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  Chapter Six

  The Magician

  Aveta stood over her worktable. The fire burned merrily in the hearth, keeping her cottage warm and comfortable. She glanced over her shoulder to her bed.

  Alaunus lay beneath the rough blankets, so still and pale that he could have been carved from stone.

  However, since Aveta insisted that Caderyn and Bran bring Alaunus to her home, his skin no longer looked grey. It was only a slight improvement, but enough to strengthen Aveta’s resolve.

  As she worked, crushing herbs and mixing minerals and oils, Aveta realized that the goddess had done more than just give her power. She had awakened her.

  Every sight, scent, and sound seemed sharper and clearer. She could hear the rabbits that ran through her garden and the whisper of the wings of the owl that stalked them. The scent of the night blooming flowers in her garden was all around her though the shutters were shut tight over her windows.

  Aveta could even see what lay in the shadowed corners of her one room cottage. Objects that should have been shrouded in darkness were as easy to see as if they had been beneath the sun at midday.

  Her mind had been awakened as well. She seemed to recall everything, even the most insignificant bits of information her mother had shared with her during childhood.

  The most surprising aspect of the goddess’ gift to her was the vast memories of the ancient magic. She knew things she never had before. Things learned and shared by the practitioners of long ago, those who were born at the dawn of the world itself.

  When Caderyn and Bran carried Alaunus into her cottage, they had waited and watched as she prepared herbs and potions. As night began to fall, she suggested they return home to rest. When the men balked, she pointed out that she had only a single stool and bed in her home and asked where they intended to sleep.

  Finally, the pair agreed to leave, but insisted that they would return shortly after dawn.

  Aveta was glad to have them out of her home. After so many years away from other people, she found it difficult to tolerate the invasion of her sanctuary.

  She also had no desire to explain the actions she intended to take in order to save Alaunus. When she laid hands on his chest after her meeting with the goddess, it became clear to her that he would die regardless of whichever potions or teas she fed him.

  Only an incantation, the most powerful spell she could create, would save him from the dark magic that infected his lungs and his heart. Not only a spell, but a binding of their life forces to keep Alaunus tethered to this world with her.

  Aveta had a moment’s trepidation as she thought of the daughter that she carried. The binding should not harm the child, but should Aveta not survive childbirth or the coming years, her death would bring about Alaunus’ demise. Her daughter could easily become an orphan.

  Trust in my gifts to you, my daughter. You, your beloved, and your daughter will be safe.

  The voice of the goddess drifted through her mind, calming her and bringing her peace with the path she intended to take.

  As the moon rose in the sky and the midnight hour approached, Aveta prepared a potion and a powder. The curse had been administered with a powder and it seemed best to counteract the dark magic with her own powder. As for the potion, she mixed oils and herbs, stirring them until the liquid was thick and dark. Then she pricked her finger with her knife, whispering the words of binding as her blood dripped into bowl. She repeated the process at the bedside, lifting Alaunus’ limp hand and drawing a few beads of blood from his finger.

  When she was done, she left the bowl on a stool near the bed and returned to her worktable to finish her preparations.

  Aveta carried a cup of hot water, and the bowl of ground herbs to the bed, settling a hip next to Alaunus’ prone form. Deep within, she felt the power pulse with each beat of her heart. As the witching hour began, she anointed Alaunus and herself with the potion, marking forehead, lips, and heart with the liquid.

  Quietly she began to chant the words of the spell, her voice rising and falling rhythmically. In response to her incantation, she felt the energy within her coalesce and swell.

  Then she mixed a small amount of the ground herbs in the water and drank it down. The tea was bitter at first, but the flavor expanded and sweetened on her tongue as the magic took effect.

  Resuming her chant, Aveta gathered a small amount of the powder in her palm and gently blew it over Alaunus’ face. She placed her left hand, the hand of the goddess, on his heart and her right hand, the one marked by the god, on his head.

  As the power built within her, she directed it into Alaunus’ body, her voice lifting with each word she spoke. The language was ancient, one her ears had never heard before, yet the syllables tumbled from her tongue easily as though she had spoken it for her entire life.

  Her hands began to glow where they rested against Alaunus’ skin, growing hotter as the spell rose to a fever pitch.

  “By my will, it shall be.”

  As she cried those words, she felt everything within her stretch taut, like a bow drawn back in preparation to loose an arrow.

  Then she heard the laughter, dark and malevolent. It was not the voice of her mother goddess, but of evil itself.

  “You think you have won, little witch, but you cannot.” the voice whispered, harsh and threatening. “He will live, but he is no longer the man you love. He will be a beast, a hunter. He will seek the blood and the violence of the kill, and you will be his prey. Your spell has been twisted and perverted.”

  “No!” Aveta shrieked, feeling the tendrils of dark magic unfurl within Alaunus. She would not allow such atrocities to be heaped on him.

  Calling on the goddess and the god, she threw her head back and cried out the words of the binding spell, using her right hand to pull the evil from his body as quickly as she could and expelling it from her own mouth.

  The glow in her hands grew nearly blinding. She closed her eyes against it and focused on ridding every bit of the curse from Alaunus.

  There was a burst of energy between them and Aveta was thrown to the floor. The power of her spell snapped and sparked, interspersed with black mist, before fading away.

  Aveta rose to her elbows, feeling the energy from the spell subside. The dark magic had vanished, leaving behind only the subtle shadow of its taint on the air. She held her breath as she studied Alaunus, hoping that he would show some sign of life.

  Suddenly, his body jerked and he drew in a deep, gasping breath. His muscles were wracked with spasm after spasm and Aveta watched in horror as he shook so hard she worried he would tear himself apart. She pushed herself to her feet, reaching out to place her hand on his head and calm him.

  His fingers curled around her wrist, locking tight, and he sat up on the mattress. His eyes opened and Aveta whimpered in shock.

  They glowed like amber fire entwined with green flames. She felt his mind and heart reach out to hers as he lifted her palm to his lips.

  “Aveta,” he whispered. “What has happened to me?”

  She could not speak as his lips closed around the finger she had pricked minutes ago and sucked. Her eyes widened when he released her from his mouth and she saw the fangs of a predator.

  “Y-y-you were c-cursed,” she stammered, staring at his face in shock.

  Despite her efforts to keep the curse from changing him, she had not succeeded fully. Other than the shimmering of his eyes in the dark and the fangs in his mouth, he did not appear monstrous, but Aveta knew that the changes to her beloved went deeper than his outward appearance.

  “How do you feel?” she asked softly.

  He considered her question before answering. “Strong. Hungry.”

  She tried to pull her hand from his grasp, struggling to stay calm. She wanted to keep him calm until she determined what had been done to him. “Let me make you something to eat. You have been unconscious for two days.”

  Alaunus shook his head. “I do not want food,” he replied, using his grip on he
r arm to pull her closer. He buried his face against her neck, inhaling as he trailed his lips up the side of her throat. “You smell…delicious.”

  He will seek blood.

  The words of the witch who had cursed Alaunus echoed in Aveta’s mind and her heart began to pound against her breast. Could it be?

  Her body tensed at the scrape of his teeth against her delicate skin.

  Alaunus felt her grow taut and withdrew. “Aveta, what is happening to me?” he asked once again.

  She swallowed hard. “You have been changed by the curse,” she answered. “I do not know yet what has been wrought, but we will find out.”

  “I am so thirsty,” he murmured, lying back on the mattress.

  Aveta rose to her feet, pouring him a cup of water even though she knew that it was unlikely to quench his thirst. Alaunus thanked her and took the cup, sipping the cold liquid.

  He frowned after he emptied the cup. “I am sorry, my love, but I need more.”

  Aveta lowered her head, terror and sorrow filling her heart. She feared that if she gave him what he needed that he would take from her until both she and their child were dead. Goddess, what should she do?

  At her silent cry, she once again heard the voice of the goddess.

  You are strong enough to give him what he needs, Aveta. He is not the beast that you fear he is. You have birthed a new age, a new type of magic, just as you were meant to. You must feed your beloved.

  Aveta pressed a hand to her abdomen, thinking of her child.

  I have given you my protection and my vow, my daughter. Your child is safe. Know this will always be true. Do not fear. Your beloved will not harm either of you.

  With a soft sigh, Aveta nodded, acknowledging the words of the goddess. She did not fully comprehend what was happening here, but she trusted what the goddess told her. Stepping forward, she swept her hair to the side, draping it over her left shoulder. Alaunus watched her with his brilliant hazel eyes as she sat hip-to-hip with him on the mattress.

  “Water will not appease your thirst,” she murmured. “You must drink of me.”

  Alaunus stared at her, horror in his eyes, even as his incisors lengthened and his gaze grew brighter. “No,” he whispered. “I cannot.”

  Aveta curved her hand around the back of his neck, guiding his face toward her throat. “Drink but a little.”

  He resisted for a moment, but could not stop staring at the tiny leap of her pulse at the base of her neck. “The babe. You.” He paused, licking his lips. “I do not want to hurt either of you.”

  Aveta used her thumb to tilt his chin up so their eyes met. “If you do not want to harm me, you will not.”

  “I am afraid I will not stop,” he whispered, his lips so close to hers that she could feel his breath on her skin.

  “You will,” she replied firmly. “I will not let you take too much.”

  “It’s wrong,” he argued. “Wicked.”

  “I do not agree. The goddess helped me save you. She promised me that we will be safe, all of us.”

  Alaunus could no longer resist the lure of her pulse. His cheek brushed hers as he leaned forward and pressed his lips to the skin of her neck. She took a deep breath as she felt the edge of his teeth against her throat.

  He moaned softly, his bite swift and sharp. Aveta gasped at the sting that was quickly soothed as he drew on her skin, drinking the blood from her vein.

  It did not hurt, she realized in shock. Just the opposite. Pleasure flooded her limbs as he suckled, wrapping his arms around her and gathering her against his body.

  Her head grew light, the room seeming to spin around them. As the blissful feeling spread, her body grew rigid and her nails dug into the bare skin of Alaunus’ shoulders.

  Despite the urgency she sensed within him, Alaunus was infinitely gentle with her, his arms cradling her tenderly and his hands stroking her hair and her back. Aveta relaxed into his embrace, completely trusting him not to harm her.

  It was then that she felt him in her mind. She could hear his thoughts, feel his emotions, and suddenly understood that he could sense the same from her. They were connected more deeply than ever before, their very souls twined together.

  When she thought she might faint from the intensity of the onslaught, Alaunus slowly withdrew from her, running his tongue over the small puncture wounds at the base of her throat. Then he placed his palms on her cheeks, cupping her face as he studied her. The brilliant glow of his eyes slowly died away as he gazed into hers.

  “You are changed, Aveta,” he stated, gliding his thumb over her lips.

  “As are you,” she replied.

  “What is to become of us now?”

  She answered his question with one of her own. “Do you love me still?”

  He frowned at her. “You know that I do and that I shall for the rest of my life. Surely you felt it moments ago, just as I felt your love for me.”

  She lifted her hand and touched his mouth, noticing that his fangs were no longer visible. The thirst he felt had been sated.

  “Then you understand that we are bound?” she asked.

  He nodded. “But I am no longer like other men. I cannot stay here.”

  “Then we leave together,” she replied. “But first we shall have your father perform our marital ceremony.”

  Alaunus stared at her in surprise. “You will still have me?”

  She mimicked his hold, cradling his face in her hands. “Now and always,” she vowed.

  Chapter Seven

  The Sun

  They sat on the floor in front of the fire, eating smoked meat and slightly stale bread with only a pitcher of water to quench their thirst. Aveta had little in the way of food since she had been caring for Alaunus the last two days.

  “I am sorry,” Aveta said softly, staring into the fire.

  “Why?”

  “Your change.”

  Alaunus took her hand. “It was not your doing.”

  Aveta was not sure she agreed, but she kept her silence.

  “Aveta.”

  She looked up at him when he spoke her name.

  “You saved my life. Without your intervention, I would have been dead by dawn. Even if you could not accept me as I am now, I could not blame you for doing everything within your power to save me.”

  “I do not want you to hate me,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. “And I fear that someday you will. Not only have I changed you, but I have bound our life forces together.”

  Alaunus pulled her into his lap, pressing her against his bare chest. “I could never hate you,” he replied. “And I wanted to be bound to you for the rest of our lives. It was you I had to convince, remember?”

  She smiled slightly at his pointed reminder of her previous reluctance.

  “I love you, Aveta,” he stated, lowering his head to kiss her. “As long as I have you, I have no regrets.”

  The last of Aveta’s fear melted away. She twined her arms around his neck, opening her mouth beneath his. As their tongues dueled, Alaunus got to his feet, lifting her as though she weighed nothing at all. He carried her to the mattress and laid her on the blanket.

  He removed his trousers and stripped her nightdress from her body. Stretching out next to her, Alaunus gathered her into his arms. His hands stroked over her bare back.

  “Your skin is the softest thing I have ever touched,” he murmured. “How did that escape my notice?”

  Aveta did not bother to answer his question, trailing her fingers over his chest, her mouth following in the path of her caress.

  He groaned as her hands continued lower to his stomach and below. “Aveta.”

  She shivered as he ran the tips of his fingers down her spine, his touch light. Her heightened senses made every stroke of his hand, every sound from his throat, incredibly arousing.

  Aveta suckled his nipple, flicking his flesh with her tongue. Alaunus groaned again and tangled his hand in her hair. His other hand kneaded her breast, his fingers tug
ging lightly at the tip.

  It was a slow exploration, each of them experiencing the new intensity of the sensations. Alaunus lifted her leg, draping it over his hip, and slid inside her. Her back arched as he moved within her and she tilted her head back to look into his eyes.

  Once again she saw that the hazel depths glowed with an unearthly light. Alaunus rolled her beneath him, his hips moving in a slow and steady rhythm. His mouth met hers, the kiss as languorous and unhurried as his thrusts.

  As the pleasure began to build, his lips moved from her mouth to her throat. Aveta sensed his intentions and, remembering the bliss of his first bite, she tilted her head to bare her neck. She was confident he would be able to control his hunger.

  Once again she felt the edge of his teeth pierce her skin as he began to drink. The bond between them opened and Aveta felt as though their souls merged, two pieces melding into one.

  Her legs twined around his hips as he drank from her. Pleasure grew quickly and the climax hit her unexpectedly. One moment the wave was building and the next it had overwhelmed her, making her head spin and leaving her breathless.

  “Again,” Alaunus demanded against her neck. “Come for me again.”

  His lips latched onto her skin once more, calling forth the bliss.

  Aveta lost track of how many times she found her release. Even after Alaunus stopped drinking from her, she crested again and again.

  When he finally found his own pleasure, Alaunus collapsed on the mattress next to her, curving her limp form into his chest.

  Exhausted from days without sleep and more pleasure than she thought herself capable of experiencing, Aveta tucked her face into his shoulder. “I love you, my Fin.”

  Then she drifted into the peaceful sleep of the blessed.

  The next morning, Bran and Caderyn arrived with the dawn, their banging on the door dragging both Aveta and Alaunus from the warmth of her bed.

  Alaunus’ father was overwhelmed by the news that his son was once again brimming with good health. Even Caderyn seemed awed by the ‘miracle’ that Aveta had wrought.