Rescued (Book One of the Silver Wood Coven Series): A Witch and Warlock Romance Novel (5 page)

Water began to burble out of the drinking fountain, and swirled around the basin drain before it danced back up and cascaded over the side. Troy guided it to him with a wave of his hand, lifting and shaping it into a large rectangle before he flicked his fingers. The water divided itself into a net of shimmering drops which dwindled smaller and smaller until they dissolved into a mist.

Ward of water, protect unseen the woman Summer from all that harm outside and within. So may it be.
 

As Troy cast the spell, his power infused the misty net with a brilliant blue glow, and it drifted across the parking lot to the car, where it funneled into the vehicle through the radiator grill. The interior of the Jeep took on the same shimmering glow for a moment before it enveloped Summer, and then shrank as if it were being absorbed by her clothing. Once the light vanished Troy felt the desire still throbbing inside him ease, although it didn’t disappear completely.

Of course it won’t,
he thought.
You actually do want her.

It had been months since Troy had taken the time to indulge his needs with a female. Now and then he would seek out a witch he knew to be uninterested in mating or monogamy for a night. He always enjoyed spending a night sharing the pleasure and power of sex with a woman, but despite being invited to return to her bed he never did. Serving in the Corps made relationships difficult, as he often had to travel and spend weeks or even months away on assignment.

That isn’t the only reason,
Troy thought, once more recalling how furious his father had been when he’d told him that he had volunteered for the Corps and was leaving Silver Wood. For years Abel Atwater had expected Troy to succeed him as High Priest; to say he did not take kindly to being thwarted was like saying the sun was a little warm. Abel had refused to say another word to him.

Erica Buchanan, the new High Priestess and his mother’s best friend, had been the only one to say good-bye.
For all his stony looks and cold silences he loves you, Troy,
she’d said when she’d hugged him good-bye.
Remember that.
     

Troy’s current conscription would end on the new year, and part of the reason he had taken this leave was to decide if he wanted to continue to serve. As a warlock with elemental power he knew how valuable he was to the Corps, and he believed in their mission. He just wasn’t certain how much more of his life he wanted to devote to battling Templars.

He hadn’t seen or spoken to his father since the day he’d left the mountain, but over the years Erica had kept in touch, sending a letter every few months with news of his family and the coven. That was how Troy knew his brother Wilson had mated with Aileen Smith, the green witch Troy had initiated just before he left Silver Wood. She and Wilson were expecting their first child by the Winter Solstice. Wilson would not be happy to see Troy, either. His younger brother had always resented Abel’s preference for Troy, and now that he had mated with Aileen he would probably not welcome the return of his mate’s former lover.

When Troy climbed into the Jeep he removed the sound-dampening spell from Summer, and passed his hand over her to check the body ward. Wherever the shadow of his hand fell her body briefly glowed bright blue, indicating the presence of the shielding spell.

Summer turned on her side to face him and opened her eyes.

“Are we there?” she asked, her voice low and drowsy.

“Not yet.” He touched her cheek and remembered how Michael had made the same gesture. Her skin felt like warm satin against his fingertips. “We’re at a rest stop. Do you need to use the facilities?”

“No.” Her brow furrowed, and she caught his hand before he took it away. “Why are my clothes damp?”

Troy grimaced. The ward had passed through her garments to adhere to her form, and because she was clothed had left behind some residual traces of the water he’d bound it to.
 

“I cast a protective spell over you,” he told her carefully. “It will help you with controlling your ability.”

“It might not be working,” she whispered as she reached a hand to him. “You still look like you want to, you know, find some bed chains.”

“I do, but that’s not magic.” He rubbed his thumb across her palm. “It’s you.”

• • • • •

Summer felt the same tug pulling at her that had flung her into Michael’s arms, but this time she found the strength and will to shove it back and stop it from taking her over.

“This is a bad idea.” She took her hand away and unclipped her belt before groping for the adjustment handle. “Maybe I should get in the back seat.”

“Good idea. There’s more room.” Troy’s seductive expression changed like lightning into a teasing grin. “I’m kidding, sweetheart. The ward is working just fine, and you’re safe from me.”

Troy leaned over to help with the seat at the same time it tried to pop back into an upright position. It pushed her back and straight into the hard plains of his chest.

“Sorry,” she said, awkwardly twisting in place, only to find their faces close.

His warm breath caressed her lips, and the startling blue of his eyes pierced hers.

“Is that what happened with Michael?” he asked, his voice husky.

“No.” She gave into the desire welling up inside her and grabbed the front of his shirt. “This did.”

Jerking him forward so she could kiss him properly was a huge mistake. So was slipping her hand over the back of his neck. By the time his tongue glided against hers she didn’t care. Troy’s cool scent flooded over her, stroking her skin like a night breeze, while the hot passion of his mouth sent streaks of an answering need burning through her. She could feel his big body tensing over her, his muscles coiling and his hands tightening on her upper arms, and gloried in the knowledge that he wanted her just as badly.

Troy dragged his mouth from hers. “Gods, Summer, no. Stop. We have to stop.”

He pushed himself back from her, rubbing a hand over his face and taking in several deep breaths.
 

She gasped and sat back in her seat. Her hand flew to her chest, as though she could still her pounding heart.

“Are you all right?” he said.

“Yes. I mean no. I…” She pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes. “What
is
this?”

“Search me. I’ve never felt anything like it. I think we’d better… Give me a minute.”
 

He climbed out of the Jeep.

Summer lowered her hands and watched him pace back and forth outside. His fists clenched and his chest heaved as he struggled for control. Without him beside her she was able to calm down and reassert her own will, and once the ache infusing her body ebbed she opened the door and got out.

Troy turned to her, his expression guarded. “Stay over there.”

“I’m not going to seduce you in a rest area,” she said, and hugged herself. “I wanted to apologize. I can’t remember, of course, but I’m pretty sure I never behave like that.”

“You did with Michael,” he reminded her, his jaw set.
 

“Yes, because it’s my goal in life to seduce all celibate witch hunters,” she countered. “Along with complete strangers who act like jerks after they kiss a woman.”

“Okay, it wasn’t all you.” He made a frustrated gesture. “Look, we need to set some rules or we’re never going to make it to Silver Wood. We’ll end up trying out the Kama Sutra in the Nympho Newlyweds Suite at some gaudy Atlantic City hotel.”

A giggle escaped her, and Summer pressed a hand to her mouth, but it was too late.
 
She gave into the helpless laughter, and heard Troy join in. Soon they were sitting together on the curb, clutching their sides and gasping as they tried to control their mirth.

“Okay,” Summer wiped away the tears streaming down her cheeks. “No offense, but I really don’t want to elope with you. So is no kissing rule number one? It should be.”

“No touching of any body parts,” Troy advised her, his voice lower and rougher now. “I don’t suppose you could quit being so damn gorgeous.”

“Not unless you have a spell that can make you hideous, Handsome.” She sighed. “I really am sorry, Major. I’m not doing it deliberately, I swear.”

“At least we’re aware of how powerful our chemistry is.” He gave her a sideways glance. “Call me Troy, okay? I’m on leave, and I think we’ve just zoomed past the point of polite formalities.”

Summer nodded. “It’s getting late. You want to try getting in the car again?”

“Yeah, we’d better.” He stood and started to reach down to help her up before he pulled his hand back. “Sorry.”

Once they were back on the road Summer shifted away from Troy so there would be no accidental contact between them.

“Can you tell me something about this place where you’re taking me?”

“Silver Wood is in the White Mountains,” Troy said. “It’s a bit isolated up there, and we have our mountain warded to provide defense and to prevent strangers from intruding. Most of the coven lives at the pavilion, which my parents built when they left their home covens to form their own. It’s a big, rustic place set far back in the woods, but it’s quite comfortable. The coven is committed to living in harmony with nature.”

“This coven, it isn’t like a cult, is it?” Summer asked. “I mean, I’m not going to have to shave my head, and wear skirts all the time, and have babies with six different men, right?”

“You can wear what you want, and have as many kids and lovers as you like,” Troy said blandly. “You should probably keep the hair, though. It gets chilly up there in winter.”

“Good point,” Summer said. She noticed his tone had grown a little cold as he spoke of the coven. “Do you live there when you’re not working?”

“No, I left some years back. My father is the High Priest of the coven, but we haven’t spoken since I joined the Magus Corps.” He rubbed his thumb over the Celtic band he wore on his right hand. “There might be a bit of family drama while I’m there. I’m his great disappointment.”

“At least you know you have a dad to disappoint.” She rubbed at her shoulder, which ached a bit. “I’d like to find out if I have family somewhere. If I ever remember where I’m from,” she added. “Michael said I have no accent.”

“You don’t,” Troy said, and frowned. “You also speak a little slowly, though, and your pronunciation of words is textbook perfect. I don’t think English is your birth language
. ¿Habla Español? Sprechen Sie Deutch? Parlez-vous Français?”

“Je parle Français,”
Summer replied without thinking, and then gaped at him. “Oh, my God.”

“So do I, lovely lady,” Troy said in flawless French. “Do you remember who taught you to speak English?”

“I think it was…ah.” Summer felt a sudden pain stab into her temple, and pressed her fingers against the spot. “It hurts to think about it.”

“Then don’t,” he said, switching back to English. “Tell me about the first thing you can remember. Michael said you woke in the park.”

“Yes, back in August. I was in a ditch, buried under a mound of dead leaves.”
 

Recalling how confused and terrified she’d been on that awful day still made her shudder.

“When I crawled out it was almost dawn. I found a better hiding place up in a tree and stayed there for the rest of the day.”

“So you felt the need to hide?” Troy asked. “Were you afraid for your life?”

“Not exactly.” She bit her lip. She couldn’t tell him about the blood spatter staining her clothes, or how none of it had been hers because she’d had no wounds. “I couldn’t remember anything, not even my name, and I thought someone might find me and ask questions and think I was a crazy person.”

“Did you have that backpack with you?” When she nodded, he eyed it. “Once we’re at Silver Wood I’ll ask Erica to scry it. She’s better at scrying location, but sometimes she can divine from other objects.”

“Scry?”

“It’s a form of foretelling, although Erica’s particular scrying ability is more like a psychic GPS. If you ask her where something or someone is, and give her a mirror and a map, she can usually find it.” He smiled fondly. “She’s the High Priestess of the coven, and unmated, but she tends to mother everyone.”
 

Summer wondered what Erica would be able to read off the clothes she’d washed.
 

“What about your mom?”

Troy’s expression darkened. “My mother died during a Templar attack. She was protecting me, actually.”

“I’m so sorry.” Summer almost touched his arm before she remembered their new rule. “That must have been terrible for you.” She wondered under the circumstances how he could be friends with Michael, but recalled how the Templar had insisted that they weren’t friends. “This war with the Templars, will it ever be over?”

“Not as long as we keep killing each other.” He sounded tired now. “I had hoped one day we could change things for the better, but there are too many extremists on both sides who would rather we all die than agree to live in peace.”

“Not Michael,” Summer said firmly. “It wasn’t my ability that made him save me from that rapist. He did that all on his own. He may be on the wrong side, but he’s a decent man.”

Troy nodded. “Maybe someday we can convince him of both.”

SOME TIME LATER Summer was awakened by the first rays of sunrise, and sat up to see they were traveling up a narrow, winding road. When she looked out the passenger window she saw the steep side of the mountain stretching down to a V-shaped pass filled with ice-silvered trees.

“Wow.” She yawned to pop her ears. “This is beautiful.” When she turned her head toward the windshield she saw Troy was driving straight into a enormous pile of boulders blocking the road, and shrieked.
“Look out.”

“Wait.” Troy accelerated, and just as they were about to smash into the rocks they vanished. “That is one of my father’s better illusion spells. He can adjust it to the weather and make it look like a mud slide, snow avalanche, even some fallen tree trunks.”

“Really.” Summer fell back against her seat and pressed a shaking hand to the base of her throat where her pulse hammered frantically. “How clever. Are there any more, or can I have my heart attack now?”