To Wrangle A Witch (Southern Sanctuary Book 3) (7 page)

“You’re
never going back there, you know that right?”

“Yes,
but now I just have to worry about blood sucking vampires and the sons of the
God of Chaos coming for me.”

“Did
you really kill one of them?”

Serena
nodded abruptly.  “Bal.  When they first took me they locked me up,
chained me, but all too stupidly kept me in a dirt cell.  I was barely
there half a day when I made a run for it.  It wasn’t deliberate… exactly,
but I was cornered and scared.  Even knowing now that they are creatures
of sand and sky, I’m not sure I would have done things differently.”

“What
happened?”

“They
came after me, tracked me down and I lashed out using almost all my magic,
buried Bal so deep in the earth that by the time his brothers dug him up he was
dead.  They were beyond rage… Sek and Mot, but it was a cold anger. 
They said a quick death, my life for their brother’s would not be enough. 
That’s when they demanded Xander find them another witch for the ritual and
they took me away.  The first place they tried to keep me… it took me a
few days to escape again but they caught me.  From then on one of the
brothers was always watching me.  I made one last ditch effort to get
away, diving through a portal Xander created, found myself in a warehouse but
they came after me.  Next time I woke up I was in that place… that
hospital.”

“And
now you’re safe.”  Locke assured.

“They’re
not going to stop looking for me. Even if they find another witch for their
ritual, they’ll always want vengeance for their brother’s death.”

“You
think Vaughn and the others don’t know that?  That they’re not moving
heaven and earth to track those bastards down?”

Serena
set her unfinished wine down and rose to her feet, pacing the room. 
“Intellectually I know that, but it doesn’t stop me from being afraid. 
They’ve found me so many times before, what’s to stop them this time?”

“
I
will
.”  Locke oozed confidence and integrity, his words ringing of
promise and truth.

Serena
raised an eyebrow in disbelief.  “Not to rain on your parade there lawyer
man but what can you do?  Hit them with an injunction?
 
Object strenuously?”

“I’m
sorry,” Locke gave her a cool amused look.
 
“Do I detect the slightest hint of doubt in your tone?  After all
we’ve been through together?”

Serena
stopped pacing to face him, resting her hands on her hips. “Locke you’re a
lawyer.  What can you do against two demi-gods?”

“Not
even the Gods are exempt from the consequences of the truth.”  Locke
insisted in a surprisingly mild tone.

“I’m
seriously beginning to wonder if you’re not delusional.”  Didn’t the man
realise by sheer proximity to her he was in danger too?

“This
from a woman who runs around perpetually naked teasing the local wildlife.”

Serena’s
bare foot began to tap.  He could be so smug, so superior… so
frustrating.  “I’m communicating with nature… not teasing anything. And
it’s Skyclad… not naked.  I hadn’t realised you were the uptight morality
police.  I can only hope this dress meets your very high standards.”

“What
there is of it, yes.”  He couldn’t help but note the brevity of the hemline
and the way the flimsy red material clung to her soft curves like paint to a
canvas.

“Oh,
what’s your problem now?  Too short?  Too red?  Well I can fix
that!” With a dramatic click of her fingers for effect - she hadn’t been a
stage magician’s assistant for nothing - the dress collapsed, a cascade of red
hibiscus petals fluttering to the floor to settle around her bare feet.

“And
she’s naked again.”  Locke muttered, shaking his head, his expression
shifting into neutral unreadable lawyer mode.  The tempting little S.O.B,
didn’t she realise the effect she had on a man?

“I
told you… it’s not naked…. it’s skyclad!”  With a toss of her long hair
she turned and marched outside, she’d show him communicating with nature. 
It was time to dance up a storm. 

Locke
was frozen in indecision.  The sight of Serena naked versus the annoying
mess of petals she’d left behind marring the perfection of his
floorboards.  Hard as it was to believe he had to force himself to get up
and fetch the dustpan.  Goddess he hoped those blood suckers made a move
soon.  He needed the stubborn all too tempting little witch out of his
home, out of his life, before he did something irretrievably stupid.

Chapter
Nine

Serena
was too embarrassed to get out of bed the next morning.  The way she had
acted!  Of all the ungrateful, petulant, silly stunts.  Locke
Valhalla had risked his life to save hers.  He’d opened his home to
her.  He’d cooked for her!  He’d gifted her with an outdoor shower
for Earth’s sake, even though she’d turned his serene, elegant, if perhaps a
little monastic courtyard into a tropical jungle.  What had she done in
return?
 
Acted like a complete brat.

Okay
so he pressed her buttons.  Sweet and cocky one moment.  Teasing but
cool the next.  The man was all colours of frustrating.  He couldn’t
seem to get it through that overconfident big brain box of his the threat Sek
and Mot posed.  Yes she was scared, but it wasn’t just her own safety she
was concerned about, she especially didn’t want someone who’d only trained as a
lawyer to get caught in the cross fire.  Didn’t he understand he could get
hurt… or worse? 

She
should have taken the time to explain the reality to him, not stormed off in a
huff.  Strike that, stormed off in a skyclad huff.  Earth and all the
Stars, what point had she been trying to make exactly with her little
stunt?  She shivered in memory of those dark blue eyes travelling ever so
slowly down her body.  His face might have turned into an unreadable mask
but there’d been something in his eyes.  Heat?  

Earth
help her, she’d wanted him to follow her outside, touch her, take her down to
the grass and make love to her under the stars. 

She
wished she could blame her insane attraction to Locke on the intoxicating
feeling of reconnecting with the earth and her magic.  But she’d wanted
him from the moment she’d laid eyes on him back at the hospital.  When
he’d picked her up, his scent had ignited something deep in her core. 
Mother Earth help her, she wanted the unattainable man in the three piece suits. 
How shameful she was.  Taunting him with her nudity when she knew his
affections lay elsewhere.  And even if Nell didn’t exist, just what
exactly did she and Locke have in common?  She was earth, dirt and open
skies in all her skyclad glory.  He was wealth, status symbols and solid
walls in all his three piece suit suaveness.  What was she going to do?

She
could make a run for it?  But to where?  She couldn’t put her friends
or family at risk.  Or even innocent strangers for that matter.  So
that left her stuck here with a man she lusted after who was completely ill
suited to her, and belonged to another to boot.  Grr, she wanted to
scream.  A few days ago she’d been locked in a prison, dying, dreaming of
freedom.  Now here she was, fast on the mend, hunted by blood sucking
vampires and more trapped than she’d ever been. 

Sitting
up in bed she noted the late morning sun shining brightly, the promise of
another beautiful summer’s day in the offing.  Urgh, she needed to get
over her ridiculous self.  Forget Locke Valhalla, she needed to work on
getting her magic back to full power and concentrate on her health.  At
least that way as soon as the vampire threat was dealt with she could exit
stage left post haste.   Then it would just be a matter of will power
to forget Locke Valhalla and his taunting midnight blue eyes, distracting
touchable mane of dark hair and broad swimmer’s shoulders.  In the
meantime she would keep her distance and dial back on the whole skyclad
thing.  Creating and maintaining garments made from nature would be too
draining on her powers fulltime.  For the first time in her life clothes
were suddenly her number one priority, she needed to make a phone call,

*
                                    
*
                                 
*

The
sun had just set as Serena moved around the kitchen turning on some
lights.  She’d spent the entire day in the garden, only inside now because
she was hungry.  Should she make something for Locke?  He hadn’t
stepped out of his office all day.  Should she go knock?  No he was
probably busy and it would be better for her equilibrium if she kept her
distance.  Hmmm, that just left her to fend for herself. 

Turning
she surveyed the immaculate kitchen.  Where should she start?  Wine…
a big glass of wine.  She’d just poured herself a glass when there sounded
the click of high heels approaching on the hardwood floors.  Frozen in
place she looked up as Nell strode into view on peep toe green ankle suede
boots.  An elegant vision in a soft green blouse and calf length black
skirt, her hair pulled back in a complicated twist. 

“Hey
there, don’t suppose there’s enough for another glass?”

Gulp,
way to make a girl feel under dressed.  “Sure.”  Serena forced a
smile and went in search of another glass.  So big deal she was barefoot,
her hair up in a sloppy ponytail and she was wearing only white shorts and a
V-necked raspberry coloured tank top.  This wasn’t a competition, and if
it was…well Nell had already won, hadn’t she?

“If
you’re looking for Locke, I haven’t seen him all day.”  She advised
pouring the wine as Nell took a seat on one of the bar stools across the
kitchen bench.

“We
spoke earlier.”  Nell accepted the glass with a grateful smile.  “He
told me then he was snowed under with conference calls regarding this latest
merger he’s working on.  It was you I stopped by to see.”

“Me?”

“I
wanted to check on your recovery.  Though if looks are anything to go by
I’d have to say you’re doing very well…. blooming in fact.”

Damn
the woman for being so nice, she couldn’t even dislike her, let alone resent
her.  “Thanks… have you eaten?
 
If
not you’re welcome to join me.”

Nell’s
blue eyes brimmed with delight.  “That would be great.   If it’s
no trouble?”

“None.”

Which
is how Serena came to be sitting across the dining room table from Nell ten minutes
later, where the night before Locke had sat.  For their meal she’d
combined the remnants of last night’s salad with some tinned tuna and fresh
slices of avocado.  Perhaps not five star but fresh and edible.  Nell
certainly seemed happy with the fare. 

As
they chatted it surprised Serena to realise just how much the two of them had
in common despite their different career paths.  Nell was completely
obsessed with plants that had natural healing properties.  She even
boasted her own greenhouse.  And there were uncanny similarities when it
came to their magic, Nell could pull electricity from the human body comparable
to the way she could pull it from the earth.
 
Kind of freaky really.
 
Perhaps
there was an Earth Witch relative somewhere way back in Nell’s family tree.

Once
the meal was eaten they remained at the table finishing off the last of the
wine and talking about an array of topics.  Nell regaled her with a few
funny stories regarding her practice and some of her more eccentric magically
minded patients.  Serena added a few of her own amusing tales from life
working on a reality TV show that claimed to be in search of the
paranormal. 

“Will
you go back to the show?”  Nell enquired, wiping a tear of laughter away
as Serena finished recounting a particularly amusing tale that involved Dash
and a creature that spat slime.

“I’m
not sure I can.  Even once the vampire threat is dealt with Sek and Mot
are still out there.  What’s to stop them from sending more assassins
after my blood?”

“So
where does that leave you?”

“I
don’t know.”  Serena picked up her glass, studying the contents intently
for a moment.  “Part of me wants to join the fight.  I mean, no witch
is safe until Sek and Mot are dealt with.  And if they manage to bring
their father back to life, what will the world be like if the God of Chaos
walks amongst us?”

“I
would think that would be Maat’s problem.” 

“She
tends to have a strict policy of non-interference.”

Nell
smiled.  “Everyone says that but have you ever known a Goddess to keep
their nose out of other people’s business?”

Serena
shrugged.  “Well she was certainly happy to let me rot in that mental
facility.”

“Was
she?”  Nell gave her a soft smile.  “As you said you have your
freedom now.  How do you know Maat didn’t play a hand in that?”

*
                                    
*
                                            
*

Standing
in the shadows Locke took a moment to compare the two women.  His cousin
Nell, looking tired but happy, barely married a week to her brick outhouse of a
warrior Drum.  Her elegant prim exterior hiding the steely independent
woman that was more than a match for her new meld mate.  Then there was
Serena, all petite soft curves and heat, her skin a moonlight lustre despite
the number of hours she’d been spending outdoors. Her unkempt hair, half up and
half down in a casual ponytail and those lips, in a perpetual pout begging to
be kissed.   

“Typical.” 
Locke’s deep voice had both women jumping.  “I do all the hard work and
the God’s get the credit.”

“Locke!”
Nell beamed in welcome.  “You scared me.” 

“Don’t
get up.”  He moved forward to stop Nell.

“No,
I need to get back, I have late rounds scheduled.” 

“Everything
okay?”  He looked between Nell and Serena.

“Everything’s
fine.”  Nell scooped up her bag, bidding Serena goodnight and
thanks. 

“I’ll
walk you out.”  Locke offered, sliding an arm around his cousin’s slim
waist, she really did look exhausted.  “How are you holding up?  You
look tired?”  

“I’m
fine.  Just hellishly busy.”  Nell gave him a reassuring squeeze.

“Are
you getting any sleep?”

Nell
laughed softly, her voice low and husky.  “Suddenly I find I can’t sleep
alone.”

“Well
it won’t be for much longer, this will all be over soon enough.”

“Goddess
I hope so.”  Nell kissed him goodbye on the cheek, disappearing into the
linen closet. 

Leaving
Locke alone to face the five foot four bundle of alluring trouble waiting for
him at the dining room table.  Well he’d managed to keep his distance all
day, peeking through the curtains occasionally didn’t count surely.  And
it wasn’t like he’d been spying on her, she was his responsibility.  It
was his duty to check up on her. 

Just
like it had been his duty to conduct a little research project this afternoon
between meetings.  Doing a background check on Serena Chastain was just
playing it smart. Though the exercise itself had proven more than a little
distracting.  The number of sites out there dedicated to her and her
sparkly purple short-shorts had been amusing at first but that had quickly
changed as an uncomfortable feeling began to gnaw at his gut.  Though why
it should bother him if a bunch of pre-pubescent boys spent hours discussing
what comic books a girl like Serena would read was beyond
him.   

Ditching
the web sites he’d gone straight to the source, forcing himself to watch a few
early episodes of the show itself.  The experience was novel.  For
one it gave him plenty more material to hold over Vaughn’s head and two he
discovered why there was a drinking game out there that involved sculling every
time Serena bent over and the camera went in for a close up shot.  Even
from his limited viewing he knew liver failure was definitely on the cards for
any viewer who indulged in the game. 

He’d
been a gruff scowly bastard for the rest of the working day.  He’d made
his secretary in Milan cry.  His own client had hung up on him and told
him to call back when he found his sense of humour.  Damn, he probably
ought to get his secretary to send a crate of expensive whiskey in apology...
that is if she were still speaking to him.  See…. SEE...  how
disruptive having a woman in your life was!  He’d managed to avoid her all
day and still she adversely affected his work.  Not to mention his
home.  He’d seen the mess she’d left in his kitchen.  He’d kill his
brothers for less.  Sighing he headed back around the house, squaring his
shoulders… he would not pounce on the mess immediately like a madman… and the
same would go for the distracting little witch. 

Except
when he rounded the corner neither was in sight.  The mess was gone; the
kitchen counters gleaming and the dishes stowed away.  Turning he expected
to find her dancing under the moonlight but all was calm and still
outside.  Perhaps she’d turned in for the night.  Or perhaps she was
just being a good guest and staying out of his way. 

Honestly
women… would he ever understand them?  Dancing naked in your face one
minute and acting all mysterious and absent the next.    Goddess
help him he should prefer the latter but every instinct he had craved the
former.  No, he had to be strong.  Keep his distance, avoid all
personal contact and for pity sake stop spying on her like a school boy with a
crush.  He just had to survive a few more days. 

Hmmmm…
how annoyed would Vaughn be if he rang every hour requesting an update? 
Reaching for the phone he decided there was no time like the present to find
out.