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“You’re right.” He took a deep breath. “So, here’s what we’ll do. We’ll take this one night at time and trust the right path to unfold for each of us.”
With that, she completely surprised him by planting her lips on his. The black hole of his heart started trembling and somewhere deep in his mind, he heard his wife’s laughter. But it wasn’t a mean-spirited sound, more like she was saying, ‘Yeah, try to get out of this one.’
For the first time since she died, maybe he didn’t want to.
~ ~ ~
Maeve drew back and stared into Braden’s green eyes. She felt way too much, especially a growing and profound need for the man whose hair felt like silk to her fingers. What she couldn’t determine was whether she felt this way because of him or because of her loneliness.
Slowly, she pulled away from him then turned around. He moved in close once more so that she felt the warmth of his body all down her back. She refocused her thoughts on the difficult situation at hand, on adjusting to her bizarre ability to create a deadly stream of energy with her left hand.
This was how she’d killed the vile witches in Veyda’s dark coven. She only wished she’d somehow located Veyda, herself, and rid Five Bridges of her terrible presence. She shuddered as she thought about how many people Veyda had undoubtedly killed.
With her right hand, Maeve lifted the pouch of fresh mint to her nose and sniffed deeply. She felt her power ignite, as though the herb created a catalyst within her alter body and mind. Witches had the ability to kill vampires with just a touch of their fingers. She’d known this from the beginning and had always experienced a certain tingling in her fingertips. Though, to be fair, vampires could enthrall witches, so the playing field was very even.
Yet, right now, it wasn’t just her fingers that experienced the same power. It was her shoulder, her arm, and her entire hand. For whatever reason, maybe because she had alpha-capacity, she’d received a heavy dose of the killing function.
What she needed to know was the actual scope of her ability?
She closed her eyes and examined the line of sensations, shoulder to fingertips. The sizzle felt latent, like it was waiting, but ready.
She remembered how she’d done damage to the ceremonial torture room. She’d burned the crimson velvet drapes that hung ceiling to floor over the three walls. The mirrored wall had no drapes.
She pulled away from him. “Braden, I think we need to go outside. It’s not safe to continue working in here.”
“Whatever you feel you need to do. Lead the way.”
With barely a thought, she rose in the air and levitated up the stone spiral staircase. Levitation rocks, she sent from her mind to his.
I’m amazed. Duck-to-water.
I’m grateful.
She swept across the living room floor, just inches above the stone then rose easily up the second spiral stairwell. She stopped outside her apartment’s entry by long habit.
“What is it?” He asked quietly. “And why am I seeing a hallway through a gray haze?” He stood behind her.
“It’s the protection spell I maintain in front of my apartment. I don’t take any chances. It’s similar to the one I have around the entire property. Also, before I cross the spell, I like to get a sense of what’s going on in every area of the compound.”
“You’re scanning for any sign of trouble.”
“I am.” She took a moment to listen and to let her witch sensitivities reach out into the various areas of the complex. She could feel the industry of the construction site, the quiet nature of the medical facility, the joyful tenor of the communal areas, and the soft clang of pots and pans in the kitchens as the next meal was getting underway.
Her heart swelled suddenly. Braden had called her a force, but she couldn’t see it that way. She was simply grateful she’d found the means to help others, good people, who’d gotten trapped in Five Bridges just like her. She’d come to love the Landing and everyone in it. “We’re good.”
She turned her attention to the protective spell on the floor. She recalled now that she’d used mint in this spell as well as the property spell. It certainly seemed like mint had become a pivotal element for her.
“We’ll leave the way I brought you in.” She stepped into the hall and as Braden joined her, she gave him a quick explanation of the layout. She gestured with her hand to the emergency rooms, the kitchen then the communal courtyard and living areas. These were scattered throughout several houses she’d bought up and added to the Landing complex over the past year. An architect she’d rescued had helped her to join the properties to create a more functioning space.
She turned to the right and led him through the wide emergency entrance double doors to the outside. The Jeep was parked close.
“We brought you here in this.” She glanced back at him. “Do you have any memory of it?”
She wasn’t surprised when he shook his head. “Not even a little.”
Once outside, she took him to a gate, again to the right, then into a small yard. It had been part of the original house Frank had bought for her when she first entered Five Bridges. Most of the house was used as Landing Offices now, though accessible only from the inside. The small garden, however, she’d kept for her private use.
The yard wasn’t much to speak of, though it did have a tall Sissoo in which her screech owl had made a home. She kept promising herself she’d tend to it, but never had enough time. She knew as a witch she’d gain strength from her garden. But at this point in her life, she just didn’t care. Getting the still-living out of the Graveyard every night, then taking care of those she’d rescued, all had priority.
