Authors: Stephanie Julian

Tags: #Darkly Enchanted#2

Moon Bound (38 page)

Shit, he should have known Cole would figure it out. Still, he wasn’t sure he wanted to own up to it yet. “Don’t understand.”

Cole shook his head. “Bullshit. I know what you tried to do. I’m not sure Bella realizes it yet, but when she does, you might wish you
had
died.”

“I think…I think I’m still in shock. I’m not sure if I…drained all the power or not.”

A yawn caught him by surprise and suddenly it was a struggle to keep his eyes open. But he had to know.

“What happened to Impusa?”

Cole expression went blank. Not good. “We’re not sure.”

Shit
. “What does that mean?”

“It means when the firefighters made it into the house, they didn’t find any bodies.”

His eyelids felt like they had lead weights on them but he had to warn Cole, had to make sure he knew what was going on. “She’ll be back, Cole. She’s working with the
Mal
, using them for her own purposes. She’ll try…” Damn, it was almost painful to keep his eyes open. “She’ll…”

Cole’s hand tightened on his shoulder again. “Go back to sleep,
ceffo
. We’ll talk later.”

* * *

“Diego, could I speak to you a moment?”

Sitting at a table in the hotel dining room, Diego pulled his attention away from Marco and Amy Jo, debating the merits of bacon over coffee as a morning essential, and lifted his gaze to Serena’s.

He rose to greet her and saw Marco do the same.

“No, please, sit.” Serena included Marco and Amy Jo in her smile. “I don’t mean to interrupt your breakfast. I just need to talk to Diego for a few minutes.”

“Of course.” Diego rose, turning to look at Marco. His brother nodded, just once. Marco wouldn’t leave Amy Jo’s side. “I’ll be back in a few.”

When his gaze caught Amy Jo’s, she smiled. It wasn’t her normal, sunny smile but, considering this was the first time he and Marco had been able to coax her out of the bedroom, it was enough. For now.

He hoped to see it again soon. Then again, he might not be around to.

Following Serena to one of the conference rooms behind the reception desk, he shut the door then pulled out a chair for her to sit.

She smiled at him and waved him into a chair opposite her across the table. “Amy Jo seems to be doing well.”

Diego nodded. “She’s resilient.” And so damn beautiful. “I believe she’ll be fine.”

“I am glad to hear that.” Serena sighed. “I’m sure you’ve already figured out what I’m about to ask of you, Diego, and I understand why you might be anxious at this time to fulfill—”

“Serena.” He held up one hand to stop her. “I understand where my duties lie.”

Her smile flashed bittersweet then disappeared. “I know that, Diego. But I know how duty and honor and family obligation can sometimes screw up your life. So I have a plan that may suit all of us.”

“I’m fully prepared to become Furia’s
grigorio
.”

For the past several years, the twins had been assigned a single
grigorio
. Maddie and Furia had lived here in New Orleans with Donal for years. For reasons only the twins and Serena knew, the girls couldn’t or wouldn’t be separated. Since Donal had been strong enough to protect them both, Diego’s services as
grigorio
hadn’t been needed.

Now that the curse was broken, he’d known eventually the twins would separate and Furia would need her own guardian since Maddie and Donal were practically mated.

Serena smiled. “I’m so glad to hear that. And I hope you’ll be glad to hear that Furia will be moving back to Reading with me for the foreseeable future.”

Now, that he hadn’t expected. Reading wasn’t far from Marco’s home in Allentown and the
grigori
were based in Reading.

“As you know,” Serena continued, “my home is huge. It has numerous bedrooms and two full suites that are unoccupied at the moment. Gabriel, Shea and Leo spend a lot of time there as well but there would be more than enough room for you and Amy Jo.”

Gabriel was Serena’s son and a
grigorio
who’d fallen for the woman who’d broken the curse on the
boschetta
. Diego had always gotten along well with Gabriel. Shea and Leo had been through their own personal hell and would be able to relate to Amy Jo.

“I believe the safety of my home would be an asset for Amy Jo’s continued recovery,” Serena continued. “The acreage would allow her space to run and become more comfortable with her newly acquired abilities. And she would be close to the
lucani
and Arabella, as well.”

Serena paused, as if trying to gauge his response to her proposal. “Or if you’d like, I’m sure we could find you—”

“I know this is a lot to ask but…would you mind if Marco moved in, as well?”

Serena’s smile made a weight lift from his shoulders. “I would be pleased to have Marco. My home has been so lonely for so long. Having it filled again is wonderful.”

“The Brady Bunch” theme began to run through Diego’s head and he gave a short, sharp laugh.

He sincerely hoped Serena still had that sunny outlook once they all moved in.

* * *

When Steven woke the next time, he saw sunlight lining the edges of the window drapes.

Experimentally, he shifted his jaw back and forth, relieved to find it didn’t hurt. Actually, as far as he could tell, nothing hurt.

He sat up, taking it slow, the sheet sliding over his naked body. The pain was gone but he felt like he had a huge black hole in the center of his body. A dead, empty space.

He heard a faint movement to his right and turned to see Bella asleep in the bed next to his. In the pale light seeping beneath the curtains, he could tell she was deeply asleep, her face relaxed in utter exhaustion.

Swinging his legs over the side, he let his feet touch the carpet, testing his balance before he stood. It was only a couple of feet but he didn’t want to embarrass himself by needing someone to lift him off the floor.

Cool air brushed his naked skin and raised goose bumps. The air conditioning was way too damn high.

Carefully, he crossed to her bed and slid between the sheets, turning her on her side, so he could mold his cool skin to her warm body.

He pulled her into him, her back to his front. He needed to hold her. Arms tight around her, he knew instinctively only she could fill the hole in his chest.

Sighing, she burrowed back against him, rubbing her perfect ass against his stirring cock. He couldn’t believe he could get a hard-on after everything his body had been through. At least it still worked.

“How are you feeling?” Her voice sounded husky with sleep as she ran her fingernails along his arm, bringing his body to full arousal.

His arms tightened around her
, emotion surging. “Surprisingly better.”

He could practically hear her smile, though her body was still tense against him. “Yeah, I can feel that for myself. But really, Steven, how do you feel?”

He thought about her question, knowing exactly what she was asking. “I feel…empty inside. Like there’s a part of me missing.”

She went still. “Is your magic gone?”

Ah, the sixty-four-thousand-dollar question. Frankly, he was a little afraid to dig around in there and find out.

When he didn’t answer, she turned in his arms, trapping his erection between their bodies. He wondered what she’d do if he shifted her up just a little…

She looked into his eyes, hers filled with questions and tears. “That was a really stupid thing to do, Steven. And don’t think I won’t make you pay for it later. You nearly killed yourself. How could you do that to me?”

Now, there was his spoiled beauty. He wouldn’t have her any other way. He pulled her up so he could look straight into her eyes. Just good fortune that his erection now nestled between her legs.

“I didn’t want to die, Bella. I don’t want to leave you.” He pulled her even closer. “Hell, I won’t, not ever again. Remember that choice Turan talked about? I thought it meant I’d have to choose between you and my life. But that wasn’t it. The choice was choosing you over death.”

Her mouth dropped open before she said anything, shock evident on her pretty face. “What does that mean?”

“It means I’m not leaving you. Not again. If the job’s still open, I’ll take Cole up on his offer to join the inner sanctum. He’s going to need help. I’m a damn good lawyer, babe. I can make a grown man cry in less than five minutes on the stand. And I know you’re planning to join the
boschetta
so you’re going to need protection.”

Her eyes widened. “You know that, do you?”

“I know
you
, Bella. I know how very much you want to be useful.”

She nodded, eyes welling with tears. “I want to make a difference.”

“And you will make a damn fine priestess. And I’ll be right there with you. You get into too damn much trouble when I’m not around.”

Her lips tilted in a small smile. She was starting to relax, her face losing that pinched look. “
I
get into too much trouble? You’re the one being hounded by an ancient evil spirit.” She frowned again. “Who’s nowhere to be found, by the way. Steven—”

“Shh, Bella.” He smoothed the hair from her face then let his fingers sink into the curls and cup her head. “We’ll find her. She won’t be able to stay hidden forever.”

That just made her frown deepen. “And what happens when she comes for you again?”

He shook his head. “I don’t think she will. Without my magic, I’m of no use to the
Mal
. But my father was a
grigorio
and I will protect you to the ends of the earth.”

It took a few seconds but finally her smile emerged as she linked her arms around his neck, stretching her body against his and sliding her smooth calf along his thigh. It wouldn’t take much to thrust into her. His erection strained toward her, brushing the short, soft curls on her mound, making his breath catch in his chest. “Well, I’m sure I can find a few uses for you.”

Damn, he really wished she would.

Then she sighed and removed her leg. “We should probably get up and get ready—”

“Honey, I am up. And more than ready.”

Flipping her onto her back, he spread her legs with his knees, lifted her hips and sank into her with one smooth push.

Her tight sheath surrounded him, sending sharp blades of heat from his head to his toes.

Groaning, he rested his forehead against hers and stilled, letting the warmth of her body surround him, the heat of emotion making his blood heat and his cock throb.

“I love you,
Bella mia
.”

Her arms and legs wrapped around his body and held him close, her skin smooth against his.

When she placed her lips just beneath his ear and kissed him—sharp, stinging little kisses that made sweat slicken his skin—he started to sweat. And when she ran her tongue along his jaw, his restraint broke.

His hips thrust and retreat in an ever-quickening motion as his mouth fastened over hers. Their tongues dueled as their bodies moved together in a rhythm they’d perfected so many years ago and had never lost.

Unable and unwilling to slow, he let his body dictate the pace, feeling her climax build in the tightening of her arms and legs around him and her short, sharp gasps. And when she came, her sex clasping around him, her hips pressed into his, he felt the wash of her
arus
flow over and into him, settling into his soul, filling that empty space and pushing him into his own orgasm.

“You know I love you, Bella,” he whispered when he had enough breath. “That I can’t live without you and I don’t want to.”

“You don’t have to, love.” She tightened her arms around him. “Not ever.”

Epilogue

“You have no idea what happened to Impusa
?
”

“No, sir. She’s disappeared.”

Remo sighed. “And Steven?”

Peter hesitated and Remo knew he wasn’t going to like this answer either. “We’re not sure. There were reports that he was taken out of the building and died later but we can’t confirm.”

Well, shit. Remo hated losing.

Time to regroup.

And to break a promise.

THE END