Chapter 13

Colin could smell the coffee before he reached the sitting area. He grinned and stopped to look out the window. Sarabi suddenly appeared and rubbed a large shoulder into his leg. He looked down at her. “I’m buying you a big bell, my heart just stopped.”

-Not if you want to live.

She leaned against him again, nudging him in the direction of the kitchen.

-Take a hint, don’t make me bite you.

Colin frowned. “She’s not crying again, is she?” he whispered. The cat pushed harder. Turning, Colin went to the kitchen before the cat knocked him on his butt.

Maddy stood holding a coffee cup in both hands. She smiled at him. “Morning.” Her voice was soft with sleep.

“Morning,” he croaked. His throat had dried up as he looked at her. She wore a long t-shirt, and those long sexy as hell legs were bare for his eyes to devour. Her hair fell and surrounded her face. Her eyes were heavy from sleep and so alluring that his heart started to thump harder.

She gave him another sleepy smile as he slowly walked towards her. Stopping in front of her, he gently took the cup out of her hands and set it on the counter. He cupped her face between his hands and whispered. “I’ve never seen a more beautiful sight in my life.”

Colin lowered his mouth to hers and slowly tasted her. He felt her hands slide up his arms and rest behind his neck. Releasing her face, he slid one hand down to the small of her back and kissed her again. As her arms tightened around his neck, he pulled her into his body and turned his head to deepen the kiss. Her every curve fit perfectly against him. Running his hand down her back, he realized there was nothing under the shirt but her skin.

Maddy could handle waking up this way, she thought as his lips moved lingeringly moved down her throat. She clung to him, just wanting a few minutes of her own with no curses or spirits. As he pulled her hair back from her neck, she was working on pulling his shirt out of his jeans. She wanted to feel flesh. When she worked it up to his chest, he lifted his head, and in one fast motion, the shirt was off. He tossed it behind them on the counter. Her eyes drank in every inch of exposed skin as her hands followed their path up over his waist and tediously slow up to his shoulders. When her eyes reached his, she caught her breath, seeing his desire. Leaning into him, she pulled his mouth back to hers.

Colin only intended a few soft good-morning kisses, but his body decided that wasn’t enough. Grasping her around the waist with both arms, he lifted her to his height, she gripped his hips with her knees. Plunging his tongue into to her mouth, he stepped into the counter and set her down. Her thighs parted, cradling him. He rocked against her, letting her feel how she was affecting him.

Colin pulled her shirt from under her and ran his hands down her bare thighs. His hands moved under the shirt and up to her waist. She pulled her mouth from his and moved it roughly down his neck. Clenching his jaw, he closed his eyes and hissed out a breath as her wet tongue traveled down his collarbone to his chest.

Maddy bit his shoulder gently and felt his hands clench at her waist. He rocked his body into her, and she lifted her head to look at him. Holding his eyes with hers, she wrapped her feet around behind him and jerked him into her again. His eyes flared with her movement.

He grasped her hair and jerked her head back so he could roughly kiss her throat again. His other hand moved up to feather lightly over one breast, and her breath caught in her throat. He growled and lifted his head as he pulled the shirt up out of his way. He lifted her off the counter with one strong hand and clamped his mouth around a hard nipple. Maddy moaned and dropped her head back. Clinging to his arms, she rocked herself against him, she felt so hot, so needy.

Colin stopped long enough to lift her and slide her up and down the front of his jeans, then moved his mouth over to the other nipple and flicked his tongue over it before biting it gently. Her body jerked against him. He balanced her against the edge of the counter and kissed her roughly.

Maddy reached between them and began undoing his jeans. He sucked in a breath and lifted his head to look at her as her hand grasped his hard length. With his eyes, he asked her not to stop. Her one hand was shoving his jeans over his hips as the other one moved down the length of him.

Sliding his hand between them, he brushed the back of it against her. She was so hot and wet his cock jerked in her hand. Removing her hand from him, he grasped himself and looked down to slide the straining head slowly over her wetness. She sucked in a breath and leaned back onto the counter. Colin’s knees were shaking as he slowly slid the head over her clit and back down. It was sweet torture to be this close to being in her, clenching his jaw, he tried to control himself from plunging hard into her right then.

Maddy groaned, and her knees clamped against his hips again. He watched her chest’s jerky rise and fall as she groaned again. Hissing out a breath, he rubbed harder against her, spreading the wetness from her up over her clit and back down again. Her hands grasped his forearms tightly, lifting his eyes, he looked up at her face. Her eyes were closed, her mouth open as she panted quickly. He took a deep breath, trying to maintain his control as he rubbed against her faster. She moaned and then bit her lip and groaned deeply. He released his hold and plunged two fingers inside her, she cried out and he felt the muscles pulsing around his fingers. His own breathing was so fast now he was gasping. Slowing the movement of his hand, he pulled his fingers from her and felt her body go suddenly lax. Looking up, he froze when he saw her. It was Maddy, but something hazy was over her. “Shit!” He pulled her up in his arms. “Maddy!” Her eyes didn’t open. He looked over at the sink and reached over to flip on the tap. Dabbing water on her face, he scowled. “Let her go right now!” He growled in a low tone.

When Maddy’s eyes flickered, he wanted to cry with relief. Pulling her closer against him, he pushed the hair back from her face. Her features were clear again. “Maddy? Come on honey, talk to me.” Her eyes opened again. He went to pull her off the counter and realized his pants were still around his thighs. Balancing her with one hand, he quickly yanked up his jeans and then scooped her up into his arms. “Maddy.” He looked around for the cat; she was nowhere to be seen. Did he use one of the mirrors to call for help? How the hell did that big book on her desk work?

He lowered her onto the couch and pulled her shirt to cover her. Kneeling over her, he ran his hand down her cheek. “Come on, honey, talk to me, please.” Her eyes opened, and looked at him. Breathing a sigh of relief, he dropped his forehead down onto her. “You just scared the shit out of me,” he whispered.

Maddy ran a hand up his chest. “What happened?” She blushed, besides that she thought.

“I don’t know, you suddenly weren’t you.” Colin tried to focus on slowing down his breathing. “Do you need some water or anything?”

Maddy shook her head and studied his eyes when he lifted his head. “I wasn’t me?”

Colin leaned back onto his heels. “There was this haziness to you—I don’t know, but you passed out or something from it.”

Maddy closed her eyes for a second. “She tried to take possession of me?”

Colin flung his hands up. “I don’t know!” He pulled his pants higher on his waist and zipped them back up, not bothering with the button. “Are you okay?” He searched her eyes.

Maddy nodded. “I’m a little lightheaded. I’m just going to lie here for a few minutes though.”

“Okay.” He stood up slowly. “I’ll just be outside, call if you need anything.”

Maddy smiled. “Okay.”

He nodded again and quickly walked out the door.

-What was all that? I’m still shaking.

Maddy snorted as she turned to look at her cat. “You are? One second I’m—you know, and the next thing I know, I’m on the couch.”

-Are you all right now?

Maddy sat up a little bit and took stock. Her body was still buzzing with the passion from Colin, but otherwise, she was fine. “I’m good.” She said quietly.

-I don’t think our boy is doing as good.

Maddy quickly turned to see where Sarabi was looking. In the yard, Colin lay on his back on the ground with his hands covering his eyes. “Poor man is probably thinking, what the hell have I gotten myself into.”

-I don’t think that’s his problem right now.

Maddy gave the cat a surprised look. “Oh.”

~

Colin focused on breathing deeply, trying to calm down. It wasn’t helping. He was still aching with wanting her. Of course, seeing what happened should have curbed all lustful urges, but it didn’t. He stopped and listened when he heard steps through the grass. “Are you okay?”

Maddy stopped and looked down at him. He was sprawled on the ground pressing his hands into his eyes. “I’m fine. How are you doing?”

“Great,” he grit out between his teeth. Moving one hand, he looked up at her for a moment. The sunlight reflecting off her standing there in nothing but that damn shirt didn’t help him in any way. He closed his eyes again. “I just need a few minutes here, you go back in I’ll be there shortly.” He opened one eye and tried to avoid looking at her legs. She didn’t move. She actually took a step closer. “Maddy...”

Maddy smiled down at him as she knelt next to him. She ran her hand over his chest and watched as he breathed. Leaning down slowly, she pulled the other hand from his face. His eyes were as black as his hair again. When she leaned over him and kissed his mouth, he didn’t move, he just lay there with his hands dropped out away from his body. She grinned against his mouth and slid a leg over his waist to straddle him. He tensed when she lowered her weight onto him but still didn’t move. She leaned down and kissed him again, trying to coax him to respond.

Colin swallowed and tried to find his voice. “You should stop. I don’t want that to happen to you again.” She ignored him and kissed a trail from his jaw to his mouth again. “Maddy.” She licked across his lips. He grabbed two handfuls of grass and forced himself to lie there. “Please, Maddy, I don’t want to—” She gently nipped at his lower lip with her teeth. Doing nothing wasn’t stopping her. He reached up with shaky hands and cupped her face, tilting it so he could look into her eyes. “Don’t misunderstand, I want you so much I’m hurting, but I’m not putting you through that again.”

Maddy searched his face. “Then I’ll have to do something my innocent ancestor would never dream of. So she’ll stay away.” She gave him a coy look and reached to remove his hands from her face. He was watching her with confusion on his face. “Let me show you what.” She grinned and lowered his hands to the ground again. Leaning over, she rested her lips against his. “Kiss me back, Colin, show me you still want me.”

He hissed out a breath and reached up to hold her head. His mouth plundered hers with all the frustration he felt. She moaned and moved her mouth down over his jaw again. He couldn’t find the strength to resist her—he didn’t want to stop her.

Her hot mouth traveled down his throat and to his chest. Clenching his hand in her hair, he fought the urge to drag her back up to him and finish what they’d started in the kitchen. Her hands were running all over his chest as her mouth followed with demanding licks and bites.

He groaned when her mouth reached the waist of his jeans. She jerked at them, trying to shove them down his hips. Lifting his hips, he helped her ease them enough that her hand was able to reach in and grasp him. He huffed a breath and dropped both hands from his body to smack the ground. She moved her hand gently up and down the length of him a few times. He lifted his head to look down his body at her as her wet tongue licked the tip, groaning he dropped his head back down and panted out a breath.

When Maddy wrapped her lips around the tip, his hips jerked off the ground. She moved slowly to take as much as she could into his mouth and realized he was a big man everywhere. His gasps for breath let her know he had no problems with her technique. Lifting her mouth from him, she ran her tongue around the head and back down. When she flicked it up the length of him his hand grasped her hair, and he growled with pleasure. Smiling, she lowered her mouth and very gently ran her teeth along his length. She could feel him pulse in her hand.

Colin lifted his head and looked down at her again. Her hair surrounded him as he watched her slowly take him into her mouth again. Gritting his teeth, he dropped his head back. When she slowly withdrew him from her hot mouth, he huffed out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. Her mouth sucked him in hard, suddenly making him groan loudly.

Maddy sucked him hard and fast now, and he knew he wasn’t going to be able to prevent coming in her mouth for much longer. “Maddy” was as far as he got as she sucked even harder and he exploded into her throat. His whole body tensed with the force of it. Opening his eyes, he felt dizzy with it as she continued to lightly run her mouth up and down him.

He ran his hand down her hair to her shoulder. “Come here,” he whispered, still trying to catch his breath. She lifted her head and slowly crawled up his body. He closed his arms around her and hugged her against his body. She didn’t say a word, just cuddled into his neck and sprawled on top of him. “We have to get rid of those spirits, honey.”

Maddy grinned into his shoulder. “I know.”

Colin let out a slow breath. “I think we should focus on work and try to avoid what happened in the kitchen for now.” She lifted her head and gave him a startled look. “Oh, don’t misunderstand. If I had my way and could move right now, I’d be carrying you into the nearest bedroom and starting all over, but what happened to you in the kitchen was not in any way good and we have to figure it out.”

Maddy sighed and rested her hands on his chest to look down at him. “I’m going to have to ask someone what exactly happened if I don’t die from embarrassment while I do it.”

He chuckled, “I’ll be right there with you, but let’s not pick your father as that someone.”

Maddy laughed. “Agreed.” Lowering her mouth, she kissed him quickly. “We really need to get to work.”

Colin watched her as she got up. He was in no hurry to move. “Yeah. Let’s wait and check the distance later though; I’d like to hang onto this buzz for a while before I drown it with pain.”

Maddy held out her hand to him. “Okay, breakfast first, I’m starving.”

He took her hand and pulled her closer to wrap his arm around her. “You get the shower first, and I’ll toss breakfast together.”

Maddy laughed. “You better be careful, Mr. Gregor, I could get used to you cooking for me.”

He kissed her temple. “I just like being paid in kisses.”

~

Colin waited until he heard the water running and went quickly into the study. He started towards the book on her desk and stopped mid-stride. Hopefully, he didn’t regret this, he turned and went over and stood in front of Maddy’s mother’s mirror cabinet. “Here goes.” He leaned forward and opened it. It looked like an ordinary mirror until her mother’s image slowly floated to the surface.

“Mr. Gregor, this is a surprise.” She glanced behind him. “Is everything all right with Maddy?”

Colin nodded quickly. “Yes, she’s fine.”

“Oh, so what can I do for you?” Katherine leaned forward and studied him. “Something is wrong.”

Colin stuffed his hands in his pocket. He should have known a mother would pick up on things. His always had. “Yeah. Maddy was going to talk to you later about it, but I’m a bit worried and would like some answers now.”

Katherine raised one eyebrow at him. “And what are you worried about, Mr. Gregor?”

He cleared his throat, “Colin is fine.” Letting out a deep breath, he decided the best route was to just dive right in, and hope he survived. “The spirits are playing a different game now.”

“Maddy told me about the hovering form.”

He shook his head. “No, they’ve stepped it up a few notches from that.” He looked towards the door and then back to the mirror.

“My daughter doesn’t know you’re talking to me, does she, Colin?” He shook his head again. “Intriguing.” She grinned.

He cleared his throat again. “She was afraid she’d be too embarrassed to discuss it with you, so I thought I would.” He turned and paced back a few steps and then turned again. “Earlier, we were...” How did he say this to her mother? “We were, uh, kissing, and things were getting pretty—heated —” He studied her for a moment, she wasn’t going to make this easy for him. He ran his hand through his hair. “The details aren’t really that important, let’s just say at the most inconvenient moment you could imagine Maddy wasn’t Maddy anymore.”

“What? What do you mean?” Katherine’s grin changed to a look of worry.

Colin lifted his hands, trying to find the words to explain it. “It was as if she just passed out, and some sort of foggy image of someone else was over top of her outline.”

“Oh my god.” Katherine leaned close to the mirror. “Did Maddy realize this?”

He shook his head quickly. “No, it took me a few minutes to get her back and alert again.”

Katherine covered her mouth and looked at him for a few seconds. “Were you still completely yourself?” He nodded. “I don’t know what’s happening. First, the male spirit is there without her, and now the female tries to take over Maddy—unless they’re fading and struggling to stay together.” She leaned back and studied him. “You have to keep your distance, Colin, for both of your safety until I can figure this out.”

Colin sighed. “I already reached that conclusion on my own. What do you mean they’re fading?”

“Colin?”

He turned and looked at Maddy standing at the door like a guilty child. He motioned to the mirror. “I was—just talking to your mother.”

Maddy’s eyebrows shot up. “Really.” She came over and looked at the mirror. “Hi,” she said briefly and then looked back at Colin. “And?”

He cleared his throat. “I thought she needed to know about what happened earlier—” Her cheeks went red. “Maddy, it scared the hell out of me, you suddenly not being there.”

Maddy sighed and looked at him for a moment. She took a deep breath and let it out before looking at her mother. “What do you think happened?”

Katherine shook her head slowly. “I honestly don’t know yet. It’s possible their spirits are fading, having waited so many years to be together again. I do know that the two of you need to keep your distance until I find out.”

Maddy looked from her mother to Colin and sighed. “Yeah, we figured that out too.” She rubbed a hand over her face and looked back at her mother. “This is getting worse, Ma. The curse gives us no choice but to be together —very together if we don’t find a reversal, but at the same time, we can’t get too close to each other, or spirits take us over—”

Katherine clasped her hands together in front of her mouth for a moment and looked from one to the other. “We don’t even know if we’re running out of time, there wasn’t any reference to it in the verse.” She looked at Colin for a moment and then back to her daughter. “Do you know what you’re going to do if we can’t find a reversal?”

Colin watched Maddy carefully as she answered.

“I’ve thought a lot about all of it, but if we can’t even get to know each other without risking possession, it’s not going to matter either way—”

Colin stepped closer and ran a soothing hand down her hair. He lifted her chin so she was looking at him. “Hey, we’re not giving up yet.” Maddy nodded.

“I have Regina and Ginger working on talismans, hopefully, one of the charms they use will work.”

Maddy turned to look back at her mother. “Talismans for what?”

“To release you from the curse, or at the very least buy us the time—there has to be a solution.”

Colin quickly changed the subject. “We only have a handful of plants left to try.”

Katherine looked at him and nodded. “Let me know when you find the right two, and I’ll get the charms experts to see what they can do.”

Maddy hugged her arms around her waist and nodded. “We will. Thanks, Ma.”

Katherine smiled at her. “I’ll talk to you soon, baby.” She looked at Colin for a few moments in silence, letting him know she was trusting him with the most valuable aspect of her life then she faded from the mirror.

Maddy reached over and closed it. She spun around with her hands on her hips and glared at Colin. “How much did you tell her?”

Colin smirked. “Enough for her to get the picture.” Her jaw dropped. “Come on, Maddy, do you really think your mother expects you to still be a virgin at twenty-seven?”

Maddy smiled. “No, I guess not. But Da—”

Colin straightened up and tucked his hands into his back pockets. “We’ll deal with your Da at a later date.” He turned to the kitchen. “Let’s go eat.”

~

Maddy held her hand over her mouth as she dropped the piece of plant. “How many are left?”

Colin talked into his own hand. “Four for thorn and three for needle.” The plant began smoking.

Maddy waved the smoke away and held up the bag for him to see the name. “That’s all that’s left on the entire list?”

Colin nodded as he crossed off the name of the last one. “Yep.”

With jerky movements, Maddy bent down and picked up another bag. She pulled out a small piece and held it over the cup. After a few seconds, nothing happened, they both leaned over and looked down at it, but still nothing.

Maddy reached in and pushed it around the ashes with her finger. “I think we found one.” She looked at him and then quickly picked the bag back up. “It’s creeping thistle.” She frowned at him. “That fluffy carving was a thistle? We have our thorn!”

Colin grinned at her and quickly circled it on the list. “Now we just have three more to find the needle.”

Maddy tipped the ashes and plant out onto the ground, still hugging the small bag of thistle against her chest. “It’s going to be one of them.” She handed him the bag of thistle and bent down to get the next one to test. Standing up with three small packets in her hand, she took a deep breath. “Any favorites?”

Colin looked down at the list. “Try the Scot’s pine needle first, for the hell of it.”

Maddy nodded and found the right bag. Pulling out one of the needles, she held it over the Quaich. “Here goes.” She let it go and just held her hand in the air, watching.

Nothing happened.

Colin rubbed his jaw. “Toss something else in to ensure it’s still working.”

Maddy quickly opened one of the other bags and dropped a piece in with the pine needle. A few seconds passed, and both pieces started smoking. “I think we’ve done it,” Maddy said quietly as she tipped the ashes out onto the ground again. She set it back down and pulled another single needle out of the bag.

Colin watched without speaking. There was no smoke; the needle lay in the bottom of the Quaich bowl. “That’s it,” he said slowly, not quite believing they’d found both plants.

Maddy dropped two of the bags and hugged the bag with the pine needles to her chest. She looked over at him and grinned.

Colin clutched the bag of thistle in his hand and reached over with the other to pull her into his arms.

She hugged him tightly and lifted her face to kiss him.