The Carver's Magic (20 page)

She looks around after I let her go in her very clean kitchen. I wait for her to look at me before I blurt out. "I will miss you," I say softly, feeling the truth in my words, "when you leave."

Wait!
What the hell was I saying?
I had no intentions of letting her get caught up in Antrom’s fairy web.

Cory shook her head and headed up the stairs on the other side of the kitchen wall. I followed.

The door swung open and Cory walked straight to her bookshelf that was literally the entire south side of the wall. I took a step into the doorway but halted, not sure if I should contaminate her sanctuary. Cory grabbed a book and headed back in my direction. She stopped as if she just remembered something. With a calculating smirk, she wrapped her arms around the book and waited.

My little minx.

I took in another step and crossed into Cory land. So much for her sanctuary. I walked to her bed and sat down with my back against the headboard. I folded my arms behind my head and made myself comfortable. "You could always just ask me what it's like there. I have been there a few times."

Cory huffed, "No thanks. I doubt you spent much time sight seeing." I pulled a pillow from the other side of the bed ignoring her chide, and put it behind my head.

"I am going to go," her words were there, but the declaration wasn’t. If there was anything I could say to make her stay away from there, I would say the words. Hoping for the best, I grabbed her by the wrist when she got close enough, and slowly brought her to me. The best part is, her eyes are not rejecting this at all.

I turn her around and pull her back against my chest as she snuggly fit in between my legs. There was nothing more to say. I kiss the back of her head and take a drag of her intoxicating tropical shampoo. She stayed there and I felt content for the first time in my long life, all the while rubbing my mouth back and forth against her shoulders.

I don’t know how much time passed because I had closed my eyes. I felt her turn and helped her straddle my lap. She whispered, “Come with me.”

She wanted me there with her? "As long as you come back with me."

She bowed her head and kissed my lower jaw. My fire was doing something funny. I almost felt light headed.

"Would you like me to give you a very good reason to come back with me?” I murmured.

I felt her unease. I didn’t know I opened back up our connection but I was glad for it, this way I could navigate this moment better.

I kissed her sweet, soft lips lightly. Letting her get used to me. She leaned in for another kiss, but this time I held on to her neck while I kissed her deeply. I pushed up from the spot I was in so I could lay her down. She opened her mouth and I took the invitation greedily.

Laying in between her legs I ran my hand down her thigh and squeezed right under the curve of her pert ass. Cory bowed her back, pushing into my chest, and I rewarded her enthusiasm with a little nip to her neck. If I used my fire, I could warm my mouth, which, when I bite down on the crook of the neck, it sparks a flame, warming her entire body. I’ve been told it feels like a rush of heat running down the body totally relaxing the mind and lingering over the sweet spots. It is a little trick I learned and I’ve had nothing but compliments since.

I heated my mouth and bit down, not breaking the skin. I felt her nails dig into my back and heard a slow, breathy moan. I pushed my hand from her thigh up her hips and under her shirt. I leaned back to make sure she was still good with this.

Her eyes were dark, hooded, mirroring my feelings. I pushed her shirt up and saw her navy blue bra with adorable pink polka dots. I ran my thumb over the bra teasing the nipple underneath.

A loud crash sounded down stairs. “CORY!” Beth screamed. “You have two seconds!”

Cory stiffened beneath me. I glared at Cory’s bedroom door. I watched as my magic closed and locked.

“Um. Don’t take this the wrong way, but-”

I kissed her nose, “I got it. And keep your necklace on, and let me know when you decide to visit Candy Land.” At her scowl I amended, “Fairy Land?”

She pushed me up so she could rearrange her shirt to cover her soft, light peach, naked belly. I held out my hand and pulled her to my chest. “When you confirm with Antrom, leave my name out of it. It’ll be better that way.”

* * *

It was ten in the morning when I dropped by to pick her up. She texted me at the unacceptable time of 5:30 in the morning. I didn’t have to ask if she talked to Beth about it because I knew that had she, Beth would have objected. 

Cory was all business. As soon as she told Antrom that she wanted to go, he set up to meet with her this morning at the butt crack of dawn. To Cory’s redeemable thoughtfulness she told him she would meet him at eleven.  

At the fairy gates, with Cory in hand, I was not surprised when Antrom’s polite demeanor faltered as he approached. He greeted Cory in their silly fashion and I snickered loudly when they finished. Antrom scowled, Cory hit me her best scowl, so I kissed her on her nose. Cory blushed beautifully.  

As a man, Antrom knew what I was doing. I was letting him know she’s mine and he was going to have to go through me to keep her. And he did want to keep her, I just didn’t know why. 

The only way to get into Fairy Land was through the front gates. Or at least that was the only entrance I knew about. Their land wasn’t on a different mystical plane. It was a huge chunk of land that they claimed and put a protective, invisible kind of bubble around it, which is why even the humans have no idea it’s here. When you look at it from the outside it looks like a huge chasm. I don’t understand all the specifics because at one point or another someone must have traveled to the other side, but I didn’t care to investigate it.

Inside, you will immediately notice the way all men and women are properly dressed. No one really stands out from each other per se. For example, you will not see a punk rocker here, or some emo kids. The streets are clean; the buildings are well maintained. It’s a really nice place if you are a clean freak.

Antrom decided to take the long route by making us walk though the botanical gardens. I hated every time she warmed inside with another rare flower. Seriously, how did she even know the difference in flowers?

The first real stop was a specialty potions shop. I rolled my eyes making sure she saw.
Fairies and their potions
. Cory tried their sugar free passion fruit tea. I declined all drinks and food. I always did. I always had a suspicion that the fairies put a little extra something in their food. I watched Cory like a hawk after she drank her tea. I wanted to make sure that they didn’t put anything in it. I also wanted to hear everything Antrom said to her, so that he was not misleading her. 

Second stop was their farms. I hate to admit that it was pretty interesting. Cory tried some seasonal fruit that I didn’t know the name of, it was yellow though; I declined even though my stomach didn’t agree with that decision. Cory kept her questions to a minimum. All the while, Antrom continued to ask random questions about her adopted family, her career, study habits, reading interests, and hobbies.

His smile, although it was smooth, didn’t affect her. I checked. Which may be why he wasn’t getting much in the way of good information out of her. She kept her answers brief and to the point. Of course he didn’t look upset, but I knew that even though fairies didn’t show much emotion on their face, you could see it in body language and words.

“Cory, are you interested in meeting your family?” His tone was light but the question was heavy for Cory.

I had opened up the spell so I could feel her emotions at the beginning of this trip. His question made her sad because she did, but at the same time she didn’t. I knew exactly how that felt and there was no right answer.

Cory skirted his question and asked to see the library. Once we were inside, she told him that she wanted to spend some time alone to read. Antrom didn’t leave right away, instead he watched as she flitted around from bookshelf to bookshelf. Whatever he was waiting for, it didn’t happen because 30 minutes later he left, but not before he told her he would return in another hour.

I took a seat and watched her through the coin or with my natural eyes. I did notice that once Antrom left she immediately walked to the other side of the library and I watched (through the coin) as she ran her finger over the bind of several books. It looked like she was looking for something in particular.

After she opened and closed her fifth book I let her walk around without shadowing her this time. I put my feet on the chair facing me. A few minutes later, I was being shook awake. Cory pulled out the chair next to me and started flipping through a stack of books.

I must have dozed off. I rubbed my face and laid my head down on my arm. "Shane," she hissed in a whisper, "Shane."

I opened my eyes but didn’t move, "Are we done?"

"I need a cup of tea. Can you get me one?" I blinked, surprised she woke me up to get her tea. Her eyes were pleading.

I took in a ragged breath and got up. I went to the front of the library and got a cup of hot tea they sold there. When I returned, she sniffed it, then drank most of it and scowled.

"Gross." She handed me the cup back and said, "Can you get me another one? Add three teaspoons of sugar to this cup." She tapped the rim twice. Her emotions were sky high on anxiety. I am not sure, but it looked like she may have dropped something in the cup, but when I looked in nothing was there but the half drank cup of tea.

I narrowed my eyes, letting her know I know something is off. She shook her head. I was going to go out on a limb right now and do as she asked, but she was going to explain this.

This time when I returned she turned the cup three times clockwise and drank all of it and asked for one last one but this time to bring back the sugar with me.

I brought back another cup of tea. And this time I saw her rub her fingers over the cup and a very small amount of powder fell into the tea, being absorbed quickly.

She motioned for me to sit down. Hesitantly, I did. Her timid smile didn’t reassure me, in fact, inside she wanted to cry. Cory leaned over and kissed me. I knew she wasn’t feeling affectionate, so I was mildly taken aback. But not enough to not kiss her back. She kissed me harder and I felt a sting. She bit me! Then she used her tongue to collect the blood.

Hot little minx! Damn it. My fire inside pricked up and began swimming in my chest. As odd as that felt, I focused on Cory as she took another sip. I felt something tingle inside of me, something foreign to my fire.

What the hell did you do Cory?
I asked with my eyes.

She gave me the cup that had a little red on the side. My blood? Then I saw her lip. It was bleeding. I looked back to the cup. Our blood? Her heart was pounding, my fire was starting to simmer and I couldn't figure out what she was doing, but it felt like this was going to be one of those moments, the kind you won’t forget and possibly forever regret.

She was doing magic. Fairy magic. And I knew I should toss the cup. Instead, I took the cup and downed the rest.

Cory let out a relieved breath. I put down the cup. I felt different. I was unsure what just happened but I was not the same. Not happy about being in the dark about it, I looked down to the book in front of her and the writing was in a language I never have seen before.

"Young Miss Cory," Antrom called from behind us.

Perfect timing. We turned around together. My fire was rising. Something wasn’t right. Antrom had his right hand out, “It’s time Cory, to make your choice. You can do this willingly or not.”

Cory moved to hold out her hand, I pushed her hand to stop her. Was she really going to do this? She moved past me and thrust her hand in his. His face was blank for seconds then stilled. Then slowly, his lips pursed into a tight circle.

"Bonded? You’re bonded to this Carver?" He hissed. The true Antrom I knew was showing his ugly head.

Wait. What?
"Bonded?" My fire dipped low in my stomach.

Scumbag’s eyes widened at me, "You didn’t know?" His lips pursed.

Cory was amazingly blank faced. The disgust in his voice was unmistakable, “You can never be unbonded Cory. That was extremely foolish."

Bonded to me forever?

Antrom looked around and found the cup of tea. "You mixed a bonding potion right here? Impossible," His jaw was loose.

I looked at the deceiving cup and wanted to break it into a million pieces. I felt my stomach drop and a moment later the cup cracked breaking it in two, then into several pieces. Four heartbeats didn’t pass before the cup had turned into sand. My fire was back with vengeance.

"Consider it child's play," Cory chirped. She sounded confident but the disgusting feelings of doubt, contempt, and regret were soaking inside me. My fire was flickering, unsure what to do with her saturating emotions.

"I’ll consider this an act of defiance. Interestingly enough, it’s a punishable offense." Antrom looked at the cup and then back at Cory. And his smirk grew, "An affinity for tonics and potions. Hmm. I should have guessed." He raised a finger and behind him several men in all black filtered out of the stacks from around us. We were surrounded.

Cory held her disguise of disregard but inside she was rioting. Damn her and her ridiculous girly emotions! It’s hard to think with her emotions inside me.

My fire was starting to do that thing where it was thinking for its self. I could also feel the odd attachment, it didn’t affect my fire, but it felt awkward as if I had an elemental leash that clipped inside me. I said a few words hoping that I could still turn off the emotional connections. I smiled proudly as her fears, doubts, guilt, and shame left. Priorities and all, it was time to get out of here.

Cory found her voice, "I hate to say this Shane, but, you were right."

Antrom grabbed Cory by the arm, "You are not leaving. I don't have to use my magic to know whose bloodline you descend from. Only one man in all the world could have made a bonding tonic in less than an hour. The same man who has been sitting in our cellars since he bonded the magical bloodlines."