about using sex to coerce Sabrina into performing the rituals made his stomach churn. She’d been used for sex enough times in her life and he wanted no part in betraying her trust. He’d get her to agree, but he’d do it honestly, through offering his help and being respectful.

This little witch and her charming daughters had gotten to him, filling his heart with real joy and comfort for the first time in decades. He knew his duty and he’d see it done, but he wanted her to perform the rituals because she wanted to, not because he’d demanded it of her. Anything else would brand him lower than pond scum.

Darius turned out the rest of the lights and toed off his boots, before returning to the sofa. He pulled up the blankets and closed his eyes, trying to court sleep. But his mind
swirled with the delicate scent of Sabrina’s hair and the gloriously sensual touch of her magic when they’d communed.

He hadn’t expected her power to be so strong or so pleasurable. He’d never communed with anyone
outside his family before, but her magic had slid over him like a tailored glove, meshing with his own abilities perfectly. He’d only wanted more. His suggestion to try again had been made more from desire than from encouragement.

Even now his cock rose in response to the sensation memory of her glorious energy.

Quiet, you. Go to bed.

He resettled his body against the cushions and closed his eyes, but the arousal followed him down into his dreams. He found himself standing in Sabrina’s room beside her bed as she slept. She’d thrown off the covers and lay on her back in nothing more than a
gossamer silk nightgown. The finely woven fabric cupped her breasts, offering the barest hints of dark areolas and taut nipples. Another dark smudge marred the cloth at the juncture of her thighs and his cock flexed happily against his trousers.

“Holy Goddess,” he whispered. He could no more stop himself from bending to kiss her than he could stop the rain.

Sabrina smiled sleepily and opened her eyes. “Darius.”

“Shh. Let me pleasure you,
acushla
.” He traced her neck and shoulder with kisses as he slowly pulled aside her nightgown.

When he exposed one full,
plump breast to his lips, he sucked the nipple into his mouth, laving it with his tongue. Sabrina moaned and writhed beneath him with sensual, sleep-slowed motions.

“Oh, yes, Darius. Please.”

The pleasure in her voice sent blood rushing to his cock, impossibly hardening it more. Her rich taste against his tongue took his breath away and he couldn’t get enough of her. He thrust his hand under her gown and stroked the other breast, reveling in the taut nipple against his palm as she gasped.

“Oh, Goddess,
that feels wonderful.”

Encouraged by her response, Darius released her nipple and gently worked the silk up over her hips to expose her legs and
mound. To his delight, she kept it neatly trimmed and short, a perfect triangle pointing to the treasure between her thighs. He watched her hand slide down her body and stroke over the lips of her pussy as if she ached for stimulation. Darius just about swallowed his tongue and he groaned as his cock flexed.

“I want you, Darius.” Sabrina’s hand swept through her short curls and t
he scents of sex and aroused woman filled his nose.

“Sweet lady, I’m going to savor your nectar and drink my fill of your
cream.” He fell head-long into her perfume, pressing his nose into the hot flesh between her legs.

“Oh, my glory…” Sabrina wriggled her hips, spreading her
thighs wider to allow him access to inhale her hot, sweet scent.

He’d never smelled anything as exquisite as Sabrina’s w
omanly juices. Her scent varied from sweet to tangy and back, alternately teasing and soothing his palate. He shifted his weight onto his belly and spread her fleshy lips apart with his hands. Her pink pussy glistened in the light of the bedside lamp and wept her juice as he watched.

It
was too tempting. He sealed his mouth against her weeping slit and stroked the hot flesh with his tongue. Sabrina wailed with pleasure, her hands grasping his head as her fingers stabbed into his hair. Her soft lips and tight opening caressed his tongue, drawing it deeper into her as he stroked her.

Darius delighted in the sounds she made and the involuntary motions of her body as she succumbed to the pleasure he offered her. He licked her
clit, stroking it until it hardened beneath his tongue then sucked it into his mouth, tugging on it. Sabrina keened her approval and her fingers dug into his scalp as she raised her hips, thrusting them imperatively at his face.

“Oh, Goddess! Please, more, Darius, more!”

“Your wish is my command,
acushla
.”

Her
honey flowed at the sound of his voice and he slowly inserted a finger into her quaking pussy as he sucked on her clit. An earthy groan erupted from her lips at the intrusion and her inner walls tightened around his hand. He teased her by gently tugging his finger out then returning it with measured motions.