Natural Magick (15 page)

“
Mel, do you have your shields up full? All of you, I want you to drop your shields. All at once now—three, two, one, now!”

Phillip backed a few steps away from her even as he counted down. This was not helping, she thought.

Pete stiffened at the surge of power, and then she felt the mark, the sigil, as James had told her it was called, move and grow again. Dominic must have sensed something and squeezed her hand again. She suddenly needed more; she turned around and wrapped her arms around his waist. The others in the room looked at her in near silence.

~~~

“
Dominic, touch her back please, gently. I want to see it move when you touch it. Then, when I tell you, I want you to press into the vines,” Phillip said.

Dominic did as he asked and he felt the vine move and sway again as it had done in the bedroom, just as if it were a living thing. When he pressed his fingers into it the vine, it swallowed his fingertips. He watched as it seemingly swallowed his hands deep within its greenery.

“
Pete, darling, may I try something, please? I’d like to try and hurt you. Could I try that, please? It’s just a thought, but maybe it…” Phillip looked up at Dominic and saw alarm clearly written all over his face. He backed up another step and away from the two of them.

The deep rumbling sound coming from him was dark and dangerous. This was his mate, his true love. No one was going to harm her, not while he was still able to protect her.

“
I won’t hurt her, Dominic. I said I’d try to hurt her. I don’t believe the vine is going to let me cause her any harm anyway. May I please continue? It’s very important or I wouldn’t ask. I know the value of a mate.”

Phillip was a true immortal and could not be killed. Dominic knew this. But pain was friggin’ pain no matter what kind of being one was. And there was no doubt that Dominic would hurt him badly if harm came to his love.

At Dominic’s nod, Phillip drew back to ask for a knife. Sara handed him a blade of hers, but he switched to another because the one Shade had handed him was not of pure silver, nor was it magically enhanced. Phillip had an idea and excitement was clearly written all over his face. Dominic thought Phillip had an idea what, if not who, Pete was.

“
Phillip, be careful. I don’t want to have to kill anyone to save your sorry ass,” Aaron said.

Dominic knew without a doubt that he would not be the only one to attack Phillip if his theory proved incorrect. There was an entire room full of beings, Aaron included, that would jump to Pete’s defense if need be.

Phillip looked up at Dominic. Taking a deep, calming breath, he made to stab at Pete’s back. But before it came within a foot of her, a vine lashed out and knocked the blade from his hand. Another reached out, wrapped itself around Phillip’s throat, and lifted him from the floor a good two feet.

“
Mother fuck!” Aaron said, and rushed forward.

Dominic started to push Pete behind him and to...to do what? He wasn’t sure what the hell he was supposed to do to help. It was alive and, fuck, it was protecting her.

Dominic felt Phillip whisper through his mind. “Tell her to relax; no one is going to hurt her. She’s a little frightened, poor thing. But for God’s sake, don’t let anyone touch her! Tell her, Dominic, comfort her. You’re the key to this.”

“
Pete, honey, I need you to relax. No one is going to harm you, but if you’d like to kill this old fool, I’ll gladly help you. The next time someone asks me if he can try to cut you, I’ll castrate him for you. He thinks you’re frightened. Like brandishing a knife at your back wouldn’t scare most people. That’s it, Piccadilly Fresno, relax, sweetheart.” He was anything but calm, but he thought he sounded okay.

“
I hate that name, you know. Making jokes, you’re making jokes at a time like this! I’m not frightened one bit. But I may just have to kill one or both of you before this is over. Now, stop calling me stupid pet names or I swear to you, Dominic Marshall, I will stake you in your sleep. I’m not kidding either. I think you’re all fucking nuts.” Dominic could hear her relief in her voice, and her fear. The vine dropped Phillip unceremoniously onto the floor and curled around Pete again.

Aaron laughed and bent over in his own relief. The vine had not hurt Phillip and Pete was yelling at him. Just like old times, Dominic thought. This whole fucking house was nuts.

“
Ah, Piccadilly, I think you will suit well in this family. And I do believe I’m getting much too old for this,” Aaron said.

Dominic thought he may be as well. The reality hit him then and he broke down. Everything hit him at once. Pete being his mate, Phillip trying to hurt her, the flipping vine fighting back. It was suddenly just too much.

“
Are you fucking out of your mind? Did you know that was going to happen? Jesus H. Christ! You dumb, stupid son-of-a-bitch, you scared the hell out of me. Don’t you ever do that again, do you hear me?” Dominic snapped at Phillip.

“
Just as I thought. Look, Dominic, the vine wasn’t reacting to Pete’s feelings at all. It was reacting to yours, Dominic, and your need to protect her. It’s protecting you both,” Phillip said with a grin.

The vine had begun to cover them both, everywhere Dominic was touching Pete skin to skin or through clothing, it didn’t seem to matter, the vine enveloped them.

“
Piccadilly, love, I know what you are. You, my dear, are a wood nymph,” Phillip said with a huge grin.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

“
A wood nymph? I don’t understand. Aren’t they like fairies or something?” Pete was trying to absorb this, but it was difficult.

So much had happened in the past few days that she was having trouble focusing on anything for more than a few minutes. And these people, this man, was telling her she wasn’t even human. Pete decided she really needed to have a quiet moment or a stiff drink. Maybe both.

“
Actually, most nymphs are identified only though their magic. There are some nymphs who give life to the seeds in the ground, others who touch the flowers in the morning to bring them dew, thus giving them their first drink of water. Then there are the ones who are called water nymphs who help with the breeding and birth of all underwater life. They are mostly always female and nature spirited. Now you, you were a puzzle. Your mother is most likely a nymph herself. It is thought that when a nymph wants to mate, to breed as it were, she need only look deeply in the eyes of her intended victim and he wouldn’t have any control over himself other than an uncontrollable need to mate. She must have bred with another nymph’s mate because you said there were no other males in her life but your brothers. Nymphs, especially wood nymphs are extremely protective of their young. And you were born.” Phillip read from his notes, so he missed her angry stance.

“
Just like that! She’s horny, finds another woman’s mate, fucks him, and poof, here I am,” Pete snarled.

“
Actually, pretty much just like that, only you forgot that she would be ovulating too. That would be important, you see, for the fertilization process to work. I think there might be a cycle chart somewhere in my notes at home. I can bring them to you if you’d like,” Phillip said.

“
Phillip, I don’t believe you’re helping matters. Haven’t I told you over the years, sometimes too much information is just too much? Can’t you see she’s upset? Pete, sweetheart, have a seat. I have a book that might help you. I’ve been keeping records of these happenings for thousands of years. And I have information that may help you. It’s nearly noon, and I can see that everyone is tired. I’ll leave this for you, and I’ll come back at sunset. If you have any questions, perhaps we can answer them for you then.” James had always been the most diplomatic of the group and was calming and assuring in ways no one else could manage.

~~~

That evening when Aaron arose, he found Pete in his study waiting for him. If he had been honest with himself, he was not really surprised. He had found her to be extremely determined when she set her mind on something. She also had the book that James had given her. The mark was different this time.

“
It’s finished, the mark, it’s finished growing. I don’t know how I know that, but I know.”

She was glowing with beauty. Beautiful and something more, something he couldn’t quite put his finger on, but if he had to guess he would say she looked fertile. But it was not so much for herself but for everything around her. All living things—a natural magick, he thought.

The vine had made its way to her face and one vivid green leaf was centered over her eye, covering about two inches up and below it. Another vine came across her neck and stopped just to the center of her throat. The leaves here were of varying shades of green and artistically arranged. There were buds and flowers here and there, but the overall effect was ethereal.

“
You are incredibly beautiful, Piccadilly,” Aaron told her.

“
I’ve been looking at this book of Mr. James’. I want you to forbid Dominic and the others to help me with my family. It’s too dangerous, and someone could get hurt.” She was not going to comment on his observations, he noticed with a smile. And that, too, did not surprise him.

“
I’m afraid I can’t do that, and even if I could, I doubt very highly that anyone would listen to me, even as their master. Dominic would die for you; you are his mate. He has no choice but to protect you, as I have no choice when it comes to protecting Sara and the children,” he told her calmly.

“
You have to, don’t you see? I’ve been taking notes. I wrote down all the traits that each of my brothers have, a list of their powers, and their physical characteristics that I could remember when I lived there. They aren’t human. I have to concede that my mother is a nymph, but she isn’t limited to what’s in this book either. None of them are. They are as different as you and I.”

Aaron looked at her. She did not understand yet. She did not understand what her relationship with Dominic, with all of them, was going to mean for her. His heart went out to her.

“
Let’s get you to breakfast before Sara eats it all, and then we’ll talk. Where is Dominic this fine evening?” She plopped down hard in the chair opposite the desk where he sat. Her face flamed up at his question.

“
He’s...we...he and I, we... You know, I’ve never met anyone who is so obsessed with someone’s sex life like you people are.” She looked away from him.

“
Ah. But I didn’t mention sex, love, you did. Never mind, I get the idea. Wore him out, did you, just so you could speak to me alone? I may be a very old vampire, but I am in love too. You’d do anything to keep him safe, including fucking him to exhaustion so you could try and convince me to see things your way. Smart woman, but I doubt he’ll appreciate it much, will you, Dominic?”

Pete jerked around to see Dominic standing in the doorjamb. Aaron thought Dominic looked mad, well, probably pissed. Really, really pissed would be a better description, he thought.

“
You’re right, I don’t. I’m not happy at all. May I have a word or two with Piccadilly alone, sire?”

She turned to Aaron. Aaron was sure Pete was about to throw herself at his mercy and beg for him to save her, but Dominic scooped her up over his shoulder and carried her out of the room. Aaron burst out laughing.

Then he decided to go and find his lovely wife. Maybe she was nursing the children again. Aaron wanted to watch her in her maternal glory. Watching her birth the children was one thing he knew he’d never forget, but seeing her suckle the babies…it made everything around him seem so small and unimportant.

~~~

When Dominic was halfway down the stairs to his lair, he started ranting at her. By the time he reached the lair, he was in a full blown anger.

“
What did you think you were doing? Did you honestly think I would stand back and let you fight them on your own? You leave my bed, our bed, so you could make arrangements behind my back, to have me stand back and to...Damn it, I’m so…”

Dominic had put her down on her feet and was striding back and forth in the massive room when he stopped to make a point. He could not for the life of him remember what it had been because he looked at her, really looked at her. His breath caught and his heart skipped several beats. She was beautiful. Lovelier than he had ever seen a woman look, and she was his.

Dominic walked slowly toward her so that he could take all of her in. The marks on her face made her seem surreal and dreamlike. Her pale skin was translucent and it glowed. Her short hair seemed to have sparks of light flitting off from it in small shoots of electrical arcs. Her body had always been tiny to him, but seemed more delicate and fragile somehow. When he reached her, he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her, gently at first, and then hunger took over. He could not seem to get enough of her.

“
Baby, I love you. I want you to know that. More than anything on this earth, I love you. But I need you to let me help you. I need to protect you. You’re mine, Piccadilly Fresno Marshall.”

He kissed her again and again. He felt her hug him to her.

“
I’ve never been in love before. I don’t even know if I believe this is real. It’s all happened so quickly.”

“
Believe it love. I am yours through all eternity,” Dominic whispered though her mind.

“
How did you do that?” Shock laced Pete’s voice.

“
We are bonded and mated, by blood and through sex. You and I have a special way of communicating that no one will ever hear or cut off. Even in death we will have a bond. I love you, Pete.” He held her close, the need to hold and to be held by her overwhelming.