Page 28 of Which Witch Is Wicked?
Dru? Claire’s fragile heart cracked as she remembered the room in the basement of his house where he’d first taken her when he’d kidnapped her. Immediately, she tried to summon his red pulse inside her, to question the validity of Lucinda’s statement, but all she found was a cold, void. Had he known Lucinda had taken it back and then closed off the inexplicable connection between them? Surely all of the Horsemen would have recognized its disappearance. Her heart nearly crumbled as the fissures deepened.
“What is it, dear? What’s brought that unfortunate look to your face?” She held up a hand. “Wait, don’t tell me. I know Drustan Geddes. Have known him for many, many years. He’s a handsome, virile man. Any unsuspecting witch or woman could easily fall for his charms. Is that what happened with you? It’s okay. You can tell me.”
Claire hardened everything inside her. “There’s nothing to tell.”
Lucinda compressed her lips, compassion hovering in her gaze. “Of course not. I shouldn’t expect anyone could be as gullible as I was. Years ago, mind you. I’ve learned a thing or two since that time, thank the goddesses.”
She sipped her tea, then set her cup down, meeting Claire’s gaze. “I mistakenly assumed because Drustan has an affinity for Fire witches that perhaps he’d tried to seduce you as well. I do beg your pardon.” Humiliation and distress churned into a nasty cocktail inside her.
Not again.
She’d trusted Dru once, and he’d stolen her Fire. She should have listened to her sisters when they’d warned her.
But, no. Instead of valuing their insight and wisdom, she’d fallen for Dru’s lies once again, believed his honeyed words of connection and destiny. Goddess, she’d stripped herself bare for him, literally and emotionally.
The blood in her veins cooled to ice.
“I’m so sorry, dear Claire. I’ve upset you. I should take my leave.” Lucinda pushed back from the table. “If there’s anything I can do…”
“No.” Claire held up a hand, unwilling to let the only person who might understand her feelings slip away. “It’s not your fault. I should have known better. I should have listened. To my sisters. To my friends.”
The compassion on Lucinda’s face deepened. “I understand exactly how you feel. The shame, the degradation. It’s a brutal realization to bear. I’d like to be your friend, Claire, if you’ll allow it. I truly think I can help you and your sisters. Knowing I’ve helped to thwart the Horsemen will bring me great satisfaction.”
Claire studied the woman, recognized the shared emotions behind her blue eyes, but she still hesitated. “Thank you for that. I appreciate your support.”
“Trust me. I know how important support can be when a man knocks a woman to her knees. Our sisters and our girlfriends provide the backbone we need to get back on our feet.” Lucinda reached out and covered Claire’s hand, sending comforting warmth to her. “I never had friends growing up. Never was able to keep a lover around long either before he fell prey to my fiery charms.”
Lucinda’s declaration caught her attention. “How do you mean?” Claire asked.
She gave a self-deprecating smile. “It’s embarrassing to speak of.”
She paused for a moment. “But I feel I can be honest with you.” Claire leaned forward.
“Unlike some, I did not have the benefit of a teacher while growing up, someone to help me control my powers. At first, I started fires unconsciously. Those around me punished me for my behavior, but as time passed, they became fearful and found excuses to push me off onto another family or home.”
Claire nodded. “I had a similar experience.” An excruciating one at that. Here was a woman who knew the depths of that agony.
“It’s a hard way to grow up, isn’t it?” She matched her expression to Claire’s. “Then, I learned to use my fire to keep others at a distance. A protective measure, to be sure. But then… there was a boy.” She smiled, her lips titling, giving her a wistful, youthful look. “We fell in love.”
Claire smiled with her, remembering her own first love, trying to forget the tragic ending.
“Things were good for a while,” Lucinda continued. “He wasn’t afraid of my powers. In fact, he worshipped me. For a month, I lived in paradise, basking in his love, giving him all of mine. Then one day, he grew sick. Very, very sick.”
“No,” Claire whispered, reliving her own experience.
Lucinda met her gaze, blatant grief registering in her eyes. “I killed him, Claire. With my love.”
“Oh goddess, no, Lucinda.”
She nodded, tears filling her eyes. “I loved him so very much.”
“I understand your suffering more than you realize. I, too, had a lover. A sweet man who was barely more than a boy when we met.
I…killed him as well.”
Lucinda sniffed. “We can’t be blamed, Claire. It wasn’t our fault.
With no one to explain things to us, how were we to know?”
