Take a Chance

Take A Chance by Eve Langlais

Champagne Books www.champagnebooks.com

Copyright ©2010 by Evelyn Pendlebury First published in 2010 NOTICE: This eBook is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution to any person via email, floppy disk, network, print out, or any other means is a violation of International copyright law and subjects the violator to severe fines and/or imprisonment. This notice overrides the Adobe Reader permissions which are erroneous. This eBook cannot be legally lent or given to others. This eBook is displayed using 100% recycled electrons.

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Take A Chance by Eve Langlais

CONTENTS Dedication Prologue One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twelve Thirteen Fourteen Fifteen Sixteen Seventeen Eighteen Nineteen Twenty Twenty One Epilogue About Eve **** 3

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Champagne Books Presents **** Take A Chance By **** Eve Langlais ****

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****

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This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are of the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Champagne Books www.champagnebooks.com Copyright (C) 2010 by Eve Langlais ISBN 9781926681498 June 2010 Cover Art (C) Amanda Kelsey Produced in Canada **** Champagne Books #35069-4604 37 ST SW Calgary, AB T3E 7C7 Canada

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Dedication **** To my supportive husband who's been bugging me for years to write and my mother in law, Linda, who managed to muddle through my drafts. Thank you! [Back to Table of Contents]

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Prologue "Have you completely lost your mind?" he barked, striding into the ornate parlor, his high black boots clacking loudly on the polished wood floors. His abrupt entrance startled a slim blonde in a low cut, scarlet dress who stood up slowly and smiled in greeting. "Now darling," she murmured. "Calm down. I assume you've realized I took the amulet. It's not that important to you is it?" she said, smiling sweetly at him, batting her long lashes. Then as if unable to resist, she reached up a delicate hand to stroke the heavy amulet in question hanging just above her cleavage. "I don't think you understand just what you've done," he said raking his fingers through his already rumpled hair before flinging his hands out in frustration. "The power in that amulet is dangerous. The only reason it hasn't been destroyed is because no one has ever found a way to do so. You know it's up to my family to keep it safe and out of the reach of those who would be tempted to use the power it contains. Why would you do this? You have to return it." His eyes pleaded with hers as he held out his hand to take it. For a second he thought he saw anger flash in her blue eyes, only to immediately be replaced with brimming tears. "But I want it!" she pouted, her lower lip trembling. "No one will know I have it if you don't tell," she said, wiggling her hips seductively as she floated up to him, her every motion calculated to show her assets off like a practiced courtesan. 9

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Wrapping her arms around his solid body, she rubbed the length of hers against his, her delicate perfume wafting up and tickling his nose. She moistened her lips with her agile pink tongue, a tongue that had tasted every inch of his skin, but for the first time, it left him cold. "What makes you think I won't tell?" he said brusquely, resisting an urge to shake her. "Why would you do that? Just think, with the power in this amulet, we could have anything we've ever wanted and we could be free of the council's silly rules. Imagine the things we could accomplish together, the power we could wield," she purred, reaching up to kiss the edge of his jaw. A muttered curse was his reply. Pushing her away, he paced the length of the room, his face twisted in disgust. Stumbling, she clenched her fists at her side and her eyes narrowed in anger. When he abruptly turned to face her though, she dropped her head and pretended to be studying the floor. Shaking his head in disbelief, he said, "You're mad if you think no one will notice it's gone. And when they do, just how do you expect me to explain it? Did you even think of that when you stole the damn thing?" The blonde sighed loudly before sashaying away from him. "So tell them it was a clever thief. No one has to know I have it, unless you tell them," she said throwing herself on the settee, petulantly kicking her feet. "I am not going to lie for you. But because of our relationship, which by the way is over as soon as I leave here, I won't tell anyone you took it. I haven't yet told anyone it 10

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was stolen. I'd hoped to retrieve it and put it back with no one the wiser. Speaking of which, how did you get through all my defensive spells? Who helped you?" He stared down at her, his icy eyes demanding an answer. "No one helped me, unless you count yourself. After all, you're the one who bragged about how well protected it was. Have you forgotten so soon?" And for a moment he did remember—sweating bodies on satin sheets, trying to catch his breath while reassuring her. Damn! This is all my fault. "I can't believe you didn't trust me enough though to tell me about the tracking spell you placed on it," she continued with a pout. His jaw dropped. "You're unbelievable!" he almost shouted, his brows arched high in astonishment. "I told you about the defense spells because you pretended to be so worried about it getting stolen and used for evil. And now you have the nerve to complain because I forgot to mention one of them. I can't believe I was so gullible," he ranted. "Here I thought you loved me. We were supposed to be married, but instead I find out you've been using me all this time. Did you enjoy making me believe you loved me and that I could trust you? Or where you laughing at me this whole time?" he demanded, his angry tone at odds with the anguish in his eyes. How could I have been so stupid? "I'll admit I may have started out using you," she said getting up and coming close to him again. Placing a hand on his chest, she looked beseechingly up at him, her big blue eyes liquid with unshed tears. "But somewhere along the 11

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way, I found out I did love you which is why I want you to be with me. Come away with me. We can still be together." Reaching up, she tried to pull his face down for a kiss, but he snorted in disdain and again pushed her away. "Your tricks won't work anymore. Now that I've seen the treachery you hide underneath, the very thought of being with you makes me ill. Forget your mad plan. It's not going to happen. Now, give me the amulet," he ordered, holding his hand out imperiously at her, tapping a foot impatiently. Her perfect face twisted and contempt filled her eyes when she snarled at him in reply. "Fool! I am giving you a chance to join me, but no, you'd rather follow your stupid council. Well, so be it," she spat, her blue eyes flashing. Grasping the amulet firmly in her hand, she grinned at him wickedly and he felt a frisson of fear which he quickly tamped down. She wouldn't dare harm him. She had to be bluffing. The amulet began to glow, its bright blue light spilling out from under her clenched fist. "I am not giving back the amulet," she stated, enunciating each word slowly, and with each word his expression got darker. "Then I will have to take it back, by force if needed," he threatened. Time to call her bluff. He started toward her only to stop dead, his face astonished. Movement became impossible—it was like some invisible bands had wrapped around him, holding him tight. And when he reached for his magic, it lingered just out of reach. The bitch had completely immobilized him! 12

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Approaching him, she smiled widely, her big blue eyes dancing with mirth. "What's wrong darling? Is my new magic too strong for you?" she taunted. Then shaking her finger at him, she shook her head and tsked. "I will be keeping my new amulet. I've worked too hard to get it. But you my darling, since you won't be joining me, then you need to leave now, forever..." she whispered. Stretching up on her tiptoes she brushed her lips lightly across his before stepping away from him. "I found the most delightful curse in this book," she said waving a hand at a large black grimoire sitting on a table behind her. "It was written by one of my ancestors who had the foresight to hide it so that one day my family, in this case myself, would find it and take back the power that should be ours. The spells in this book, you have no idea," she enthused, her face aglow. "Such power for the taking. It's also where I found out about the amulet. Did you even realize what you were guarding? I can't believe your family has been sitting on this power all this time. Fools! I'm not a stupid sheep blindly following the council's rules. I want to make my own rules and now that the amulet is mine, well," she smiled coyly, stroking the heavy amulet, "I am not afraid to use it." If he could have answered he would, a scathing retort at the very least, but his voice stayed mute, as frozen as his limbs and he could only stand there silently fuming. Backing up a few steps from him, she grasped the amulet and held it out in front of her. A humming filled the air as she began chanting in a dark, guttural language, the amulet flaring brightly as she wove her spell. The words she spoke 13

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conjured up dark shadows and hung heavily in the air as she spoke them. Even with his body immobilized, his mind remained alert enough to realize the amount of trouble he found himself in. To no avail, he struggled against the invisible bonds that held him. The air around him became heavy and charged, the sharp smell of ozone permeating it as the spell she cast reached a crescendo. As she gestured sharply towards him, a bright flash flew across the room. He closed his eyes, sun spots dancing behind his eyelids. A painful impact jarred his body and with a wrenching sensation, he knew no more. Blinking his eyes, he stared up at the bright blue sky above him. Great, not quite dead. But where in the Realm was he? He rolled onto his side, the sudden motion causing his insides to cramp and his head to spin. By the Higher Powers, he felt like he had the world's worst hangover. Gagging and spitting in the sand, he tried to breathe deeply, in and out. Slowly, the nausea and spinning stopped. With difficulty, he struggled to his knees and almost fell flat on his face, his limbs weak and trembling like a newborn colt. Taking a moment and breathing deeply again, he calmed his stricken body. Standing up slowly, his legs quivering with the effort, he looked around. To either side of him stretched a white sandy beach with dense jungle foliage bordering it. Turning around slowly, to allow his head and stomach to keep up, he looked behind him. Rolling ocean waves stretched as far as he could see. He felt a moment's panic when he recognized nothing around him. Well, no matter, he'd just teleport back to his 14

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home, but when he recited the spell to take him home, nothing happened. He closed his eyes and concentrated, pulling deeply at his inner magic and said aloud, "Teleportus!" There wasn't even a fizzle. Nothing. Was his magic gone? Gathering his magic again, he held out his palm and watched a golden light ball form. The problem didn't lie with his magic then but with teleporting. Cursing, he took off at a jog along the beach, determined to find a way back home. Hours later, he collapsed back where he'd started, his clothes stained with sweat and dirt. Lying on his back he stared up at the still blue sky, the gulls circling above as if nothing was wrong. The bitch had teleported him to a bloody island in the middle of nowhere! Groaning aloud with frustration, he jumped up and dove into the warm ocean. Using the long strokes he'd learned as a child, he flowed through the waves. The beach receded, as he pumped his powerful arms and fluttered his feet. The soothing feel of this liquid medium calmed his troubled mind. Just a little bit farther, he thought, and he'd try his magic again. Smack! His body floundered in the salty water, his mind dazed from the impact. Pumping his legs to tread the surface, he looked around him. The ocean stretched empty in front of him, the waves still rolling out to the distant horizon. Reaching out a hand he patted the air in front of him. Beneath his questing fingers he could feel an invisible, but 15

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very solid barrier. Closing his eyes he concentrated in front of him and then re-opened them, his magical senses awake. In front of him stretched a wall, the magical threads of its creation weaving in and out in a complex, impenetrable pattern. Looking up he saw the wall stretched high up into the sky before curving over the island. A quick dive underwater showed it stretching down into the ocean depths. A fucking bubble! She'd stuck him inside a giant magical bubble, one he couldn't teleport out of. Mentally cursing the bitch who had so used and now abused him, he swam rapidly back to the beach. Pacing back and forth on the pristine white sand, he threw every spell he knew at the magical bubble. Most fizzled on contact, a few though bounced back dangerously, almost crisping him on the spot. His hair stood up in tufts and his eyes were wild as the full horror of his situation sank in. With no way off this island and no way to contact anyone, he was stuck. Like a bug in jar, he thought angrily. "Argh!" he bellowed, pounding his fists in the sand. "You will pay for this!" Far away, the young blonde woman clutched her stolen amulet tightly and shivered. **** [Back to Table of Contents]

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One Three years late His lips crushed hers as he held her in a passionate embrace. She clung to him tightly and whispered, "I love you." He responded by sweeping her up into his muscular arms and carrying her to his waiting carriage. They drove off into the sunset, hands held tightly, knowing no one could break their bond of love. Samantha gave a happy sigh and closed the book. She loved happy endings, she just wished she could find her own knight in shining armor to sweep her away. What a shame she'd been born in a time where chivalry was most definitely dead. Getting up and stretching her stiff body, she put the book she'd just finished back on the rack of romances where she'd gotten it. Thank God, a new shipment of books was scheduled to arrive on Monday. Hopefully there would be something with Vikings. Okay, so maybe that was a little naughty of her, but given the choice between reading boring non-fiction or classics, or something that had a half naked Adonis saving his woman, well... Some might call it a "tawdry romance," she however found them very educational. For example, she knew what to do if facing an angry Saxon—swoon in his arms. See, useful stuff. Yes, her career as a librarian was a dream come true. Just look at the excellent muscle tone she'd achieved from pushing heavy carts laden with books that people left carelessly 17

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strewn everywhere—did their mothers never teach them to tidy up after themselves? How about alphabetizing daily the children's books because after, all it's not like they wouldn't come in the next day and just pull them off willy nilly again. And finally, her favorite—scraping gum off the bottom of tables. Fun times! Was it any wonder she turned to fantasy to escape? Eyeing the clock as it slowly inched toward quitting time, only one more minute to go, she got up to make a cursory round of the library, which was thankfully empty—no arguments tonight with stressed out students studying for exams. Or chasing out teenagers necking behind the tall stacks. "Come on, just five more minutes," they'd beg. Had she ever been that young? She'd certainly never sneaked around making out with boys. Of course she might have had any boys asked her. Finally the clock hand hit eight and Samantha, who had everything ready and waiting, put on her coat, hat and gloves. According to the forecast they'd be getting snow just in time for the holidays. Which reminded her she needed to put new plastic bags in her boots. After the last snowfall she'd had to work all day wearing bone chilling, wet socks. Not fun! Shouldering her heavy bag laden with all the odd and ends a girl could need—a few books, a can of mace long expired and a wallet full of nothing—she set the alarm, locked the library door, and then began to walk home. Paying little attention to the still busy sidewalks around her crowded with holiday shoppers, she walked along lost in thought. Another 18

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Friday, and guess what? She had nothing to do, nowhere to go. What had happened to her childhood dreams of a finding her one true love and living happily ever after? Ha! Time for a reality check. Her fantasies belonged in books, not the real world. She pulled a face, said aloud, "Stupid!" and shook her head ruefully, causing the people walking by to eye her strangely and give her a wide berth. Is it asking too much to wish for a date, especially during the lonely Christmas season? Catching a glimpse of herself in a reflective store front window, she cringed. Maybe I'm not totally great to look at, but I do have a great head of hair, long and auburn and even better it's all natural. Or least I did have a great head of hair. Should have listened to Mother when she said young ladies should never have their hair loose in public. After her mother passed away, Samantha defiantly left her hair down—until the day she'd had to cut off a chunk of it that got caught in the shredder at work, leaving her hair looking a little lopsided even when she pinned it up. A hard jostle from someone on the sidewalk behind her pushed Samantha past the front of her own building. Having nothing to go home to, no one waiting for her, she let the crowd carry her along the busy sidewalks. The holiday decorations of the street and storefronts a jumbled blur of sound and color until the strange moment when she noticed the world had gone quiet around her. Her feet, which just a moment ago had been marching to their own tune, stopped and she stood still. Coming out of her daze, she frowned. This is weird. People were still passing by her on the sidewalk, the 19

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traffic on the street still flowed steadily, but around her everything had gone quiet. No, that wasn't quite true. She could still faintly hear the hubbub of the street, but it felt as if she stood in an invisible cocoon, one where noise and colors came through dull and muted. And in this quiet, almost colorless zone something bright caught the corner of her eye, so she turned to take a closer look. Tucked between two trendy stores sat a small, unremarkable shop. She stepped up to its clouded window and tried to peer in but could only see her bright cheeked complexion and big glasses. Stepping back she looked up too see a bright red and white sign painted over the window: "Ye Olde Book Shoppe." Samantha frowned at the store. How odd. She'd never noticed this store before even though she'd walked this way many times. Businesses are always changing she told herself, but still, she could have sworn there was no book shop between the two flashy boutiques flanking it. Intrigued, she shrugged and pushed open the heavy wooden door. A hidden bell tinkled as the door swung open and the smell of dust, leather and musty books wafted out. Samantha cautiously stepped in and instantly fell in love. The place bulged with floor to ceiling shelves packed tight, every book bound in different types of material; leather, cloth and even wood. A bin right by the front door had a sign advertising 'BARGAINS!' and what fascinating books it contained—like a red leather-bound book called "Caring For Your Backyard Dryad." Another, covered in a shimmery cloth read, "Elves, The New Sidhe." 20

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Samantha browsed through the bin, each title more extravagant than the last and she gasped in shocked when she glimpsed some of the illustrations in a book titled "How to Keep Your Demon Lover Satisfied." She might have lacked sexual experience, but she wasn't a complete idiot. She even turned the book upside down and looked again at the illustration—Nope. Still not humanly possible. A cheery, "Hello," startled her. Red-cheeked, she quickly stuffed the book out of sight in the bin before turning. The smiling, cherubic face of the shopkeeper popped up from behind a long wooden counter. To her inner amusement, she found he fit her stereotypical description of what a shopkeeper should look like with his short plump stature, shiny bald crown, round cheeks and dimpled smile, like Mr. Hooper on Sesame Street. "Well, hello there young lady. And how may this humble shopkeeper serve such a beautiful damsel this fine evening?" he said, bowing to her. Samantha blushed and ducked her head at his compliment even though she knew he probably said that to all his female clients. She lifted her head and pushed her heavy glasses back up on her nose. "I don't need any help, thank you. I just found your shop by chance and decided to pop in. I can't believe I never noticed you before, I've been down this way a hundred times before. " "Aah, 'tis a funny thing with chance, you never know when he will meddle," he said shaking his head with a little smile. 21

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Samantha gave him an odd look and pegged him as slightly eccentric. He spoke of chance as if it were an entity. He was probably one of those new age people who believed everything was a sign. The little shopkeeper came out from behind his counter and sweeping his arms grandly at the shop said, "So what kind of book were you looking for today?" "I wasn't really looking to buy a book," Samantha said. "I work at the library down the street so I never lack for reading. But I have to ask, where on earth did you find these books? I've never seen or heard of any of them." "A librarian you say. A fine profession for a lovely lady like yourself. As for these books, they're special. I pride myself on having any kind of book a person would ever need." Picking up a slim volume covered in green scales that lay on the long counter by the register, Samantha crinkled her brow as she read the title, "Dragon Recipes: 101 Ways to Cook for Your Beast." "But who would need a book on how to feed dragons?" she asked. "Ah that's a sad tale actually. The person this book was meant for decided he didn't need it, and alas, that proved to be his undoing," said the shopkeeper shaking his head sadly. "The poor lad... well I'm sure you get the idea." Samantha almost giggled at his answer, but the shopkeeper's face turned quite solemn. Surely he isn't serious?

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A second later he grinned at her. "Just kidding," he said, his eyes twinkling. "That gent isn't due to pick his book up till next week." Samantha gave a slow chuckle. To think she'd almost believed him. To her surprise she found herself saying, "Well, I don't have a dragon to feed, so what kind of book do I need? Maybe you have one on how to turn a dull librarian into a scintillating femme fatale?" Samantha blushed at her own temerity. Oh my god, I can't believe I said that, he is going to think I'm nuts—or desperate. The shopkeeper grinned widely at her and rubbed his hands together as he approached her. Humming under his breath, he eyed her up and down, even walking around her to view her from behind. A voluptuous behind that she no longer struggled to shrink. Why bother? At an average five foot six she would certainly never be considered tall and leggy. Oh no, on the contrary her figure was lush, too lush with very full breasts, generously curved, wide hips and a very full bottom that got pinched more often at the library than it should. At least she had a clear complexion, which she kept hidden behind a pair of large, thick rimmed glasses that made her eyes seem huge and owlish. Her nickname 'Hoo' had stuck right up to graduation. Not a conducive name for getting a date. Maybe instead of a book on becoming a hot femme fatale, I should have asked him for one on miracle make-overs. Samantha stood, feet rooted to the floor, cheeks red, eyeing the door in case she needed to make a quick exit. The 23

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panicky part of her that had read too many mystery novels wanted to run. What did her looks have to do with choosing a book, but curiosity held her in place. She wanted to know what kind of book he thought she needed. Hopefully not the demon one. She shuddered. Still humming, the shopkeeper finished his perusal and went over to a bookshelf. Climbing up a rickety wooden ladder, he started pulling out book after book, shaking his head at each one until he pulled out a slim black volume and exclaimed, "Aha, here it is." Clambering back down the ladder, he handed her the book with an expectant smile. Samantha reached out to take the book from his hand and felt a little electric shock when her hand touched the leather. She almost dropped it. Must be static electricity. Though seemed unlikely, considering the store's hardwood floors. Turning the book over in her hands, she noted it had a hand-stitched black leather cover, the skin soft and supple. The title in gold leaf read simply "The Curse." The book felt warm in her hands and had an odd smell—a mixture of old leather, men's cologne and the ocean. The ocean? How on earth could a book smell briny like the sea? She gave herself a mental shake and told her overactive imagination to take a break. "Oh, I don't think I can afford this," she said eyeing the black book in her hands and mentally calculating the meager handful of change she had left in her purse. "What? No charge, no charge," said the cheerful little shopkeeper. "I told you I deal in books people need and you 24

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need that book. Why, the book belonged to you before you even came through the door. I was merely its keeper for a while 'til chance helped you find it. Consider it a Christmas gift." "But... " She tried to protest but he just beamed at her as he ushered her out of his shop, closing the door firmly behind her and flipping the sign in the window to 'Closed'. Samantha stood for a moment staring at the shop, bemused by the entire experience, but shrugging, she placed her new book into her large carry all. What a strange store and an even odder man. She wondered how long he would stay in business if he kept giving away his books. The whole experience had been exciting though, and now walking back up the street to her building, her step was much livelier than it had been. She certainly hadn't expected a Christmas gift from anyone this year. Maybe the generous old man had sensed that. Quickly reaching her building, she saw she didn't need her keys to unlock the vestibule door. Not surprisingly, the lock was broken again and someone had taped the mechanism so it couldn't lock shut. So much for building security. Once inside, she was chagrined to see an 'Out of Order' sign hanging once more on the elevator door. Sighing, Samantha started the long trudge up the stairs to her sixth floor apartment, trying to stay positive about the long climb, after all, a lot of people paid good money to go to a gym and get the same exercise she was currently getting for free. By the time she reached her floor, huffing and puffing, she made a 25

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vow. That's it! My next apartment won't be any higher than the second floor. Finding her keys after scrounging around in her seemingly bottomless purse, she let herself into her little apartment, locking the door behind her. She leaned on it for a minute to catch her breath. Home-sweet-boring-home. Dropping her bag on the floor, she wandered into her bedroom, so tiny a space there was room only for a single bed and a tall dresser. There she slipped into her comfy jammies, robe and slippers then wandered into the kitchen, squeezing past the little table and its one accompanying chair to open the fridge door. Shuddering at what she saw—penicillin in its early stages— she slammed it quickly shut and opened the freezer instead to chose from one of the many frozen meals she kept stocked. Cooking had never been one of her strong points. Sticking the cardboard box into the microwave to defrost, she bustled around her kitchen tidying up her breakfast mess 'til the timer beeped. Grabbing her now hot pasta, she sat down on her chair and ripped off the cardboard lid. Yuck, overcooked white noodles swimming in a lumpy white sauce. A ton of salt and a lot of stirring later it wasn't any more appetizing. Perhaps a distraction would help her gag it down, and to be honest, curiosity ate at her. Getting up from her tiny table, she fetched the book from her bag by the front door and brought it back to the kitchen. The book itself wasn't very big or thick, maybe a hundred or so pages. The black leather that covered it only slightly 26

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textured, with not a single crack. The title, "The Curse," printed on the cover of the book, was not followed by the author's name. Strange. She turned the book around. She'd never seen a book before that didn't have the author's name highly visible on the outside. Intrigued, she opened it to see if the name was inside. An electric shock went through her again and she almost dropped the book. What kind of material was it made of anyway? The tingling went away immediately, although the warmth she'd felt in the shop seemed stronger now that she held the book again. Opening it, braced for another shock that didn't come, she looked at the first page. She found the title again, but no author. She flipped to the next page and to her surprise saw actual hand writing instead of print, a large masculine scrawl. Flipping quickly through the pages, she noticed that not only was there no author, but the pages weren't numbered and there didn't seem to be any chapters. Could it be someone's diary? Time to find out. Taking a bite of her pasta, she began to read. Fifteen minutes later, her pasta cold and congealed, she rose from her little kitchen table, never pausing in her reading, and went to settle herself more comfortably in her second-hand wing chair that took up most of the space in her living room. The story, about a well placed young wizard who falls in love with a beautiful sorceress, while obviously fiction, riveted her from the beginning. Unbeknownst to the young wizard, his lover is actually using him to steal a precious, magical amulet in his family's possession. He discovers her perfidy but 27

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before he can reclaim his family's heirloom the sorceress casts a spell upon him and curses him to a lonely exile on an island far away from his friends and family. Angry and devastated, the young wizard promises revenge. Turning his face to the skies and stars, he fights the despair within, the only sign of his struggle the single tear tracing its way down his cheek. As Samantha read those final words, she felt tears of her own gathering. "Oh, that poor man. How could she do that to him?" She'd no sooner finished speaking whan one fat, glistening tear rolled down her cheek and plopped onto the open page of the book, smearing the ink. Appalled, Samantha jumped up to grab something to dry it before the page was completely ruined, but a sudden vertigo seized her. Stumbling, she dropped the book. The room spun making her undigested pasta churn in her stomach. Closing her eyes to fight the dizziness, she tried to sit back down in her chair, however instead of hitting a cushion she felt herself falling. Startled, she opened her eyes and had a brief glimpse of a white beach before she landed in some warm, but still very wet, water. **** [Back to Table of Contents]

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Two Samantha came up sputtering and looked around in consternation. Where the hell was she? Yanking off her glasses, which she thankfully hadn't lost in her plunge, she rubbed them with the edge of her soaking robe, which didn't do much to help them. Perching them back on her nose, she squinted through the wet streaks, but the view hadn't changed. Instead of seeing her familiar living room crammed with second-hand furniture and books, Samantha found herself standing waist deep in what seemed to be an ocean. Gentle waves lapped at her back and the briny scent of the ocean carried on a light, warm breeze made her nose twitch. Overhead, squawking gulls circled and directly in front of her stretched a white sandy beach. Samantha closed her eyes and pinched herself hard—time to wake up! Even with her eyes shut she could feel the water lapping at her body, and hear the raucous sound of seagulls. Okay, so this was a very vivid hallucination. Opening her eyes again, she almost fell over as a vigorous wave smacked into her. Not fair, if she was going to hallucinate then why couldn't she be dressed in a ball gown dancing with a prince? Well, hallucination or not, standing in the water wouldn't get her anywhere and she felt a curiosity to see what else her overactive imagination had in store for her. How about a handsome prince? Actually, at this point she'd settle for some dry clothes. 29

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Trudging through the water, quickly losing her slippers in the sucking sand, she reached the beach and looked around. Now what? The sun bathed the horizon in a rainbow of colors, but not knowing where east lay she couldn't decide if it was rising or setting. To her left she saw the beach extended a hundred feet or so before curving out of sight. To her right the beach ran about another thirty feet or so and ended in a pile of large rocks and boulders. A great look out spot if you didn't mind a bit of ocean spray. Throw in a lounge chair, a nice, frothy drink and a muscled surfer and you could call this paradise. Shaking her head at the direction of her thoughts, she continued her perusal. Directly in front of her the sand stayed level for about ten feet or so before sloping upwards into a large dune with long grass waving at the top. Craning her neck and standing on tip-toe she thought she could see what appeared to be a small village set back from the edge of the dune. In the distance past the village, visible over a thick wall of jungle treetops, stood a dark castle. Wow. Maybe it was time to lay off the historical romances for a while. Samantha racked her brain trying to think of what one of the heroines from her books would do in a situation like this. Should she explore first? She'd spotted a village, so that must mean people and shelter, but then again there was also a castle with perhaps a prince in need of rescue. Samantha giggled at that thought. Who'd ever heard of a librarian saving a prince? A sound made her look up and she let out a loud very unheroine-like squeal and backpedaling, promptly fell into the 30

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water, splashing onto her butt. Peering over the top edge of the sand dune was a green face with large luminous eyes. The creature chittered in a high piping tone as it came clambering over the dune down to the water's edge. Samantha scrambled backwards in the water, her heart racing. The creature cocked its head at her and chittered again. As if called, suddenly there were almost a dozen green faces gazing down at her from the top of the dune. Please let them be friendly, she prayed. Although with her luck, they'd be librarian eating carnivores. "Um, hello?" she squeaked, nervously pushing her glasses back up onto her nose. The chittering got louder as did the little green crowd watching her, their swelling numbers making her tremble. The little creature who had first climbed down came closer giving her a clear view of it. While it had a human like shape all resemblance stopped there. It had a lithe body covered in what looked like shimmery, green scales. Its face, while mostly humanoid, had a flattened look to it with the nose being only a slight bump with holes and its eyes were huge, appearing completely black. Even freakier, it didn't seem to blink. The creature opened its mouth and made some more chittery sounds while waving its arms. Samantha stared aghast at the large number of very sharp teeth crammed in its mouth. All the better to eat me with, she thought, swallowing hard. Around its waist the creature wore a shiny loin cloth, and its feet, which looked to be more like flippers with their webbing, were bare. 31

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The green being splashed up to where she sat in the water and stared at her intently up and down. It turned to his comrades and a rapid conversation took place while Samantha sat there wondering how she'd dreamed up this mess. That's it—no more Spielberg movies. Tired of being ignored, this was her dream after all, she cleared her throat. "Does anyone speak English?" she asked hopefully. A warbly "Hello," startled her but not as much as the fact that a second green Martian came sliding down the dune to approach her. Dressed in a sarong with a crinkled green face, she could have been Yoda's mother. "Come, come," said the creature showing a lot of pointed teeth in what Samantha prayed was a smile. "You want me to follow you?" Samantha asked, eyeing the green creature a little dubiously. Should I follow it? If this is a dream then I've got nothing to worry about and I bet you it's the kind of brave thing one of the heroines in my books would do. But what if they intend to make me dinner? I'd probably make a good meal with all this extra padding. The alien creature kept smiling and gesturing. Samantha took a deep breath and gathering up her courage along with her sopping wet bath robe, stood up trying to appear dignified. Could one look dignified in wet flannel? That question became a moot point as a wiggly little fish took that moment to flop itself out of her pocket and splash in to the water below. High pitched barking greeted her, as red-faced, she slogged through the water to the beach. 32

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Great, now they're laughing at me. Mortified, Samantha sure hoped this was real instead of a dream because it would really suck if her subconscious was the one doing this to her. The wizened green creature, who only came up to Samantha's waist, took her by the hand and began leading her up the dune, her palm not slimy as Samantha feared, but instead dry and rubbery. Some of the creatures at the top of the dune raced off, but most stayed and followed as they made their way up into the little village that lay just past the dune. As they drew near, to Samantha's surprise she realized that the houses she'd glimpsed from the beach were all made of stone with thatched roofs and stout wooden doors. They even had windows covered in a strange translucent material. Could they have built these In front of the stone houses were miniature versions of the creatures playing with some colored rocks. Pausing in their game, their big liquid eyes stared at her as she passed. Samantha wrapped her arms around herself tightly. Okay now I'm getting more than just a little freaked out. I never should have watched that movie Children Of The Corn. In between the line of houses there were log benches surrounding a stone statue of a very large and ugly fish. The creature swept out a hand towards one of the benches and Samantha sat down. A group of sarong-covered creatures who stood gawking nearby were sent off with loud chitters. They soon emerged from one of the homes bearing a platter bordered in green leaves with a mound of what looked like fruit. Yoda's mother offered the platter to her insistently, but Samantha hesitated despite her hunger. How can I be sure 33

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they aren't just trying to fatten me up for the cook pot? Those sharp teeth certainly don't belong to vegetarians. But this is a dream right? That or I've stepped into the Twilight Zone. Take a chance for once in your life, she chided herself. Throwing caution to the wind, Samantha picked up a plump pink fruit and bit into it. Oh, pure ambrosia. Juicy with a texture similar to a peach, but fuchsia colored. And the taste—a naturally produced kiwi/strawberry flavor. Taste buds ecstatic, she ate the entire fruit plus a second one. Pity this wasn't real; she'd make a fortune on these if she could sell them. Her guide came back holding a basin with a floating cloth which she offered to Samantha. Feeling grubby and a little sticky from the fruit, she took the cloth and washed her face and hands. It didn't take care of her body though. The gritty sand on her skin mixed with her soaking jammies made her quite uncomfortable, but judging by the primitive conditions around her, she guessed a bath was out of the question. Losing their initial timidity, more of the creatures began to approach, green, rubbery hands reaching out to touch her. Are they checking to see if I'm real? A commotion at the edge of the village where the jungle began saved her from the patting hands. Conversation ceased and the creatures around her scurried away to make room for someone or something. As long as it wasn't a giant ape! Samantha slowly stood up clutching the folds of her robe to calm the trembling in her hands. Wake up, wake up, wake up, she chanted under her breath. Time seemed to stand still 34

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for a moment, the air filled with an expectant hush. Then He arrived. Oh, my dear God. Her jaw dropped before she remembered to snap her mouth closed. Inwardly Samantha cursed her bedraggled state, knowing she must look like a fool, standing there staring in dumbstruck awe at the man, or should she say hunk, now frowning down at her. Finally her subconscious had gotten something right, conjuring up her idea of male perfection who towered over her. Six feet at least with broad shoulders that stretched the white linen shirt he wore. Thick muscular arms were visible below his rolled up sleeves while snug black pants tucked into high black boots molded his muscular thighs. Yummy! Looking up at his face, she had to hold back a sigh. Slightly rumpled thick black hair fell almost to his shoulders framing a perfect face. Clean-shaven with a square, rugged chin and a straight nose below dark, arched brows, his long lashes and dark mesmerizing blue eyes completed the package. Oh God, there should be a law against men this hot. Samantha's self-consciousness grew as he continued to frown down at her. She pushed her glasses up higher on the bridge of her nose. Steeling herself, she held her head up high, staring back, trying desperately to pretend she wasn't meeting this male Adonis while dressed in a dripping, ragged robe never meant to be seen by anyone, with wet, straggling hair clinging to her head and shoulders. "How did you get here?" he asked coldly, his gaze flicking up and down her body taking in her deplorable state. 35

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"I-I don't know" she stammered taken aback at his harsh tone. "I was reading a book when I got dizzy and then suddenly found myself on that beach." "Book? What book? Who are you working for? What do you want?" he rapped out, his voice getting louder and louder as he spat his questions at her. Grabbing her arms in a tight painful grip, he picked her up to bring her to eye level. My God, he must be strong to lift me as if I'm a featherweight "Wha-at? Hey, listen," she squeaked, scared out of her wits at his senseless anger. "I don't know what you mean. I got the book, actually it might have been a diary, in a shop I found by chance on my way home from work. Actually the shopkeeper just gave it to me and all I did was read it and poof! Anyway, I work for the local library. I'm the librarian there. You can check! We're on the 'net now," she babbled, talking quickly in an attempt to answer all his questions and placate him. Being put down onto her own feet would be nice too. As he stood there listening to her, his expression went from harsh to thunderstruck. "A librarian!" he snorted and then instead of dropping her like she feared, he lowered her gently down. She felt momentarily grateful till she realized he was making fun of her profession. Well, she'd just set him straight. "Hey," she said rubbing her arms, a sullen pout on her face. "I'll have you know that being a librarian is very, um—" Samantha paused for a moment trying to think of a word to describe her job that didn't sound boring—she didn't think 36

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he'd fall for dangerous. "Educational." Even as she said it she knew it sounded lame. He just looked at her incredulously, one black boot tapping the ground impatiently. Okay, this is getting annoying. I mean come on, if this my dream then shouldn't he be sweeping me off my feet instead of attacking me verbally? Just my luck, my dream prince is an obnoxious ass. Snorting again and with a shake of his head, he grumbled something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like stupid ditzy woman. Then turning, he started walking away, heading toward a well-worn path leading into the jungle beyond the village. With his broad back receding quickly, Samantha shot a quick sidelong glance at the quiet Martians who had been watching their exchange. She made a snap decision and went stumbling after him. "Hey, wait a second! Where are you going? How did I get here? How do I get back?" she cried. The narrow dirt track she followed on made her bare feet sting as she tripped along behind him. She had almost caught up to him when he turned around suddenly and stopped her with a look. "Please, I don't know if I'm dreaming or if this is real. I've never had a dream as vivid as this. And even scarier, if this is real, then I have no idea where I am." Her voice choked on the knot of tears in her throat. Ducking her head at her daring, she awaited his outburst. "Oh by the Higher Powers," he said then sighed. "I'm real, you're real, this place is real. I guess you'll have to come along with me for now until I figure out how you got here and 37

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why you were sent. But," he said his voice turning terse again. "I warn you that you'd better not be lying to me about who you are or why you are here. I don't like traitors." She bobbed her head eagerly in agreement. "I swear I'm not lying to you," she said looking up at him. Then for good measure she held up her hand over her heart. "Scout's honor." Looking at her oddly as if he didn't understand what she meant by that, he motioned for her to follow and Samantha tried to keep up, but with his long-legged pace and her bare feet, not to mention shivering on a rocky uphill path, it wasn't long before disaster struck. Stepping on a particularly sharp stone, she yelped and pulled her foot away which then set her teetering, and being naturally clumsy, of course she fell face first into the dirt. Could this day get any better? Squinting through her hair, she saw his black booted feet turn around. Anxious not to embarrass herself any further, she tried to get into a sitting position but somehow, she got tangled in her robe and landed back on her chin. Ouch! Smelly, wet strands of hair plastered against her face, making it impossible to see and to her horror, she felt tears spill. With a loud sigh, he grabbed her with his big hands and pulled her upright, then he swooped her up into his arms and started walking up the path effortlessly. Finally! Samantha thought once she'd managed to move all her hair out of her face and blink back the tears, a perk to this stupid dream. This is much more like it. She snuggled against him. God, he felt nice, and he smelled delicious and... 38

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He wasn't real. It was her turn to sigh. Hearing it, he looked down at her briefly, but she ducked her head to avoid his scrutiny. When they'd gone some ways up the path, feeling a little guilty, she pushed up her glasses and said, "Thank you. I'm feeling fine now, really. You can put me down if you want." "You're welcome and no, I think it would be safer for all involved if you stayed where you are," he replied sarcastically. Samantha gave an internal hurray. She hadn't really wanted him to put her down but it seemed like the polite thing to say. And he was right, it was probably safer this way. "Um, I hate to be a bug, but can you tell me where we are and who you are? My name is Samantha by the way, Samantha Jones," she said, her curious nature starting to loosen her tongue. "I am Sinclair Griffonaire, and I am or was a white wizard for the High Council and this island we are on is my cursed prison." "A wizard?" She giggled, really, this was too much. "Oh boy, have I been reading way too much fiction lately. Wow, I never knew I had a secret yen for wizards though. It has to be that whack on my head from when I fell reading that book." Sinclair looked down at her frowning. "What are you babbling about? I'm starting to seriously think about dumping you back on the beach, woman." "No you won't," she stated confidently. "I know this might be a shock to you, but you're a figment of my imagination 39

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and as such, ultimately you'll do whatever my subconscious wants you to do, even if you think you're doing it, it'll be me actually controlling it," she trailed off as his eyes got bigger and bigger. A rumble from his chest made her realize he was laughing at her. "Oh, this is good. I can assure you that I am certainly not a figment of anyone's imagination. And when I do something, it will because I choose to," he emphasized. "As for my being a wizard, I don't see the humor. I studied for many years and had to go through some rigorous training before I ascended to my rank." "Training to do what? Wiggle your fingers and shout abracadabra?" Samantha giggled again, then bit her lip trying to stifle another as she imagined this gorgeous man in black robes covered in moons and stars, waving his arms, chanting and prancing about trying to do magic. The mental image it invoked was too hilarious though. She lost the battle and snorted in his arms. He didn't bother responding this time to her mirth. He carried her in silence and she quieted down, afraid she'd offended him. Apparently he'd been thinking, for when he spoke again he asked her a question. "Don't you have wizards in your part of the Realm?" "What realm? I'm from Canada, where wizards don't exist, well, they do but they're called magicians and they use illusion and trickery to entertain crowds. Everyone knows magic isn't real, which is how I know all this isn't real, although I have to say this is definitely the most entertaining dream I've ever had," she replied. 40

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"Canada? I've never heard of this town. Where is it situated?" "Town? Canada's a country." His blank look made her continue. "Oh come on, what are you, European? Canada's the big country right above the United States. Surely even you know where the USA is?" Sinclair's eyes widened as he listened to her and his voice when he spoke held a tinge of wonder. "By your words, if what you say is true, then you come from beyond the Boundary, but that makes your being here even more unlikely." He began to chuckle, a low laugh punctuated by his head shaking lightly. "Sorry to tell you this Samantha, but I can definitely assure you that you are no longer in this 'Canada' place. Welcome to the Realm where magic is real and wizards do exist. I think it's safe to say that you and I have much to discuss, starting with how you, a person with no magic, was able to penetrate the curse that surrounds this island." Samantha wanted to ask him to explain more about the Realm, magic and even her little green friends from the beach but they'd arrived at the stone castle she'd seen from the water and he let her down in the cobblestone courtyard in front. Samantha started shivering in her wet robe, the loss of his warm body making her aware once again of her own damp situation. "Welcome to my home." he said sweeping his arm out towards the castle. "I hope you will allow me to be your host while we clear up the mystery of your appearance. My servant will show you to a room where you may bathe and 41

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change. I will speak with you again in a short while." And with that he strode through the front door away from her. What a high-handed jerk! Giving her orders like she was his chattel. She had half a mind to march back down to the beach just out of spite. But hadn't he said something about bathing? Hmm, toothy green Martians or arrogant, handsome jerk with bath? The bath won. Entering through the double front doors, she found herself inside a large entranceway with doorways off to either side and a grand staircase in front of her. Another of the green humanoids appeared, this one dressed in half pants. In halting English it said, "If Miss please, me follow." Having said that he gave her a toothy grin and went up the stairs beckoning her. Samantha followed more slowly, trying to take in the details of the castle. The stark walls around her had no pictures of any kind nor were there any decorations, just unadorned dark grey stone. Boring—someone was in dire need of a decorator. The staircase wound up and up till they reached a wide corridor with doors leading off on both sides. The creature went to a door in the center and opened it, beckoning her again. Samantha went in and looked around. Talk about big, the room was probably bigger than her whole apartment, with ten-foot high ceilings and a large, uncurtained window. For furniture it had a huge, dusty looking four poster bed along with a night stand, and nothing else. Wow, did this castle need a make-over, even a little color would go a long way. 42

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The little Martian went to a wall and pushed a black protrusion. Silently, a section of the wall slid sideways into the remaining stone wall leaving a wide doorway. "Bath Miss here is," he said with a pointy grin. "Thank you. My name is Samantha by the way. What's your name?" she asked remembering her manners. "Kaar am I," he said puffing out his scaled green chest. "Well thank you, Kaar," she said smiling back at him. But now what, she thought. As if he'd read her mind. "Clothes, get I," said Kaar and with that he scurried out of the room closing the bedroom door behind him. Alone, Samantha prowled the chamber, but not seeing anything interesting wandered into the bathroom. She was pleasantly surprised to see a large claw foot bath and an oldfashioned toilet with the tank high above and a chain to pull for flushing. Well, at least she wouldn't have to pee in a pot. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror above the washbasin and grimaced. What a fright! Her hair looked like a squirrel's nest and her face dirtier than a puppy in spring. Sniffing the air, she gagged, realizing that the pungent fishy smell emanated from her. Gross! Apparently her robe had absorbed a lot more than just water. Eying the bath, which had a colored stone above the spout and nothing else, Samantha remembered how Kaar had opened the door. Pushing on the colored stone, she laughed in pleasure when warm water began gushing into the tub. Hot water! She looked at the open bathroom door but couldn't see a mechanism in the bathroom to close it. She really wanted to 43

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wash the grime of the sea and sand off, as well as the dirt all over her face, but Kaar had said he'd back with clothes. What to do? Samantha wasn't the exhibitionist type, but this was a dream, right? And Kaar didn't actually exist and she really, really wanted a bath, so taking a deep breath she quickly stripped off her wet clothes before she changed her mind and climbed quickly into the tub, sinking blissfully into the warm water. Oh God this feels so good. A nice deep bathtub is so much better than that skinny shower stall of mine. She sighed in sheer pleasure. Taking off her glasses, she gave them a rinse before placing them beside the tub. Then, reaching up, she pulled out what remained of the pins holding up her hair so that it tumbled down in a tangled wet mess. What she wouldn't give for a gallon of hair conditioner right now. Looking around, she did find some soap nestled in a tiny alcove beside the bath. Grabbing it, she vigorously scrubbed herself, getting all the salt water and grime off 'til her skin shone pink and clean. Her hair was another matter though. She used the soap on it and rinsed it as best as she could under the tap. Finally she was clean, and while the warm water felt great, she had to admit her curiosity made it hard to sit still, who knew when she'd wake up from this fascinating dream. Looking around she realized she couldn't see a towel. Dumb! Why on earth hadn't she checked before jumping in? She stood up in the bath, the water streaming off her body and peered myopically around for a towel. A rustling sound in the doorway had her whipping around expecting to see Kaar. But 44

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no, to her intense mortification, she wasn't blind enough to miss seeing Sinclair in the doorway, his eyes roving over her nude body. Without her glasses, she couldn't be sure, but could that be appreciation she saw in his expression? Hmm... could be. It was her dream after all. But if it wasn't a dream? Samantha felt herself go pink and dropped down into the water again. Sinclair chuckled, a low throaty sound that made her stomach turn over and her body tingle. "Get out," she squeaked, feeling the burn in her cheeks. The water didn't quite cover her so she slapped her hands over her boobs only to realize her kitty was still in plain view. Why wouldn't he leave? Or at least turn around? It's what a true gentleman would do, the jerk. "I came across Kaar on his way back up with these things and thought to bring them into you," he said holding up a towel and some dry clothing. She didn't appreciate the amused gleam in his eyes as he watched her contorting in the tub. Hiking her knees up and crossing her arms over her chest, she finally managed to hide all her pertinent body parts. A dimple appeared in his cheek as he grinned at her, and what an amazing transformation as he went from the handsome haughty lord she'd met to down in the village to a very attractive, boyish looking man. What a shame he was a cad! "Okay, you've brought me the stuff, so could you please get out now?" she pleaded, hating the whining tone in her voice. 45

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"I'll leave the clothes on the bed then," he said, draping the towel over a hook on the wall next to the tub. "Kaar will be back in a short while to guide you to the library. I'm looking forward to our talk." And without a word of apology for barging in and one last lingering look and smile, he left. Samantha sat in the tub fuming for a second. The nerve of the man coming in here like that and then staring at her like some kind of delectable treat. At that thought Samantha started getting that warmth inside again and she wondered what it would be like to be kissed by him. She sat up straight in shock. Kiss him! Oh please tell me I'm not attracted to that overbearing ass? She'd just met him, but just the thought of his dark eyes drinking in her naked body had her nipples tightening and a warmth spreading through her lower regions. Shaking her head in disbelief at her body's reaction, she jumped out of the tub and grabbed the towel he'd left behind. She vigorously toweled herself dry and then picked up the clothing he'd left her, almost laughing aloud. The clothing turned out to be rather old fashioned with a thin, white, sleeveless linen chemise that fell to mid thigh and a woman's gown in a pale green that laced up the front with short cap sleeves, tight waist and a long, loose skirt. It was a little tight in the bodice and hips but at least she felt decent again, ready to go face the lord of this castle. No shoes accompanied the garb though so she had to stay barefoot. Thank god for the warm climate or her feet would be freezing on all the stone floors. Once dressed, she perched her large glasses on her nose so she could see again and was delighted to see a silver brush 46

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and comb set sitting on the night stand. She used first the brush, then when that proved useless, the comb, to try and free up the tangles in her long, damp hair. After wincing and cursing and finally yanking out a hopelessly snarled tuft or two, Samantha was satisfied. With the brush, she gave her hair a final smoothing, but attempting to pin it back up in its usual bun proved to be a lost cause as most of her pins had gone for a swim. Ignoring her mother's voice in her head, she left her hair down, its tips almost touching her waist. It felt nice, actually, not to have all that weight pulling on her head nor the pinch of pins trying to hold it up. She'd just have to make sure she stayed away from any machinery, she thought patting her short spot. As she waited for Kaar to return, Samantha paced. Could it be possible that she might not be dreaming? She looked around. Even with all the books she'd read, could she really have imagined all this? And Sinclair. Her mind didn't have the guts or imagination to create him. But if this was real, then why had she been brought here, and just who was this mysterious hunk with his talk of magic and prisons? A knock at the door ended her musings. Opening the door she saw Kaar waiting there with his toothy grin. He beckoned her to follow him back downstairs and through an archway into the coolest looking library she had ever seen. Nestled on the ground floor within one of the castle's fat turrets, the library resembled something out of a show for the rich and famous with its vaulted ceiling crisscrossed with thick black beams. The bookshelves carved out of dark wood stretched floor to ceiling, curving around the room following 47

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the rounded shape of the turret. Ladders on runners gave access to the higher shelves while three, large, evenly spaced porthole windows let in lots of natural light making the room airy and bright. And the books—hundreds of books of varying sizes, colors and textures lined the many shelves, and still there remained a lot of space to expand. The books themselves when she wandered close reminded her actually of the little book shop where she'd found the black diary that got her into this mess. The strange titles hinted at magic like one titled "101 Uses for Unicorn Horn" or another called "The Arte of Wizardry." While she would have loved to spend more time perusing this fascinating collection, she couldn't avoid the master of this castle forever, no matter how embarrassed she still felt. Turning and taking a deep breath, she finally faced the center of the room where there were several comfortable chairs placed around a large oval table, and seated there staring, Sinclair. She tugged at the skirt of the gown nervously as he watched her, his face expressionless. "Um, thank you for the clothing," she finally stammered when he said nothing. She suppressed an urge to kick herself. Why do I sound like such an idiot whenever I talk to him "You're most welcome," he said, the hint of a smile. Samantha's tummy gave a little flip. Stop that right now, she warned it. Feeling nervous and a little afraid to get closer to him, she wandered around the outer edge of the library pretending interest in the books. She almost jumped out of her skin when his voice whispered softly beside her ear. 48

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"What are you looking for, Samantha?" She whipped around to confront him, only to find him still seated casually in the center of the room. At her look, he raised one eyebrow inquisitively. "I—," she halted. "You... Okay, I don't know how you did that, but don't do it again. That was freaky." He just smiled at her, lounging back in his chair, completely at ease. "And could you please not look at me like that?" "Like what?" he drawled, a faint dimple appearing in one cheek. Like you're going to eat me, she thought, but said a little tersely instead. "Like you're laughing at me!" At her defiant words he got up and came towards her, Samantha backed up to keep her distance, but bumped into the bookcase behind her. He reached her and placed a hand on either side of her. Leaning toward her, his face hovering only inches from hers, she felt his breath when he spoke, and shivered. "Oh, I am most definitely not laughing," he said, his tone serious, his gaze intent. Flustered by his intense scrutiny, she looked away. But she could still feel him there and her body warmed—almost burned—at his nearness. She fought an urge to lean into him. Ducking under his arm, she stepped away. She just couldn't think coherently when he stood that close. "So, um, any ideas on why or how I got here?" she asked as she pretended to look at the books again. 49

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"Some," he replied, "but I'd like to hear what happened to you first before I form any conclusions. Come," he said, taking her by the arm and guiding her to one of the chairs by the table. "Sit, this may be a long discussion so we may as well be comfortable." Samantha sat gingerly on the chair, her hands clasped tight in her lap, head ducked down so her hair covered part of her face. He sat across from her, his knees brushing hers. Samantha shifted her legs sideways. Touching him, even slightly, would be much too distracting. "Tell me about this book you were reading that you say brought you here," he asked. Thankful to have something to talk about, Samantha started recounting her encounter with the shopkeeper, the words tumbling out in a rush. She told him what the odd man had said about someone named Chance wanting her to have the book, how she'd taken it home and read it, though she knew no one of that name. "The entire thing seemed just plain weird. Especially my accepting it. I mean, I never take gifts from strangers. My mother raised me very conservatively." Samantha could still hear her quoting her rules on proper behavior: "Never accept anything from a stranger. Charity is for lazy people." And on and on. Samantha often wondered if her mother had been raised in another century. Many of her etiquette rules seemed straight out of the eighteen hundreds. "Go on," he said bringing her back on track. Peeking up at him while recounting her unbelievable story, she caught him staring at her avidly, hunched forward, 50

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elbows on his knees. Meeting his eyes briefly, she flushed and ducked her head again to continue her tale. But she had no sooner begun telling him about the book's story when Sinclair suddenly jumped up and pulled her roughly out of the chair. "Who told you that story? Just who are you and why are you here?" he asked, his hands gripping her arms painfully. "Ow! Let go. Geez, it was just a silly story about some wizard guy who..." she trailed off suddenly. Looking at him, she suddenly remembered where she was. "Duh!" she almost shouted. If she'd had her arms loose she would have smacked herself in the forehead for being so dense. "That book was about you, wasn't it? You're the wizard from the story!" Sinclair just growled and let go of her abruptly and began pacing, his body tight with fury. Ooh, someone obviously had anger issues. "Did you want me to tell you the rest or not?" she asked, eyes tracking back and forth, watching as he paced silently, his face a black thundercloud. "I think I know how the story goes," he replied nastily finally stopping and facing her again. "Hey, I don't know why you're so mad at me. I didn't write it. I just read it. I'm sorry, I guess it's got to be kind of embarrassing to have something like that published for the whole world to see," she blabbered nervously pushing up her glasses. "Silence!" he shouted, his teasing smile gone and the harsh man from the village now back. "By the Higher Powers, must you prattle on about this? I know you didn't write it and I most definitely never wrote a book about the most 51

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humiliating and humbling experience in my life and I can't see who would know enough details to do so other than Melisante." At her puzzled look he said, "Melisante is the sorceress who placed this curse upon me, and believe me she is not the type to sit down and write about it. I highly doubt any mortal wrote that book. It's obvious. Someone or something is meddling here." "But I still don't understand what that has to do with me being here," said Samantha. "The man in the shop said the book was meant for me. That the Chance person wanted me to have it, whatever that means. But who is Chance and why on earth would he think I'd want to read about you, anyway? I mean," she stammered realizing that sounded really rude. "I'm sure you're a nice guy, but I'm just me, Samantha Jones, small town librarian and book-lover. After all, it's not as if there's anything special about me," she said quietly her head dropping down. When he said nothing, she peeked up at him and saw him frowning at her. She quickly ducked her ahead again waiting for another outburst, but when he spoke, he did so softly and his face lost its angered edge. "I am not mad at you, just this whole situation in general. I do not understand why Chance has sent you here to join me in my exile. It would seem that there is a Higher Power at work here but as usual it cannot be direct and tell me what to do. You hear stories of them playing with mortal lives, just like puppet-masters, pulling strings so we will dance to their tune. By bringing you into the game, Chance has changed the rules. Figuring out what your role is or Chance's purpose will 52

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be another thing. I suspect you are somehow supposed to help me." "Me? Help you?" she asked looking up, her expression not as morose as it had been a moment ago. "But I don't know any magic. I can't even cook. So how am I supposed to help you? And for heaven's sake, who is Chance? You talk about him like he's some kind of omnipotent being or god. If he's playing some kind of game with you then why don't you tell him to leave you alone?" Sinclair didn't reply for a minute, his face pensive in thought. "How little you know. Chance, to answer your question is a Higher Power. One of many in the Realm. Telling him to cease meddling in my affairs would be like telling the sun to not rise. His involvement, however, means I now have hope. As for what your role may be, we will have to wait until things become clearer. In the meantime, though, I have a task for you. Perhaps you could organize the library and do some research for me?" he asked, watching her face closely. "You mean you want me to read books?" she asked slowly, trying hard to contain her glee. He nodded. Samantha smiled widely. Gee, a chance to read books and hang out with a real hottie in a tropical paradise. I must have died and gone to heaven. "A research assistant," she said. "That makes total sense now. That Chance guy sent me to help you find the answer. Oh wow, this is going to be great. I am a super fast reader and in college my professor always used to say my research 53

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was overly thorough. When do we start? What am I looking for?" At her rapid, exuberant onslaught, he reeled slightly back, his face stunned. "I'm glad you like the idea and I appreciate your enthusiasm. Tell you what," he said, walking backwards towards the door. "We'll discuss it over lunch which I'll have cook prepare for us shortly. Why don't you get acquainted with the castle while I talk to the cook. I presume that you don't mind being accommodated here at the castle?" Samantha nodded happily and kept smiling as she watched his tight butt move as he strode out the door. Hard to tell which view she enjoyed more—front or back. Stop it, she told herself. They were now partners, or maybe employer and employee, and while he certainly held the title of sexiest partner she'd ever been paired with, her libido would have to stay quiet so they could get the job done. He was now counting on her to help him. So, no more inappropriate thoughts. With this stern admonition to herself she wandered around the library again, the librarian in her now coming out as she studied the books and their titles more closely, trying to identify which filing system was used. She'd have to ask him about that and about some writing implements as well so she could take notes. Wandering out into the hall, she took advantage of his suggestion to check out her new, temporary home. Crossing the tiled entrance floor, she caught a flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye. She whipped around to look but saw no one there, just a mirror showing her own startled reflection. Was it possible this castle had ghosts? It was 54

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certainly old, and judging by what she'd seen so far, ghosts did not seem impossible. It could also just be her overactive imagination too, jumping at shadows. Nothing else moved so, shrugging it off, she continued her exploration starting with the room across the hall. It turned out to be some kind of living room, or as such rooms were called in historical romance books, a parlor. It was huge with large windows that overlooked the front courtyard area of the castle offering a beautiful view of the jungle with its brilliant blooms and vivid green foliage. A large, overstuffed, burgundy sofa sat against one wall with a matching love seat across from it while a white mantled fireplace with four wing chairs placed in a semi circle in front offered additional seating. Over the fireplace hung an oval silver mirror, its frame etched with a pattern of vines and leaves. Other than those few items, the room appeared bare. Impersonal. The usual knickknacks and clutter that most homes accumulated in their main living space not in evidence. This room definitely needed a woman's touch. A patterned rug on the floor to cut the cold stone, some bright prints on the wall and fresh flowers, lots and lots of bright jungle blooms to give warmth to this sterile space. Samantha mentally kicked herself. Why did she care if he lived in starkness, she hadn't come here to redecorate, much as she itched to. Having looked her fill, she turned around to exit the room and again caught a glimpse of motion from the corner of her eye. Whipping around, once more she confronted nothing other than her own reflection in the large 55

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mirror above the mantel. Great, now her own reflection was freaking her out. Leaving the parlor, she stood in the center of the main hallway trying to decide which room to explore next. A loud TWANG, sounded above her. Looking up, she saw something big hurtling down right at her. And like an idiot she just stood there like a deer frozen in headlights, gaping at it. [Back to Table of Contents]

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Three Before she could scream or even think of moving, she felt something push her aside just as a large chandelier crashed and shattered where she'd been standing. Samantha ducked her face as candle stubs went flying along with shards of wood. Holy, talk about close, she thought, lying on the floor shaken and stunned. She looked up to thank whoever pushed her out of harm's way but there was no one nearby. Frowning she craned and saw Sinclair standing with a frown on his face down the hall. "Are you all right?" he asked approaching her and holding out his hand to help her up. "I'm fine, I think," she said, grasping the outstretched hand and standing in a circle of floor miraculously free of debris. "I'm more surprised, than hurt. Something pushed me out of the way." "Well if I hadn't, you'd now be dead, squashed flat by that chandelier," he replied nonchalantly. "You didn't push me." She frowned at him. "You were all the way over there." "I used magic of course," he said waggling his fingers at her. "Well thank you then, I guess," she said still not quite believing him. "Why did the chandelier fall?" Sinclair walked over to the splintered mess and knelt down, his brows furrowing as he stared at the pieces on the 57

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floor. He then craned his head up high to look at the broken length of chain still swinging from the ceiling. "Well, it would seem the chain snapped," he said. "The Chandelier is fairly old and already a part of the castle when I took up residence. It was just bad timing on your part that you were walking under it when it decided to let go." Samantha watched his face as he gave her the explanation and couldn't shake a niggling doubt that perhaps there was more to it than that. But then again who would try to kill her? "I was coming to escort you to lunch," said Sinclair distracting her when he linked his hand through the crook of her arm and led her into the dining room. How about dining hall? With its huge, wooden table simply decorated with silver candles surrounded by a dozen, ornately carved, wooden chairs, this room seemed better suited for large dinner parties than a small lunch for two. Or am I assuming too much? Perhaps she wasn't the only person who'd arrived on the island by accident. "How many other people live here?" she asked him as he guided her to a seat at the left of the head of the table. "Just me, well and now you of course," he said, gently sliding her chair under her as she sat. Samantha blinked, surprised by this gallantry, in her world such social niceties had mostly been abandoned. But to be fair to the men she'd dated, most fast food joints had their chairs bolted to the floor, as if someone would steal and a red and yellow chair. Their lunch was served by more of the green creatures, all of whom seemed to be happy, or at least she assumed they 58

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must be happy judging by their big smiles to her and Sinclair. The lunch consisted of soup served with a crusty bread for dipping and a platter of sliced cold meat and cheese. Samantha ate and found herself pleasantly surprised. The thick broth tasted fantastic and made her taste buds tingle. If she could cook, this was definitely a recipe she'd want. But the food, good as it was, offered no match for the lure of Sinclair. In between sips and bites, she sneaked glances at him. He really was gorgeous, even when eating. Watching his lips close around a piece of cheese, something he managed to make look hot and sensual, Samantha felt a tingle. Ooh, to have those lips touching her. Cute kittens, cute kittens, she started repeating in her head, trying to push away the naughty direction of her thoughts. She really needed to get a grip on her hormones and the best way to do so was to get busy. "After lunch I want to get familiar with your library and its filing system. Do you follow the Dewey Decimal system?" Samantha asked. At his puzzled look she continued. "Most libraries have a filing system. The one I work in uses the Dewey Decimal, but others will arrange the books into types and then alphabetically by author. If I know what system you use then it will make it easier for me to find the books needed for the research." "Yes, well, the library may have had some method of organization when I took over the castle but I'm afraid I didn't know what it was and didn't maintain it," he admitted with a wry grin. "I tend to just grab a book that looks 59

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promising at random and when done, I stick it back in the first spot that's open," he said sheepishly. "Oh my," she exclaimed. "I see I'll have my work cut out for me. Well, I'll work on fixing that then because having an organized workspace will make the research much easier for both of us. Now I am pretty sure you don't have any computers, right?" His blank look answered her. "I kind of figured that. Okay, do you have some kind paper or pen I can use to take notes? Do you mind if I use the table in the library for my work? And finally, are there any particular books you want me to keep an eye out for?" Sinclair just stared at her, bemused and she fidgeted a bit under his perusal and pushed her glasses back up. He cleared his throat. "Um, you can use the library table and I will have some paper and pens sent there. And keep an eye out for curses. Anything you find, no matter how obscure it seems. If I can figure out what spell she used, I might be able to figure out how to nullify it." "Curses, right," she replied taking a mental note. How many books on curses could there be? As it turned out, quite a lot of them, which she discovered after lunch when she returned to the library to start her work. Sinclair had gone off to his "workshop"—wherever and whatever that might be—to do some research of his own and left her alone. She was disappointed to see him go but had to admit she would have found it hard to concentrate on the work with him around seeing as how his simple presence kept distracting her. He had provided her, though, with the writing implements she'd requested, some type of thick parchment 60

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and something that worked like a pen but looked nothing like her ball points at home. Samantha started by making several lists cataloguing the book titles and authors. After browsing the collection, she began to separate the books into five main groups; spells, magical instruction, magical entities, cookbooks—of which there seemed to be an uncommonly large amount—and a group she mentally labeled "unknown." The books in the unknown category were either in languages she couldn't decipher or dealt with too many subjects for her to classify. The one thing this library lacked, surprisingly enough, were storybooks and Samantha wondered if in this world fictional stories even existed. Or was real life here more exciting than anything put down on paper? The afternoon hours passed pleasantly as she worked, completely engrossed in her task. Some of the books she came across were absolutely fascinating like the book on mermaids which had gloriously rendered images of the deadly sirens. Others frightened her a bit, like the spell book that showed how to protect against demons and other entities. The images in that book showed grotesque creatures that she hoped she never ran into. She finally found out that the Martians were actually called Undines, an aquatic race that could live on the land and in the sea, having both gills and lungs for breathing. Cool. Samantha left that book out so she could read up more on their race—and to make sure they didn't like eating librarians. Sometime late afternoon, she felt a prickling sensation at the back of her neck, as if someone watched her. Samantha 61

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thought that perhaps one of the Undines might be checking up on her, but when she went to the hall to see, she found no one there. And yet the feeling persisted. Maybe there were ghosts. Would Sinclair laugh if she asked him or worse, tell her there were? Something was going on, that was for sure. The air in the library felt heavier and even with the sunlight streaming through the big, round windows, the room appeared to be getting dimmer. Samantha twitched and turned as odd little flickers of motion from the corner of her eye distracted her. She tried to concentrate on the book she was looking at, but the prickling at the back of her neck wouldn't stop. She finally admitted to herself she felt frightened. Her stomach ached from being clenched into a tight ball, and she had to slow down her breathing as she found herself starting to pant. A fast motion out of the corner of her eye was the last straw. Unable to take it anymore she fled to the hall and ran right into a broad and solid chest. A pair of hands gripped her arms, steadying her, and she looked up into Sinclair's surprised face. "What had you running out of there so fast?" he asked taking in her frantic look. "It's nothing," she said. "Just hungry." Sinclair frowned at her pat answer and looked through the doorway into the library. He let go of her arms and went to peer inside the empty library and of course saw nothing. Samantha felt foolish now.

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"There's nothing wrong, just my overactive imagination playing tricks on me," she said, her earlier unease now gone with his arrival. Sinclair didn't look convinced. "Why don't you freshen up? Dinner is just about ready. I'll meet you in the dining room when you're done." Samantha looking down at herself, flushed, mortified to see the filth covering the gown that he'd given her. The dust of ages from the many books she'd catalogued clung to her and she reeked of old books and mildew. Gross. "Yes, that's good idea. I'll be back in a jiffy," she said and with that she sprinted up the stairs to the room he'd loaned her. Once in her room she shut the door and leaned against it a minute. The sense of being watched had disappeared and she chided herself mentally for letting her imagination get the better of her. How stupid had she looked charging out of there? Sinclair must think I'm an utter flake, one who's scared of her own shadow. Looking down at herself again, she grimaced. How on earth am I going to be able to clean this dirt off before dinner? But that proved to be a moot point because while she'd been working in the library, an armoire had somehow made its way into her room and when she opened its heavy doors she saw with delight that it was filled with gowns, underclothes and linen slippers. Not only that, but her comfy jammies and robe had been laundered and folded on top of the bed. 63

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How thoughtful. Still, she wondered where he'd managed to find women's clothing. Could magic create clothes? Another thing she'd have to ask him. Knowing he waited for her, she grabbed a pale blue gown and went into the bathroom to change. She stripped out of the soiled gown, coughing at the little clouds of dust that floated about. She hoped she hadn't ruined it, which in turn made her wonder how they washed their clothes here. Another of the many things to discover in this new world. She washed her hands and face and combed her long hair. Not having found anything to tie it back with, she left it loose—sorry Mother—and put on the blue gown she'd found in the armoire. This one fit her much better than the first although the square bodice showed off more cleavage than she liked. Scrounging in the armoire she found a matching pair of blue linen slippers and put them on. Made of a thin material with no rubber sole, they were still better than walking around barefoot, she thought as she hurried out the door and down the stairs to the dining room. Sinclair, already seated when she came in, stood up and came around to seat her. Samantha blushed and ducked her head when his hand accidentally brushed the bare skin exposed by her neckline, but he didn't react to the simple contact even though it felt like a jolt of energy had shot through her. Sinclair seated himself beside her, seeming distracted. Before she could think of anything to say, some of the household Undines appeared bearing plates of food and 64

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goblets for wine, which they poured from a tall, crystal decanter. Samantha found herself ravenous from her afternoon's work and dug in heartily. The food, which she didn't recognize, tasted delicious, some kind of seafood that melted in her mouth. The rose colored wine served with it made a perfect complement to the meal and went down smoothly. The act of eating allowed her some time to think about what she would say to him. His brooding face didn't exactly encourage idle chit chat. Eventually though the meal was done and she leaned back with a happy sigh sipping at the wine in her silver goblet. She looked over at Sinclair who had barely touched his food. He sat leaning back in his seat, watching her, his dark eyes intent. "How did your work in the library go this afternoon?" he finally asked, twirling a wine goblet in his hand. "Pretty well," she replied. "I've gotten to all the books in the first section and will start cataloguing the rest in the morning. I've found a couple of spell books that deal in curses which I've put aside for further study. I can't believe some of the stuff you've got in there." "Yes, the library was very well stocked by the previous occupant." "Did you ever find out who that was?" she asked curiously. "No, although I believe there may have been a man and a woman at least. The clothing I found for you was stored in some of the trunks in the storage room along with some men's clothing." 65

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"You mean you didn't magically conjure these up?" she asked looking down at the gown she wore. "No wizard alive can create something out of nothing," he stated. "Why not?" she asked curious. "Magic is more about manipulating forces. I could technically make you a gown but I'd need some sheep wool first. Then I'd have to direct my magic to weave it into cloth then a gown. But the time, power and skill that would take..." He shrugged. "It's just easier to buy it ready made." "Then what can your magic do?" "Lots of things. Like for example using a small bit of magic, I can use it to push objects, like that chair over there." With a squeal the chair beside her slid across the floor as if moved by ghostly hands—the same ghostly hands that had saved her from the falling chandelier. "I can also use magic to speak to mind to mind with another magically imbued person, teleport myself, do some minor healing, create fire and light and more." "How do you use magic to heal?" "I'm not very good at it, but my mother, who is strong in that aspect, can draw upon her magic to speed the healing process." "Wow," said Samantha. "And is it hard to learn how to do magic? I remember you saying earlier that you studied to become a wizard." "Depends on what you consider hard. I studied yes— learning how to use one's power can be challenging and some people are more gifted at it than others. My studies dealt with 66

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how to harness the power and shape it to do what I wished and also figuring out how much power was needed. Too much power and you can destroy things unintentionally." Samantha listened fascinated to her crash course in wizardry. What a shame though that his power couldn't create some shoes! It also explained the lack of adornment in the castle. "I guess you lucked out when the curse placed you on this island then." "In a sense you could say so. The castle was fully furnished when I found it, leading me to believe whomever once lived here left and intended to come back. I've tried questioning the Undines but their life spans are much shorter than ours and so their history only goes back about fifteen to twenty years." "So the Undines were already here?" she asked, eager to keep him talking. "Yes, they inhabited that village you saw this morning. They were quite welcoming of me when I arrived and have proven to be good friends. I've managed to teach several of them our language and have helped them with the maintenance of their village as well as providing minor healing for the injured. They in turn help me out by doing some of the castle chores and food gathering. All in all it has worked out well in that respect." He went silent and Samantha, looking down at her empty plate, felt some of her usual shyness creeping back as she tried to think of something else to talk about. "Well, I guess I'll see you in the morning then," she said finally and standing up she started walking for the hall. 67

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Sinclair jumped up and said quickly, "Don't go yet. It's still early and you've been inside working all afternoon. Join me for a walk. The beach is quite lovely at night." Surprised by his offer, she agreed. Leading the way to the front door, he swept it open and gestured for her to precede him. They walked silently yet companionably down the path to the beach, Samantha careful in her thin linen slippers, watching for sharp rocks. When they reached the village Sinclair waved and said hello to those still outside and they chittered back at him. Their general happiness and goodwill towards Sinclair apparent. They seem to really like him which I guess bodes well for his general character. Why she even cared about that she didn't know. They walked through the village till they reached the dune leading down to the beach. Taking her hand, he held it firmly guiding her down so she wouldn't slip. They were just in time for the sunset, a glorious, colorful affair that made her gasp. Wispy tendrils of illuminated cloud stretched ethereally across the sky, their shades darkening as the sun sank below the horizon. "Beautiful, isn't it?" he murmured standing close to her. His hand still held hers and she felt quite content to leave it there. There was something reassuring about it and she couldn't help the warm feeling that spread through her. "No matter how many times I see it, I am always amazed by the beauty of the sunsets here. Once of the small things that has made my captivity bearable," he said sadly. 68

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Samantha's heart ached for him. How horrible it must be to lose everything and everyone he ever knew, exiled to a place with no other humans to interact with. The loneliness must have been unbearable. Samantha knew about loneliness and she squeezed his hand so that he'd know he wasn't alone anymore. She felt him squeeze back and in silence they watched the sunset together. As the last rays left the horizon, still holding hands, they walked up the beach. Presently, Samantha spoke. "How big is the island?" "I can't be sure of its exact size but it can easily be walked round in one day," he replied. "Are there more houses and stuff elsewhere on the island." "No. The other side of the island ends in a rocky cliff. It would seem they kept the main living space close to the beach. The jungle covers the rest of it." "Does the jungle have a lot of wild animals?" she asked, wanting to hear him talk, about anything. She loved his deep baritone voice. "Some creatures, none of which are dangerous. The most dangerous thing on the island, other than me of course," he said grinning at her, "would be the dryad we have in a really old tree on the other side of the island. She's been sleeping since I came here and I'm happy to keep it that way." "Dryad, as in a tree fairy?" she asked with big eyes. Wow, she really had walked into a fairy tale world. Sinclair chuckled, "Don't ever call a dryad a fairy, you're not likely to survive it. Fairies themselves might even take offense. They may be little but their egos are big." 69

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All this new information had Samantha quite giddy. The thought of real fairies and dryads and other mythical creatures fascinated her. Could the fairy tales she'd grown up with have some shreds of truth to them? "What about you? I've neglected to ask whether there was anyone you've left behind in your side of the Boundary," he said, changing the topic on her. "No one," she replied shortly. No need to bore him with her tales of loneliness. "Sorry," he said, chastened. "I didn't mean to pry." "It's okay," said Samantha. "To be honest, my life before I came here wasn't very exciting. Eat, work and sleep. Actually with the holidays coming up, I wouldn't even be working." "Surely you have a suitor or family who will miss you?" "A suitor?" Samantha laughed heartily. Sure, she'd love to have a boyfriend. Heck she'd even have dated a geek, that is if she could find one that would lift his nose from a book long enough to even look at her. Or hey, if she didn't mind being the "other woman," there were plenty of leering fathers to choose from—they could have trysted in the library copy room while his kids ran around messing up the books and sticking gum under the table. It's not as if she had no experience with men, they just weren't good ones. Take her last date, more than six months ago. "I'll be back in a minute," he'd said. "I just need to use the boys room." Samantha like an idiot, sat there sipping the remains of her virgin pina colada, people watching. It was only when the 70

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waiter showed up at her table the third time asking if she needed anything else that she realized he wasn't coming back. Thank god she'd had her wallet. Then a week later, the same creep phoned. "Hey, want to go a movie?" The slamming of the phone seemed to get the point across as he never called again. Her most serious suitor had been Gerry in college. They'd been a steady couple for almost three months. They'd even gotten to the hand-holding stage, a big step considering Gerry took his religion very seriously. But then Gerry got offered a job in another province, so with a merry wave she'd seen him off. She did feel a small pang at the thought of going to the movies alone again, but at least now she didn't have to share the popcorn. To be fair, Gerry had been a nice guy, and that was it. No, I-want-to-fling-your-clothes-offand-maul-you feelings with him. Just nice. Now Sinclair on the other hand, she wanted to do more than rip off his clothes! Sinclair seemed mystified by her laughter. "I fail to see the humor, surely a woman as appealing as yourself would have a string of gentlemen suitors." "Thanks for the compliment, but I don't exactly have guys beating down my door. In my world skinny is in, curvy is out." He squeezed her hand, and Samantha felt her eyes get damp. Great, now he's going to think I'm some kind of pathetic loser.

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The night had completely fallen and it became too dark to see. Sinclair waggled his fingers for her grinning and a glowing globe appeared in the air. "Magic?" she questioned, reaching out a hand to touch the orb, which danced just out of reach. "The first spell I ever learned at school." "But I thought you said you couldn't create things out of nothing." "This is pure energy that I've magically formed into a ball. The condensing of the power in that small form creates the glow." The light bobbed ahead of them illuminating their path as they walked back to the castle. On the way he regaled her with stories of mischief he'd gotten up to in school, some which had her laughing almost to tears. Reaching the castle, he gallantly escorted her to her bedroom door, and paused looking down at her. "Thank you for keeping me company," he said suddenly serious. Samantha blushed and ducked her head. "It was my pleasure. Thanks for answering all my questions. This world you live in is really neat." As are you, she didn't say aloud. With her head ducked down Samantha didn't see him lean towards her and kiss her on the forehead, but she sure felt it. Looking up at him startled, he smiled enigmatically at her and bid her good night before going up the hall to his bed chamber. Samantha floated into her room with a smile. What a day! Hard to believe she'd arrived on the island only this morning. 72

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And that Sinclair, what a hunk! She'd really enjoyed their walk on the beach in the twilight. Talk about romantic. Such a shame it would never go any further. Samantha harbored no illusions. Powerful attractive men didn't fall in love with well padded librarians. Stripping off the dress and slippers, Samantha put on her comfy jammies, a little pang of homesickness surprising her. Surely she didn't miss her cramped little apartment. And it wasn't as if anybody would be missing her. Well actually management might when she didn't show up to work after the holidays two weeks from now. But with the library closed, her mother gone and no friends to speak of, it might be quite some time before anyone even noticed she'd disappeared. If they ever did. The only person who had truly cared about her had been Mother. Her poor mother. In a sense her passing had been a blessing. For as long as Samantha could remember her mother had been ill. When she was first diagnosed she used to laugh and say nothing would defeat her. And she fought, but every year she got a little weaker, her step a little slower, till finally she became bed bound. Even there she kept saying "I won't let you down." The last time Samantha put her to bed, her mother grabbed her hand tightly. In a raspy whisper she'd whispered, "I'm sorry." Then she closed her eyes and never opened them again. Samantha had never been sure what she felt sorry for. Now at twenty-three, Samantha braved the world alone and had been for just over a year. Deciding to change her lonely state, she'd read all the self help books she could find 73

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on how to make friends. Any day now her research would pay off. Of course the library wasn't exactly brimming with people her age, but hey, they say the workplace is a great place to start. Or how about an exotic island? Samantha smiled, thinking of her stroll and talk with the handsome Sinclair. While she missed the familiarity of her home, for the first time in a long time she felt alive and that feeling stemmed from more than just being on a tropical island with a handsome hunk, although that did help. Her sense of awakening came from the idea that she, Samantha Jones, had actually embarked upon an adventure. For the first time in her twenty-three years she was living life instead of reading about it. Why in just one day, she'd been teleported, met a new species, discovered magic existed and even almost been killed. Not to mention, she'd finally met a man she actually wanted to tear the clothes off of. Wow, now that she thought about it she'd had an awfully busy day. Crawling into the huge bed, she snuggled under the cover and lay on her back staring at the ceiling. As she fell asleep, her body exhausted from the day's activities, she briefly wondered what tomorrow would bring. The following morning after a sound night's sleep, Samantha awoke refreshed and raring to get to work. Last night's walk with Sinclair and the glimpse he'd given her of his loneliness made her even more determined to try and help him. Wouldn't it be awesome if she found the key to his release? **** 74

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75

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Four Washing and dressing quickly, entertained by fantasies of him thanking her when she saved him, she left her room to go find some breakfast and ran into Kaar on the stairs carrying up a tray for her. "Food bring I," he said holding it up. "Oh Kaar, you didn't have to do that. I'm not used to being served. Here, let me take that." Grabbing the tray from a startled Kaar, she padded down the stairs and through the archway leading to the dining room. Entering, she stopped short when she saw Sinclair already seated having breakfast. Rising with a welcoming smile, he again held out the chair next to him for her to sit in. Samantha felt herself warm under his attention and smiled back. He looked even more handsome this morning and it took all her willpower to fight the urge to smooth the rumpled linen covering his broad chest or even better, take it off. Stop it, Samantha scolded herself. Couldn't she even eat breakfast with the man without having carnal thoughts? Speaking of which, she finally had a chance to look at what food the tray held. Yummy. Some kind of flatbread spread with a red jam that tasted like the fruit she'd eaten in the village previously. A glass of pineapple juice, freshly squeezed. Sunny side up eggs, smaller than the store bought kind with a light pink yolk, and some kind of flat, fried meat that, while not bacon, had a nice salty flavor and crunched pleasurably in her mouth. 76

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Chewing away happily, she almost forgot she had company—almost. "I was thinking a lot last night," Sinclair said. "And well, while you obviously know the sordid tale of how I came to be here, having read that book, it occurred to me that in order for us to be able to work together, you could probably use a little more background. I think I may have also been hasty yesterday in my decision to not have you tell me about the story you read. It is possible that there may have been clues in the book that I might find helpful. Perhaps together, we will spot something that will lead us to an answer to my dilemma. " Samantha smiled at this use of the word we. "So the curse can be broken?" she asked. "If it can be broken why can't you do it? You know, just wave your hands around or something." Sinclair chuckled. "Yes, well, magic involves a little more effort than just waving one's hands about." he replied with a grin. "As for the curse, according to the Laws of Chance, all curses must have a way for the person cursed to free themselves but sometimes they can require a catalyst of some kind, either an object or person or even an act of some kind. I have been trying for three years to break it, without success. You are the first person I've encountered in all those years, unless you count the Undines who were already here. My teleportation spells just don't work, I cannot teleport myself off this island nor contact anyone. I am hoping you read something, anything about the spell she used. Even the smallest detail could be important." 77

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In between mouthfuls of food Samantha recounted the entire tale as well as she could remember. Sinclair said not a word during her rendition, he just sat leaning back in his chair, watching her as she spoke, wincing when she told the part about his lover's betrayal. At the end of her tale he jumped up and began pacing like a panther in a cage. "There was no mention of what type of curse?" he finally asked stopping to face her. "No," said Samantha, "I'm sorry. I wish I could be more help." He raked his fingers through his hair. "This makes no sense. Did the book target you specifically or did you merely set off a magical trigger? Perhaps something you did or said while you had that book?" Samantha hesitated a moment. Is he going to take me for some kind of emotional flake when he hears I bawled over a book? But what if my tears were important? "I, um, kind of cried on the book, not much," she hurried to say at his intent look. "Just a drop or two, enough to smudge the ink. And then next thing I knew I landed here." "The spell needed someone with a compassionate nature to work," he said rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Interesting. Very interesting." "Why is that so important?" "A spell that requires a caring person means whomever brought you here did so without nefarious intentions. On the contrary, you are probably meant to help me somehow which now gives me hope, something I didn't have previously," replied Sinclair. "I need to think about what you've told me. 78

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Perhaps I've been going about this all wrong. Since Chance brought you, then you obviously hold the key for my release. I may wish to question you again at some point and perhaps you would be willing to let me run a few magical tests on you." "Tests?" replied Samantha warily, wincing at the idea. Tests in her experience were never pleasant as they usually involved large needles sucking out her blood. "Okay, I'll let you run some tests, but I'm warning you that I am not into the idea of ritual sacrifice or anything painful." Sinclair let out a loud laugh. "Never fear, I do not practice the black arts, they are forbidden by the Great Laws. The tests I am talking about will not hurt. That, I promise. I won't be ready to do them for a few more days because I need to look some things up first. Now, I want to tell you more about the Realm and magic but I need to help Kaar with some things down at the village, so if you don't mind I shall take my leave and we shall resume our discussion over lunch." Samantha nodded in agreement and then sat back to watch him leave the dining room, admiring once again the view of his tight butt in his snug black pants. I can look all I want, she reminded herself. I just better not touch Leaving the dining room, she went across the entryway towards the library but hesitated at its entrance. Would that watching feeling come back? Taking a deep breath, she strode in, glad to discover the previous day's eerie sensation was absent. As the hours of the morning flew by, she grew more relaxed. The books in this library were truly fascinating, especially the one on gardens and pixies. She hadn't known 79

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pixies were allergic to roses or that they enjoyed a warm saucer of milk. Apparently it was important to keep your garden pixies happy if you wanted healthy plants. As she catalogued and skimmed through the books, she found many dealing in curses and put those aside. She had just finished organizing the last of the books when Sinclair came to find her. Getting up from her hands and knees position on the floor, pushing her glasses back up on her nose, she smiled at him. "Part one is mostly done. I've got the books organized by type, then alphabetically by author. I've kept aside some of the books that I will use to start the research. And this pile over here," she said walking over to a tall stack. "Are the ones that I couldn't read or decide where to put." "You've certainly been productive," he said taking in his neatly organized library. "You need a break. Come on, the chef has prepared us some lunch and you're due for a history lesson." Taking her by the hand, his grip warm and firm, he guided her into the dining room and seated her, his hand lingering on her shoulder. Quickly, they ate their lunch of breaded fish cutlets with a light mango sauce, crusty bread and cheese and when done Sinclair leaned back in his chair. "Time for your history lesson but in order to understand I need to go back a bit in time." Samantha leaned forward, eager to listen. "Many hundreds of years ago the world was a chaotic place. Magic abounded, both good and bad. There were white wizards, those who used their magic to help others and of 80

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course there were dark wizards. They destroyed anything and anyone who stood in the way of their quest for more and more power. Finally a time came that non-magical humans who were the most affected by all this and the most numerous in population, decided enough was enough. They met with some of the more powerful white wizards and asked for a way to live free of magic. After many years of debate and more destruction by the dark forces, the white wizards came up with a spell, one that would separate the world into two, one half with magic, the other half without. Thirteen of the world's most powerful white wizards came together and for thirteen days and thirteen nights they spun a magical spell and separated the world. The non-magical half of the world is the one you were raised in. The other half, known as the Realm, has the humans who decided to stay along with the wizards and the magical beings who need magic to survive, like the Undines. The two worlds are separated by what we call the Boundary." "So," said Samantha trying to sort all this information in her head, "you mean I'm still here on Earth but on the magic side right now?" Sinclair nodded. "But I don't understand how that works," she went on. "I mean I've never heard of an invisible wall stopping people from going places and my world has pretty much had every inch of it explored." "First, the population of magical beings and wizards wasn't that huge, what with magical beings having lower birth rates than non-magical ones. A small continent or if you prefer a really large island was chosen to become the new Realm. It 81

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lies in the middle of one of the great oceans and the Boundary was set around the island." "But still our ships sail the oceans everyday. Wouldn't they notice if they were being diverted around a huge invisible island?" she asked perplexed. Although a magically invisible island would explain the strange happenings in the Bermuda Triangle, which was part of the Atlantic. "Yes, well, the ships you're talking about don't actually go around us, they go through us. The spell the ancients wove was one of true invisibility, so not only can the people of your world not see us, they can't feel us either. The same goes for the Realm locations that remained on the main continents. For example, there is an elven enclave hidden in a valley in a huge line of mountains on one of the biggest continents. Because their Great Tree couldn't be moved, a boundary was placed around that area. Other magically important locations also had boundaries placed so as to preserve them." "Wow," said Samantha. "That's crazy. I can't believe those wizard guys got everybody to agree to this." "They were given a choice—magic or no magic. Those who needed magic to survive or didn't wish to abandon it, made damn sure they were on the right side when the spell was cast. The spell also covered a wide perimeter of ocean, too, for those who live in the sea." Samantha's eyes widened. "You mean like mermaids and the Undines. What about Nessie? Did you guys forget to shield her?" "Who?" asked Sinclair with a lost look. 82

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"Never mind," said Samantha blushing. After all, just because all kinds of other fantastical creatures truly existed didn't mean Nessie did—although Samantha secretly believed she did. Sinclair resumed his history lesson. "While all magic, be it man, creature or object caught outside the Boundary dissipated or became non-magical, it didn't, however, stop the dark wizards still within from creating havoc. Thus began the Great Hunt. All things evil or created with dark arts were found and either destroyed or stored with magical defenses and guardians. The dark wizards who got caught were banished to your world, minds wiped clean, their powers gone once they crossed, forced to live out their remaining years as normal humans. The knowledge they amassed was destroyed, or so we believed. It would seem the cleansing was not as thorough as initially thought, judging by the grimoire Melisante uncovered." "What the heck is a grimoire? I take it that it's not related to an armoire?" Sinclair chuckled. "No. A grimoire is a book of spells. Usually a life long compilation by a wizard of renown who doesn't wish his work to be lost after his death." "Oh, so it's like a cookbook of spells." "Exactly. Now to continue. Once the hunt was over and all dark magic erased, the Great Laws were created, a monumental effort that involved representatives from all species left in the Realm. It took almost a hundred years to create them and now are the mainstay of our society. The Great Laws have many clauses and exceptions but the gist of 83

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it is that wizards cannot use magic to physically harm another, on pain of being banished, powerless, to the other side of the Boundary. Needless to say, the majority prefer to follow the laws." Samantha absorbed this information but something niggled at her, so she asked, "But I'm not magical, so how can I be here? And if magical items and spells don't work in my part of the world then how was I teleported?" "We are all human, even we wizards. Humans can live on either side of the Boundary but only in the Realm can they use magic. If I were to go to your world, I would no longer have my wizardly powers, I would be just a regular human like yourself. In your case, you don't appear to have any magic so you remain the same no matter which side you are on. The book that brought you and that bookstore you found were probably created by a Higher Power. My guess would be Chance. The Higher Powers, of which there are many, are not governed by the same laws of magic as we are." "Higher Powers? So you mean there are still some people out there who can do magic on my side?" "Well, I wouldn't call them people, exactly, although they may choose to take human form when appearing to others. While few can recall having met any personally, multitudes have been affected by their meddling. They just love to play games with our lives. For centuries there have even been those who call them gods and worship them, blindly, following whatever commands or portents they are given." As if she didn't have enough on her plate, now she'd have to worry about these wanna-be-gods floating around or 84

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whatever they did, directing her actions like a pawn in a game of chess. Although, she had to admit, whichever one had meddled with her life had probably done her a favor. She hadn't had this much fun in, well, never. "Okay, so some higher power sent me here so that they could use me to mess up the curse you're under, but what I still don't understand is why she cursed you instead of sending you into my world. Surely making you into a regular guy would have been easier than cursing you to this island with the possibility of escape?" Wouldn't he have caused a commotion had he shown up in my world? Women would have been falling all over themselves offering to take care of him. He smiled and nodded as if proud of her conclusion. "But you see, placing me in your world wasn't enough. The Boundary has portals from your world that lead to my mine They were created so that those who wished could leave for a non-magical life and also to allow in those who felt the call of their inner magic." "Do you think I might have a teensy bit of magic in me?" she asked hopefully. Wouldn't that be cool? "Honestly? I don't think you're magically inclined, although I could be wrong," he added quickly at her crestfallen look. "Not all abilities are immediately visible. It could be that you have a dormant power, or perhaps somewhere in your family tree, you had an ancestor who had some power. But even without magic, you're still special, else why would the Higher Powers have chosen you?" 85

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Okay so maybe she didn't have super powers or the type of beauty that made men swoon at her feet, who cared, Sinclair thought she was special and that simple fact made her smile inwardly. "Sorry, I interrupted, you were telling me about the portals." "Ah yes, the portals. My family has been highly placed in the council for years," he continued, "so the portal locations are well know to me as are the guardians of the portals. Had she sent me to the 'Other Side', I would have simply found a portal and come back. By placing a curse on me she saved herself. Curses are very hard to cast and detect, and so long as the curse doesn't physically harm the person, they are actually allowed by the Great Laws. Melisante on her own would never have been able to cast the curse she did. However, by using the amulet, she managed to amplify her power. To my friends and family it would have seemed that I just disappeared with nary a trace. Had she killed me with a spell instead, then there would have been nowhere for her to hide her wickedness as the Great Laws would have marked her as soon her spell killed me." "Wow," said Samantha, her eyes wide as saucers behind her lenses. "That's pretty intense stuff. But if the amulet is so dangerous then why didn't your hunter guys destroy it?" "Well, a couple of the items that were created using the dark arte's proved to be impossible to destroy. In order to prevent their falling into the wrong hands they were separated and given to families of the thirteen white wizards from which I'm descended. My family has been protecting 86

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that amulet for generations and it is a great shame for me to know I failed in that task." he said, his face looking haunted. "But," said Samantha, and she had to ask because this question had been niggling her since she'd read the book. "How did she get through all your defense spells? I mean, I read the book. You had that amulet locked up tight. If she wasn't strong magically to start with then how did she get through all your magic and how did she disable that maze thing you had that needed a password to even reach the amulet?" "I've had three years to think about what happened. I know I never told her about the labyrinth's password and I also never told her enough about the protective spells for her to have nullified them so easily, especially given her low level of magic. It means someone in the family betrayed me and helped her. I just can't imagine who." "Well who knew about the amulet and its defenses?" she asked. "There was my mother of course, my sister and my brother. Those should be the only people other than myself who knew all the secrets." "You said Melisante was very beautiful, right?" she asked and rushed on before he could answer. "So it stands to reason that while her beauty wouldn't have affected your mother or sister, isn't it possible that perhaps she had another lover as well, someone close to you, like maybe your brother or a cousin?" she said trying not to cringe as she said it, afraid to look at him. 87

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"It's possible," he said slowly. "At the time I was so consumed with my lust for her that I ignored much that was going on around me. She could have had several lovers, for she had her own home and I was only ever there at her invitation. But I just can't see my brother betraying me like that. And as for my cousins, none of them should have been privy to our secrets." He stood up abruptly. "You've given me much to think about. It seems I need to perhaps re-examine my past. There may have been more clues I hadn't seen before." "Well, if you need me I'll be in the library," she said, starting to walk away but stopped when he spoke. "No, you've been working hard since you arrived yesterday, take a bit of time off and let me think a while, perhaps I'll be able to save you some work. Why not go for a walk or a swim and explore the island a bit? I assure you there are no wild animals around to worry about." Samantha wasn't sure about the wild animals part, the look in his eyes sometimes definitely resembled that of a predator. A little bit of sunbathing and fresh air sounded like a great idea. She wouldn't be able to swim in her gown but she could at least enjoy the view and with all the eating she'd been doing—the chef really was amazing—she could stand a little exercise. Yes, a walk down to the beach was definitely in order although she looked at her linen slippers ruefully, she'd be doing it barefoot again. The slippers would just get ruined and they offered no real protection anyway. It sucked he couldn't just snap his fingers and get her some flip flops. If this kept up she'd have soles tougher than bark. 88

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Wandering out the front door of the castle and down the jungle path to the village, she kept a wary eye out for sharp stones underfoot. When she entered the village she found it mostly deserted, only a few of the Undines were there, occupied with household tasks. They paused in their work to wave and smile when she went by. Samantha, pleased at their friendliness, waved and smiled enthusiastically back. She went through the village to the beach and sat on the warm, white sand. Leaning back on her elbows, she closed her eyes and basked in the sun, her thoughts inevitably drifting to Sinclair, sexy lord of the castle. I guess I can't deny it. I'm attracted to Sinclair. Just looking at him or thinking about him makes me feel and warm and tingly inside. But he doesn't see me as a woman. Well, he does, just not in a desirable rip-my-clothes-off kind of way. He needs my help to break this curse so he can go back to his family and friends. And when he does, he'll probably meet a gorgeous sorceress and they'll have dozens of little wizardlings or whatever they call their offspring. If only I were beautiful and brave like one of the heroines in my books. Maybe then he'd notice me and sweep me off my feet to carry me into the sunset, vowing eternal love Oh, what am I thinking of? She scoffed at herself. Am I that desperate for love? And to choose him, an almost perfect stranger to fill the role? Sure the book portrayed him as a victim, but that was three years ago. That's a long time to be alone with only thoughts of vengeance for company. Will he ever be able to trust again having been so betrayed by love? 89

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Samantha didn't think she could in his place. And look where love had gotten her mother. Alone and sick, raising a child on her own. No, thought Samantha defiantly. I will not fall in love, I don't want to be hurt. She would do what she could to help him, as a friend. She'd just have to be careful and guard her heart. Getting up, she brushed the sand off and looked around. Her chemise under her gown stuck to her damply as she perspired lightly in the warm sun which sat high in the sky. They were in a much warmer climate than she was used to in Canada. A sound behind her made her turn and she saw a big pair of eyes watching her. She smiled at the little watcher, obviously one of the village children and the child grinned back in delight before running and jumping in the waves. The child surfaced and raised its hand and beckoned her to join it. Samantha shook her head, she couldn't go swimming in a dress, but the water looked awfully tempting and she thought, screw it. What was the point of being on a tropical island if she was too modest to partake of the delights? Stripping down to her thin chemise which actually covered more of her than a bathing suit would have, she put her glasses carefully on top of her folded clothes before diving into the water after the child. Fantastic! The water was warm and felt wonderful. Surfacing, she laughed aloud. Talk about glorious—a beach, an ocean, and a castle with a dark, mysterious hunk. So-long, boring life! 90

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Splashing sounds signaled the arrival of more young Undines, their little green heads bobbing alongside her. They started a game of tag in the water and included Samantha. Their pointy grins were endearing and Samantha laughed and smiled as she dove and swam along with them. Their agility and speed in the water nothing short of amazing and it didn't take long before she grew tired trying to keep up. Waving them off with a laugh, she lay on her back and floated. The salty water made her buoyant and she drifted on the waves, a light current carrying her a little way out from shore. Closing her eyes, she felt her skin soaking up the sun's hot rays, her hair fanning out in the water around her. A nudge from under water made Samantha snap up. Treading water, she looked around but she didn't see anything, her little playmates from before had all disappeared. She did notice though that she'd drifted a lot farther from shore than she'd intended. Might be smart idea to start heading back before she floated completely away. She fell into a slow gliding breast stroke, arms and legs flexing out gracefully in the water. Then she felt a nudge again on her thigh. Looking quickly down, squinting, she saw a dark shadow gliding below her. Sinclair had said there were no predators she needed to worry about on the island but did that include the water? Not interested in finding out, she picked up her pace, the shore not approaching as rapidly as she'd like. A splash behind her had her whipping her head around to see a dark, jagged fin tunneling through the water behind her. Samantha shrieked and fell into a rapid front crawl, arms 91

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and legs pumping as hard as she could. What the hell was this? Jaws? As she pumped frantically, she kept tensing, expecting at any moment the painful chomp of a huge set of teeth. When she barreled into something hard, she screamed, or tied to, through a mouthful of water. Flailing and thrashing at the thing that had a hold of her, she tried desperately to escape. "Aaaaaaaaaahh!" "Calm down! You're safe now, I've got you." Samantha stopped her histrionics and looked up to see Sinclair had her in his arms and that she'd come close enough to shore to be able to stand again. She turned around fearfully to look behind her, but the water teased her with its emptiness. "There wa-was something in the wa-water," she stammered, her body trembling with fright. "Yes, I thought I saw something following you, which is very surprising. The entire island is encased in a sort of bubble because of the curse. Nothing up 'til your arrival has been able to get in or out. But the creature swimming after you was definitely new. Whatever it was, it's gone now. Come," he said coaxing her gently like a skittish colt towards the beach. "Let's get you dried off and back to the castle. We'll have to warn Kaar so he can tell the rest of the villagers to be on the lookout for whatever that was." With an arm wrapped around her waist, he walked her back through the water to the beach. Samantha's heart finally started to slow down and she felt a little foolish now for panicking. Sinclair acted so cool and calm about the whole 92

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thing that it must mean there hadn't been any real danger. Probably just a big fish. She hoped. When the water started to come to her thighs Samantha looked down and unfortunately groaned out loud causing Sinclair to look at her. Her cheeks flamed bright red. The chemise she'd decided to swim in had turned see-through. It clung to her lush body, outlining all of her curves and her dark nipples showed prominently through the light cloth. His eyes smoldered as he stared at her almost nude body and Samantha felt that warm, coiling in her tummy again. To her mortification, her nipples hardened, their aroused state obvious through the wet, clinging fabric. She ducked her head in embarrassment looking for her gown to cover herself with and so was surprised when she felt Sinclair wrap his arms around her. Tilting her chin up, he smiled wickedly, his eyes twinkling. "I am beginning to wonder if you are a sea nymph since this is the third time now I've seen you wet." He didn't know how wet. Samantha listened to him raptly, staring at his lips and willing them to kiss her own. "This could become a nice habit." he said lowering his head. Samantha closed her eyes waiting for his kiss, but it never happened. A loud chittering from behind them made him drop his arms and turn around. Samantha opened her eyes, disappointed. So close! She, Samantha Jones had almost been kissed by the hunkiest man ever. Was she nuts? What had happened to her decision to be friends only and keep her heart out of it? I 93

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guess my hormones didn't get the message. Grabbing her dress, she quickly shrugged it on and plunked her glasses firmly on her nose, her armor once again intact. When Sinclair turned and saw her dressed, he just quirked his brow and gave her a mischievous smile. "It would seem Jrag over there saw the fin, too, so the warning will be spread," he said as he took her hand and began leading her to the path to the castle. "Did he know what it was?" she asked. Please say, harmless, toothless, plant eating fish. Or a dolphin. "What?" said Sinclair distracted. "No, no idea. Don't worry, the Undines will find out what it is and take care of it. In the meantime though, no swimming alone." Samantha frowned as he became distracted again. Was he telling her the truth? She didn't know him well enough to know if he fibbed, but why would he lie? Shrugging it off, she walked quietly alongside him, enjoying the firm grasp of his hand around hers. When she winced at a sharp stone that bit into her bare foot, he without a word, swung her up into his arms again. Samantha nestled against his chest. Boy, she could get used to this. "Did you at least enjoy your swim before your scare?" he finally asked after he'd carried her a while in silence. "Oh that was marvelous. I've never swum in an ocean before and I have to say that was a lot more fun than an indoor pool with all its chlorine." "Your side of the Boundary sounds very different from what I grew up with. As a child, I vacationed many a time 94

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with my family by the seaside. I've always loved the ocean so at least my exile hasn't been as bad as it could have been." "I'd love to live somewhere like here," she said wistfully. "What is your home like?" he asked suddenly curious. "Small," she sighed."I mean I do love it, but it's so small, it barely has room for me. And the apartment we had growing up was small too. Over here you have so much space and fresh air and rooms big enough for real beds. I love that bed in my room, it's so big I can flop around all I want with out falling off." He raised his eyebrow and smiled cheekily at her. "I see, so you want a large bed to romp in?" "No," she tried to explain, her cheeks red. "I didn't mean it like that. It's just that, growing up I had to share a bed with my mom 'cause we lived in a small, one room apartment. When she got sick I got the floor, which was okay, of course. I mean I was young and she really needed the bed more. But when I got my own place my dream was to have a huge bed all to my self," she finished, her eyes glazed with memories of the past. She felt him looking at her, but awash in memories, some painful, she couldn't meet his eyes. All too quickly they arrived at the castle and his arms tightened briefly around her before he set her gently down on the floor. "Why don't you get changed and then meet me for supper." Samantha, all too glad to escape, scampered up the stairs to her room to rinse off the salt in the tub and change. Her body still tingled from his nearness and she need a few 95

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moments to collect herself. She'd come so close to being kissed and a part of her felt disappointed it hadn't happened. She'd thought she'd come to a decision on the beach earlier, but now felt more confused than ever after the kiss that almost happened. How could she ignore her burgeoning feelings for him, especially when he looked at her with those smoldering eyes? But is he really attracted to me or is he lonely and I'm just convenient? And even if he is attracted, how can I even think about getting involved knowing we have no future together? So many questions, but no answers. Her heart kept saying take a chance, while her practical side said no, don't risk it. And maybe she was getting ahead of herself. So what if he'd almost kissed her? It didn't mean he'd try again. With that thought, she went into her armoire to find something dry to wear. Once dressed, she happened to look at herself in the bathroom mirror and did a double take. Who was that beautiful woman with the sparkling eyes, auburn hair still curled from dampness and toweling, and full lipped smile? It couldn't be her, she thought, brushing her hair hard. Maybe it was some kind of magical carnival mirror, one that makes ugly things look pretty. Wouldn't that sell for a fortune back home? Time for reality. Placing her glasses firmly in place, she skipped down the stairs and entered the dining room. Sinclair's eyes roved appreciatively over her as he seated her, and Samantha grew warm. So much for keeping him and her emotions at bay. Dinner being served offer a distraction and she turned her attention to it, hoping the food would keep her mind off how 96

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tasty he looked sitting there with his rumpled hair. What a superb dinner! A tasty vegetable soup with a warm crusty bread to dip, followed by a tender fish entree served with marinated, grilled vegetables and for dessert, some frothy fruit concoction. Samantha dug in with great relish, famished from her swim and almost swooned with delight when she ate the fluffy dessert. When she'd licked the last bite from her spoon she looked up to see Sinclair watching her with a smile. "I must say it is refreshing to see a woman enjoying a meal. Most of the women I knew, including my mother, were forever on some kind of diet, obsessed with their weight." "Yes, well, I probably should watch what I eat. I've got more than enough weight on these hips as it is." Samantha said ruefully looking down at her body. "I think your hips look fine, actually more than fine," said Sinclair, his voice low and husky. Samantha peeked at him expecting to see him mocking her, but his face had that serious, smoldering, intense look back. Unsure of a proper response, she pushed up her glasses, her cheeks slightly pink. The house staff coming in to clear the dishes saved her from answering. Watching them at work, always so happy it seemed, she decided to ask for more information about the Undines, who seemed to mimic humans rather closely. "I guess the Undines are stuck in the bubble too because of the curse. How do they feel about that?" she asked. A question, she should ask herself as well seeing as how she found herself stuck in the bubble, too, till the curse was broken. No hurry though, she wasn't ready yet to leave this 97

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island paradise or Sinclair. An even scarier realization came: I'm not sure I'll ever want to. "They weren't too happy at first, but thankfully didn't blame me. They believe life is too short to be angry about things they can't control. They tend to look on the brighter sides of things, something we should all learn to do. At least there is still a fair amount of ocean for them to swim in but they do miss the lengthy hunts they used to go on a few times a year. The winter solstice is tomorrow night and before the curse, the males of the tribe, as part of their solstice tradition, would leave the week before to go hunting the deeper parts of the ocean seeking a worthy aquatic foe. Once vanquished they would bring the creature back and very ceremoniously offer it up to their god." "That big fish in the village, right?" she asked. "Yes that is a representation of their god. After they give the offering, they feast on it for good luck and then dance and sing the night away. Three months later, there are usually quite a few little babies born. The years since they've been captive with me they've still had the ritual but their offering is not of the usual size and so they do worry that their god will become angry with them. If you like, when they celebrate the solstice tomorrow night, I'll take you down so you can watch." "Really!" she exclaimed. "That would so cool. I've never done anything like that before. We celebrate something in our world, too, right around now but it's called Christmas." At his interested look she explained, "Christmas has its roots in a widely followed religion, but in the last few decades it's become more of a family holiday where people exchange gifts 98

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and get together and spread goodwill and cheer. My mom and I used to have a little tree which we'd decorate and on Christmas morning we'd exchange gifts. Even when she was sick she never forgot to get me a present," she said, her eyes tearing up as she remembered. "It sounds like your mother was a special woman." "She was," said Samantha, trying hard not to cry as the memories flooded her. "I miss her a lot. You're so lucky to have a family. I wish I had someone." Standing up, she prepared to flee before her emotions overwhelmed her. Sensing her turmoil, Sinclair stood immediately as well, his dark eyes watching and holding hers. Not saying a word he moved towards her and stopped in front of her, staring at her face. She felt her stomach flutter as she stared back at him but couldn't hold his gaze for long as shyness grabbed a hold of her. Ducking her head, feeling selfconscious at his close perusal, her glasses of course slid down her nose. Lifting her head up, she jabbed them back up into their spot. "Why do you wear those awful lenses on your face? I can detect no magic about them so what possible use can they be? And do not tell me fashion because those things are not attractive at all. " He seemed genuinely puzzled so Samantha didn't take offense, guessing he spoke about her glasses, but surely he'd seen some before. "Those are my glasses. I need them to see stuff. Otherwise everything beyond a few feet away is just blurry." 99

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His dumbfounded look told her he still didn't understand. He reached out and plucked them off her face, turning her glasses around and squinting through the lenses. "See, those lenses magnify objects so that my eyes can see them clearly." Placing the glasses on the table he lifted a hand up to her temple and said, "Let me see." Samantha suddenly felt a pressure inside her head and then an odd sense of disorientation as she looked around her, her blurry vision somehow amplified with his simple touch. Taking his hand away, he stood back looking at her. "Why didn't your mother have your vision corrected when you were young? Surely even without magic your physicians should have been able to do something? " "Really," she drawled sarcastically. "Maybe in your world things like eyesight can be fixed but where I come from glasses are used to correct vision. Oh you can get laser surgery, too, nowadays, but on my meager salary, it'll take years before I can afford it." And forget contact lenses, her one encounter with them had ended with her wearing an eye patch for several weeks. He must have sensed he'd crossed a line, for his tone when he spoke again was soft. "Would you like to see without those lenses on your face?" "Well of course I would but that isn't an option, is it?" she replied crossly. What a jerk! she stormed inwardly. Did he think she'd be wearing those ugly things if she didn't have to? She'd had to live with her poor eyesight and the taunting that 100

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came along with it a long time and just when she'd finally come to grips with it, here he was making her feel selfconscious again. Samantha started to walk away but he grabbed her arm and looking into her eyes again, reached his hand up toward them. Instinctively, she shut them as he pressed his fingers to her eyelids. A warmth, that turned into an almost searing heat spread from his fingertips to her eyelids. Her eyes began to itch and burn. Not painfully, but it was sure as hell uncomfortable. The feeling intensified as he pressed down firmly on her eyelids. If he didn't ease up soon, he'd be getting kicked in the shins. After what seemed an eternity, but was actually only a couple of minutes, the warmth and thankfully the itchy feeling started to fade and he withdrew his fingers from her face. Opening her eyes, she staggered for a moment. His hands grabbed her arms and he pulled her in close, steadying her. He whispered, "Tell me Samantha, what do you see?" But Samantha, dumbstruck, couldn't speak as her eyes widened, taking in all the details around her that she hadn't been able to see before. He'd fixed her vision! Years of being called four-eyes and stumbling around when she misplaced her glasses and now, suddenly, she could see! Her heart swelled with joy as she greedily drank in the details around her. Even when she wore her glasses objects had never been so clear. Why, she could even see a cobweb up in the far corner, a fat spider sitting in its center. 101

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A brilliant smile burst forth and she laughed, a true laugh, the kind that is felt through one's entire being and whose sound rang out, filling the lonely castle. A powerfully pure sound that made the even magically woven lattice around the island ripple. Samantha beamed up at Sinclair—this man, this sweet, adorable man who had given her something she'd always wanted. How could she ever repay him? Sinclair, who still held her, looked down at her in bemusement, such unadulterated joy and he'd caused it. To his surprise he felt the walls he'd built up around his heart start to crack. His eyes darkened as he continued to look at her—her lush lips and shining eyes beguiled him. Unable to resist, he didn't even try, he dipped his head down and finally tasted her full lips with all the passion he'd withheld when he'd kissed her chastely before. Samantha eyes widened for a moment—oh sweet god— then closed, as she savored the feel of his lips, caressing and nibbling her own. She pressed herself more tightly against him, his hard body felt so good against hers. His fingers twined into her hair bending her head back so he could plunder her mouth more deeply, his tongue darting between her lips, sending a shock down to her toes. She felt her body growing feverish as she kissed him back without reservation. She'd never imagined being kissed like this! The few paltry pecks she'd received in the past had elicited nothing compared to the fire consuming her body now. When his hands slid down her back to cup her buttocks and press her firmly against him, she gasped, for she could 102

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feel his hardness pressing against her belly. His lips left with a final suck of her bottom lip and started sliding down her neck towards her cleavage. Her knees buckled as she melted with the electric shock she felt right down to her toes. God, it felt good. She wanted to feel his lips on her body, his naked body pressed against hers and... Suddenly, common sense prevailed. What on earth am I doing? She pulled away from Sinclair and took a few steps away from him, trying to regain her composure. Her lips felt swollen and her body aflame, but she knew she had to stop. Really, her mother hadn't raised her to be a hussy. Samantha tried to slow her breathing but when she spoke her voice still came out more high pitched than she would have liked. "Um well, thank you for fixing my eyes. I really appreciate that." Oh god, that sounded lame. He just quirked his brow at her and she felt her cheeks burning. What a stupid thing to say. Samantha wanted to sink through the floor and disappear until she could regain control of her body. "Well," he drawled, a mischievous look in his eye, "if that's how you say thank you for something simple like that, then I can't wait to see what happens if I do something big." Samantha's face flamed even brighter as she fled the dining room, the sound of his throaty chuckle following her as she raced up the stairs to her room. Once inside with the door firmly shut she started pacing. This situation had become too weird and Samantha now found herself at a loss as to what she should. A lifetime of reading hadn't prepared her for magic books that teleport 103

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you, curses, little green creatures with big teeth and oh, let's not forget a hunky wizard who could make her forget her own name when he kissed her. Stripping down to her chemise, she crawled into the large bed and pulled up the covers. As she lay there staring at the stone ceiling, she wondered, why did he kiss me? After all it's not like I'm not the type of girl who sends guys into spasms of lust, not with these hips. He must have been feeling lonely and made a rash decision to kiss me, a decision he'll probably regret it in the morning. But oh, how she'd enjoyed that kiss. The feel of his body against hers, his lips awakening a burning desire that she never even knew existed... Too restless to lie still, she threw back the covers and walked over to the window. Leaning on the sill, she looked up at the night sky where stars twinkled and the moon hung at a quarter. Movement below had her easing open the swinging window and leaning out. Sinclair stood in the clearing below, shoulders slumped. As if he felt her watching he turned, straightening his body, and looked right up at her. Even from that distance she could feel the heat of his gaze. She stared at him, unable to move and she could hear him in the still night air as he chuckled, a masculine self-satisfied sound that had her running for the bed and hiding under the covers. Sinclair stood looking up at her now empty window for several minutes after she'd disappeared from it. His body still throbbed from the kiss and he loosed a soft but heartfelt 104

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groan. It may have been three years since he'd had a woman but that didn't explain the strong reaction he'd had to Samantha. When he'd fixed her eyes and she'd smiled at him, he couldn't control himself. He'd had to taste her and now having had one sweet taste he craved more. It had taken all his will power not to follow her up to her room and finish what they'd begun. He still wanted to. She was a puzzle to him. Ever since she'd shown up on the island the day before, he hadn't been able to stop thinking about her. And it wasn't like she intentionally drew attention to herself. No, she had to be the most deprecating woman he'd ever met and he couldn't see why. She had a beautiful body. He'd seen that when he'd surprised her in the bath, soft and curvy with a full bosom that he itched to fondle. Her complexion glowed a perfect ivory and her long auburn hair looked so soft and silky he had to fight an urge to bury his face in it whenever she came near. And then there was her smile... she hadn't seemed beautiful at first, but when she'd smiled that first time at him in the library after he'd asked her to do some research, her whole face had lit right up. Now he couldn't remember why he hadn't found her beautiful right from the moment he'd first seen her. He thanked the Higher Powers he'd managed to get those awful lenses off her. They'd magnified her eyes so that they seemed huge and when she blinked, she resembled a pet owl he'd had when he was a child. Without them, though... 105

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Sinclair found himself in an awkward position. On the one hand he wanted to protect her sweet innocence, but on the other he really had to fight the urge to ravish her lush body . He was glad he'd managed to find something for her to do so that she could feel useful, even if he couldn't see how she could possibly help him. Her unexpected arrival and story hadn't given him any new insights, and while he spoke truthfully when he said she was somehow the key to his curse, he couldn't for the life of him figure out how she could help. What games were the Higher Powers playing? What were their parts in this drama they were obviously manipulating? Something odd was definitely afoot though, first with the chandelier which hadn't been an accident, then that trace of magic he'd sensed when she came flying out the library yesterday looking as if she'd seen a ghost. And now their new ocean denizen. Yes, something was definitely awry and he would figure it out. He just hoped he hadn't misjudged Samantha like he had Melisante. Could her innocent demeanor mask a plot? Was Melisante still playing games with him? Taking one last look up at her window, a part of him hoping she would peek out again, Sinclair wandered down to the beach for a long, very long, cool evening swim. Maybe if he tired himself out he'd be able to sleep tonight. If not perhaps he would visit Samantha and see where another kiss might lead. **** 106

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Five The next morning, a jubilant Samantha came bounding down the stairs down to breakfast. For the first time ever she'd woken up with clear vision. Turned out to be a goodbad situation. The good—she could see! The bad—she could have done without seeing what she looked like first thing in the morning. Pillow face was not her most attractive look. But nothing could bring down her happy mood. With a smile in her heart she went to meet the day, and a certain wizard, but the dining room she bounced into sat empty, only one place setting on the table. Kaar brought in her breakfast with his usual smile. "Where's Sinclair this morning?" "Master, hunt go," he replied. "Hunting?" she queried. "What is he hunting? I thought the island didn't have any predators." Only two legged, handsome ones. Kaar said something that sounded like gibberish in answer and with a toothy grin left. Samantha ate her breakfast quickly, missing Sinclair's usual presence, not that she cared of course, and hurried off to her research. She spent the morning reading about various curses, her eyes almost popping out of her head at some of them. Who on earth would want to curse someone with curly hair? Or how about cursing them to have bad breath? She shook her head and kept reading, hoping to find one about 108

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imprisoning someone in a bubble or even blocking teleports, but after a full morning's research she still hadn't found anything closely resembling Sinclair's situation. Samantha got up and stretched, wandering out into the hall. Sinclair still seemed to be gone and the castle was quiet. Needing a break, she found the kitchen area at the back of the castle and mimed making a sandwich to the Undine staff, then happily headed out the front door, a lunch basket under one arm. What an absolutely gorgeous day. Overhead hung a clear, cloudless blue, the sun a bright yellow ball high up in the sky highlighted by a symphony in the air featuring a multitude of birdsong. Could it be more like paradise? Perhaps she'd even run into Sinclair, not that she was looking for him. Oh no, she just needed a break but if she happened to see him... She dawdled lazily down the path to the beach, enjoying the smells and sounds of the jungle, her step light. Arriving at the Undine village she was surprised to see it empty. Odd, she thought, wondering if the Undine's were with Sinclair on his hunting expedition. She kept going through the village to the beach which also stretched emptily. The waves rolled in lightly, creating a creamy foam on the beach and, not wanting to get wet and remembering Sinclair's warning about not swimming alone, Samantha wandered over to the boulders that bordered the beach on the one side. Clambering up the pile of rocks, not an easy feat in skirts, she finally managed to get on top of a large boulder with a flat surface and smiled at her reward. 109

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A perfect view of the rolling ocean waves with sun beams dancing off them, swooping and diving sea birds, the soothing sound of surf spraying the rocks. Just like something out of a vacation brochure. A growl from her tummy had her ignoring the view for a moment because as usual she found herself famished. She unpacked her picnic basket which consisted of some cheese, bread and fruit along with a flagon of water. She ate hungrily while watching the ever changing ocean and laughed at the antics of the gulls as they squawked and dove for a lunch of their own. When she'd finished her meal, she lay down on the rock, closing her eyes, basking in the warmth of the bright sun. This is the life. Her body and mind relaxed and she fell into a light doze on her rock as her filling midday meal, restless night and the soothing sound of the ocean lulled her to sleep. A loud splash woke her from her lazy rest and she sat up, looking around. The ocean was deserted, the gulls who'd been swooping the waves before gone and the beach showed no signs of life. Deciding she'd had a long enough break she began packing up her lunch items when a scraping sound from behind had her turning around to look. When she saw what pulled itself up over the edge of her rock, Samantha shrieked. **** [Back to Table of Contents] 110

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Six Clambering up the side of the rock was a grotesque parody of an Undine, vaguely human like in shape with the same flattened face and scaly skin like the Undines but there the resemblance ended. Its open mouth showed two rows of sharp, pointed teeth with drool dripping down in long tendrils from it. Its mottled black, slimy skin seemed to ooze mucus and it rippled oddly, as if something bubbled under its hide. And the smell! The creature emitted an unbelievably foul stench—worse even than the decaying food in her fridge. From its back a long jagged spine jutted up and when it bellowed at her, she almost wet herself. She managed to hold onto her bladder but couldn't control the shiver that went down her spine and made her stomach tighten into a small ball of fear. Samantha scrambled backwards on the rock, afraid to turn her back on the sea monster which had hooked its claws over the edge of the top of a boulder and was pulling itself up. Its shining red eyes glared balefully at her and it growled, a low sound that had her body trembling. What had happened to Sinclair's promise that no wild animals lived around here? Apparently he'd missed one—a very big and ugly one. Samantha's heel teetered on the far edge of the rock and she looked quickly down. The crags she'd so easily clambered up now seemed a mile away but with the creature on its knees about to stand up she knew she had no choice. She slid backwards, her bare feet hitting the rocks below her perch 111

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and sliding a bit before her toes gripped the rough surface. Her scraped foot stung, but that was nothing compared to the pain she'd be in if that living nightmare got its claws into her. Terrified but knowing she couldn't traverse the rocks backwards, with great trepidation, she turned her back on the oozing beast and began hopping over the rocks trying to reach the beach. She started to think she'd escaped the beast till a tug on her skirt stopped her dead. A horrified look back showed the monster had already clambered off the rock and with its long reach, hooked her skirt in its claws. Samantha shrieked and wrenched forward. With a tearing sound, she broke free and sprinted down the beach heading towards the dune and the village. The creature behind her bellowed and Samantha quickly turned her head, not stopping, to see the mutant beast from the sea now lumbering quickly on the sand behind her, its mouth open and drooling, its red eyes murderous. And of course that was when she tripped and fell face first in the sand. **** [Back to Table of Contents]

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Seven No! No! She panicked, scrambling to get to her feet, but her legs were tangled in her stupid, long skirts. She managed to roll over onto her back and saw the drooling fiend had almost reached her. Closing her eyes she shrieked as she waited for its sharp claws to start shredding her. A loud thump occurred instead and she opened one eye to see Sinclair had arrived, long spear in one hand. He jabbed at the creature which stumbled back away from Samantha to avoid the sharp point. She used this reprieve to get untangled and rose, ready to run again, only to stop frozen, watching. Sinclair wore a grim face, his body lightly crouched and ready for action as he stood between her and the black beast. In one hand he held a long spear, it sharp point already sullied with green slime. The sea fiend bellowed and rushed at Sinclair and Samantha's felt her heart almost stop, but Sinclair, with a smooth move brought his spear down and across, tripping the creature in its headlong dash. It hit the sand and rolled before jumping back up to its feet. Sinclair moved steadily forward, driving the slimy beast towards the ocean's edge, its baleful red eyes never wavering from the threat of Sinclair and his spear. Then, as it turned to dive into the safety of the ocean, half a dozen male Undines rose from the waters, their own shorter spears at the ready. At this sign of reinforcement Sinclair finally took his attention off the beast long enough to tell her, "Go to the village. I'll come get you after we've taken care of the 113

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beast." Samantha didn't argue, she bolted from the beach up the dune but then stood on its edge watching, unable to leave while he remained in danger below. She wasn't alone, as several female villagers came to join her, each of them watching wide eyed and silent as the battle raged below. The Undines and Sinclair surrounded the nightmare from the sea so that when it tried to rush them they could dance in with their spears to drive it back. It had many gashes on its body now, but even injured, it was still dangerous and kept charging at them, trying to break through the circle. During one of its rushes Sinclair finally managed to kill the beast by ramming his spear into its back. With one final bellow, it fell to the wet sand, twitching for a moment before lying still. Samantha stood shaking at the top of the dune. The creature might be dead but fear still had a hold of her as she realized how close she'd come to being its dinner. Sinclair, after patting the backs of his fellow hunters, came to join her. He took one look at her white face and wrapped his arms around her tight, murmuring, "It's all right now, the creature's gone. You're safe." Samantha buried her face in his shirt and shook. She'd never come this close to death before and the cold fear that consumed her just wouldn't let go. She didn't protest when Sinclair picked her up and carried her back the castle, she just buried her face in his shirt, her body trembling. Samantha was still in a daze when he put her down in an overstuffed chair in the parlor. He went to a cabinet and poured something into a small cup and brought it over to her. 114

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"Here, drink this," he said holding the cup up to her lips. Samantha opened her mouth and let him pour the drink in and instinctively swallowed. A burning fireball rolled down her throat and she jumped up out of the chair gasping, her eyes watering. "What the hell was that?" she asked when she'd finally stopped sputtering. "A little something to warm you up," he said with a grin, but he immediately turned sober when he asked. "Are you all right? I didn't see any blood. It didn't hurt you, did it?" "I'll be fine," she said, her eyes still tearing. "It tore my skirt but I'm not hurt. Thank god you arrived in time. What was that?" "That was a Black Undine. According to the Undine's history, several hundred years ago many of their kind were caught and experimented on by the dark wizards, the end result being the creature that attacked you on the beach. The magic used on them warped their minds, turning them into brainless killing machines. Living in the deep recesses of the ocean, they are almost impossible to hunt down. The Undines have been hunting them for generations now, trying to eradicate this twisted version of their people, but they keep coming back." "But what was it doing here?" she asked. "I thought nothing could get in or out of the bubble." "So did I," said Sinclair grimly. "It's possible that the creature has been here all along in deep hiding but I can't see how, with the Undines patrolling the waters regularly." 115

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She shuddered, wondering if it was the same thing that had previously frightened her in the ocean. Sinclair sensing her fragile state, took her in his arms again, his strength and warmth comforting after her scare. "Was that what you were hunting?" she asked. "Yes," he replied, nodding slowly, hesitating before saying more. "The Undines sensed something new in the ocean around the island and after the sighting of the fin, we decided to go on a hunt in the hopes of flushing the creature out. I didn't expect it to come after you though." His arms tightened around her. His body tensed. "You could have been killed." A sound at the door had them both turning around to see a broadly grinning Kaar saunter in. "Hunt good!" he exclaimed. "Party big." "What big party?" she asked. "The Undines solstice celebration starts later this afternoon," Sinclair reminded her. "The Undines think that the creature was sent by their god for the solstice and that it's a good omen." "Yuck" she said grimacing, "What good can that creature be?" "We cook!" said Kaar chiming in. "What?" she said shocked, "They're not going to eat it are they?" Sinclair gave her a grin when he replied. "It's already being prepared to be put over a spit as we speak. This is their first major hunt since they've been imprisoned, and they're all anxious to offer it to their god. Who knows, maybe their god will be so happy he'll let us all out of the bubble." 116

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Samantha shuddered. "Well, they can eat it, I'll stick to smaller fish that haven't tried to eat me first." Sinclair chuckled at her reply, his eyes crinkling with amusement. "Well, even if you won't be partaking of their offering, I hope you will join me in helping them celebrate." "Sure," said Samantha. "I'd love to see their solstice celebration. When does it start?" "Just before dinner time, so why don't you go have a bath, rest a while , and I'll come get you in a few hours." Samantha agreed happily and skipped up the stairs to her room to get ready. As she bathed, she thought about what had happened that afternoon. She'd been scared for herself at first and then when Sinclair had shown up she'd see-sawed between fear for him and pride in the courage that had brought him to her defense. He'd looked so strong and fearless when he stood there confronting the beast. She sighed, it was just like something out of one of her books. Big handsome hero saves poor damsel in distress. Except this hero wouldn't be carrying her off into the sunset. When he broke the curse they'd both go back to their own separate lives. But having had a taste of adventure, she wondered how she'd ever be able to go back to being a dull librarian. And god, how could she leave Sinclair? She'd known him only for a short time but already her thoughts and senses were filled with his presence. Oh god, I want to be with him, but I'm scared. What if he rejects me, or worse, what if he leaves me when the curse is gone? 117

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Take a chance, said a voice inside her head. Was her subconscious speaking to her? Had the time come to take a chance and live life instead of reading about it? The question remained though, did she have the guts to try? With this thought Samantha got out of the bath and dried herself. She dressed carefully in a gown of pale rose, the bodice lower cut than she would have liked, but it fit so well and when she twirled, its full skirt belled daintily out around her. She found the matching, useless linen slippers and brushed her hair vigorously till it floated around her like silk. A knock on the door had her tummy fluttering and she answered it to see Sinclair looking drop-dead gorgeous in an open necked, midnight blue shirt tucked into tight black breeches. With trimmed hair and a clean shaven face, he looked every inch the lord till he grinned at her salaciously, his eyes lingering on her decolletage before holding out something in his hands. She took her eyes off his and looked at his hands to see him holding out a pair of sandals. Thank god, real shoes! Samantha almost ripped them out of his hands in her excitement. "I found these when I was scrounging around in the storage room and thought they'd be better for your feet." "Oh, thank you," she said, touched by his thoughtfulness. She sat on the bed and replaced the linen slippers with the sandals. They were made of an odd material that felt spongy but comfortable on the feet. Standing up in her new shoes she approached Sinclair who held out the crook of his arm. 118

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Tucking her hand into it, he led her down to the village where the sounds of merrymaking could already be heard. Long before they reached the village, the chatter of happy Undines singing and talking surrounded them. Light from smoky torches lit in the village and flickered through the jungle leaves as they approached. Upon entering the clearing, Samantha saw a surprising number of Undines gathered. Previously, she'd only ever seen a few at a time and only now that they'd congregated for the feast did she realize that the village had a much larger population than she would have thought. There were probably close to fifty adults and quite a few children. The latter were hard to count as the little ones darted among the adults, laughing as they chased each other. Everywhere she looked, big toothy grins and chittering greeted them. Sinclair nodded and helloed his way across the village, tugging her along with him. It seemed they were going down to the beach were even more Undines had gathered to watch a large spit being turned slowly over a huge bonfire. Wow, they weren't been kidding when they said they were going to cook it. Samantha eyed the large creature being slowly basted. A sweet, smoky scent wafted on a light breeze. Mmm, tasty smelling, that is till she reminded herself of the slimy, oozing body it came from. She shuddered. No way am I eating that! Feeling her shiver, Sinclair draped his arm around her and pulled her in closer to his body. She peeked up and him and blushed when she saw him looking down at her. 119

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"How long do they cook it for?" she asked dropping her eyes shyly. "Until twilight," he replied. "Then as the stars begin to come out they'll carry the beast to the statue of their god and the rest, you'll have to wait and see." The sun slowly setting on the horizon, provided a beautiful back drop with red, gold and pink streaks illuminating the sky and coloring the ocean. She wandered around contentedly with Sinclair, his fingers twined with hers. Villagers kept coming up to them smiling and thumping Sinclair on the back. After several good, hard thumps, that made Samantha wince, she finally asked. "Why do they keep hitting you? "The tribe is thanking me for joining them in the hunt and killing the beast." "Seems like a painful way to say thank you," she said frowning as another Undine came by and whacked him, grinning. Sinclair just smiled widely at her. Men! Samantha would never understand them and their weird male bonding rituals. A cluster of male Undines came over to Sinclair and chittered at him. Samantha couldn't understand what they said but apparently Sinclair did for he turned to her and said, "It would seem I am to be honored and allowed to join the ceremony. I'm going to have to leave you for a moment while I play my part in the ritual. Go up to the village center and wait for me. Once I'm finished, I'll join you." Samantha nodded and watched as we walked away with the other hunters. Boy, did she like that view. Trudging back 120

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up the sand dune, she entered the village, looking for a spot to park herself and become a wallflower, but to her surprise some of the sarong clad villagers grabbed her by the hand and tugged her to the front of the crowd where she had a clear view of the statue. A pair of torches had been placed upright in the ground on either side of the ugly monument and in front of it lay a woven mat surrounded by big, bright jungle blooms. The crowd around her began murmuring and looking expectantly towards the beach. Samantha craned her neck along with them but couldn't see anything. Suddenly everyone went quiet and from the beach, Samantha could hear an Undine voice chanting in a sing-song manner. As one, the crowd stood still, even the little ones. The lone voice grew louder and louder, the melodic notes hanging in the twilight air, till the singer appeared at the top of the dune. It was Yoda's mother, the old villager whom Samantha had met her first day on the beach. As tribal elder she'd been accorded the honor of leading the celebration. She wore a gleaming white sarong, decorated with seashells and in her hand, thumping as she walked, was a tall, carved staff with a large piece of coral on the top. She walked slowly towards the statue singing while behind her carrying the spit and the roasted beast were several male villagers and Sinclair. Her heart leapt when she saw him. His face and those of his fellow hunters solemn as they started towards the village center with slow measured steps. At some unseen signal, the whole village suddenly began singing, their voices rising up harmoniously into the sky, as the grave procession carried 121

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the offering to the statue. They lay the roasted creature down on the woven mat amidst the colorful jungle blooms and then stepped back to merge with the crowd. The scent of roasted meat wafted in the air and to Samantha's disgust, her tummy gurgled in pleasure. The singing reached a crescendo and then stopped, the last note lingering for a moment like jewel in the sky. As one the entire village bowed down and Samantha hastily followed suit. They bowed for what seemed like several minutes in dead silence then as one they rose up with a cheer. Smiling villagers laughed and cheered, the hunters in the crowd almost knocked over by the enthusiastic back thumping. Sinclair smiling and accepting his thumps, made his way over to her. He said not a word just took her hand and pulled her close to him. For several minutes they watched the celebrating villagers. "They're really excited about this aren't they?" she said. "They think that the creature was a test from their god. Now that they've passed that test they think it won't be long till we're all free." "Do you believe it?" she asked looking up at him. "I'll take any help I can get, even that of a god," he said with a shrug. "Do you believe their god exists then?" "I think faith can be a very powerful thing, especially in the Realm. There has been debate among scholars for hundreds of years about that. There are those who believe faith created the Higher Powers and the various gods. Then there's the other side that believes the gods came first." 122

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"Kind of like the chicken and the egg," she replied. "The chicken and the egg?" he repeated, his face creased in confusion. "In my world there's a joke. Which came first? The egg which hatched the first chicken? Or the chicken that laid the first egg?" Sinclair chuckled. "That's funny, actually. I never thought of that. I shall have to make a point when we get out of here to take that question to the scholars. It would be interesting to see what they make of it." "You wouldn't," she said, giggling despite herself at the thought of some serious scholars investigating her joke. "Why not?" said Sinclair with a dimpled, mischievous smile. "It can't be any worse than the time they decided to find out if cold water was wetter than hot water. Turns out both are equally wet." "Now you're pulling my leg," she said slapping him on the arm. "I'd love to pull on your leg, or any other parts that need pulling," he said with a comical leer. Samantha giggled again. This humorous side to Sinclair was something new and she found she quite enjoyed their bantering. God, he kept making it harder and harder for her to resist him. Villagers started walking by them carrying plates of food and upon seeing them Samantha's tummy gave a rumble. Sinclair arched a brow and said, "Sounds like someone needs to be fed." 123

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"I am hungry but I don't know if I can eat that," she said eyeing the roasted beast and the villagers who were walking over to it and pulling off chunks. "Come," he said tugging her. "They've got a whole buffet laid out with food you'll recognize. I wouldn't want you to get weak from hunger," he said, his eyes twinkling. Samantha laughed at his teasing and walked with him over to the other side of the village where more of the woven mats covered the ground and on them had been spread a huge, eye popping buffet. Samantha helped herself to the food, ignoring Sinclair's chuckles at her obvious appetite. Hey, a girl had to eat. Taking their plates full of food back to the beach they found themselves a clear spot close to the still burning fire pit and sat down. "How come you didn't eat some of the beast like the other hunters?" she asked eyeing his plate. He gave a mock shudder and said. "Too ugly." Samantha burst out laughing and Sinclair joined her, his deep chuckles sending shivers down Samantha's spine. Talking of inconsequential things like the weather, they finished their meal then carried their plates back up to a large basin and washed them before piling them with the other cleaned dishes. They were strolling around again hand in hand when a tug on Samantha's skirt made her look down to see a child holding up a garland of flowers to her. Samantha smiled at the child and knelt down, bowing her head to let the child place the flower garland on her head. On impulse, she kissed 124

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the child's green cheek and laughed when she saw him duck his head and run off to a group of his friends. When she stood up she saw Sinclair chuckling. "What's so funny?" she asked reaching up to check the garland sat straight. "By accepting the flower garland, you've agreed to be one of the maiden dancers." he said, a huge smile threatening to crack his face . "Maiden what?" she exclaimed. "Maiden dancer," he repeated. "After the beast is offered to their god, the maiden dancers, who are unwed females looking for mates, dance around the statue. It's similar to a coming out party and they pray as they dance to find a strong man who will provide for her and the many children he will sire on her. Apparently the Undines have accepted you but think you need a mate." Samantha felt her eyes open wide as saucers and forced herself to close the surprised O shape of her mouth. "Oh no!" she cried. "I didn't know. I can't do that. I don't even know how to dance." "You can't refuse or you'll hurt their feelings. Don't worry, just follow the other dancers." She looked at him dubiously but had no more time to argue for some female villagers, each wearing a garland, came and took her by the hand and dragged her along to take her place in a circle around the statue. Samantha looked in panic back at Sinclair who waved and grinned. Green webbed hands firmly grasped each of hers and Samantha stood there 125

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shifting nervously. From somewhere in the village, a drum started tapping slowly and the circle began to move. Samantha watched the other dancers and tried to shuffle her feet like them in time with the simple beat. When the tempo increased the females holding her hands let go and the dancers all brought their hands up in a swaying motion, Samantha copied them, letting her body undulate to the faster cadence, her arms waving like branches in the wind and then following her fellow dancers, hopped and shuffled around the statue. The drum tempo increased, and Samantha valiantly kept up with the others and to her surprise, discovered she was having fun. She hopped and swayed, her hair and skirt fanning out around her, feeling the heat of a flush on her cheeks, while the rhythm of the music thrummed through her body. What a heady feeling to be so alive and full of vibrant energy. She laughed aloud with the pure joy of it. One by one the other dancers started spinning out of the circle, dancing and gyrating up to male members of their tribe who stood just outside the circle in a ring of their own. Together, the new couples left the dancing area, hand in hand, having made their choice. Samantha spun with the dancers still left and at the end of her spin she saw Sinclair just outside the circle in the ring with the other men, his dark eyes glittering as he watched her. The look in his eyes set her heart pounding and her breath came faster. She kept her eyes locked on Sinclair's, and as they stared at each other she felt pure, molten heat 126

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flowing through all her limbs. It seemed only natural when, still dancing, she left the circle and swayed right up to him. Saying not a word, he grasped her hand tightly and led her through the crowd, which parted for them and they walked down to the beach. The bonfire still burned weakly and in its feeble light she turned to face Sinclair, her pulse racing, her body hot with expectation. He did not disappoint. Still silent, he let go of her and brought his hands up to cup her face before leaning down to kiss her. As soon as their lips touched, Samantha felt an electric shock course through her body and an instant warmth low in her tummy. His lips, so firm against her soft ones, coaxed them open and she moaned when she felt the tip of his tongue touch hers. She leaned into him and pressed her hands to his chest, feeling his racing heartbeat. His arms wrapped around her and he lifted her up so she didn't have to crane to kiss him. A good thing since Samantha's whole body had turned to boneless mush. Their kissing turned frantic and she didn't protest when he lay her down on the sand and then covered her body with his own. Even through their layers of clothing she could feel his arousal against her, and she arched into it, moaning softly as an ache spread through her lower body. Sinclair seemed frenzied himself as his lips left hers and trailed blazing kisses down her neck to her cleavage. She felt his teeth tug at the bodice of her gown 'til one of her breasts popped free. When he covered its erect tip with his hot mouth, she arched and cried out, the intense pleasure almost too much. She grabbed his hair and bucked under him while 127

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his mouth sucked, his teeth grazing and nibbling the hardened nub of her nipple. Samantha could feel a pressure building and when he responded by grinding his groin up against hers she had to bite her lip so as to not scream. His lips left her swollen breasts and came back up to capture her lips. She felt his hand tugging up her skirt till her legs were bare to the waist, then his hand came sliding up her leg till he lightly touched the curls at the top of her thighs. Samantha moaned against his mouth, her hips pressing up against his hand. And then they were soaked. **** [Back to Table of Contents]

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Eight Sinclair cursed loudly and jumped up, grabbing Samantha and pulling her up with him. Samantha felt disoriented, her body still throbbing, but now also shivering and wet in the cooler night air. While they'd been lost in their passion the tide had started to come in and a particularly large wave had soaked them. Sinclair grinned at her ruefully. "What is it with you and water, my little sea nymph?" he said wrapping his arms around her shivering body. Samantha didn't answer. Now that reality had set back in, she felt shy and uncertain again. How could she have forgotten herself like that, out here in the open, where anyone could have stumbled across them? She'd lost control like a cat in heat. A sobering thought. Sinclair must have sensed the change for he simply swooped her up in his arms, a nice habit that she had gotten used to, and carried her back up to the castle and her room. Samantha wondered if he would resume their lovemaking from the beach but he just kissed her lightly on the forehead and told her to take a warm bath before going to sleep. Samantha watched him close her door behind him with a sense of loss. Her body still ached and she was sticky in a most embarrassing place. A part of her wanted him to come back and finish what he'd started, while another part of her recoiled, appalled at her wantonness. Had he sensed her turmoil? Was that why he'd left? His desire for her on the 129

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beach had been physically evident. She still couldn't believe she'd had the nerve to dance up to him like she did. But doubts still plagued her. Three years was a long time to go without a woman. Does he truly want me or is he just looking for some sexual release? Would he react the same way with another woman? Samantha had always imagined her first time would be for love, a love that would be reciprocated. Had her raging hormones changed her so much that she would be content to settle for just casual sex? No, it had to be more than hormones. Did she love him? Or an even better question, did he love her? That seemed unlikely, considering the last woman he'd been involved with had cursed him and exiled him. She doubted he'd allow himself to fall in love again. And if he did it sure wouldn't be with her; plain old four-eyed Samantha. Okay, maybe not four-eyed anymore, but still plain old Samantha. Even if he did care for her a little, what about once he did find a way out? Samantha had no doubt that he eventually would, he seemed positive she was the key. But then what? She certainly couldn't see a powerful and attractive man like him staying with her, not when he could have his pick of any woman he wanted. And now that she'd tasted passion with him, how could she ever be content to go back to her boring life? Samantha fell asleep, troubled thoughts running in circles inside her head, while upstairs in his own room, Sinclair stared out the window at the ocean in the distance and cursed the tides. Samantha had tasted too sweet. Her innocent kisses and passion firing him into a frenzy he'd never known with any 130

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woman, even Melisante. He'd never so completely lost control before or been so unaware of his surroundings. What if instead of a wave it had been another Black Undine that had interrupted them? She had him completely bewitched and he didn't know what to do about it. He could tell that the passion he'd introduced her to was new and he'd wanted to take things slowly, but as soon as she'd danced up to him, her hair swirling and her eyes shining, he'd lost all control. I feel like a kid again in the throes of his first crush. Sinclair sighed and raked his hand through his hair. What to do? Love her, a small voice whispered in his head. Sinclair shook it. No, what if he was wrong again? Sinclair looked up the stars and said aloud, "How do I know it's love?" To his surprise a faint voice replied him, carried on the ocean breeze. "Take a chance." **** [Back to Table of Contents]

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Nine After a restless night, Samantha awoke, shocked to see the sun already high in the sky. She'd agonized for hours in her bed wondering if he thought her wanton. Did he regret what almost happened the previous night? How would he treat her today? These internal musings were getting her nowhere. She still had a job to do and she was determined to help him break this curse. With a determined step she went down to the dining room for breakfast, but stopped dead in the doorway and felt tears springing to her eyes for in the center of the large table sat a little tree in a pot decorated with bits of seashells and flowers. She'd forgotten what this morning was, but apparently he'd been listening when she spoke of Christmas the other day. "Do you like it?" he whispered in her ear as he silently came up behind her. "Oh Sinclair," she exclaimed, turning to him, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "You didn't have to do that." "Well I thought you might be a little homesick and I remembered you telling me about Christmas, so I tried to recreate a bit of your home here." She flung her arms around him hugging him tightly, her eyes moist and her throat tight with unshed tears. Hugging her back, he said, "I'm glad you like it, and now for the next part of the surprise." He pulled back from her and 132

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leading her by the hand seated her at the table. "Now, close your eyes," he asked and Samantha complied, shutting them tightly. Another surprise? She heard him move around then felt him drop something in her lap, something that wiggled. Opening her eyes quickly, she looked down to find an enormous pair of eyes staring up at her. "Oh," she exclaimed her eyes brimming again, her first pet. Samantha had always wanted a pet but with her mother ill and their apartment so small she'd never had one growing up. Picking up the squirmy bundle, she brought it up so that she could see its little furry face. Her new pet obviously belonged to the feline family with its long whiskers and tail, although larger than a kitten would be. Its fur felt silky, a sleek gray color with lighter spots all over and its paws were wider and flatter than a regular cat's. All in all, it had to be the cutest, cuddliest thing she'd ever seen. And it was hers! "What is it? What's it name?" she asked putting the wiggly little feline down so it could explore the floor at her feet. "She's a catter," he replied, smiling at her obvious pleasure. "I don't know if they exist on your side of the Boundary or not but they are common in the islands over here. They, unlike a regular cat, enjoy the water, fish being their meal of choice, but they are also great mousers. They love to swim, are extremely affectionate and train very well. Many highborn ladies keep them as pets for once bonded to their owner they are extremely protective and even more important in the Realm, they are immune to most forms of 133

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magic. They do, however, grow to be considerably larger than a regular cat, more the size of a mid to large size dog. As for her name, that I left up to you since she's now yours." "Oh I love her already!" exclaimed Samantha who had slipped out of her chair and now sat on the stone floor rubbing her new pet's belly to its purring enjoyment. "How did you find her?" "When we were hunting the beast, I came across her in the jungle. Her mother was nowhere to be found and well, I thought of you." "Thank you." Ha, maybe he did care for her after all. Or this was just a clever ploy to get into her pants, um, skirt. "You're welcome. What are you going to call her?" "I don't know," said Samantha eyeing her new pet. Fluffy, no too girlie. "Make it good," said Sinclair. "Names are important in the Realm and can sometimes have magic of their own." Talk about adding a level of stress, what if she chose the wrong name? Samantha sitting on the floor, looked at the little catter which sat back on its haunches to regard her. Inspiration hit. "I know," she said. "Her name is Chance." Sinclair looked startled and asked, "Why Chance?" "Chance brought me here and without it I would never have met you or gotten my first pet, so I think Chance is perfect." The little catter seemed to agree as she jumped up onto Samantha's lap and curled up into a purring ball. Suddenly Samantha's face dropped. 134

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"What is it?" asked Sinclair, his voice tinged with worry. Had he forgotten something? "I didn't get you anything," wailed Samantha. Sinclair chuckled and knelt down beside her, brushing a strand of hair out her face. "You've given me the best gift of all—hope," he said quietly, his dark eyes intent. "Before you came, I was a lonely, miserable man, but now that you're here I've found myself smiling again and hopeful about the future. That is the best present you could give me." Oh God, I'm going to cry. That has to be nicest thing anybody has ever said to me and now I'm going to ruin it by blubbering all over his clean shirt. Thank god Chance distracted her at that moment by batting at a hanging strand of hair. Untangling her little claws from the tress, Samantha had time to blink back the tears and rein in her emotions. "Well," said Sinclair, standing up from his crouch beside her. "I realize today is a holiday so no work for you, but tomorrow I was thinking perhaps you'd be willing to come to my workshop and we could run a few tests and try a few things." "Oh we don't need to wait till tomorrow. I know you're anxious to solve this curse thing so whenever you're ready I am." she said with a smile. At this moment, she would have done anything for this man. "Well how about breakfast first at least?" "Oh goody," she exclaimed. "I'm starved." Placing Chance on the floor, she got up to sit. Sinclair, as per his usual, held out her chair and seated her, his hand briefly stroking her hair before taking his own seat. Samantha hid a smile. He did 135

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care and she felt like an idiot for not noticing it in the small things he kept doing. Did it matter if it wasn't love yet for him? Not all relationships could be built in a day. Just like a sturdy wall, love sometimes had to be built one brick at a time They both ate a hearty breakfast, speaking little but laughing often at the antics of Chance who stalked their feet under the table. After breakfast Sinclair scooped up Chance and gave her to Kaar with instructions to feed her and then take her for a nap in Samantha's room. Then with a smile, he grasped Samantha's hand and led her out of the dining room and up the stairs. They followed the wide corridor to a large wooden door set at the end. Letting go of her, he ran his left hand across some symbols carved into the wood of the door. The symbols glowed red briefly, then the door swung open and he motioned for her to go in. Ooh, I finally get to see his secret, magical lair. She wondered if he had a wizard's robe he used when he worked. Maybe a pointed cone hat too, she thought with a giggle. The room was large, having been being built into one of the castle towers. It had windows all around letting in lots of natural light. Shelves crammed with books and rolled up manuscripts lined two of the walls between the windows, the third wall held a huge cupboard whose doors were closed. In the center of the room sat a large worktable strewn with odd objects; a crystal ball, some vials, and various apparatus that she couldn't for the life of her figure out. The room, while kind of neat, was also a bit of a let down. No flying books, or 136

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talking skulls, not even any jars with floating mutated creatures. Heck, he didn't even have any dramatically strung cobwebs. "Now then," said Sinclair striding over to the table, all business. "First I want to test you for magical residue, this will let know me if you've been ensorcelled or have come into contact with magic other than mine." Samantha eyed him and the objects on his table dubiously. Was this where he asked her for a sample of her blood? Sensing her hesitation he came around and took her hands. "Don't worry, this won't hurt. I just need you to stand here and be still," he said as he walked her to an engraved circle on the floor. He positioned her in the center of the circle and bending, he touched its silver outline. A faint haze sprang up around her. He stood up and smiled at her reassuringly. "This will prevent any outside magic from influencing what we do," he said over his shoulder as he approached the large cupboard and opened it. Samantha stood in the circle, her body trembling a little in fear. He might have said it wouldn't hurt but then he'd hardly tell her if it would. "Now I want you to close your eyes and just relax. I promise you won't feel a thing." Samantha shut her eyes tight and tried to relax, breathing deeply, in and out. Several minutes passed and she wondered when he was going to get started when he said, "All Done. You can step out of the circle now." Samantha opened her eyes in surprise. "But I didn't feel a thing?" 137

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"I told you these tests wouldn't hurt. You'll be glad to know your aura is not clouded by any spells so you've not been ensorcelled and while there is a bit of magical residue clinging to it, I think we can attribute that to your unusual journey to the island." He strode back to his table and flipped through an open book on its surface. "Now what?" asked Samantha. "I'm not sure," he replied. "As I thought, it would seem that you won't be using magic to break this curse as you have none, but I know that your presence here must mean you are somehow part of the answer. I'm going to try something else now if you don't mind." Striding over to the large cupboard again, he began scrounging among its contents. Inside were hundreds of bottles and containers and a host of interesting looking items. Aha, that's where he kept the cool stuff. He grabbed a slim wand from a shelf and brought it over to her. "Here. Take this wand and repeat after me." Samantha took the slender wand in her and hand and, feeling slightly foolish, began to chant after him. "Swirling winds, sand of time, bring this island back in line." Not surprisingly, nothing happened. He frowned and flipped his book to a new page. "Okay, this time I want you to swirl it like this at the end," he said as he brought his hand around in a wide arc to show her and then began a new chant. "Spirits of air, spirits of light, bring this island back in sight!" She recited the words solemnly then swooped the 138

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wand at the end in a large arc as he'd shown her. Again, nothing. Samantha stifled an urge to giggle, really a wand and rhyming chants? Sinclair raked his hand through his hair. He began muttering under his breath as he went back to his cupboard and scrounged around some more. He came out holding a large amethyst on a chain. Returning, he placed it around her neck. Again she repeated his words, but nothing happened so he took it off and went again to his cupboard. He kept going back and forth, reading from his book and taking various objects out for her to try. Her arm became sore from swinging the wand around and her mouth dry from all the incantations he kept making her say. This magic stuff was a lot harder than it looked! His brow became more and more furrowed until Samantha steeled herself and asked. "Um, I hate to bother you but I'm kind of tired of standing and I don't think any of your toys are going to work." He faced her, a look of astonishment on his face. "Toys! These, my little sea nymph, are magical artifacts of great value, carefully crafted to provide the user with magical abilities." "Yes, well that's all very nice," she said. "But it's not working. And I really need to go to the little girls room, if you don't mind?" "The little girls what?" he asked plainly confused. "I have to pee!" Samantha didn't wait to hear his answer, she just opened the workroom door and strode down the hall 139

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to her room. Her new pet looked up sleepily from her bed as she stormed in, but she ignored Chancre in favor of a more urgent need. Men! It's not my fault I don't have any magic. Maybe I'm not the key to breaking his curse after all. Would he still show an interest in me if it wasn't for his desire to escape? When she came out of the bathroom she found him sitting on her bed, shoulders slumped. "Sorry," he said. "I got so caught up in trying to find a way to break the curse that it didn't occur to me that you may have been tiring. It doesn't matter, I don't think that the curse will be broken by you wielding magic anyhow." He looked so tired and dejected that Samantha felt bad for storming out. On an impulse, she hugged his head to her stomach. He grabbed her around the waist and held her tightly, his face buried just beneath her breasts. She stroked his hair, trying to offer him comfort but even that simple touch soon had her body warming. The feel of his warm breath through her clothing made her quiver. He looked up at her, his eyes dark with need. Her lips parted and her breath started coming quicker. Standing, he clasped her in his arms, pressing her body fully against his. Her body came instantly aflame, the ache from the night before as intense as if it had never left. She could feel his arousal pressing against her stomach and she closed her eyes, leaning into him. He stroked her back, hands sliding softly over the fabric of her dress. Reaching down he cupped her buttocks and pressed her firmly against him. She gave a gasp and looked up at him just as he lowered his head and captured her mouth with his. 140

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She kissed him back fiercely, twining her arms around his neck. He responded by picking her up and laying her down on the bed and covering her body with his. Chance meowed at them, unhappy to have her spot usurped and hopped off the bed. Samantha giggled but when she looked up at Sinclair and his heavy lidded eyes, she felt her body instantly react. As he stretched himself over her, she exulted in his weight pressing down on her. His hands roved everywhere, setting her sensitized skin to tingle. Gently he cupped her breasts before squeezing them. Instantly her nipples puckered and she felt his smile on her lips at her response to his touch. His lips left hers so he could he trail hot kisses down the side of her neck. Samantha floated in heaven. Who cared if she'd only know him a few days or if he only lusted after her? Her body was on fire and her mind no longer in control. She felt him pull up her skirt, his hand stroking its way up her leg to her thigh. She moaned and arched her hips upwards. Between her legs, she pulsed, throbbing and wet, aching for something she knew only he could give her. She wanted him to touch her and as if he heard her thoughts, touch her he did. His fingers lightly stroked her curls and she moaned against his mouth as she pressed her pelvis against his hand. He responded by kissing her again more deeply than before. His tongue sliding along the inside of her lips. Boldly, she stroked it back with her own. He groaned against her lips and Samantha felt a powerful surge of desire for this man who made her feel so wanted. His hand brushed her kitty lightly before he slowly slid a finger inside, her wetness easing its passage. She 141

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almost leapt off the bed at the pure jolt of pleasure that shocked through her. Slowly, his fingers began stroking her, rubbing against a sensitive spot she hadn't been sure even existed, though she'd read about it in romance books. His lips slid from her mouth along her jaw line to her neck, nibbling and sucking. Samantha thrashed on the bed, an intense pressure building inside as his finger rubbed back and forth. She twined her fingers in his hair as he began kissing his way down her neckline to the bodice of her gown, her breath coming in short gasps as she gloried in the sensations his hand and mouth aroused. A knocking sound startled them both from their lovemaking. Sinclair must have heard it too for he barked. "What?" Kaar's face peered around the door, a distressed look on his face. "Master, help fall Siski does." Sinclair groaned and rolled off Samantha, pulling her skirt down to cover her. Samantha lay there flushed and still yearning. Sinclair looked at her and groaned as he rubbed his hand through his hair. Leaning down, he kissed her swollen lips. "I need to go. Siski, Kaars' daughter has been injured. Believe me that is the only reason I'd leave right now." His rueful glance and evident arousal left Samantha in no doubt about how much he wanted to continue. Samantha sat up and started adjusting her clothes. "I'll come with you." 142

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"No, stay here," he said. "Rest. You're going to need it later," he said with his endearingly wicked smile. When she would have protested he kissed her soundly again and then left while she was still trying to regain her senses. Samantha fell back on her pillows and smiled. He did want her! She hugged herself as she thought of his kisses and the way his hands had made her body feel. She hoped he'd be back soon to finish what he'd started. For she had no doubt now that he wanted her as badly as she wanted him and judging by this morning's surprise, he might even have feelings for her too. Chance hopped up on the bed and looked at her quizzically. "What do you think, Chance? Do you think he might fall in love with me?" she asked her little pet. Chance just yawned and padded over to her. She turned around a few times in a circle then curled up beside her and went to sleep. Samantha stroked her soft fur and soon fell asleep with a smile on her face, her restless night and this mornings magical testing catching up on her, then awakened finally to see it was late afternoon. Where was Sinclair? **** [Back to Table of Contents]

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Ten Getting up carefully, so as not to disturb Chance who still slept, Samantha went into the bathroom to wash the sleep from her face and brush her hair. Then leaving her door slightly ajar so Chance could find her, she went downstairs, hungry from having missed lunch. Even in light sandals, her footsteps echoed in silent castle. Samantha shivered. Where was everyone? She wandered in and out of the lower rooms but found nobody. Finally she settled herself in the parlor in one of the large chairs arranged around the currently cold fireplace. She huddled her knees to her chest slightly afraid of the eerie silence surrounding her and wondering where Sinclair and the all house staff were. Perhaps she should go down to the village and see. A cool breeze drifted into the room and she looked around trying to find its source, hoping it meant Sinclair had returned. But he hadn't. She did, however, see a faint white mist drifting from the large ornate mirror hanging above the mantel. Samantha approached the mirror cautiously, yet with curiosity as well. This was new. Sinclair had never mentioned this mirror did magic. The reflective surface clouded for a moment then the most beautiful woman Samantha had ever seen appeared in it. She regarded Samantha with a haughty air, then let out a nasty little chuckle. 144

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"Well, well, what do we have here? A mere human woman come to join Sinclair in his exile? When I felt a disturbance in my spell I thought perhaps I needed to be worried, but I see now there is no reason to fret." Samantha stared in shock at the image of this beautiful creature who was undoubtedly Sinclair's old lover, Melisante! She could see why he'd fallen in love. Melisante's features were perfect; tiny pert nose, large blue eyes, long straight blonde hair and red rosebud lips. Pity she's such a heartless bitch. "What do you want?" asked Samantha. "Haven't you done enough to Sinclair? You got the amulet you wanted so why are you still punishing him? He's a good man and he doesn't deserve what you've done to him." The perfect face was marred by a sneer as Melisante replied. "Oh, you poor little human. You've quite fallen under his spell haven't you? But really, I hope you aren't under the illusion that Sinclair could ever love you. He is a wizard of immense power who could have any woman he wants if he weren't trapped on that island. And besides, having had me do you think he could settle for a large cow like you?" Samantha grew incensed beyond belief. How could this spoiled witch do this to Sinclair? "You got what you wanted, now let him go!" she cried. Samantha would have happily throttled Melisante had she been present in person. "Isn't that cute? Look at you, a simple human with no power trying to save him. Stupid girl! Certainly, he might dally with you now. After all, it's been three years since he's been with a woman, or should I say made love to me." The image in the mirror sighed. "He was quite the lover, virile and 145

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knowledgeable about a woman's body. I truly enjoyed my time with him. Such a shame he had to have principles. He would have made an excellent consort. But enough reminiscing. Come closer." A finger beckoned from the mirror and despite herself, Samantha moved forward. She tried to stop but her limbs wouldn't obey, her legs kept shuffling her in the direction of the mirror where could see a green haze starting to leak from its surface. Terror engulfed her . She knew if she touched that green mist something bad would happen, but her body was no longer under her power and kept moving forward. This is a nightmare come to life, and even worse, I know I can't wake up! With a loud yowl Chance bolted into the room, her fur standing erect from her neck to her tail, and her little face scrunched up in a snarl. She bounded over to the mirror and jumped, but the mirror hung too high and she slid back down the wall. Changing tactics the little catter grabbed Samantha's dress in its teeth and tried to tug her back, but she didn't have enough weight or strength and was instead dragged along with Samantha as the witch's power drew them both forward, closer and closer to the mirror and the danger Samantha was powerless to resist. The face of the sorceress smiled wickedly in the mirror, the finger still beckoning. The outer tendrils of the mist reached towards Samantha and she put up a hand as if to ward it off but screamed in pain as the she felt a most horrible burning sensation rip through her. 146

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Suddenly she felt a pair of strong arms grab her and drag her away from the green mist. Sinclair, his face a hard mask, eyes flashing in fury, held her cradled in his arm as he snarled at the mirror. "Melisante! This matter is between the two of us. Why not come over for a visit instead of playing games with innocents?" Melisante puckered her pretty lips into a pout. "Oh, Sinclair. How I've missed you. As I was telling your little champion here, it's such a shame you are a man of principle, for none of my lovers since has ever been able to satisfy me like you did." "You bitch! If I'd have known how black your heart was I would never have touched you. When I get out of here you are going to rue the day you betrayed me and hurt Samantha!" "Yes, well, I highly doubt that's going to happen now as I believe my work here is done." Melisante blew him a kiss and with a nasty cackle disappeared from the mirror, the green mist dissipating with her. "Samantha! Samantha! Come on open your eyes dammit!" Samantha could hear Sinclair talking but try as she might she couldn't open her eyes or answer him. The poison in her hand had spread and her body felt lethargic and heavy. She knew when he scooped her up, but suddenly, excruciating pain tore through her body and she went limp in his arms. **** [Back to Table of Contents] 147

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Eleven Sinclair stared down in horror at Samantha's limp body. He had to save her! Rushing up the stairs with her cradled in his arms, he bellowed for Kaar while a yowling Chance ran alongside him. Once upstairs, he lay her carefully on her bed and checked her pulse. Her heart beat slowly, almost too slow to feel and her face was alarmingly pale. Sinclair bellowed again for Kaar and the little green creature came rushing into the room. Sinclair rattled out a list of things he needed; cloths, hot water, blankets, anything he could think of and Kaar nodding, ran off to get the items. Sinclair, after a quick look at Samantha's prone body, rushed down the hall to his workshop, mentally going over what he would need so as to not waste any time. He quickly gathered up a variety of powders and liquids, which he carried back to her room and dumped on the bedside table. She was dreadfully pale, her complexion tinged with an unhealthy green pallor. Her breathing rattled shallowly and several times he thought she'd stopped breathing entirely. How could this have happened? Why hadn't he been here to protect her? Chance sat on the bed with her, licking the hand that had been touched by the poisonous magic. The catter turned troubled eyes to Sinclair as if begging him to do something. Healing had never been one of Sinclair's specialties and before the curse he'd never worried about that fact, being 148

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surrounded by people who could provide healing for him. But now he was on his own and Samantha needed his help, so taking a deep breath, he set to work. His hands trembled as he measured out various powders and liquid into a goblet. Holding his hand over the goblet, he uttered a soft word which made the contents of the goblet glow. He poured the glowing potion into Samantha's mouth, whispering to her. "Come on, my little sea nymph, swallow this. Come on, you can't die on me now. Fight it, Samantha." To his relief, she instinctively swallowed the potion. He needed to counter the poison's effects quickly. From remembered history lessons, he'd recognized the nasty spell that Melisante had cast. The toxic green mist known simply as Breath of Death had been a popular weapon back before such spells were banned and had an almost one hundred percent fatality rate. The history books had graphic images of the aftermath, piles of decaying corpses, their bodies twisted in permanent agony littering the battlefields. How could Melisante be so cruel? Samantha was innocence herself and did not deserve this. Kneeling and bowing his head, he did something he hadn't done in almost three years. He prayed, he only hoped some of the Higher Powers were listening. Sinclair spent the next twelve hours in a blur, pouring potions into her and using his magic to leach the poison out of her system. His own body trembled with the effort and more than once he almost passed out with the exertion of using so much magic, so quickly. But his fear overrode any concerns he had for his own welfare, and he dredged deep 149

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inside, squeezing every last inch of magic he possessed into helping her. Chance also stayed by Samantha's side, her furry body pressed up against Samantha's. The little catter knew that something was wrong and meowed at Sinclair worriedly whenever he would pause in his efforts. In the middle of the night, Samantha went into convulsions and Sinclair had to hold her bucking body down as she fought against the poison coursing through her. The violence of it forced Sinclair into using a sleeping spell to calm her, but he became increasingly worried that he wasn't doing enough. She hadn't opened her eyes or said anything since she'd fallen ill and now more than ever Sinclair wished the curse gone so he could get her proper help. His mother would know what to do. She'd always been the one to tend their ills when he or his siblings had been sick or hurt. If only her talent for healing had been passed onto him. The depths of his feelings for Samantha, a woman he'd known such a short time, scared him. His attraction to her he considered normal; he was a man and she an attractive woman. But this mind numbing fear he experienced at the thought of her dying took him by surprise. When in her short stay here had she managed to find a chink in the armor he'd placed around his heart? He hadn't even realized just how much he'd come to enjoy her presence, her smiles and interest in him as a person. Was this what love felt like? To feel as if your entire happiness and well-being rested in the fate of another person? If she died, what would it do to him? 150

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Would he become a bitter shell of a man, spending his days alone and miserable? Sinclair sighed and ran his hand through his hair. If she recovers, no he corrected himself mentally, when she recovers, I'll have to explore these new thoughts and feelings, find out if perhaps she feels the same way too His musings were interrupted when Samantha began thrashing about on the bed, and pulling deeply on his last magical reserves, he went to work calming her body again. Finally, just after dawn the following day, she fell into a deep natural sleep, her pale face regaining some of its color, her breathing coming smooth and steady. Sinclair sat by her bedside, hair and clothing rumpled, his eyes dark from strain and lack of sleep. Kaar came in the room periodically to offer Sinclair reprieve so he could rest and eat, but Sinclair could not stay away for long, his fear for her bringing him back. On the third day of her illness, while he sat and watched, he finally fell into a deep sleep, just in time to miss her eyelids fluttering open. [Back to Table of Contents]

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Twelve When Samantha woke up her tongue thick and fuzzy, her body felt heavy, as if a ton of bricks had landed on her. She tried to sit up but managed only a few inches before collapsing back, the room spinning around her. She heard Chance meow and then a rustle from beside the bed. Sinclair's face came into view over hers and she would have gasped had she the strength. He looked haggard with dark circles under his eyes and his normally clean shaven face covered in bristles. How long had she been out? "You're back," he whispered as he gripped her hand and held it tightly. "You had me scared. Didn't anyone ever tell you not to talk to evil witches?" Samantha gave a weak smile at his feeble joke. "Water," she croaked, her voice scratchy and low. What on earth had happened to her? The last thing she remembered was the pain when the mist touched her and then nothing. Sinclair filled a cup with water from a pitcher on her night stand and held her up so she could drink it. Once done he carefully laid her down again, pulling the covers up around her. Seeing the questions in her eyes, he sat beside her, stroking her hair. "It would seem your appearance on my isle worried Melisante enough that she decided to take action. She sent a toxic mist through the mirror. It was lucky you only had a 152

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brief touch of it, a few moments more and I probably would not have been able to save you. As it was you've been unconscious and at death's door for the past three days." "Three days!" exclaimed Samantha weakly. "But I don't remember anything." "You were unconscious for most of it." he replied still stroking her hair. "That witch!" said Samantha with a fierce scowl. "Well, the good news is it would seem she is fearful that we will find a way around her curse and we know for sure that you will play a part in that. And when I do get free, she will pay for what she has done!" Sinclair vowed with a grim look and Samantha shivered. He pulled the covers up higher mistaking her shiver for one of cold. He kissed her lightly on the forehead. "Sleep." Immediately Samantha's eyes felt heavy and she closed them, drifting off into a healing slumber. The next time she awoke, she felt much stronger. She managed to sit up in bed, but even that simple act left her panting. No marathons for her today! Hell, even keeping her eyes open took an effort. That spell sure had packed a punch, she felt weaker than a newborn kitten. Chance, who'd been sleeping with her, sat up with a yawn and watched her. Her bladder made its presence known but when she tried to stand she almost fell and she had to sit quickly back down. Oh God, please don't let me wet the bed. I'll die of shame!

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A light knock at the door preceded Kaar poking his head around the door. "Miss awake, help need?" he asked, his normally cheerful face somber. Samantha pointed to the bathroom and Kaar nodded but instead of coming to help her he left. Samantha squirmed in the bed. She really had to go! She was attempting to stand again when Sinclair strode in. He took one look and simply picked her up and carried her to the bathroom. Setting her down, he held her arm waiting. Samantha looked up at him helplessly and said, "Um, I can't pee while you're standing there." Sinclair just chuckled. "Who do you think took care of you while you were ill? Trust me, there is not an inch of you that I'm not familiar with including that sweet mole on your right buttock." Samantha's face flamed and she dropped her head. Sighing he braced her hand on the toilet, turned around and went out the door saying. "You have one minute, then I'm coming back in." Samantha pulled up her chemise with one hand while holding onto the toilet with the other and sat down. With relief, she finished and stood up, her chemise falling down to cover her she called him back. Sinclair returned quickly and carried her back to bed. Chance, seeing Sinclair was staying, hopped off the bed and wandered out the bedroom door. "Are you hungry?" he asked as he covered her and plumped up the pillows at her back so she could recline in a 154

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half sitting position. Better than a nurse, and better looking too. "A little," she replied. Actually now that he mentioned it, she felt a distinct rumble in her tummy. Sinclair went to the door and stuck his head out, murmuring to someone in the hall. He came back and dragged the chair that was now in her room to her bedside. "You gave me quite a scare," he said clasping her hand between his. "Sorry," she said eyes downcast. She'd been so stupid getting caught by Melisante like that. Her only defense lay in that she honestly hadn't known she was in any danger until she'd been forced against her will to walk toward the mirror. "No," he said, tilting her face sideways so that she looked at him. "You have nothing to be sorry for. This was not your fault. If it's anyone's fault it's mine. All those weird things that happened, I should have known something was afoot and protected you better." Samantha's eyes widened in shock, he felt guilty because she'd gotten hurt and here she felt guilty for getting caught. She started laughing and Sinclair immediately put a hand to her forehead. "What are you doing?" she giggled. "Checking for fever," he said deadpan which made Samantha giggle even louder. "Oh," she howled. "It's too funny. Here we both are feeling guilty about the other when the only person to really blame is that witch, Melisante." 155

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Sinclair started chuckling too. "You're right. But still, I will be making some changes around here so that the next time she tries we won't be caught unaware." "Well let me know what I can do to help," said Samantha finally getting her chuckles under control. Okay, maybe it hadn't been that funny, but she was still lightheaded and suddenly she just felt wonderfully glad to be alive. "You won't be doing anything for a while, sea nymph, other than resting while you get better. And when you feel up to it, I'd like to ask you about what happened with the mirror." Samantha smiled at his use of his nickname for her and his obvious concern over her health. "I feel fine," she said still smiling and then she told him what she remembered. As she recounted her tale, starting with the cool breeze, she felt detached from what had happened, shivering only when she recounted her inability to stop moving forward when Melisante had beckoned. The whole thing seemed surreal in retrospect. As she told him about her conversation with the sorceress, her voice got smaller and she ducked her head down, Melisante's malicious words still hurt. Sinclair grasped her hand more tightly, a warm comfort that made her voice grow stronger once again. She only flinched a little when she told him how the green mist had burned when it touched her. Sinclair in response lifted her hand and kissed it, his warm breath and lips, even in her weakened state, making her tummy flutter. "By the Higher Powers, I'm sorry you had to suffer that. The only good thing about this is we've discovered she's 156

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afraid of you. That's good, as it means we must be getting close to figuring out how to break this damn curse. I just wish I could have prevented you from getting hurt." He hung his head in shame. Samantha rushed to reassure him. "It's not your fault. I wish I'd known how to stop her myself. My body just wouldn't listen. What a frightening feeling. But what was that mist? And how did she get me to move like that?" Sinclair shook his head, as if he still couldn't believe it, and explained that the mist, Breath of Death, was of course forbidden by the Great Laws. In finishing, he said, "But we know Melisante no longer follows those laws and her compulsion spell is something I've never heard of. They usually don't work on humans and those that do require the caster to physically touch the other person. Earlier, when I made you sleep, that was a minor compulsion that only worked because your body wanted to sleep to heal. Had you really wanted to stay awake or your body been stronger, it wouldn't have worked. But to take over your body like that and move it..." he shook his head, his face set in a frown. "I'm going to get Kaar to remove all the mirrors and reflective surfaces in the castle as a precaution. I don't want you to get hurt if she tries again." Fear quavered in her voice. "Do you think she'll come back then?" Samantha wanted to fight but this magic stuff was freaky. "I'm not sure," he replied. "She'll eventually realize that she didn't succeed in killing you so we have to assume she'll try something else. Removing the mirrors and whatnot will 157

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make it almost impossible for her to use that particular trick again but at the same time if she's using dark arte spells then there's no telling what she'll do next. I also have a feeling that the mishap with the chandelier and the Black Undine may have been earlier, less blatant attempts by her to get rid of you. The amulet and its power make it hard to predict just what she is capable of. All we can do is be vigilant and that means, you don't go anywhere outside the castle without me," he said ominously. Samantha shivered and Sinclair's eyes instantly darkened with concern. "Are you all right? Do you need to go back to sleep?" "No, no. It's just hard to believe that someone could want to kill me. I mean that's just so evil." "Oh, she's evil all right and she'll use anyone or destroy anyone in her way. Look at what she did to me," he replied. "Well, I think that some really, really small part of her did care for you. She spoke with fondness of your..." Samantha hesitated, blushing. "Your, um, prowess, in bed." Sinclair chuckled at her obvious embarrassment, but then shook his head ruefully. "I just can't believe I was so blind. Apparently I never looked beyond my lust to see what kind of person she really was. Being here so long has given me much time to reflect on what happened and I am chagrined to say that the signs were there, I was just too stupid and infatuated to see them." Samantha decided it was time to change the subject. All this talk about his former lover was making her see green. "I 158

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wonder what Melisante is up to and what about your family and friends? Surely they must suspect her?" "I dread to think of my poor mother. I was her baby and I'm sure my disappearance came as a rude shock. My older brother and I weren't very close. He had already assumed his duties in the running of our estate, but I'm sure that my disappearance wouldn't be the type of thing he'd just let happen without reacting. My sister and I were quite close and I'm sure she's been frantic. As for my friends, I am ashamed to say I neglected them shamefully in my lust to be with Melisante. The Higher Powers only know what they think. I tried for years to get word out, but as I told you before, I cannot send anything, not even a small message. I just hope they haven't given up on me." "Well, as soon as I get out of this bed I am going to help you get out of here and when we do I want to be there when that witch gets what's coming to her." Sinclair laughed at her ferocious tone. A knock sounded and Kaar's face peeked around the door. Sinclair beckoned him in and Kaar carried in a large tray filled with steaming food, Chance following at his heels sniffing the air eagerly. "You, my little sea nymph, are going to eat and rest before you tackle anything," he said with mock sternness, shaking his finger at her. Samantha, too ravenous to argue, just nodded her head and tore into the food Kaar had brought breaking off bits to feed Chance, who sat beside her on the bed. Sinclair just watched her while she ate and she ignored him, intent 159

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on building back her body's lost reserves. A while later her belly full and happy, she smiled up at Sinclair. "I forgot to say thank you for saving my life." He responded by bending down and brushing his lips over hers lightly. "Anytime. Now sleep." Samantha's eyes suddenly felt heavy and smiling at his obvious attempt at nursing her, she fell back into a deep healing sleep. Sinclair stood and watched her for a moment. Her face peaceful in repose, the rictus of pain erased and her lips curved in a small smile. A smile for me I hope. Gently, he brushed her cheek with his fingertips before bending down to lightly kiss her lips again, whispering. "Sleep well and heal my little sea nymph. I promise I will do a better job at protecting you from now on." Sinclair left her bedside and strode to the door but before exiting he paused to trace a series of symbols in the air that glowed a bright red before fading out of sight. He'd placed magical wards in her room to detect and prevent any magic or being from entering. Satisfied that she was protected he left her to sleep. He made a sweep through the castle looking for weak spots in its defenses. He'd taken many precautions as a result of the attack, the mirrors he'd told his servant to cover being only a small part of it. But he still had a lot left to do, such as placing magical wards around the outside of the castle to detect and prevent any more magical attacks. [Back to Table of Contents] 160

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Thirteen The sun was shining through her curtained window the next time Samantha woke up. Since when did she have curtains? Looking at her window, she saw that yes indeed, there were now beautiful billowy white drapes framing her window. A delighted giggle escaped her as she tried to picture Sinclair balancing on a ladder to hang them. It was touching to know that he cared enough to make her living space more feminine for her. Maybe she should hint about a rug; those cold stone floors were brutal when she had to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. Chance, who had been sleeping as well, yawned and sat up, her little head cocked as she watched Samantha slowly ease herself up. This time when she stood up, she stayed up. It was a wobbly walk to the bathroom and she needed a rest by the time she came back, but she managed it. Flopping on the bed she noticed Chance had disappeared and she briefly wondered where she'd gone. She didn't wonder long though because her door swung open and in sauntered Chance followed by Sinclair. "You look like you're feeling better today," he said, his dark eyes checking her over. "Much," she replied. "And really hungry." A fact her tummy punctuated with a hungry growl. "Kaar was just getting a tray together for you so we'll be able to take care of that in a minute. Do you need me to take you to the bathroom?" 161

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"No, I already managed thank you," she said quite pleased with herself. "Excellent, that means you're starting to build back some strength. Maybe later if you're good we'll take a little walk, but not too far," he admonished, shaking his finger at her eager look. Samantha's face fell. Not another day in bed! She realized her body still needed time to recover, but surely she could still do some reading or something. After all, how was she expected to rebuild her strength if she lay around all day? Although if he lay around with her, maybe she'd finally get the exercise she'd been craving. Kaar came into the room with large tray full of food balanced carefully in his webbed hands. "Food, good, make cook," he said as he lay the tray on the bed. "Oh, thank you, Kaar," she said diving right into the food. Screw the niceties, her body was starved. Kaar left and Sinclair sauntered over to lie across the bottom of the bed so he could pick at the food on the tray. She resisted the urge to slap his hand away from the crispy meat strips which tasted heavenly. Chance jumped up and perched herself by Samantha waiting for some tasty tidbits. She reluctantly shredded the last piece for her pet. While they ate, Samantha asked what had been happening around the castle and village. Sinclair obliged and told her the latest news. After the feast, several of the maiden dancers and their chosen mates had started work on building their own homes as the village now needed to increase in size. Sinclair had been providing advice on building as well as 162

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helping them scout out locations around the village that could be cleared for the new homes. He told her a funny story about Chance stealing a large fish fillet just as the cook was about to pop it in the oven, his hands gesticulating as he retold the tale. Samantha, watching and listening, burst into peals of laughter, while an affronted Chance just sniffed and washed herself daintily. After a while though he ran out of things to talk about and Samantha finally asked if there'd been any more signs of Melisante meddling. "No, she seems to have withdrawn for the moment but I'm sure it's only a matter of time before she tries again. I've got the castle warded, but with the amulet and black spells she has access to, there's no telling what she's capable of, or what she might try next." "Ooh, I wish I could get my hands around her neck," said Samantha with a growl. "Let's see how she enjoys being threatened and scared!" Oh yes, seeing Melisante eyes bulging in terror would go a long way towards making Samantha feel better. "Don't worry, Melisante will get what's coming to her. But enough talk about her. Do you feel like a change of scenery? "Yes!" she exclaimed, swinging her legs out of the bed and trying to stand, only to find herself sitting down hard as a wave of dizziness hit her. Her breakfast lurched in her stomach and she closed her eyes and breathed deeply. Please don't puke, please don't puke, she prayed. "Whoa," he said coming around to her side quickly. "Slow down. You need to take it easy. Your body is still recovering and it will take time to build back your strength." 163

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Chastened, Samantha meekly allowed him to help her up. The spinning wasn't as bad this time, and while her legs felt shaky, she managed to walk out of her room and down the hall to the top of the stairs, leaning on his arm. Once there, she looked at the long staircase and wondered if perhaps she'd be better off in her room. Sinclair though had no intention of making her walk down. He simply picked her up and carried her, depositing her lightly on the entrance hall floor. Chance, who had followed them, went to sit by the front door and looked at them expectantly. Sinclair laughed and let the little catter out for her morning forage then turned to face Samantha. "So now what?" she asked at a loss. Yay! She'd escaped her room. Unfortunately though, she wouldn't be celebrating this victory for long, because if she didn't sit down soon, she'd end up flat on her face. And if that happened Sinclair was sure to put her back to bed. "I have an idea that might take your mind off things," he said. "Let's play Conquer." "Conquer?" she repeated. "It's a game that's very popular in the Realm. I saw the box for the game in the storage room. Here, you go sit in the library while I fetch it." He escorted her to a seat in the library and then dashed off to the storage room to find the game. He came back quickly carrying a two-foot square wooden box. Samantha perked up in her seat. This looked interesting. The box appeared to be an antique, intriguingly carved with creatures and figures 164

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posed in various battle ready states. It had a large brass lock on the front. "Where's the key?" Samantha asked. And just what type of game needed to be locked in a box in the first place? Sinclair grinned and waggled his fingers at her before placing his hand over the lock and saying, "Ouvram". The box lid popped open and Samantha peered forward to look inside only to rock back suddenly as a movement in the box startled her. "There's something alive in there!" she exclaimed, her heart racing. "It's all right," he said hurriedly to calm her. "It's not alive, it's just the game-pieces." "You mean they move? But how?" she asked with interest as he began pulling out the figurines, which resembled those carved on the box. "Magic, of course. Here hold on, let me get all the pieces out then I'll explain." Sinclair pulled out figurine after figurine, each one different and fantastic with detail; a griffon with its large sweeping wings, a unicorn that pranced in place when he put it down, a dwarf, a wizard. They created a whole parade of mythical creatures and beings. Once all the pieces were on the table, he reached in and pulled out a small square which, when he set it on the table spread till it ended up covering half the table. The game board wasn't done though; bumps and colors rippled through it. Little trees popped up along with bushes and grass. A mini 165

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river babbled along a meandering path, and at each end a tower grew, one in white stone, the other gray. Wow! Samantha felt her eyes widen in amazement. This sure is a lot different from Monopoly "Now," he said, not at all fazed by the magic that had just occurred. "We need to choose our armies. There's a couple of figurines missing but still enough left to have a good game. You pick first." Samantha eyed all the pieces. Which one do I choose? Not knowing how the game worked hesitated, unable to decide. "Are there differences between the figurines?" she asked. "Of course. For example the wizard here, he casts spells, while the ogre," he said pointing to an ugly lumbering beast. "It's more of a brawler." Samantha looked at the figurines even more confused. "So how do you decide?" "I always just pick my favorites." he said with a shrug. Samantha wanted to shake him, but realizing asking questions wasn't going to get her anywhere, she finally settled on a pointy eared, mounted knight holding a lance. Sinclair, of course, chose the wizard in robes. Next, she selected the griffon, a fearsome looking beast and Sinclair went for a knobby green troll. On her following turn, she grabbed the butt-ugly, ferocious looking ogre, then shrieked and nearly dropped it when it squirmed in her hand and growled at her. Talk about freaky! And Sinclair, the cad, howled with laughter. Fortunately, the rest of the pieces behaved and they finished divvying up the characters. 166

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Once done she surveyed her chosen army. Up close the workmanship was remarkable. The griffon's features perfectly carved and painted right down to the whiskers and plumage on its wings. The elfin knight on horseback, with his haughty, sneering face, made her smile. "So what do we do next?" she asked eyeing the dozen or so figures that comprised her army. "Now, you defend your castle. Place your figures in the squares surrounding your castle depending on your strategy." Samantha looked down and saw that the board, even with all of its outdoors detail, was comprised of squares like a chess board. Knowing nothing of the strategy required, she randomly scattered her figures in the various squares around her tower. Sinclair went about it more methodically, selecting each figure and placing it in what she assumed was a strategic manner around his tower. After shifting around a few of his figures, he finally sighed with satisfaction. "Now we begin," he said and from somewhere inside the box that she'd thought empty, he pulled out two pairs of disappointingly ordinary dice. Sinclair handed her a set which she realized weren't quite as normal as she'd thought. Instead of little dots to mark numbers, the sides were cloudy. Not sure how blank dice would work, she shook the cubes in her hand then rolled them onto the table beside the game board. The dice rolled and clacked on the hard table top and stopped. She peered over them to look and saw a picture of her ogre on one and a number three on the other. "Now what?" she asked looking over at Sinclair. 167

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"Touch your ogre on the head and tell it where to go. Try using terms like back two, left one. Or forward one, right two." Samantha placed her finger gingerly on her ogre's head, "Forward three." To her delight, it came to life and obeyed, grunting and lumbering, then hid behind a tree before becoming still again. Sinclair took his turn and rolled a pixie and a two. Touching his pixie, Sinclair gave his command. The little winged figurine fluttered its wings and moved two spaces left. Samantha next rolled a knight and a whopping six. She gave the knight his orders and then clapped her hands with glee as he and his horse went charging up the board to land on a square holding Sinclair's archer, and then it fought, swinging his sword in mighty arcs while the nimble archer ducked the blows. Samantha intent on this mini battle, didn't notice Sinclair trying to get her attention. A dice was shoved under her nose and she looked up from the mini battle. "Now that our forces have engaged, it's time to see who wins. Roll one of your dice and I'll roll mine, the higher number will win the battle." Samantha rolled as did Sinclair and she whooped when her five trumped his two. Her knight with a savage thrust speared the archer who staggered about comically before slumping to the ground and disappearing. "I won!" she cried. "But where did the archer go?" Sinclair gestured to the box and sure enough when she looked inside there was the archer, immobile in the bottom. Cool, a game that picked up after itself. Getting into the spirit 168

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of things, she played enthusiastically, crowing when her army defeated one of his minions, mock wailing when one of her own got taken down. Finally it came down to just two figurines. Her griffon and his wizard. The wizard was trying to sneak up on her castle, but she had her griffon ready to pounce. But alas, her luck failed and she rolled a one to his four. With little purple bolts shooting from the mini wizard's fingers, her griffon died and disappeared. The mini wizard, now the last one standing, moved the rest of the spaces to Samantha's tower and with a wave of its little wand demolished it before disappearing into the box with the other pieces. "That was so cool!" she exclaimed. "Can we play it again?" "Perhaps later after you've eaten and rested," he said. "Now that you've learned the basics, maybe we'll activate some of the game rules." "You mean there's more to it?" she asked. "This game has been around for hundreds of years and depending on the level of the players can be as simple as the version we played or hard enough to give even the most experienced battle general trouble." "Wow, we don't have anything like this back home. I mean we've got video games and all but they're played on a television with a joystick and don't quite have the same wow effect as those little guys." "I'm glad you enjoyed it but you're definitely going to have to explain what you mean by video games. That's not something I've ever heard about. Now, do you feel well 169

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enough to walk to the dining room, or would you prefer I carried you?" "I can walk," she said coming out of her chair slowly, glad to see her legs were steady. He offered her his arm, and she took it, because she liked touching him. During dinner, she had to explain video games to Sinclair. He seemed as taken by the concept as she was by the magical game he'd introduced her to. Later, he carried her upstairs, but instead of taking her to her room he went down the hall and opened the door to his. At her startled look, he laughed. "While I'd love to be carrying you here for nefarious purposes, you're unfortunately not well enough yet for that kind of activity," he said with a wink. Samantha blushed. She had to admit to being disappointed that he wouldn't be trying to ravish her. She might still be weak physically, but hormone wise, her body felt hot and tingly and she had an insane desire for him to kiss her again. "I want to show you something and the best way to get there is from my room." Unfortunately, his bed truly wasn't their destination. Instead, he carried her through a small doorway on the far side of his room. It led to some stairs that wound up the tower. At his muttered murmured command, the door at the top opened and he stepped out on to the top of the tower. Samantha caught her breath at the view as Sinclair set her down and she wandered to the edge of the parapet to look out. 170

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Even in the moonlight the view was magnificent. From up here she could easily see the whole island spread before her. Far below, the tops of the jungle trees looked like fluffy cotton balls and the ocean stretched out in all directions, a black undulating tableau that seemed never-ending. She looked up, awed at the sight of thousands of twinkling stars in a sky so unsullied by pollution, the night sky of her own world couldn't begin to compare. To her surprise she recognized several constellations. "The stars are the same," she said craning her neck. "There's the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper." "Of course they're the same," he replied. "I told you we were still in the same world, just a hidden part of it." "I don't know why, but I kind of expected them to be as different as everything else around here." "Tell me, my little sea nymph, what do you think of my hideaway?" he asked leaning on the parapet and looking up at the sky. "I like to come up here sometimes when I'm feeling blue or frustrated and look at the stars. It gives me hope." Samantha turned to look at him puzzled. "Hope? How do stars do that?" "It's hard to explain," he said running his hand through his hair, rumpling it. "I guess I just like knowing that not everything has changed. When I see the stars in their proper places, unchanging, it give me hope that when I eventually get free, my life, my family and my friends might still be the same too. That they'll also still be where I expect them to be. Does that make any sense?" 171

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"Actually, it does," she said, going to him and leaning her head on his chest. His arms encircled her in a tight hug. "With me, hope came from books. When I was little and my mom would have a bad bout, I'd read, and somehow reading about other people facing adversity and conquering it gave me the courage I needed to get up everyday and deal with life." "You know what's even better than the stars?" he asked tilting her chin up to look in her eyes. "Having you here with me, because when I hold you, I don't even care about the outside world." And with that heart stopping comment he bent down and kissed her. Samantha eagerly kissed him back and was disappointed when he pulled away. Seeing her crestfallen face, he said gently, "Soon, my little sea nymph. You're still too weak. I promise it won't be much longer. My willpower isn't that great where you're concerned." When she would have protested, he leaned forward and kissed her quickly, his firm lips sending tingles down to her toes. "Time to go, before I forget you need to recover." Picking her up gently he carried her back to her room, then kissed her again lightly before saying good night and leaving. Samantha touched her tingling lips and wanted to scream with frustration. Her body didn't feel weak, on the contrary it felt alive and hot. This waiting is driving me nuts, but at least I know he feels the same way too. As she went to sleep, Chance's little body snuggled by her side, she willed herself to get stronger quickly so that she could finally taste the passion his kisses kept teasing 172

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her with. The next morning, Samantha woke feeling close to normal. There was no unsteadiness in her walk to the washroom and she managed to get dressed without getting dizzy. Chance sat on her bed yawning and cocking her head at her. Almost back to normal, she thought happily as she scooped up her pet and hurried out into the hall, eager to see Sinclair. [Back to Table of Contents]

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Fourteen She nearly bumped into him in the corridor. "Feeling better I see," he said with a welcoming smile. "Much," she said smiling back. "And famished." She took in a deep breath of his unique scent. For more than just food too! "That's my girl," said Sinclair. "And a good thing too, because Kaar has laid out a feast downstairs that would feed an army." Even though she protested, he carried her downstairs, claiming her still to weak to do them on her own and Samantha smiled against his chest. This being carried around thing never lost its charm! Once on the main floor, Chance, who had followed them, pawed at the front door and Sinclair paused to let the animal out before taking Samantha into the dining room. Her pet had obviously adjusted to castle life well as she had. When they entered the dining room, it was a good thing Sinclair held her or she might have swooned. He wasn't kidding about the feast. The table should have sagged under the weight of the food and Samantha had to keep herself from drooling while she heaped her plate high. As she ate, Kaar hovered by her elbow keeping her cup full of cool, fresh water. Smiling at the servant, she said "Thank you," and to her surprise he ducked his head as if suddenly shy. What was up with him? 174

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Sinclair chuckled. "It would seem Kaar has grown fond of you. He was terribly worried when you were fighting for your life." Aah, wasn't that sweet. Samantha leaned over and kissed Kaar's green cheek which turned an odd shade of purple. What do you know, the Undines could blush. Kaar ducked his head and scuffed his feet before giving her his trademark toothy grin and said, "Happy, is me, Miss better." "Yes Kaar, much better now that my belly is full and ready to attack this curse again," she said patting her happy tummy. "Not today you're not," said Sinclair. "Your body is still weak, so no work for you today. Instead you and I are going fishing." "Fishing?" said Samantha, wrinkling her nose, "I don't know about that. Doesn't that involve icky worms on hooks?" Sinclair laughed, "Why on earth would you do that? Nope you and I are going fishing wizard style and that's all I'm going to tell you." Intrigued Samantha made no protest when he picked her up and carried her out the front of the castle, but instead of taking the usual path down to the beach he went around the side of the castle and took a path she hadn't seen previously. "Where are we going?" she finally asked after they'd walked for a while. He answered her with a tight lipped smile. Oh goody, a surprise. Samantha smiled back and nestled more comfortably in his arms. Being carried around like a delicate 175

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damsel was always fun. Thank God for strong, over protective men! After a fifteen minute walk, she heard water splashing. They entered a large sunny clearing where a small waterfall trickled into a large pond. The scent of big, spectacular flowers filled the air and their brilliant colors delighted her. "This place is beautiful!" she exclaimed. "I thought you'd like it, " he said smugly, appearing pleased by her enthusiasm. "I discovered it during my forays to find a way off this island. The waterfall is fed from an underground spring and is not only warm but also salt free." "Ooh, does that mean we're going swimming?" she asked eagerly but he shook his head. "Oh that's right, we're supposed to be fishing. But what kind of fish live in warm water? And how are we supposed to catch them? You didn't bring any fishing poles." "I am a wizard, my dear Samantha. We don't need fishing poles, and who said anything about catching them?" At her puzzled look he chuckled and let her down. Once on her feet she walked over to the pond's edge and knelt down to trail a hand in the water. Oh, he hadn't been kidding. Warm and clear, just like an outdoor bath, one with darting, colored shapes in its depths. Turning around she meant to ask him what next, but stopped and sucked in a breath as she took in his broad, naked chest adorned with only a thin golden chain with an engraved medallion. A small sigh escaped her as she took in Sinclair's perfect, almost nude body. Her imagination hadn't done justice to the rippling muscles hidden under his shirt. A 176

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hard, flat stomach with arms and shoulders even more muscular than she'd imagined. He gave her a smug smile—the cad was enjoying her perusal—and then laughed as she turned away, face flaming as his hands started tugging at his pants to take them off. A splash behind her signaled Sinclair's entry into the water. Turning around again, she saw him in the pond standing a few feet from the edge in water up to his waist, the ripples in the clear water tantalizing—and embarrassing her—with glimpses of his lower body. "Come on Samantha, " he beckoned her. Samantha hesitated for a moment, then tugged her dress over her head leaving her thin chemise on. She waded into the water till she reached him. "Okay, wizard, show me how you fish." "Do you trust me?" he asked his eyes serious as he looked down at her. Samantha nodded her head. He grabbed her hands and he towed them toward the center until they were treading water to stay afloat. "Okay, now I want you to close your eyes and remember I won't let anything hurt you." A little worried at this warning, Samantha clenched her eyes tight and heard him murmur something softly. A tingle went through her body and then they were sinking under the water. Samantha opened her eyes in shock, unable to say anything for fear of swallowing water. Sinclair's face stared back at her, his dark eyes trying to reassure her. 177

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"Shh, don't be afraid," he said, his tone soothing. How in the world could he speak aloud and so clearly underwater? "You won't drown. I've cast a spell that allows us to breathe underwater." Despite his words, Samantha kept her lips clamped tight and held her breath, her heart racing as they sank deeper. Panic clawed at her as her lungs got tighter and tighter. Oh God, I'm going to drown! "Breathe, Samantha," he coaxed her. She could do nothing else. He held her fast and her airstarved lungs demanded she inhale. She took in a shallow breath and... No water gushed into her nose. I'm not going to drown! Amazed, she finally smiled back at him. What a cool magical trick. Soft mud squelched in between her toes. They'd reached the bottom of the pond. Around them, aquatic plants slowly waved from their nests of smooth rocks. The water remained remarkably clear and bright with the sunlight rippling down through it. Holding her hand, Sinclair led her over to a large rock and sitting down, he pulled her onto his lap. "Now we need to be quiet and you'll see how wizards fish," he whispered into her ear. They sat in silence for a few moments before the denizens of the pond, sensing all had returned to normal again, came to life. Small bright fish darted out from some plants where they'd been hiding, their bright colors flashing as they zigged and zagged, chasing each other through the water. A larger fish, deep red, striped with thin orange stripes, swam lazily 178

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by, so close Samantha could have reached out and stroked it. Some of the little fish, deciding they weren't dangerous, swam up close exploring Samantha's feet. She sat still watching them, but jumped when one bold little blue fish gave her big toe a nibble before flitting away as she jerked her toes back, but it soon returned and began playing with her toes. Soon others joined it, tickling her. She laughed aloud. Sinclair's arms tightened around her as he watched her delighted face taking in the beauty and tranquility under the surface of the pond. He'd known she'd like this. The simple things he could do and took for granted, a cause of wonderment for her. Something about Samantha made him want to please her, to see her light up with delight. He especially enjoyed seeing his world through her eyes. Rediscovering the small pleasures that he'd forgotten, like fishing. Did he even remember the last time he'd done something like this just for the simple pleasure of it? When she squirmed in his lap, giggling as one of the more curious fish came up and tickled her chin, his thoughts turned more carnal. He felt his body respond, his hardness pressing against her bottom. Biting back a groan, he tried ignore how her luscious softness felt against his hard flesh. He struggled to hold his urges in check, reminding himself she still needed time to recover from her ordeal. His body though wasn't listening. It had other ideas. Abruptly he stood, his hand steadying her at the suddenness of his movement. 179

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Samantha turned to look at Sinclair, her eyes shining, her lips curved in a sweet smile, not knowing the havoc she wreaked on his body. Sinclair almost took her then and there. What was it about her and water? Whenever he saw or felt her wet, he turned into a randy teenager. Holding her hands he kicked and brought them back up to the surface. When they reached the shallow edges, Samantha blushed and closed her eyes as Sinclair waded to shore nude. Curiosity made her peek for a second and she was rewarded with a fabulous view of his bare ass before he tugged his breeches up. In the clearing a blanket had been spread along with some towels, and a large picnic basket. "How did you do this while we were under water? More magic?" she asked picking up a towel to dry herself, wrapping it around her sarong style, hiding her tempting curves from his sight. "I wish I could take credit, but no, Kaar brought these things. Now eat up, you need to rebuild your strength," he said, because when she did, he had plans for her. Oh, did he ever. Samantha opened the basket and started laying out the treats it held; cold poultry, bread, cheese and some fruit. She'd no sooner laid out the food when Chance bounded into the clearing, her little nose twitching. Samantha laughed and fed some of the poultry to her quickly growing pet. They ate in companionable silence, the beauty of the place and the antics of Chance entertainment enough. The word paradise didn't even come close to describing this place, the scenic backdrop complemented by an avian musical choir and 180

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humming insects. She smiled. And of course the company makes this idyllic location even more special. I bet I'd find a swamp beautiful if I had Sinclair there with me. When they'd finished and tidied the remains of their picnic Sinclair lay down on the blanket, his arm pillowed under his head. Samantha sat next to him and fought an urge to put his head in her lap so she could stroke his hair. A glint of gold flashed as his medallion caught the sunlight. "What's the medallion for?" she asked. "Is it magic too?" ""My mother," he said lifting the medallion up and turning it, "gave this to me at birth. My brother and sister each have one too. All three are engraved with our family's coat of arms and our names. These act as a safeguard and proof of identity against doppelgangers trying to impersonate us. They can neither be duplicated nor removed." He leaned towards her holding the medallion up to her so she could see it better. "See the griffon holding a book? That's my family's symbol." "What does it stand for?" she asked, intrigued. "The griffon symbolizes strength," he grinned flexing an arm muscle for her. "The book stands for knowledge. My family has been around for countless generations and have long been regarded as the defenders of knowledge, hence our logo. What about your family? You haven't really told me much about you," he said rolling onto his side so he could watch her. "My family?" she laughed a little shrilly. "Well, my dad left when I was really little, so it was just me and my mom. She got sick when I was about twelve so I used to spend most of 181

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my time before and after school taking care of her. She died last year, so now it's just me." "That must have been hard," he said his eyes dark with sympathy. "Yeah, well it kind of sucked, but at least I had my books to keep me company. It wasn't her fault she got sick and needed me to take care of her," she said feeling a need to defend her mother. "What about the rest of your family? Aunts, uncles, grandparents?" "No one, or least no one I ever met or heard about. My mother was an only child and her parents died before I was born. As for my father, I don't even know his name. My mother said if he didn't care enough to stay then he didn't deserve to be remembered." She laughed, traces of bitterness coloring her tone. Even after all these years, it still hurt to know that her own father hadn't cared about her. What kind of jerk abandons his wife and child? Not one letter, email, phone call—nothing. Perhaps she should have pressed her mother for more information on her father, but at the end she'd been so sick that Samantha didn't want to stress her further with unpleasant memories of the past. Sinclair came up on his knees and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tight. Samantha leaned into his strength, enjoying the feel of his body against hers but appreciating even more the fact that he cared. She felt his lips brush her temple and sighed. He followed that tender touch with small butterfly kisses that worked their way down the side of her face until he reached her lips. Then with a 182

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gentleness that melted her, he softly caressed her lips, coaxing them open so he could lightly tease her with his tongue. She returned his embrace, her arms holding him tightly, opening her mouth wide for him to plunder. A sudden rumble of thunder pulled them apart and they both looked up at the sky. Chance came flying back from the edge of the pond to huddle by her feet, fur bristled. Sinclair frowned at the rapidly gathering black clouds. Jumping up, he quickly tugged on his shirt and began throwing their wet towels and the blanket in to the basket. His contagious sense of urgency pushed Samantha into dragging her dress on over her damp chemise. Another rumble of thunder sounded and the clearing around them began to quickly darken as black, roiling clouds covered the sky. Chance trembled against her leg so Samantha scooped her up and held her close. "What's wrong?" she asked as Sinclair eyed the sky again, his dark brows knitted together. "This storm is not natural," he stated as he tucked the picnic basket among some roots at the base of an old tree. How could he tell, Samantha wondered, looking up at the stormy sky. "Come on, we'd better go back to the castle where I've safeguards in place. I didn't think Melisante would be so brazen as to try anything with me around." He swung Samantha effortlessly up in his arms with Chance still nestled in hers and quickly began striding up the path leading to the castle. 183

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"I can walk, you know," she said as he trudged along, his face grim. She wondered if perhaps he wasn't being a little paranoid. After all, sudden thunderstorms were common in the tropics. "Don't argue," he snapped. "I don't want you having a relapse." Samantha shut up, stung by his rebuke. Sensing this, he softened his tone. "Please. I couldn't handle seeing you back in bed because I didn't care for you properly." Samantha nodded and leaned her head against his shoulder conveying her willingness. If he wanted to play the part of protector, well then she could most definitely play the part of the poor, swooning maiden. After all, didn't the maiden always get ravished in the end? Yes! The previously sunlit path wound darkly through the jungle, the dense shadows making her tense, awaiting ambush. The sound of thunder chased them as he strode, loud vicious cracking that made her ears ring. Through the foliage above she could see glimpses of the black sky, lit up intermittently by huge forks of branching lightning. A sudden strong gust of wind blew through the jungle, its cold touch causing her to shiver. Chance didn't like it either and burrowed her face in Samantha's bodice. Sinclair tightened his arms around Samantha, his face even grimmer, his strides longer, quicker. The wind became more violent and the jungle around them seemed to come alive as branches started flailing, catching their clothing with their pointed tips. The rumble of thunder became constant. The world ever more eerie as lightening 184

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flashed over and over, creating strange shadows and flickers along the path. They had almost reached the castle, the gray stone visible through the thinning jungle, when something hit Sinclair from behind causing him to stumble forward onto his knees with a pained grunt. Samantha wiggled in his arms. "Let me go, I can walk the rest of the way." Sinclair complied, distracted, and loosened his hold on her. She stood up and saw the big branch that had fallen and hit him lying on the ground. The wind now roared around them and as he stood up, he grabbed her free hand while her other hand clutched a terrified Chance. They rushed towards the castle again, but just before the clearing he stopped and shoved her behind him "Damn!" he cursed. "What is it?" she asked, peering over his shoulder. His reply when it came dropped to a whisper. "It would seem I was right about this storm being unnatural. I think Melisante has discovered her latest attempt against you failed and is now trying something new. When I tell you to go, I want you to run as quickly as you can right into the castle. Whatever you do, don't stop, don't look, just go. You'll be safe once inside the castle." "But what about you? Aren't you coming too?" she asked, her voice quavering, still not seeing what had him so concerned. "Just do as I say," he said sharply, then his tone softening added, "Please. I can take care of Melisante's surprise but I need to know you're safe else I might be distracted." Not liking it, but knowing she would be of little use in 185

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her still weakened state, she nodded. She held herself ready, Chance tucked tightly to her chest, as Sinclair strode into the clearing. She stayed huddled at the edge of the jungle as he walked, head held high, the wind whipping at his clothing and hair. Handsome doesn't even start to describe him. The lightening cracked continuously, jagged, electrical spikes landing one after in another in front of the castle, only feet from where Sinclair stood. The air hummed with electricity, standing Samantha's hair out around her head in a wild dance. Sinclair stood, legs braced, hands held out to his sides waiting. Samantha started to creep forward towards the clearing and the front of the castle, the strong winds buffeting her body and slowing her pace. A sudden bright flash of light rendered her momentarily blind and she stumbled to her knees. Chance panicked at the loud thunder-clap that followed and squirmed out of Samantha's arms. She bounded away and disappeared. As Samantha knelt, trying to blink out the spots from her eyes, she heard Sinclair start chanting. She stood looking toward the castle, then shook her head, blinking some more, sure her vision had been damaged, but no, what she saw was real. In front of the castle hovered a monstrous ball of sizzling electricity, with Sinclair right beside it! She gasped as the ball pivoted towards her as if drawn by that one small sound. It floated over the courtyard, crackling and sparking as it came, the vegetation beneath it shriveling and blackening. To her horror she realized Sinclair intended to battle this unnatural foe. 186

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He finished his chanting and with a grand sweep of his arms brought them down and forwards, pointing them towards the energy ball heading at her. The sizzling ball halted, hovering a few inches in the air, crackling ominously. "Now!" Sinclair yelled, "Run!" as he continued to hold his hands out towards the energy ball. Samantha started moving, hugging the castle wall, one eye on the energy ball, finally reaching the front door just as Kaar wrenched it open. Staggering inside, she almost tripped when a streak of grey fur came flying through her legs into the safety of the castle. She heard a resounding thump as Kaar swung the door shut behind her. "Oh, Kaar, we have to help him," she cried running to the parlor and one of its windows to see what unfolded next. Kaar followed behind her, his normally happy face serious. "Bad magic," he said unhappily. "But we need to help him," she exclaimed. Kaar simply pointed out the window and Samantha, her heart thumping madly, watched Sinclair bravely trying to battle this deadly magical being. Sinclair still held his hands out as he continued chanting, his words carried away on the howling wind. The gale buffeted his body and whipped his dark hair about, but he stood firm and she felt such a surge of love for this brave man that she wanted to run out and assist him somehow. But how could she help? Samantha racked her brain. She had no magic and science had never been one of strong points, but she did know something about electricity. Then inspiration struck. She 187

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hurriedly told Kaar what she needed, watching anxiously as Sinclair's face showed the strain of battling the dark magic. The ball still hovered, frozen, but judging by Sinclair's trembling body, his strength was fading fast. She needed to help him now. Kaar finally scurried back with a sword almost as tall as himself. She grabbed it from him, surprised at its lightness. Then, sword in hand, heart in her throat, Samantha rushed to the front door and opened it. The wind immediately tore at her, whipping her skirts and hair about wildly. She heard Sinclair moan as the ball, sensing her presence, strained even harder at its magical bonds. Holding the sword firmly in a sweaty palm, Samantha stalked towards the electric sphere until she stood only a few feet away. To her surprise a little grey streak whipped out in front of her and she was shocked to see Chance taking up a protective stance between her and the magical foe. She heard Sinclair shout at her but she ignored him, and bracing herself she brought the sword tip up and then flung it in an arc so that the blade passed through the energy ball and embedded itself in the ground below. Chance ran back to her side and they both watched as the ball grew brighter around the jutting sword for a moment. Then the laws of nature and science kicked in. With an eerie, keening sound, the crackling electrical globe was sucked into the sword which Samantha had grounded in the earth and the ball shrank in size until, with a pop and a final sizzle, it winked out. 188

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The sword, slightly blackened by the encounter, stood point first in the ground, thick tendrils of smoke rising from the scorched ground around it. A pair of tight arms crushed her as Sinclair picked her up and hugged her. Then he shook her. "What did you think you were doing?" he shouted while shaking her. Then he drew her back to his chest and hugged her tight. "You could have been killed!" "Ha!" she exclaimed. "The only person in trouble was you. I finally remembered what to do when lightening strikes. Ground it. I didn't think you had a lightening rod around so Kaar found me a sword which apparently worked just as well." Samantha said a silent thank you to Mr. Gruber, her fourth grade science teacher. Sinclair's reply was to kiss her hard, again and again. When he finally let her up for air she peered up at him and saw his dark eyes gazing down at her with tenderness. "Oh my brave and foolish little sea nymph. You can't imagine how terrified I felt when I saw you come marching out that door." "Well, I couldn't just stand there and let it kill you." "It wouldn't have killed me," he said grandly, but at her arched brow, he chuckled. "All right, so maybe I needed a little help." This time when he kissed her, he did so with a sweetness that made Samantha melt in his arms. Her body molded against his, and she twined her hands in his hair, bringing herself closer to him so she could deepen the kiss. So of course, it began to rain. 189

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**** [Back to Table of Contents]

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Fifteen Sinclair, to give him credit, continued to kiss her as the cool rain poured down over them. Talk about a cold shower! Samantha reluctantly pried her lips from Sinclair's and sighed. Would they ever get to finish what they started? Sinclair wasn't so subtle. "By the Higher Powers! This is getting ridiculous." he muttered running an exasperated hand through his hair, spiking it. Samantha shivered, the dampness going right to the core of her. Sinclair's brows creased in concern and, as had become his habit, swept Samantha up in his arms and carried her inside, right up to her room, depositing her on the bed while he went into the bathroom. Samantha sat there trembling in her damp clothes, bemoaning her luck. Every time she got close to Sinclair something interrupted them. Not fair! She could hear the sound of running water. Was he planning on taking a bath with her? Samantha blushed at the thought. She didn't feel very sexy right now with chattering teeth and clammy skin. Coming back out to the bedroom, he picked her up and carried her to the bathroom. Setting her down, he began to untie the fastenings to her gown. "Please, I can do this myself," she said ducking her head, her cheeks pink. "I've seen it before, Samantha," he said with a low chuckle. 191

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Samantha shivered, her whole body tightening with awareness. He mistook her shiver for one of cold. "Get in the tub and get warm while I change. Kaar will be right outside your door so yell if you need help. I'll be back." And with that he left her alone. Samantha stripped off her damp clothes and sank into the tub. A ghost of a smile hovered on her lips as she remembered the shaking she'd gotten for scaring him when she saved him. Silly man, hadn't he realized yet she'd do anything for him, even at the risk of her own life. Or maybe she should say silly woman. Why on earth hadn't she let him strip her for the bath? Maybe he would have been tempted to stay and wash her himself. Mmm, wouldn't that have been fun? Sometimes her thoughts embarrassed her. She lounged in the bath, easing the chill from the rain from her skin. When she finally emerged, she dressed carefully in a very flattering pale green gown with a low bodice and tight waist that made her look even more lush than usual. Hearing a scratch at the door, she opened it to let Chance saunter in, her little tail held high. "And you, you little fur ball." she said wagging her finger at her little pet. "What did you think you were doing coming out to stand between me and that bad magic?" Chance just yawned at her rebuke and curled up on the bed. "She was trying to protect you." Samantha jumped as Sinclair's voice sounded from behind her. She whirled around, heart pounding and glared at him. 192

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"Don't scare me like that." "Sorry," he said, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Your door wasn't completely shut and I heard you giving Chance a lecture. To be honest since the energy ball was of magical origin, Chance would have been fine. Magic doesn't usually affect her, remember, and that thing we fought was definitely all magic." "Well still," said Samantha, turning to eye her little pet, "she's just a baby." "And I see she's found herself a proper mother hen to care for her," he said, pulling her into his arms. "You're one to talk. I told you to go to the castle and stay there. I see you didn't obey me very well either." Samantha blushed and stammered. "That was different. You needed help." Sinclair arched a brow. "Really," he drawled. "I see I'm going to have my hands full keeping both you and your pet out of trouble." When she would have protested further he just covered her lips with his own to silence her. Samantha quickly forgot what they were arguing about and melted against him. When he pulled away Samantha clutched him, her knees weak with desire. It took her a few seconds to grasp he was talking to her. "What?" she murmured. Why did they have to talk? He should just shut up and kiss me again. "Dinner. I know you must be famished after vanquishing your fierce foe. Come on, cook has promised us a feast." 193

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Mmm. Food. Yes, I am definitely hungry, but unfortunately what I want isn't what cook has on the menu. Samantha floated down the stairs, her hand held in his. He'd finally agreed she could walk by herself, but she could see him eying her the whole way, ready to grab her if she showed any sign of weakness. Samantha felt something, but it definitely wasn't weak. Her whole body tingled and she felt like a stranger in her own skin as every sensation seemed magnified, from the warmth of his hand holding hers, to the fabric of her dress rubbing her nipples. She'd never been so aware of her body. Tonight was the night, and judging by the soft looks he kept throwing her way and the squeeze he gave her hand, he knew it too. Samantha couldn't wait. Dinner was served and she ate, but she had no idea what she spooned into her mouth. She only had eyes for Sinclair. His dark gaze made her feel all shivery and her lower tummy, swirly and warm. Samantha just wanted to sweep all the dishes off the table and dive on him. He's the meal I want. I want to kiss him, run my lips across that strong jaw line and nibble my way down his chest. I'd love to tear his shirt off and run my hands over his muscular torso. I want... Still lost in her reverie of what she'd like to do to him, he startled her when he abruptly stood. "I think we've both had enough dinner. Come," he said holding out his hand, his dark eyes full of promise. "I think it's time we adjourned." Samantha didn't reply, she just rose silently and slid her hand into his. Still in silence they walked out to the hall and up the stairs. When she stumbled in her long skirts, 194

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predictably, he swept her up in his arms, his long strides taking the stairs quickly. Instead of heading to her room he went down the corridor and opened the door to his bedchamber. When Chance at would have followed them in, Sinclair stopped and stooped to eye the little catter. Chance must have gotten the message for with a disdainful sniff, she turned around and trotted away. Samantha almost giggled, but lost that feeling when he closed the door behind them with a firm thud. Seeing her sudden look of uncertainty, he kissed her, fanning the flame of desire that hadn't gone out since she'd met him. When he finally let her down from his arms, she leaned into him. Hot with anticipation, she could feel a matching heat radiating from his body. The passion that they'd both felt on previous occasions was nothing compared to the overwhelming desire that now enveloped them. She initiated the next kiss, her soft lips sliding sensually across his. His arms wrapped around her tightly and he lifted her up slightly so she didn't have to stretch. Samantha twined her fingers in his hair, her lips becoming bolder against his. She licked his lower lip before catching it between her teeth and nipping it lightly. She barely noticed when he moved them towards the bed. Her back hit a soft mattress and then he covered her body with his. She let her legs part, felt his body nestle between them and even through their layers of clothing she felt his hardness pressing up against her. Oh god, the heat. 195

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His lips left hers to trail a scorching path down her jaw onto her neck. His hot breath made her tremble. Sucking at her tender skin, his lips and tongue kept moving lower and lower towards the bodice of her gown. Samantha, awash in the sensations he was evoking, didn't stop him when he impatiently ripped her bodice open, spilling her breasts out for him to view. She brought up her hands to cover herself, but at the heated look in his eyes she let them fall away. He stared reverently at her breasts for a moment, murmured, "Luscious," before lowering his head again and taking one of her rosy tips into his mouth. Samantha's body bucked at the electric sensation that coursed through her entire body. Between her legs, she was wet and throbbing, a feeling that intensified when he brought his hands up to cup and squeeze both her breasts. His mouth nibbled and laved her nipples, their erect tips staying pointed when he switched from one to another. Trembling, she rocked her hips against him, his pelvis grinding back in exquisite torture. She almost cried when his mouth stopped sucking on her nipples and he rolled off. But the reason soon became apparent when he took off his shirt and pulled the rest of her gown down. Samantha lifted her hips so he could ease it right off. Samantha, again feeling self-conscious, wanted to cover herself, but held back at the smoldering look on his face. What a powerful feeling knowing her body could make him so hot and bothered. Holding her gaze, he stood up and slid his breeches off. Samantha ducked her head shyly for a moment, 196

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but curiosity made her look up again to see his jutting manhood springing from a nest of dark curls. As she stared at his member, he groaned and it swelled even larger. Oh my! Climbing back on to the bed, he knelt between her legs. Samantha watched him, her eyes heavy lidded with desire and she licked her lips to wet them. He covered her body again with his, skin to skin. God, there wasn't a word to describe how good that felt. He kissed her hard, parting her lips to slide his tongue in. Their tongues dueled adding more fuel to the fire already engulfing her body. She felt a dash of fear when she felt his hardness nudging her wetness, his huge size causing some trepidation. She felt his hardness slide slowly into her, her tightness squeezing him. Samantha gasped at the feel and tightened even more. Sinclair groaned and threw back his head, the muscles in his jaw clenching as he fought to go slow. The head of his member finally hit the barrier that marked her innocence and Samantha tensed, knowing from her reading that some pain would follow when he breached her maidenhead. Pulling back, he looked into her eyes, asking permission and Samantha smiled at him. Dear god, I love him so much. She felt him pull back from her and then slide in hard, breaking through the thin membrane. Samantha gave a little cry at the short jabbing pain, a cry he swallowed with a kiss. He held still, allowing her time to recover and slowly she relaxed. His lips teased hers gently and when she responded, she felt him pull his manhood out only to slide it in again, deeply. This time she felt no pain, just pure pleasure. The feel of him inside of her, his hardness so different, yet feeling so 197

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right. As he sheathed himself, in and out, Samantha found herself thrusting her hips up to meet him. A swirling sensation built in her and as he plunged deeper, each stroke made her gasp till she teetered on the edge of something glorious. She opened her eyes and looked at him. His dark eyes stared back and as waves of pleasure crashed through her body, she murmured, "I love you," before throwing her head back and screaming as she convulsed around him. He brought his head down to the curve of her shoulder and neck, his body still pumping, prolonging her ecstasy. He kissed her earlobe and whispered, "I love you, too, sea nymph." Dizzy with the waves of pleasure still jolting through her, she thought she could hear the sound of thunder cracking, or maybe it was the fireworks going off inside her head. She heard him cry out, then his whole body went rigid as he found his own release. He collapsed for a moment on top of her, his breathing ragged, before rolling over onto his back, his arms around her holding her tightly, still joined to him. She leaned her head on his chest, listening to the sound of his heart racing, her own pulse just as erratic after that cataclysmic event. When she finally had the strength to lift her head and look at him, he smiled and said, "Wow!" Samantha giggled at his use of one of her most frequent exclamations. Wow, is right. I never imagined lovemaking would be so frantic and pleasurable "Are you all right?" he asked, his eyes shadowed with concern. "I tried to be as gentle as I could." 198

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"A little sore," she replied but at his crestfallen face added quickly. "But wondering how soon we can do it again. That was amazing!" "No, you are amazing, my little sea nymph. What we experienced was incredible but it was only that way because of our feelings for each other. I love you, Samantha Jones. I just can't believe it took me this long to realize it." Samantha glowed. He loved her! This incredible man returned her feelings, a thought which made her so happy that she kissed him hard. He kissed her back just as fiercely. When they finally both came up for air they were grinning at each other like buffoons. She heard a smack and let out a shriek when she felt a sting on her ass cheek where he'd slapped her rounded bottom. "Ouch," she said rolling off him, rubbing her stinging bottom. He just grinned cheekily. "Come on, let's get washed up so I can continue your education." That sounded like a good idea considering how sticky her thighs felt. She didn't dare look and see. She followed him into his bathroom, which was much larger than hers and had a huge sunken tub that could have easily fit three or four people. Sinclair ran the water and left the bathroom for a moment. When he came back, he shut the door behind him and had two towels which he hung on the hooks on the wall. Samantha, not waiting for the tub to be completely full, hopped in, the warm water easing some of the tenderness between her legs. 199

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Smiling, Sinclair joined her, his large body causing waves in the tub. He settled himself before reaching over to grab Samantha, who squealed, as he yanked her onto his lap. She squirmed, making him groan and grow hard against her bottom. "Stay still, woman or I'll take you right here." he said with a mischievous smile. "In the tub?" she questioned. "Does that work?" she asked looking at the tub then turning her head to eye him with interest. "Yes," he said, her simple question making him go even harder. "So why can't we do it then?" "Because I am going to wash you and make love to you slowly in the bed," he said with an impatient growl, grabbing a washcloth and soap. He rubbed them together vigorously to make some suds and then proceeded to bathe her. Samantha closed her eyes and relaxed with a half smile as he soaped her body, the slightly coarse cloth against her already sensitized skin making her flesh shiver. When he rubbed her breasts, her nipples puckered and she moaned softly. She felt him squirm underneath her, his hard rod poking her backside. She opened her eyes and tilted her head up to peek at him only to find him staring with fascination at a drop of water hanging from the tip of her nipple. He turned her on his lap till she sat sideways, then leaned forward and licked the tip making Samantha shudder. He smiled wickedly at her, pleased at her reaction then leaned back and rubbed the cloth and soap again. This time his hand with the cloth 200

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went under water and she felt him wash her lower belly and lower till he was rubbing her curls. Samantha felt heat coiling in her womb and she gasped when he let the cloth drift away and he slid a finger inside of her. She clenched his finger with her newly discovered muscles and it was his turn to groan. With a muffled curse he lifted her from the tub. Grabbing a hanging towel, he wrapped her in it. She got to admire his lean, nude body for a moment before he swathed himself in another towel. Aroused again, and judging by the tent under his towel, sensing his need, Samantha, feeling deliciously brazen, let her towel drop and walked up to him, tugging his away. She pressed her hot, damp body against his, loving the feel of his skin against hers. Giving in to her dinner time thoughts, she kissed the bottom of his jaw, her lips trailing tiny kisses down the side of his neck. She placed her palms flat against his bare muscular chest before kissing her way lower. She heard him swallow as her lips approached his own nipples and with a coy smile, she nipped one. His hands, which had been down at his side while she explored, whipped around her and, grabbing her firmly by the buttocks he lifted and carried her back to the bedroom where he tossed her onto the bed. Samantha laughed at the frenzied look in his eye. His wild responses to her touching the only aphrodisiac she needed. She got up on her knees and beckoned him, eager to continue her exploration. He shook his head and laughed. "I am not going to be able to take it slow if you keep looking and touching me like that," he said with a mock growl and shaking finger. Samantha just 201

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smiled and beckoned again. Where had this wanton side of her come from? Who cared, she wanted to play—with him. Giving in to the inevitable, he approached the bed and lay down for her, his muscles all taut and teeth gritted as he tried to control his arousal. What a heady feeling to have him in her power. Finally she'd get to play with his body like she'd dreamed of doing. Straddling his waist, his hard member hot against her backside, she leaned forward to kiss his chest again, licking circles around his nipples before nibbling them. He gripped her ass cheeks tightly, his fingers digging into her soft flesh while she learned her way around his body. Ragged breathing, tightly closed eyes and straining face—she loved watching him try to control himself as she continued her playful torture. Wiggling backwards, the tip of his throbbing shaft nudging her, she slid back till she straddled his thighs, his throbbing manhood, standing tall and erect in front for her to observe. Reaching out, she touched him. Sinclair jerked at her light touch and she looked at him, startled. Through clenched teeth he said, "Woman, you are driving me mad!" Samantha just smiled wickedly and touched him again, grasping him firmly this time in her hand. His shaft was scorching hot and throbbed in her grip. Sliding her hand down its silky length, she marveled that such a large appendage not only could fit in side of her but could give her so much pleasure. 202

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She felt feverish even though he hadn't touched her yet. Wet and throbbing between her legs, she wanted him inside her again. Feeling daring she tried something she'd only read about. Rising up on her knees, she guided the head of his shaft between her lower lips and sighed with pleasure as she lowered her body down on top of his. The hard length of him filled her up and she sat there for a moment, head thrown back, eyes closed, enjoying the feel of him inside her. Opening her eyes and looking down she saw his eyes burning with desire. Still straddling him, she leaned forward and kissed him. He responded by placing his hands on her hips and as they kissed, he began pumping himself lightly in and out of her. Samantha gasped and sat back up, her hands splayed on his chest. She stared into his eyes and matched his rhythm, lifting and lowering herself on his shaft, the hard length sliding out, and then in deeply. Each time he slid in, she felt a jolt of pleasure that kept building and building the more she pumped on him. Their pace grew more frantic, their motion in synchronized rhythm until, with a scream Samantha came, her tightness squeezing him, milking him as waves of pleasure rippled through her. Sinclair bucked wildly underneath her, calling out her name, his iron control swept away by his own intense release. Samantha collapsed on him in a puddle. Her whole body felt boneless as little aftershocks rippled through both of them. She lifted her head when she felt his chest rumbling. Sinclair was chuckling. 203

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"What's so funny?" she asked with a little frown. Did I do something wrong? I thought he enjoyed that. "Nothing," he said with a self satisfied grin. "I was just thinking I should thank Melisante for cursing me. If it hadn't been for her I would have never found you and I wouldn't be lying here now trying to recover from the two most intense lovemaking bouts I've ever experienced." "Oh," said Samantha, turning pink. His eyes turned serious. "I am so happy I found you, Samantha, or rather that you found me. Before you came into my life I was lonely and angry. But now, I don't care if we ever break this curse so long as I have you with me." Tears pricked Samantha's eyes. "Don't cry," he said alarmed. "They're tears of joy," she blubbered. She felt his arms wrap around her, a warm cocoon of warmth and strength. She relaxed in his hold, the tears drying up. How had she gotten so incredibly lucky? She wanted this moment never to end. Cupping her face, he lifted it up so he could look at her with soft eyes. He brushed his lips lightly across hers but Samantha wanted more and let her tongue slide into his mouth to teasingly touch his. He deepened the kiss, their tongues dancing together, bodies melded. Suddenly Samantha found herself flat on her back, her arms above her head, held down by his hands. He loomed above her, hair tousled, eyes twinkling as he took in her startled look. "My turn now," he said, his voice heavy with promise. 204

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Leaning down, he kissed the side of her neck, quickly working his way down to her large breasts. His hands left her pinioned wrists so he could grasp her breasts and push them together. Samantha squirmed as he hung his mouth just inches above them, teasing her. She wanted his hot mouth to suck them again, but when she tried to bring her hands forward so she could grab his hair and push his head down, she found her arms still pinned. Alarmed she looked at him. He gave her a lazy, smug smile. "Being a wizard has its uses. This time, I'm not going to let you distract me before I've discovered every inch of your body." Samantha's skin tingled. Ooh, this sounded like fun. She only hoped she could stand the pleasurable torture she sensed coming. His hands massaged her heavy breasts, kneading them and pinching the nipples. He bent his head down so she could feel his hot breath fanning across them. Her whole body shivered in response and she moaned, trying to arch her back to bring her nipples up towards the mouth that hovered tantalizingly above them. He buried his face between the mounds, rubbing their softness before turning to one and finally latching on, his scorching mouth sucking at her tender globe, his tongue dancing around the tip. With a quick switch, he latched onto the other one, and Samantha mewled in pleasure. Unable to move her hands, a captive, completely at his mercy made it all so much more arousing. When his mouth finally left her breasts she almost cried but her interest was piqued when he started trailing kisses down her abdomen, pausing just above her curls. Samantha 205

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held her breath, waiting, but he took his time teasing her. His hands slid down and caressed her thighs, his fingers lightly brushing her curls and the valley between her thighs. She tried to buck her hips, she wanted him inside of her. But he wasn't done teasing. She felt his warm breath on her as he parted her nether lips with his fingers. Already soaking wet, he had no difficulty sliding his finger into her tightness. He slid his finger back out and rubbed it across a sensitive spot, so sensitive that she almost screamed. Rubbing it lightly with one hand he used the other to slide a finger again inside of her. Samantha's head thrashed from side to side as she gasped and moaned at this new pleasurable sensation. She hovered on that brink again and when he finally placed his mouth on her, replacing his rubbing finger, she completely lost it and screamed. Gently he licked her while his fingers pumped in and out of her. Samantha screamed again as she climaxed, wave after wave of pure bliss rocking her body. But still he tortured her with his wayward tongue and fingers, driving her senseless with pleasure. When she thought she would die he finally relented only to replace his mouth and fingers with his throbbing shaft. He pounded her quickly, her quivering wetness bringing him to a swift climax. He collapsed beside her, his breathing just as ragged as hers. When Samantha finally managed to calm her racing heart and her body had mostly stopped throbbing, it was her turn to say, "Wow!" 206

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His answer was to grab her and roll her so that she lay spooned against him. Then kissing her head lightly she heard him murmur, "I love you." "I love you too," she whispered back with a smile and in minutes, their passion sated for the moment, Samantha fell asleep, cuddled against him, not to awaken until the sun perched high in the sky. Samantha smiled as she watched Sinclair sleep. His face calm, his usual lines of worry relaxed making him look younger and boyish. Feeling impish she slid her hand under the covers and stroked his muscled chest. He opened his eyes, his lips curved into the devilish smile she'd come to love. "Good morning, my little sea nymph," he said pulling her fully on top of him. Samantha giggled. A hardness nudged the apex of her thighs and she squirmed against it, making him groan. Even though she felt sore from last nights copious lovemaking, she felt a warmth spreading through her and she smiled back at him happily. The sound of a clearing throat found her dumped to the side as Sinclair jumped out the bed in all his naked glory to face whomever had invaded his room. **** [Back to Table of Contents]

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Sixteen An older woman stood in the bedchamber doorway, dressed in a long, dark gown, her hair tightly coiffed and an amused glint in her eyes. Sinclair, upon seeing her turned several colorful shades of red and scrambled to grab a robe off the chair and shrug it on. "Um, hello, Mother. I wasn't expecting to see you," he finally managed to stammer. Not answering she crossed the room and threw her arms around him, hugging him tight. Samantha, watching this reunion slid further under the covers. His mother! Oh god, and here she lay stark naked in his bed. What a way to make a first impression. Sinclair held his mother for a while before releasing her, both their faces damp with tears of joy at being reunited. His mother reached up a hand and stroked his cheek. "I knew you couldn't be dead," she murmured, her eyes still bright with unshed tears. "It would take more than a curse to get rid of me," he said, trying to sound light. His mother just gave snort at his poor attempt at a joke. She seemed about to speak when suddenly there was a commotion outside the door and several more strangers came tramping into the bedroom. Samantha huddled even further under the covers so that only her eyes peeked over the edge of the blanket. Her face, already flaming, grew even hotter. What was this, a public 208

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event? Come one, come all. Buy a ticket and watch Samantha squirm. Talk about your romantic morning after. Not! "Sin!" cried a gorgeous, dark haired woman before throwing herself at Sinclair and embracing him tightly. Sinclair hugged the beautiful brunette tightly and picked her up off the floor, swinging her around while she laughed in delight. The two men who had come in with her went to stand by Sinclair's mother side. The taller one, who was almost as good looking as Sinclair, smiled broadly at Sinclair who still enthusiastically hugged the younger woman back. The other man who had come in with them, stood watching everyone expressionlessly, although he did raise an eyebrow in Samantha's direction when he saw her eyes peeking over the edge of the covers. Samantha's emotions see-sawed between embarrassment and fury. On the one hand she really wished they'd all leave so she could get dressed and not feel at such a disadvantage, but on the other hand she wanted to jump out of bed and pull that hussy's hair out! Sinclair must have seen the adversarial glint in her eye over the woman's shoulder and finally ended the embrace. The tall man was next to hug him, a brief, masculine embrace, but still loving. "I see my little brother is no worse for his ordeal," he said. Upon second glance, Samantha saw he bore a strong resemblance to Sinclair. He had an almost identical face, with blond hair instead of the dark mane Sinclair sported. "Here I thought we'd be rescuing you from a 209

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fate worse than death but I see we were perhaps mistaken," he said with a grin in Samantha's direction. Apparently he'd noticed Samantha hiding under the covers too. Great, where's a hole in the ground when you needed one? The smaller man laughed at his comment and leered at Samantha, whose cheeks felt so hot she knew they had to be a burning crimson under the sheets. She wished they'd all leave. Sure, she was glad Sinclair's family had finally found him, it was after all what they'd both been working towards, but the knowing grins were unbearable. What a rude let down after such a glorious night. Sinclair came over to stand by the bed and smiled down at Samantha, but she just glared back at him. Jerk! He looked taken aback at her murderous glare and cleared his throat before saying, "Samantha, I'd like you to meet my mother, Elizabeth Griffonaire, my brother Terrence, sister Arial and her husband Demonte. Everyone this is Samantha. Now I know there is lots to talk about, starting with how you managed to get around the curse holding me here, but if you don't mind, Samantha and I would like to get dressed first. Meet us in the dining room downstairs and I'll answer all your questions, and hopefully I can also get a few answers, starting with how you broke the curse." When his mother would have protested, Sinclair said, "Please, Mother. I will be right down." Giving Samantha a sharp look, his mother nodded and left the room first, followed by the gorgeous younger woman who threw Samantha a curious look, and the two men. 210

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Still squirming with humiliation, Samantha lowered her eyes and said in a low voice. "You'd better get dressed. Your family is waiting for you and I'm sure you all have lots to talk about." She stared at the blanket, twisting it in her hands. A tiny knot of misery lumped heavily in her stomach and she could feel her throat tighten as she fought not to cry. What a mess! "You're getting dressed too." "Oh, I don't think that's such a good idea," said Samantha. Um, hello, like I really want to meet his family a second time? What's the chance they won't recognize me if I have clothes on? Sinclair frowned at her. "Why don't you want to get dressed? Did you want to finish what we were starting before we were interrupted? I could be easily persuaded," he said with a lazy grin. Samantha looked up at him incredulously. Is he insane? I just met his mother under the worst possible circumstances and he wants to make love and keep them all waiting. Oh yes, wouldn't that go over well? Hi, sorry we're late, Sinclair and I decided to fool around first. Men! "We can't make love now" she cried. "Your family is waiting for you." "Waiting for us," he corrected. "I can't face your family after this. I mean, for god's sake I just met your mother while lying naked in your bed! Oh god, she's gonna hate me," she moaned as she sank back into the bed and pulled the covers over her head. 211

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Sinclair pulled the covers away and wrapped strong arms around her. "My mother will like you fine once she gets to properly meet you." "She will not, she'll think I'm easy," Samantha said in a low dejected whisper. "My mother won't think any such thing once she hears our story. Keep in mind her arrival doesn't change how I feel about you." He tilted her chin up so he could look her in the eyes. "I meant what I said last night. I love you, Samantha, and once they get to know you, my family will, too, no matter the circumstances surrounding your first meeting." "If you say so," she replied morosely. Sinclair, the jerk, laughed. "Poor little sea nymph. I agree it was mildly embarrassing for both of us." "More than mildly embarrassing," she said arching an eyebrow at him. "Hey, at least you didn't jump out of bed completely naked, ready to do battle." Samantha giggled. It had been pretty funny to see Sinclair standing in his birthday suit, ready to take on what he thought was an intruder. She couldn't help grinning. At least he had a big sword. "See," he said. "Way more embarrassing for me. I want you by my side when we go down to face my family. We're a team now, okay?" Okay? He seemed to be picking up her less formal speech patterns very quickly. "Do you mean that?" she said looking up at him with hopeful eyes. 212

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"Of course I do," he said indignantly. "I love you and the fact that the curse is now broken and my family is back in my life doesn't change that." "I love you, too," she said. "And I want to be with you too. But do I really have to go downstairs?" "Yes," he said firmly. "I want my family to meet you." If Sinclair wanted her to be with him, then how could she say no? She'd swallow her pride and pray that his mother could overlook the fact that they'd met in such an inopportune fashion. "All right, but you owe me," she said shaking her finger at him with a mock scowl. He answered her with a kiss leaving her quite breathless when he finally lifted his head. "Will that be enough?" he said grinning. "Or do you perhaps require me to pay you back some more?" Mmm, sounded like fun actually. It took only a second before reality set back in. "Ha, nice try, buster, but you are not getting off that easy. Maybe later if you're lucky," she said with a suggestive smile. "Besides, I can't believe you haven't gotten dressed yet already and gone down to get some answers. Don't you want to know how your mother got here? "I would assume she teleported but I wonder how she managed that without ever seeing this location," he said pensively. "Well, we're not going to get any answers hanging out up here. Come on," he said swinging her up out of the bed and carrying her into his washroom. Holding her cuddled on his lap, he ran a warm bath and dumped her in. Leaving 213

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the bathroom for a moment, he returned with an armful of both their clothing. He took off the robe he'd put on so hastily and slid in with her. Samantha busily scrubbing the scent of their lovemaking off her skin, felt him rubbing the soap over her back and neck languorously. "Sinclair! What are you doing?" she exclaimed. "Why, washing you of course," he replied innocently. She slapped at his hand when it strayed under the water to her more tender parts. Not a hard slap though because she loved knowing he wanted her again. "But your mother, and your family," she sputtered. "They're expecting us downstairs any minute." "Let them wait," he said as he leaned forward to nibble on her ear. An exquisite feeling, exquisite enough that she let him nibble for a moment, but she still felt too jumpy from this morning's visitors to give in completely, tempting though he was. She tried sliding away but he followed her, his hands stroking the parts of her body that he could reach. Samantha, determined not to make things worse with his family, stood up and got out of the tub, dripping soapy water. But first he needed a lesson. Grabbing a towel, she smiled wickedly at him, time for some payback. He perked up in the tub and watched as she slowly bent over, her round bottom pushed up into the air as she dried her toes and feet. Sliding the towel up her legs, she paused at the top her thighs to look at him coyly before rubbing the towel slowly between her legs. 214

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Sinclair swallowed hard, his dark eyes watching her motions avidly. Standing up fully, she turned to face him and rubbed the towel briskly across her nipples which, already sensitized from last night's lovemaking, hardened immediately. Sinclair, having watched enough, jumped out of the tub, his arousal evident. When he went to grab her though, Samantha danced out of his hands and shook her head. "Oh no, you don't," she said, smiling mischievously, "Consider that punishment for this morning." "But..." he protested, his arousal still strong. "No buts," she said, shaking her head. "Next time you try to tease me remember it's a two way street." And with that she flounced out of the bathroom, her exit marred when she had to come back and sheepishly grab the clothes that were in there. Samantha dressed in the bedroom quickly and moments later Sinclair joined her, fully garbed and in control again. Looking at her unhappy face, he tried to reassure her. "Don't worry, this is a good thing. Just think, in a few hours we can get out of here and I'll be able to show you my home and my bed." he said with a dimpled smile and wickedly twinkling eyes. Oh god, maybe they should have made his family wait. No, no, don't go there, she told herself. They had important things to deal with first. "What about Melisante, though?" she asked, chewing her lip worriedly. "She'll know the spell's been broken and she's sure to do something." 215

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"Don't worry," he said again, taking her hand in a reassuring clasp. "Now that my whole family is involved, she doesn't stand a chance." His face turned hard and his eyes cold. "We'll find her wherever she is and she'll be made to pay for her actions." "That's what I'm worried about," she muttered. Sinclair just gave her a big grin and pulled her along with him downstairs. His family was waiting in the parlor when they came down and looked up as one when they walked in. Samantha, feeling shy, tried to hide behind Sinclair, but he gripped her hand firmly and pulled her in closer to his side where he could slide his arm protectively around her waist. His mother saw this and raised one brow but said nothing. His brother, Terrence, however, grinned widely, making the resemblance between him and Sinclair even more pronounced. Wow, his family sure were stacked with good looks, but oddly enough, while Terrence was extremely attractive, he evoked nothing in her other than mild interest. It would seem only Sinclair could make her tummy tingle and knees go weak. His mother and brother looked at them thoughtfully, while Arial's eyes brimmed with unasked questions. Demonte, Arial's husband, just looked Samantha up and down rudely and his next words did not belay that perception. "Why not let your little bed warmer go back to her duties. Now that we've found you, we've important matters to discuss," he said, blatant disdain in his tone. Samantha balled her hand into a fist and fought the urge to swing it into Demonte's smug face. Sinclair didn't seem too 216

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happy either, his whole body went rigid as he said, his eyes blazing, "Samantha stays, Demonte, and you will speak to her respectfully or you will leave!" Samantha felt like crowing at Sinclair's words and it helped ease some of the tension inside her. His mother stepped in at this point, "Enough!" she said. "If Sinclair wishes her to stay, then she stays. Demonte, you will watch your tongue." At her sharp rebuke Demonte straightened his back and kept silent, although his eyes glared at Samantha balefully across the room. What was wrong with that man? She hadn't done anything to him and yet he seemed to dislike her intently. Sinclair's sister, Arial, kept quiet during this exchange, but she frowned at her husband's obvious rudeness. Poor thing, having to live with a jerk like that. Sinclair guided Samantha over to one of the chairs and sweeping out his arms gestured for the others to sit as well too. His mother and sister sat but his brother and brother-in-law stayed standing. "Tell me what happened," his mother ordered. "One day you were there, the next gone." "That witch, Melisante, cursed me when I caught her stealing the amulet," said Sinclair grimly. "That bitch!" exclaimed his sister. "When you disappeared, we of course went to talk to her about it and see if she knew anything, and the little bitch told us that she'd broken things off with you and you'd left, vowing to kill yourself if you couldn't have her." 217

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"What?" Sinclair exploded. "I would never kill myself over her." "Of course you wouldn't, dear," interrupted his mother. "We knew right away she was lying, but the fact of the matter was you'd disappeared seemingly into thin air. If it hadn't been for your medallion I might have wondered if she told the truth." "My medallion?" said Sinclair, his brows knitted in confusion. "What about it?" "The medallions you and each of your siblings wear do more than just look pretty and identify you," she explained. "Each of those medallions were specially made and within moments of your birth, I invoked a specific charm that transferred the bond you had to me via the umbilical cord to the medallion. This bond lets me know where you are and how you are, which is how I knew you weren't dead." Sinclair's sister rounded on her mother with a gasp. "You mean that's how you always knew where we were when we were children?" Sinclair's mother just gave her a maternal smile in reply. "So," said Sinclair, "when the curse broke you could sense my location and hence your presence, but how did you break the curse? I've been trying to for three years." "Break the curse? No, no, we didn't do that, we assumed you had finally figured out the loophole in it," said his mother. "No," said Sinclair, "When you woke us this morning is the first I knew of it. I would have thought that the breaking 218

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of the curse would have thrown out some strong magic. I'm surprised I didn't sense it." "That's odd, because I sensed it," said his mother. "As soon as the curse lifted, I knew exactly where you were. I would have arrived last night but not knowing what to expect I thought it better to have reinforcements along." "What time did you feel your bond to me awaken?" Sinclair asked, his voice unsteady. Samantha flicked a startled glance at his face. What was wrong with him? What did it matter what time the curse had broken? "Oh, early evening," said his mother. "Were you doing anything special or different last night?" she queried. It was Samantha's turn to almost choke. They sure had been doing something! Oh God, please don't tell them, she prayed. He must have heard her silent plea for Sinclair didn't answer his mother and instead changed the subject. "What about the amulet? Did you recover it from Melisante?" "She has the amulet?" his brother asked in horror. "Of course she does," said Sinclair. "How in blazes do you think she managed to curse me?" His mother sighed and shook her head. "I should have known that the two matters were related, but we didn't discover the amulet was missing till much later, and I'm ashamed to say we never linked the two disappearances. So what exactly happened?" 219

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"Yes, Sin, Please tell us," said his sister. "We've been ever so worried about you and I can't tell you how happy I am that we found you again," she said sniffing back tears. "You know, it's a long story and I for one am starving and I'm sure Samantha is too," he said looking down at her with a wink. "Why don't we go have some breakfast and after I'll tell you all about how the amulet got stolen and how I came to be here." "That sounds like a great idea," Terrence piped in. "Mother dragged me straight from bed to come here and I could use a good meal too." Thus agreed, Sinclair left the room to tell the cook to prepare more food. Terrence and Demonte went with him. Were they afraid he'd disappear again? Left alone with his mother and sister, Samantha felt tongue tied. She stared at her lap, twisting and untwisting the fabric of her gown. The silence was deafening and Samantha had no idea how to break it, not to mention she still reeled from the fact that their lovemaking had broken the curse. Didn't that mean she'd technically saved him again? The uncomfortable silence might have lasted forever had Chance, who'd been kicked out of the bedroom the night before, now came sauntering in. "Oh, a catter!" exclaimed Arial. "He's so cute. I wonder if Sin will let me have him." Chance with her uncanny gift for understanding, looked at Arial and her mother before casually walking over to Samantha, meowing at her to be picked up. Samantha 220

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obliged and put her on her lap, where Chance curled up into a purring ball and promptly fell asleep. "Oh, is she yours then?" asked Arial. Samantha nodded and looking up said, "Sinclair gave her to me as a gift. Her name is Chance." "Chance?" said Sinclair's mother slowly. "An interesting name. And you say Sinclair gave her to you?" she said exchanging a meaningful look with her daughter. What was that about? "Yes. I'd told him about Christmas with my mom and he remembered and gave her to me on Christmas morning." Sinclair's mother perked up. "You're not from the Realm are you?" Should she lie? "No," Samantha replied slowly. "A book I found in my world brought me here." Arial looked astonished, her mouth a round 'O' of surprise. "You come from the other side of the Boundary!" she exclaimed. "Oh, you must tell me about it. We know very little about the world outside of the Realm and I've heard such amazing things." "She'll tell you about it later," said Sinclair as he came back into the room. "First breakfast. Samantha's still recovering from a magical attack and needs to rebuild her strength." Sinclair helped Samantha up from the chair, spilling a disgruntled Chance off her lap. He tucked her hand onto his arm and led the way to the dining room where an enormous breakfast had been laid out. Even with short notice the cook had done wonders as there were lots of steaming 221

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eggs, fresh bread and fruit for everyone to partake of. As usual, Samantha heaped her plate high and dug in. Last night's lovemaking had given her a huge appetite this morning. Breakfast conversation stayed light, with questions about the island and castle being directed at Sinclair. Samantha ate quietly, absorbing the talk around her without joining in. She was startled out of her silence though when Arial questioned her directly. "How do you manage to eat and still keep your figure?" she asked wistfully looking at the meager helping on her own plate. "I don't know," replied Samantha. "Good metabolism I guess." "More like strenuous exercise if you ask me," leered Demonte. Arial gasped. "Demonte! I can't believe you said that!" she cried. "You say you're sorry right now." "Fine, then. Sorry," he parroted, his sneer clearly saying otherwise. Sinclair sat grimly at the head of the table and Samantha reached over and covered his hand with hers. She smiled, silently showing him that she didn't care what the buffoon had said. Sinclair relaxed a little, but Samantha knew that there would be trouble if Demonte didn't curb his tongue. A small part of her actually hoped he would keep it up; she'd really enjoy seeing Sinclair punch that smug look off his face. 222

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They finished their meal with little talk after that and, once done, Sinclair leaned back in his chair."All right, I'm sure you're all dying to hear to the details of my captivity so here goes." Sinclair told them about finding the amulet missing and then tracking it to Melisante's house. When he got to the part where Melisante cursed him, Samantha squeezed his hand knowing how he hated that part. When he'd finished telling them his tale, ending with him stuck on the island, his mother finally spoke up. "Melisante has much to answer for. When we get back, you'll have to make a full account to the council." Sinclair nodded. "I fully intend to take this to council. The amulet must be retrieved." "But," interrupted his sister looking at Samantha, "how does Samantha figure into this? You said the island was deserted when you arrived and from our talk in the parlor, I learned she's not even from the Realm." "That is Samantha's tale," said Sinclair smiling encouragingly at her. Samantha, feeling shy as all the faces turned to her, managed to tell her own strange tale. She only told them the story up to her fall in the ocean and then went silent, looking at Sinclair who smiled at her and winked. "But how did you two break the curse?" asked Arial. "What did you do last night?" Terrence spoke up finally. "I'd say, judging by the way we found them this morning, that the curse was broken when 223

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Samantha and Sinclair indulged in, shall we say, intimate matters." Samantha blushed and Sinclair chuckled. To Samantha's surprise, Sinclair's mother smiled and nodded. "A love curse," she said. "Broken when the two of you finally admitted your feelings to each other, sometime last night I would guess." Demonte gave a big guffaw. "Put it to her good did you?" he said crudely then laughed at his own jest. Sinclair stood up abruptly, his face tight with anger and everyone fell silent. "Mind your tongue Demonte," he said glaring at him. "I'll not have you insulting my future wife any further." Samantha was sure her astonished face mirrored everyone else's at the table. He wants to marry me! Her heart leaped in her chest. She wanted to jump and scream for joy. She also had an absurd urge to stick out her tongue at Demonte and sing na-na-na-na-na. Childish maybe, but who cared! Sinclair wanted to marry her. Sinclair moved around the table to stand by her and taking her hand, drew her to her feet. "I hadn't meant for it to come out that way," he said sheepishly. "But," he continued, bending down on one knee, holding her hand still. "I love you, Samantha Jones, and would be honored if you'd become my wife." Samantha's eyes misted. She looked down lovingly at this man who'd come to mean so much to her and with no hesitation said, "I would love to be your wife." Yippee! 224

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Outwardly, she may have appeared calm, but inside, she was doing cartwheels. Sinclair's face erupted into a wide smile and he stood up swooping her in his arms, giving her tender, but lengthy, kiss. When he finally released her, his family quickly surrounded them to congratulate them, Demonte, however, stood to one side just watching them with a thoughtful expression. "Well," said his mother, "this has been an eventful morning and we need to get back now so we can plan not only a wedding but the capture of Melisante and the amulet. Did you need to gather anything before we go?" she asked the couple. "I need to talk to the Undines first before we leave." Sinclair said. "Well, we'll take Samantha with us while you tidy up your affairs here," said his mother. "It will give me a chance to get acquainted with your future bride." Samantha looked at Sinclair with something akin to panic. What would she say to his mother? What if Sinclair got stuck here when she left? Terrence, as if reading her mind, spoke up. "I'll stay here with Sinclair to make sure he can leave. Wouldn't want my baby brother getting lost again," he said laughing at Sinclair's grimace at his use of the term "baby brother." "Well, that's settled then," said Sinclair's mother. "Come along, dear, the boys will join us shortly." Samantha found herself being ushered out to the main hallway. She cast a panicked look back at Sinclair who smiled at her reassuringly. A streak of fur came across the hall and skidded to a stop at Samantha's feet. Chance, looked up at 225

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her and blinked, then to her surprise turned and started growling. Samantha turned to look and saw Demonte glaring at her little catter. Samantha bent over and swooped her pet up into her arms. Apparently Chance liked Demonte as much as she did. Chance stopped growling in Samantha's arms, but her eyes stared unwaveringly at Demonte. Samantha looked over to Sinclair's mother and sister who were watching the animal's odd reaction. "I'm so sorry. I don't know what's gotten into her." she said pretending embarrassment at Chance's behavior while mentally promising her perceptive pet an extra treat. Sinclair's mother just frowned a little and held out her hand to Samantha. Linking hands, she saw Sinclair's mother shutting her eyes so Samantha shut hers tight too. If his mother didn't want to see what came next, then neither did she! She heard his mother say, "Teleportus" and felt a wrenching sensation. Uh-oh, here we go again. **** [Back to Table of Contents]

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Seventeen A dizzying, heart stopping, eye clenching moment later they'd arrived. Opening her eyes, Samantha found herself standing in an ornate entranceway with a grand staircase and several high, wide archways opening on either side. The white stone walls stretched up above her, covered in brightly colored tapestries and the floor was a brilliant stone mosaic comprised of different hued concentric circles with a star burst in the middle. Wild. One minute she was in the topics, the next a fancy mansion. "Are you okay?" asked Arial. Samantha nodded. This magic stuff is so cool—teleporting in the blink of an eye. What a way to travel. Chance wiggled in her arms, wanting to be put down. Samantha looked over to Sinclair's mother questioningly. "Oh, your catter will be fine here. They're very well behaved animals and my staff is used to pets of all types," said Elizabeth. "The boys were forever bringing home slimy little critters growing up. I still remember the summer they smuggled home a baby dragon they'd found. What a mess that was!" she said with a fond, reminiscing smile. Reassured, Samantha bent down and let Chance slide out of her arms and watched as she slinked away, nose down, checking things out, turning every now and then to keep an eye on Samantha and another eye on Demonte who had positioned himself as far as he could from Samantha. 227

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"Welcome to our home," said Elizabeth. "Also now your home, my dear. On this floor you'll find the large parlor, the dining room, the ballroom, the kitchen, conservatory, the library and the den. Upstairs on the second floor we have the small parlor and the bedrooms. And on the third floor are the nursery and nanny quarters, not that they're currently in use," she said with a pointed look at Arial, who ducked her head. Sounds like someone is eager to be a granny. Leading the way, Sinclair's mother took them through one of the archways into the large parlor she'd spoken of. Bigger than Samantha's whole apartment by several times, this room declared rich. Opulently furnished with brocade settees and armchairs, it boasted mirror like wood floors and a vaulted ceiling. On the small tables and other surfaces were scattered an array of mini portraits while a large painting of an elegantly dressed couple hung over a large, white marble fireplace . Seeing where Samantha stared, Elizabeth spoke up, "That was my husband Jonathon and myself, of course, painted about 15 years ago. Such a dear man," she said with a sad smile. "He died about five years ago in a stupid accident." Elizabeth shook her head, chasing away the memories. "But that is all in the past and now we must look to the future. I need to get a list started. We've many things to do if we're going to plan a wedding and knowing my son he'll probably want it soon." "What about Melisante?" Samantha asked.

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"The boys will deal with that. We have our own work cut out for us, starting with a new wardrobe for you, Samantha." Elizabeth said eyeing Samantha up and down. "Oh, no," said Samantha. "I don't have any money so I'll need to find a job..." she trailed off as both Sinclair's mother and Arial both looked incredulously at her. Then Sinclair's mother started laughing. "What?" asked Samantha defensively. "I know I don't have any magic or anything but surely there's a job I could do. I used to be a librarian back home." "Oh no," said Elizabeth still chuckling. "I'm not doubting you could find work, but dear, there's no reason to. The family is very well off as is Sinclair in his own right. You don't need to work; the family will provide for you." "But if I don't work what will I do?" she asked. "Why, you can do whatever you like, my dear. There are committees you can join. I belong to quite a few. There are balls and teas, volunteer work. Then of course eventually there will be children. I assume you and Sinclair will be having some?" she asked. Arial stifled a giggle. "I—um," Samantha stammered. The idea of children had never occurred to her, but now that she thought of it, the idea of having a little boy or girl with Sinclair made her feel a different kind of warmth inside. What would it feel like to have a family of her own, one that didn't have to struggle like she and her mother had? But did he want children? They'd never talked about that, something she would have to rectify.

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Arial spoke up and saved her. "I'm not into the committee stuff like Mother is, but I've greatly enjoyed myself going back to school. I take a few classes at the town college." Samantha perked up hearing this. This new world would have new books for her to read and learn from, that would be a lot of fun actually. She smiled at Arial pleased with her suggestion. "Now dear, let's get you settled. I'm sure this morning has been quite a shock to you. I'll have cook prepare something light for lunch. In the meantime why don't you freshen up? Arial, please take Samantha up to the blue room." Arial shot her mother a look that Samantha couldn't decipher, but with a smile and shake of her head, she obeyed her mother and took Samantha by the arm, guiding her up the broad, sweeping staircase. Chance, who'd been roaming around the room, scurried after them and passed them on the stairs, getting ahead of them. They reached a wide landing where the stairs split to the left and right. This place is truly huge! Arial took Samantha left up the next set of stairs till they reached another landing with the choice of more stairs upward, or a corridor. Arial took her down the corridor to the second last door and opening it, ushered Samantha in. Chance darted in before them. Samantha stared around in awe. The room was absolutely magnificent, and very blue! A thick, pale blue carpet covered the floor and matched the long drapes hanging on either side of a large window. Dark, wooden furniture had been scattered throughout; a 230

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night stand on either side of the bed, a writing desk with chair and, a huge armoire. The bed, a massive four poster, took pride of place crowned with a dark blue canopy. The bed covers were in various shades of blue with at least a half dozen fat pillows strewn across it and already sound asleep on them, her little fur-ball, Chance. Apparently she felt quite at home here. Arial watched as Samantha gaped around at the room. "Do you like it? I love this room. To me, it's like a big soothing lake." "It's beautiful," said Samantha still reeling from the opulence around her. Thinking of her threadbare comforter at home, she felt like pinching herself. "Only the best for my new sister, " Arial said with a smile and to her chagrin, Samantha burst into tears. Appalled Arial said quickly, "What's wrong? Is there something you don't like?" "No-no," sniffled Samantha. "I love it, it's just so grand and you've all been so nice and—" Samantha broke off as she started sobbing again. Arial wrung her hands as Samantha wandered over to the gorgeous bed and sat down gingerly on the beautiful bed cover, trying to stop the tears. Chance, disturbed, sat up and looked at her. What's wrong with me? Everyone is being so nice, and trying to make me feel like a part of the family already. So why can't I stop crying? A furry ball jumped up into her lap, startling Samantha. Chance's big eyes gazed into hers and the catter meowed, 231

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ducking her head under Samantha's hand for a scratch. Still awash in tears, Samantha petted Chance's soft head, still sniffling when Elizabeth came sweeping into the room. She took one look at Samantha and went to sit beside her on the bed. Arial, looking grateful her mother had arrived, fled the room. "Now, now dear. There's no need for tears. I know this has all been such a shock. My family can be extremely overwhelming at times." "No, no it's not you," sputtered Samantha, hiccupping as she tried to stop crying. "You've all been so-so n-nice," she wept, crying anew. Elizabeth tsked and wrapped her arms around Samantha, hugging her tight while a squashed Chance squirmed out of Samantha's lap to find a roomier spot. A commotion at the door brought both their heads up to see Sinclair come dashing in. "What's wrong? Samantha are you hurt?" he asked, his voice laced with concern while shooting his mother a dark look. His mother answered before Samantha could. "I think she's a bit overwhelmed. All this change, and not only that, but here she is safe and we haven't even thought to contact her family to let them know." "Samantha has no family," said Sinclair coming over to take Samantha into his own arms where she burrowed her head, finding comfort in his solid presence. "Oh," said his mother shocked speechless for a moment. "Well, she does now," she said sympathetically. 232

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Samantha sobbed anew. A family! She'd always wondered what it would be like to belong to a big loving family and here she was being offered the chance and how did the thank them? By wailing like a ninny. Smarten up! She took a few deep breaths and lifted her head from Sinclair's chest. He looked at her with concern and she smiled tremulously at him. "I'm okay now," she said trying to reassure him. "Things are changing so fast that it kind of caught me off guard." "Happens to all of us, my dear," said his mother. "Why, when my dear Jonathon proposed to me I was so happy I cried like a baby for the first two weeks." Samantha smiled again, more strongly now, the tears gone, and stood up. "Thank you for understanding, ma'am," she said. "Ma'am! Oh no, that won't do at all. Call me Elizabeth." "Okay, Elizabeth," said Samantha. "Anytime you need to talk, dear, my door is open," said Elizabeth as she walked to the door. "Um, Mother, hold up for a second would you? I'd like to speak to you." Turning to Samantha, he tilted up her chin and smiled down at her. "Why don't you freshen up. I'll be right back and we'll go get some lunch." He kissed her lightly and then strode after his mother. Samantha went to the only other door in the room and opened it to find a beautiful bathroom done in more blue tones from the dark blue tile lining the deep bath to the light blue tile floor. Must have been a sale on the color. She 233

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washed her hands and face in the sink, then looked at her reflection in the mirror and cringed seeing her eyes still puffy and red from her recent tears. She patted more cold water on her cheeks and after drying it went back out into the bedroom to find Sinclair waiting for her. He looked agitated and was running his hand through his hair. What had his knickers in a knot? "What's wrong?" she asked. "My mother!" he exclaimed. "I can't believe she put you in this room." "What's wrong with this room?" asked Samantha puzzled. "It's not mine," he said disgruntled. "She says it wouldn't be proper, so we're to have separate rooms till the wedding," he said, his expression shocked. Samantha started laughing. "You're kidding right? So just in sneak in once she's gone to bed," she said gliding up to him and wrapping her arms around him. "No, you don't understand. You're in the blue room. It's right next door to hers and is already imbued with chaperoning magic so that I can't sneak in, and if I even try to come to you, or you to me, she'll know," he said, his expression woebegone. Samantha pulled back from him in shock. What? But she'd only just discovered the pleasures of lovemaking. No fair! At her crestfallen look Sinclair laughed. "Don't worry, we'll be wed quickly. I have no intention of waiting months for us to be together again, my little sea nymph." He bent his head to kiss her and as soon as their lips 234

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touched they heard the sound of a throat being cleared behind them. Arial stood awkwardly in the doorway. "Sorry, but Mother say's it's time for lunch." Sinclair sighed and Samantha sighed along with him. "See?" he said. "This is so like Mother." Samantha had to laugh. Sinclair looked like a little boy who'd had his new toy taken away from him. Nice to know he still wanted her. She knew she'd be counting the days till they could make love again. Perhaps she could find a way around this chaperoning thing. Arms linked, Samantha and Sinclair followed Arial back downstairs into the dining room. It put the one in the castle to shame, Samantha thought, eyeing the immensely long table and several dozen chairs. Terrence was seated already at the head of the table with another gentleman on his right. There was no sign of Demonte or Elizabeth. The men stood up when Sinclair brought her up to them. "My Lady," said the older, portly gentleman with a short bow. "Lord Moranis at your service." "Hello," she said, unsure whether she should curtsy or not. Sinclair just nodded at the lord. Terence spoke up, "Lord Moranis wishes to speak with you after lunch about Melisante and the amulet. Melisante has vacated her house so I've sent out runners with rewards for information leading to her location. We should be able to find her quickly." Elizabeth came sweeping in to the room and Lord Moranis hurried to bow to her. She greeted him with a smile before 235

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saying, "No business at the table. I've had cook prepare us a lovely light meal. Demonte had to leave; he apparently had some pressing business to take care of. Come now, let's sit." Elizabeth sat down in the seat across from Lord Moranis and everyone quickly found a spot to sit. The house servants carried in the food and Samantha ate quietly, listening to them banter around her. The conversation centered mostly around the gossip of the town, things that had happened while Sinclair had been gone and Samantha was completely lost. Who cared if Lady Kreegan had married her seventh husband? Or if Nelly Parker had just birthed her fifth girl? Shouldn't they all be concentrating on capturing Melisante instead? Once they'd finished their meal the men went off, leaving Samantha alone with Elizabeth and Arial. "Now dear, why so glum? You'll get to see him soon. Besides, we've things to do and people to see. Come along now. I've called my seamstress and she should be here shortly to measure you for your new wardrobe." Arial grimaced and waved as Samantha meekly followed Elizabeth out of the dining room and up the stairs to the room beside her own. Elizabeth's suite had a sitting room inside and Samantha seated herself at Elizabeth's urging. "While we're waiting, why don't you tell me a bit about yourself. Sinclair said you had no family back in your world." Samantha gave her an abbreviated version of her life. Sinclair's mother sat attentively during her recital. When Samantha had finished Elizabeth seemed sad. 236

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"Well, it sounds as if you didn't have it easy growing up. But things will get better. You're one of us now. I have to say, I am fascinated by your world. The council allows some outside things, like books and whatnot, through the portals, but I can't wait to ask you about what I've read. Some of the things in your world simply seem well, magical, like automobiles. How on earth do those work? And this new thing called computers, machines that actually think. I've so many questions and I know quite a few people who would love to speak to you about it." "Sure, I'll tell you about my world if you'll help me learn more about yours," said Samantha. It was funny. Here she found all their magic so fascinating and strange and yet the things she'd considered commonplace like microwaves and cars, seemed like a fantasy to people over here. "It's a deal," said Elizabeth beaming. "Oh, my woman's group is going to be so excited." A knock sounded just then at the door and when Elizabeth opened it several women came bustling into the room carrying baskets. "Isobel, so glad you could come on such short notice. I'd like you to meet my son's fiancee, Samantha Jones. Samantha this is Isobel, the seamstress that Arial and I have been using for years. Isobel, we're going to need a whole new wardrobe and a wedding dress. And quickly. My son is determined to wed her in three days." Samantha inwardly giggled. Sinclair hadn't been kidding when he said he didn't want to wait. Hopefully they could survive three days of being apart. 237

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"Three days!" exclaimed the petite seamstress. "Men! Always thinking with the wrong head. Well, then we'd better not waste any time." Isobel gave Samantha a brief smile then proceeded to walk around her, looking her up and down. The seamstress grabbed a measuring tape from one of her assistants' hands and rapidly began measuring Samantha, calling out numbers to her assistants who dutifully noted then in a leather-bound notebook. Samantha tried not to fidget, but found it hard with all the women eyeing her and talking about her coloring and shape. She felt self-conscious about her curvy frame that seemed so much larger than the petite seamstress's. Almost as if Isobel had read her thoughts, she said, "Such a beautiful lush figure. And those breasts... I will make you a dress that will have Sinclair's eyes popping out of his head and have all the other men drooling." Samantha blushed, but felt secretly pleased at the compliment. She didn't care about making other men drool. However, she'd sure like to see Sinclair speechless. After what seemed like forever, but was in actuality only about thirty minutes, Isobel had taken all the measurements and notes she needed. With a brief farewell, she took off with her troop of assistants, promising to deliver the first of her new gowns by the following morning. Once the women left, Elizabeth motioned for Samantha to follow her back downstairs where they ran into Terrence at the bottom of the stairs in the main hallway. "Mother, could I speak with you a moment?" 238

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Terrence looked at Samantha pointedly and Samantha quickly said, "It's okay. Do what you have to do. I can entertain myself." Elizabeth smiled at her and told her she'd be right back, before following Terrence to the study on the main floor. Samantha wandered into the front parlor and gazed out the window. The view was like something out of a history book. Opulent mansions lined the cobblestone street. People strolled along the boulevard, making way for the occasional horse drawn wagon and horseback rider. Used to busy city streets crowded with cars, Samantha found this a refreshing change. No exhaust fumes, or engines noises, and even better, no taking your life into your hands when you crossed the road. The people she saw walking along looked disappointingly human, although their clothing was old fashioned, with the men wearing breeches, boots, shirts and jackets while the women all wore long gowns in differing styles. Did the women of the Realm ever wear pants? She'd have to ask. She was accustomed to wearing slacks back home, but she didn't want cause a commotion. The feminists would be appalled, but Samantha actually enjoyed the long skirts. They made her feel more feminine. Growing restless, she prowled the parlor, looking at the various knickknacks and pausing to gaze up at the large portrait of Sinclair's parents. A pair of arms wrapped around her from behind and, startled, Samantha opened her mouth to scream. She bit it back when she heard Sinclair say in her ear, "I've missed you." 239

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Turning around in his arms, looked up at him and smiled. The world always seemed so much brighter when he was around. Eew, I sound just like a Hallmark card "I've missed you too," she said wrapping her arms around him. Exciting as all this was, she really wished they could go back to the island, alone. "It seems like I've spent all day in meetings with Lord Moranis." "Is Lord Moranis going to help you catch Melisante?" she asked. "Yes. He's got men out looking for her now, so we play the waiting game. The Realm is still quite a large place and if she's left town, she's going to be hard to find. Our biggest issue, though when we find her, is how we're going to neutralize the power of the amulet so we can capture her." "Don't you have a record of how the amulet can be countered?" "No. The dark wizard it originally belonged to died and it was found in his possessions. Don't worry, we'll find a way to stop her. If we need to, we'll get a wizard's circle together to bind her so we can retrieve the amulet. But my even bigger concern is who helped her. When I found the amulet gone, the tapestry hiding the entrance to the vaults had been moved and the door left wide open. In my haste to go after the amulet I didn't correct those things, but according to my brother, they didn't realize the amulet was gone for a few weeks."

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"Which means," said Samantha taking over. "That someone came back and fixed everything so it wouldn't look like it was gone. But who?" "I don't know and I don't like it. It's obviously someone with access to the house. It could have been Melisante but I somehow don't see her returning to the scene of the crime, which means she had help. Until we find out who that person is, I want you to be careful. Stick close to my mother or sister if I'm not around. I hate to give you orders, but please don't leave the house unless you're accompanied by me." "I'll be careful," Samantha promised. "But the curse is broken and you're free, so why would anyone still want to hurt me?" "I'd rather be cautious 'til Melisante is caught. But enough talk about her. We have a wedding coming up, sea nymph, and I'm afraid I'm going to be gone most of today and tomorrow getting the arrangements set up for that." "Oh," said Samantha. That sucks. I mean I can't wait till we get married and all, but what will I do with myself in the meantime? This place is so different. Saying nothing of her misgivings to Sinclair, she kissed him soundly and waved goodbye as he left. Watching from the window in the parlor as his tall leggy frame moved quickly down the street, she sighed. Even dressed in his city clothes his rear end looked good. With him gone, though, she came back to her original dilemma. What to do? Chance came skidding into the room and cocked her head at her. 241

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"Hey, there, girl," she said scooping down to pick her up. "I guess it's just you and me. What do you think we should do?" Chance just meowed at her and squirmed in her arms. Samantha let her pet down and watched her trot to the doorway, where she turned around and looking at Samantha meowed again. "What is it, girl?" she asked. "Do you want me to follow you? Samantha could swear the catter understood her for she bobbed her head at Samantha as if saying yes, come on. With nothing better to do Samantha followed her pet out into the hall. Chance seemed to know where she wanted to go for she walked unwaveringly through the bottom floor of the house till they reached a glassed conservatory filled with lush, green plants and bright flowers. But Chance didn't stop to smell the roses, she sauntered across the room to a pair of French doors that led to an outside garden and pawed at the glass. Samantha laughed at her pet. The little rascal wanted out. Samantha opened the door and watched Chance race out before following her. The cooler air outside felt a little brisk but not cold enough for Samantha to go back to the house looking for a coat. Maybe the fresh air would perk her up after being inside all morning and part of the afternoon. Following the neatly arranged stone paths around the large outdoor garden, she paused occasionally to admire the various flowers and foliage. Chance, now that she'd gotten what she wanted, slunk low to the ground and stalked off in search of little rodents or 242

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whatever else it was that she hunted. Samantha smiled, watching her pet, and wandered over to a bench in the garden and sat down. Everything in her life was moving so fast. She felt almost dizzy with all the changes her life had undergone recently. From her unusual arrival to the island and the incidents she'd faced there, to her love for Sinclair and now meeting his family and planning a wedding in a wholly new world. Why, just a few weeks ago she'd been just a lonely librarian in a non-magical and hero-less world. Now look at her—engaged to be married to a wizard and in one day she'd acquired more family than she'd ever known. No wonder my head's spinning, but there's one thing for sure, I love Sinclair. He was the one bright spot in all the recent events, but she worried about her ability to fit in this new world and his family where magic seemed so commonplace. Would she truly be accepted, an outsider with no magic of her own? Or was everyone just being polite and hoping Sinclair would come to his senses now that he'd returned? And what will I do with when Sinclair is out and about on business like today? Take up knitting? A multitude of questions troubled her but none was strong enough to change her mind about marrying Sinclair. Somehow they would make this work and hopefully she would find a niche for herself in the Realm and in his family. Hearing a rustle in the shrubbery behind her Samantha whirled around expecting to see Chance come pouncing out, but as soon as she turned the rustling stopped. Getting up, she peered more closely at the bush but couldn't see 243

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anything. Probably just a bird or something. She decided to look for Chance when a rapid movement from the corner of her eye stopped her. Whipping around to see what it was, she screamed as she came face to face with Demonte. With a hand over her racing heart, Samantha said not too politely, "What are you doing sneaking up on me? You scared the hell out of me." "Really," said Demonte, nonchalantly. "Aren't you skittish? I was just taking a stroll through the garden." "Well you could have said something instead of scaring me like that." "You non-magical humans are so jumpy. I have every right to be here, unlike you," he sneered. "What's that supposed to mean?" asked Samantha. "You don't belong here. You'll never fit in and you'll make Sinclair miserable. Why don't you go back to your world?" "Sinclair loves me," Samantha stated trying to sound braver than she felt. "And I can learn what I need to know about the Realm. Not everyone here has magic." "Learn?" Demonte snorted. "You have no magic and thus are useless. Yes, we do have some mundane humans in the Realm, useless leaches. If it were up to me I'd send them out of the Realm so they stop corrupting our bloodlines with their lack of magic. You really should take my advice and leave while you can," he said leaning towards her, malice in his eyes. "You don't scare me!" she said, courageous words considering how inside she shook with fear. "I think you're petty and mean. Maybe you're the one who should leave. I 244

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think the Realm would be better a place without a loud mouthed bully like yourself." "You little bitch," he said coming closer to her, eyes narrowed. Samantha wondered if she should run or call for help but at just that moment Chance came flying into view, fur bristling, closely followed by Elizabeth. "There you are, dear," she said coming to take Samantha by the arm, nodding at Demonte. "Come now, we've got lots of things to do if we're going to be ready for your wedding." Samantha followed her soon-to-be-mother-in-law, looking back briefly to see Demonte scowling at her. That man really fit the definition of despicable and it seemed her pet shared her view for Chance had parked herself on the path in front of Demonte and Samantha could hear her growling at him. When they got into the conservatory, Chance flying through the door just as Elizabeth shut it, she turned to Samantha. "What did Demonte say to you?" "Oh, it was nothing," said Samantha lying badly. "Really," said Elizabeth with an arched brow. "I can imagine what he said, something to the effect that having no magic you should be cast out." Samantha nodded. "Ignore him. Demonte is a bully. I wouldn't let anything he says bother you. He's got it in his head that all beings that have no magic should be cast out so as to keep our bloodlines pure, which is a load of rubbish. Some of our strongest wizards came from mixed marriages where one had magic 245

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and the other didn't. Demonte's own grandmother had no magic and yet her children did." "Really?" said Samantha perking up. "You mean my children might have magic even though I don't?" "More than likely any children you and Sinclair have will be magically inclined, but even if they don't have any abilities they will still be welcome and part of the family." "Thank you for telling me this. I guess I was worried about my lack of magic being a problem and I let Demonte play on that fear." "Don't apologize. It's our fault for not making it clearer to you, knowing how Demonte is. I don't know what Arial ever saw in that man," Elizabeth said, shaking her head. "I'm sure she must love him," said Samantha attempting to defend her soon-to-be sister-in-law. "There was a time she might have thought that, but I believe marriage to Demonte has demonstrated otherwise. But Arial made her choice and good or bad, she now has to live with the consequences." Samantha kept quiet. Arial's marriage to Demonte obviously a bone of contention between her and her mother was one Samantha would be staying out of. When they reached the main hallway a servant waited for them. More tradesmen had arrived to take measurements and orders. Samantha, with Elizabeth's guidance spent the rest of the day preparing for the upcoming wedding and new wardrobe. Samantha had never been so waited upon in her life. Everyone who came to the house bowed and fawned over 246

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her, to the point of embarrassment. And the amount of clothing and items Elizabeth deemed necessary boggled the mind, but Samantha kept quiet. The Realm was a different world and, determined to become a part of it, she endured the endless fittings and questions. She quite enjoyed the shoe maker though. The shoes he planned to make for her would rival that of the finest boutiques back in her old world and she couldn't wait to try them on. The next two days were a flurry of preparations with daily dress fittings, menu choices for the wedding and a host of other small details that all needed to be taken care of. The invitations that had been sent out came pouring back in, everyone eager to attend and reconnect with Sinclair and meet his new non-Realm bride. There had been no word on Melisante's whereabouts but everyone seemed sure it was just a matter of time before she turned up. With all the hustle and bustle going on Samantha and Sinclair barely had a moment together before someone pulled them apart with more work for them to do. But finally on the eve of the wedding, not long before bedtime, Sinclair and Samantha finally got a moment alone. He held open his arms and Samantha flew into them, her lips raised for a kiss. And kiss her he did, devouring her lips as if they were his last meal. When they finally pulled apart they were both panting and Sinclair smiled at her. "One more day, my little sea nymph." "I know," she sighed. "I never realized how complicated it was to organize a wedding." "Yes, well, my mother is determined to do it properly." 247

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"Your mother is amazing. She barely knows me, yet she's treated me just like a daughter." For a moment Samantha felt a pang for her poor mother. "Why the sad face?" he asked tilting her chin up. "You're not having second thoughts are you?" "No. I was just thinking of my mom. I wish she could have lived to see me getting married." "I'm sure where ever her spirit is, she's watching you and smiling." "I hope so," said Samantha. "I am sorry for neglecting one big detail though." "What did you forget?" she asked. "Are you sure your mother hasn't taken care of it?" "No, this was something I wanted to do, it just took me a little longer than expected." Sinclair got down on one knee and pulled out a small box. "Every since I met you, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you. You have to be the most beautiful woman I have ever met, both inside and out. When I'm with you I feel things I've never felt before, for anyone. I want protect you from all of life's adversities. I want to laugh with you, share life's every moment, grow old with you. I want you to be the mother of my children, all half dozen of them. I love you with every inch of my being, and would be greatly honored if you chose to be my wife." "Oh, Sinclair," said Samantha, her voice thick with tears. "I want to be with you too, everyday for the rest of my life. I want to share all of life's ups and downs with you. I want you to be the father of my children, all half dozen of them. I love 248

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you and would give my life for you and I am the one who is honored that you want me for your wife." Sinclair opened the little box and pulled out a ring. But what a ring! The band, a delicate filigreed gold with small embedded diamonds, surmounted at the top by a much larger diamond, caught and reflected the light brilliantly. Taking her hand, he slid the ring onto her finger and delicately kissed her hand before rising. "What do you think?" he asked watching her face expectantly. "It's beautiful!" she exclaimed. "But you didn't have to." Wow, look at the size of that rock! He is the most thoughtful and wonderful man ever. I am so lucky. "I know I didn't have to, but I wanted to. I love you, Samantha, and I want the whole world to know it." "I love you too," said Samantha with a happy glow. Wrapping her arms around him tightly, she pulled his head down for another kiss, but alas it was short lived as someone came into the parlor, clearing their throat. "Um, Lord Griffonaire," said the butler. "Sorry to interrupt My Lord, but your mother would like you to attend her." Sinclair sighed and with a rueful smile for Samantha, he escorted her to the stairs and kissed her kissed lightly before bidding her good night and following the butler to attend to his mother. Samantha went to her blue room and prepared for bed. Oh God, I'm getting married tomorrow. How will I sleep? But within minutes of hitting the pillow she was sound asleep, Chance nestled beside her. 249

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Elsewhere in the house Sinclair met up with his mother. "There you are, dear," she said with a smile. "A few things to go over regarding the wedding tomorrow. I thought, since Samantha doesn't have a father, that perhaps Terrence could walk her down the aisle instead." "I hadn't even thought of that," said Sinclair, raking his hand through his hair. "If Samantha is in agreement then yes, that sounds like a good idea. What else?" "Well, we've got the wedding preparations done, but what about security? With you and Terrence at the front for the ceremony who can we leave at the back to prevent unwelcome surprises?" Sinclair looked thoughtful. "I've got runners showing up tomorrow to be positioned in the courtyard and outside the house. I was expecting the house to take care of any intruders." "But—" interrupted his mother. "But what about the traitor?" Sinclair finished for her. "I guess I've been avoiding thinking about that. The thought that someone close to us could have betrayed us before and might once again..." he trailed off. "The idea of a traitor is repugnant to us all, dear," said Elizabeth, placing her hand on his arm. "But we need to take precautions. I'd like to think the amulet was all they were after, but Melisante seemed awfully determined that you shouldn't break the curse, and I have to say I'm worried she or the traitor may try something tomorrow with all the commotion." 250

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"You're right. I think I'll put Demonte at the rear of the ballroom. He can guard against any strangers trying to come in and he can watch for magic as well. He's not needed for the ceremony itself, so unless you think Arial would object to me borrowing him, then he makes the perfect choice." "No, I can't see Arial objecting. I'll tell Demonte in the morning when he and Arial arrive. Now as for you, my son, are you ready for tomorrow?" she asked. "Very ready mother. I love Samantha." "I am sure you do. She is a lovely girl. Have you made any plans to move out with her or will you be staying here? There's more than enough room." "I hadn't really thought that far," said Sinclair. "I guess we'll stay here for now." "I'll have the maids move her stuff to your room then during the ceremony. I wish your father could have been here to see you getting married," said his mother, her eyes glistening. "So do I," he said, wrapping his arms around his mother. Elizabeth hugged him back, then stepped away wiping at her eyes. "Forgive a foolish old woman for getting sentimental. I am so happy for you, my son. Now if you'll excuse me, I'd better get to bed. It's going to be a busy day tomorrow." "I love you, Mother." "I know, dear, and I love you too. Now off to bed with you," she said shooing him up the stairs. Sinclair trotted up to his room and stripping down, lay on his bed, hands behind his head. By this time tomorrow he'd 251

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be a married man and he couldn't wait. Tomorrow night, and every night thereafter, he'd be sleeping with his little sea nymph. Well, perhaps not sleeping much at first, he thought with a smug smile, but definitely waking up with her. Who'd have thought that being cursed would be the best thing that ever happened to him? It would surely make a great story for their children. Children! What an idea. And half a dozen? He'd said it jokingly, but Samantha had responded in kind. Did she really mean it? If so, he'd be more than happy to comply. **** [Back to Table of Contents]

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Eighteen The morning of the wedding dawned sunny and clear. Samantha hopped out of bed, brimming with excitement. Today she would become Sinclair's wife. In just a few hours she would officially gain a family and a husband and she couldn't wait. She also couldn't wait for tonight when she and Sinclair would finally be able to make love again. This abstinence thing sucked especially after enjoying such rapture. Stripping down, she took a hot bath, washing her hair and body until her skin shone pink and clean. Wrapping a towel around herself, she wandered back out to her bedroom and sat down to comb her long hair. Hearing a knock on the door, she called, "Come in." Elizabeth came bustling in with a breakfast tray and Chance took that opportunity to sneak out for his morning forage. "I brought you breakfast so that you wouldn't accidentally bump into Sinclair downstairs. It's bad luck for the groom to see his bride before the wedding you know." Samantha laughed, "That's just an old superstition." With a serious look his mother said, "Is it?" Then she laughed. "It might be superstitious, but when in the Realm it's always important to pay attention to those kinds of things less you attract the attention of the Higher Powers. Now you've already bathed so after breakfast I'll be sending in my handmaid Kersa to fix your hair. The ceremony is going to be 253

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held around eleven o'clock and right after we'll have a nice wedding luncheon before you and Sinclair disappear on your honeymoon. Oh, I can't believe my baby's getting married," she said before sweeping back out of the room. Samantha nibbled at her breakfast, her usually ravenous appetite affected by her excitement. In just a few hours she would be Mrs. Griffonaire, or would she be Lady Griffonaire since he was a lord? Who cared, she'd be Sinclair's wife. All too soon an army of people started coming in and out of her room with Elizabeth directing them like a battle trained general. Kersa, Elizabeth's personal handmaid, somehow managed to twist, curl and pin Samantha's hair into a beautiful up-sweep with dangling curls—she even managed to camouflage Samantha's short spot. How long ago and far away the paper shredder seemed now. They applied a light perfume over her entire body before lacing her into a tight corset that pushed up her already lush breasts, creating a deep valley. Hopefully she wouldn't drop anything down that abyss; they'd never find it again! The filmy wedding dress the seamstress had worked so hard on came next. The women had her step into it and then pulled it up and fastened it at the back. Only when they were done would they let her see the final product. Samantha approached the mirror with some trepidation. I've never worn anything so fancy. God I hope I don't look like an idiot. But the apparition in the mirror appeared anything but foolish looking. On the contrary. Samantha 254

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suddenly realized that today she was beautiful. Heck, one could even say she was breathtaking. The dress fitted her perfectly and displayed all her voluptuous curves to great advantage. The low square neckline showed off the tops of her round breasts with a deep, shadowy cleavage that would surely entice Sinclair. The bodice clung tightly around her waist, before flaring out in so many filmy layers that when she twirled, they floated around her, lending a fairy like daintiness she'd never thought would apply to her. The mirror reflected her radiant face, bright eyes, glowing cheeks and full smiling lips. Samantha felt the tears gathering but a firm admonishment from the maid about not ruining her dress had her blinking them back. Turning to the small crowd in her bedroom that had helped transform her, she said a little mistily, "Thank you." The ladies all laughed and cheered, and almost as one left the room, leaving Samantha alone with just Elizabeth. "You look radiant, my dear." "Thank you." said Samantha. "I'm so grateful for everything you've done for me." And once again she could feel tears pricking. "No crying," said Elizabeth. "This will be one of the happiest days of your life. Enter it with joy and cherish the moment. It's your day to shine." With a peck on Samantha's cheek, Elizabeth left to get ready leaving Samantha alone with her thoughts. Within the hour she would be married to a man who was not only a handsome wizard but one who'd shown himself 255

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sweet, caring and best of all, loved her too. The future still scares me, she thought, but I'm excited to be escaping my dull, old life. It is going to be so wonderful waking up in the morning next to my husband, knowing I will never be alone again. And perhaps soon, maybe we'll be blessed with a baby, one who will look just like Sinclair with dark hair. Samantha hugged herself happily. I can't wait! On the other side of the house a nervous, richly dressed Sinclair paced. "Whoa, brother. What's got you uptight? Not having second thoughts are you?" asked Terrence, who kept him company. "Second thoughts? No," said Sinclair shooting his brother a dark look. "I love Samantha and can't wait to make her my wife." "Then what's go you pacing?" "What if I can't make her happy? What if she misses her world?" a worried Sinclair asked. "Has she said anything about missing her old life?" "No, she hasn't said anything, but everything is so different here for her. I'm afraid she'll get homesick." "Ask her." said Terrence. "Although, in my opinion, I don't think she cares where she lives so long as she has you. When the two of you are in the same room it's almost sickening to watch the way you keep making calf eyes at each other." Terrence laughed and ducked Sinclair's mock punch. "You're just jealous 'cause you haven't yet found the right woman for yourself." said Sinclair smugly. 256

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"I've got plenty of women," boasted Terrence. "Yeah, but how many of them would you dare introduce to Mother?" Sinclair asked with a teasing grin. Terrence winced. "Yes, Mother. At least she's been off my back since we found you. While you were gone all she wanted to talk about is how I need to find a nice girl and settle down. Says as the oldest, it's my duty to get started on creating heirs." Terrence shuddered. "Personally I can't wait to have kids, hopefully a little girl first with Samantha's hair," said Sinclair with dreamy smile, his mind imagining a little minx with auburn hair running down the beach at the island. Terrence poked him in the ribs, snapping him out of his reverie. "Come on little brother. The guests will be starting to arrive. We'd better get downstairs to greet them or you know Mother will come looking for us." Before they left the room, Terrence wrapped his arms around Sinclair in a big hug and said, "I'm glad you found the one, little brother. I know you'll both be very happy." "I know we will," said Sinclair following his brother downstairs, ready to take the plunge into a whole new life. Samantha descended the main staircase carefully, holding her voluminous skirts up so as to not trip, Arial walked right behind her holding up her train. Terrence, who stood beside his mother at the bottom of the staircase, whistled when he saw her. "Wow," he said holding out his arm to her. "I think I need a love curse of my own. Don't suppose you have a sister?" 257

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Samantha giggled nervously at his exaggerated flattery. The moment now close at hand. Since she had no family of her own, Terrence had volunteered to walk her down the aisle and Samantha had agreed. Now as they waited for their cue outside of the grand ballroom, Samantha's stomach fluttered and her palms were sweaty. Terrence patted her hand, which rested on his arm and leaned over to whisper, "Just imagine them all naked." And with that shocking idea, Samantha started her walk into the ballroom filled with people, trying not to giggle when Terrence winked at her. Then she saw Sinclair, and all urge to giggle departed as she stared at her beloved. He stood tall and devastatingly handsome at the altar that had been set up for the occasion. She didn't really notice what he wore because she found her gaze caught by his. Those dark intent eyes watched her with love and joy as she floated toward him. When Terrence placed Samantha's hand in Sinclair's, she felt a deep calm settle over her. This is so right. The rite was performed by another lord, an old family friend highly placed in the council. The ceremony, unlike the religious ones she'd read about back home, was thankfully brief. The lord, whose name she'd forgotten, spoke mostly of the bond and commitment they were making to each other and asked all to bless their union. Samantha had a bit of a nervous moment when he asked if anybody had any reason why they should not be married. For some reason, she kept imagining Melisante flying out of nowhere on a broom, 258

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cackling evilly and stopping the wedding, but nothing happened and the ceremony went on. "Do you, Sinclair George Griffonaire, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?" asked the lord. "I do," said Sinclair in a strong firm voice while placing a delicate gold band on her finger just below her engagement ring. "And do you Samantha Ursula Jones take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?" "I do," said Samantha fumbling a bit when she tried to slide his larger matching band onto his finger. The lord said a few more blessings and then finally, they reached the last part of the ceremony. The lord conducting the wedding raised his hands and said, "By the Higher Powers invested in me and all who witness, what today has been joined, let no being tear asunder. I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." Sinclair swept her into his arms and lifted her so she didn't have to stretch and gave her a thorough kiss which she fervently returned, scarcely noticing the cheering and stamping of the congregation, so lost was she in the heady sensations of his kiss. Samantha's whole body tingled when his lips finally left hers and when she looked up at Sinclair's eyes, smoky with a matching desire, she wished they could just leave now, skipping the reception and get a head start on their honeymoon. However the social niceties had to be taken care of, so with great reluctance they parted, although Sinclair 259

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kept hold of her hand as the well-wishers started pressing forward to greet the newly married couple. But they'd no sooner started accepting congratulations when they were interrupted by a commotion at the door. Demonte who had been at the back of the room to take care of any late comers, pushed his way through the crowd, his arm upraised with a missive in hand. When he finally got close enough to the new couple he thrust the note into Sinclair's hand. Sinclair opened and read it with a frown. "What's it say?" asked Samantha. The day had been too perfect, time for the other shoe to drop. "Someone sent in an anonymous tip as to Melisante's whereabouts. They also warn of possible treachery today." "Oh," said Samantha, her elation fading as she gazed around at the sea of unknown faces looking expectantly at them. Was someone in the crowd the traitor? "Mother," Sinclair bellowed only to find her standing just behind him. "I heard, dear. Why don't you take Samantha to the study? It's probably the safest place and I'll take care of the guests. Terrence will get some men together and go find Melisante. " Sinclair's mother took charge as he whisked Samantha out of the ballroom and into the study, shutting the door firmly behind him. Tracing symbols in the air, he activated the study's defensive barriers to prevent entry by anyone. When done, he raked a hand through his hair and started pacing, his face taut with tension. "Will Terrence be able to catch her?" 260

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"I hope so," came his short reply. What should I do? I don't want to be alone my wedding day, not with Melisante loose but... Looking at Sinclair's face she knew that she couldn't allow that fear to taint Sinclair's need to be a part of her capture. "Go," she said trying to look brave. "No, I need to stay here and make sure you're safe." "Your mother's getting rid of everyone. I'll be safe. You need to do this. Until she's caught we'll constantly be looking over our shoulders." Samantha could almost see the inner struggle on his face as his desire to protect her warred with his need to capture Melisante and see her punished. She leaned up and brushed his lips lightly with her own. "Do this for us." He raked his hand through is hair, ruffling its dark waves and he groaned. "Fine, but you are not to leave this room till mother says the house is clear. And it goes without saying that you do not leave this house with anyone. Once she's captured I will come back for you. Promise me?" he demanded. "I promise," she said and she meant it. No way was she leaving this house till she knew Melisante had been placed behind bars or whatever it was that they did to bad wizards who got caught. Gathering her into his arms, he kissed her, his lips hot and hard against hers. With a final admonishment to stay in the study till the all clear, he left sealing the door again magically from the outside. 261

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Samantha paced the office, too anxious to sit down. In this soundproof room, she couldn't hear a thing and her nerves felt stretched not knowing what was going on, but Sinclair had been firm when he'd asked her to stay here till his mother got rid of the guests and to be honest her fear made her unwilling to venture out till it was deemed safe. A knock on the door preceded Elizabeth's entry into the office. "All the guests are gone, dear, so there's no need to hide in here anymore." "No word yet on Melisante?" asked Samantha. "Nothing yet, but if this tip is good we should hear something hopefully in the next hour." "I can't wait for this to be over with," said Samantha impatiently. "I know, dear. Did you want me to summon my handmaid to help you out of your gown?" Samantha looked down at her beautiful wedding gown. When she'd put it on this morning, she'd had a fantasy about Sinclair peeling it off of her. If things went well with Melisante's capture there was no reason they couldn't still have a proper honeymoon tonight. Shaking her head at Elizabeth's offer, she decided to not change yet. "Why don't you go wait for Sinclair in the parlor, that way you'll be close at hand when he and the others arrive with news. I've got to take care of a few household matters now that the wedding reception has been put on hold, but I'll be near by if you need me." 262

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Samantha followed her out of the office and went into the parlor while Elizabeth headed for the kitchens at the back. Pacing back and forth, her white wedding gown swishing around her ankles, she tried to calm the anxiety clutching at her. She hoped the tip they'd received would lead to Melisante's capture so they could stop worrying about her, but her stomach felt queasy with fear for Sinclair. What if he got hurt? They'd had such a short together and she couldn't bear the thought of never seeing him again. Chance came bounding into the room and skidded to a stop at her feet. Samantha hadn't seen her since she'd escape the hustle and bustle from the morning. With bristling fur and a wild look on her furry face, she meowed at Samantha, looking at her expectantly. "What is it, girl?" she asked bending down. Chance, of course didn't reply, but suddenly turned, growling. A scuffing sound at the parlor entrance had Samantha looking up up to see Demonte standing in the doorway. Chance bristled and growled even louder as soon as she saw him. Demonte glared at Chance, before looking at Samantha, his expression smooth again. "Sinclair sent me to fetch you. Melisante's been found and he wants you to join him." he said. "But he said to stay here no matter what. That he would come get me himself." "Change of plans. He sent me since I'm family. Come on now, you don't want to keep him waiting," said Demonte tapping his foot impatiently. 263

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"Shouldn't I speak to Elizabeth first?" she asked. "She already knows," he replied tersely. Samantha eyed Demonte doubtfully. I wonder if he's the traitor we've been looking for. It would explain an awful lot, especially his instant dislike of me. "I think you're lying and I'm not going anywhere with you." "Oh yes you will you little bitch! Silencio" said Demonte pointing a hand at her. Samantha felt a tingle run through her and opened her mouth to scream. Nothing came out, even Chance's growling became inaudible. Well she might be mute, but her legs still worked. She ran for the other door out of the parlor. However, Demonte moved faster. He caught her around the waist and half lifted, half dragged her to the front hall. Chance twined around Demonte's feet trying to trip him, her little claws and teeth of no use against his thick, leather boots. As soon as they reached the star burst on the floor in the front hall, Demonte's foot swung out and kicked Chance across the hall. The poor little catter hit the wall hard, but Samantha could do or say nothing except feel a sense of horror descending over her. Oh god, someone please help me! Demonte tightened his grip on her arm painfully and said the magical word to teleport. A dizzying moment later they were elsewhere. **** [Back to Table of Contents] 264

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Nineteen Samantha had a brief glimpse of a large cluttered room before being flung to her knees on the cold, stone floor. She let out a cry of pain at the hard impact. Well, at least I'm not mute anymore. I still can't believe we didn't suspect Demonte. But why, why would he do this? And where the hell am I? Standing up slowly, her bruised knees throbbing, Samantha looked around. She seemed to be in some kind of a tower room dimly lit with sputtering torches. The stone walls were curved with two porthole windows. The room resembled a messier version of Sinclair's workspace back on the island with books and bottles and various other junk strew about. Turning to look some more, she gasped, for there stood Demonte talking to Melisante! Samantha went rigid with shock, still unable to believe that all along Demonte had been the traitor in cahoots with Melisante. Wait 'til Sinclair finds out! Then reality set in. Sinclair had no idea where she'd been taken. Melisante saw Samantha observing her and with a big smirk came sauntering over to her. "Well, well if it isn't Sinclair's new wife. You meddling bitch!" she spat. "I'm getting sick and tired of you slipping through my traps. This time though, there's no one to save you. I'm going to take care of you once and for all!"

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Samantha straightened her shoulders. She wouldn't show this witch how much she scared her, even if she was literally shaking in her slippers. "Sinclair will find me." she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "And when he does you're going to wish you'd never been born!" Melisante gave a nasty chuckle. "Stupid, stupid girl. Don't you understand? He'll never find this place. I've been hiding right under your noses the entire time," she laughed. "And in a few hours when the moon rises, I am going to use your blood to cast a spell that will finally give me the power I need and then nobody, not even your precious husband, will be able to stop me." "Why are you talking to her?" asked Demonte. "Just lock her up till we're ready for her. We still have preparations to make." Surprisingly, Melisante nodded in agreement at Demonte's imperious tone and grabbed Samantha by the arm, hissing, "Try anything and I'll melt you into a puddle. Understood?" Samantha nodded and let Melisante lead her out the door way and down some stairs into a small room which to her shock had actual manacles on the wall. Melisante smirked when she saw Samantha's face. Like hell am I letting this psycho bitch chain me to a wall like a dog. Samantha whirled and tried to push past Melisante who with one hand on her amulet was unfortunately ready for her. With a muttered magical command, Melisante took full control of Samantha's 266

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body, forcing her to stand still like a statue. Oh shit, not again. Melisante cackled as she snapped the metal cuffs around Samantha's ankles and wrists, obviously enjoying this. Once she had Samantha secured to the wall, Melisante stepped back and smiled widely at her. "Do you like it? I had Demonte install the manacles just last week with you in mind. I was hoping to be able to play with you for a few days. Seeing you begging on your knees would have been so much fun, but I'm close to getting what I want and I wouldn't want to give Sinclair and his family too much time to find you just in case Demonte and I missed something." "Why do you hate me so much?" Samantha asked, perplexed at the level of animosity she heard in Melisante's voice. What had she ever done to Melisante? "Stupid bitch. Pretending you don't know. Sinclair was mine!" she screeched. "I was planning to leave him there for a few years, get my power under control, and then I was the one who was supposed to save him. He would have been so grateful to be free that he finally would have realized that it was me he truly loved. But no," she sneered, pacing, almost spitting the words. "You had to come along with your big tits and helpless girl routine and steal him from me." "Are you delusional?" asked Samantha, not caring if her words angered Melisante even more. After all, she was obviously demented. "Sinclair hates you for what you did. He would never have changed his mind. You betrayed him. He would never have forgiven you for that." 267

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"Shut up!" screamed Melisante. "He loves me! He's just trying to punish me by being with you. Once I get rid of you he'll come to his senses." "What about Demonte? Don't you think your lover might have a bit of a problem with that?" asked Samantha. "Demonte, my lover?" said Melisante incredulously. She started laughing. "Demonte isn't my lover, he's my half brother. My mother married young to a much older lord. Demonte is from her first marriage. He kept that family name and was raised by his father's relatives and my mother married my father. Demonte and I didn't actually meet till we were much older but when we did, we found we had a lot of common interests, namely the acquisition of power." "But if Demonte was the one who knew all about the amulet safeguards then why didn't he steal it?" asked Samantha. "Because he's a lord of position and power, we deemed it an unnecessary risk for him to take. After all, if it had failed he would have lost his position. And besides, I wanted it. I'm tired of bowing down to men and the council with all their stupid rules. I want to be free to do what I want with whom I want." Samantha shook her head at her. "Then you should have started a women's right group. We did that in my world and now women are just as powerful as men. Some of the richest, most powerful people in my world are women." "Liar!" spat Melisante. "Men always control things. But not for much longer. Enough talk. I need to get ready. Enjoy the last few hours of your life." 268

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With that final chilling remark Melisante left, slamming the door behind her leaving Samantha chained to the wall. Samantha tugged at her tethers. The manacles, while loose around her wrists and ankles, were still too tight to slide off. The chains attaching them to the stone wall extended about three feet, long enough for her to move a bit but not enough for her to sit comfortably. Yanking on them did nothing; they were too firmly embedded in the rock wall. What she wouldn't give for some bolt cutters right now. Samantha leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes, tears trickled down her cheeks. Not fair. She'd finally found love and a family but because of some power-hungry bitch, she was about to lose it all. And poor Sinclair! He had to be frantic and heart broken by now. I should be preparing to make love to my new husband right about now instead of being sacrificed by some psycho sorceress. If this is supposed to be a fairy tale world, then where's my happy ending? The low creaking sound of the door opening again had her snapping her head up. It couldn't be time already. The cloaked and hooded figure that came through the door wasn't Melisante or Demonte, and whoever snuck in, quietly shut the door behind them before throwing back the hood. Arial! "Oh no," she exclaimed, eyes wide when she saw Samantha chained to the wall. "Samantha, are you all right?" "Well, other than the fact I'm chained to a wall and about to be sacrificed in a few hours, yes, I guess you could say I'm fine." said Samantha sarcastically. "You know, I could understand maybe Demonte being involved, seeing as how 269

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Melisante is his sister, but you? How could you do this to your own brother and your family?" "No, no. You have it all wrong," cried Arial. "I had no idea what Demonte was up to. And what do mean Melisante is his sister?" "Apparently they share a mother. Demonte's father died and he stayed with his father's family while Melisante's mother remarried. What, you're going to tell me you didn't know this? He's your husband. And besides, if you're so innocent then how come you're here?" asked Samantha. "I never knew about Demonte and Melisante being related," said Arial, her eyes downcast. "Demonte and I aren't close. When he courted me, he was so charming I thought he loved me. But as soon as we were married he became distant, secretive. I knew Demonte was up to something and I tried to ask him about it but, well, he can get violent," Arial said softly, bringing her hand up to her cheek in remembered pain. "So why did you stay with him?" "He's my husband. What else could I do?" "Don't you have divorce in the Realm?" Samantha asked. "Or, you could have simply left him." "I thought about it, " said Arial. "But I was afraid. My mother and brothers had told me to wait, they didn't quite trust him, but I wanted him. How stupid would I look to turn around and say I didn't want him after all? Not to mention the shame I would have brought on myself and the family. Besides, Demonte told me if I ever tried to leave he'd kill me." 270

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Samantha listened to Arial and felt her anger fade to replaced by pity for her new sister-in-law. From the sound of it Arial suffered from battered wife syndrome and like many women caught in that situation she felt afraid and thought she was alone. But one thing still niggled at her. "If you didn't know what he was up to then how come you're here?" asked Samantha. "When Demonte told Sinclair about the message he'd received about Melisante's location I knew he was lying. I was watching him the entire time and he never received any message, he just pulled one out all of a sudden when he thought no one was looking and started waving it. After everyone scattered to go follow this supposed tip, I trailed him instead," said Arial. "And now here I am. But you said Melisante is here too?" "Yes, they're both here and planning to sacrifice me for some magic spell or other. You need to leave and contact Sinclair." "My magic isn't strong enough to do a mind call," she admitted, her face falling. "But I do have enough magic to free you so we can both escape." Arial approached Samantha and placed her hands on the manacles around her wrists. Closing her eyes she uttered, "Ouvram." The manacles around Samantha's wrists snapped open and she quickly pulled them off. Arial knelt down to take care of the ones around her ankles. But Samantha had little time to enjoy her freedom for Demonte came in. 271

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"Just what do you think you're doing," he said grabbing Arial and yanking her away from Samantha. "Let her go, Demonte. It's over. Sinclair and the others are coming. You'll never get away with this," said Arial. Demonte chuckled. "My lying little wife. Have you forgotten that I am master of this domain? Don't you think I would have noticed if you'd sent a message to your family? And we both know your puny magic can't handle mind calls. I know you're here by yourself. Spying on me were you?" he said angrily, towering menacingly over his cowering wife. "What happened to trust, dear wife? No matter. We'll take care of you just like we're going to care of your little friend there," he said jerking his head towards Samantha. Arial didn't reply, she just covered her face with her hands, her shoulders shaking. Some rescue. Melisante came into the room, now crowded with the four of them. "What the hell is she doing here? I thought you said she knew nothing," she said to Demonte accusingly. "The preparations are almost complete. Your bitch of a wife better not mess this up." "I will not allow that," he said, and with a muttered word, caused both Samantha and Arial to slump unconscious to the floor. **** [Back to Table of Contents]

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Twenty Sinclair paced the length of the large parlor, back and forth, wall to wall, his face creased in worry and his hair tousled. "I can't believe we were fooled like that!" he ranted. "That whole tip was a wild goose chase to take me away from Samantha and now she's gone." "Now dear," said his mother, placing her hand on his arm. "Calm down. We've got runners combing the city. Your brother and friends are out searching." "And I should be with them!" he cried. "No, you need to be where you can be found quickly should we receive news," said his mother. "I know this is has to be frustrating. I am worried sick about Samantha. We all are. We will find her." "I don't understand how she was taken in the first place. I thought you had the defenses up around the house?" he said accusingly. "I did," said his mother. "Which means whoever took her either knows how to get around the magic or is a family member unaffected by it." "A traitor!" Sinclair spat. "I'd hate to think that was possible, but let's not jump to conclusions. Perhaps this is all a misunderstanding." "There's no misunderstanding. Samantha is gone and someone took her." 273

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A streak of fur came bounding into the room and skidded up to Sinclair. Chance sat at Sinclair's feet, fur hackled and yowled at him. Elizabeth perked up at the sight of the catter. "What is it, Chance?" she said bending down to pick her up. "Do you know where Samantha is?" Chance yowled again in reply and leapt down from Elizabeth's arms. She ran to the parlor entrance and then turned back to look at them expectantly. "Mother, whoever took Samantha more than likely teleported from here. How the hell do you think Chance is going to be able to find her? It's not like she can sniff her trail." His mother smiled at him enigmatically and said, "Catters have special senses, and being bonded to Samantha, it's fully possible that she can lead us to her." "I thought you wanted me to stay here," he said. "I've changed my mind. I'll stay here, you follow Chance. But don't do anything foolish," she admonished. "If Chance leads you to Samantha, you wait and call for your brother and reinforcements. Do not go in there by yourself." Sinclair just gave her a cocky grin, a more hopeful one now that he had something to do. He bent down and looked Chance in the eye. "All right Chance, you think you know where she is?" The little catter meowed again and turned, sauntering to the front door, looking back at Sinclair as if to say, "Come on, what are you waiting for?" 274

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Wondering if he was making a colossal mistake, but more afraid of the consequences of not following this possible lead, Sinclair grabbed his cloak and followed Chance into the night. The catter moved quickly and sleekly through the dark streets of town, Sinclair close behind, the journey reminiscent of the one he'd taken years before in pursuit of the amulet. Following stealthily behind Chance across town, they quickly reached the city gates. The catter's path never wavered as she trotted along, occasionally looking back at her human follower. When they turned left at a fork in the road, Sinclair felt his heart start to speed up. There were only a few homes down this stretch of road, one of which was known to him. A deep dread spread through him. Please let me be wrong. They moved silently down the dim, quiet road passing various ornate gates leading to some of the older family estates until they reached the one he dreaded most seeing. Chance stopped and sat in front of the wrought iron gate leading to his-brother-in-law Demonte and his sister Arial's home. Chance looked at Sinclair expectantly. Sinclair stopped in disbelief. Surely his sister and her husband couldn't be involved in Samantha's disappearance? Maybe this was a misunderstanding after all. Perhaps they'd taken Samantha to their home as a safety measure. But surely they would have left him some kind of message? What to do now? Should he just saunter in and see if Samantha was there? Hello, just checking to see if you kidnapped my wife. Of course he couldn't do that. Maybe he should sneak in and take a look around. Caution seemed the 275

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better route, because if the catter was wrong, ugly accusations were sure to fly. Decision made, the next dilemma remained—how to get in. Demonte surely had his defense spells active. Chance looked at him with her head cocked to the side, her expression telling him to hurry up. "I know, I know, just give me a minute. We don't want them to know we're coming," he muttered. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on the area in front of him. When he opened them he could see thin tendrils of magic, like the threads of a spider web, laced across the gate and stone wall. Sinclair almost laughed in disbelief. While the weaving was beautifully dense and would repel most beings, it was no match for a wizard. Shaking his head at his own luck, Sinclair closed his eyes again and pulled his magic together before releasing it saying, "Levitus." With a whisper of coiling power, his body began to rise till his black boots hovered several inches off the ground. Beckoning to Chance who approached with dainty steps, he bent and scooped her up. Focusing his mind, he imagined pushing against the ground and rose. A dark menacing figure holding a little kitty. How incongruous we must look. Without a sound, he rose well above the defensive web then arched over it before floating down to the ground on the other side. Clearing his mind, he opened his magical senses to look around. There were several magical hot spots, but again, child's play to a man of his rank. He put Chance back on the ground, her special attributes enabling her to ignore most magical traps. She immediately bounded off to the side, 276

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following the line of the wall where trees and shrubbery provided concealment. Sinclair followed after her more slowly, hampered by the fact that he had to check often for signs of defensive spells. Better prudent, than stupid. The Higher Powers were always watching, waiting to trip up those too arrogant to think. Together he and the catter followed the wall around, bypassing the main house, and going deeper on to the property towards the back and the crumbling remains of an old keep. Demonte had declared it derelict years ago and boarded the place up, but Sinclair thought it would be a good spot if you needed to hide a kidnapping victim or harbor a criminal. Did Arial know? Had she betrayed him as well? He refused to believe that his sister, whom he loved deeply, would hurt him like this. No. This had to be Demonte. That rude, arrogant bastard. The worst part—all the signs had been there. How could they have been so stupid to miss them? They came within sight of the old keep and Chance ducked down low to the ground, looking back at Sinclair who dropped down too. Together they slinked through the low foliage till they were twenty feet or so away from the overgrown keep itself. Chance stopped and stared at the crumbling building her tail twitching, her low growl eerie in the quiet night air. Sinclair, lying on his belly beside her, looked up at the old stone keep, not at all surprised to see a light burning in one of the remaining intact towers. He'd stopped doubting Chance's instinct a while ago. The catter obviously knew 277

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where Samantha had been taken. The one place they probably wouldn't have thought to look. But now what? He couldn't send out a mind call, not this close to Demonte. That would be like raising a red flag and shouting "I'm here!" He'd send a mind call once he found Samantha and made sure she was safe. She's my first priority. And then he'd take great pleasure in taking Demonte apart. Oh, he'd leave enough for the council to punish, but not before making him pay for every little hair he'd hurt on Samantha. Creeping sideways around the old keep, he circled 'til the lighted window was well out of sight. The brambles and shrubs were thicker back here so he had no problem making his way up to the keep under cover, but the scratches were another thing. When he reached the rubble of the west side he stood up and hugged the wall. Inching along he was rewarded with the edges of a rotting wooden door. A quick check showed it free of spells, but left to the elements, it had swollen with moisture and wouldn't budge. Sidling farther along, he found a boarded over window with large gaps were several of the planks had fallen off. Moving slowly, he peered inside to check and ascertained the room sat empty. The few remaining boards hung loose and were easy to pull off. Setting them silently onto the ground, Sinclair hoisted himself up into the window sill and lowered himself inside. Cupping his hand, he called up a small light globe, its feeble light enough to make out the room's general outline. No big surprise, Chance and her glowing eyes were already waiting inside for him. 278

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With a twitch of her tail, Chance set off, Sinclair following behind. Unwaveringly, the little catter led him through the decayed rooms of the keep till they reached the main hall. He extinguished his light as they approached, his steps slow and cautious. Not Chance, she strutted right out into the torch-lit entryway. Cocky little kitty! Sending his magical senses seeking forward he saw no traps directly ahead, but neither could he detect anything else. The thick stone walls, imbued with hundreds of years of magic impervious to his senses. Chance looked at him impatiently and walked through an archway into another room lit with smoky torches. Large and filled with clutter, the dancing shadows had him twitching and turning, expecting attack at any moment. Across the faded marble floor they walked to the far end where an open doorway led to a staircase going up the tower. Chance flew up the steps, Sinclair moving more quickly now behind her. The place had been trap free up till now. Apparently Demonte thought himself safe here. A sudden scream from above jolted him into action. He bolted up the stairs, stopping at the second level to orient himself. There were two doors here and more stairs. Both doors were open but only one had light. On his way to the second set of stairs he looked into the lit room and stopped dead at the sight of manacles and a scrap of white material on the floor. His heart stopped. If they'd harmed her... Another scream sounded and Sinclair charged up the stairs, through the door at the top, slamming it open. 279

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He only had a brief look before things erupted into chaos, but one look was enough to see Samantha strapped to a table with Melisante standing beside her, a knife poised above Samantha's chest. He sent a flick of magic at Melisante and the dagger went flying out of her hands to clatter on the floor. Hearing a commotion behind him, Sinclair spun around in time to see Demonte punch Arial in the face and let her slump to the floor. Sinclair charged Demonte, hitting him hard in the chest and sending them both crashing to the floor. He started pounding his brother-in-law, his fists flying pistons. The bloody traitor! He might have killed him then and there had he not heard Samantha whimper. Leaving Demonte bloody and senseless on the floor, he got up and turned around. Melisante had retrieved the knife and held it poised over Samantha's chest once again. Samantha struggled in vain for they'd bound her tightly, only able whimper, eyes open wide in fright, as she watched the sharp point rise up above her chest. Sinclair threw another jolt of magic at Melisante, but the amulet pulsed a deep red and repulsed it. Uh-oh, now we're in trouble. Quickly he sent a mind call to his mother, "Demonte's property. The old keep. Now!" Melisante cackled. "Nice try Sinclair. That trick my have worked the first time but as you can see I've made sure you won't do it again. Now why don't you be good boy and let me finish what I've started," she said raising the dagger high. Sinclair ran toward the makeshift altar, his mind howling in despair, knowing even as he sprinted that it would take a miracle to stop the knife. And he got one. 280

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Melisante yelped and danced back from the table, cursing and flailing. Sinclair didn't waste this sudden stroke of luck, he dashed forward and, putting his hands on Samantha's tethers, used his magic to release her. Scooping her off the table, he slid her behind him and quickly drew his powers together for a teleport. But something blocked it. He watched Melisante warily as he backed slowly towards the door, Samantha tucked behind him. Melisante still screamed and thrashed, distracted, her face twisted and beet red in red fury. The reason, a little furry catter latched tooth and claw on to her leg. Melisante raised her leg and slammed it against the wall. Chance hit the wall hard, but gamely held on. Again and again, she slammed her leg viciously at the wall, 'til finally, Chance let go and slid to the floor in a furry, unconscious heap. Then Melisante turned a twisted smile on Sinclair, her hand already grasping the amulet, and Sinclair knew they were doomed. [Back to Table of Contents]

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Twenty One Samantha stood behind Sinclair watching her new husband face down Melisante. His timely rescue had been too short lived. A pissed off witch with a glowing amulet was definitely not good news. And Sinclair, that brave idiot, stood in front of her, protecting her with himself. She had to do something. I am not ready to be a widow and I hate wearing black. But how does a librarian fight a sorceress? What do I have that Melisante doesn't? How about common sense? Maybe she could do something like she had with the electrical ball. What should I do when an extremely furious, ex-lover, psycho witch throws some really, really bad magic at me? Samantha needed inspiration. She looked around the room behind her, hoping for something she could use. That old chair? Nope too heavy to throw. Some shoes? Too light. A mirror, no time to check her looks. Books, they might be heavy enough but were out of reach. Then a light bulb went off as she turned back to the mirror. Don't try to fight the magic. Reflect it. Stunned with the simplicity of the idea and with no time to waste, Samantha turned to the wall behind her and grabbed the mirror hanging on it. It wasn't too big and came off the hook easily. Tucking it behind her, she slid back behind Sinclair, hiding herself and the mirror from Melisante's view. Sinclair's body was rigid as he faced down his ex-lover. "Oh, poor Sinclair," taunted the witch. "Is my magic stronger than yours? This time I'm going to destroy you like 282

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I should have three years ago." Melisante started chanting, the amulet glowing brighter and brighter. Sinclair groaned and strained, but Samantha realized he'd been frozen and couldn't move, stuck in some kind of stasis spell. No matter, I'll save him. Taking a deep breath, she tightened her grip on the mirror and waited for Melisante to finish her chanting. Please let this work, she prayed. She really didn't want to spend her honeymoon with Sinclair in a morgue. When Melisante's spell reached its apex, her last shrieking word still hanging ugly in the air, Samantha quickly stepped around Sinclair and stood in front of him. He moaned, but Samantha stood firmly in front of him and when Melisante, with a vicious primal scream, thrust her hands forward, Samantha held up the mirror in front of her. The spell, a sickly green color, shot outward like a bullet and hit the reflective surface. Melisante's eyes widened in sudden realization and horror, but she had no time even to scream, for the spell bounced back at her. With a fizzling sound, Melisante disintegrated from sight and a shower of dust rained down onto the floor along with the thunk of the heavier amulet, still unfortunately intact. Strong arms wrapped around Samantha from behind and she found herself turned and firmly kissed. Then she was abruptly shaken. "What is wrong with you, woman? You could have been killed! You should have run!" Then he kissed her again. When he let her up for air, he spoke more tenderly. "My brave little sea nymph, here I came to save you and yet you saved me 283

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instead. How on earth did you think of using that mirror? Do you know how lucky you are that worked? " "Well, I couldn't just stand by and watch her kill you and then me. I knew we couldn't fight her magic but it occurred to me that if we reflected it maybe it would work. Besides I had to do something. After all, I haven't had my honeymoon yet." Smiling up at him, she kissed him. Sinclair grunted in her arms and drooped forward, his body slumping to the floor. Standing behind him with a nasty look on his bloody face was Demonte, a broken chair spindle in hand about to hit Sinclair again. That bastard! Samantha balled a fist and started to swing. She never had a chance to connect. Demonte's eyes widened and he dropped to the floor revealing Arial with a bloody dagger still clenched in a fist. Looking down at her husband's prone body, she spit on him. "Consider that a divorce," said Arial before turning pale and fainting. Sinclair, still groggy from Demonte's blow, managed to roll and grab Arial before she hit the hard floor. Lowering her gently, he looked up at Samantha with anguished eyes. "Please tell me she didn't know what Demonte was up to with Melisante?" he asked, staring down at his unconscious sister. "No, she's innocent. She thought he was up to something, but whenever she asked him he got angry. She got suspicious of him at the wedding, and followed him. She tried to save me, but we got caught. Thank god, you arrived when you did. 284

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That bitch almost killed me!" said Samantha, voice shaking as the shock started to set in. Sinclair stood up and wrapped his arms around her tight. "You're safe now. Thank the Higher Powers. They're both dead." he said grimly. "But the amulet is still here," said Samantha eyeing it worriedly. They really had to do something about it. "We'll have to guard the amulet better next time," he replied. But Samantha had a better idea. "Sinclair, what if we took the amulet through a portal into my side of the world. Wouldn't it lose it's magic?" Sinclair's brows lifted and his voice when he replied was pensive. "You know, that just might do it. There's a possibility, mind you that the amulet was created by a Higher Power in which case it wouldn't lose its magic, but if a mortal created it then chances are the magic that binds it together would come apart if we took it into your world where magic is absent. I'll have to ask the council's permission to try, but I'm sure they'll be eager to try anything to destroy this thing so it doesn't fall into the wrong hands again." A moan on the floor ended their conversation and they both crouched down to check on Arial whose eyes were fluttering open. "Is he dead?" she asked. Sinclair nodded at her then helped her to sit up. "Oh," she sighed. "Good. I don't know what I ever saw in that man." 285

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Samantha felt soft fur brush the hand she had braced on the floor and a gave a cry of joy to see Chance alive. She favored her left forepaw but seemed otherwise unharmed. Samantha scooped her up carefully, cradling her. "So now what?" she asked trying not to look at the body spilling blood on the floor. "Now we take over," said Terrence, striding into the tower room followed by his mother and several men. Arial stood up and flew into her mother's arms, burying her face in Elizabeth's shoulder, her body shuddering. Elizabeth wrapped her arms around her daughter and with a nod to Sinclair and Terrence, teleported away. "Where's Melisante?" asked Terrence looking around. "Gone," said Sinclair walking over to the amulet and picking it up. "I'll tell you all about it, but first I need to get Samantha home. She's had enough trauma for one day." "Don't hurry back," said his brother. "On second thought, why not wait until tomorrow to report what happened? This is, after all, your wedding night. What's left of it, anyway." "Sounds good," said Sinclair and wrapping his arms around Samantha, he teleported them not to his family home, but to the entrance way of the island's castle. "Come on," he said, sweeping her up into his arms and carrying her upstairs. "You're safe now. Sorry I've been doing such a poor job protecting you." "Oh no," cried Samantha. "It's not your fault. Demonte cast a spell on me and then made me go with him." "From now on I'm going to be glued to your side," he said as he started to strip her out of her soiled wedding gown. 286

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"The Higher Powers only know what kind of mischief you'll get into without me." Samantha gasped at him. Sinclair, the cad, chuckled. "Oh, my little sea nymph. You had me so scared. I am just happy that you're safe." "Me too," said Samantha, distracted by his hands, which now that they'd divested her of clothing, roamed her naked flesh. Samantha could feel her body getting aroused. The fatigue from the day's excitement and mishap receded as his magical touch brought her senses alive. "Hmm, I think I like the idea of you being glued against me," she murmured against his lips. "Naked I hope." With a groan he crushed her to him, his hungry lips devouring hers, starting a hot fire low in her belly. His linen shirt rubbed across her nipples. Not good enough. She wanted to feel flesh. Tugging on his shirt, he helped her to pull it off and then shucked off his breeches and boots. Naked, he pulled her against him again, his hot tongue sliding between her eager lips to dance with her own. Strong hands caressed her backside, cupping and squeezing her rounded bottom, pressing her firmly against his engorged shaft. Samantha's knees went weak and she leaned into him. Sinclair groaned and cupping her by the buttocks, lifted her up. Straddling him, she wrapped her legs around his flanks, his throbbing hardness pulsing against her wetness. Samantha moaned into his mouth. She wanted him inside her now! As if he'd heard her thoughts, she felt the tip of his shaft rubbing against her moistness before he slid it in. Still standing, he turned to lean her back against the cold stone 287

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wall. Samantha though hardly felt it, her body now a raging inferno. He started pumping his hips, sliding his hard shaft in and out of her. She clenched him tightly, sheathing him deep inside of her and it was his turn to moan at the exquisite sensation. His fingers dug into her cheeks as he pressed into he. A vortex of pleasure consumed her and she gave way before its power. She felt his hot lips sliding across the tender skin of her neck, his teeth lightly nipping her. His pumping grew frantic and with a scream Samantha convulsed around him, her body tightening in waves around his shaft which exploded inside of her. Panting, they leaned against the wall for several moments. The intensity of their lovemaking making speech impossible. Firming up his grip on her buttocks, he carried her into the bathroom. Sitting on the edge of the tub with her on his lap, he ran the water filling up the tub. "Wow," she murmured against his chest. "That's nothing. Wait 'til you see what I do to you later, "he promised. Samantha giggled at his boast, but her body tingled. How much better could it get? He showed her that night, over and over again. Samantha woke with a smile, her body spooned in Sinclair's arms. She peeked around the room to make sure they didn't have any visitors again like last time and, satisfied they were alone, she wiggled her bottom against him. She giggled when she felt his arms tighten around her, the hard head of his shaft poking at her bottom, teasing him again. He 288

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gave a mock growl in her ear before tugging at her ear with his teeth. "Good morning, my little sea nymph." "It is definitely a good morning," she said turning so she could face him. His dark eyes were soft as they stared into hers. Leaning forward, he playfully rubbed his nose against hers. Samantha smiled at him, full of love for this wonderful man. A knock sounded at the door. Sinclair sighed and rolled onto his back, pulling up the covers over them before saying, "Come in." Kaar peeked around the door and then swung it open, carrying in a large platter with breakfast. Samantha smiled at him. Food! She was starved after last night's activities, so tucking the blanket around her bosom she sat up in the bed so that Kaar could lay the tray on her lap. "Happy, back is you." he said grinning at them. "We're happy to be back too," she told Kaar. Her face fell though when she said, "But I don't think we can stay for long." Sinclair who was watching her got a thoughtful look on his face. "You know," he said slowly. "Now that the spell is gone and we can come and go freely, I see no reason why this can't become our permanent home." Samantha turned shining eyes at him. "Really?" she exclaimed happily. "But, what about your family and the fact that this place was your prison for so long? Are you sure you 289

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want to live here after that?" she asked looking at him with concern. "You know, I always liked the island, I just didn't like the fact I couldn't leave it. Now that the curse is gone, there's no reason we can't live here and visit my family. Besides now that we're married, we need a home of our own." Samantha flung her arms around his neck. "Oh, thank you!" she exclaimed, kissing his face all over. "I like your mother's house, but I really missed the island and Kaar and the rest of the tribe." "I'll have to talk to the council to see if anyone has a claim to the island, but seeing how long it has been abandoned I don't see a problem with acquiring it." Kaar who had been listening to their exchange, hopped rapidly up and down chittering happily before running out of the room. Samantha settled the tray more comfortably on her lap and dug in heartily. Sinclair chuckled watching her eat. "What?" she said. "A girl needs her strength you know, especially considering what I intend to do to you later," she said, with a mischievous smile. "So eat, my wizardly hero. You'll need your strength too." Sinclair burst out laughing almost upsetting the tray in his mirth. "You, my little sea nymph are a treasure," he stated. A knock at the door had Samantha tugging the sheet up again to cover herself. Expecting to see Kaar, she flushed instead to see Terrence poke his head through the door. 290

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"All right, you newlyweds. Enough play time," he said with a big smile. "Sorry to break up the fun on your honeymoon, but the council wants to talk Sinclair to clear up what happened last night. And we need to figure out what to do with the amulet as well." Sinclair gave a groan and turned to eye Samantha who happily nibbled on a piece of toast, all that remained of their breakfast feast. "Go," she said, waving her hand. "I'll be fine. I think I'll take a nap actually cause like Terrence pointed out this is our honeymoon and I wouldn't want to be too tired for later." Terrence laughed at the look on Sinclair's face. He threw a bundle of clothes he had tucked under one arm onto the bed before leaving them alone. "I will be back as quick as I can," said Sinclair jumping out of bed in all his naked glory. Samantha felt a rush of heat looking at him. Yummy! Sinclair winked at her and went into the bathroom. Samantha heard the sound of running water as he bathed himself. When he came out dressed, looking every inch the lord, Samantha licked her lips. Even yummier! Approaching the bed he leaned over and kissed her lightly before scooping her up and carrying her into the bathroom where he'd run a hot bath for her. Lowering her into the water, he stepped back, his face wistful as he looked at her naked body in the water. Leaning down, he kissed her thoroughly. "I'll try to be back quick, so don't start without me," he teased before leaving. 291

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It was actually mid afternoon before he made it back, his face showing fatigue although he perked up considerably when he saw her lounging naked on the bed waiting for him. "How did it go?" she asked. "I gave my report to the council. With Melisante and Demonte dead there's no one to punish so it was just a matter of stating what happened for the record," he said, his eyes hot as they watched her nude, luscious body. "And the amulet?" she asked rolling on her tummy to block his view while she got some answers. "Get dressed and you'll see." "What! Why?" she asked sitting up startled, her breasts popping into view again. Sinclair grinned. "We need to go somewhere," he replied enigmatically. "I promise this will be worth it my naked nymph. Trust me, if this wasn't important, I'd already be naked on that bed with you." "This better be good," grumbled Samantha good naturedly while pulling on clothes. "Oh, I think you'll want to see this. Come on." Tucking an extra thick cloak around her, he held her hand as they went downstairs to the front hall and teleported—into a weird cavern. "Where are we?" she asked looking with interest at the rough-hewn stone cave. An archway with a shimmery surface seemed to be the only thing there, that and an empty desk and chair. "Welcome to one of the portals to your world. Come, we've already been granted permission to cross." 292

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Samantha held onto Sinclair tightly as they stepped through the mirrored surface. Now I know how Alice felt. She gulped and shut her eyes tight. They emerged into another cavern, one stacked with crates and boxes. A young man with a pony tail awaited them. "Hey I'm Owen. You must be Sinclair and Samantha. I've been told to give you a hand if you need anything." "Thank you Owen. We do have one place to go, but first, we need a hammer." While Owen scurried off to fetch one, Samantha looked at Sinclair puzzled. "What's the hammer for?" "This," said Sinclair, holding up the amulet, which looked dull and cheap in the dim cavern light. "It's actually kind of funny. All these years we've been trying to guard the amulet because it couldn't be destroyed, the magic binding it being too strong. I told the council about your idea of bringing it over the boundary to see what would happen." "And?" "Turns out it's just a piece of jewelry over here. Not an ounce of magic. All these years of trying to destroy it and yet none of our scholars ever thought of taking it over the boundary. And because you came up with the idea, you my dear little sea nymph," he said taking the hammer from Owen and handing it to her, "now get the honor of smashing this evil thing to pieces." "Me?" she squealed. "Shouldn't you be the one to do that considering the havoc it wreaked on your life?" 293

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"I almost love the damned thing," said Sinclair with a grin. "Because of it I found you. Tell you what, why don't we do this together?" Thus the amulet ended up being destroyed, Sinclair's hand over hers as they swung the hammer and smashed the tawdry looking piece of jewelry into a pile of shards, the now harmless remnants sucked up by a shop vac that Owen pulled out from somewhere behind the stacks of crates. "Well I am so glad that evil thing is gone. But now we have much more important matters to take care of," Samantha said, arching a brow at him. "Yes, we do," said Sinclair ignoring her blatant overture. "Owen, we require transportation." "Sure thing. Where to?" "Samantha's apartment." "Why do you want to go there?" asked Samantha wrinkling her nose. "I'm sure there are things you'd like to keep. Mementos of your mother, personal items. I don't expect you to forget your past." Owen let out a whistle. "Wow, I don't mind driving you but you do realize it's about an eight hour drive from here?" Samantha winced. Eight hours in a car did not sound appealing, not for her honeymoon. Actually back and forth it made a total of sixteen hours in a car for a few pictures and clothes she couldn't wear in the Realm. "While it's very sweet," Samantha said wrapping her arms around her husband's waist. "I don't need anything from there. I've got everything I need right here and in here," she said tapping 294

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her head and heart. She didn't need material things to remember the love of her mother, she still felt it. "Hey," said Owen, interrupting their tete-a-tete. "If you want we could just box up the apartment and ship the stuff over. Well, the things that are on the approved list, that is. You can't keep your toaster or TV and stuff like that, but pictures, books and clothes are okay. We can even tell the landlord and Samantha's employer that she's moved away to deal with a family emergency." "That sounds like a fine plan. Thank you Owen," said Samantha, secretly pleased she'd be getting her photo albums after all. Not so much for her, but for the children she'd eventually have who'd never get to meet their grandmother. "Now, husband," Samantha said smiling at Sinclair and linking her arm through his. "Don't we have a honeymoon to continue." Almost quicker than she could blink, they'd crossed back to the Realm and teleported back to the island, an impatient Sinclair bounding up the stairs with her in his arms to Samantha's delighted giggles. Tossing her on the bed, he began ripping at his clothes, his eyes smoky with arousal. An arousal she also felt as she stripped. "Have you locked the door?" she asked. "Yes. Why?" he replied, approaching the bed nude, his arousal evident. "Because I don't want any interruptions this time when you take care of your new wife's needs," she ended with a squeal as he pounced on her and captured his lips with her own. 295

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Hours later, sated, they lay twined around one another, their bodies relaxed and close to sleep. As Samantha stroked her husband's chest she smiled. To think she'd finally found love and as it turned out, it was way better than any book. [Back to Table of Contents]

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Epilogue Samantha clutched her tummy a little queasily when they finished teleporting to Sinclair's family home. Sinclair, who still held her, looked down at her with concern. "Are you all right?" he asked. "Oh yes, better already," she said straightening. Maybe she'd eaten too much this morning for breakfast. It was hard though when cook made such fantastic food and she'd been so hungry lately. Why, she'd even come down last night after Sinclair fell asleep to scrounge in the pantry for some leftovers from dinner. Sinclair curved an arm around her waist and together they walked into the parlor to greet Elizabeth who rose from her seat when she saw them. "Oh good, you're already here," she said beaming at them. "Come now, we mustn't be late, we've an appointment to keep." Samantha looked at Sinclair who shrugged his shoulders, apparently having no idea what his mother was up to either. They followed her to the foyer where the butler appeared, holding out her cape and gloves. She put them on and, still beaming that unusually wide smile, she ushered them out the front door. "Okay, mother, just where are you taking us that has you smiling?" asked Sinclair, unable to contain his curiosity. Samantha wondered too. They'd gotten a note two weeks ago from his mother telling them both to show up today at a 297

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specific time, but she hadn't included a reason. Of course they came, only to find Sinclair's usually serious and proper mother grinning like a madwoman. As they walked the streets towards the downtown core, she greeted passing acquaintances, Sinclair and Samantha echoing her. She spoke not a word to them, just walked briskly. Samantha tugged Sinclair's sleeve and he bent down so she could whisper in his ear. "Has somebody cast a spell on her?" "Nope, her aura's clean," he said whispering back. "First thing I checked. She's acting awfully strange though." "I'm not crazy, you two! And my hearing is still excellent by the way," Elizabeth exclaimed turning to give them a sharp look. But her huge smile quickly returned and Sinclair rolled his eyes at Samantha. Elizabeth abruptly stopped on the sidewalk announcing, "We're here." The "here," turned out to be a jewelry shop which according to the sign specialized in personalized magical amulets. Samantha followed Sinclair and his mother inside. Once in the store the shopkeeper, a wizened and shriveled little man scurried forward bowing. "Lady Griffonaire, so nice to see you, so nice," he gushed before turning to Samantha. "You've brought the young lady then have you? Very good, yes good. Please be so kind as to be seated," he said waving to some chairs and a love seat set in a semicircle in the back. "I will fetch our little surprise and return in a but a moment." The funny little man scurried off, quicker than his looks would have led one to believe. 298

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Sinclair turned to his mother saying, "Mother, I thought you said we couldn't get Samantha a medallion because we hadn't been present for her birth. I take it you've found a way around that?" "What? Oh, no, no. Afraid they can't make her a medallion like you wear, my son. No, this is something different. You'll see, Master Ivorn should be back momentarily. I was so happy he agreed to take this on; he's a very busy man you know, very much in demand," she added, grinning inanely and now also chuckling to herself. Samantha wanted to laugh at the look on Sinclair's face. Curiosity had him in its grip and his mother's actions were just making it worse. She was afraid he might burst and start shaking his mother for answers when the little shopkeeper came scurrying back to them from wherever he'd fled to in the shop holding a long wooden case in his hands. Laying the wooden box on the table in the center of the circle, they all crowded forward to see as he reverently opened the box to reveal its contents. "Fine work, yes very fine. Two medallions, as Lady Griffonaire ordered. Ready to be bonded," babbled the old shopkeeper Both Samantha and Sinclair stared in confusion at the contents of the box. Nestled inside it were two gold medallions like Sinclair's, each engraved with the family crest. Samantha picked up the one on the left and Sinclair the right. They flipped them over to see the names engraved on them. The medallion Samantha held said Eliza Breanna Griffonaire, and when she looked over at Sinclair's she saw it had the 299

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name George Jonathon Griffonaire. Still puzzled they looked at his mother, who gave them an exasperated sigh. "You nitwits. You're pregnant!" she exclaimed. "Pregnant," said Samantha slowly echoed by a shocked Sinclair. "Yes, you're pregnant. I'm going to be a grandma." she said, her face beaming. "Are you sure, Mother? I mean don't you think I would noticed if my own wife was pregnant?" He stopped and looked at Samantha. "Oh my god, you are pregnant. That explains why you were queasy when we teleported over and why you've been eating even more than usual." Pregnant! Samantha knew that happened obviously. After all she'd read about it enough, but to have it happen to her was mind-numbing. The medallion in Sinclair's hand glinted and Samantha was afraid of the answer but asked. "Why are there two?" Sinclair groaned and ran his hand through his hair "Oh no, we're having twins!" Elizabeth broke into peals of laughter as the poor shocked couple stared in disbelief at each other. Sinclair and Samantha both started laughing along with her. Sinclair standing up, pulled Samantha up from her seat and hugged her tightly before kissing her soundly. When he finally stopped kissing her they turned to his mother and asked, "How did you know?" "Well, considering how much time the two of you spend in the bedroom," she said, "it was only a matter of time before it happened so I've been keeping an eye on Samantha and on 300

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your last visit, well, let's just say it was obvious to someone who's had children. But I must say, twins and both of them already showing signs of magic. This should be interesting!" she cackled. Sinclair groaned again and slapped his forehead. "What?" asked Samantha. "My parents told me stories of the mischief we got into when we were really young and not in control of our powers. Let us say it can be messy and at times challenging." Samantha groaned too, visions of flying dirty diapers entering her mind. "Never fear, well make sure you have the best nannies the Realm can offer, and don't forget your family will be around to help you. Now come, this has been quite a shock I'm sure and it was naughty of me to announce it this way." Leading the way Sinclair's mother swept out of the shop, the now grinning couple right behind her. As they walked hand in hand, already making plans to create a nursery and other changes in the castle, they were startled when something small and furry whipped through Elizabeth's feet. Sinclair quickly bent down and scooped up a little black mouse, the poor thing shaking and trembling in Sinclair's hand, the reason soon apparent as a shadow swept over them. A hawk, by the looks of it, trying to make the little mouse its next meal. The bird banked and with a loud screech broke off its dive and pumped its large wings, flying away.

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Samantha was startled to hear a squeaky, "Thank you." Sinclair seemed equally nonplused and bent to put the little mouse back down. A misty blurring occurred where the mouse was and suddenly a beautiful young woman stood before them, one who bore a startling resemblance to Samantha, actually she appeared identical to her but with dark hair instead of auburn. Samantha and the strange young woman stared at each other in shock. "Who are you?" they asked in unison, their voices uncannily alike. Sinclair looked in confusion at the two almost identical women. Samantha had said she was an only child but the resemblance between them was too strong to be a coincidence. "This is my wife, Samantha, she's only recently come to the Realm from over the Boundary." he said answering for Samantha who seemed to be tongue tied. Looking startled at this claim, the woman looked Samantha over. "I'm Breanna," she said. "Breanna Jones from the northern part of the Realm." "Oh my God!" exclaimed Samantha. "My mother's name was Breanna Jones." "Who are your parents?" Elizabeth asked Breanna, her voice thoughtful as she too stared at the two women. "My father is Samuel Jones. I never knew my mother, she left when I was a baby. My father named me after her," she 302

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replied, looking at Samantha with troubled eyes. "I think I need to have a talk with my father." And with that, Breanna, shifted into a small, dark haired fox and trotted away, quickly lost from sight. "Sinclair!" exclaimed Samantha clutching his arm. "We have to find her." "We will," said Sinclair looking at his wife with a thoughtful eye. "I have a feeling she'll be back now that she's found her sister. And I would wager that we'll also be meeting your father soon." "Sister? Father?" Samantha eyes got big as saucers. "You don't think it's a coincidence then?" "There are no coincidences in the Realm. It would seem the Higher Powers have not yet done playing their game. But come, my love, these things will sort themselves out, I promise. In the meantime we have preparations to make." "Oh my, the babies," she said patting her tummy. "Oh Sinclair, we're going to be parents." Sinclair didn't reply, just gathered her in his arms and kissed her tenderly. Samantha clutched at him, excitement at the future filling her. She'd taken a chance, and now found herself with more love and family than she'd ever imagined possible. Maybe even a father and sister. The future was looking bright and as she and Sinclair made their way back home, she couldn't wait to see what else Chance would bring her way. Elsewhere in the Realm, a little dark haired fox stopped running and shifted back to human shape. 303

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Without knocking, Breanna entered the decrepit looking tower looking for her father. She found him in his workshop talking to a rounded, beaming peddler. "Father! The most extraordinary thing has happened!" she started saying but her father interrupted her. "Breanna, this traveler says he's got something for you." "But..." she said eager to tell him about her morning. "Breanna," said her father sharply. "Your news can surely wait. This gentleman has been waiting all morning for you." Sighing, Breanna held her tongue and reached out to take object the traveler was handing her. As soon as she touched it, she felt a shock run through her hand and almost dropped the item. What happens next, though, is a tale for another day. Stay tuned for Breanna's upcoming adventure as she gets caught up in Chance's Game. **** [Back to Table of Contents]

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About Eve Eve Langlais was born in British Columbia, but being a military brat, resided in quite a few provinces before settling down with her family in the historic town of Bowmanville, Ontario. Happily married for ten years now and the mother of three active children, this mid thirties woman is both a stay at home mom and full time webmistress. Somehow she finds the time to write romance, fulfilling a lifelong dream of writing. Visit our website for our growing catalogue of quality books. www.champagnebooks.com ****

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