Chapter 44: Chapter Forty-Four

Arianna sat at the window watching the moonlight shimmering upon the serene water of the bay. She sighed trying to untie the row of ribbons on her gown. A servant had assisted with donning the garment. She hadn’t considered how she’d get undressed, especially here alone. She could use her magic, but on Samhain many entities could be about when the veil was thin.

She couldn’t blame Amy for being reluctant in wanting her to have contact with Darius. Clearly Arianna had hurt him. She wished she could be taken to the future straightaway. If she had to meet Alainn and the other two witches, it would be best to do it now. Lost in her languishing, she was startled by a loud knock at the cottage door. She finally opened it to stare into Darius’s serious face.

“Arianna, we must speak.”

She shook her head. “It’s surely best we don’t.”

“Whatever Amy said…”

“Was true. She’s correct, Darius. If we’re together now it’ll end in us being hurt.” She started to close the door.

“That isn’t Amy’s decision to make; nor is it yours. Not yours alone,” he added, stepping inside.

“With my powers, I can’t ever lead a normal life, but I ended our marriage so you could.”

“How could my life ever be normal without you? Every moment of every single day, I want you. It isn’t just sharing a bed. It’s your eyes and your smile, your voice, your laugh and all your beautiful, magical ways.”

“Please don’t. You’ll only make me weep.”

“Arianna, I love you. I need you. I’ve missed you so.”

“I’ve missed you, too, Darius…very much, but I don’t know how much time we’d have together.”

“No one has a guarantee of time together.”

“We could have weeks, perhaps only days.”

“I’d take minutes, Arianna.”

“I do love you, Darius. I’ll never stop loving you.”

“I love you,” he said, his tone steeped with emotion as he closed the door and stepped closer. His magnetic attraction was so powerful it took her breath away.

“I want to spend tonight together,” he said. “Come what may, let’s be together now.”

“I want that, too.” Their lips met in a kiss so passionate her heart wildly raced. “I can’t manage these ties,” she whispered.

“I can do that,” he replied, now with a smile in his voice. She turned her back to him and he fumbled with the tiny ribbons.

“By the neckline that revealed far more than I’m comfortable having anyone but me see, you wouldn’t think this gown was designed by a Puritan. Yet these bloody insufferable ties are surely meant to keep a man in a tortured state.”

She laughed at that. His touch made her body tingle delightfully and she squirmed.

“If you want me to accomplish this, you’ll need to stay still, my wee witch.”

She turned to face him, then burst into tears.

“What have I done?” Darius asked, obviously stricken.

“I thought I’d never hear you call me that again…that I’d never feel the fondness of your touch or see love or desire in your eyes,” she sobbed.

“My lovely Arianna, don’t weep,” he said immediately taking her in his arms, deep sentiment in his voice, too.

“Do you have your knife?” she asked.

“Are you tellin’ me you need my blood?”

“Slice the confounded ties before I go mad needing you.”

He chuckled and finally untied enough ribbons to slide the gown over her shoulders.

“You’re wearin’ no shift! You’re completely unclothed beneath this gown. It’s a bloody good thing I didn’t know that when that Druid had his hands near your lovely arse.”

“Truly, speaking of Danhoul is what you choose to do when I’m nearly unclothed,” she said wriggling free of the gown. It fell to the floor and she stepped out.

“Christ, you’re beautiful!”

She hastily tore off his overcoat and waistcoat. When pulling his shirt over his head, his hair came untied and fell sensually to his shoulders. Her heart sped and the humming sensation between her thighs intensified. He was always a remarkable man, but he seemed even more muscular.

“What’s that look for, my wee witch?”

“My God, you’re an appealing man.”

“Ship building makes the upper body firm.”

“And the lower body?”

“There’s no doubt that’s firm, also,” he replied pulling her to him and their lips met. She untied the lacings of his breeches and slid them down his hips, then finally used magic to see them gone. She grasped his worthy firmness and smiled as he deeply moaned. Her breasts grazed his chest and she gasped.

“Show me to your bed!” he said and she pointed to the adjoining room.

He carried her there as she magically turned down the bedcovers. He laid her on the bed, him above her. The bedsheets were as cool as his firm body was hot; both made her shiver. They exchanged another fevered kiss.

“Lingering caresses must wait till next time,” she whispered. “It’s been a very, very long time and I need you now, Darius.”

“I haven’t been with anyone, Arianna. I desperately need you, too.”

He filled her without delay and she cried out in joyous relief. No matter what tomorrow brought, they’d have this night together.

Darius stared at her asleep in his arms. He hadn’t dared sleep and didn’t miss how tightly she clung to him. He watched her beauty in the moonlight, listened to her soft breathing and occasional sigh. His love for her was immeasurable.

“You haven’t slept, my love?” she whispered.

“I can sleep anytime,” he said. “Arianna, I want to be married again.”

“We can be together but don’t need to marry. I must leave and don’t know when. Whether or not we’re married won’t change our love.”

“It will prove our commitment.”

“Darius, there are still subjects we haven’t spoken of. You won’t tell me of the day Daniel died or of Alcott.”

“Everyone has some secrets,” he said.

“You know Alcott is alive?”

“Aye, well I presumed if the cottage wasn’t burned to the ground, he didn’t die.”

“I went back in time, ensured only the beast was consumed in my hellfire, then pushed him through the portal with my magic, so your cabin survived.”

He nodded.

“Darius, how can we pledge to be together forever when you won’t tell me what tortures your soul?” Arianna said.

He looked deep into her eyes, but turned away. “I’m sorry, I can’t.”

“I accept that, however, I must speak of Mama’s death. I never told you the whole story.”

“I don’t need to know.”

“But I need to tell you. Someone suspected witchcraft in Mama’s healing, when it was actually me. I couldn’t refrain from magically healing a wee boy with a painful twisted spine. When Bartholomew Mendenhall came to speak with Mama about it, he was unkind and roughly pushed her; I couldn’t prevent my powers. When the hearth fire roared unnaturally high and candles suddenly lit; he accused Mama of that, too, labeled her a witch and began to take her away.

“She wouldn’t have resisted but they intended to take me, too. Mama, who never used her magic, powerfully threw the man to the floor and told me to run.”

“You said they made you watch her executed.”

“It was my aunt who made me watch. Bartholomew had his two sons take Mama to the stake and light the fire. The father laughed cruelly and the older son, Charles, smiled wickedly. The younger, Edward, seemed remorseful and couldn’t watch.”

“Why would your aunt be so cruel?”

“She knew I could end it quickly with hellfire. Instead of Mama suffering for a lengthy time, she turned to ash almost immediately.

“In my anguished fury, I used my powers to determine where the Mendenhalls lived. That night I set their house on fire. Bartholomew died; Edward suffered a few burns but I permitted him to escape. Charles was burned badly but saw me from the window as I ran away. Hence his unrelenting desire to see red-haired women sent to the stake. Charles has become crueler and his brother has atoned.”

“How do you know this?”

“Because the younger became a vicar.”

“Vicar Edwards?”

Arianna nodded. “He’s much changed. He looked like a youth back then, but I finally remembered that day when he was in our kitchen. He and I have spoken of it, for he’s visited Boston. He knew I had magic, but apparently came to our settlement to ensure I only used my magical abilities for good and he believes that’s true. His brother, however, is unconscionable.”

“I heard he’s still in Wyndham Village though those in the jails have been released. Why would Reverend Smythe not tell Charles Mendenhall? He knew you were at the settlement.”

“Mendenhall never knew my name; only saw my face and my hair. I placed a protection spell on the settlement so anytime Mendenhall thought of me, he’d become confused or forget.”

“I’m sorry about your mother and everything you went through as a young girl, Arianna.”

“I needed to tell you I purposely killed a man in retribution for harming my mother. I was only thirteen.”

“I don’t blame you. If I had the abilities you possess, I think there’d be more than a few people dead.”

“I also lied about my aunt.”

“You never spoke much of her.”

“She taught me spells, but her witchcraft gradually became much darker, though she didn’t die.”

“Why did you say so?”

“I thought you might have shared her bed.”

“What?”

“Lady Claudia, the brothel owner, is my Aunt Clodaugh.”

“She didn’t sound Irish.”

“She could sound any way a man wanted.”

“I never shared her bed,” Darius assured her. “She suggested it once, but I didn’t.”

“I’m relieved. But, now, I’d rather not talk any longer,” she said with a smile as she touched his chest, his stomach and lower.

“I’ll gladly love you, my wee witch, but I’d also like you to think about being my wife again; you’ll always feel like my wife.”

“Maybe that’s enough, Darius,” she said and their torrid kisses ended the conversation.