Indigo Spell (15 page)

Water sloshed against the sides of the walls and but for the tiny glow of a string of lights lining the top of the glass ball, their world would have been dark. Grateful for the ability to see Jaxon’s face, she watched him slide down onto the floor.

Looking up at her, he winked and crooked his finger. “Come to me.”

Her knees wobbled. “I’m right here.”

He shook his head. “Lower.”

Bracing her hands against the cool glass, she lowered her body until she hovered over the top of Jaxon’s face. “Is this what you want?”

In response, he grabbed her hips and tugged her down hard, grinding her pussy against his mouth.

Tess’ hands smacked the wall while a seahorse bumped against it, its eager nose pressing close to the glass. As she stared at the small creature, Jaxon’s tongue lavished her, worshiped her, his hot mouth suckling on her clit like a fine piece of candy. He buried his face deeper into her pussy, grasping the globes of her ass to press her even closer.

A wave shifted the bubble, making Tess’ knees hit the shiny floor while her hands curled into fists. “Oh, that’s good,” she whispered, encouraging him by rocking her hips forward.

Teeth nibbling, fingers pulsing against her flesh, he dove into her, inhaling her scent, savoring her cream. She couldn’t see his face, only the darkness of his hair against her thighs, but she could feel every inch of his deliciously perfect tongue as he slipped the hot member inside her channel.

While he licked the walls of her pussy, his fingers stayed busy rubbing her cheeks, his thumbs tweaking the plump orbs. Her palms grew damp and she flattened them against the wall again.

She was close. Her scalp started to tingle and her vision became hazy. Every muscle in her body drew taut, constricting into one tight knot before exploding into a burst of sweet bliss.

Her hands slipped down the wall while she rode out the orgasm, screaming Jaxon’s name and rocking her hips back and forward. Every nerve cell reacted, sweeping her away into a powerful vortex.

Just like that it was over, leaving her weak, breathless, replete.

Jaxon lifted her up and stood. “You taste like sweet wine.” He kissed her, allowing her to test the veracity of his words. With a groan, he lifted his head. “We must go back.”

The bubble rocked again and Tess looked around, noticing for the first time that the frenzied movement of their glass cell had drawn several spectators. With a laugh, she touched the wall and the sea creatures moved closer. “It’s beautiful here.”

“We can come back anytime.”

“Good, but next time, it’s my turn on the floor.”

* * * * *

“The Coven will not wait much longer. Even now I can feel their impatience.” Falcon crossed his legs, waved a hand toward an empty chair.

Jaxon sat opposite his mentor, one hand tapping a rhythm on the dark wooden table separating them. “How much longer do you think we have?”

“Days maybe, a week if we’re lucky.”

The old wizard’s eyes rested on Jaxon. “I will need you here.”

Eyes closed, Jaxon drew in a breath. He’d felt that one coming since his arrival. And now would come a speech about the all-important requirements of the Assembly. “I can’t leave Tess.”

“Your strength is needed here.”

“You have Andion and my father as well as my uncle. Their combined strengths are enough. I will be here when I can.”

Falcon rose, never in a rush, strolling around the circular meeting room. His soft-soled boots made little sound against the marble floor. Only the swish of his robe could be heard. “You are next in line to take my place as leader of the Assembly.”

An invisible hand seemed to close around Jaxon’s throat. “That’s impossible! My father is the second oldest wizard. The right of passage should fall to him.”

“The leader is not chosen simply because of age.”

“I cannot rule over family members older than I am. Besides, this is a moot conversation considering you are going to live forever.”

Falcon smiled and waved away the comment. “No one lives forever, Jaxon.”

“You’re an immortal.”

“But even an immortal can choose not to live forever.” The meaning was clear.

Jaxon got to his feet, shoving the chair out of the way with the heel of his boot. “Why would you choose not to live? You are needed here. You would never turn your back on the Assembly.”

“No, that I would never do. But I have trained you for this purpose, to assume the role of leader. When next we face the Coven, we shall need a strong commander to take charge. You have the power now.”

“Leading was never my choice.”

“Who you are makes you a leader, Jaxon. There is no choice to make. The authority will be yours.”

Palms against his temples, Jaxon backed away. “Tess is waiting for me. I have to get back.”

“If you insist on keeping her with you, you should prepare her for what lies ahead.”

“It is too soon.”

“The Coven will not wait for you to gain the courage to enlighten her.”

The warning followed Jaxon, weighing heavily on his heart.

* * * * *

Tess took her time inspecting the house. She wasn’t quite sure what she was looking for, a hidden passage maybe, a secret library. Her reading skills were admittedly lacking when it came to wizards and fairy tales but perhaps it wasn’t too late to brush up on the subject.

Jaxon had spared no expense in decorating the home. Filled from brick end to brick end with tastefully framed art, solid antiques and vases from the Ming Dynasty, the house was a picture peeled off the pages of
Home Beautiful
. The banister was lined with gold, the doorknobs twenty-four karat. Belgian lace covered the windows and imported carpets graced the floors. Ornate chandeliers hung suspended from intricately designed chains woven with mother-of-pearl and gossamer silk. Each room screamed wealth and class. All of this from a South Carolina contractor. Tess descended the staircase in her search for more of Jaxon’s secrets.

The library wasn’t too difficult to find. Books called to her and with floor-to-ceiling shelves lining the walls, she could move into the room and never leave. She whirled around in the center of the plush area rug, her arms open wide. She loved everything about libraries, the old smell, the quietness but especially the feel of the books in her hands.

She poured over a thick novel, an escapade involving a worn hero’s daring attempt to save his lover from the hands of a wicked warlord, when a shadow fell across the room. For a second, she couldn’t breathe. The air tightened, thickened. Jumping to her feet, she twirled around in a circle, looking for an intruder but she was alone. The room was empty and she could breathe once more.

Tess closed the book and pushed it back from the edge of the desk. “Jaxon?” Her voice was a whisper, fear tapping her on the shoulder, making her aware of the possibility she had a visitor other than Jaxon. A visitor who wouldn’t be welcome in his home.

A movement caught her eye and she shot out of the library, racing out into the hallway in time to see an apparition float against the wall. A dark, hazy shadow, it reached gray fingers to disturb the art as it moved. Doorknobs turned and chairs moved as it glided down the long stretch of hallway.

Tess followed, more than slightly hysterical. In the past twenty-four hours, she’d faced hurricanes, walls of water held still by the whim of a hand, her body disintegrating into thin air, a wizard and now a spirit. Her head spun while her world tilted crazily.

“You must be Jaxon’s little girlfriend.” The apparition solidified into a beautiful woman with flowing black hair and eyes the color of midnight. Her skin was so pale, it was almost translucent, her voice a musical cadence which mesmerized her victim.

Tess blinked at the spirit woman and fisted her hands in the pockets of the robe she still wore. “Who are you?”

The laughter was a tinkle of sound. “You mean he hasn’t mentioned me? How disappointing. I never imagined Jaxon would be so misguided. I mean to actually believe he could fit into the world below. It’s clearly a place he doesn’t belong.” Long fingernails scratched the light switch plate as the cold gaze raked over Tess’ body. “I can’t imagine what he sees in you. You’re not exactly his type of woman.”

“I don’t know who you are but I’m sure I don’t want to have this conversation with you.”

The gauzy material of the long, blue dress floated around her ankles as the spirit crossed her legs in midair. “No, I can’t imagine you would. It would appear Jaxon is keeping you firmly ensconced in the dark.”

Tess’ irritation climbed another notch. She had had just about enough of these spirits, wizards and faeries. She thought she’d been open-minded enough. But she had to draw the line somewhere. It appeared she’d have to draw it with the ghostly visitor. “Get out.” She made her voice firm.

More laughter greeted the instruction. “You think you can just order me out and I will obey your commands? You cannot force me to leave here. I am part of the earth, part of the sky. I go where I want to go, stay as long as I want to stay.”

“Until I tell you to leave.” Jaxon materialized beside Tess, taking hold of her arm. The words whipped out of him, saturated in fury. Power and darkness swirled around him. His face was implacable, his eyes twin darts of rage and as the air grew heavy, Tess could only watch as the wizard and the ghost squared off.

“You are back soon. I thought you would be with your little buddies for at least another hour or so. You know how they like to drone on.” The spirit observed her fingernails before dropping her hands back to her sides. “I’ve missed you, Jaxon. It has been a while since you and I have played one of our little games. Haven’t you missed the challenge?”

“You will leave my house now.” His hand swept up, opening the door. “Don’t make me send you out.”

“Such theatrics. Fine. I shall go but I think I shall have another conversation with your little friend in the future. You will make sure she understands about my conversation, won’t you?”

A low growl of fury, a blast of wind and Jaxon had sped forward, his hand closing around the apparition’s throat. Tess didn’t have time to think how he could actually capture a ghost. She backed toward the stairs, horror lodging in her throat. Who was this woman? This ghost? And how had she gotten involved with a man who was born a wizard?

“You will leave my home and you will not return. To do so would be at your own peril.” The words simmered out of him, low and deep. Tess could barely make them out. She saw a flash of fear in the spirit’s eyes. Seeing firsthand Jaxon’s tenuous hold on control, she understood why even the ghosts would be afraid of him.

Shimmering blue light encapsulated the spirit and then she disappeared, fading into the night. Jaxon’s hands fell and his breaths came in hard, struggling gasps. “Tess, are you all right?”

She continued to back up the stairs before stopping on the third. “Actually that would be no. Not right at this point, I’m not. In fact I don’t think I’m going to be all right for some time. I’m going to go upstairs now and try to absorb what just happened here. You know you just scared off a ghost.”

“She wasn’t a ghost.” He walked toward her. “Her name is Athena and she is a witch, a very powerful witch.”

“Oh, of course.” Tess nodded slowly. “A witch. Because you can’t have wizards without some witches being in the mix. Of course. I understand perfectly now.” Her hand bit into the banister, her only link to reality.