Lone Star Magic (23 page)

In the distance, he heard an odd sound. A
muted roar.

“Another tornado?” Carly’s expression showed
her fear.

The sound grew louder.

“I don’t think so. The pressure in the air
remains unchanged.” But he had no idea what the threat might
be.

“You know, I think we have more to worry
about from the weather than we do from the Warlord.”

Suddenly, they were surrounded by water. On
dry land, a place where no water should be.

“Is there a creek nearby?” Alrick
shouted.

“Maybe. This is a flash flood,” Carly yelled
back. “Happens sometimes, when the spring rains make the ground too
wet.”

It wasn’t spring and the ground had been,
only a moment ago, cracked and parched with thirst.

The water rose quickly, to the horses’ knees
in a matter of seconds. The horses, uneasy, shifted.

“We’re in a valley.” Pointing at the rise of
land ahead, Carly urged Merry forward. “We’ve got to get to higher
ground.”

They splashed single file up the crest of the
small hill. Below them, the water continued to rise, swallowing the
trees as it came.

At the crest of the hill, they had a good
view. The area where they’d been now appeared a small lake. The
muddy water swirled and moved as though powered by an underground
source.

“There.” The next hill looked taller, the
trees more stout, though more sparse. The connecting ridge was
still above water.

“Let’s go.”

They splashed through to the other side. By
the time the horses scrambled up onto the slope, the ridge was
underwater. Behind them, the rising water engulfed the hill they’d
just abandoned.

“So far, so good.” Once they’d reached the
summit, he could see nothing but hills and trees towards the north.
“We’ve got to keep moving.”

The hair on the back of his arms rose. “What
the—.”

“I feel dizzy.” Swaying on Merry’s back,
Carly slid to the ground. She took a step and staggered.
“Alrick?”

“Magic,” he hissed, reaching for her. He felt
like he was moving in slow motion.

Dimly, he saw how she fought to get to him.
“Can’t breathe.”

Unable to move, he let out a roar of
frustration. The spell had paralyzed him. TM too.

Above them in the perfect sky, Tinth shrieked
and dove.

A shape formed in front of them. Black
cloaked, face hidden in shadows. An aura of power sucked the light
from around him, making him appear to glow, as though he drew
strength from the atmosphere itself.

The Warlord!

CARLY STRUGGLED to remain conscious, willing
air into her lungs, holding on to Merry’s mane and leaning against
her side.

Bellowing, Alrick jumped from TM and fought
his way to her side. The effort cost him. Gasping to breathe air,
he swore. Sweat ringed his brow and his arm visibly trembled as he
fought gravity to reach for her.

She tried to lift her hand to meet his but
couldn’t.

The Warlord’s shape coalesced.

A black blur shot from the sky. Screeching,
Tinth attacked him.

Effortlessly, the Warlord backhanded the bird
into the trees.

Carly screamed in outrage.

The Warlord turned. From inside the dark
shadow of his cowl, his brilliant blue gaze blazed, touching her,
making her shiver, cold as ice. He motioned towards her. She felt
herself moving towards him. Fighting his pull, she wound her
fingers through Merry’s mane and dug in her heels. To no avail.
Like pulled by a string, she slid closer as the Warlord reeled her
in. All without him moving a muscle.

She thought once she reached him, his touch
would make her shatter, like broken crystal.

Then Alrick grabbed her hand, his fingers
intertwining with hers.

Warm filled her, loosening the Warlord’s
frozen grip. Strength surged through her.

Alrick pulled her back.

At her movement, the Warlord snarled. Still
the hood hid his features, though Carly’d bet they were twisted in
rage. A humming filled the air, a sound not of this world.

TM whinnied, loud and full of warning.

Carly fell back against Merry, taking comfort
as the mare turned her head and nuzzled her.

The Warlord motioned again.

Alrick withdrew his sword. The sword sang as
he lifted it high. But before he could complete the arc, the
Warlord winked out.

Gone.

Carly looked at Alrick. He crossed to her,
yanking her into his arms. The warmth of his large body felt
wonderful, though she couldn’t seem to stop shivering.

“We’re in trouble now,” Alrick muttered.

“I know.” Carly lifted her head to meet his
stormy gaze. “The Warlord used magic on top of the Mage’s magic.
Whatever weather disaster coming is going to be a doozy.”

“Look.” Alrick pointed. Shaking her feathers,
Tinth hopped into the clearing.

“Is she okay?”

Tinth chose to answer for herself, launching
into the sky with a squawk.

“She appears to be fine.”

“Good.” Carly watched until the hawk was no
more than a black speck in the dusky sky. “I’d hate to have to tell
Mort we let his pet bird get killed.”

Alrick studied the sky as well. “We’d better
keep moving. It’ll be dark soon. No telling what is going to
happen.”

“I don’t know which is worse – the Warlord or
waiting for the next natural disaster.”

“I tend to agree,” Alrick drawled. “Now that
you’ve seen him, do you still feel the Warlord isn’t
threatening?”

“When I looked into his eyes…” Carly
shivered. “I saw coldness, nothing more. It’s as if his blood has
turned to ice.”

“Nothing matters to him here but your
death.”

“Yeah.” Glum, she stared into rose-colored
horizon, running her hand over and over Merry’s soft coat. “I’d
like to end this, right now.”

“End this?” Alrick sounded shocked, making
her look at him. “You don’t mean…”

“No, nothing like that. Wishful thinking,
that this could be over soon, like there’s a way to bring on the
final battle here and now.”

“The final battle? Aren’t you being a bit
dramatic?”

“Listen.” He held up a hand.

Carly stared at Alrick. He stared back. “It
always begins with a sound.”

They heard a pop, then a roar. An instant
later, smelled the first whiff of smoke.

“Fire.”

“Damn.” Even as he cursed, orange flames
engulfed a grove of trees to the west of them.

“Now what?” They had nowhere to run. Behind
them was flood water. Ahead, an inferno, cutting off escape on two
sides. “It’s moving towards us fast.”

“Back track.”

“Across that water? Do you think we can?”

“We might have to. At least that’ll keep the
fire from getting us. Or…” He squinted into the smoke. “We’ve still
got North.” Holding out his hand, Alrick indicated her mare. Merry
had caught a whiff of the smoke and, ears back, appeared on the
verge of bolting.

“I’ll help you up.”

TM whickered, his own fear showing by the
rapid flaring of his nostrils.

Without hesitation, Carly stepped into
Alrick’s hand, swinging herself up onto Merry’s back. Once she was
mounted, he climbed on TM with an effortless motion that any other
time she would have found beautiful to watch. Now, with the acrid
smoke stinging her nose, all she could do was fight back her own
panic.

“Choose. North or back to the flood.”

She only had to think for a second. “North. I
never like to go backwards.” With a heel to Merry’s side, they were
off.

Riding at a gallop, they didn’t slow even
when they saw the first fire plane swoop in an drop water. Not
until the third pass had contained the flames, did they rein the
lathered horses to a halt.

“What will happen now?” Alrick looked back
towards the fire. “Will they send men on the ground too?”

“Yep. I wouldn’t be surprised if they weren’t
already there. Even though this is a pretty unpopulated area, they
don’t want to take a chance the fire will spread.

The sun chose that moment to drop below the
horizon. The dim gloaming instantly became complete darkness.

“Let’s stop for the night.”

Both horse’s coats were lathered. Carly
walked out Merry, following behind Alrick and TM. Once they were
able to brush them, they tied them to trees, leaving the ropes long
enough to allow them to graze.

“No campfire.”

Carly nodded her agreement. “Not after that
mess.” Gingerly, she dropped to the ground, after checking first
for scorpions, ants, spiders, and snakes. “I’m exhausted.”

Alrick hunkered down next to her. “The nights
are warm here, though not as bad as the day.”

“After the temperature today, this feels
downright pleasant.” She stretched, watching him from under her
lashes as he did the same.

“At least we should be safe from the Warlord
tonight. Even he wouldn’t be able to try two attacks so close
together.”

He was close enough that she could, with
little effort, lean sideways and kiss him. Now that her blood had
stopped roaring and her heart no longer pounded, she very much
wanted to. Even though they’d already proved exploring their mutual
attraction was a major mistake, Carly felt as though she might
explode if she didn’t do
something, anything.
With the
simmering desire fanned by adrenaline, Carly couldn’t think of a
single thing she’d rather do right here, right now, than make love
with Alrick.

Something of her thoughts must have shown on
her face. His gaze darkened.

She licked her lips.

“Carly…” A warning. Or, as she chose to take
it, an invitation.

She leaned forward and kisses him.

He froze.

She wiggled closer, until she was nearly on
top of him.

Breathing into his mouth, taking his essence
into her chest, she deepened the kiss. Letting her tongue explore
every nook and cranny of his mouth, she stroked and caressed and
nibbled while he held himself utterly, completely still.

Never had she found resistance so erotic.

Finally, he groaned and stopped resisting. He
kissed her back, his tongue dancing with hers, mating with
hers.

“Oh, God.” Passion arced between them, like
before, like always when they touched each other. But this time,
this time, she wanted him inside her, hard and fast and mindless,
as if by fucking her he could blot away the past, the present, and
the future.

But instead of rolling her on her back and
taking her, Alrick pulled away. Stopped. Without even touching her
at all.

Carly blinked. Her ragged breaths sounded
loud in the quiet. He lay still, nearly underneath her, the
impressive bulge pressing against her showing her his need was as
strong as hers.

“Alrick?” She wanted him to caress her, to
use his body to transport them both from the uncertainty and fear
that haunted every waking moment.

But instead of touching her, he only looked
at her, and something in his dark eyes made her feel ashamed.

“You’re using me.” His chest rose and fell
rapidly. If she laid her hand on him, she’d feel the pounding of
his heart.

She swallowed, trying to get past the lump in
her throat. Arching her brows, she tried for unaffected. “So?

“Get off me.”

“What man turns down an offer of
no-strings-attached sex?” As soon as she said the words, she
regretted them. This wasn’t her talking, not her. Maybe this was
the new Carly, the bold, fearless one who’d birth a son and name
him Lance.

If so, she wasn’t certain she liked her.

“Maybe I’m the kind of man who prefers
strings.” His eyes widened, as though his words surprised him.
“Either way, I’ve already told you why we can’t do this.”

She stared, her heart doing a slow, steady
thump. Shame warred with anger. “Fine.” She pushed herself away,
glad of the darkness. She no longer felt bold or fearless. She
felt… hurt. Suddenly, she wanted to weep.

He let her go, no doubt knowing she couldn’t
go far. Longing for Kayo, she went to Merry instead, petting the
horse while waiting for tears that wouldn’t come.

Later, hoping he’d gone to sleep, she crept
back towards him. He’d rolled on to his side, though the gleam of
his eyes in the moonlight told her he was still awake.

“Carly, sit.” He spoke quietly, and she hated
the kindness she heard in his voice. Hated it and found herself
drawn towards it the way a moth was drawn to a flame.

Gingerly, she sank to the ground next to
him.

“I’d like to ask you something. I’d like to
know why every time the Warlord attacks or the weather threatens,
you want to make love with me?”

Instant embarrassment bloomed in her face.
Good thing the moon was only a crescent. “Um, escalating tension.”
She said the first thing that came to mind.

He snorted. “That’s, how’d you say it,
crap
.”

Hunching her shoulders, she sighed. “I
know.”

“Then please, think about what I’m asking.
Tell me the truth.”

“Why’s it matter?”

“It matters. I really want to know.”

“You’re wrong, Alrick.” She tried protesting
next. “Wanting to make love has nothing to do with what’s
happening.”

“Just because I can’t lie, doesn’t mean I
can’t recognize one when I hear it. Think about it, Carly.”

“I am. The first time we almost er, made love
was in Rune.”

“After the warlord destroyed your truck. The
second was after he sent the ants.”

“I know. I remember.” Did she ever. “But
after the spider attack, you’re the one who initiated that.”

“No.” His calm tone told her he wouldn’t be
distracted. “I followed up on what you so seductively offered.”

Since technically he was right, she couldn’t
argue.

“So why? Why do this to yourself, to me?” He
looked at her as though he were actually trying to understand. “You
know it’s impossible.”