Hecate's Own: Heart's Desire, Book 2 (8 page)

“And you weren’t thinking of Jo at all during that part of
the spell?”

He shook his head. He couldn’t remember whether or not she’d
snuck into his thoughts. Hell, she was never far from them, so it was possible
she had. “I don’t think so, but she was hard to put out of my head.”

“Does your description sound like Jo?”

Did it? Everything he’d described, except for her acceptance
of him as a witch and a man, did sort of fit the other woman. “Crap. It kind of
does.”

Gareth shifted. “You packed one hell of a punch into that
spell.”

Zach felt his cheeks turning red. “Yeah, well. Sometimes
it’s hard to control. It feels like I’m trying to ride a lightning bolt, trying
to steer it toward where I want it to go.”

The other two exchanged another glance.

He reached into his pocket, fingered the amulet, his own
personal worry stone. “Okay, that’s getting fucking old. Why the hell are you
doing that?”

“Doing what?”

Gareth tried his best to look innocent, but Zach knew
better. “You’re hiding something from me.”

Gareth opened his mouth to reply. “Ow! Don’t kick me.”

“Then don’t lie to me.”

Lana giggled. “You guys make me both glad and sad I was an
only child.”

The brothers rolled their eyes.

“Fine. Have you ever read your own Registry entry?”

Zach frowned. What the fuck did that have to do with whether
or not he’d cursed himself to a loveless, albeit short, existence? “No.”

“Maybe you should.”

“Fine.” He got up and went to Chris’s bookshelf. He pulled
down
The Registry of Witches, Wizards and Warlocks
and laid it out on
the side table.

It didn’t take him long to find his entry. Scanning it took
considerably longer. “What the fuck is this?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never seen an entry like that before. It
was like this the last time we looked you up, and I didn’t understand it then,
either.”

He lifted his gaze from the book to stare at Gareth. “Really?”

Gareth nodded, looking more than worried. He looked almost
frightened.

“Lana?”

She shrugged. “I have a feeling I know what it means, but
that’s it. Just a feeling.”

He bit his lip. Lana’s instincts were pretty strong. “Tell
me.”

She sighed. “You know how drawn you are to Hecate’s Wheel?”

“Yes,” he drawled. Something tickled the back of his brain.
Something to do with the wheel, or the Goddess, he wasn’t certain. But he had
the feeling he was going to hear an answer he’d been looking for his entire
life.

“Have you ever heard of Hecate’s Own?”

His jaw dropped. “You’re fucking shitting me.” He started to
laugh. Him? An Own? “When pigs fly.”

“You’d better start looking overhead for airborne pork then
because I think I’m right.”

“Imagine what that would do to your car.” Gareth’s lips
twitched. “And you thought birds were annoying.”

Zach ran his good hand across his face. “Not funny,
jackass.” He threw his hands wide. “C’mon. Me? An Own?”

“You broke a hex designed to kill me that not even Grammy
could handle.” Lana started ticking things off on her fingers. “You
knew
that Cole Godwin was going to cheat in that duel with Chris and prepared for
it. You almost broke through a dueling ring’s shields to get to Chris,
something no one has ever been able to do. Not even another Arbiter could have
done that. And then you purified a soul-burning spell through me and grounded
it, saving Chris’s life.” She shrugged. “The only people capable of that sort
of magic are touched by the gods.” She poked him in the chest. “That would mean
you, bub.”

He absently stroked the twisted amulet in his pocket,
turning it in his fingers. “No fucking way.” And yet, something inside him
settled down with a contented sigh, like it had been trying to tell him so all
along, if only he’d been listening.

“Yes fucking way.” Lana patted his cheek. “You’re literally
one of the strongest witches in the world. Get over it.”

“Then why can’t I do the simple stuff?” He started to pace
the room, grateful Chris had designed it with his own pacing in mind. “I can’t
even cast a simple illusion spell without screwing it up.”

“Why can’t you power a computer with a lightning bolt?” Lana
shrugged. “You’re
too
damn strong. It’s one of the problems you’re going
to have to face. Day-to-day magic will never come easy to you, but face a coven
of rogue warlocks bent on hell on earth? You’ve got that one covered. According
to my research it’s something all Own have to deal with, not just you.”

“You’re not an average witch, Zach. Hell, you’ve never been
an average anything.” Gareth grinned. “This is a good thing. Didn’t you ask for
a mate who could help you help others?”

He blinked. He had, hadn’t he? “I suppose.” He wasn’t
completely convinced, though. “How would I know for sure if I’m an Own?”

“Don’t you trust me?”

“You may be biased, Lana. I need to ask someone who we know
for sure is an Own, but I wouldn’t know where to start looking. It’s not like
the members are listed in the phone book.”

Lana held up The Registry. “You sure about that?”

Zach stared at the huge book and began to smile.

Chapter Seven

“Where the hell are you?”

Jo pulled the phone away from her ear with a wince. When
Roland decided to bellow he did a damn good job of it. “According to my hosts,
Central Bumblefuck.”

“Why aren’t you in the hospital where you belong?”

“Because they discharged me?” She wanted to ask what the
fuck his problem was but figured that would be too disrespectful even for a court
as loose as Roland’s. Besides, he might tell her, and then she’d have to kick
his ass. “Didn’t Ari tell you anything?”

“Don’t talk to me about Ari. Talk to me about you and the
boy whose ass I’m going to kill.”

Uh-oh. She had to get him off that train of thought before
it derailed. “Listen, there’s something you need to know about Zach.”

“Other than the fact that he seems to have subverted my two
favorite women?”

Her head was beginning to throb again. At least the Becketts
had left her in peace for her nap. Too bad it hadn’t lasted very long. “Zach’s
an Own.”

Silence. “Oh. Is that all?”

Now it was her turn to be shocked speechless. “You knew?”

“Yup. Just like I know Ari is still in the running to become
America’s Next Top Model.”

Jo hung up the phone. She knew better than to talk to Ro
when he was like this.

Her cell phone rang. She answered, ready to hang right back
up if he gave her any shit. “I’m not getting into this with you.”

“Fine. Tell me something I can believe, like horses turn
into fairies during full moons.”

“Look in The Registry if you don’t believe me. That’s what I
did.”

There was a disbelieving laugh. “You’re
serious?
”

“Ro. Please. Just look in The Registry.”

“Fine. I’ll do that. And you get your ass back home pronto,
got it? We know he’s with the Evans. For all I care he can stay there.”

This time it was Roland who hung up on her. Jo sat up
against the pillows and immediately dialed Ari. “Did you tell Ro you called
her
?”

“Uh-oh. Did he call you?”

“Jesus Christ on a pogo stick. You
know
how he reacts
when you mention that name.”

“What else did he say?”

“That I should get my ass back home and leave Zach here.”
Which was an improvement over what he’d originally wanted to do to Zach. “He
didn’t believe me when I told him what Zach is, so I told him to look in The
Registry.” Not even Ro’s stubborn ass would be able to deny
that
.

“It took us a while to figure it out. He could say it’s just
a strange entry and still try and, well, you know.”

He could. Roland had been known to try and out-stubborn
rocks. “Then we’ll have to wait for
her
to confirm it.”

“She should arrive at your location any minute now.”

Jo blinked. “Wait, I thought she was going to court first.”

“Why would I have her come here? Zach is there, isn’t he?”

Yes, but how would he react when
she
showed up? “I’m
not certain that was the best idea, Ari.”

“Trust me. This is the best idea ever. It means she and
Roland don’t get together. To me, that’s a great idea.”

Jo knew there was more to it than that. “Please don’t tell
me you’ve got a feeling about this.”

Ari chuckled. “Oh boy, do I.”

“And it has to do with Zach?” Something churned in her
stomach. Something that felt vaguely sick. And maybe a little green-eyed. The
woman heading toward the Becketts was, in a word, stunning in more ways than
one.

“Yes…and no. Keep an eye out for him, Jo. I’m beginning to
think you’re right. He’s going to need you more than he’s ever needed anyone
before.”

Ari’s words sent a shiver down her spine. The woman was
uncannily accurate about these sorts of things. She had a habit of detecting
problems before anyone else even knew they existed. “I know.” And that was why
she wasn’t going to obey Roland and return to court. She’d have to explain
herself when she finally did return, but at least she’d have Ari’s backup. “I
have to explain to his whole family what he is.”

“How did they take your arrival?”

She tried to figure out the best way to explain to Ari that
they all reacted like they’d rather have a rash in unmentionable places than
her on their doorstep. “It was okay.”

“Ah. Gotcha. Keep me posted.”

“Ro’s in the room.”

“Yuppers. He’s carrying The Registry and he has a really
funny look on his face.”

Jo snickered. “Better you than me.”

“Thanks.” Jo could hear the wry grin in Ari’s voice. “And
Jo?”

“Yeah?”

“Roland and I will want invitations to the wedding.”

Ari hung up before Jo’s jaw was done dropping.

“Crazy witch.” Jo swung her legs over the side of the bed
and scrubbed her hands on her jeans. She wrinkled her nose and wished she’d
grabbed her suitcase out of the car. She could seriously use a shower and a
change of clothes. “I hope to the gods the Becketts give Genevieve a better
reception than they gave me.”

She heard the doorbell ring just as she reached the bedroom
door. “Damn.” She opened the door and hoped to hell she was up to dealing with
the shit storm she was certain was waiting for her.

Teaching kids was turning out to be a piece of cake compared
to dealing with the Beckett brothers.

By the time she got down the stairs the door was open.
Gareth stood there, his expression a mix of heat and curiosity. “Can I help
you?”

From the look on his face Jo had a feeling she knew exactly
what he’d like to help Genevieve with.

The blonde shook her head, her blue eyes serene. “I’m
looking for Johra Yashodhar. Have you seen her?”

Here we go.
“Genevieve Godwin, I presume?”

The reaction she got was nothing like what she’d expected.
Gareth snarled, the sound completely inhuman. Hair sprouted from his arms.
“Godwin? Did you say fucking
Godwin
?”

Genevieve held up her hands. They were surrounded by a green
glow, like sunlight through new leaves. “Peace to you and yours, Gareth
Beckett. I have no quarrel with you.”

He growled. Jo wondered what the fuck she was supposed to do
with a pissed-off werewolf. She hadn’t exactly lined her bra with silver
bullets. So she did the only thing she could think of. She got between them,
grabbed him by his furry ears, and used her Brünnhilde voice. “Gareth! She’s an
Own!”

“I don’t care if she’s fucking Mother Theresa. She’s not
getting in this house.” Gareth’s voice was deep, full of growled threats.

Jo bopped him on the nose. “Bad dog!”

He rubbed the tip of his nose and stared at her, but at
least his eyes looked human once more. “That hurt!”

“Good.” She took hold of his ear and pulled him away from
the door. She ignored his, “Owowowow,” until after Gen was inside. “Leave the
nice priestess alone or I’ll make you sit in the corner. And don’t think I
won’t.”

“She’s a Godwin.” Gareth rubbed his abused ear.

“So?”

Gareth stared at her. “You really are clueless, aren’t you?”

“Jo, why are you abusing my broth—hell-o, what do we have
here?” Jo turned to find Zach kissing the back of Gen’s hand. She had the
sudden urge to rip Gen’s pretty blonde hair out of her head strand by strand.
“I’m Zachary Beckett. And you are?”

“Genevieve Godwin.”

Zach paused. One eyebrow twitched upward. “Godwin?” He
glanced over at Gareth and straightened up. “That explains a lot.” He ran his
fingers through his dark hair. “You’re one of Hecate’s Own, aren’t you?”

Jo stared at Zach. How did he know that? Had he heard her
yelling at Gareth, or could he somehow tell just by touching Gen?

Wait. Had he finally figured it out?

Gen was giving Zach her soft, sweet smile. “You’re the one
Arianna wanted me to speak with. I have a few things I need to discuss with
you.” She shot a look at Gareth out of the corner of her eye. “If that’s all
right with you and your family, of course.”

“It doesn’t matter, because it’s all right with me.” Zach
placed her hand on his arm. Jo let go of Gareth, stunned and vaguely hurt. “If
you’ll come with me, I’m sure we can find something to discuss.” He led Gen
into the house. Jo could hear him introducing her to Chris and Daniel.

She couldn’t hear their reaction. She was too busy hearing a
weird buzzing in her ears. How
dare
he react that way to Gen? And that
slut was just eating it up!

“Jo? You okay?”

She blinked a few times, startled when Gareth’s face came
into sharp focus. He was right in front of her, a funny look on his face. “I’m
fine.”
I’m just going to kill your brother. I’m not sure why, but it’s going
to happen.

“Are you sure?”

Well, he
was
an
Own, so it might take some
doing, but she was sure she could come up with something appropriately painful.
“I’m sure.” She stepped past him and followed Zach into Chris’s great room.
Zach was sitting on the arm of the chair Gen was in. Jo curled her hands into
fists.

Beside her, Gareth growled again.

I know how you feel.

“Arianna, when she realized that Zachary was more than
likely one of us, contacted me and sent me to make sure her supposition was
correct.” Gen bowed her head. “She was, of course. Once Zachary’s training is
complete I sense he’ll be quite formidable.”

“You’re a warlock, just like the rest of your family.”
Daniel’s voice was cold. He’d placed himself between Lana and Gen.

Chris stood shoulder to shoulder with his brother, completely
blocking Lana from Gen’s view. “And you’re a Godwin.”

“So are you, way back in your ancestry.” Gen sighed. “What
my family has done… There is nothing I can say that can make things right. What
I can do is offer to protect your brother and train him to the best of my
abilities.”

“How can a warlock train a witch?” This was something Jo was
intimately familiar with. She stepped in front of Gen and demanded answers. No
one was going to train Zach until Jo was done with him, damn it.

“Forgive me, but you’ve done a less-than-stellar job so far.
Zach was nearly ruined by both the Becketts and the Witch Court.” Jo bristled
at the accusation. “If Arianna hadn’t called me when she did…” Gen shrugged.
“I’m not certain he would have been salvageable.”

“Thanks a lot.”

Jo’s lips quirked at Zach’s disgruntled tone. “I don’t know.
All things considered, I’d say Zach’s a lot stronger than everyone has given
him credit for.” She stared right into his gorgeous eyes and willed him to see
her regrets. “Including me. If he wasn’t so strong he
would
have been
ruined. Instead, I think he’s been honed. He’ll
know
how strong he is
when we’re done with him.”

“We?”

Jo dared Gen to disagree with her. Gen was right about one
thing, Zach needed training from someone who was also an Own. But he still
needed his witch training as well, something Gen couldn’t provide. “We.”

“Do I get any say in this?” Zach sounded peeved.

“No.” Jo didn’t look away from Genevieve. There was no way
she was giving up her prior claim to Zach. She needed to be a part of what was
happening to him, or things would wind up going to hell.

“Will someone please explain to me exactly what an Own is
and why we’re not ripping that woman’s throat out? Because if I don’t get a
good answer soon that’s exactly what I’m going to do, distant cousin or not.”

Jo poked Gareth’s chest. “Sit. Stay. Good dog.”

Gen laughed, the sound tinkling and sweet. Jo was really
beginning to hate her, especially when Zach’s hand brushed Gen’s shoulder. “An
Own is, in essence, someone chosen by the Goddess herself to police the magical
beings of the world. Own are priests and priestesses, capable of drawing on Her
power to contain and repair the damage done by those who disregard the Law of
Three, especially those who have made compacts with forces who hold human life
in low esteem.”

“Like warlocks.” Gareth shoved Jo out of the way, tugging at
her until she was behind him. “Not sure I want to hand my baby bro over to the
likes of you.”

How Gen still managed to sound serene when a man with big
fangs was glaring at her, Jo didn’t know. “Do you believe the Goddess makes
mistakes?”

She watched Gareth’s chest expand as he took a deep breath,
but he didn’t answer.

“No? Then understand this. I was
born
to be Hers,
just as Zach was. Trust in that, if nothing else.” Jo couldn’t see Gareth’s
face, but Gen sighed. “Then test me, if you wish. I will prove myself to you,
Prince.”

Zach visibly jumped. “Prince?”

Those sweet baby blues turned up to Zach. “What would you
call the heir to the Wizard King?”

“Pita.”

Jo bit her lip and tried not to laugh.

Gen’s smooth brow furrowed. “What is a Pita?”

“A pain in the ass.”

“Fuckwad.”

Zach grinned at his brother. “Buttmunch.”

Gen’s expression turned pained. “Please, gentlemen. May we
move on?”

“Do you shit diamonds or something?” Daniel moved until he
was standing next to Gareth, blocking Jo’s view even more. She couldn’t see
Zach at all and could barely see Gen. “Because you sound
really
uptight.”
He grinned, but there was something cold and vicious about it. “Although I doubt
your boyfriends complain.”

Gen paled, but held her ground. “I would ask that you not
speak to me that way.”

“Lay off, Daniel.” Zach’s eyes glittered at his brother.
“She’s here to help me.”

“She’s a Godwin, Zach!”

Jo held up her hands and pushed against Gareth’s back as
hard as she could. He stumbled forward and out of her way. “Could someone
explain to me why Godwin is the equivalent of Satan around here?”

Christopher began physically forcing his brothers onto the
sofa, including Zach. “Allow me.” He pulled Lana to his side and cuddled her
close. “It all started when I cast the Beckett mate spell.”