To Wrangle A Witch (Southern Sanctuary Book 3) (15 page)

“What? 
What did you see?”

“There’s
something there, he’s right about that.  But… but I can’t get a good
enough look at it… it’s like whatever it is… my eyes just sort of slide right
by it… over it.”

“Fuck…
I want to kill someone.”  Darcy’s eyes narrowed in rage.

“Family
remember?  Calm down.”  Locke leant over refilling Darcy’s
glass.  “So this mark, what does it do exactly?”

“That’s
a very good question… one which if I could track Nate down and hold a taser to
his testicles I’m sure I’d be able to answer.”

Locke
unconsciously crossed his legs.  “Now there’s a lovely image.  Have
you thought of just giving the man a call and asking him?”

“He
won’t take my calls, see me, talk to me or Hadleigh about it.  It’s been
five months now and all I know is ‘someone’ has placed a magical mark on me
that is supposedly designed to keep men at a distance.  Something about
they can look but won’t touch.”

Locke
blinked in surprise.  “I just assumed it was your delightful personality
keeping men at bay all these years.”

Darcy
glared his way.  “How do you think I feel?  I’ve been assuming all
this time that men on the whole are just a bunch of sissies scared off by the
sight of a strong woman who carries a taser, knife, baton, whip and handcuffs.”

“When
did you start carrying handcuffs?”

“A
while ago when I discovered there’s less flailing around when someone’s
handcuffed to a post.”

“Mmmm,
we men are funny like that when someone takes a taser to our privates.”

“Tangent…” 
Growled Darcy.  “Back to my problem.  Where I’ve just discovered that
some… deviant out there has been screwing with my mojo for Goddess only knows
what reason.”

“I
think you’re asking the wrong question.”

“And
what would the right one be?”

“Who
would dare?  I love you cousin but let’s face it you’re coo-coo cocoa-puffs
crazy… in the best possible way of course.  Every teacher you ever had was
terrified of you.  Your own sister, a medical professional, has diagnosed
you as a sociopath.”

“It
doesn’t count when you only use your powers for good.”  Darcy sent him a
scathing glare.

“For
the good of the family you mean.  As I said, we love you but we all know
you Darcy… and I’m asking you to consider this from my point of view. 
Think of all the things you’ve done over the years and ask yourself… who would
dare mark Darcy Montgomery?  If you can answer that question… then I
believe the why of it will follow.”

“You
get so smug when you think you’re right.”

“One
more burden for me to bear in my ever stylish, ever witty, ever gorgeous way.”

“Okay
my question to you then, Mr I’m-always-right, knowing me as you do, who do you
think would mark me?”

Locke
looked for the truth, yet all he could see was the flash and glitter of alien
gold sparkles in Darcy’s aura.  “I don’t believe I can give you an
answer.”  A tidal wave of crashing heaviness receding from him as he spoke
those words.  He knew without being told that to tell Darcy anything more
would bring dire consequences down on him.  As much as she was family and
he loved her… and okay was ever so slightly wary of upsetting her… whoever was
protecting the answer to her question was much, much more frightening.

Darcy
heaved a frustrated sigh.  “Okay let’s get back to the immediate problem
at hand, Glinda the good witch out there and her myriad of problems.”

“The
witch has a name.”

Darcy
grinned, her problems forgotten for the moment.  “So touchy… speaking of
which...”  The words freezing in her throat as her eyes flicked to the
courtyard where it appeared Declan and Serena were getting naked together.

Chapter
Eighteen

“Pull
your t-shirt back down.”  Serena hissed at Declan, the man was completely
and utterly incorrigible. 

He
batted dark violet eyes her way, trying to look innocent and failing utterly, more
like the devil leading her into temptation.  “I was just showing you what
fine medical skills Nell has.  See, no scars.”

Serena
did her best not to look, which surprisingly took a little bit of effort, there
was something about the way the moonlight hit Declan’s flesh, defining every
rippling abdominal muscle to mouth-watering perfection.  Before she knew
it her hand was reaching out across the space between them to - a nearby fern
frond slapped her hard on the back of the knee – ooh, the little shit was
trying to manipulate her, well she’d teach him.  She let her fingers trail
down his amazingly soft skin to the side of his waist where lightning quick she
pinched down hard on the small amount of flesh she was able to grab.

“Ouch.” 
Declan jumped back, rubbing at his side even as an unrepentant gorgeous grin
graced his face.  A nearby salvia leant over sweeping Declan’s bare arm
with a trail of consoling flower soft kisses.

“Honestly.” 
Serena rolled her eyes, even the garden was falling for his Romeo ways. 
Yet the man was quite the puzzle.  He was all smiles and good fun but she
noted he kept his teasing flirty ways for only those moments when he had an
audience.  Like just then it hadn’t escaped her attention that both Locke
and his visitor had been focused on them just moments before Declan treated her
to a display of manly flesh. 

“You
evaded my question earlier, who is that meeting with Locke, another family
member?”

“Darcy,
she’s the Special Council Liaison Officer, probably here to check up on the
sucker situation.”

“She’s
another relative of yours?”

“Locke’s.” 

Serena
hid a confused frown.  If Declan was Locke’s cousin, and Darcy was Locke’s
cousin, why wasn’t Darcy, Declan’s cousin?  This family were going to
drive her insane.  Her attention snapped back to Declan.  “Why are
you lifting your t-shirt again?”  Earth and Stars the moon was behind a
cloud and still somehow moonbeams caressed lightly across Declan’s flesh. 
Determinedly she fisted both hands to help fight the temptation to just reach out
and touch him.  “Quit it with the strip show would you?”

Declan
dropped his t-shirt, running a careless hand through his wheat colour locks,
somehow managing to muss them up so that it looked like he’d just gotten out of
bed… or was thinking of going back there.  “I had no idea Earth Witches
were such prudes.”

“I’m
not.  But you know very well the effect you have on women and if you don’t
stop trying to get a rise out of me I’m seriously considering punching you.”

“Sorry.” 
Declan sent her a way too practised humble look that for a split second had her
melting before the fern frond yet again gave her a good hard smack on the leg,
at least the greenery was on her side, even if the flowers couldn’t seem to
stay away from Declan.  “It’s just you feel like family already and… well…
I forget sometimes.” 

Declan
shifted his stance and Serena couldn’t help but catalogue the way his jeans
clung to those lean athletic thighs of his.  Earth Chastain, snap out of
it.
 
Quickly she averted her eyes to
admire a nearby ginger plant in bloom.  “Forget what?” 

Declan
hesitated, then mumbled softly.  “That I’m not normal.”

Serena
rolled her eyes towards the heavens.  “Is this where I’m supposed to hug
you and kiss you on the forehead and tell you all is forgiven?”  Out the
corner of her eye she caught a flash of Declan’s devastating dimpled grin,
grateful she’d avoided the full force of it, otherwise she’d be like putty in
his hands.

“Hadleigh
and Nell would have by now.”

“Only
if they wanted to annoy their husbands.  And you enjoy teasing Vaughn and
Drum way too much to be considered healthy, considering the amount of damage
they could do to you.  Besides there’s no one here to tease.”

Declan
laughed softly, and whilst it was a pleasant sound she no longer had the urge
to plaster herself to him.  Tension left her shoulders when she chanced a
glance his way and though she could see that his dimpled smile was sexy it no
longer made her want to lick him from top to bottom like an ice-cream
cone. 

“Are
you sure about that?  Locke gets kind of wound up every time he sees us
together.”

Serena
shook her head.  “There’s nothing going on between Locke and I so you can
quit wasting your charm offensive on me.”

“You
know your voice gets all breathless when you say his name?”

“Does
not.”  Horrified she looked down to find her hand seemingly of its own
accord was once more reaching out to caress his amazingly tight bicep.

“Does
too.”

“What
are you twelve?”  She fisted her hand giving him a swift hard punch. 
“Stop trying to capture me in your web to tease Locke… or.”  Serena tilted
her head to the side and contemplated the dimly lit living room.

“Or?” 
Declan was rubbing his arm, more to be polite than because Serena’s light punch
actually had hurt him.  But he knew women, they liked to think they made
an impact.

“Maybe
it’s not Locke you’re trying to tease right now… who’s the babe in the boots
again?”

There
was a sudden tenseness around Declan’s eyes but he covered it well with a flash
of dimples and a soft laugh.  “Darcy… I should imagine she’s in there now
talking to Locke about how much trouble he’s in for bringing you and all your
vampy friends to the Sanctuary.”

“Shit,
I need to get in there and handle this.  Locke’s still recovering from his
injuries.
 
He’s in no fit state to defend
himself right now.”

Declan
laughed heartily.  “Locke came out of the womb threatening to sue the
doctor if he even contemplated the idea of slapping him on the butt.  I’m
sure he’s fine.”

“This
is my mess, because of me he’s been dragged into this nightmare, his home is
under attack, people are coming and going at all hours and he was almost
killed.”

“Well
when you put it like that…”

Serena’s
eyes narrowed.  “You really are a pain in the ass, you know that
right?  If I ever bump into a jealous husband looking for you I’m going to
hand over your GPS co-ordinates faster than you can say ‘but she said she
wasn’t married’.”

“Harsh
Serena… fine.”  He held out an arm.  “Let’s go defend the maiden fair
from the dragon.”

Serena
snorted in derision.  “Locke is not a dragon.”

“Actually
in this particular situation I was probably thinking Locke more for the fair
maiden role.”

*
                                    
*
                                 
*

Locke’s
eyes narrowed as Serena entered the room, her hand resting lightly on Declan’s
arm.  Only vaguely did he register the fact that his cousin had tracked
mud into his living room.  But Serena had as she looked down, whispered a
word and like that the mud disappeared.  Goddess she made him hot.

Darcy
rose to her feet, acknowledging Declan with a grudging nod of her head. 
“Cyrano.”

“High
Priestess of Hi-Jinx.  Are you here tonight to right wrongs or create
mayhem?”

“I’m
here purely in an official capacity, catching up on all the drama surrounding
our newest visitor to the Sanctuary.”  Darcy gave Serena a slow head to
toe perusal. 

Serena
returned the look in kind.

The
tension factor in the room tripled instantly as Declan jumped to head off any
potential smack down looming.  “Darcy meet Serena, Earth Witch and good
friend to our Maat warrior colleagues.  Serena meet Darcy, the Special
Liaison officer for the Southern Sanctuary.”

There
was a pause as the two women continued to take each other’s measure. 
Declan edging ever so slightly in front of Serena, ready to act as a human
shield if this all went horribly wrong. 

It
was Serena who broke the silence.  “I love those boots, totally kick ass.”

“Thanks.” 
Darcy smiled, a kind of scary smile but a smile nevertheless.  “They’re an
occupational necessity in my job, plus they look really awesome.”

And
just like that a détente was reached.

Whilst
the women talked Declan collapsed onto the sofa next to Locke.  “Whew, I
thought that was totally going to go down differently there for a moment.”

Locke
nodded in complete agreement. “Yes, I can’t help but think we dodged a
bullet.  I assume since you were out there flashing your flesh around
freely that you’ve healed up since last night.”
 
Locke absently ran a hand over his own chest, feeling the slight ridges
of scars that were fading fast.
 
Maybe he
should send Nell some flowers.

“Yeah…
unfortunately, what I wouldn’t give for a few scars.”

“I’d
be happy to help test the extent of your healing powers.”  Locke offered,
finishing off the last of his wine.

“Now,
now cousin.  I only escorted Serena around the garden, nothing happened.”

“And
there goes your perfect hot streak.”

“Please,
my hotness is not in question.
 
The
question you should be asking yourself is why the beautiful Earth Witch is
immune to my immense and all too obvious charms?”

“She
didn’t look particularly immune to them last night when she was snuggled in
your arms whilst I was bleeding out on my reclaimed hard wood floors.”

Declan
arched a perfect eyebrow.  “You know you’re sounding positively jealous.”

“Don’t
be ridiculous.” 

“I
may not be a human lie detector but even my bullshit meter is ringing right
now.  And for clarification purposes only, I was snuggling with Serena
last night under doctor’s orders, she was going into shock, heat, especially
the amount my body generates is a great counteragent.”

“And
the sad thing is you actually believe that.”

Declan
chuffed an easy going laugh.  “Enough about me, we’re getting off topic.”

“I’ve
already told you there’s nothing going on between me and Serena, I’m not
jealous, I’m just looking out for a house guest who’s not back to her full
strength yet and doesn’t have the ability to fend off your feeble charms.”

“Hmmm,
interesting you think that’s the topic I was referring to, nope, I was talking
about my performance appraisal form.”

“No
we weren’t.”

“Sure,
remember last night I mentioned it, then we got side tracked a little when your
guts started falling out.”

“This
is the way you badger people to complete the form?  No wonder you’re still
an apprentice.”

“Please,
what would Hadleigh do without me?”

“Well
if you keep pissing Vaughn and Drum off like you do I’m guessing it won’t be
too much longer before we get to find out.”

“Why
does everyone keep saying that?  You tease Hadleigh mercilessly and no one
warns you of imminent death by Maat warrior?  And don’t say it’s because
you’re family… I’m family too remember.”

“And
yet for some reason the male members of the clan keep forgetting that little
factoid, perhaps because you keep taking your t-shirt off in public.”

“It
gets torn sometimes when I fight.”

“What
about the time you lost your jeans?”

“Hey
that coffee was hot, and it’s not like I spilt it on myself.”

“I
heard the story, four women leapt forward to help, the resulting catfight and
jail time for those girls was the talk of the Sanctuary.”

“Oh
the Swedish backpackers, nice girls… they still send me a Christmas card
each year, but I don’t get why I’m always the one designated the culprit when
quite clearly I’m the victim.”

“You
took photos of the catfight and posted them online.”

“I
said I didn’t instigate the fight, not that I didn’t enjoy it.  Besides,
they all made up in the end.”

“Only
because you promised to go out with each of them.”

“Hey
I played it fair, took them all out at the same time and everything.”

“And
you wonder why other men hate you.”

Declan
frowned, and it wasn’t one of his fake ‘oh woe is me – feel sorry for me’
poses; it was a genuine perplexed look.  “But Vaughn and Drum are melded,
I’d never hit on married women, or let them hit on me, let alone my own
cousins.”

“What
can I say, you push their buttons, try keeping your shirt on and your lips to
yourself.”

“So
judgemental for a lawyer, whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty?”

“Says
the man with the lipstick imprint on his right cheek.”

“Damn
really?”  Declan scrubbed his cheek hard with the side his hand.  “It
must have been Aunt Lucy, I ran into her right before I came here.”