~

 

Julian had deposited a weakened Morgana at her bequest next to Nathaniel and had turned his attention towards the battle of the light and dark witches that ensued behind him…

Three against one as Morgana joined her magic with Daniella’s and Jessica’s, and yet still the dark witch was standing.

Julian pushed up into the treetops and raced from one thick branch to the next. He dropped down behind Amber, taking something of a sideswipe from the white witches magic, and reached up to grip Amber’s head on both sides – one twist and she dropped to the earth at his feet…

“My strength and stealth beats your magic … checkmate.” Julian announced with glee…

“Okay, smartass, but I suggest you get the hell out of there, or that’s where you’ll be heading…” Jessica said, but Julian didn’t move…

His attention was on Nathaniel as he fed from Morgana … but the sound of tortured souls greeted his ears and snatched his attention back to the darkness that was swirling up from the earth all around him…

A heartbeat later and he’d been hit in the chest by someone’s magic that had sent him flying backwards through the air as the beasts of hell came to claim one of their own.

“Appreciate it,” Julian bit out again the fleeting pain, and Jessica snorted at him.

“Try listening next time…” She muttered.

Julian pushed up to his feet and stalked towards Nathaniel.

“Next time?” He grinned at the witch, before reaching over and punching Nathaniel as hard as he could in the face, knocking the man out and making Morgana bit down on the pain of the man’s fangs being ripped from her flesh…

“What the hell?” Daniella bit out…

“He had a lust for the taste of her blood – not his fault – but he would probably have drained her dry…” Julian said. “And Morgana has my blood in her veins – she’ll heal.”

“Give a girl some warning…” Daniella hissed.

“It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than to explain…” Julian grinned.

 

~

~

~

 

Morgana walked into Maxi’s parlour and waited for the seer to appear … when she did; there was a smile on her lips like she’d been expecting her.

“Sit…” Maxi said, motioning to the seat opposite her own as she took her place at the table.

“Do we have to go through this again…?” Morgana asked, but Maxi reached for the cards within the box and raised just one eyebrow back at the witch.

“Tell me it’s not why you’re here…”

Both women eyed each other for a long time, before Morgana blinked first, and bit down on her need to fess up.

“Fine…” she bit out begrudgingly.

“I said he would be your downfall…” Maxi reminded her as she started to cut the deck before laying them down in a fan on the table between them…

“And my saviour, both was true. I don’t want another reading…”

Maxi looked surprised at that one.

“Sure?”

“Certain.”

“Then why are you here, Morgana?”

“I don’t want a new reading – I want you to tell me the last one.”

“The bits you didn’t want to know?”

“Yes,” Morgana acknowledged where the fault lay between them.

“You’re in for one hell of a ride.” Maxi said, nodding towards the cards and Morgana frowned down at them…

“Meaning?”

“You know what a blood tie with a vampire means as well as anyone else, Morgana. I do not need to spell it out for you.”

“Anything … more?” Morgana said – reaching out her hand tantalisingly over the top of the cards and hesitating as she brought her eyes up to Maxi’s … the seer leaned in as if to whisper a truth…

“Turn the card, Morgana.”

“Just a little hint…”

“Turn the card, Morgana.”

“A clue…” Morgana bit down on her need to curse out a few home truths about how damn annoying the woman could be.

“Turn the card…”

“Morgana … yeah, I heard that somewhere before…” Morgana groaned.

Her fingers twitched as she let destiny guide her into revealing what it wanted her to know…

“It’s already written in your future – you know it – I know – the cards know it – turn the damn card, Morgana…”

She flicked it with her fingernail, as if not really touching it wouldn’t make it real … it flicked up and landed paint side up – staring at her like doom and destruction right there on the table…

Morgana groaned…

Maxi pressed her lips together and sat back against the chair.

Both women stared down at the picture of the man and woman wrapped around each other in an embrace…

“The Lovers…” Morgana twitched her nose at the card…

“The Lovers…”

“It doesn’t have to be…”

“You know that you’re his one true mate.”

“Don’t say it like that…” Morgana groaned…

“He’s your fated mate…”

“That’s not good either…”

“It’s not just your blood that he’s going to stalk you for…”

“Still didn’t wanna hear it…”

“You’re going to be rubbing more than your noses together…” Maxi cracked a smile and Morgana groaned…

Yes, the man is sexy…

Yes, the man can – on occasion – make my toes curl in a good way…

Yes, I knew when I let him feed that he’d want my blood…

But… but … but…

“The man’s a ho…” Morgana groaned…

“Not anymore…” Maxi grinned.

“Don’t…” she shook her head.

“Now he is totally devoted to you…” Maxi couldn’t help herself.

“Maxi, I think you’re enjoying this a little bit too much…”

“You want another card?”

“No.”

“I think you should…”

“What’s it going to say …? Babies – I think not.” Morgana sighed.

“You don’t want babies…”

“That’s lucky then…” Morgana pushed up to her feet…

“Sit…”

“Bite me…”

“That’s what Nathaniel is for, no?”

“Don’t use my tone back at me.” Morgana grumbled.

“Then take another card…”

“Not this side of forever…”

“Be careful, Morgana … danger is still out there.” Maxi warned.

“What? No happily ever after? There’s a damn shocker.” Morgana grumbled.

“Come back when you want to know more…” Maxi said as Morgana stalked towards the door.

“I’ll pass.” Morgana tossed back over her shoulder, and as the door closed behind her; Maxi sighed.

“No, you’ll be back.”