Authors: Cheyenne McCray
Wicked Magic (29 page)
She nodded and he pressed his lips to her forehead. He brushed her hair from her face before taking her hand and leading her to her bedroom. Her hand felt small in his and her body had been so soft in his embrace. No matter what might be happening around them, her mere presence made him want her in every sense of the word with a fierce ache in his heart and in his loins.
When they reached the bedroom, Rhiannon switched on a pair of lamps to either side of the bed. She let go of his hand and began stripping out of her clothing, starting by kicking off her shoes and tugging off her socks.
With fascination he watched her pull her T-shirt over her head and toss it aside. It had ruffled her hair and he held back a smile at how adorable she looked.
His gaze dropped to the burn on her chest from Ceithlenn's magic and he tamped down the fury that rose up in him.
Instead he focused on her breasts as she reached around her back and unclasped her bra, freeing her soft white mounds and baring her taut berry-red nipples.
He should let her rest, but gods how he needed to be inside her and to have her wrapped around him. He needed to possess her, to brand her again and again. Fierce pride rose within him. Rhiannon was his woman.
His.
His.
The low rumble in his chest caught her attention and she raised her gaze to meet his as she dropped her undergarment on the floor. A spark lit her eyes and she continued to watch him as she unfastened her pants and pushed them down along with her panties.
His mouth salivated as she stepped out of the rest of her clothing and kicked it aside. When nothing remained but the pentagrams at her ears, throat, and finger, she walked toward him. The goddess Anu could have been no more beautiful than Rhiannon.
Golden light from the bedside lamps highlighted her mussed auburn hair. The sprinkling of freckles across her nose made him want to kiss each and every one of them. The auburn curls between her thighs hid the treasure his tongue and fingers ached to find.
To his surprise his entire body trembled, his need for her was so great.
When she reached him she tilted her face and studied him, her eyes searching his as if asking a question he did not know the answer to.
It took great pains not to take her now, like this. It would be so simple to lay her on the bed, free his erection from its bindings, and drive his cock into her.
He toed off each of his boots and they thumped on the wood flooring as he kicked them out of the way, then he shrugged out of his tunic and tossed it aside. While she
watched she moistened her lips and brought her gaze to his hands as he undid the ties on his breeches, pushed them down to his feet, and stepped out of them and toward her.
watched she moistened her lips and brought her gaze to his hands as he undid the ties on his breeches, pushed them down to his feet, and stepped out of them and toward her.
They were now so close he could feel the heat of her body join with his. His nostrils flared at the scent of her musk and the clean citrus smell of her skin.
For some reason he waited. As if knowing Rhiannon wanted him to let her take control. Right this moment he was certain she truly needed him as much as he needed her.
She melded her body flush against his, wrapped her arms around his neck, and brought her lips to his. Keir groaned as his erection pressed against her belly and her tongue darted into his mouth.
Her kiss was filled with sweetness and a sense of longing. He returned her kiss, keeping his slow and deliberate.
She drew away. “Lie on your back, Keir.”
He took the few steps to the bed and settled onto his backside, his gaze never leaving the beautiful woman who was nothing short of a goddess.
Rhiannon's belly flipped a little at the way Keir was looking at her. She tried not to tremble as she moved closer to him and climbed onto the bed.
A sigh rose up within her as she straddled his hips and her folds settled on his thick cock. She bent forward and braced her hands to either side of his chest before brushing her lips over his. He nipped at her lower lip and another sigh slipped from her as he grasped her hips in his big hands and his tongue delved into her mouth.
It was a long sweet kiss, but she needed more. Needed to soothe the ache inside her. And she needed Keir.
She reached between them and wrapped her fingers around his thick cock before rising up and breaking their kiss. She raised herself just enough that she could plant the head of his cock at the entrance to her core.
She slammed herself down, driving his cock deep inside her. She shouted out at the sudden shock of him filling her so fully and deeply. Keir groaned and grasped her hips tighter.
Rhiannon began to ride Keir. She was so wet and slick,
and he was so big. She tilted her head back and brought her hands to her breasts and pinched her nipples. The sensations traveled from her breasts to her belly button to her pussy.
and he was so big. She tilted her head back and brought her hands to her breasts and pinched her nipples. The sensations traveled from her breasts to her belly button to her pussy.
She closed her eyes, seeing only Keir in her mind, feeling only him between her thighs and inside her. He felt so good, so good, so very good.
A storm rose within her and she rode him harder until the clouds burst open. Lightning sparked behind her eyelids and thunder rumbled in her ears.
Her body jerked and trembled and her cry sounded distant as if not her own. She shuddered with every strike of her orgasm, as if lightning bolted through her time after time.
Finally she collapsed on Keir's chest and heard his pounding heart beneath her ear. Her skin was sticky with perspiration and her own heart was beating like crazy.
He eased them both over so that she was on her back and he was on top. Her head spun a little with the movement. She looked up at him as he began to drive himself to his own climax. His gaze fixed on hers, his long black hair tickling her cheeks.
Every thrust of his cock made her core spasm, forcing her closer and closer to another orgasm. Tears came to her eyes and she cried out when she climaxed again.
Keir shouted and she felt his cock throb inside her as he dropped and held himself tight to her. He was so heavy she could barely breathe, but it felt so good as he continued to pump his hips until he came to a shuddering stop.
He rolled so that she was half on him and he trapped her upper leg with his thigh. He seemed to enjoy holding her like this, and she loved how it felt to be in his arms.
Goddess, how she had needed this. Needed to feel a part of something special and that she was wanted.
Sleep came easily and a smile was on her lips as she thought about Keir.
Late the following afternoon, Rhiannon fixed sandwiches for herself and Keir in her kitchenette. The bright colors in her apartment almost always had a calming effect on her. Her sanctuary was something in her life that remained constant and made her feel good.
Sometimes it was the small things that mattered when one's world was falling apart.
She felt little sense of accomplishment as she and Keir fixed a late lunch. All morning, the leaders of the D'Danann, the PSF, and all of the witchesânot to mention Galiaâhad met in the common room.
For several hours they had discussed their best battle strategies. No matter the sheer size of the goddess's army of demons and other creatures, they had to figure out a way to strike first, and strike hard.
A big problem was that they knew some Fomorii had infiltrated areas of law enforcement, which caused some serious problemsâlike who could they trust? If they asked for help, and it happened to be a Fomorii that had taken over a human's body, they'd tip their hand.
Rhiannon sighed as she drew a pitcher of iced herbal tea out of the refrigerator. The team was also beginning to worry that the witches' additional magical wardings weren't going
to hold up much longer against Ceithlenn. If the goddess became strong enough, all hell could break loose. Ceithlenn could attack againâworse than when the demons had been transported through all the prior wardings and battled the witches.
to hold up much longer against Ceithlenn. If the goddess became strong enough, all hell could break loose. Ceithlenn could attack againâworse than when the demons had been transported through all the prior wardings and battled the witches.
Through their divinations, the witches knew Ceithlenn had used a great deal of power to transport that host of demons. It had sucked out her magical strength, leaving her weak until she was able to steal the souls of more humans.
Would she waste that soul-sucking power on attacking the headquarters of those who battled her? Or would she concentrate on bringing Balor to this world?
Rhiannon and the rest of the team were betting on Balor.
As she and Keir set the table with the mountain of sandwichesâmost of which Keir would eatâRhiannon couldn't help but churn over what the team had finally decided. The witches, D'Danann, and PSF officers needed to find a way to attack all of the demons in their lair beneath Alcatraz.
The team couldn't trust anyone in the city. They were going to need help from Otherworld to do it.
Keir and Hawk actually agreed on this point. Strange, but true. Representatives for the witches and D'Danann needed to go back to Otherworld and see what weapons the Mystwalkers could provide, to see if the Drow would change their minds and fight with them.
Rhiannon managed to smile at Keir as they started to sit down at the table, but that quickly vanished as intense pain made her head feel like it was going to explode. She felt as if worms were crawling beneath her skin.
Something was going to happen today.
Something horribly, horribly wrong.
A vision hit Rhiannon hard and fast before she could take her seat at the table.
She stumbled backward and landed on one hip on the hard floor. The vision spun through her head as if she were on a merry-go-round. Vaguely she heard Keir calling her name and felt his heat as he moved close.
Her eyesight swam and her heart pounded like it was going to come out of her chest. She held her hands between her breasts and struggled to breathe.
Keir's voice was urgent, concerned. “What is wrong,
a stór?
”
a stór?
”
Rhiannon's heart continued to pound beneath her hands as she held them tighter against her chest. Her eyes were wide and dry and she couldn't blink. She saw only the images in front of her and couldn't answer him.
Keir murmured soft words in Gaelic, and Rhiannon slowly came back to the present.
“I had a vision,” she managed to get out.
He held her closer. “What did you see?”
Rhiannon took a deep breath. “Something really bad.”
“Tell me.” Keir's voice was edged with concern.
Rhiannon took another deep breath and then another. Some of the images were vivid in her mind while others were hazy.
“Ceithlenn.” A very familiar shard of pain jabbed her mind. “There were so many people around her.” Rhiannon squeezed her eyes shut, trying to get a better grasp on the vision. “It was all a blur but there were thousands of people. I couldn't tell if they were near or far. They wavered in and out. But I saw bright colorsâpennants or banners. From what little I could hear, people were shouting and cheering.”
Keir wrapped his other arm around her so that she was surrounded in his embrace.
“The goddess spread her arms and wings wide.” Rhiannon's scars burned like crazy and she rubbed them with her fingertips. “Souls started shooting toward her like pale missiles. Hundreds. Maybe thousands. Some like white puffs of clouds and others as dark as thunderheads.”
Rhiannon tried to fight down a sense of rising panic. “The goddess sucked them all into her body. They came to her so easilyâall she did was utter a command and it was done.
“And the corpses.” Tears burned behind her closed eyelids. “Dead. Everyone was dead. Bodies littered the ground all around her. As far as I could see with my vision eyes. But I couldn't tell
where
she was. Or how many people.”
where
she was. Or how many people.”
Keir's body tensed next to hers, steel beneath hard flesh, and she opened her eyes. “We had best tell the others,” he said.
Rhiannon's eyesight swam but she finally regained her focus.
“When do you believe this will happen?” Keir gripped her upper arms and started to stand.
“Today.” A sense of panic kept Rhiannon's heart beating fast. “I don't think we have much time. But I have no idea where it's going to happen!”
“I will summon my brethren through our mind-link, and they will gather the others.” Keir said. Only a moment later he said, “It is done.”
When Rhiannon and Keir reached the apartments' common room for the second time that day, most of the witches had arrived, along with Galia, as well as representatives of the D'Danann. Several of those present asked Rhiannon what was going on, but she said she'd explain when everyone else arrived.
It took a while before Jake and a few of his key PSF officers jogged into the room. A few minutes later, Sydney followed by Hannah made it back to the apartment buildings from their homes.
Cassia was the only person not in the room when Rhiannon was prepared to speak, and she wondered where the half-Elvin witch was.
“I had a vision.” As Rhiannon spoke, she stroked Spirit, who was nestled in her lap. “It was a vision subject to interpretation, but I believe what I saw will happen
today
. It is what will come to pass unless we find a way to prevent it.
today
. It is what will come to pass unless we find a way to prevent it.
“It happened in a huge crowd. I couldn't tell if the people were right beside her, or far away. But there were thousands of them.”
“Crowds ⦔ Jake frowned. “The SFPD has got its hands full with the Giants playing their first exhibition game of the season.” Jake glanced at his watch. “Starts around ninety minutes to an hour from now. That doesn't give us much time. We've got to figure out what the hell we're going to do.”
“It's a weekend.” Sydney frowned as her eyes met Rhiannon's. “Attendance is going to be high at the game.”
Rhiannon gripped Spirit's fur and he gave her a warning sound that she ignored. “There were so very many people.”
Silver rubbed the snake bracelet on her wrist. “Did you see any demons with Ceithlenn?”
Rhiannon shook her head and shuddered at hearing the C-word. “Just the goddess. But that doesn't mean the Fomorii won't be there.”
“Either event will be a tactical nightmare.” Jake braced his hands on the back of a chair. “I'll get with the SFPD chief of police, along with other areas of law enforcement. Butâshit. It's like what we talked about this morning. Who the fuck do we trust?”
“Can the event be canceled? A terrorist threat or something?” Alyssa piped up from the corner.
“I can try.” Jake glanced at his watch. “But it's already loading up with spectators. What we don't need is mass hysteria.”
A flash of the vision came back to Rhiannon. “My gut tells me it
is
the game.”
is
the game.”
Silver spoke up. “My senses tell me she's right. It's the perfect venue to steal a massive amount of souls.”
Most of those in the room nodded in agreement.
As Jake took his cell phone out of its holster, he said, “I'll have every available PSF officer guarding the field before the game starts.” He punched in a couple of numbers and brought the phone to his ear. “Providing we can't cancel the game and evacuate.”
Everyone was quiet as he tried several phone numbers and was shot down each time. His face was grim as he punched the off button at the end of the fifth call. “We are so screwed,” he said. “They've got us by the balls. And now they'll know we're on to them.”
“Dear Anu,” Rhiannon said as she held Spirit closer to her. “What if we can't stop the goddess?”
Jake's muscles flexed as he crossed his chest with his arms. “We'll see what we can come up to use against the
bitch. We have equipment available for outside use that we weren't able to take advange of in the penthouse.”
bitch. We have equipment available for outside use that we weren't able to take advange of in the penthouse.”
“Wait.” Rhiannon held her hand up. “We were lucky at the penthouse. The goddess could have taken the souls of the PSF officers and witches if I hadn't thrown up the shield. Maybe even the D'Danann. What if she does it at the game?”
“Shit,” Jake said again and shook his head. “Goddamnit.”
“Wait,” came Cassia's voice from the doorway. Rhiannon had to tilt her head to see the witch make her way through the crowd until she stood at the center. She was holding what looked like a water flagon made from red clay. It had a pot belly, a long, long neck, and a handle that spanned the distance from the back of the pour spout to the widest part of the flagon.
Rhiannon frowned. Something about Cassia looked different, but she couldn't quite place it. By the Ancestors, it seemed like Cassia changed daily. She no longer resembled the bumbling D'Anu apprentice she had pretended to be before the battle of Samhain.
“The Great Guardian has sent a precious gift.” Cassia held up the large flagon as well as a tiny chalice with a bowl about the size of a big thimble. “She has made this elixir from the rare Amarant of Otherworld, the exceedingly powerful forbearer of our world's Amaranth.
“Have every one of the PSF officers, the D'Danann, and the D'Anu drink from this and their souls will be protected from Ceithlenn.” Cassia raised the small cup. “Only drink what fills this chalice.”
Rhiannon winced from the name, but at the same time remembered her vision of the Great Guardian tending to the purple flower in her garden. A bud that sparkled with magic.
Everyone was silent for a moment. “Wow.” Copper thumped her cast onto the floor as she stood and walked toward Cassia. “Solves that little problem.”
“We've got to get the hell out of here.” Jake glanced at his watch again. “Pass that thing around.”
While everyone was taking their share of the potion, they continued strategizing.
Mackenzie's gaze darted from one witch to the next. “If she brings her friggin' army, I don't think there will be enough of us to take care of them all.”
“We need to ask for Anu's and the Elementals' assistance.” Alyssa visibly swallowed and Rhiannon could tell her friend was afraid of going into a big battle. It didn't take seer's skills to be sure of that.
Galia took the tiniest of sips at Cassia's direction. Rhiannon drank her share of the potion from the tiny chalice. It tasted like blackberry syrup.
When she passed it on, she took a deep breath and addressed the whole room, hoping Alyssa would listen to her words. She wouldn't and couldn't order her friend around, because Rhiannon herself didn't like to be told what to do. But she tried to get her to take another option. “We can't leave our headquarters and store unprotected.” Rhiannon said. “Some D'Danann and perhaps a witch or two need to stay behind.”
The witches argued that all of them needed to be at the stadium. Cassia could guard the store as she usually didâher magic was the strongest out of them all.
Rhiannon looked at Alyssa. “I'm going, too,” Alyssa said, and Rhiannon sighed.
“She's bound to be ticked off after our attack on her place. Not to mention she was weakened.” Sydney adjusted her glasses. “We know she has an agenda. If she collects a huge amount of souls she'll be strong enough to bring Balor to San Francisco and that would
so
not be good.”
so
not be good.”
“One question,” Mackenzie said. “If Ceithlenn does bring a portion of her army, or even all of it, how is she going to get them inside undetected?”
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