Destined Magic (7 page)

“Hello, sister dear. We’ll be together very soon.”

Gabriella gasped, and the image in the mirror went blank. How had Brenna known she watched her? One thing was certain: Brenna was in London. Gabriella had caught a few visuals of a park and statues she knew were there. Who were all those people Brenna was with? Who was the red-robed wizard?

Sighing
, she went around the circle, putting out the candles. Next, she picked up the little whiskbroom and began to sweep away the circle she had cast. “I dismiss and thank all spirits—now you must go. No unwanted energy of any spirit will this circle ever know. This circle is now open, now all spirits depart—make it so.”

She finished sweeping away the circle and began to gather her belongings.
A raindrop hit her nose. She looked up and lightning flashed from cloud to cloud followed by a crash of thunder. She hurried to collect her magical tools. A little rain wouldn’t hurt a water witch, but getting soaked wasn’t going to be fun.

She had finished putting everything in her pockets and held the scrying mirror in her hands when the first man ported in. Soon
, three others joined him. All of them stood leering at her, then the leader stepped forward. “Your sister sent us to collect you.”

Garrett and Damek ported into the living room of the Beach Inn. Venetia Ainsworth stood in her terrycloth robe and fuzzy slippers, her long silver hair in two braids.
She hung up the phone clutched in her hand. “She’s gone. I think she went up the cliff path.”

Garrett swore and ran out onto the porch
, peering up at the cliffs. With rain coming down, it was hard to see. A flash of lightning showed someone struggling at the top. Garrett immediately ported, hoping Damek wouldn’t be far behind.

Garrett
arrived with a whoosh of air and saw a man struggling with Ella at the cliff’s edge. He started forward when a root came out of the ground and wound around his leg. He turned to see another man who stood at the edge of the trees muttering a spell. Two others were standing nearby, all wearing black robes.

Garrett reached for his magic
. A limb on the tree above the man dipped down and hit him on the head. The root holding Garrett’s leg gave way. Damek appeared next to him and swore as the other two mages stepped forward.

One started building a fireball in his hands while the other
, a teenager, fed the fire with his air magic. Garrett used his magic to hurl a rock at the fire witch’s head. The rock hit dead center, and the man fell to the ground as the fireball winked out. Damek rushed toward the air witch, while Garrett turned his attention to the man struggling with Gabriella.

The
man pushed her back toward the edge of the ledge. She held on to him, but the ground under her feet was crumbling. Garrett called on his magic, and a second rock flew through the air and bashed the man in the head. The man tipped over the edge and knocked Gabriella from her feet. Her legs slid off the cliff. She held onto the ledge, her hands clawing at the dirt. Garrett leaped to the cliff’s edge and landed on his stomach. He reached down to Gabriella. “Give me your hand.” Ella looked up at him, terror stamped on her face. “Dammit, Ella. I’m trying to save you. Stop fighting me.”

Her fingers began to slip. Garrett called his magic
again, and a rock spur shot out of the cliff under her feet. He wasn’t going to lose her. Not this time. “Ella, honey. Step onto the spur so you won’t fall. Then, give me your hand. I know you’re scared, baby. But I won’t let you fall.”

“I
can’t. You’ll take my magic. I can’t live without my magic.”

“No, Ella. I promise you
. Never again. You’ve got to trust me, baby. Step down onto the spur. Then, grab my hands. I’m not sure how long the rock will hold your weight. Please, Ella. I don’t want to lose you.”

Gabriella nodded her head and
, testing her weight, put her foot down on the spur. The spur shuddered but held. The ground was moist from all the rain. Garrett scooted forward on the ledge so he could better reach her. She put down her other foot, stepping lightly. He should be able to grasp her wrists if she held them up.

“Hurry, Ella. Grab my hands.”

She reached up with one hand, using the other to maintain her balance. He grabbed her wrist, sighing in relief. “The other one, sweetheart, so I can pull you up.”

Ella inched closer and reached for him. He grabbed her wrist as the spur shuddered and started to tip. Garrett heaved with all his might
and pulled her up over the edge. The ground shuddered as the spur dislodged from the side of the cliff and fell to the rocky shore below.

They lay there panting, covered in mud as the rain pounded. Garrett
leaned over and pushed the wet hair back from her face, leaving a streak of mud behind. “You’ve got to give me a chance. I don’t want to face this world without you.”

H
is blood ignited as he took her lips. He teased and tantalized, feeling her hesitation. Finally, with a moan she opened to him. He dove in, tasting and claiming. This woman was his, chosen by destiny to stand at his side. He deepened the kiss, feeding from her lips, devouring her sweetness.

“You guys might want to get out of the rain. The cliff
’s edge is already unstable.” Damek stood over them. “And I’m fine, in case you were worried. I called for backup. Josiah and Calder will be here soon to take the others to headquarters.”

Garrett looked into Ella’s
stunned gaze and groaned. What was he doing? They were both wet and muddy, not to mention exhausted from their struggle and use of magic. Slipping his arm around Ella, they sat up and Garrett reached for Damek’s hand. With a tug they both stood at Damek’s side. “Let’s get back to the inn. I know I need a shower.” Garrett pulled Ella close to his body and tucked her under his shoulder.

§

“She’s sleeping,” Venetia said, walking into the sitting room. “She should be right as rain by tomorrow morning.”

“It’s good that you took he
r in.” Garrett’s heart hurt knowing Gabriella had run from him. She should have been able to trust him.

It was past midnight
, and he was exhausted after everything that happened. He leaned forward on his chair, his elbows resting on his knees.

“Yes, but her foot is caught in destiny’s door. It won’t let her hide. This is the tip of the iceberg. Something dark is at work
, and you two are the first step in defeating it.”

Garrett nodded
his head. Venetia was a powerful water witch seer from the first water bloodline. He knew not to take her words lightly. “This vision she has of me killing her …”

“Visions can change
, and so can the outcomes. It’ll be up to you to save her. She will try to save her sister, even stepping in front of a bullet. What are you going to do about it?”

“I’m going to keep her safe.”
What else could he do?

“The strength of two conjoined will always be stronger than one.”

“What are you saying? Go through with the Destined One ceremony? Bind her to me?” Would Ella agree to go through the ceremony?

“Your powers will merge. It will take both of you to save her.”

Garrett rubbed a hand over his eyes. Damek and the other Guardians had ported back to headquarters with the prisoners. The man who fell off the cliff died on impact.

Mabel had been informed of the incident and gave Garrett leave to stay with Gabriella until she felt well enough to return to London with him. The only one left from Brenna’s coven was Brenna herself.

That should have been welcome news, but Gabriella had shared what she saw in the scrying mirror tonight. Venetia might be right when she said this was the tip of the iceberg.

“You should go to bed. Things will be clearer in the morning.” Venetia
said to Garrett, as she rested her hand on his shoulder. The touch was comforting and reminded him of his mother. Venetia smiled and headed for the stairs. “I won’t offer you the couch. I know you’ll want to be with your Destined One.”

“I just want to know she’
s safe. I could have lost her tonight.”

“I understand. You’re a good boy, Garrett. I knew your mother,
Arethusa. I knew she would raise you right. Goodnight.”

Garrett watched the older woman make her way up the stairs before
he rose and let himself into Gabriella’s room. Her light breathing assured him she continued to sleep. He made his way into the bathroom and took a quick shower. His clothes were a muddy mess. But he would worry about that in the morning. Right now, he wanted to hold Gabriella close and get some sleep. He pulled back the covers on the other side of the bed and climbed in. Rolling on his side, he snuggled up against her back and threw a leg over hers. With his arm around her waist, he buried his head in her neck, breathing her scent into his lungs. Everything about this woman called to him. Sighing, he remembered the look of terror on her face when she saw him on the cliff. Could she ever forgive him for using the nullifying bracelet on her?

§

Gabriella held perfectly still. Garrett lay wrapped around her, his relaxed weight and steady breathing letting her know he slept. The morning sun filtered through the curtains on the window, and the rhythmic sound of surf hitting the beach played quietly in the background. The smell of coffee and something baking in the oven filled the air.

Part of her wanted to run away
from him, and the other part wanted to know what it was like to be loved by your Destined One. There were so many tales of Destined Ones and the love they shared.

Running away hadn’t worked before
, and she was almost certain that those men who attacked her last night had been sent by her sister and the blood cult. Her own sister wanted her dead. The visuals she received last night in the scrying mirror were scary and bizarre. This blood cult was much more organized than just her sister’s coven.

Garrett sighed and his arms tightened around her.
A thrill of excitement ran down her spine. He nuzzled her hair, then kissed her neck. “Are you awake?”

Time to face her destiny
. Pretending to be asleep seemed cowardly. “Yes. Good morning.”

“Hmm, you taste so sweet. Your skin is so soft. I think I could stay right here forever.”

Gabriella chuckled. He seemed so surprised. “Right here? I think we would starve to death.”

“Are you hungry?”
He rolled to his back, taking her with him. She landed draped over his chest, her hand against his heart. She resisted the need to run her hand down his chest and feel each muscle she knew lay beneath his skin.

“Yes, aren’t you? We need to eat a hearty breakfast after using so much magic last night.”
This felt so right, so normal, waking up and cuddling with him like this.

“I can think of something I’d like
to eat.” Garrett licked her ear, and she shivered. It was nice to know the legendary attraction of Destined Ones was mutual.

Gabriella push
ed up and away from him. “I’m getting up. I smell coffee, and I’m sure Venetia is cooking something wonderful in the kitchen.” She wasn’t going to give in to the attraction, not when she didn’t know if she could really trust him.

She slipped from the bed, surprised and a little disappointed that Garrett let her go.
His gaze was tender as he watched her gather her clothes and toiletries. He sat up, and the sheet lay tented across his lap. Her face warmed, and she hurried into the bathroom and leaned against the door. She wanted to touch him, to taste his skin as he had tasted her.

A soft knock
had her whipping around and backing away from the door. “Ella, I need to get a few things from my house, like clean clothes. I’ll be back as soon as I can. Save some of the hearty breakfast for me.”

She heard the unmistakable whooshing sound of someone porting on the other side of the door.
Shaking her head at her reaction to the man who was her destined love, she turned to start the shower. What was she doing? She should be porting away, finding another hiding place. Instead, she would shower and eat breakfast, waiting for the man who could love her and make her life whole—if he didn’t destroy her first.

Troubled, she stepped into the shower.

§

Garrett ported to his bedroom in London. He rushed around
, grabbing clothes and taking a moment to brush his teeth and hair. He needed to get back to his Destined One. Leaving her this morning was a huge gamble if she wanted to run. He hoped she didn’t, that she would stay and work with him to figure out exactly what was going on.

He ported back into the room at the
inn and heard the shower still running in the bathroom. Sighing in relief, he sat down on the bed. She didn’t run. The crinkle of paper had him turning to discover an envelope on the bed. Gabriella’s name was written on the front. The cloying smell of decay clung to the paper.

Seven
minutes, that’s all the time he had been gone. But someone who had a direct link to Gabriella had used that time to send this letter. He glanced at the bathroom door as the water turned off. He didn’t feel any magical residue clinging to the paper so the letter wasn’t ensorcelled. But was it poisoned?

The door opened
, and Gabriella stepped into the room. The smell of wildflowers filled the air. Garrett breathed deeply. She smiled at him, and he couldn’t help but smile back. There was so much he wanted to share with her. But once again, the blood cult wasn’t giving him time. He stood up and pointed to the envelope on the bed.

“Someone sent you a letter. Don’t touch it,” he said as Gabriella moved forward. “I want the lab to make sure it isn’t poisoned or cursed in any way.”

She froze and looked quickly between the envelope and him. A frown marred her face, and Garrett wanted to wipe the look away. “That’s my sister’s handwriting.”

“She sent people after you last night.
I don’t think you can assume it’s safe because it came from Brenna.”

Gabriella stepped back, her brow furrowed, her eyes sad. “You think she wants to kill me.”

Garrett noticed she made a statement, not asked a question. He nodded. “The man you struggled with on the cliff was trying to throw you off.”