Destined Magic (8 page)

“He said it would be easier that way.”

“He spoke to you? You didn’t tell me that last night.” He stepped closer and brushed a wet curl off her face.

“I was exhausted and scared. I didn’t think to tell you.” She wrapped her arms around her waist.

“What else did he say?” Garrett reached for her arms and pulled her into his embrace. She shuddered, then melted against him. He put his head over hers. The need to comfort her and keep her safe overwhelmed him.
Nothing can happen to her.

“He said Brenna had s
ent them to fetch me. But then, I ran up the cliff. He caught me, and I used my magic to turn the ocean mist on his face to ice. He swore at me and said he would kill me. It would be easier that way, and they would find another sacrifice. I’m not sure if he spoke to me or to himself.”

Sacrifice? Garrett’s arms tightened around her. Brenna wanted to use Ella in one of her blood
-cult rituals?
Over his dead body
.

Ella shuddered again and wrapped her arms around his waist
, squeezing tight. “My own sister wants me dead.”

“I am so sorry, Ella. I know that must hurt. Remember that your sister has turned to evil. Her soul is blackened. She isn’t the loving sibling you once knew.
We’ll figure out what to do, together.”

She nodded.

“That gives us three
days to figure out what to do.” Garrett sat at the table in the conference room at Guardian headquarters. Gabriella sat next to him, while the other, eleven Guardians took the remaining chairs. The letter, Gabriella’s mother’s gold ring, and the envelope left on Gabriella’s bed lay on the table after having been tested for possible poison and curses. They were clean. Brenna’s letter asked Gabriella to meet her at the Blue Dolphin in three days.

“It’s probably a trap
,” Tolya said. “Your mate should stay away.” Lycans protected their women, and in this case Garrett had to agree. He didn’t want Ella anywhere near the pub.

“It might be a trap. But her sister doesn’t know that Gabriella fo
und her Destined One and that Garrett is a Guardian. The trap is probably set for Gabriella. But we can back her up,” Damek said, leaning forward. Garrett frowned at his cousin.

“I agree,” Mabel said
, giving both Gabriella and Garrett a look of pity. “This could be our chance to capture Brenna and more blood-cult members. The information you have from Gabriella and the Blacksmith suggests that this problem is far bigger and more widespread than we imagined. We need as much information as we can gather.”

“You want to use her as bait?” Tolya asked
, frowning.

Everyone started talking at once. Garrett sighed and reached over to take Ella’s hand. She hadn’t said much since they found the letter
and returned to London. Right now, her head was lowered and her hands were clasped in her lap. He laid his palm over her white knuckles.

She lifted her head and looked at him.

“I won’t let anything happen to you. I will keep you safe,” he promised her, hoping it was true. She nodded and entwined her fingers with his.

The room quieted
, and Garrett turned to find everyone looking at him. He looked over at Mabel. She was their leader. Her decision would be final.

“I know I’m asking a lot
,” Mabel said. “But this opportunity is too good to pass up. What have you found out from the coven members who attacked Gabriella?”

Haytham Luften, a
ir witch and lead interrogator, spoke up. “Most of them refuse to talk. But the youngest one, a seventeen-year-old boy, decided to be brave. He told me they meet in secret. That this Red Wizard uses powerful spells to shield their meeting places. He truly believes that there is nothing we can do to stop them. The kid likes to brag.” Haytham shook his head, making his white-blond hair fall over his eyes.

“That information isn’t
exactly new, but it does coincide with what we learned from the Blacksmith. Gabriella, you said when you tried to scry where your sister was located, the cult knew you were doing so?” Mabel asked.

“Yes, Brenna looked right at me and said we would be meeting soon
,” Gabriella said immediately, her voice firm. Garrett squeezed her hand. He was proud of her.

“There’s more,” Haytham interrupted. “All the cult members are marked on their left breast
with a hexagon made up of equal triangles. It looks almost like a brand burned into their flesh. The boy didn’t seem to remember how he got the mark, but he bragged that it allowed the Master to identify his cult members.”

“Wait, I’ve heard of something like that,” Safara Pyralis,
fire witch, said. They all turned to look at the caramel-skinned beauty at the end of the table. “I was doing some research on paranormal artifacts for the council. I remember there were several that were used to brand people, subjecting them to the will of their Master. Councilman Curtis Brant would know more. The Fire-House has always had the job of collecting and destroying or deactivating harmful magical items.”

“So, whoever this Red Wizard is, he got his hands on an old artifact that lets him control the cult members?” Josiah asked.

“Well, that explains how he has managed to keep things hidden for so long,” Mabel said. “This artifact, we need to know what it is and everything it can do. Elise, I want you and Safara to contact Councilman Brant. If you need help doing research, take Angeline with you. Haytham, keep working on the cult members. If you find out anything else, contact me immediately. Whatever cases you’ve been working on, unless they are life or death, can wait. I want all our resources directed toward finding out what exactly we are facing with this Red Wizard. This meeting is adjourned. We will meet again at days end.”

Nearly e
veryone rose from the chairs and started leaving the room. Garrett stayed put and continued to hold Gabriella’s hand.

Mabel stopped next to them. “I think Venetia may be on to something a
bout Destined Ones being a weapon to fight this cult. Get the ceremony done. I want you two bonded. I’m sorry it couldn’t be under better circumstances.”

Garrett looked at Mabel and then at Gabriella. Their leader was ordering them to go through with the Destined One ri
tual? Would Ella agree? “I won’t force my Destined One to bond with me if she isn’t ready.” His voice didn’t reveal the turmoil going on inside him. He wanted to do the ceremony, wanted to bind Ella to him. But he wouldn’t force her, nor would he allow the Guardians to do so.

“Well
, Gabriella?” Mabel asked. “Will you go through with the ritual? I can have everything we need in place by tonight. I’m sure Garrett’s father will want it done at his estate. If you are willing, I will preside. The ceremony will have to be quick. Is there someone you would like to invite to join us?”

“Can you give us a minute, Mabel? I think Ella and I need to talk.”

“All right, but not too long. I’ll have to prepare.” Mabel walked toward the door. She stopped and looked back as though she wanted to say more. Then, she turned and left the room.

Garrett pulled Gabriella
onto his lap. He held her close a minute before he spoke. “You don’t have to do this. I’m not going to let them force you into something you don’t desire.”

“You don’t want to go through with the ritual?”

Garrett heard the quiver in her voice. He couldn’t let her think he didn’t want her. He ran his hand up her arm. “Of course, I want to. The minute I saw you, I was entranced. I even thought someone tried to bewitch me. I never expected to be gifted with a Destined One. But being a Destined One is nobody’s business but our own.”

Some of the stiffness left her body
, and she leaned back against his chest. He continued to caress her arm.

He
kissed her. He couldn’t help himself. Her lips were soft against his. He kissed her again, then moved to her closed eyes. Little kisses, and then he placed one on the tip of her nose.

She sighed
, and he returned to her mouth, kissing and licking until she gave him entrance into her warmth. Her arms wrapped around his neck. Desire burst through him. Gabriella moaned and responded by grabbing onto his neck and hair.

“Garrett, your father is on line one.” Angeline’s voice
on the intercom echoed in the room.

With a groan,
Garrett reluctantly pulled away from Ella. She looked dazed, and her lips were swollen from his kisses. He kissed the tip of her nose as she blinked. Her hands fell from around his neck, and he felt a sudden loss. He brushed her hair back from her face before running his thumb over her lips. A slow smile blossomed on her face. He felt an answering glow in his heart.

“Tell him I will call him back in a few minutes, please.” His vo
ice came out a little rough. Angeline didn’t seem to notice.

“Yes, sir.”
Angeline replied, and the room went quiet once again.

§

Good Goddess, Garrett can kiss
. It wouldn’t have been much longer before she started to strip his clothes off. The bulge resting against her bottom suggested that Garrett wouldn’t have stopped her. Even now, looking at him, his hair slightly mussed from her hands, she wanted to go back to the ecstasy she felt before they were interrupted.

Of course
, making love in the Guardian conference room probably wasn’t a smart idea. Somewhere more private would work better. She wiggled a little in his lap and smiled when he grabbed her hip and moaned.

“If I ported us out of here right now, I might lose my job.”
Garrett’s voice sounded strained.

Gabriella doubted he would lose his job
. Guardians were chosen by magic itself as its guardian and protector. Hence the name. Once a Guardian, always a Guardian. At least, he wanted her enough to think about porting. But that big question still hung between them. Would she go through the ritual with him, maybe as early as tonight? Gabriella looked away. She couldn’t think clearly while looking at Garrett.

Venetia
had told her a Destined One was a great gift and she should grab on with both hands. Did she want to bind herself to Garrett? The ritual was more than a magic ceremony. It was a marriage. But more than that, once done it couldn’t be undone. Their magic would merge, a bond on the soul level. Two halves becoming a whole, male and female, plus and minus, Ying and Yang. Call it what you will, it was powerful magic. It would change both of them, make them something more.

She shivered. Garrett looked at her, his gaze tender. Whatever she wanted to do,
she knew he would agree. They could have the ceremony today, next month, or never. The temptation was overwhelming. Every young witch wished for her Destined One to find her. This man was her true love. The thing fairytales were based on. Why was she resisting?

“Al
l right, let’s do the ritual tonight,” she said. “Whatever the future brings, at least I will have experienced the Destined One’s bond.” Venetia was right. She needed to grab at this chance of happiness with both hands.

“I’ll try to make you happy, Ella. I know it’s too soon to talk of love. But I’m sure that will come, too.” Garrett kissed her lightly on the mouth before standing and helping her to regain her footing. Once
she was steady, he took her hand. “Come on, we need to tell Mabel and call my father. Would you like to invite Venetia to come?”

“Yes, she’s been like a mother to me.”

“I’d like that too. She knew my mother, as well.”

§

Garrett couldn’t wipe the sappy grin from his face. Ella had said yes. They told Mabel, and he called his father. He wanted to yell it to the rafters.
She said yes
. His Destined One wanted him. He frowned suddenly and looked over at Gabriella, who was talking with Venetia on the phone. Was the Destined One’s attraction making her say yes? Was it all an illusion constructed of magic?

He ran his hand over his eyes. He wanted this. Gabriella was his. Destined Ones were true loves. They would find love in each other, together
. But how did he know for sure?

Gabriella hung up the phone and walked over to where he sat at his desk. He snagged her wrist and pulled her into his lap. “Tell me why.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“Tell me why you want to go through the ceremony.
” He didn’t want to scare her, but he had to know.

“
I thought you wanted to.”

“But why, Ella? Is it just the attraction? Is it the stories people tell?”

“The attraction is part of it …”

“Attraction isn’t enough. I won’t do this if all we have is lust.”

“Is that all you feel for me, Garrett? Lust?”

“
Yes. No. I don’t know.” Garrett found his hand shaking.

“I know we just met and things
have gotten off to a bad start,” Ella said. “But I saw you in my dreams. I know that you are a careful man, dedicated to keeping bad things from people. You try so hard to do what’s right. I know you didn’t want to hurt me, even when you put that nullifying cuff on me. You came for me and rescued me. Wait,” she put her hand over his mouth when he would have interrupted. “I see how you are with your family and friends. I … I think I could love you, that I’m already making my way to loving you. Maybe, I’m fooling myself, but I think you might be moving toward loving me in return. I’m willing to take the chance and bond with you. I know life isn’t a fairytale. But I want to live life to the fullest.”

Garrett sighed in relief and leaned his forehead against her
shoulder. “Okay, I can do this. When I’m near you, I can’t think straight sometimes. I want to hold you, comfort you, and protect you, and yeah, I want to make love to you. I want you in my bed, our bodies joined. I won’t deny it. But it’s not lust. As long as there are real feelings behind your decision, I can do this.”

Gabriella kissed the top of his head. “I guess it’s decided then.”

§

Garrett looked up at the Georgian manor
that was his father’s house. The last rays of daylight spread a warm glow across the front. He squeezed Gabriella’s hand. He didn’t know whether he was trying to reassure himself or her. He led her up the stairs and to the door before using the decorative knocker. This was such a big step for both of them, and he didn’t really know how his father felt about it.