Chapter 16

Maddy and Colin stood there and watched out the window as Ginger and Regina left through the old maple portal. Maddy took a deep breath and held her hands over her cheeks. “Just one normal day.”

Colin put his arm around her shoulders and hugged her into him. “Hey, the morning may have started out a bit rocky, but it hasn’t been all bad.”

Maddy rolled her eyes at him. “You’re just happy that Alice will never come here again.” She blew out a breath. “I still can’t believe...” Sarabi came flying across the room and knocked Colin to the floor. Maddy gasped. “Sarabi, stop.”

Colin turned his head back and forth and tried to stop the animal from licking his face. “Okay, okay, okay. I got it, you’re happy too.”

Maddy laughed. “Did she hurt you?”

Colin flipped to his side, knocking the cat off of him. “No, at least I don’t think so.” He sat there running a hand down over the animal. “I don’t think she’s going to miss dragon lady.”

We have to keep him, Maddy. Please!

Maddy laughed and then stopped and put her hand to her head. “Woo, light-headed.” She slid down the wall to sit on the floor beside them. Too much magic and not enough food. Closing her eyes, she focused for a moment. When she opened them, two cans of pop were floating toward them. She didn’t dare speak until they were in her hands. “It has been so long since I could just think and it would happen.”

Colin took one of them from her and leaned on his elbow, watching her.

Maddy suddenly felt self-conscious. “What?”

He smiled. “Your eyes.” She looked down at the can and then back up at him. “They’re greener now, with only slight turquoise flecks.”

Maddy sighed. “They may never go all the way back to normal. The curse was unchanged for too long.

He touched her cheek so she’d look at him. “They are breathtaking now.”

Maddy’s cheeks grew hot.

Sarabi moved between them.

-No! Kissing later. Feed the kitty first.

Maddy laughed. “Apparently, we have to feed the... kitty.”

Colin dropped his hand and glanced at the cat. “Gratitude was short-lived.”

Maddy got up and patted the top of Sarabi’s head. “Oh, she always comes first when it involves her stomach.”

She took a few steps, stopped, and looked back down at the cat. “I wonder if I could change her back now that—”

-No! Thanks, but no.

Maddy frowned. “You don’t trust me?”

Sarabi got up and rubbed against Maddy’s legs.

-I trust you. I just like things the way they are. I’m not expected to chase mice this way. Yuck!

Maddy shook her head and went to the kitchen.

~

Colin walked into the study after his workout. He stopped at the door and smiled. Maddy was at her computer, typing at a steady pace while two books floated in opposite directions around the room. “I see you’re not having any problems remembering how.”

“Oh!” Maddy jumped, and the books hit the floor one after the other with a loud thump.

“Sorry.” He stepped into the room, giving her a sheepish grin.

Maddy turned the chair so she could look at him. “I was doing so well focusing elsewhere while doing that.” She bit her lip and looked at him. His shirt was bunched up in one large hand, leaving him bare from the waist up. Her eyes ran over each muscle slowly. “Good workout?” she inquired softly when she finally looked back at his face.

Colin swallowed. “Yeah, I miss my equipment, but it’s probably better for me this way.” Her eyes moved down his chest again. She wasn’t helping him keep his distance when she looked at him like that.

Maddy wasn’t sure what he said. She got up, walked around the desk, and stood before him. “I just realized I haven’t thanked you.”

He watched her mouth. “For?”

She cast him a wry look. “For figuring out Alice was responsible for blocking my abilities.” She put her hand on his chest and leaned into him. Brushing her mouth lingeringly over his, she whispered. “Thank you.”

Colin rested his hand on her waist. Part of him wanted to hold her, and part of him wanted to stay a safe distance away. “Maddy,” he said quietly, “we need to keep a safe distance.” Her hand moved across his chest in a light caress. “Until we find out how to...” He let out a slow breath when her hand trailed down his ribs and over the top of his jeans. “Maddy...” he tried again.

“Aren’t we supposed to have contact?” she asked while watching his eyes darken.

He searched her eyes, noticing how alluring they suddenly were. He knew he wasn’t going to be able to stay away. The hand resting on her hip tightened and pulled her closer. “I’ve been losing my mind with wanting you.” He brushed his mouth over hers. Her lips opened, and she ran her tongue along his bottom lip. Yearning for more, he pulled her against him and kissed her the way he’d been wanting to all day. His mouth coaxed and tasted while hers yielded and encouraged him to continue. He pulled away and looked down at her. “The first sign of either one of them, and we stop.” Hopefully, he thought as her arms wound around his neck, pulling his mouth back to hers.

Leaning, he ran his hand to the back of her thigh. He wanted those legs wrapped around him. Her hot lips moved across his jaw to his neck, and he sucked in a breath. You can’t let this go too far, he was trying to tell himself. But when her teeth bit into his neck, he growled and jerked her leg up so he could rock into her body, no longer caring about spirits.

Maddy grasped his hair in both hands and pulled his head down. She bit his bottom lip and held it between her teeth, forcing him to look at her. She wanted to see that burning look in his eyes again. When his dark lashes lifted and he looked at her, she released his lip and kissed him, plunging her tongue into his mouth.

Colin pulled her head back and crushed his mouth to hers. Maddy moaned into his mouth and clung to him. He pulled her leg higher on his hip without taking his mouth from hers and pushed her back against the desk.

He ground into her, aching to be inside. Running his hand along her thigh, he grasped her hips, rocking her against him. “Maddy.” His tone was pleading—he wasn’t sure if it was to stop or continue. She dropped her head back and looked at him. It was still her. He unzipped her shirt and brushed it aside with one hand. Lifting her, he roughly dragged his lips down her throat to the soft flesh rising above the edge of her bra.

Dropping her head back, Maddy sucked in a breath. She didn’t want to stop this time. She quickly looked around and panted out a quick breath when she saw no sign of the spirits.

She could feel how hard Colin was through the thin pants she wore. Reaching between them, she rubbed her hand against the front of his jeans. He bit her aching nipple through her bra, and she groaned and rubbed her hand over him harder.

He lifted his head and looked down at her as her hand continued to drive him into a frenzy of need. He clenched his jaw and lifted her to sit on the desk. She quickly undid his jeans and reached in to grasp him in her hand. He sucked in a breath and pulled both her legs up around him.

Leaning over her, he assaulted her mouth with his own. Her hand continued to squeeze up and down the length of him. He groaned and pulled his mouth from hers. “I don’t want to stop again,” he growled quietly. She leaned back on her elbows on the desk.

Maddy looked up at him. “Then don’t.” She said with her voice so husky she barely knew it to be her own.

Colin looked down at her as he slowly ran his hands up her thighs. Her eyes didn’t move from his as he leaned down and gently bit her inner thigh through her pants. She gasped and dropped back, papers scattering to the floor. Moving up, he bit her gently against the silky skin at the waist of her pants. She ran her hands into his hair. Pulling the elastic waist down, he licked across her stomach. Her legs tightened against him, trying to pull him closer.

Slipping the material down further, he slid his tongue along her hip. Looking up at her lying before him, he forgot why they shouldn’t be doing this.

Maddy dropped her arms out to push herself up. Her hand hit something, she turned to look and saw the Quaich rolling towards the edge of the desk. “Oh!” She reached for it at the same time as Colin did. Their hands touched around it, and something flashed through their arms.

Maddy looked at the glow around it and then at Colin. “Don’t let go.”

He nodded and held it carefully with his hand overlapping hers as he reached to slowly pull her upright. “Maddy.”

She looked from the cup to him, his tone was tense.

“Behind you,” he said quietly.

Leaning into him, she slowly turned to see the clear images of Robert MacGregor and Brenna Darcy on the other side of the desk behind her.

“What do we do?” he whispered against her ear.

Maddy looked at the Quaich between them. “Don’t let go.” He nodded without taking his eyes off the spirits. She turned slowly and stood in front of Colin, watching the hovering images as she carefully switched to hold the Quaich in her other hand.

Colin overlapped his fingers onto her hand. “What are you going to do?” He spoke in a low whisper as he still tried to slow his breathing.

“I’m not sure, but this is our chance.” She straightened so her back was pressed to his front. He wrapped his free arm around her waist. Slowly she extended their hands, holding the cup towards the forlorn spirits. “Let’s hope I do this right,” she said as she lifted her head to watch them. “Robert MacGregor and Brenna Darcy, heed me.” She paused to steady her voice, “Your time has passed—your lives are through.” With each line, she said her voice became louder, and she became surer of what she was doing. “I give you peace to take with you.” The images moved closer to their hands. Colin’s arm squeezed her tighter against him. “Our time is now,” she said slowly, “our lives not yet complete. Take your rest.” Maddy took a deep breath and held their hands higher. “I command you to leave us be!”

A bright flash passed through the room. Maddy was pushed back against Colin as he reached and held his other hand around the Quaich, keeping Maddy’s hand on it.

The ancient cup shook in their hands, and the light brightened. In a flash, it was gone, and the Quaich sat still between their hands.

“What happened?” Colin asked while his eyes darted around the room.

Maddy leaned over the desk, trying to catch her breath. “They’re gone.” She turned and looked at him. “It worked.” She followed his eyes to find her jacket still undone. Zipping it quickly, she took the cup from his hand and turned it over. “They were somehow tied to this, just like we are.” Stopping, she looked at him.

His eyebrows rose as he looked at her. “You don’t think—”

Maddy bit her lip. “It might—”

Colin quickly zipped his jeans up, took the Quaich from her hands, and grabbed her hand with his free one.

Maddy’s heart raced as she ran into the yard with him. They both stopped at the bottom step. Colin turned and pulled her face up to his; he kissed her hard and straightened. “Sit down, just in case. I don’t want a repeat of yesterday.”

Maddy nodded and took the Quaich from him. She sat on the step, hugging it to her as she watched him jog towards the marker at the back of the yard.

He stopped a few feet from it and turned back to face her. Maddy sat up straighter and nodded. As he stepped backward, she tried not to hold her breath. He was almost to the stake, and her hopes dropped as the telltale signs of the twinges that led to the pains started. He held his hand over his stomach and stopped.

Maddy sighed when he started to walk back slowly toward her. She watched how he walked and was surprised a man that size was as graceful as Colin was. She tried to read the expression on his face, but with his eyes downcast, the dark lashes hid his eyes from her.

He stopped in front of her and reached out a hand. “I guess you’re still stuck with me.”

Maddy smirked as she took his hand. “Oh, whatever will I do?”

He wrapped an arm around her. “So, what next?”

Maddy bit her lip and looked down at the Quaich she still held. “I guess we’d better fill my parents in on what happened.”

Colin sighed. “Not the answer I wanted.”

Maddy gave him a blank look. “What answer did you want?”

Colin gave a nonchalant shrug and looked at her. “I was hoping we could finish something else—before we filled in your parents.”

Maddy’s cheek went red. “Oh.” She looked at the cup and then back at him. “I think they need to know, so everyone working on this can calculate that into everything.”

Colin sighed and leaned down to kiss the top of her head. “My brain agrees, my body doesn’t.”

~

Colin sat in the chair and listened as Maddy attempted to explain what had occurred to both of her parents. Katherine sat there looking patient and, if he wasn’t mistaken, amused as her daughter stumbled, trying to find the way to explain to her father what had transpired in this same room when the spirits appeared. She was attempting to do it without telling him what they had been doing when it happened, and it left him asking far too many questions and Maddy red-faced and flustered.

Maddy finally gave up and looked at Colin. “I don’t know how to explain this...”

Colin stood up and ran a hand lightly down her hair. He looked at her mother. “You’re well aware of when our ancestors’ spirits chose to make an appearance.”

“Yes, I am, dear.” Katherine smirked at him with humor in her eyes.

“Well, I’m not,” Gerald stated and looked from his wife to Colin.

Maddy hid as much as possible behind him.

“Perhaps you should explain it to me, Mr. Gregor.” Gerald straightened in his chair.

Colin raised an eyebrow at Katherine, who was hiding a smile behind her hand. He took a step so Maddy was hidden more from her father’s sight. “They appeared, either one or the other or both, when your daughter and I were intimately involved, Mr. Darcy.”

“Intimately involved?” He looked at Maddy and then back to him. “I think you should explain yourself, Mr. Gregor.”

Colin straightened up and put his hands in his pockets. He rocked forward on his feet and then shook his head. “No disrespect, sir, but that’s really none of your business.” He chanced a glance at Katherine to see she had dropped her head down so her face wasn’t visible.

“What you’re doing with my daughter is none of my business?” Gerald asked slowly.

“She’s not a child, sir. She’s twenty-seven years old.”

“I am well aware of how old my daughter is. I do not need...” He stopped and looked at his daughter. “Ramada Winifred Darcy, explain to me what is going on.”

Colin turned to look at her and mouthed Winifred silently. She mouthed back shut up and stepped around him, rolling her eyes in her father’s direction. “Da, we have much more important things to discuss than whether or not I’m a virgin and old enough to be with a man.” Colin ran a hand down her back, and she appreciated that he was offering that little bit of unseen support.

“Katherine, am I to just sit here and pretend it doesn’t concern me?” Gerald turned to his wife.

Katherine sighed. “No, but in truth, it really isn’t any of our business, Gerald—Maddy is a grown woman—”

“He is not from our community, and there are laws to follow.” He looked over at his daughter again.

Maddy’s mouth dropped open. “So we’re to ignore the curse so we don’t get a slap on the hand for breaking a few community rules—”

“Laws.”

“Whatever!” She paced a few feet closer and looked from one parent to the other. “I am well aware of the laws.” She looked at her father when she said the last word. “I also have a curse that doesn’t care whether I’m here to break laws or whether I’m a withered-up witch!” She hissed out an annoyed breath and turned to look at Colin. His jaw was clenched, and his eyes dark. He watched her every movement, and the image in her mind was of a predator protecting his mate. With that encouraging thought, she turned back to her parents. “I don’t suppose it makes a difference that Colin is from Royal bloodlines, magical royal bloodlines at that.” She waved a hand at the Quaich. “His own aunt placed a curse on that, and no one from our time has been able to come close to breaking it or really even figuring it out.” She turned back to her father with her hands on her hips. “As far as I’m concerned, that alone makes him part of this community.” She walked over, stood before Colin, and looked up at him. “If the community doesn’t consider every bit of that, then I will abjure my place in it and my own abilities.” Colin gave her a curious look but didn’t interrupt. She smiled at him before turning back to her mother. “If we can’t remove this curse, I have a choice—” She waved a hand towards Colin. “We have a choice. We can either be together, or we can be dead—or nearly so.”

Katherine straightened in her seat and looked at them for a moment. She nodded once and turned towards her husband. “I’ve been doing some research of my own on Colin’s family history, and Maddy is right. Colin’s place is in our community—” She held up a hand when Gerald started to speak. “He may not have abilities of his own, but his children most likely would, and they would belong with us.” She turned back to Maddy. “I truthfully don’t care one way or the other what the community thinks at this point, Ramada. I just want you and Colin to be healthy and in corporeal form.”

All three turned to look at Gerald. He sighed and rubbed a hand over his eyes. “Aye, I agree.” He looked at his little girl and couldn’t help but feel pride for who she had become despite everything. Lifting his eyes, he looked at Colin where he stood behind her. “You, Mr. Gregor, will do all you can to ensure Maddy has nothing but happiness, is that clear?”

Colin lowered his head in a slight bow. “Yes, sir, it is, and you have my word I will.”

“Very well.” Gerald looked over to see his wife smiling at him. “I think they should take the rest of the day to rest, it’s been a long and tiresome one so far.”

Katherine smiled. “Yes, it has.” She glanced at the marker board before looking back at Maddy. “I have to get back to business here, try to relax for part of today, and we’ll check in tomorrow and see if anyone has come up with anything new.”

“We’ll try. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” Maddy smiled at her mother as she walked over to close the cabinet. “Love you, Da.” She said as she closed his. Turning, she grinned as she looked at Colin. “Feel like driving, or do you want to play in the portals?”

Colin frowned at her. “Where are we going?”

Maddy shrugged. “Out to dinner. I don’t have to worry about accidentally zapping someone or doing a spell I’m not aware of, so I want to go out and sit in a restaurant and do nothing for a few hours.”

“That works for me.” He grinned. “And I pick portal.”

Maddy nodded. “I know just the place to go.”