Charmed & Ready (26 page)

I looked above his head. The large picture would work well.

He thrust out with the knife and moved forward.

"No!" I screamed. The room shook and he fell back. The picture fell from the wall and hit him on the head. He collapsed on the floor.

"Bronwyn, are you okay?" Kira yelled as she ran up the stairs, Caleb close on her heels.

She rounded the corner, her eyes flashing with surprise when she saw me standing naked over Sam's prone body.

Her hand flew up and she covered Caleb's eyes before he could see me.

"Caleb, go get some rope." I reached to the bedpost and grabbed my robe. "Kira, help me move him away from the wall. I don't know how much time we have. How did you know?"

Caleb came back in. "The dead people told her."

Didn't have time for any more questions, but I sent a quick blessing for Kira's new power. I couldn't do what I was about to on my own.

By the time we dragged him to the middle of the floor, Caleb was back with the ropes. They bound his wrists and feet while I threw on some jeans and a T-shirt.

I heard the front door slam. "Bronwyn?" It was Peggy from the coven.

"We're up here. Is Mike with you?"

"Yes, and Inspector Cole."

Cole? What the hell was he doing here?

Cole looked at me and nodded. "I knew when you left L.A. that it wasn't over. Don't know how, but I just knew it."

The men carried Sam downstairs and out to the back field. It was as if everyone knew their mission. More coven members showed up. In less than five minutes we had almost enough for a full circle.

Running back to the house to grab blue juice, I chugged it down. Using my powers in the way I was about to could kill me. I knew it, but I wouldn't let that bastard have my Sam.

Also pulled a bottle of naming potion, salt and Caiale potion for later, if we survived this.

Peggy used the salt to complete the circle. We were still a few members short.

I turned to Caleb and Kira. "We need you. It's a lot to ask and what you will see won't be pretty—in fact it's about to get very scary out here."

"Shut up, Bron, and just do what you need to." Caleb's voice was harsh. "He's our friend too."

I nodded.

Cole stood at the head of the circle. That worried me because, like Sam, Blackstock had touched him. That's how the bastard had zoned in on him. Some small part of the evil warlock's sludge had to have been hiding in Sam's body.

I'd read a lot about possession. I never wanted to get caught in that situation again. I'd also discussed with Garnout the best way to rid someone of a demon possession. While Blackstock was a warlock, he'd killed a demon and absorbed those powers too.

Didn't matter. I had it covered.

I just didn't know if Sam or I would die first.

"Bronwyn, the circle's ready," Cole yelled.

"Switch places with Peggy. I don't want to take any chances."

He looked confused for a minute then nodded. He knew his body could be used as a vessel for evil if there were any mistakes.

Peggy held up her arms. The coven linked hands and began the chant. Caleb and Kira followed their words carefully.

I did the same. Standing at Sam's feet, I drew a circle with the salt and then a mental one. He was still unconscious, and I prayed he stayed that way. This would be painful for both of us.

I closed my eyes and willed the Goddess of Earth forward. She's my goddess to call and I needed all the power I could get.

"I ask thee to cleanse the soul of this demon breath. Make this man whole again."

The winds picked up and swirled around us. The awful smell of sulfur filled the air. Blackstock was fighting back.

Sam's eyes flashed open. "Bron?" But it was Sam this time, not the warlock. "What are you doing?"

His hands were staked above his head and his feet were also bound to the ground.

I continued my chant. I saw the fear in his eyes. It was real. His body convulsed in pain, and he let out a fierce scream.

I heard some of the coven gasp. "Don't stop your chant," Peggy screamed at them.

"Please stop, it hurts," Sam begged me, writhing in pain. He had no idea what was going on and I didn't have time to tell him.

Goddess of Earth I ask thee,

cleanse this man's soul from

the evil that holds him.

As I will it, so mote it be.

A white mist surrounded him, Sam's body convulsed again and his eyes watered. "No," he whispered.

A tear fell to my cheek. He thought I was trying to kill him.

I shook my head. "I love you, Sam."

I took the ceremonial knife and cut my palm. Dribbling the blood across his chest, I chanted.

He who is protected by my blood,

can hold no evil here.

Begone.

As I will it, so mote it be.

The blood sizzled on his chest and burned like acid.

His eyes turned orange again. "You can't have him, bitch. I die, he goes with me." Blackstock's voice was a roar.

Bastard.

"No. You want real power. You want my power. Come on, I'll give it to you. Come to me, asshole. Let's play for real, stop hiding inside the warlock."

He rose above Sam as an orange mist. His form was that of the demon Blaseus, but I knew the voice.

The smell of sulfur was disgusting.

Hovering over Sam, he reached for me.

I threw the naming potion at him.

"I name you Blackstock and your soul belongs to the Blood Goddess." I moved to stand at Sam's head and poured half the Caiale down his throat. He choked and sputtered, but most of it went down.

I looked down. I couldn't see if he was breathing, but there was no time to check. If he lived, I hoped he'd forgive me. For now he had to die.

The mist rushed me and I drank the last of the Caiale.

The coven changed their chant, but Blackstock was so excited about possessing me he didn't notice.

Before I passed out I surrounded myself, and Sam, with a healing circle.

"Go to hell, asshole!" I screamed. My body convulsed and I fell to the ground.

I was dead, but I could see the coven, they continued the chant, tears falling to their cheeks. Kira sobbing, but still repeating the words. I hovered above them.

Blackstock roared. He couldn't get out of our circle, and there was no one alive in the protected salt circle to possess. A demon can't possess a dead body. He looked up to the sky and then a giant mystical hand broke through the earth and pulled him into the ground.

Peggy broke the outside circle and poured the blue juice down Sam's throat and then mine.

The coven closed the circle behind her and continued their healing chant.

It's what kept Sam and me alive. I'm sure of it now.

I reentered my body gasping for air. Sam did the same. The circle broke and we cut the ties that bound Sam.

He reached for me. "God, I thought you were dead."

"I thought you were dead." I laughed. I should have been exhausted (almost dying usually does that to me) but I wasn't.

I touched his face. "I'm so sorry, I didn't know what else to do."

He squeezed me hard, his breath jagged.

Kira fell to her knees behind me and her arms circled us both. She sobbed. "I thought we were going to lose you both."

I laughed and cried. So did Sam. But these were tears of joy. We'd made it.

Everyone sat down on the ground. They'd been so powerful.

I held Sam but turned to them. "You were amazing."

Peggy smiled. "Girl, you sure do know how to stir up excitement around here. I don't know what we did for fun before you arrived." She said it jokingly, but I know she'd been affected by what had transpired tonight. We all had.

I later learned that Peggy and the coven had been watching the house. They felt Blackstock come through the instant he possessed Sam and made the calls to bring the coven in. I can't tell you how grateful I am these people have become my friends.

Sam is better than ever. We both slept about nine hours and he just went into town to pick up some food for dinner tonight.

His soul is lighter, as is mine. It's good to see him happy again. His strength amazes me.

Blackstock had been trying to possess him all this time, and Sam had been unknowingly fighting him. That's what had brought about all of those terrible insecurities, headaches and fevers.

Now that I know how bad he really felt, I'm even more amazed by Sam's abilities. He is a strong and gifted man.

I don't have long before he returns. I'm going to pick some flowers to put on the table.

Tuesday, 2 P. M.

Sweet, Texas

Thoroughly happy witches with hot boyfriends: 1

I can barely walk, but it's worth it. Sam and I have been making love for the last forty-eight hours. We can't get enough of each other.

There's this new connection between us, even deeper than before. Oh, and he's so romantic.

Sunday, when he came back he had a lot more than food.

I was out in the conservatory repotting some of my herbs when he walked in carrying a beautiful rosebush. The roses were a deep red, almost black. Rich and velvety blooms.

"What's this?" I smiled.

He handed it to me. "I ordered it a while back, and had John open up the nursery so I could get it for you. It's called Red Witch, because of the enticing aroma. Kind of like
my
witch."

I laughed. "It's so beautiful, baby. Thank you." I moved it to the side so I could kiss him. His lips were so soft. Mmmm. I love the taste of Sam.

"Something else I've wanted to give you, but I've been waiting for the right time." He suddenly looked shy, and he stared at his shoes.

"What is it?" I thought it might be something from Victoria's Secret. The man has a thing for sexy lingerie that only rivals my own.

He took a deep breath.

"I love you, Bronwyn. You know that. More than anything. This last month, well it's been hell. For the first time ever, I wasn't sure I could go on. Not without you."

He shook his head before I could speak. "I know a lot of those insecurities had nothing to do with my own feelings and emotions. But the truth is, trusting is hard for me. And your job is so tough for me to take. That part of what I told you before was true, and straight from the heart. I can't stand the idea of losing you." His voice caught.

His eyes were so intense. I had no idea where he was going with this. Had he just given me a present and then he was breaking up with me? It didn't make any sense.

My emotions must have fallen across my face.

He laughed. "Stop it, baby, I'm trying to be romantic. I'm just not doing a very good job of it."

"Thank God." My whole body shook with giggles. "I wasn't sure what to think."

"Here." He held out his hand. A perfect Red Witch bloom was in his hand. Draped on the rose was a beautiful silver necklace with a pendant.

"It's beautiful," I gasped. The pendant was shaped in two beautiful knots tied together.

He took it off the rose and walked behind me. Pushing my hair to the side, he placed it around my neck. "It's a Celtic eternal knot," he whispered against my ear. "This way I can be close to your heart at all times, even when you are thousands of miles away."

I turned to face him. He held my hands in his.

"I love you. I believe in you. And I'm so proud of you. I would never ask you to give up your job. But I do want you to be mine. Forever.

"I'm promising myself to you, Bron."

My arms flew around his neck.

"I love you so much." I kissed him all over his face and his neck and well, like I said, we've been in bed the last two days. He finally had to go into the office to see patients.

Oh, and I called Kira this morning. I remembered what Caleb had said about her hearing from the dead people that Blackstock was back.

"So, I guess you told Caleb." I was pruning out in the conservatory and had the phone cradled on my shoulder.

"Yes, and you were right. He took it really well." Kira laughed. "I almost got sick while I was trying to tell him, but he was so relieved that I wasn't seeing someone else. He said, considering the alternative, the dead people were a blessing."

So love is alive and well in Sweet, Texas.

And I'm in love with a gorgeous man who makes me happy. Yes, life is good.

Candace Havens is a veteran entertainment journalist who spends way too much time interviewing celebrities. In addition to her weekly columns seen in newspapers throughout the country, she is the entertainment critic for 96.3 KSCS in the Dallas/ Fort Worth area. She is the author of
Charmed & Dangerous
and the non-fiction biography
Joss Whedon: The Genius Behind Buffy
, as well as several published essays. You can visit her at
www.candacehavens.com
or for the real crazy stuff at
http://candyhavens.livejournal.com
.