Chapter 88

Ann got up from the little bench and walked toward the water. Dinner had been nice; the fire was relaxing as the brothers shared stories of when Wes, Leland, and Mitch were young. What it must have been like to have so many others to openly share magic with—and to get into mischief with it seemed.

She heard someone come up behind her and knew by the subtle buzz in her body that it was Wes. “It calls me.” She said without turning to look at him.

He stood beside her and looked out at the water. “It’s peaceful right now. During a storm, it comes to life.”

“I think it knows what’s to come and is resting.”

“Probably. The others are likely here now. The last time the six of you were together at this location…”

“Everything changed.” She watched a bird coast along above the lake, making it appear like it was gliding on a moonbeam.

“Yes,” Wes whispered.

“We’re going to change it again.” She said it softly, not wanting to break the calm moment.

“For the better.”

Ann nodded. “I’m going to have to paint this lake from different views so I can look at it anytime I want to.”

“To anyone else, I’d suggest photos, but your paintings come to life.”

She smiled. “There’s a little piece of me in each one of them.” She walked down the stone steps to get closer to the serene lake. Without looking, she knew he’d follow and didn’t mind at all. There was one good thing that came out of all of this ancestor’s magic. Ann was finally able to spend some time with him and not have to panic about the future. When she reached the bottom, she leaned down and took off her shoes. The ground was damp and cold at this time of night, but she didn’t care. She just needed to feel the connection to it. When Wes did the same, she smiled. “It’s a good thing I’m not an angry, vengeful woman.”

The wary look on his face almost made her laugh. “Yes.” The way he said it did make her smile. He wasn’t sure if he was to agree or not.

“I put my life on hold—” She scoffed. “—rather what I wanted my life to be when I was young because of those ancestors of ours.”

Setting his shoes aside, he flipped his pant cuffs up a few inches. “What did you want your life to be? I mean, you’re amazing at your job.”

“Oh, I’d probably still do what I do, but that’s not life.” She took a few steps and then inhaled the fresh air. The scents here were heavenly. Bending down, she picked up a smooth stone and then started walking. The stone felt warm, even though it had been dark for hours now. “I wanted one of those huge weddings—” She motioned to the lake. “—in a setting like this.” She glanced at him. “The house in a rural location, surrounded by nature and gardens in every direction.” She smiled. “But that wasn’t something that could happen. Bringing someone into all of this didn’t seem right.” She rubbed the stone between her hands. “And children were—” She shrugged. “I’ve already told you that plan.”

“Mmm, and fate messed that up for you.”

“It did.” She smiled. “I can’t be angry about it, well, I know I was a bit put off at first because I didn’t want this responsibility.”

“Saving the world from darkness?”

“Yes, that.” She shook her head. “It’s crazy if you think about it, magic and what can be done, but most out there have no idea.” Her foot touched the sand, and there was a warmth beneath it. She paused and looked down. “Do you feel that?”

“The temperature differences? It happens here all the time.” He chuckled. “The debates the elders have over it are very vigorous.”

She squatted down and put her hand on the ground. “Do they think it’s magic?”

He knelt and put both hands on it. “Yes. They believe what Alana did that night sent their magic into the earth.”

“Is that possible?”

Wes shook his head. “I have no idea, but I like the possibility.”

“It could explain why the energy here is the way it is.” She glanced out at the water. “What happens to that energy when we change it?”

He gave her a lopsided grin. “If you want hypotheses and long explanations, you are talking to the wrong man. Mitch would have ideas and opinions on that.”

She smiled. “I don’t think I’m ready to have a talk like that with him.” She glanced back in the direction the others were. “I don’t quite understand him sometimes.”

Wes snorted. “No one does.” He hissed out a breath. “Except Kat, but we don’t understand her most days either.”

“They’re perfect for each other.” The way the moonlight was hitting his face highlighted the masculine structure of his features. “Leland and Teegan are meant as well. It’s good to see them happy. They deserve it. Teegan’s life hasn’t been easy and Kat, well, her relationships were all very rough.”

He nodded slowly, and she was distracted by the way he was looking at her.

“What about you?” His gaze locked with her own. “Don’t you deserve to be happy?”

She opened her mouth and then closed it and thought for a second. “I’m still coming to terms with the fact that I don’t have to hide what I can do now. It’s a struggle after having to since I was a young girl.”

He gave her an amused look. “I’m a little be jealous that you could do magic so young and by some of the things you’ve done in the last week.”

“Oh?”

He nodded slowly. “I had to work my butt off to be good enough to be one of those to help you.”

“But you were always going to be that.”

“I didn’t know that until you took us back to that night.” He stood up and extended his hand to her.

When their palms touched, the jolt of their magic was much stronger than it had been before. Instead of letting go, she continued to hold it. “It’s different here.”

He glanced at her and then lifted their hands. “It’s the energy here, I suppose. It began here.”

“She joined us here or our relatives.” She bit her lip for a second. “Do you think that’s why the six of us are together, because of that night?”

“No.” He scoffed. “Yes, with helping you, the reason she linked all of us, but not the draw of our magic. No one can cause that.”

She stopped and looked at their hands. The feeling of warmth radiated from their joined fingers. “Are you sure?” She looked up to see his eyes highlighted by the moonlight. She wanted to believe the moon did it on purpose, so she could see the truth in them.

“I am sure. I don’t blame you for being skeptical about it; it is odd, but no one but fate could do this.” He stopped walking. “You don’t believe me?”

“I didn’t say that.” She had thought about it for a moment, though.

“I noticed you the second you stepped into the building.” He smiled. “I actually thought, How am I going to work with this woman when I’m so attracted to her?” He tilted his head and studied her. “And you know that had nothing to do with our magic because you had yours so well hidden that the Brotherhood was thinking it wasn’t going to happen in our time.” He grimaced. “Until Bonnie showed up for an interview.”

She hadn’t known any of that. It wasn’t until she’d been there for almost a year that she thought he might be as interested in her as she was in him.

“There’s always been something between us, Ann. We just couldn’t do anything about it.” Still holding her hand, he moved closer. “Am I wrong?” His voice was softer, and she’d be lying if she didn’t find that tone appealing.

She realized she still had the stone in her and dropped it. “No.” She whispered. She wanted to tell him how she’d find any excuse to go down the hall near his office. Or, seeking his approval for layouts she already knew would work had just been so she could feel normal in the way a woman does for an attractive man’s company. Ann knew the reason he had avoided her for weeks, that one time was because of a man she’d dated five times and picked her up at the office. If she told him that, then she’d have to confess she was only trying to distract herself so she’d stay away from him. Moments of weakness happened, and he was the cause of many of hers.

“So much going on inside that brilliant, beautiful mind of yours.” He touched the side of her head with one finger and then let it slowly move down over her cheek until he reached her jaw. It left a sensual trail of awareness. He placed his finger under her chin and tilted her head up. “I’m going to kiss you now, Ann. It’s long, long overdue.”

Her voice had abandoned her, or perhaps it was a reasonable thought. she nodded rather than say a word. It felt like time was moving in slow motion as he lowered his head toward hers. She could feel his breath, and just that made her feel lightheaded. Grasping the front of his jacket with one hand, she steadied herself. Was she breathing? She couldn’t be sure. She’d thought of this moment at least a million times over the years.

His mouth was warm when it touched hers. She felt their magic touch, and then it was as if it held its breath and paused as his lips moved with hers. He continued to hold her hand but didn’t touch her in any other way. It was just his mouth on hers, and it was the most powerful thing she’d ever felt. He wanted her but was requesting her trust. he wouldn’t rush her. She should tell him there was no such thing. This moment had been brewing between them for over one thousand days. She’d stopped counting when she reached that number. It made her feel pathetic.

When he lifted his mouth from hers, she came close to clinging to him like a needy woman. She was, for him, but wasn’t quite ready to tell him that. Not yet. His thumb was brushing over the back of her hand in a slow, gentle movement. She licked her lips and watched him stare at her mouth.

The sound of laughing broke the moment, and she wanted to growl and turn around and tell all of them to go far, far away.

“Ann.” His voice was heavy with lust. “I’d need—I’d like to show somewhere. Will you come?”

To get away from the others, she would have agreed to go to the moon with him. “Yes.”

His smile was slow and sexy.

“Come on.” They went three steps, and then he stopped. “Shoes. We are going to need shoes for this.” He kissed her mouth so fast it didn’t register until he was running back to where they’d left their shoes.

She touched her mouth and had the urge to giggle like a teenager. That thought made her snort. None of that would be happening.

He came back and dropped down on one knee, and held out one of her shoes.

As she put her foot in it, she balanced herself, holding onto his shoulder. “I’ve always wondered what Cinderella would feel like.”

He laughed softly. “If any pumpkins turn into coaches, run the other way.”

Ann laughed. “A little too much magic for you?”

He helped her put the other shoe on and then did his own. “I’ve always questioned the fairy godmother’s magic in that story.” He glanced at her. “There was something think about it.”

Ann held out her hand to help him up. “She was a fairy, so that explains it all.”

Wes scoffed. “I see other creatures or beings doing magic, and I’m driving as fast as I can in the other direction.”

She bit her lip. “I’ve probably be with you.”

He continued to hold her hand and lead her up the shore, away from the water.

“Where are we going?”

He gave her a playful look. “You’ll see.” He motioned to the trees. “I haven’t been there for a few years, but it was built to outlast us, so I know it’s still there.”

“Intriguing.” She leaned closer. “It’s not a creepy cave, right? I love all forms of nature, but I draw the line at spiders.”

He sucked a breath in between his teeth. “Not a cave, but I promise to relocate any eight-legged things we come across.”