The Dashing Witch (The Ward Witches) (2 page)

“
So you’re here for the summit?”

“
You betcha. Are you?”

“
Pretty much. Look, my car’s over at the club. I’ll go get it and then get the second shower. We’ll talk on the way over. We need to figure out what to do about this.” Justin shook his head.

Melanie nodded and headed for the shower. Bonded! She could feel it within her, and it was powerful. She wanted to go back out, find Justin, and kiss him, maybe more. But she really shouldn't, especially since they were bonded.

But more than that, she had had her life figured out. She had wanted to find someone compatible with whom she could settle down. She didn’t want a sudden bond to someone she didn’t even know. Badly done, Melanie. Now you’re married, and you don’t even know his, or now your own, last name.

When she got out, Justin headed into the shower, so she dried off and got dressed. She wanted to look good to impress the North American Covens, so she had a nice dark blue suit over a light blue camisole. In just the pants and cami, she turned her phone on again. Three missed calls, one from each brother. She didn’t want to listen to the voicemails, so she ignored them for the time being and called Lawrence. She didn’t want to face any of them, but she really didn’t want to talk to Richard.

She had once even thought that Richard would be the one to settle down with. Sure, it wouldn’t be like the bond most witches had, but it would be a nice life. She could live without the bond.

Now that was impossible.

“
Hello?” Lawrence’s voice brought her back to the present.

“
It’s Melanie.”

“
I surmised when I saw the Caller ID. What happened last night?”

“
I met this guy.”

“
Is that a smart idea? Going home with someone you don’t know?”

“
You and Nate thought I should get laid.”

“
Not like that.” His voice was joking. If only he knew. Well, actually, he was going to know soon, and all hell would break loose.

“
Save the morality lessons for later. Anyway, the guy wants to give me a ride over to the Coven House, so you guys go ahead without me.”

“
Melanie! Are you thinking straight? This isn’t at all like you!” He got serious again.

“
I’ll be fine. See you at the summit.” She hung up before he could object any more. She sat on the bed, wondering if she really was fine when Justin came out of the shower.  All he was wearing was a towel, and damned if she didn’t want to remove it and have another go. The tenting beneath the towel said that he wanted the same.  He dressed in silence while she tried to pick up all the discarded clothing and not look at his well toned muscles.

“
It’s time to go,” he said when he was dressed, and she grabbed her jacket and purse to follow him out. His car was a yellow Camaro, and she could swear it smelled like masculinity. Or maybe it just smelled like Justin, and she was getting the two confused.

Once they were on their way, he asked if she had any new ideas on the matter.

“
It’s not like we can undo it. We’ll have to file papers with the state no matter what. Welcome to marriage, huh?” She said morosely. “We have to make our mistake last night legal.”

“
Helluva way to get married.”

“
I agree. But there’s no divorce in magical marriages. I figure what we should do is that after we take care of the legalities and the summit, we separate. I go back to my part of the country, and you go back to yours. Sure, it’ll be an inconvenience to never be with anyone else, but I hope that its effects will lessen over distance.”

“
I would agree.” They shook hands without him taking his eyes off the road.

“
How do we explain it to people?”

“
We don’t. We say that we met last night and bonded. We even pretend to be happy about it, but later, we stage a huge fight, at which point you take off.” Justin said it as if it were simple. Well, they could make it as simple as they wanted it to be.

Soon they pulled up in front of the Coven House. Melanie was shocked at how big it was. It looked like some architects had taken an already large mansion and just added to it, numerous times in numerous different styles. She wasn’t sure she liked the end effect or not.

“
Eccentric, huh?” Justin asked.

“
That’s for sure. It’s certainly gigantic.”

“
There’s a lot of witches who live there as well as the family and all the offices, ballrooms, dinner halls, and whatnot.”

“
Here goes nothing. Let’s get inside.”

Melanie tried not to gasp as she got into the entrance hall, a large marble foyer with a staircase at the end and a number of rooms branching off. There were floral decorations and paintings on the walls. This was a fancier place than her coven’s meeting house back in LA, and she thought that was fancy. People sat in the side rooms or chatted in the hallway.

“
Justin!” A man in a nice blue suit descended the stairs. He looked almost exactly like Justin except for the starched clothing and demeanor.

“
Seb.” Justin looked uncomfortable and idly stroked his shirt down, as if nervous at being caught in last night’s clothes.

“
You... you bonded?” Justin’s twin, for that was what he must have been, seemed to do a double take when he saw Melanie.

“
Yeah. It’s a long story. Mind if I go get changed before the meeting today?”

“
Go ahead. I want to talk to this startling young woman.”

Justin rolled his eyes, but ascended the stairs.

“
He lives here?”

“
Of course. Please, come with me; I’d love to get to know Justin’s new wife.”

“
Ha. I’m not used to that yet,” she laughed as Seb guided her down a hallway, smiling at people who greeted him as they went. He led her into a very masculine office, from the rosewood furniture to the neatly organized books. She could even smell something that reminded her of Justin in here. “You’re Justin’s twin, right?”

“
Exactly. And who are you? He didn’t precisely make an introduction.”

“
Melanie Reed,” she extended a hand for him to shake. “I must admit I don’t know much about Justin. Perhaps you can fill me in.”

He gestured to a chair and she sat as he sat behind the desk, looking very comfortable in this office. “Let’s start with what you do know. I’m very curious. He’s never shown any interest in a bond before; in fact it's been precisely the opposite. You must be very special.”

Melanie wondered how much to tell Seb. She didn’t want to give away the fact that neither one of them wanted this bond at all. “We met last night at a bar near my hotel. One thing led to another, and here we are today. I don’t know what to think; it’s all been happening so fast. I don’t even know his last name.”

Seb looked startled. “So then you really don’t know much at all. No wonder you wanted to ask me questions. Justin should be the one talking to you, but since he hasn't, I will. He’s Justin Ward, head of Coven Protection and Second to the Duke of the Northeast Coven, which would incidentally be me.”

Melanie gasped and covered her mouth. What the hell had she gotten herself into? “I didn’t know! How could he not tell me?”

“
Only he can answer that one. I may be an air witch, but I try not to pry. I assume you know the feeling, Melanie Reed, strongest air witch in America.”

“
So you know me.”

“
I know of you. That’s why I invited you here specifically. But please, I would rather know you as a person than your credentials.”

“
You’re right; I do try not to pry. That, I suppose, is why I didn’t know who Justin was.”

“
He’s also very good at shielding from air witches. Comes from growing up with me and Leo.”

“
I’m still reeling from the events of the last twenty four hours, Your Excellency. I don’t even know where I stand anymore.”

“
I understand. Well, sort of. And please don’t call me ‘Your Excellency.’ I hardly like the title from anyone, and you’re family now. Call me Seb.”

“
Family, huh?”

“
Of course. Welcome to the Ward family, Melanie. Everyone will be so excited to meet you.”

“
I must admit that I know very little about your family. Who all will I be meeting?”

“
After Justin and me, there’s another set of twins, Dymphna and Pantaleon, or Leo, who is married to Skylar. They’re around here somewhere. Our parents are both dead, so you don’t have to worry about those in-laws.” He winked.

Seb got up to answer a knock at the door, said a few terse words to the person on the other side, and returned to Melanie. “I have some business to take care of before the meeting, so I must leave you. It was certainly nice to meet you. I expect you need to change your airline reservation and notify your family, so you may use my office for as long as you need it.”

“
Thank you.” He was generous, even when he didn't know that Melanie had landed herself in deep trouble.

Melanie canceled her flight first, since she wasn’t sure how to tell the people back home.

Luckily, her father didn’t answer, so she talked to his answering machine. “Dad, I wanted to let you know that I made it out to Boston safely. I’ll be busy at the summit, but I’ll call you back later. Love you.” It was the coward’s way out to not tell him about Justin, but she wasn’t feeling particularly brave right then.

She also wasn’t sure how to tell Nate and Lawrence. Telling Richard would be even worse. After all, they had always assumed they would settle down together when they were ready, bonded or not. Now she was another man’s wife, and all of her previously held plans on that front were gone.

Then she called her boss back at KYR Publicity.

“
Hey Melanie, how’s the summit going? When are you coming back again? We all miss you.” Her boss Lisa was an enthusiastic woman.

“
Here’s the problem, Lisa.”

“
I don’t like the sound of that.”

“
You know I’m a witch, and that witches have a certain mate bond that ties them to another person, despite romance or dating.”

“
Sure. I knew you were a witch when I hired you. It’s part of what makes you so amazing at your job.”

“
I found him.”

“
Oh.”

“
So basically, I’m married, and I’ve got ties to Boston now.”

“
You’re quitting, aren’t you?”

“
Yeah. I hate this, and I hate doing it over the phone. You know I love my job, and I love working for you.” She knew that within a few weeks most likely, she'd be having her staged fight with Justin and leaving him. But something, some instinct, told her that it was time to quit at KYR. As an air witch with some skill for precognition, she followed her instincts. If they said to quit, she quit.

“
I actually understand. I may not have that bond that witches do, but if my husband lived elsewhere, I can see moving to be with him.”

“
Thanks for your understanding. I’ve got some things to straighten out here, but I’ll be back as soon as I can to fully brief the others on my assignments, turn those over, and clean out my desk. If you need anything in the interim, please give me a call.”

“
I will. We’ll miss you a great deal, but congratulations on getting married.”

“
Thanks. It means a lot to me that you understand and aren’t mad.”

“
If I were mad, it’s not like it would change anything. Besides, I’d rather part on good terms. If you’re ever back in LA, please stop by and visit.”

“
Will do. I’ll let you know when I’ll be back to turn over my clients.”

“
Great. Talk to you then.”

She hung up and smiled. Maybe this would all work out for the better. She was still smiling when Justin came to get her.

“
We need to talk.”

“
The meeting’s starting,” he commented, straightening his suit jacket. “I have to be there to speak.”

“
Yes, after all, you are Justin Ward, of all people.”

“
I forgot to mention that, huh?” He gave her a disarming smile, but she would not be swayed. He was the enemy, devilishly sexy or not.

“
Deliberately didn’t mention it is more like it.”

“
Perhaps. Now please, let’s go.” She let herself be pulled towards the meeting, promising herself to make him explain all later.

3

CHAPTER TWO

Justin left Melanie in a seat near the front of the stage that had been constructed in the ballroom. He joined his brother up on the stage, sitting until it was his turn. He mostly tuned out his brother’s voice though as he thought about his current situation.

Who would have thought that the tall brunette who positively oozed sexiness would be his mate? No wonder he was so attracted, but he really thought he was stronger than that. His whole adult life he had planned to either never meet his mate or to send her packing without him if he ever did. He not only didn’t send her away, but he completed the bond! What an idiot! Now he was stuck.

Sure, she was beautiful, and he’d love to take her back to bed. Even better, she didn’t want this any more than he did, so they’d be able to part company amicably, and he could get back to his regularly scheduled life. He could have done worse, but he also could have done better if he had never gone back to her hotel room.

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