To Catch a Witch [Spells of Seduction 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (8 page)

Merlin laughed. “Oh, but you’re wrong there, dear brother. She knows very well the spell is the cause of her attraction to us and ours to hers. She is using it to trick us into giving her back her powers.”

The image of Pondora’s tears and crying came back to haunt Jacob then.
How could I have let my guard down like that?

He took a deep breath. “Do you think she is saying the truth about the sorceress in the spying glass?”

Merlin tapped his chin while he continued to look at a list on his table. “Yes, to some extent. I do believe the sorceress coming for her is as evil as she and will try to kill us once she’s done the same to Pondora. But she is lying that the sorceress is unvanquishable. And I found the perfect incantation and charm that not only will solve our problem with reversing Pondora’s spells on her victims but also vanquishing the sorceress out to get us.”

“How, Merlin?” A ray of hope formed in Jacob’s heart. If anyone could find the answer, Merlin could. His mind didn’t work like his or any other sorcerer’s mind. Merlin could see things others didn’t. It was as if he looked at things from the inside out instead of the other way around.

Jacob now realized how wrong he was to think Merlin hadn’t changed after all those years. He had, and for the better. He had become a far-better wizard than Jacob could ever be but not because his powers were greater. They were equal, as the gift of magic had been bestowed to them equally when they were in their mother’s womb. That was what Orion had told them. Merlin would be a great sorcerer because of his mind. He would always be one step ahead of the enemy, in this case Pondora.

Merlin pointed to an old and faded parchment resting on the table. It looked like it had been damaged with age and water. “I found the answer here. We must go to Stonehenge. Only in a lunar eclipse and in the center of the surrounding stones can we recite this incantation. It is the answer to killing the evil sorceress, as well as freeing Pondora’s victims from her curses.”

“How can that be done?” Jacob leaned forward and tried to read the spell but couldn’t make out much because Merlin picked it up and rolled it closed. From what Jacob had seen, it was written in old Gaelic.

Merlin shook his head. “It will take me too long to explain it to you.”

“Fine, I trust you will tell me when the time is right.”

Merlin didn’t answer. Jacob didn’t push him to know now. He figured if he knew what exactly the spell was, he’d be thinking and worrying about it all the time. It was best Merlin told him only when his help would be needed.

Taking a deep breath, he asked, “And what about Pondora?” He was afraid to hear what Merlin proposed they do to her. She may have done evil things in the past and was playing with their emotions now to seduce them into giving her powers back, but Jacob couldn’t help but feel sympathy and compassion for her. He also felt something else for her that had started to grow in his heart, and that feeling scared the hell out of him.

Merlin’s eyes softened with his question. He, too, obviously was feeling the same emotions toward her as Jacob did. He took a deep breath and said, “We let her go free.”

Jacob nodded, but something Merlin said bothered him. “You said we can vanquish the evil sorceress coming after Pondora?”

“Yes.”

“But Pondora said she isn’t more powerful than the sorceress, thus she cannot kill her. If she cannot do it with her powers, how can we? We aren’t more powerful than she.”

“Our powers aren’t what will vanquish the sorceress.”

Jacob lifted his hand in the air. “Stop, don’t tell me more. I’m getting nervous just thinking what is the answer to that question.”

Merlin started to place the parchment in a woven sack. “Anyway, I have no time to answer that now. We must hurry. There will be a lunar eclipse tomorrow afternoon. We must leave in the hour if we are to make it in time to Stonehenge by foot.”

He stopped his packing and looked at Jacob. “Go get your things while I finish getting all I need here.”

Jacob nodded. “Yes, of course.”

As he walked to the door, he gazed once more at Merlin while his brother looked for something in a drawer. He hoped his brother’s inclination and idea would work, for their sakes as well as Pondora’s.

The bread was stale and hard, but it had never tasted so good.

Velona bit into it and the cheese with relish. She was famished. As she chewed on the morsel in her mouth, she thought about her sexual encounter with Jacob. It had been intense and so satisfying. So had been her encounter, however brief, with Merlin.

She wondered, if they had met each other without any witchcraft involved whatsoever, would she have been so attracted and drawn to them and they to her? It was hard to say. They were both extremely handsome men, and their bodies were those of gods. Their character traits, although frustrating at times, were complementary to hers, she thought.

It was a shame that circumstances had led them to where they were now. She would have really liked to have found out the answer to her question.

As things stood, she didn’t know if the feelings she started to have for them were real or part of the effects of their spell.

When a piece of the crusty bread got lodged in her throat, she took the wine pitcher sitting beside her left leg and took a gulp. Just as she did that, the door opened and in walked the sorcerers.

She placed the pitcher between her legs as she stared at them in silence.

Jacob walked over to her and extended his hand. “Get up. We’re leaving here now.”

With wide eyes, she stated, “You know we cannot escape her. She will find me wherever we hide. Now that the voyeur portal has been opened, she can see wherever I go.”

Merlin nodded. “We are perfectly aware of that.”

“Then where are we going?”

Jacob lifted her to her feet while Merlin responded, “To Stonehenge.”

Had she heard right? “Stonehenge? Whatever for?”

Merlin frowned. “You are not in the position to ask such a question, Pondora. You are our prisoner, remember?”

She scoffed. “How could I forget?” She gestured to her injured foot. “In your brilliant plan, how would I be traveling there with this injury?”

Jacob took a vial of blue liquid and said, “Merlin created this healing potion for your injury before but hadn’t had a chance to apply it.” He poured the liquid over her entire foot and ankle. “And now to speed its process…” He then took his wand and chanted a spell while he waved it over her ankle. A tingling feeling began deep in her bones and spread to the outside. The bruise and swelling disappeared, as did the pressure and pain.

Wiggling her ankle and praising his good work, she felt relief.

Both he and Merlin gathered the remnants of the bread and cheese and tossed them into the sack. Jacob picked up the pitcher. “Come on, Pondora. Time is wasting, and we have much to do when we get there.”

She gazed at him then at Merlin as they started their descent of the stairs. Both of their blank expressions told her nothing of what they would do when they got to Stonehenge.

Stonehenge was a powerful place where sorcerers channeled the power in the magic world, both good and evil, for their own purposes.

Whatever Merlin and Jacob intended to do was daring and dangerous. Only seasoned sorcerers attempted such feats, and even they sometimes made deadly mistakes that could not be undone.

Only time would tell what the fates had in store for them.

* * * *

The beaming sun and warm weather ordinarily would be a pleasing change to the oddly cold, windy weather they had been having, but not today. It made their voyage quite straining.

They had run out of water hours ago, so when they heard the sounds of water flowing, they followed the noise, hoping a river lay nearby.

Pondora was the first to spot it. She ran into the woods to her left. The moment Merlin saw her darting, he sprinted after her, fearing she would try to escape them. Jacob followed not far behind his brother. Merlin heard his heavy footsteps on the cracking branches and leaves.

“Water. I need water.” Pondora fell to her knees, scooped up water by the riverside, and drank it. It dripped down her hands and chin. From the merry look in her eyes, she was enjoying its quenching and refreshing effects.

Jacob fell to his knees as well, drinking handfuls of water while Merlin scoped the area.

This is good.

The trees would give them coverage if the sorceress was spying with an enchanted eagle from the sky. An eagle was the most popular bird sorcerers used to seek out and spy on their victims. Being by the riverside was perfect as well. If the enchantress did come, they could hide underwater in the river.

“This looks like a good place to rest for the night.” He threw his heavy load onto the ground.

Pondora looked around. “There is no place that is completely safe, but this will offer us coverage if we need it.”

“I’ll go get us some dry wood for a fire.” Jacob stood up and rubbed his back. His tunic was wet.

“Good idea.” Merlin took his place at the riverbank. The cold water he gulped as he dipped his face into the river instantly cooled and soothed his parched throat.

They had been walking for many hours. Their voyage would still last them another half day. Merlin calculated they’d arrive at Stonehenge a few hours before the eclipse. He wondered if they’d make it there before the sorceress paid them a visit. He prayed they would because they had no line of defense if she attacked before they were ready for her.

He feared what he would have to do if she did attack them before then. Giving Pondora back her powers would be like going into the lion’s lair after making the animal starve for days. It would be suicide. But she would be their best defense against the evil sorceress.

Pondora looked at him and said as if she had read his thoughts, “Your only choice is to give me back my powers.”

He lifted his brow. “Why? So you could kill us afterward?”

“Do you really think I would do that to you?” Her expression conveyed hurt.

Merlin wanted to believe in her. He prayed that what he wished would be true. After what they shared in the tower, she had found a place in his heart he could not erase no matter how he tried. Just looking into her blue, bewitching eyes now took all the willpower he had. He desperately wanted to lean forward and pull her into a kiss. But he couldn’t let his guard down. She was a very cunning woman who knew how to pull on his strings of emotions to get what she wanted.

Steeling his feelings and his heart, he replied, “After all the horrible things you’ve committed throughout the years, how can I not?”

Her gaze dropped to her folded hands at her waist for a second before she returned her eyes to him. “Do you believe a person can change, Merlin?”

“Yes, to a certain extent. But one cannot go from pure evil to good overnight. You are asking me to believe you did this, but you were still terrorizing people not more than a month ago.”

She opened her mouth to say something but instead took a deep breath. She looked to the river. “It’s no use. Your mind is set, and no matter what I say, I will never make you see differently.”

She stood and began to walk along the side of the riverbank.

Merlin jumped to his feet. “Where are you going?”

She pointed to the area a few yards away where a huge boulder was resting in the water. “I’m filthy and would like to clean myself. I’m going there so I may bathe in privacy.”

He waggled his finger at her. “I did not give you permission to do so.”

Rolling her eyes, she asked, “May I go there to bathe?”

He crossed his arms and had an incredible urge to smile when he next spoke, but tried to contain his amusement as best he could. “You may bathe, but here, in front of me.”

Jacob came back then with an armful of kindle. Dropping it to the ground, he added, “Actually, it is best we bathe all together so that if the sorceress strikes, we will be checking each other’s backs, so to speak.”

Merlin noted Jacob’s wide smile and reciprocated it. “Now that is a marvelous idea, Jacob.” He began to remove his tight brown tunic and loose tights while he gave Pondora a daring stare. “Well?”

Her eyes widened as she ogled his bare chest. She did the same to Jacob. Her gaze followed them as they slid off the rest of their clothing. Stark naked, they stood there waiting for her to do the same.

“Well?” Merlin repeated with a lifted brow, daring her.

She appeared flustered at first but then peered at the river. Her tunic was drenched with perspiration. He could imagine how sticky and dirty she felt under it. He had felt the same way. The day’s walking journey in the heat certainly did its trick.

She bit her lip and squinted, glaring at him. “Very well.”

She lifted the tunic over her body and head and tossed it to the ground. Merlin’s eyes widened as she gave him a smile and turned to walk into the water. His cock became fully erect as he admired her glistening body while she stepped into the water. She shivered. “Oh, it is cold.” She wrapped her arms around her chest, covering her delightful breasts from his gaze as she slowly crept farther into the river.