Page 73 of Which Witch Is Wicked?
"We'll prepare for flight tonight then," Aerin said, nearly jumping in her designer heels.
"I don't know about flying," Tierra said. "My magic isn't as strong when I'm not connected to the earth." Remembering the night Killian enfolded her within his wings and lifted her off the ground still brought on bouts of anxiety. "What if the zombies or the Horsemen show back up tonight? We need to figure out a plan for both of those, and not be flying around like its Halloween."
"I can'twaitto fly on Halloween!" Aerin exclaimed. "Besides, flying is a combat tactic. One we need to get better at, especially you."
"Death has wings," Moira said. "You need to fight flier with flier, so to speak."
"How much of that Horsemen repellant potion do we have stored away?" Claire asked. "I say we load up the super soakers and mount up. I, for one, am looking forward to flying again."
"I'd be lyin' if I didn't say I wanted to give it another go," Moira agreed.
Three eager and identical faces turned and looked at Tierra.
Well, at least it would get her out of the house.
4
Flying was for the birds.
Witch or not, she wasn't meant to fly unless assisted by an airplane equipped with seatbelts. Her sisters had taken to the air like fish to water—diving and swirling, cartwheeling and laughing, while Tierra was no more than a witch on a stick, feeling foolish, inept and to be perfectly honest, completely out of her element.
Before leaving the house, they'd found Claire's cloaking spell, which wasn't anything like what the Romulans used to hide under the nose of Captain Kirk. This charm muddled what others saw if in their midst, rather than truly hiding them. The spell consisted of weaving amaranth flowers and fiddlehead ferns into wreaths and wearing them around their necks. The dark crimson flowers were pretty and smelled like honey and complemented the sharp earthiness of the bright green ferns, but other than its visual appeal, Tierra didn't know how well it worked to conceal them. They should have given the invisibility spell a dry run before flying off into the skies around their house.
With each passing minute, Tierra's fear of discovery increased. Every rustle in the trees was another zombie horde bearing down on them, and each beat of a wing was Death swooping in to take her.
That thought was part dread and part desire.
The full summer moon glowed fever-red over the evening, and the nocturnal forest bloomed under its caress, expelling pollen into a sensual dance of temptation that caused her to ache in places she was better off not thinking about. Woodland creatures frolicked and fornicated, reveling in this midsummer's eve of enchantment, and suddenly the last thing Tierra wanted to be straddling was a branch.
She wanted to ride...him.
Death suddenly swooped in from the deepest shadows of the night, stealing her breath. Bare-chested, his skin glowing pearlescent under the moon, he mesmerized her in his fallen angel form. His blue-black raven wings outstretched to catch the downdraft and slow his heart-stopping speed as he aimed right for her.
Oh, good goddess.
Her heart dropped into her stomach and something like hunger roared to life.
Killian Bane touched ground on a whisper and looked straight at her, a cunning smile on his handsome face. A face so beautiful women through the ages must have competed and killed each other to gain his attention.
His eyes glowed obsidian in the moonlight, shivering and heating her simultaneously as they drank her in. She needed to run, but couldn't move under his arresting stare that missed nothing.
So much for the cloaking spell. He saw her just fine.
"Tierra." Her name tumbled off his lips like the final decree of judgment, as though she'd been sentenced and didn't even know she'd been on trial. "You're beyond the wards,gazelle."
Oh shit.She flicked her eyes to the side and tightened her hand around the broomstick, ready to brandish it as a weapon. How had she let that happen? She was mere feet from the line of protective wards. What had she been thinking? Oh yeah, wasting her energy and time trying to freaking fly. Now she'd pay for her carelessness.
"What do you want?" she demanded, wishing her voice hadn't squeaked.
"The same thing you do." His nostrils flared and he advanced a step toward her. "We have much to discuss, you and I."
She raised the broom. "I don't want to talk to you."
"I know." His lips curled into a satisfied smile. "You want to fuck me."
She swallowed, his words ringing true.Goddess, please help me, because I fear I'm beyond helping myself.Memories of his touch, his lips, his body against hers, inside hers assaulted her senses. She could smell him, and he was dark and earthy, dangerous and irresistible.
"The earth pulses with your need,gazelle. Did you think I couldn't feel it, hear it, wouldn't respond? Me, of all people."
