Spellfire Hearts 2 [Anthology]

Spellfire Hearts 2

MIDNIGHT SHOWCASE Erotic-aah Digest Vol. 07-03

SPELLFIRE HEARTS 2

MIDNIGHT SHOWCASE www.midnightshowcase.com

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Spellfire Hearts 2 Published by Midnight Showcase PO Box 300491 Houston, TX 77230 USA www.midnightshowcase.com Constant Cravings, Copyright  2007 Bev Haynes Purrly…Gnome Magic, Copyright  2007 Jewel Adams Endless Love, Copyright  2007 Juilette Ashton That’s Normil for Spellfire, Copyright  2007 Bridghid Parkinson Sweet Freckles, Copyright  2007 Starla Malone **** Names, characters, and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher. 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. ISSN 1555-5496 Vol. 07-03 Credits Editors: Bridghid Parkinson & Jewel Adams Copy Editors: Bridghid Parkinson & Jewel Adams Format Editor: Jewel Adams Cover Layout: Bridghid Parkinson Printed in the United States of America

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Spellfire Hearts 2

WELCOME TO SPELLFIRE, TEXAS! Spellfire is a very unusual town in that its inhabitants are mostly made up of hot-blooded paranormal beings and some unusual normals. If a tourist comes in, there is a spell about the town that keeps others from knowing it right away. A newcomer might think it is a regular country city, unless he or she can see through the protection spell, or is accepted as belonging there by Spellfire, or is a paranormal creature/being who finally sees what the place really is. Be sure to visit each Spellfire Digest and meet these intriguing residents in our ongoing Spellfire Series! Spellfire Sinful Sundaes Spellfire Seasons Spellfire Hearts Spellfire Moons Spellfire’s Harvest of Heroes Spellfire’s Commemorative Issue Spellfire Sinful Sundaes 2 Spellfire Seasons 2 A Spellfire Evening Spellfire Hearts 2 You won’t be disappointed! http://midnightshowcase.com/spellfireseries.htm

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Spellfire Hearts 2

Spellfire Hearts 2 Constant Cravings by Bev Haynes Psychic healer, Coreena Martinez’ life in Spellfire, TX is about to change as sexy Tomas illuminates the path to his heart and to the other side.

Purrly…Gnome Magic by Jewel Adams Molly’s move and new start begins the moment she conks Karl Novac over the head. Can a gnome find true love with—a cat shifter?

Endless Love by Juilette Ashton Dell’s fears his Angel will never adjust to life in Spellfire. Shellena loves Dellance, yet knows she must prove herself worthy to the wolf in Dell.

That’s Normil for Spellfire by Bridghid Parkinson Abby ran for Mayor against her brother Perry, but disappeared before the election. Rumors of foul play abound in Spellfire, but her fiancé still searches.

Sweet Freckles by Starla Malone Kisses from Terra Dapples left their mark on Willie Sphinx, Earth Sorcerer. Can he find a cure for the chaos of loving a Freckle Fairy?

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Spellfire Hearts 2

Constant Cravings by Bev Haynes Psychic healer, Coreena Martinez’ life in Spellfire, TX is about to change as sexy Tomas illuminates the path to his heart and to the other side.

Visit Bev at her blog… my.opera/booksbybev

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CONSTANT CRAVINGS By Bev Haynes CHAPTER ONE Psychic healer Coreena Martinez lifted the sage smudge stick from the large conch shell filled with white sand and lit the end with a wooden match stick. The dried leaves caught fire and spread the heat to the heart of the stick evoking the magical call to cleanse. Corey blew out the fire and the smoke rose in a large spiral toward the ceiling of the healing room at Scared Spaces, her newly opened healing and massage center. As the smoke billowed, it formed into a shape near the corner of the room. Fighting back an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach, Corey called out to the spirit, “Anything not from God be gone.” She then crossed herself with the familiar movement she learned at her mother’s side as a child. Raised a Catholic Christian, she combined being a spiritual medium and healer with faith. This combination drove her from the border town she called home for twenty-three years and brought her to Spellfire, Texas. Apparently, the shadow wasn’t going to harm her because it still remained there. This wasn’t the first time she confronted this shape. Something about it screamed male and now, she suspected this entity followed her here to Spellfire. Boy did he feel like a man. Waves of sexual desire poured over her body. She felt the coil for sexual release tightening in her core, she wasn’t afraid, but it became unsettling. Why was he here? As she watched, the filmy shape became more distinct. It definitely looked like a man, a very handsome one at that. He stood tall and lean. As the shadow began to clear, she saw black, collar length hair, dark eyes, full lips that took her breath away. A ghost? A spirit? Her soul mate in spirit form? She hoisted herself onto the massage table in the middle of the room and just stared at him. He moved closer to her, causing the vibration in the room to rise and

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Spellfire Hearts 2 her skin to feel as if electric shocks surrounded her body and gently touched her. “What do you want?” You. Corey hadn’t seen his lips move, only the word shriek through her mind. If he could read her mind, he would find that she wanted him as well. Desperately. “How do you plan to do that? And say, who the heck are you anyway?” He shook his head and, as suddenly as he appeared, he began to fade away. Her heart squeezed painfully in her chest. This life of hers was so darn lonely. Only a couple of weeks from Valentine’s Day and she still had no one in her life to love. When her sexy visitor disappeared, Corey hopped off the massage table. Shocked, she felt the moisture puddled between her legs. That man certainly could arouse her, but then it had been months and months since she made love to anyone, what did she expect anyway. Actually, she felt afraid to love anyone. How could she handle “knowing” scary things about her lover? What if he cheated on her, or fell out of love with her? No, she would just keep her distance from men. The past three months she’d been in Spellfire, her share of men invited her out, but there was just something odd about the men around here. They didn’t “click” with her. Certainly, she couldn’t read them, but the feeling she did get said that they had huge holes in their hearts. Nothing warm to wrap her arms around. “Yeah, right, Corey, like your ghost man in the corner!” She spoke aloud, shaking herself from her painful thoughts. What a delusional woman! She needed to have a ghost make contact with her heart, and boy did he. She never felt so much warmth from…smoke! All she wanted to do was her healing. That would satisfy her and make her life worthwhile. At a young age, she became fearful and apprehensive when suddenly she “knew” things before they happened. Her bother Benito was two years older than her young five years when she awoke screaming in the middle of the night. Her mother rushed into the bedroom and held Corey as she sobbed into her mother’s welcoming embrace. After much coaxing, she choked out the dream where she saw Benito huddled in a corner of a burning room. Her mother calmed her, but the worried look on her face did nothing to halt Corey’s deep fear that the dream was more than just a nightmare. Suddenly, she heard a pounding at the front door and mother loosened her embrace, looking at Corey with a deep, somber stare. “To sleep with you little one. I’ll get the door and come right back.” Corey somehow “knew” a policeman would stand behind the battered old door. She crept to the hallway and watched as her mother collapsed to

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Spellfire Hearts 2 the floor in shock and tears. Benito died at his father’s house that night and Corey witnessed it. That proved to be her first experience, but not her last. It did become easier to see the unseen, but there were times she would give nearly anything to be normal. Dragging her attention back to the present, Corey spoke out loud, hoping the entity still lurked in the corner. “Please, tell me who you are and why you have followed me here.” No reply circled in her mind. Smiling, she walked to the door, clicked off the light at the switch and closed the door. She’d had enough for this day! **** Early the next morning, Corey just finished pouring her first cup of coffee as the telephone’s jangled shrill echoed in the small living room. She was fortunate to have the apartment directly above her business. Taking a sip of the hot liquid as she walked the short distance to the phone, she answered, “Corey here.” “Coreena, I have a date for you to auntie Lillia’s Valentine Day bash.” She groaned inside herself while pasting a smile on her face, a trick she learned early in life. You just can’t sound unhappy, or upset when you smile. “Chissie, I don’t want to go out with anyone. I’ve told you that several times now.” An indignant response greeted her. “But you have to, Corey! For your business. Everyone in town wants to meet you. They’ll come in for appointments after they meet you.” “But…” “No buts. That’s the way it works around this town.” Chissie was the first person to befriend her when she moved to Spellfire. “So who’s my date supposed to be?” “Really?” Chissie cried, “You’ll really go?” “Now, that depends. Who did you hook me up with?” Chissie hesitated then said, “It’s…Dom DeLord. He’s the most sought after, sexiest man in town. He’s nearly as new around here as you are, so I thought he would be a good fit for you, you both are stunning people.” Coreena didn’t know what to say. He really was a beautiful man. Glistening blonde hair, startling blue eyes…everything a girl could want, but… Something about him just didn’t set right; he made her feel queasy. New as she was here in Spellfire, she’d heard around that all the women were throwing themselves at him. “So how did you pull off that one?” “Actually, he came to me. He asked if you had a date to Lillia’s party. He knew we were friends.” Corey dropped into her chair and put her feet on the ottoman. “Well that hasn’t happened since high school.” This time her smile was real.

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Spellfire Hearts 2 Possibly, it wouldn’t be so difficult for her to attend the party. Something bugged her though. Why was Dom DeLord seeking her out? As far as she knew, she’d only seen him at a distance. Shaking off the uneasy feeling, she and Chissie discussed what to wear and where the best place in town would be to buy their new party dresses. By the time the conversation ended, Corey felt good about the party. Meeting Dom would be the hard part. Why was he so interested in her, anyway? It didn’t take long, only a minute, for the anticipation to dissipate. Sighing, she went into the bedroom to get dressed. The room bordered the stairway leading down to the shop and on down to the basement area under the shop. Since so few places in Texas possessed a basement, at least she wouldn’t have to worry about the huge storms during the summer. Dropping her robe, she reached for her clothing just as a shadow formed in the corner. Seemed her spirit had something for corners. He always showed up that way. Grabbing the robe from the floor, she pulled it up and around her as quickly as it dropped. “We meet again,” Corey said. Her voice quiet and filled with bitterness at the intrusion. “I wish you would knock before entering my room. This is a sheer invasion of my privacy.” The shadow seemed to bend at the waist in a bow, then disappeared. Corey shook her head in amazement. Not knowing if she wanted to bathe or just get dressed at this point, she opted to stay in her robe. She didn’t have an appointment for two hours. Suddenly, she heard a taping at the door. She swallowed past the lump of fear in her throat. Before she’d always blown off these sounds made by this ghost or whatever he was. Steeling herself for the worst, she offered, “Come in.” The shadow man entered. He no longer looked transparent, but a full-bodied man. Tall, dark and handsome. “I suspect you have been following me around,” Cory chided. “So, why are you showing yourself to me now…like you are doing at this moment?” A quick sob caught in her throat. This was very upsetting. All her life she’d been trying to escape from all this…supernatural stuff…and just when she felt free from it all, this man came back in her life. He shook his head and took on this look that told her that he felt sorry for her, sorry for distressing her. I can tell you very little. His words rolled lushly through Coreena’s mind. I’m not supposed to show myself to you, my love, nor make contact with you, but I always have, from when we were little. I was the friend you secretly played with when we were both five. And through our teenage years, I was the one you talked to alone in your room. I’ve always been there for you, and I’ll be here now. Watching, waiting to

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Spellfire Hearts 2 help you. Coreena remembered. This was still that same person? “Then how can I deny you access to my room now? You’ve seen all of me then. You are free to be here with me. Free to protect me.” Corey wondered what he had to protect her from in this quiet, nearly boring town. He began to fade. “Oh please, before you go—can you tell me your name?” “Tomas.” He tipped his head, then disappeared. “Tomas,” she spoke aloud…the sound rolled from her lips and etched a picture in her mind. Her Tomas. A guardian angel, then? If he had been with her that long, surely that’s what he must be. Corey finished her morning routine then went down to the shop. With an hour remaining before her first client of the day, she checked her supplies and grabbed an armload of towels, sheets and thick robes to wash down in the laundry room in the basement. Her arms were full, but with a free hand, she took the bottle of massage oil from its shelf so she could refill it from the large pump bottle. As she sat the bottle on the shelf, it fell off and rolled to a dark corner. Coreena didn’t notice that the wall didn’t stop it, but the bottle kept rolling through the wall and on to the other side. With the white towels and robes in the washer, she turned to fill the bottle. It wasn’t there. She looked on the floor, behind the washer, everywhere, but she couldn’t find it. Maybe she hadn’t brought it down after all. But she knew she did. Sighing, she opened a box on the shelf and took out a new bottle and refilled it, then trudged up the stairs as the tinkling bell on the front door sounded. Her client must be early.

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CHAPTER TWO A week passed and Corey nearly forgot about the party when Dom DeLord showed up on her doorstep. He stood there knocking at the door after her last client departed. “Come in,” she yelled from the back room as she headed toward the waiting room. She looked up, there stood Dom with all his tall, blonde good looks. “Hello there,” he said, his eyes narrowed and he gave her a sparkling smile. “I thought it was about time we met. After all, it is just a week until Lillia’s party.” Coreena laughed, trying to make herself relax. She hoped Dom wouldn’t see that she was as nervous as a middle school girl! She just wasn’t good with men. She realized that the only man she ever felt comfortable with is Tomas. “We both are new around Spellfire, so I suppose it’s fated that we should be thrust together like this.” “I’m glad we have been.” Blue eyes glistened from his tanned skin, and his ultra white teeth seemed nearly too perfect. His presence in her space grew unsettling to say the least. “So what do you want to talk about, Dom?” “How about this…I’ll schedule a massage.” “Oh.” Coreena didn’t want to open her appointment book, and she didn’t want to give him a massage, either! Just the thoughts of touching Dom gave her the willies. “I have an afternoon appointment,” she gave him a date three weeks away. He shrugged. “I supposed I’ll have to take that one,” he said quietly and with disappointment. “Would you show me around your wonderful Sacred Spaces?” he asked, taking a few steps toward the hallway near the steps. Just then, the phone rang and after a short conversation, she placed the phone on mute and spoke to Dom, “Go ahead and look around, this is my supplier and we have to trace an order.” He no longer stood there, and she felt sure she saw a shadow near the basement stairs. Smiling, she knew he would be disappointed with what he found down there. All her dirty

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Spellfire Hearts 2 laundry, and not the kind that the local gossips would enjoy. Fifteen minutes later, she walked into the back rooms and found Dom sitting in an antique armchair reading, “Massage Today.” “Very nice around here. I’ll pass the word along to anyone that asks.” He closed the magazine and stood, bringing himself close to her. He reached out and swept a lock of her black hair from near her eye. Corey flinched as if he struck her. His energy felt heavy and negative. As if he touched her with limp, cold seaweed. “We will become friends, you know. You have nothing to fear from me. We will make a great team.” Without another word, he walked to the front door. Suddenly, as if he noticed his rude behavior, he turned and said, “Until next week. I’ll pick you up here at seven.” He opened the door and walked out. The bells on the door remained silent as he left. “How strange.” Corey whispered to herself. Corey never felt so glad to have someone leave her space. She would smudge for sure and put Dom out of her energy field after her next client. She felt certain about one thing, she would not go anywhere with Dom DeLord. Nowhere. Reaching out she turned her appointment book to the notation she had written in there for his massage appointment and erased it from the book. On a yellow sticky, she quickly jotted a reminder to call him tomorrow and cancel both the date and the massage. **** Corey couldn’t sit in this small apartment another night or she would go out of her mind. It had been a long day and still, tonight, anxiety-filled energy spun through her body. She called Chissie to see if she wanted to go out for something to eat, anything for a diversion, but her friend didn’t answer. Glancing through the newspaper, she found a movie that she wanted to see playing tonight at the theater. Maybe that would help her settle down and forget that Dom DeLord visited here earlier today. Corey could still feel him, especially in the basement. What in the world had he found interesting in the basement? Maybe he thought it was just another room to Sacred Spaces. Grabbing a sweater from her closet and her wallet from the nightstand, she readied herself to walk the four short blocks to the theater. Suddenly, Tomas appeared in front of her, but it didn’t startle her this time. “Tomas. You really should find a way of announcing yourself before you just appear. And you are getting faster at it.” I don’t have time for pleasantries. Coreena, do not leave the house tonight. I must insist. “Why? I don’t understand. Will something happen to me tonight at the

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Spellfire Hearts 2 theater?” No, nothing like that. I-I can’t tell you. I’m not supposed to interfere in your life, but I must, just this once. Please stay in. Corey shook her head. “No. I’m not going to live my life in fear. I’m not having a delusion created in my mind make me feel crazy. I’m going to the movies, Tomas. You can follow along and protect me if you want, but I’m going.” As fast as he appeared, he vanished from the room. **** The movie wasn’t as good as Corey anticipated, but she enjoyed it anyway. A breeze blew through her hair as she walked home. She kept expecting Tomas to pop up and block her way, but he didn’t. Why did he become so insistent that she stay home? Nothing happened to her, actually, the night had been uneventful and boring. She unlocked the door and stepped inside. Reaching for the light switch Corey stopped and absorbed the energy from the room. Someone…no, more than one person had been in here, while she’d been at the movies. Closing her eyes, she put her hands in front of her and walked around the room. Her special abilities allowed her to detect furniture and anything in the room. With her eyes closed, a picture played behind her eyelids. She went to the back room and didn’t find any lingering energy. The stairs leading to the basement were another matter entirely. At least three different energies moved in the stairway. No energy lead to her apartment, and that was a great relief. She felt violated enough to have people traipsing around her business. What could they have wanted in the basement? Anger replaced any fear. She opened her eyes and switched on the stairway light. “If anyone is still here, you’d better be ready for the police to arrive, I’ve called them.” Corey raced down the steps and entered the one room basement. Nothing. Everything looked the same as it always did. Craziness! Utter craziness. What would anyone want with her basement? She snapped off the light and stormed up to her apartment. “Is this what you meant, Tomas? Is this the reason you didn’t want me to leave tonight?” Silence greeted her question. Tomas didn’t answer her even though she could feel him nearby. She went through enough for one day. Sleep would be her friend tonight. Maybe tomorrow she could think logically and figure out a reason why someone had been in here tonight. She put on her nightgown and crawled into bed. As much as Corey wanted sleep to whisk her away from all this, it didn’t. She tossed and turned. Something felt wrong. A strange buzzing penetrated her thought. Taking a deep breath, she willed sleep and finally, it came.

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CHAPTER THREE Lillia opened the door to Sacred Spaces and hollered in, “Coreena Martinez, I want to speak with you. Now!” Corey’s hand stilled from washing dishes in her kitchen, she hollered back that she’d be there shortly. What in the world? She sounded upset. When it came to Lillia, it could be nearly anything. The woman was fiery. Drying her hands on a kitchen towel, Corey fortified herself with a deep breath, and then skipped down the stairway, she turned at the bottom to enter her small waiting room. “What’s up?” “You have disappointed me. Why aren’t you coming to my party?” Lillia’s blue eyes snapped with impatience. With a deep sigh she offered, “It’s not that your party that doesn’t interest me, Lillia, it’s the choice of date material Chissie selected for me. I can’t stomach the thought of spending an evening with Dom DeLord! He gives me the creeps.” “Dom?” Her red brows drew together. “I’m not sure I know much about him, but what’s a couple of hours going to hurt? Shake him off after you arrive.” Corey gently shook her head. She hated to disappoint Lillia because the woman helped her tremendously by sending all her friends for massages and healings. Without that, she wouldn’t be enjoying the comfortable living she made. Of course, the contacts she’d make at the party would allow her to start replenishing the savings account she tapped just to move to Spellfire. “I know you want me to be there and I wouldn’t mind going either, but not with Dom. What can I use for an excuse if I just showed up?” “Did you cancel with him, or just tell Chissie no?” “Oh, he was here.” Shuddering, she continued. “I accepted the invitation, but later called him, telling him that I had a friend coming to town that day. I sort of let him think it was a…man friend.” She smiled sheepishly and looked at the wood floor and not at the woman in front of her. Lillia laughed. “Oh you poor girl. It’s so easy to see the solution!” Corey jerked her head up and looked directly into Lillia’s blue eyes.

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Spellfire Hearts 2 “Just tell him that your company was called away for business, or some sort of excuse, and then walk away from him. Simple as that!” A chuckle bubbled up from Corey’s throat. “You do make it sound simple, but when your gut is tied up in knots over it, well, it’s difficult to come up with the answers. Thank you once again, Lil.” “We always come up with a solution. Now I expect you to pick out some beautiful, sexy dress to show off that hourglass figure of yours.” “We?” Lillia just winked and left her standing there to contemplate everything the woman said. Could it really work out that easily? Coreena… Turning, she found Tomas standing behind her. Gasping, she swayed with a desire that slammed into her body. Why can’t I feel this way about a human? Were these feelings bubbling through her because she felt Tomas was safe territory? He might be sexy, but even though he possessed some sort of spirit he remained incapable of satisfying her needs. You must go to that party, even if you have to go with that sickening creature, Dom. You must be gone from here that night, Coreena. Better yet, go back home to your mother. I don’t know how to keep you safe here without showing myself to you or…never mind. Just leave. “Safe?” What are you talking about Tomas?” Through all these years I’ve loved you. I won’t let harm come to you. Please remember that if you choose to disregard my message. He stepped forward and drew her into his embrace. He felt real, as real as anyone she touched on a regular basis. With his arms around her, she didn’t know what to think, or expect to happen next. Her heart thudded in her chest. Goodness, he felt nothing like air! He was as solid as she, his embrace fired her with happiness. She felt whole and at piece. This was an experience like nothing before in her life. His lips neared hers. He smelled of brisk winter mornings in the mountains. Freshness and pine. Then his lips were upon hers. A wave of dizziness spun her senses and she put her arms around him to keep from falling. His kiss turned hot and sweet. She parted her own to capture more nectar as if she were parched on an arid dessert and he was sweet, lifegiving water. His kiss promised her life and love. Hope and dreams. Pulling back, he traced the top curve of her lips and whispered, I shouldn’t have done that, my Coreena. It’s completely against the rules. It’s bad enough showing myself to you. “Why Tomas, why? You confuse me. I know you aren’t real, you must be a huge delusion! However, I can feel you, and desire you. Make love to me so I can get you out of my system, douse this constant craving and let me live in peace.”

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Spellfire Hearts 2 Trust me. Go to the party or where ever, but just don’t stay here. It is my Valentine gift to you. You must go. How can you refuse my gift? Corey closed her eyes. “All right, Tomas, I’ll go, but at some point I want an explanation for all of this. The other night you didn’t want me to leave Sacred Spaces, and now you want me to be away! Everything has been so strange since I arrived at Spellfire. ” Nodding, he said, I must go for now, but I’ll be watching over you, my love. When she opened her eyes, he was gone and with his departure, the room returned to a calm, energy, not snapping with the sexual energy that surrounded her just seconds before. Chissie came the following day to go shopping. Everything seemed to be spinning at a normal pace again and Corey wondered if she had been dreaming about a beautiful guardian angel called Tomas. She wanted to say something to Chissie about it, but decided it might be just too strange. No one in this quiet laid-back town would understand. They might stay away from Scared Spaces thinking her crazy. That would kill her business. Additionally, she didn’t want her new friend to think badly of her. Around Spellfire they went looking for party dresses. Chissie pulled her into a little shop down the block that she hadn’t noticed before. A sales clerk called out to them from the back room and said they could look around and try on anything they were interested in. At once, Coreena found a simple, straight black dress and went into the dressing room to try it on. “Hey!” Chissie cried, “I found the perfect dress for you. It will make your black hair sparkle and really show off your great boobs!” She opened the door a crack and tossed in a deep green, nearly black dress. It was simple, much like the one she chose, but this dress showed a sheer material at the neckline that dipped low, half of her chest would be exposed, but she decided to try it on anyway. Stepping out of the room, she located the surround mirror. The reflection stunned her. The sheer material didn’t look trashy, as she suspected, but enticing and alluring. The sleeves held slashes of sheer material between the soft opaque material. But the most dramatic thing is the way the material hugged her breasts, skimmed over her narrow waist, then spilled over her hips and gently fell to her knees. “Coreena Martinez! Look at you! Just wait. When you walk in to the party, every gaze will follow you. I’m afraid nothing here will make me look even half as good as you. I look like a pencil!” They looked into the mirror. They were opposites. Coreena dark, short with full curves and Mexican good looks and Chissie a blonde with Nordic splendor.

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Spellfire Hearts 2 “Good grief! You are beautiful, Chissie, here…try on this!” Corey handed her a gorgeous red dress with a valentine neckline. “This should get your quota of looks as well.” The women laughed and searched through piles of jewelry to find the right accent pieces.

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CHAPTER FOUR “Coreena, thanks so much for coming tonight,” Lillia said, grasping Corey’s hands in her own. “I must tell you though, Dom DeLord isn’t coming tonight. I know how that must disappoint you!” Her eyes glistened with laughter. Sighing, Corey said, “You have made my night. Thanks for telling me that. Now, I’ll enjoy myself.” What she didn’t tell Lillia is the fact that she really didn’t care for parties and all the unnecessary chit-chat. She found them dull and boring. Guess it beat staying home alone, though. Alone? No, Corey would love to be curled up with Tomas, but she hadn’t seen him since she agreed to attend this party. If she only knew what was going on. Pushing away thoughts of Tomas and her home, Corey clutched her small bag to assure she remembered to put in her business cards. That was the purpose of this party for her, not to meet charming men and set up dates. Chissie appeared to have a number of men swarming her. That girl looked hot, and the men knew it. Chissie loved sex, but she wanted a fresh supply of men because she tired of the same one over and over. How different she was from her friend. Corey could be very discriminating. She’d had a few men, but they were frightened away by her psychic abilities. Some for good reasons. Corey worked her way toward her friend. The music played loudly. The conversations and laughter raised higher than the music. She heard her name as she passed two men standing beside the fireplace. When she looked directly at them, they nodded their approval. Corey caught Chissie’s attention then nodded toward the buffet. In a few moments, they met there. As they moved along the line, Corey said, “I’ve chatted with everyone here and given out all my cards. After we eat, I’m going home. Do you mind?” “Of course not, but do take my car.” She reached in her own bag and took out her keys. “I’ve got other plans for the night. I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow when I come to get my car, okay?” Corey smiled. It would all work out just fine. She’d be home before nine, go to bed by ten. What a lonely existence. If only Tomas were real because her cravings for him certainly were.

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Spellfire Hearts 2 Right on schedule, Corey pulled up in front of her place. Why couldn’t she have fun like other people? All her life she’d been miserable, never fitting in, never any happiness. The only thing that gave her joy was healing people. When she worked with her clients, she felt happy and fulfilled. Knock it off. This is no way to spend you life. Get over it, she told herself and stepped out of the car. As she walked up the sidewalk, Tomas appeared. This time, he didn’t look very happy with her. What are you doing here this soon? Aggravation clouded her judgment and she answered him with a bitter reply. “I live here, okay? I’m tired of all this, Tomas. I just want to drop into bed and forget I tried to go out there and get a life. I had every chance tonight to bring home a man. A man that would screw my brains out and make me forget you. You are the one I want and the one I can’t have.” Tomas nodded. You are right. You can’t have me. I can’t have you. This truly is hell on earth. “Okay then, it’s settled. I don’t want you watching over me. Go away. Maybe then I’ll be able to find a man, settle down, have a family.” You do not know what you are asking me, Coreena! Not tonight. Do not tell me this now. I cannot protect you if you tell me to go. She closed her eyes and knew that she had to say it one more time and really mean it. As long as he kept lurking around her, she would never find happiness here in this life for it was Tomas that she desired. Tomas who couldn’t bring her what she needed most. “Go Thomas. I really mean it. I want you too much to keep living this way. Please set me free so I can choose to love. Maybe someday we will meet on the other side and be able to share our love, but the time isn’t right. I will miss you with all my heart and soul, but now is the time, and for the last time. I want you to go.” His dark eyes narrowed and his face seemed to drop with sadness. As you request. I am gone. Tomas didn’t evaporate quickly. His form began to shimmer and wave, then gently faded from view. Coreena felt it in her soul. For the first time in her life, she was truly alone. In the aloneness came a freedom she never experienced. Now she felt she could make her own decisions and choices. Tomas wasn’t lingering to point her in the right direction. For now that he was gone, she could feel where he had been all her life. He’d been that voice of her conscience, he’d been the one responsible for directing her healing! Tomas showed her the power. Oh what had she done? Yes she wanted her freedom, but at what price? “Tomas! Come back! I see it now, I understand!” He had been her guardian, spirit guide, her other half. She opened the door and rushed through the dark room to the stairs leading to her apartment. Suddenly, someone grabbed her from behind.

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Spellfire Hearts 2 “I’m sorry you came home early, Coreena. Why couldn’t you have stayed just a little longer? Then we would have been finished here. Now we have to take you with us.” Corey recognized the voice. Dom. What was he doing here? What did he mean. “Dom, please let me go. I don’t care what you are doing. Just let go of me.” Instead of freeing her, he shoved her toward the basement stairs. “Go on. We’re nearly ready to leave here and now we have to take you with us.”

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CHAPTER FIVE The basement filled with an eerie white light. Not the normal color from incandescent bulbs or even halogen light. It was silver and very clear. Dom had pushed her into a corner and now pointed a gun at her. In this light, she could see every whisker in his beard. The light illuminated the lines in his face and enhanced each freckle. A very strange glow. As she looked around the room for the source of the light, she found a whole wall gone. It was there, but it looked more like a curtain. Just then another man walked through the wispiness of the wall. It swirled, then settled back into looking like the wall, only transparent. “What’s happening?” Corey cried. “You’ve lived here all these months and never knew you were right on top to the entrance to the crystal caves and tunnels.” Dom sneered at her. “Stupid woman. You think you can heal people, and you can in some small manner, but the crystal caves give many of us more power than you can ever imagine.” He pointed to the wall with his gun. “Go on. I’ll show you another dimension. A dimension that will change earth. You are entering the earth grids. We are days away from raising earth’s energy and when we do that, we are the only ones that will survive. You are lucky, very lucky.” Coreena couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Why Spellfire? What do you want with such a quiet, peaceful community?” He laughed long and hard. “That’s really what you think? Unbelievable. Oh, you are in for the shock of your life!” Tomas! Tomas! Please help me. Corey pleaded silently. “Seal the entrance,” Dom ordered a man standing further into the cave. The brilliant light behind him kept her from seeing him, but she detected movement. The man raised his arms and suddenly the light became brighter, and then focused on her basement wall. The light fused it into place, then once the deed was finished, it began to dim. Corey’s eyes felt better now that the light wasn’t as intense. “Come on, follow me.” She fell in behind Dom. It would do her no good to protest. Two other men paraded behind her. They walked through tunnels for quite a while. The walls, ceiling,

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Spellfire Hearts 2 floors were white crystal. The bright light behind it pulsated at times, and changed colors periodically going from white to pink then to a soft turquoise. Corey actually enjoyed the feeling. Who knew earth had all this beauty underground? She’d always imagined molten lava and boulders. Straight ahead, she spotted what looked like three golf carts, except there were no wheels. As they neared them, Dom said, “Get on the one at the far right. I’ll be back in a minute.” Corey obeyed him. She felt certain that it wouldn’t take much for him to use the gun on her. Maybe if she followed orders and wasn’t a problem, she could figure a way out of this dilemma at some point. Right now, though, it looked impossible. She felt trapped underground and had no idea of direction or time here. Dom returned to the car and slid in beside her. Finally, he smiled at her. “You might not be such a problem after all, Coreena. You look beautiful in your dress, by the way.” She forgot all about the party and her attire. “Thanks.” She smiled at him and it made her stomach flip. Such an awful man. Handsome, yes, but not nice at all. Dom pulled a gizmo from his pocket that he used to punch in something to make the cart move. First a humming sound, then the cart raised off the crystal floor and shot down a tunnel. The other two men went off in other directions. It felt strange to travel so fast, but not a hair on her head moved. “How is this happening, Dom?” “It’s all energy, darling. You will learn. That’s why we can raise the vibrations on earth. When all of this is activated, the inhabitants on the surface will move into the next dimension. Once that takes place, we can lower the vibration and all of us in many other dimensions will come to Earth and take their place.” It was all Coreena could do not to gasp. A few days ago, this would have been a strange tale, but today, flying down crystal tunnels, well, she knew he told her the truth. “Where are we going? Surely, we can’t just continue down tunnels forever!” He laughed and looked over to her. “The Crystal City, of course. We’re nearly there. It’s under the Gulf of Mexico.” Corey closed her eyes. Surely, this was a horrible nightmare and she would awaken soon. She opened her eyes and she still sat in the cart. Suddenly, another cart pulled up beside them and a man kicked his leg out and hit Dom in the shoulder with his foot. It knocked him into Corey and she managed to hold on to Dom to keep from falling from the cart. “Coreena, grab his controller.” “Tomas!”

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Spellfire Hearts 2 Tomas propelled himself into Dom and smashed him in the face with his head. “Get it Corey,” he screamed. Barely conscious, Dom raised his gun and pointed it at Tomas. “No!” Corey screamed and then bit down on Dom’s arm so hard that he jerked his hand just as he pulled the trigger. It wasn’t a gun with bullets, but shot a stream of concentrated sparks. In his other hand, he held the controller that Tomas wanted. Tomas butted him again with his head and Dom threw his hands up to protect his head and Corey reached over and grabbed the controller. “Here, Coreena, give it to me.” She stood, reaching over the top of Dom and gave the thing to Tomas. He pushed something and the cart started to slow. Once both carts stopped, Tomas used his own controller to put a golden net over Dom, encasing him tightly inside the metallic looking strands. “Come on, Corey. We have to get out of there. With Dom’s strength, that won’t keep him bound long. We’ve only a short distance to go to safety.” Corey scrambled into Tomas cart and they were off. It couldn’t have been more than five minutes in normal time when they approached a glittering mountain sitting in the middle of what she assumed was a humongous cave. It looked like an enormous diamond glistening in sunlight. Since there was not sun underground, Corey couldn’t understand. “It’s all energy. The crystal in the grids traps it and sends it on to the Crystal City. There are places upon Earth where the energy seeps out. One such place is Spellfire, Texas. It draws in special people, Coreena. You weren’t there long enough to figure out the real identities of the inhabitants.” “I-I don’t…” “Coreena, it’s okay. But now, we need to get to my home and to safety. We are going into the Crystal City.”

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CHAPTER SIX They traveled forward and reached a dark area in the crystal. Tomas pressed his controller and an opening appeared. They went through and into a spacious cave like area. “This is my home, Coreena.” He stopped the cart and turned to her. “Don’t be afraid. This is another dimension, but you are safe here. There is one thing I want you to know, but it can wait until we get a ways inside.” Corey could do nothing more than stare. She couldn’t form words and when she tried to walk, her body felt strangely heavy. Once again, Tomas did something with the controller and another wall melted in front of them. “Welcome to my home, Coreena. I’ve been visiting yours for so many years, it’s a pleasure to have you with me.” Stepping inside the chamber filled her senses to the fullest. The area smelled just like Tomas, fresh and woodsy, sounds filled her ears, but it wasn’t from any song she’d ever heard. It was the turquoise color, dark pink and shimmering gold swirls. A large bed with a silky golden covering dominated one side of the chamber. “No kitchen or bathroom here?” “We don’t need them. We are one with the energy.” Corey walked to the edge of the bed and sat down. “But what about me? How am I to function here.” Tomas sat beside her, clasping her hands in his. “Coreena, this will be difficult for you. I must tell you, though. Since you entered the tunnels you have been like me. Energy. In Spellfire, they will find your body on the floor of the basement. An autopsy will show you died from a brain aneurysm.” Closing her eyes, she fought back tears of grief. Her poor mother. Losing two children. “Listen to me. You are as alive as you once were. We can now be together.” She nodded. “I understand, but this takes some getting used to on my part. Tell me, what about Dom and those other two men in the tunnel?” Laughing he said, “I was one of the men. I encased both Dom and his friend. The trouble is, there are many of them here trying to raise the Earth

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Spellfire Hearts 2 energy for their own benefit. There are many of us as well trying to stop them. Coreena, you have a special gift and you are needed here.” Corey stood and faced Tomas, “I do? What sort of gift?” “It’s your ability to see energy with your mind. You see it differently than anyone here. To protect the Earth, we need you to point us in the direction of the higher energy that only you and one other can see.” “And this other seer? Who?” “I don’t know. That’s the problem. We know it’s a woman and she has the power and sight to direct the others in raising the energy. Will you help us?” Corey dropped beside him, but didn’t speak for a few moments. Finally, she asked, “What will my life be like here, Tomas?” “Let me show you, my love.” Gently, he laid her back on the bed. The surface under her grew soft as a cloud. A floating in air sensation wrapped around her as Tomas lay beside her. “We are love and energy, Coreena, but we can feel in the same manner our bodies felt on Earth.” He gently stroked her hair with fingers that felt like a sweet summer breeze. Coreena shuddered with desire. An intense wave of carnal craving filled her senses. “Show me. Touch me, love me, Tomas. I’ve felt you all my life, now I want to experience all that I imagined between us in our different dimensions.” She turned effortlessly to face him. “You really weren’t a ghost or guardian angel. You were just in this dimension?” He nodded. “You were supposed to come to this dimension as well, but you became lost on the way here. Instead, you went to outer Earth. We have loved each other before.” “Everything you say touches me here.” She placed her hand on her chest. “I know it’s true.” Tomas touched a controller near the bed and the light pouring through the crystal walls dimmed. The melodious sounds changed to a pulsating beat that spread through her body and with each thump came a pounding desire at her sexual junction. How could she be energy and still feel her beating heart, her breath quickening in her chest? Did she want to know? Right now, she just wanted to experience everything Tomas could show her. In one gentle movement of his hand, her clothing faded from her body, then his did the same. “We shall be one, Coreena, in a way only the people in the outer world struggle to feel with many partners, looking for the one that can give them the special gift that I am about to share with you.” “Show me Tomas. I’ve been one of those people, you know, but I have desired you and no one could satisfy me. Only you.” Tomas ran his fingers from her chin down between her breasts and to

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Spellfire Hearts 2 the small patch of black hair. When he did so, her skin swirled like fog in a gentle breeze. Everywhere he touched her, she ceased to be skin and bone and became pulsating, swirling energy. “Tomas, I feel the same even as I watch myself become something different. Will I lose myself in the air? Dissolve?” He shook his head. “Look,” he said, and snapped his fingers. His whole persona of flesh changed to energy. “Touch me…there.” He looked down, directing her eyes to his male protrusion. It didn’t matter to her what they were made from at that point. She grasped his cock and it felt firm…solid and pulsing with sexual desire for her. He was over her now, nearing her head with his. She could feel the energy of the kiss before his lips touched hers. And when their lips met, the energy between them crackled and snapped. Corey felt the electricity between their bodies and it stroked at her nipples, her belly at her swollen, private lips. There was something missing and she couldn’t imagine what would happen when he plunged his cock into her for the final connection. As if he could read her mind, he moved his hips forward and slid into her with a jolt much like lightning spearing through her. She couldn’t hold on to her body as waves of pleasure slammed through all her cells. She opened and allowed Tomas in. Not just into her sexual opening, but into her body. Their cellular structure became one. Tomas and Coreena melded as one. She could see them as if looking down upon the scene, but she could also feel the sensation, taste it, smell it. They looked like they had their bodies, but the sensation was so different. Somehow, she could hear Tomas words, my love, we are now one, let go. It’s time to experience what this is all about. Let go, stop thinking, just release it all to me. She opened her legs wide and he gently moved against her. The sparks of the movement created a fire between them. The static energy snapped where they joined and it raced through their bodies and with a sudden explosion, their cells exploded into the cavern, swelling to fill it. With a deep sigh, the sparks began to settle and shape themselves back into the individuals lying on the bed. Coreena opened her eyes and looked around. “What in God’s name was that, Tomas?” He laughed softly. “You have experienced becoming one. Do you see why everyone on Earth is so frantic to experience this? They try with this partner, and that, but never can they reach the pinnacle we reached.” “Tomas?” “Yes, my love?” She turned and faced him, now looking like the human form she

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Spellfire Hearts 2 recognized. “May I stay here with you? I’ll help you in this war to save Earth.” He traced her lips with the tip of his finger. “Yes. I need you, and the inhabitants of Earth need you. I love you, Coreena.”

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Purrly…Gnome Magic by Jewel Adams Molly’s move and new start begins the moment she conks Karl Novac over the head. Can a gnome find true love with—a cat shifter? Visit Jewel at her myspace or website… http://www.jeweladams.midnightshowcase.com or www.myspace.com/jeweladams

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PURRLY…Gnome Magic! By Jewel Adams CHAPTER ONE “Where should this one go, Molly?” She glanced back over her shoulder before putting the box down. “The owl, let’s see, just place it on the window sill for now, Stella.” Molly slowly pushed the box on the table over, just enough, to balance the box she held. “Here, let me move it.” Stella lifted the near empty box out of Molly’s way. “Are there more boxes?” “Nope, this is the last one.” They both turned to survey the apartment and their handiwork in getting Molly moved in. “I like it, Stella.” “There sure is a lot of room. You’ll be able to set up your exercise equipment.” “Thought I’d put it over in that far corner, the morning sun warms that area…” She felt Stella’s hand on her shoulder, her own raised and covered her friends. “I’m okay Stella.” “Well, I’m not, I am torn in two pieces. We’ve been together since 8th grade.” Molly turned to look at her life-long friend, “You are in love with a wonderful man. We both know this is the best decision, your apartment is too small for three.” Molly smiled and started unpacking the last box. “Besides, I think it is time I had my own place.” Stella’s laughter filled the large loft. “And would one certain Doctor have anything to do with this new attitude?” She smile at her friend. “I’ll never tell. Besides, have you seen that Australian hunk, Barry?” “Oh yes, the friend of the Boo bar owner, he’s a looker all right.” She wasn’t really listening to Stella. In truth, she didn’t care about Barry, no, her cat senses were only interested in one man, doc Roger. The doc may have guessed that she was a shifter, but she wasn’t sure if he fully

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Spellfire Hearts 2 understood the extent of her personal magic. They barely knew each other, Molly wanted to change that situation, having her own place was a step in that direction. Molly wondered when she bought the building for her salon what she would do with the open loft above the salon. It seemed that fate once again played its hand in her decisions. She smiled to herself, knowing that she did like the openness of the loft. The special items that she ordered from the Shifters Specialties company should arrive today. Once her tree was in place then it would feel like her own space. Her claws flexed, impatient to knead the special wood that could withstand some rough treatment, then magically restore itself. She also ordered those thick wall panels that she hoped would work when she wanted to run and jump from wall to wall while in her cat form. She loved running outside at night, but her last night out proved disastrous. The memory of how scared the merfolk were at Selkie Falls wasn’t one she wanted to repeat. She guessed that seeing her as a full black leopard frightened even the paranormal folk in Spellfire. Her exercise area would have to sustain her urge to run. When she did need to go out she would remember to use an invisibility spell on herself. “Molly, I need to take off, Noah should be back from the therapy session.” “How are his legs coming?” “He’s doing very well, down to just a cane now.” “I know he will be fine, Stella, I bet he walks down the isle on his own for Valentine’s.” Stella gave her a hug. “I hope so, Molly, but I’ll take him any way he comes to me.” Once Molly shut the door, after Stella left, it seems as if a silence fell over the place. She immediately went over and opened up some windows, allowing a cool breeze to filter into the loft. “Too bad I don’t shift into a bird.” Her silly laughter filled the place as she went back to finish the last of her unpacking. Gathering up the last of the boxes Molly started down the back stairs to take them out to the dumpster. The boxes kept getting caught on the rail and nearly made her miss a step, so she threw them all down the stair well. “Hey! What are you trying to do? Kill me!” The angry male voice seemed to echo off the walls. Molly wasn’t sure if she should run to help the voice she didn’t recognize or go lock herself into the apartment. “I’m sorry…” She called down as she started down the stairs, knowing she must be sure he wasn’t hurt. “I didn’t know anyone was here, opps!” “Opps, is it, I ought to…” Karl turned around ready to fight the person

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Spellfire Hearts 2 that just rammed into him, but who he saw staring at him, with as much shock as his own, halted his assault in mid-air. “Ohhh, I’m so sorry, really I am.” Molly’s lips refused her order not to smile, nothing could have prepared her for the man that stood…yes, he was standing, before her. Only problem she saw was that his eyes seemed glued to her breasts, making her wish she didn’t have on the cut off tee shirt. She automatically tried to pull it down, realizing he could see up and under the material and she wasn’t wearing a bra. “Too late, I forgive being hit with the horde of boxes for the beautiful look I just took.” He smiled over the rush of deep pink flooding her cheeks. It always surprised people to see him the first time, being a gnome had its down side, but right now it sure carried an up-side. Molly’s giggle escaped and when his joined hers, she stepped back ending his lavish view of her unencumbered breasts and planted herself down on the step behind her. She couldn’t help but laugh over his disappointed look, at least now they were the same height. Dang, but he is cute. “I’m Molly.” He took the hand she held out to him. “I’m Karl Novac, I own the other side of the building.” “Oh yes, the Spooktacular Drug Store.” “That’s the one. You must be Molly Purrly of Purrly For You Salon?” “One and the same, I’m moving in above the salon.” “I heard you were.” He smiled at the questioning rise of her brow. “News travels like lightening through Spellfire.” “It must, I just decided on the move a couple days ago.” “How do you like it, so far?” “It’s nice, a lot better than I’d first thought. I still have so many things to move in, but it is coming together nicely. Would you like to come up?” She couldn’t believe she just invited him to her place. It seemed Mr. Novac brought out a lot of unexpected actions from Molly. “I would love to, my replacement should be coming in for his shift in about half an hour. Do you mind if I come up then?” “Not at all, it will give me time to freshen up.” She automatically crossed her arms over her breasts when his gaze fell to them. “A shame, I suppose you won’t be wearing another top like this one.” She grinned, “I think I’ll find something long and thick, cover up head to toe.” With that she turned, laughing her way up the stairs. His groan followed her, she looked back to see him still watching her. She gave him a quick wave and left him standing there. Once the door shut, Molly leaned back against it and blew out her breath. “He sure doesn’t lack in the sexual appeal department.”

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CHAPTER TWO Molly fluffed out her wet hair trying to get some body to it. She didn’t have time to fool with it, wondering what Karl would think of the hairdresser that looked a mess. “He’ll just have to lump it.” She bit her lip thinking over what she just said. Shaking it off, she refused to let herself become self-conscious around him. The whole town of Spellfire possessed a vast array of beings, some—people didn’t even know existed, so what if he were short…shorter, no, smaller than most. She giggled again. “I don’t giggle.” She wondered if he came with some special power that made people feel happy around him. Did he even have special powers? Molly lacked any knowledge of what exactly Karl Novac might be. He might not even be a paranormal being. “Now that would be surprising.” The knock on her door made her jump, as she raced to answer it she did a quick scan to make sure the place looked half way decent. “Oh, I wish everything was unpacked.” She swung the door open and smiled at the man leaning casually against the frame. “You look like you just ran a race, Molly.” What Karl wanted to say is that she looked like warm sex, all fresh and damp with excitement. It took all his control not to rivet his gaze on her beautiful, heaving breasts. He earned a major point with Molly when he didn’t stare at her breast, she could almost sense how much control he used not to do it. “The loft is big, I was on the other side, come on in.” Oh yes, he did look good and Molly couldn’t help wondering how large his cock…Dang! She couldn’t imagine what got into her. She liked men, but she never undressed them before and she certainly never wondered about the size of their cock. “Something wrong, Molly.” “Nope, not a thing.” She could feel her blush and knew what he must be thinking. “I made some tea.” “I would like some.” Molly stepped behind the kitchen bar, remembering the high stools at the counter, she turned back, but he already sat on one. He was looking the apartment over and didn’t see her wonderment over his agility. As she fixed

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Spellfire Hearts 2 the tea, she wondered about the stairs, she hadn’t thought of them, but of course they would be an obstacle for him. Yet he didn’t look winded. No, he looked so darn handsome. She didn’t know what his cologne might be, but it sure invaded her sexual awareness. She couldn’t believe that just by looking at him she could feel herself heat up. Her juices started to flow and Molly wished they were in bed… “You are doing wonders with the loft, Molly.” Karl wondered if she heard him, there was no mistaking what he saw in her gaze, one that was presently devouring him. Yes! Instant attraction was a bitch when it wasn’t returned and he thanked the powers that Molly was returning his for her. He didn’t even use any magic on her. No, Karl refused to do that, especially with Molly, something told him he wanted it all real with her. The good and bad. If ever he dreamed of a woman for himself, she fit all the requirements. Beauty, she held that naturally, but what he really liked is the way she moved around him, how she didn’t let his size fluster her. She was curious and he could deal with that, but there was no repulsion in those striking green eyes. She didn’t try to get his attention again, no, it seemed to be centered on her and she liked the way he looked at her. If she felt turned on before, seeing the way his dark brown eyes moved over her, stroked her flesh to an erotic heat. It felt as if his gaze were finger tips and they touched her in all the right places. When his gaze moved over her breasts her nipple hardened in wanting. “You are beautiful, Molly.” “Hmm, I find you very attractive, Karl.” They both pulled back together, she met his questioning gaze with her own and together they said, “Did I just say that?” Their joined laughter filled the loft. Molly passed him a glass of tea. He took a drink without breaking eye contact with her When he started coughing, she wasn’t sure what to do, he didn’t stop coughing and it seemed to be getting worse. She rushed around the counter. “What’s wrong?” He couldn’t catch his breath and just pointed at the glass. “Oh, oh no, Karl. Are you allergic to catnip?” He groaned and nearly fell off the stool. Molly helped him down and managed to get him to the couch. “I’ll call the doctor.” She grabbed the phone and punched out Doc Roger’s number. When his nurse answer she rattled off the emergency. Karl started looking really sick, she yelled for Roger to hurry and hung up, dialing 911. Molly decided the couch was too soft and she moved Karl to the floor, putting pillows under his feet, hoping it would help. He did stop coughing, but the wheezing he started sounded worse to her than the cough.

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Spellfire Hearts 2 Her hand ran over his face, trying to wipe away the chilling sweat overtaking him. “I’m sorry Karl, please don’t die on me. I just met you and I’m killing you.” His eyes were swelling along with his throat, but he could see the tears rolling down her cheeks. He reached out to catch them, rubbing them away with his thumb, she pressed her cheek into his palm and all Karl wanted to do was lay with her naked in his arms. When someone knocked on the door, she refused to leave the stricken Karl, yelling for them to come in. The fire rescue team rushed to them and Molly moved away to let them help Karl. Right on their heels Doc Roger came running into the apartment. He was totally out of breath and couldn’t talk, she just pointed to Karl. “He must be allergic to catnip in the tea.” She watched Doc Roger move in on the EMTs and pull a needle from his bag to give Karl a shot. No one said anything for what felt like forever. “That did the trick Doc, we can handle it from here.” Roger moved back to Molly’s side and wondered if he would need to give her something to settle her down. She half shifted into her cat self and looked like she could take on an army. He looked back at the man on the floor and suddenly wondered what connection he had with Molly. Roger felt his skin tingle and nothing shook off the jealousy he felt, nor the thoughts coming over him. “Who is he, Molly?” It must have been the tone of his question that alerted Molly to a problem. When she looked at Roger, she sucked in her breath over the anger literally taking over his features. She didn’t like what she saw and she backed away. “Molly?” He growled out her name. She held up her hand to stop him from following her and noticed that her claws were ready to strike. “He’s a friend, a dear friend.” “And you didn’t know he was allergic to your tea?” “No, I didn’t!” They were yelling and as sick as Karl felt he tried to get up. “No way Karl, you stay put, I’ll take care of them.” Karl looked up and saw Malaci, he nodded and let the drug take over as his eyes closed. “Hey Molly, mind telling me what happened?” Malaci stepped between Doc Roger and Molly. He didn’t realize she was a shifter until now, and one he didn’t want to tangle with by the look of those claws. The fact that Doc also started to shift into his werewolf side wasn’t a good sign to Malaci. He had a feeling it all centered around Karl being in Molly’s new place. “Karl is going to be fine, Molly. What happened?” He could see that

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Spellfire Hearts 2 she was fighting to calm her cat self down. He watched as her claws slowly retracted and her fingers appeared, still covered by fur, but no longer weapons. “He must be allergic to catnip, I didn’t know.” Malaci look over at Karl who groaned over her proclamation. He could see how upset the man was, but something told Malaci that these two didn’t know much about each other and he wasn’t going to inform Molly that Karl was a gnome. No, that was Karl’s place to tell the lady. Malaci hoped it would happen soon or Karl might not survive, gnomes were deathly allergic to catnip! “He will be fine Molly, they are going to take him to the hospital for observation…” “I’m going with him.” Malaci stepped closer to Molly, to prevent Roger from interfering and voicing the objection he knew the doc wanted to voice. “He’s going to be out for quite a while, Molly.” “I don’t care, I need to be with him.” Malaci stepped away and let the girl go to follow the stretcher. But he stepped in front of the doc when he started to follow her. “I’d let her go, alone, right now Doc.” “But…” “It would be better not to interfere.” A shudder passed through the doc before he backed off and nodded his agreement. Malaci stayed until the apartment cleared out and then he followed the Doc down to be sure he did as he said he would. As he watched the angry man head back to his office, Malaci hope Molly picked one of these men and soon. “Spellfire might not survive the battle brewing on this one.”

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CHAPTER THREE Awareness came slowly back to Karl. He realized he was in the hospital by the IV bag hanging beside the bed. But it was the warmth covering his arm that forced him to focus. The rich red hair flowed over the stark white sheet. Her cheek rested on his arm and he could feel the warm dampness where she touched him. He brought his other hand over and smoothed down the wild, long curls. Just touching her sent a fire through him. His cock started to firm and lengthen, wanting to possess the woman beside him. He regretted feeling her stir, wishing he could keep her there at his side. “Hey, you are awake.” Molly smiled and stretched. “How are you feeling?” Watching her body come to life was like watching a cat move. Normally, the mention of a cat would send his blood boiling in fear, but Karl knew the only fear he felt was one that he might loose what he just found. “I’m okay.” She crinkled her nose up at his answer. “I don’t consider almost dying from my tea, okay.” “You didn’t know…” “No, but I should have said something, I’m sorry, truly sorry, Karl.” She didn’t need to say it, the evidence of her feelings shine in the redness of her eyes and tear streaks on cheeks. “I’ll be fine, Molly.” Karl knew he needed to tell her why he was allergic to catnip, but he worried over how she would take his announcement. “Molly…” “I know, Karl, I should have told you that I am a shifter. It just isn’t something I broadcast, oh hi, I’m a leopard in my other life.” “Leopard is it?” He couldn’t escape those sharp eyes that shot at him. “I can see that bit of news fell like a hammer.” All Molly could see were those merfolk at the falls and the look on their faces before they dove into the water to escape her. Her throat constricted over that same look on Karl’s face. “I can control it Karl, even when I’m shifted I have control.” Years of dealing with the threat cats posed to his race reared its ugly head. In his heart he wanted to listen and believe in what she said, but the image of the huge cat leered before him. He blamed the drugs for interfering

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Spellfire Hearts 2 and not letting him regain his control. Molly’s hand slide slowly out from under Karl’s. She tried to tell herself that there were cat people and dog people, Karl was obviously not a cat person. It felt like a knife plunged into her heart. “I am glad you feel better. I really should go, I’ve still got to finish unpacking. I need to get back to the salon tomorrow. Is there anything I can bring you?” Yeah, bring me back the marvelous woman I just met. “Molly…” She pulled away from his hand, “I should go. I am sorry, really sorry.” Before he could say anything else she raced from the room. “Damn it!” He started pushing the nurse’s button. “Mr. Novac, what is wrong? Are you having trouble breathing?” “No, I’m fine, I want out’ta here, now… **** Her tail twitches and her thick claws pulled against the tough wood on the limb she stretched out on. The warm morning sun did little to help ease the ache inside her, not even spending every free minute shifted to her cat self worked. A movement down in the alley caught her attention and her sharp cat sight zoomed in on Karl. She purred loudly over the sight of him, wishing he would look up, knowing he wouldn’t. No, they’d done that for over a week since he returned from the hospital that afternoon. She wondered how long they could continue to avoid each other. They worked right beside each other and still, neither of them spoke a word to the other. Molly jumped down from the huge tree limb, allowing the change to come over her as she straightened out from the jump. She shook out her long hair, gathering it up in a twist she grabbed the barrette to clip the mass up off her neck. She slipped on the long tee shirt that melded to each curve of her body. Before she could reach the bedroom someone knocked on the front door. She couldn’t imagine who would be here so early, she hadn’t heard from Roger since that day she nearly killed Karl. Stella and Noah left for a week of camping. “Whose there?” “It’s Karl, Molly.” Her fingers hesitated only a moment over the chain lock before she opened the door. “Hi, come in.” The flutter deep in her stomach nearly made her moan, she couldn’t believe this man could have such a strong attraction over her. She walked before him into room, heading for the kitchen. “The coffee should be safe, it came from a can and I swear I didn’t add a thing.” He gave her a smirk, “I’ll chance a cup.” Karl wait for her to turn to get the coffee then blinked himself up onto

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Spellfire Hearts 2 the bar stool. When she turned around, she stopped and her brow rose over seeing him in the seat. “Some day you will have to tell me how you do that.” She busied herself with the coffee finally passing him a mug. “Did I tell you that I am also a witch, a pretty good one too. One of the reasons I have control over my shifting is because of the spells I’ve placed on myself.” He wanted to tell her she didn’t have to defend herself to him, but she seemed to need to get it said. She finished and Karl knew she waited for him to tell her about himself. She refused to ask him, he stalled by concentrating on his coffee. She wondered if she should have put a truth spell on it, then dismissed the thought. Using spells for love wasn’t something Molly would do. Did she just say ‘love’? The truth stunned her. “Molly, it was an accident.” It wasn’t what she wanted to hear, but Karl couldn’t think of any other way to stay clear of the attraction she maintained over him. He didn’t dare move, knowing she’d see the evidence of just how much he wanted her. “It was, I worry I might cause more…” He pulled his gaze away from hers, knowing she silently asked him to explain. Dare he? Would she toss him out of her life? Was he even in her life the way things were now? “Damn it, Molly, I’m a gnome.” At first Molly wasn’t sure she heard him right, then what he said sunk in. “A gnome, my goodness.” “I knew I shouldn’t have told you.” When he made a move to get down and leave, she raised her hand to stop him. “No, it’s fine Karl, honest. Please stay.” Thankfully he turned back and looked at her. “I don’t really know what a gnome is, Karl.” His self-defeating smile earned her own. “Is it like an elf? I’ve seen them at Sinful’s and faeries.” “I’m not a faery.” The way he said it, told her it was insulting to comparing him to them. “Okay, why don’t you tell me what a gnome is.” She reached over and covered his tapping hand. “Please Karl, give us a chance.” He turned his hand over and took hold of hers. “I’ve missed you, Molly.” “Same here, we never got the chance to find out what this attraction we have for each other means.” “You feel it too?” Her head tossed back and she laughed, “Like I’ve never felt anything before in my life. So help me Karl, if it is a spell or some charm, I’ll…let’s just say, you don’t want to cross me that way.”

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Spellfire Hearts 2 He gave her a smile, “It’s not, I promise. Not that I couldn’t use one, but I didn’t, not with you, never with you.” “I haven’t used magic either, Karl, I swear. So do you think what we feel for each other is real?” He could tell she felt as confused by their instant sexual attraction for each other as he was. “I think we need to figure that out.” Molly moved around the counter to come and stand before Karl, she didn’t say a word as she leaned slowly forward to meet his lips. If heaven could be held for a moment, she believe she just held hers. The touch of his lips took over her senses, flooding her with a desire so wild it left her breathless. The purring that came from Molly at first shocked him, then Karl realized it came from deep within her and she was as turned on as he felt. With a blink Karl took them to the bedroom, gently laying her down beneath him. When her eyes opened and she saw where they were her laughter filled his heart. “You do have a lot to explain to me, Mr. Novac.” “Hmm, can it wait?” “Oh yeah, I wouldn’t let you stop this for any reason.” Molly let her hands move over this marvelous man, learning how he felt under her touch. She grew impatient with his clothes and started pulling his shirt over his head to be rid of it. The feel of his muscles beneath her finger tips made her moan for more. The size of his cock was no longer a mystery to her as it pressed against her stomach. “Oh my, Karl, I want to feel you against me.” When he started pulling at her tee shirt, she raised her hips to help, pressing into the full, thick length of his penis. Their gazes met and Molly knew there was nothing small about it. His hands held her and when he kissed her there was no longer any gentle asking, he staked his claim on Molly and she couldn’t believe how much she wanted to be this man’s woman. She gladly lost the battle of his tongue, giving him the entrance he sought, enjoying the way he showed her exactly what he wanted that thick rod of his to do to her. Exploring Molly became a wanton fever to Karl, one he took his time to accomplish. Free of any clothes his hands held her breasts up to receive his kisses. He suckled first one breast than the other, driving Molly into a frenzied state. Her hips rolled against his erection as she worked his pants off, freeing the full length that jumped to find what it wanted. His lips left the haven of her lush breasts to explore further, loving how she responded to his touch and kisses. As his lips moved down past her stomach, her fingers drove into his hair, warring over pulling him back and wanting him to go lower.

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Spellfire Hearts 2 Licking the moist heat of her labia, Karl tasted her sex, branding himself with her scent. Hunger drove him to drive his tongue into the entrance of her sex, lapping at the hot flow of fluids that made her ready for him. “Oh Karl, I’ve never felt like this, please sweet man, please bury yourself inside me.” “With pleasure Molly, you are so hot, so gorgeous, I want to devour you.” Her cries as he sucked her clitoris heightened his pleasure. He groaned when her fingers closed about the thick rod of his sex. The way she moved over the full length nearly did him in. Gripping her hips, he spread her thighs, his fingers entered the moist folds making sure she was ready, she rose up to find what he held back from her. In slow tortuous pleasure the tip of his penis pressed in wanting against the hot entrance of her vulva. “Karl! Please, put it in, touch me inside, I can’t stand not feeling you in there.” “Easy baby, enjoy the moment.” In controlled thrusts he began to enter her, when his cockhead drove past the entrance she moaned out in pleasure and pushed up to take him deeper, but Karl wanted to savor this woman, love her in a way she would never forget. A little deeper, then out, her growl earned his own. Her hands gripped his hips, her legs locked about him and he smiled down at her heated gaze. “I want you in me, Karl!” “I want it too, sweet Molly.” Holding her hips he waited until their gazes locked and then he drove in with all the power at his command. As deep as her womb and touched heaven, setting free the wildness she kept under control until then. The pace grew with the fever of their loving, he slammed into her for Molly didn’t want any easy loving, that would come later and Karl wanted to give this woman exactly what she wanted. Again and again he pounded against her clit, driving her further into the ecstasy she cried for, he ground himself against her as he held himself buried to the hilt inside her, feeling her contract about him as if she were devouring him. “Sweet Molly, you are something else!” “Give it to me, Karl, let it come, I can’t hold back any longer.” Her cry for release echoed his own and Karl drove into her and held there as he exploded inside her, bursting against her womb wall, again and again. Her cry of climax rang like sweet music in his ears as he felt her flow over his penis, blending their seeds together in ways as old as time. “Yes! Dear lady, you are one hell of a woman.” His lips kissed away the last of her fiery climax, calming her with short loving kisses. He brushed away the sheen of sweat from her brow, she

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Spellfire Hearts 2 glowed, looking like a woman should that was just loved beyond earthly bounds. Her eyes slowly opened and focused on him, smiling as she kissed him back, licking his lips as if to taste herself from them. “Karl, was that real? I’ve never climaxed like that before…never.” “Neither have I, you are special, Molly. What we just shared was special.” Her finger traced his lip before he caught it and sucked into his mouth. “I know one thing.” “And what would that be, my beautiful lady.” “I want more, more than just now, a lot more.” He laughed and nipped at her nipple. “Oh lady, your wish is mine to give.” Their voices were soon swallowed by the loving each gave to the other. Neither noticed the day slip by.

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CHAPTER FOUR “Hey, Molly, where is your head? It certainly isn’t on the dye job you are doing.” Stella took the bottle out of her friend’s hand and threw it in the trash. She pulled down the ingredients to mix a new batch of the dye. “She would have had pink hair, Molly.” Stella could tell Molly wasn’t listening. Her friend had been acting really strange the last couple days, canceling appointments, rearranging schedules and giving most her clients to Stella. Not that Stella couldn’t use the money, but it was totally out of character for Molly to do that. “Okay…,” She grabbed Molly’s shoulders and turned her to face her. “Who is he? Have you and Roger finally gotten together? Let’s have it, because I know love when I see it and you have fallen hard and fast.” Molly wanted to scoff at Stella’s take on the situation, but she couldn’t. “Later, I’ll tell you all later, once the shop is quiet.” “I’ll hold you to it, Molly.” She watched Stella go back into the salon. “Geeze, I need to focus.” But she knew that was not as easy as it sounded. It seemed all she could think of was Karl. They rarely left each other’s company since that first morning and their love making, she sighed and smiled over the memories. No man ever aroused her the way he could and what he did to her…she could feel her self heating up and starting to flow. Molly closed her eyes trying to stop the desire from overtaking her, but she lost the battle and groaned over the fact Karl wasn’t with her. She reached over and flipped the lock on the storeroom door. Her hand moved lower beneath her smock, Molly slipped her hand under her skirt, her fingers slipped into the wet, slick entrance of her sex, wishing it was Karl touching her. Her other hand moved over her breasts, squeezing her nipple to a hard nub. One finger played over her clit, while the others entered and re-entered her sex to the rhythm she created. She closed her eyes and brought Karl to her memory, the way he felt against her. The power of his sex to her sex, as if he could wield some unearthly power to touch her just right, make her every wish come into play. Her hips began to rock and press against her hand, she liked the pressure, he knew that, he knew how to ride her, make

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Spellfire Hearts 2 her wild with desire as he tried to meld them as one. She cried out his name and let the feelings wash over her. Her climax came with a force that fell short of what she really wanted to feel, but Molly hoped it would hold her until tonight. Stella called for her, snapping Molly out of the sexual fog she slipped into. “Oh Karl, what have you done to me.” **** Karl shook himself over the scene that just played out in his mind. “Lady, I’m right there with you.” Being linked to Molly’s feelings and thoughts was a new and rather unsettling part of their relationship for Karl. It seemed that he became one with Molly. During sex it became a phenomenal tool for both of them. He held no complaints in that department and Molly didn’t either. Satisfying his woman became a special part of his existence. He ached to hold her right now and give her what she desired. If he weren’t in the middle of the store he’d join her in her mind and help her achieve the fulfillment only he could give her while she masturbated. He can remember his mother and father and how they would both know what the other was doing or thinking. His mother called it their personal magic, a special bond that she said only happened to gnomes truly in love. “I guess I am in love with her.” “Did you say something, Mr. Novac?” “No, Charlene, did you finish stocking the bandage shelves?” “Yes sir, I am going to start on the aspirin.” “Good, I’ll be over and help you in a couple minutes.” He watch the girl blink herself over to the other aisle. His store employees were all gnomes, something he always wanted to keep going. It was his way of helping his kind fit into the world, even in Spellfire it could be difficult for gnomes to adjust. His race was truly shy and rarely seen by anyone, including paranormals. They usually stayed in the forests, but even gnomes were forced to face reality. Their normal habitat kept shrinking all over the world. It was becoming extremely dangerous and almost impossible for them to stay hidden. But here in Spellfire they could be themselves, use their magic without worrying about who might see them. Gnome magic was an integral part of their lives. Most of it used mainly to compensate for their size in a large world. To survive they needed those abilities that came from magic, like blinking to climb stairs or a stool, levitating to reach the shelves. They blinked to walk, the distances being too much for gnomes to walk with short legs. But what they lacked in size Karl knew the made up for in love and how they lived their lives. They didn’t believe in harming any other being, even cats. They were guardians of the plant life in the forest. He thought about his home in the Spellfire woods and how he wanted

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Spellfire Hearts 2 to take Molly there to meet his family. While in the human or even paranormal world of Spellfire they were larger than their true size that is really not more than the size of a human thumb. He hadn’t told Molly about this part of his life, but he wanted to. Karl would have been the first one to say he would never fall in love with a human. Well, a shape shifting witch like Molly. He smiled, remembering when he finally told her about his race. She never failed to surprise him, she was thrilled with his powers, comparing them to her own. She really like the idea that it came naturally to him, where as she needed to work her magic spells and potions for most of her powers, except the shifting. She only shifted once in his presence, it scared him silly to see her as a leopard. Beautiful as always, but she was one dangerous looking cat! No matter how much he admitted to loving Molly he still faced a problem with this side of her. Centuries of living in fear of anything feline didn’t just evaporate. Worse, he couldn’t help but worry over how his family would take to Molly. Keeping her shifting a secret wouldn’t be fair to her, but he almost felt that it might be the only way for them to stay together. No matter how modern they became, every joining of a gnome to another had to be approved by the Gnome Tribunal. Without their approval Karl would be shunned, they could even take away his magic, he wasn’t sure he could live with that, even for Molly. He needed to explain all of this to her, but it never seemed to be the right time. Tonight, he would tell her tonight. **** “Okay, spill it. The shop is empty except for us. So let’s have it, Molly.” Stella stepped in Molly’s path, preventing her from avoiding her question. “You did promise…” “Fine, Stella.” Molly loved her friend, but she wasn’t sure she wanted her to be a part of her involvement with Karl, not yet. “You are right, I am…I’m in a…” “You are in love! I knew it. Okay, it’s Roger right?” “No, it isn’t Roger. Did you know he’s a werewolf?” That bit on news shut Stella up for a second. “No, I never would have guessed that one.” “Well, I’ve seen him change and it isn’t something I want to face again.” Stella didn’t stop her from walking past her, she turned, realizing that Molly effectively avoided telling her. “Okay, so it isn’t Roger.” “Nope, and that’s all you are going to get out of me, for now.” Molly shoved Stella out the front door and locked it. “Good night Stella, go home and give Noah a big kiss.”

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Spellfire Hearts 2 She waved at her friend when she turned back. “Night Stella.” Molly turned to go around the building and up to the loft, but as she did she saw three men entering Karl’s store. Something about them didn’t look right, making Molly hesitate. **** Karl heard Charlene’s scream about the same time as he saw the men coming at him. The gun the lead one held wasn’t something he could turn away from. “We want your drugs.” The man tossed him a bag, Karl never took his eyes off the man or gun. “Hurry up or my friends might get impatient and hurt the little woman.” Karl looked over to see one of the rough looking men holding Charlene in his arms, his hand over her mouth. What else caught Karl’s sight nearly stopped his heart. He quickly turned away in order not to draw attention to the huge black leopard creeping up on one of the men. He started filling the bags, his other employees were hiding behind boxes and shelves, he wished Charlene could have blinked out of harms way as well. What he couldn’t stop worrying over is Molly and the danger she was putting herself in, even as a leopard. The scream from one man made the other ones turn to see what was happening, Karl used the moment to grab the mallet he kept under the counter and blink over to the man holding Charlene. When he unblinked, he conked the man on the head. Charlene blinked to a hiding place before the man fell. Karl blinked to where he thought Molly might be. The man with the gun was spinning about, trying to figure out what was happening. Karl heard the sirens outside and knew that Molly called Malaci. He materialized right beside Molly in her leopard form as she stood with one paw on the chest of the stunned thief. The man with the gun started running towards the door, as he came around the shelving, Molly crouched, ready to leap, her leopard cry and snarl filled the store and sent him screaming from the store. Shortly after the Sheriff and his men came rushing in. “Karl, are you all right?” He could only nod his head. Molly’s leopard self was press up against Karl while she still held the robber down, as if daring anyone to come near him. Malaci didn’t move, not sure what might happen, he figured it was Molly and she certainly was protecting Karl. “Can you ask her to get off of him?” “She can hear you, Malaci.” Karl managed to tell the sheriff that much without moving. They both watched as she snarled at the man under her, baring a mouth

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Spellfire Hearts 2 full of deadly teeth before slowly removing her claws from the man’s chest and letting Malaci cuff the man and take him outside. By the time they dragged the blubbering man out the door, Karl still didn’t move, watching Molly as she turned back into her beautiful self, though still looking extremely angry. Karl put his arms around her. “Are you all right, Molly?” Her gaze went over every inch of him. “Are you? Did they hurt you?” “I’m fine, its okay, Molly.” “It is not okay! They could have killed you!” Tears blurred her vision and Molly no longer wondered if she loved this man, she knew she would have killed to protect him. His thumb brushed the tears away from her cheek. “You were great, Molly.” He kissed her as if it were their last kiss, neither wanting to let the other one go. Around them his gnome employees were blinking in and out of visibility, still nervous over what just happened. Karl regretfully needed to give them some attention and needed to pull back from her lips. He rested his forehead against her own for a second, letting them each calm down. When he turned back to his employees they all started speaking at one time. Molly watched the excited gnomes levitating in the air and blinking in and out, it became hard to keep up with who was there and who wasn’t. She didn’t know how Karl coped with all the confusion, she guessed he must be used to it. The girl named Charlene was in tears, Molly couldn’t stand it and went over to comfort the girl. When the girl screamed upon seeing her coming towards her, Molly stopped dead in her tracks. She knew what frightened her, they’d all seen her in her leopard form. “I won’t hurt you, I swear I would never do that.” It was a feeble attempt at calming the girl, she was wailing so loudly that Molly would have been surprised if she even heard her. She saw the men starting to verbally attack Karl and pointing back at her. Molly didn’t need to understand gnome to know what they said. She was a worse enemy than the robbers in their eyes, it was written all over their faces. She felt torn in two, she didn’t want to leave Karl, but by staying she seemed to be hurting him with his people. She turned away, forcing herself to ignore his call and she left the store. When she reached the stairwell, Molly stepped inside then turned… Let all that come as friend enter my home All but those that have the heart of a gnome All other must never step foot in these walls Until I say yes to their welcome calls With the binding spell spoken, she made her way up the stairs to her loft. The tears flowed freely, for Molly knew that not even love could

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Spellfire Hearts 2 conquer the fear she saw tonight. Karl may have won her heart, but she would be a fool not to see what her love would cost him. “Goodbye, my love.”

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CHAPTER FIVE “NO! I won’t let you do this, Molly!” Karl yelled at the force field he couldn’t break. For over an hour he stood here exhausting his magic to enter her stairwell, nothing worked and for the first time in his life, Karl knew defeat. “I love you, Molly Purrly, and you love me!” His throat was raw from all his yelling, he wasn’t surprised to see the sheriff’s car pulling up. More than one person had yelled at him, telling him to shut up and go home. “Hey there, Karl. Is there a problem?” Malaci already assessed the situation and knew before Karl crumpled against the brick wall what must have happened. Those employees of his sure were excited and it didn’t look to Malaci as if it were just over the robbers. “She’s shut you out?” Karl swiped at the tear that escaped. “Yeah, she is too intuitive not to have pick up on the problem.” “With your employees.” He looked up at the sheriff, he liked Malaci. “Yes, they saw her as a leopard.” “I take it that isn’t a good thing for a gnome?” Malaci wished he knew more about Karl and his people, but they were a closed lot and know one really knew much about them. “Cat’s are a huge problem for us, they have killed more gnomes than disease or human’s destruction of the forests.” Karl took a steadying breath. “I guess, I hoped, they would accept Molly, somehow.” “She probably saved all of your lives in there tonight. Those men were wanted for murder in Houston for a drug store robbery, they killed all the employees and customers.” Karl closed his eyes over what he expected to happen tonight, looking at that gun. “Yet, all they saw was Molly turning back into her human form.” “Some people can never accept it, Karl.” Malaci hated having to say it, but he knew from experience how fearful people could be. He’d seen it more than once while in his demvir state. “You should go home, Karl. Give her some time to cool off.” “She won’t ‘cool off’, you and I both know that. What she saw in them

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Spellfire Hearts 2 tonight is the one thing I’ve feared telling her about. Now, it’s happened and she’s blocked me from her life.” “Women can change their minds, Karl.” He tried to smile at the man, but Karl knew Molly. “She won’t.” **** Stella hated to say it, “He’s out there again, Molly.” “Ignore him, he’ll go back to the store soon enough.” “Why don’t you talk to him?” “No. End of discussion, Stella.” She watch Molly head for the storeroom, totally avoiding to look at the front door or windows where Karl Novac hovered. No, he paced on air in front of the salon as he had been doing for over two weeks. Not an hour went by that he didn’t come out and try to break through Molly’s protection spell with his own magic. The poor man looked almost as bad as her friend. The two of them were killing each other. Stella remembered what Noah said, If it is love, it will prevail, just be patient. He didn’t know Molly. Stella knew how determined her friend could be once she made up her mind on something or someone. She wished, she knew what happened to these two, Stella knew that Molly loved this man and from the looks of him, he loved Molly. So what the heck happened to make Molly keep him away? Molly didn’t try to stop the tears from falling, she lost the battle too many time. “I just wish you would go away Karl, stop tormenting me.” In her head she heard his answer just as loud as if he were standing in front of her and had broken her protection spell. I won’t quit Molly, I love you and you love me. Talk to me Molly. Let me hold you again. I need you so much it is killing me, Molly. She held her hands over her ears trying to block him out. But somehow he always managed to get inside her head. No spell could stop him, she tried them all. Other than hurting him, which she could never do, her magic just didn’t work against him. If she had any doubts over the situation with the gnomes, Molly knew the visit from the Gnome President or King as he insisted on being called, gave her what ever information she lacked. He showed up at the salon that very next morning. Molly wished now she’d ordered him to go, but it probably wouldn’t have worked. “You be Molly the leopard?” The way he narrowed his eyes at her and held his scepter like a weapon in front of him, she already surmised that what ever the little man wanted to say it wouldn’t be good. “Yes, I’m Molly Purrly.” “Purrly is it, sounds to me more like a growl.”

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Spellfire Hearts 2 “How…” “Never you mind, you and Karl have been seeing each other and in our world that is forbidden.” “Forbidden?” She could tell the man wasn’t used to being interrupted, but the way he paced in the air before her, she just couldn’t help but ask. “In what way is loving someone, forbidden.” “You can’t love a Gnome.” He looked far too proud of himself over his declaration. “Really, and who says so.” “The tribunal forbids anything but a Gnome marrying a Gnome, and no Gnome can love a…” The way he snubbed her, she knew what he would say. “cat.” “Leopard to be exact, would you like to see?” He nearly stumbled backwards. “No! Don’t come any closer, I’d have to hex you.” “Do you also know that I am a witch, and I have placed spells on myself never to harm an innocent person or gnome, if it matters.” She couldn’t say why she felt the need to defend herself to this man. “It matters not, you still be a cat.” “There is only one problem that I see.” The gnome looked slyly at her. “At what may that be?” “I love Karl, with both my human and my cat self.” “It is against our laws! If he returns your love he will be shunned and his magic will be rendered useless to him…forever!” “I think you should leave now.” “Remember what I say to you, Molly Purrly, you must end this love you hold or you will destroy a fine gnome by your love.” Without another word the gnome vanished. The memory was a hard one to replay every time Karl tried to reach her, but she did it so she wouldn’t falter. Never did she want to harm Karl, she knew that his magic was essential to his life, he’d never be able to do all he did for the gnomes if he couldn’t blink or levitate. The fact that his own people would shun him scared her even more, Karl loved his family and his race, he’d never survive being cast out by them. In the end, he would hate her for causing him such grief. No, Molly must never let him touch her again. Eventually, he would tire of trying to reach her. The crazy part about it was that the gnome king is the one that put the banning spell about the salon. She could have told him she would do it, but he never asked. She did add her own for good measure. She wondered how long it would take Karl to hate her. Her own heart cried for him in so many ways. She couldn’t seem to let go of her love and wasn’t sure how to.

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Spellfire Hearts 2 As she straightened herself up, to go back in and face her clients, she did hope that he went back inside his store. It became harder and harder not to look at him, her lack of sleep wasn’t helping. The fact he invaded her dreams left her awake most the night. “You must stop this, Karl.” “I won’t, I swear to you Molly, I won’t ever stop trying to reach you.” She spun around looking for Karl, his voice sounding like it came from inside the room. “Karl?” He didn’t answer and Molly started to worry. “Are you in here?” She waited for quite a while, but no answer came and Molly rushed to leave the stock room. **** Karl watch Molly leave the room before he blinked into a visible form. “Yes! I finally found a break in the spell.” Listening to her thoughts was shameful for him to do, but Karl became desperate. When he heard her say that King Loren placed the spell, Karl knew the old man wouldn’t have thought of the back door to the stock room. Because Molly’s spell laid over the old man’s hers also lacked that fine detail, allowing him entrance to the salon. Being here, seeing her, it was pure torture not to reach out and touch her. Knowing now of the threat the King made, he realized why Molly stood adamant against his pleas. She was trying to protect him. Right now, Karl didn’t want her protection, he didn’t care what happened as long as they were together. Yes, he would be shunned and probably loose his magic, but he loved Molly more than anything else in his world and he would give it all up for her. Karl already spoke to his family about Molly. After their anger calmed, his mother and father understood that true love must never be made to disappear. That above everything else, love is what mattered in life. He knew if they understood, he could live with the results. Standing here, only feet away from her, Karl realized he still lacked the ability to convince Molly. He feared her reaction to his presence more than anything at the moment and decided it would be best to go back over to the store, for now. The fates couldn’t be that cruel to make him loose everything and her as well. **** The salon was quiet today and Stella took every opportunity she could to speak to Molly about her love for Karl. “There must be a solution, Molly. I mean, that king can’t make you two stop loving each other. It obvious to me that he really loves you, Molly, and…” She gave her friend a small punch on the arm, “you love him. I’ve never seen love in your eyes like this before, Molly.”

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Spellfire Hearts 2 Molly gave up trying to hide her feelings. “I do love him. More than I thought myself possible of loving anyone. But I can’t let him be destroyed by my love.” “No, I can understand that. But what if there were a way to love him and not hurt him?” “If there were such a way, Stella, I’d take it, without thought I’d do it.” Stella turned her head slightly so Molly couldn’t look at her expression. She’d been thinking about her friend’s problem for days now and Stella did find a solution. It wasn’t a perfect one, but a way for them to be together. Molly leaned forward to see Stella, wondering what her friend might be thinking. She wanted to talk about Karl and their love then suddenly stopped. It wasn’t like Stella to do that. “What’s up, Stella?” “Nothing really.” She turned back forcing a smile, taking a deep breath she plunged ahead. “Molly, what if I said I have a way for you two to be together and he wouldn’t be shunned or loose his powers.” “I’d say, what in the hell are you waiting for, tell me!” Molly pushed herself off the stool. “Come on, don’t get shy on me, what do you have in mind?” Stella held up her hands. “Okay, like I said it isn’t perfect.” “Forget perfect, the world is imperfect, Stella.” “I made a potion for you, Molly. I did all kinds of research, even passed it by Maejika. The potion will turn you into a full fledge…Gnome.” Molly studied her for a minute. “You are sure of it? I will be a real gnome, a blinking, levitating Gnome?” Stella nodded, “Yes, you will be one, it is…” She hesitate a moment. “it is for good Molly, you can’t come back to being human.” She waited for her friend to absorb what she said. “The spell is one way, I found it in an ancient text, it is a wonder that we even know about gnomes, they really are rarely seen. Maejika and I figured out that they are the ones that are letting us see them now.” “Karl said they had to adjust to the world around them as theirs, the forests, are shrinking faster than they can run.” “That makes sense. It seems, from the material I found, that the gnomes may be one of the oldest races of the Mother. They have always protected the plant life in the forests. They are such peaceful people that they have been lost to almost all of us.” “I think Karl is trying to help change that…I can’t hurt him, Stella.” “Well, if you were a gnome, how could that hurt him?” “It wouldn’t, but what about my shifting? Will I still do that?” “Maejika said she couldn’t say for sure if it would disappear all together or not. I think that it is one of those, see what happens kind of things.”

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Spellfire Hearts 2 “I would miss it, but not that much. I want to be with him, Stella.” Stella nodded and reached for her purse. She pulled out a velvet bag and handed it to Molly. “The potion is inside with the instructions. Read them first, please. Maejika said it was vital for you to read it.” “Thank you, Stella. You are and will always be a true friend.” She hugged her before letting her race out the door. Molly placed the bag with the vile inside her smock pocket. She rushed through locking up, impatient to be alone so she could take the potion. “It has to work, it must.” **** Something hit Karl and made him stop. He spun about, but couldn’t see anyone, his thoughts immediately going to Molly. “What are you doing, my love?” He could feel a strange and dangerous sense coming from her. Whatever she was up to it started making him very nervous. He blinked over to the stock room, but the place was empty. Odd, she normally stayed open until at least 8 and it was only 6. He wondered if he could find a way to blink up to her loft from the stock room. The place sparked with danger as if it might become a tangible thing and it all revolved around, Molly. “I have to try.”

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CHAPTER SIX Molly reread the instructions that Maejika wrote out on the potion. She even underlined the part about all other spells must be gone from her and the area she stood in. She shook her head against the idea of taking her binding spells off her cat self, she’d be turning herself over to pure leopard instinct and lack any control over the cat side of her being. The dangers were too many to mention. Her cat self always came forward when danger lurked and it might perceive the potion as dangerous, especially if it meant to destroy her shifting. She paced across the open floor of her loft, trying to decide what to do. The door was locked, she couldn’t get out and no one could get in. There would be no way for her to hurt anyone. Molly rushed around and made sure all the windows were down and locked. She never tried to go out the windows, of course she always remained conscious and in control, she bit her lip over the fear gripping her. She removed the protective spell about the loft and salon. With great reluctance Molly removed the binding spells about her cat self. She stood in the light of the moon as instructed and began the chant. From this place Let me escape To be free to be One with the birds and bees A small wee thing That can fly without wings Walk without feet Love all they meet Take care of the plants Right down to the ants Let me be known As a loving Gnome Let me be free To be me. Molly removed the cap and drank down the potion. Once again saying the chant as the bottle dropped to the floor. …Let me be known

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Spellfire Hearts 2 As a loving Gnome Let me be free To be me. With the last word came a rush of feelings, both emotional and physical, they lashed her body. She could feel her cat self trying to immerge, fighting against what started happening to her body. In her mind she conjured up the image of Karl, he became all that mattered and she focused on him and what he meant to her, everything would be fine, she wanted this for them… “No! Molly, no don’t drink it.” But Karl knew he arrived too late. He could only watch as the force of what ever potion she drank swirled around her, lifting her off the floor and twirling her around like a top. He saw her shift part way then it stopped and she looked like herself again, only Karl could see something start to happen to her, she did something to herself and he grew fearful and furious with her! “Molly, I love you. You listen to me, I love you the way you are, what ever you are doing stop it!” But he realized she couldn’t hear him, the roar that echoed off the walls started to shake the building and Karl lost his footing. He levitated to keep from falling over and watched as the changes started to take her over. First her legs became shorter, then her arms and her body, until Molly seemed to shrink before his eyes. He knew now exactly what she did and the tears started rolling down his cheek. As the storm inside the loft started to calm, she slowly floated back down to the floor and to his waiting arms. Karl cradled her against him, hoping that she would soon open her eyes and be with him. “Karl?” “Yes love, I’m here Molly.” “Am I all here?” His laughter came out hard for her question. “Yes, I think so. A smaller version, but all you.” Her hand came up to brush away the tears from his face. “Why are you crying? It is fine now, I’m a gnome.” He pulled her to him and held her, rocking them both for what she just did. “Yes Molly, you are a gnome, my lovely sweet gnome.” “I love you, Karl.” Her lips parted in expectancy, “It’s been too long since we made love, Karl.” He brushed her hair back, smoothing it away from her lovely face. “Far too long. Are you up to it, Molly?” “Oh sweet man, you have no idea how up to it I am.” Molly laughed at the look he gave her, for Molly now held the same beautiful knowledge

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Spellfire Hearts 2 about his desires as he always held of hers. “If this is part of being a gnome, I like it already.” He felt her hand close about the thick rod of his cock, her finger tip played over the head, drawing out his pre-cum. He found her waiting lips and they battle each other in loving surrender. Karl knew he was going to enjoy tonight and every night after with Molly in his arms. She blinked them to her bed, laughing over the surprised look on his face. Oh yes, she was going to like this part of her new life. But right now she became more interested in loving the man of her heart. She kissed his chin and started moving down the length of his chest. Hot wet kisses pressed over his flesh, heating it to a fever pitch. When her lips closed over the head of his magnificent cock, she smiled over the sharp intake of breath coming from him. They made love many times, but she never did this for him, her new knowledge told her just how much he loved having her lips caressing the solid length of his thick cock. She could feel herself heating up with each tantalizing suck she made over the head, while her fingers gripped the power of his balls, driving him crazy with her manipulations. When he flipped them over and took back control, she smiled, pulling him down to kiss her. A deep thorough kiss that she felt down inside her womanly core. She liked how well they fit together and when he pressed the length of his cock against her clit, she groaned over the pleasure he gave to her. He rode her clit as if he were inside, knowing she loved to feel him there. Then he slipped that marvelous length deep inside her sex, pushing it in, touching that secret place that drove her mad with desire. “Love me, Karl, fuck me until I’m exhausted from loving you.” “You can ask me for anything, my love, I’m all yours.” Karl pushed up, driving his cock into her and she rose to meet his lunge with her own force. Together they rode the fury of love that he so cherished with Molly. He moved his hand down so his fingers could press over her clit, driving harder into her at the same time until she cried out for him to come, his teeth latched on to her hard nipple and she jumped beneath him like the wild woman she could be. His tongue rolled over the hard excited nub until she pleaded with him to stop. Stop he did, only to drop down and suckle her clitoris, exchanging his fingers for his penis. She rode his hand in impatience and Karl licked the flow of her juices before plunging his full, hard length deep inside her once again. She bucked, meeting his driving push, he kept his fingers over her clit working it as he fucked her as hard as she wanted. Together they came, he bursting his gushing seed against the wall of her sex, while she flowed about him in a hot release, massaging the full length of him with the muscles he still marveled over.

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Spellfire Hearts 2 As he fell back, he pulled her over on top of him. Gentling her with soothing kisses and smoothing down her hair. Her leg wrapped around his thigh as she pressed her wet sex against him and rolled herself over him. Her hand clutched his weakened penis. She worked it until it grew and stiffen once again so Molly could mount him. In slow madness, she ground herself over the full length of his cock. Her warm fluids flowed over his cock. Karl held her hips, gently guiding her movements and when she came down he held her there, rising up he ground himself against that sensitive clit, knowing exactly what it would do to her. He looked up at Molly, a vision of loveliness, “You are mine, Molly.” “I love you too, Karl, no matter what and nothing is ever going to come between us again.” As they rode that wave of pure ecstasy, Karl could hear the deep purr coming from her and he smiled…

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ENDLESS LOVE… By Juilette Ashton Dell’s fears his Angel will never adjust to life in Spellfire. Shellena loves Dellance, yet knows she must prove herself worthy to the wolf in Dell. Visit Juilette at her website… http://www.naughtynaughtyladies.com

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ENDLESS LOVE… By Juilette Ashton CHAPTER ONE “Can you help me?” “Sure, what do you need, pretty lady?” Shelly could feel the blush filling her cheeks. “I am supposed to meet a Mr. Lucas at Sinfuls?” “That would be Sinful Sundaes the ice cream shop. You go right down the street and you’ll run into it.” “Thank you.” She watched the rather short man leave with a wave. “He’s a gnome.” She heard the awe in her whisper. It seemed that Spellfire had some very unique residents, making Shelly wonder if everyone saw them or just other magical beings. She would have to ask Dellance about it. She found the town square fascinating as she walked down the busy sidewalk. More than once she found herself turning full circle to take in another site. Living out in the inner Planes for so long, she forgot how much she missed experiencing in everyday life. The lump in her throat made her brush off the sad thoughts of her father’s passing. Instead, she reminded herself that it was his final wish that she come to Spellfire and marry Mr. Lucas. Dellance Lucas, she wasn’t sure what to expect. She lost the argument not to come here at all, during the long bus trip to reach Spellfire. Right now weariness became all she felt. Traveling required her to hide her true self and she still existed in her camouflage state. The strong temptation to change made her steps slow, but Shelly thought she better not risk it, not yet, she needed to be sure. The man’s directions were right she couldn’t miss Sinful Sundaes, not by all the people coming and going from the place. She stopped outside and looked in from the large window. Her gaze searched the customers, wondering if she would know him…her search stopped. Oh yes, it must be him, those dark brooding eyes and that large frame caused her heart to skip a

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Spellfire Hearts 2 beat. “Dell…” So many years passed since she first saw him. Of course, he wouldn’t remember her, she was considered only a child at the time of the life mate contract. She bit her lip, wondering if he still wanted to go through with the contract. Her shoulders came back as she straightened, watching as he slowly turned as if he felt her concentration on him. An electric shock couldn’t have been more powerful than the force of his gaze meeting her own. Her body actually rocked as if he were pulling energy from her. She refused to draw away or show him any weakness, instinctively knowing he tested her. She caught the slight rise of his lips as if he might smile, but of course he wouldn’t. If anything, she did remember how stern a man Dell Lucas could be. She didn’t move, waiting as he paid his bill and walked out of Sinfuls to come to her. Rigid as a tree, she stood and accepted his invasion as he scanned her mind. “You are tired, Shellena.” Such a deep, rich voice, it made her want to lean against him, absorb some of his strength. “Yes, it has been a very long trip…Dellance.” “You need to reveal yourself, it is safe here, in Spellfire.” She looked as two fae walked past them. The touch of his hand taking hold of her elbow, drew her attention back the powerful presence now beside her. “Only those that are magical or believe, can see our true selves. The town is special and for beings such as ourselves.” Shelly didn’t interrupt him as he told about Spellfire’s special protection, one that would now keep her safe. No more hiding? “That’s right, you won’t have to hide any longer.” He read her thoughts, she wasn’t used to his presence inside her. Many years that only consisted of her father’s presence, sharing thoughts with this man might take some time to get used to. “I will try not to intrude, Shellena.” “It is all right, I just need to adjust.” “Of course, I will have you home shortly.” Dell stopped in front of his truck and opened the door for her, taking her bag he put it in the truck bed. One bag for a whole lifetime, he realized she must have cast a spell on it to carry her belongings with her. He helped her up into the truck, realizing how small and delicate she felt. She needed rest and to change to her true self. He could feel the exhaustion she fought off from having to hide her Aasimar heritage. Flashes of how he remembered her as a child filled his mind as they rode in silence. He liked how she looked now, knowing once she unveiled herself he would

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Spellfire Hearts 2 see the real beauty she naturally possessed. Dell wondered again of the wisdom of following her father’s decree. He wished he could have stayed close to her, but he was needed here in Spellfire to help watch over the balance of good and evil. Shellena would be a strong force to help him, if need be, take an active role concerning the changes now occurring in Spellfire. They barely knew each other, yet he always believed she would be his mate in life once she reached the proper age. He did promise himself to give her time for her decision and he would abide by it, even if she broke the contract, though he ground his teeth over that possibility. Shelly caught the flex of his iron jaw and wondered what upset Dell. Thoughts over the contract and her doubts filled her once again. She wondered if that is what bothered him. She would release him, she knew it would be unfair to force this union on anyone, let alone a Guardinal and a Lupinal at that. No, the wolf side of him would rule against her in this man and she could never live in that kind of an unwanted relationship. Her shoulders ached, she tried to rub the soreness away, but she needed to release her wings. They had been hidden for over two days, discomfort turned to pain this last day. She never kept her wings hidden this long. “You can change, Shellena.” She closed her eyes, realizing she’d been too obvious, he would see it as a weakness and Lupinals didn’t hold any patience with whiners. “I am fine.” Dell heard the lie in her voice and wondered why she felt the need to be so stubborn. He reminded himself that she hadn’t been away from the Planes since her childhood. He knew all too well of her heritage, it often made him wonder why her father wanted her to be contracted to him. Though both their races were guardians of the good, he came from the outer Planes, his wolf-man bloodlines direct from Lucan. Shellena’s angel bloodlines were from the highest order, her powers were renowned in the Celestial Planes. When he signed the contract he swore to protect her with his life and he would, whether they wed or not. She became his responsibility the day her father passed on. He nearly went to get her on his own, worrying about her, he wasn’t used to waiting and not taking action. Now that she was finally with him, there remained the question he waited for the answers to all these years…can she adjust to life in Spellfire? “There is the house, Shellena.” “It is beautiful, Dellance and so large.” “We have many visitors. I added rooms for them.” “Of course, the Guardinals.” “No one is here, now, and I don’t expect any visitors for a couple weeks. The ranch hands are out branding the herd.”

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Spellfire Hearts 2 Dell lifted her bag out of the back and helped her down from the truck, he would need to get a running board put on the truck for her. They walked together to the house, he watched as her hand reached out and floated over the tall border of cosmos and hollyhocks along the walk. He sensed she would like them and felt glad that he thought to plant the flowers for her. “It is all beautiful. Everything is green and alive, I like the colors and smells.” She used the rail to walk up the porch steps, reminding him of how tired she must be. She would have her wings soon. He gave her time to take in the living room, dinning area and kitchen. The way her eyes gleamed over the kitchen he could feel her pleasure and wondered how she would feel in his arms. When they made love they would join on so many levels, he felt his desire to show her all the wonders they would experience. Shelly kept her surprise to herself over the thoughts he failed to hide from her. Did he want her know his feelings? Maybe he really did want this joining. The smile on her lush lips pleased him. “I have made this room ready for you, for now.” She looked at him in question and Dell decided to tell her. “Our room is at the end of the hall.” “Then that is where I shall sleep.” Shelly hoped her bold act wasn’t a mistake as he followed her to the door and reached around her to open it. She resolved that if this is where they, as a couple were to be, it would begin now. The room thrilled her as no other. Light filled the room from the all the windows in the circular room. A very large room, it shined in all the shades of green and blue, with bright yellow, lilac and fuchsia highlights reminding her of home. Shelly didn’t wait another second, closing her eyes she bowed her head and crossed her arms over her chest, in a low voice she recanted the spell, allowing her true self to appear. Dell couldn’t remember seeing anything as beautiful as Shellena coming into her true form as a golden angel. The large diaphanous wings stretched out to catch the light. They shimmered as the sun’s rays moved through the delicate wings turning them a soft vibrant gold. From the wings the gold spread over Shellena until she glowed in gold dust sparkles. The large vibrant wings flexed and spread as he watched this beautiful woman come into her own. Beautiful beyond words, the angel woman appeared just as he remembered. As she soaked in the sun from the circle windows put in just for her, he saw just how much of a woman Shellena became as all her clothes disappeared. No longer a child, those sensual curves and swells tore through him with a passion as wild as his ancestry, igniting a fire inside his body that

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Spellfire Hearts 2 he feared even her golden rays couldn’t extinguish. Did she realize how dangerous he could become with her in this room, sharing his bed? “Shellena…” She kept her eyes closed, letting the husky, almost growling lust in his voice roll over her, warming her more than the sun, in ways never spoken of…But the glory, oh the pure earthly craving that she sensed from him made her skin shimmer in a way that set her female instincts on fire. His nostrils flared and his fangs pushed down, refusing to remain passive as his hunches flexed in wanting. Her scent filled his senses as no other female ever came close to achieving. Wolf or man, both were keenly aware of the delicate wild pulse pushing her golden blood through her veins. Dell inhaled deeper, pulling in the fresh scent of her excited sex and still she kept her eyes closed, yet he could feel her rush of desire, the heat of her arousal teased his wolfen lust. When at last she looked at him, her eyes flashed in wanton come hither as she softly hissed her pleasure over his response. He forced himself to hold perfectly still, knowing these instinctive feelings were new and unexplored territory for his mate. Angel blood may flow deep in her veins, but she also possessed all the elements of nature and they were a powerful force to awaken. It seemed that Shellena just set hers free. Only his eyes moved as he watched her move slowly around him. Those beautiful wings of hers were straight back, making her look fierce and wild. A tantalizing mix for his animal senses as the feathery wings shimmered past him, releasing a soft pheromone from their tips as she move behind him. His shoulder blades flinched as she ran her nail down between the tense muscles. “Dellance, you are so strong, so large, should I fear you?” Her fingertip moved around his ribs as she came back to stand in front of him. He waited for her beguiling silver eyes to rise and meet his glowing gold ones. “I would never harm what I cherish, Shellena.” The touch of her finger, trailing down the front of his shirt made his chest expand, straining the buttons. “I must know now, Dellance Lucas, do you want this contract to remain?” She placed her finger over his lips, preventing his answer. “Shhh my powerful wolf, I must say this now, for I will not remain if you want your freedom. My father meant well, but many years have passed since you signed those papers in his study.” The way her gaze moved over his face, one that he knew now showed lines of his wolf side, felt like the sweetest caress in the world. “I am a woman now, though I do remember you well, Dellance, I remember how ruggedly handsome you were and are even more so, now. Your power always vibrated off of you, I felt that you touched me with your force that day, wrapped me in its protective folds to keep me safe for this

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Spellfire Hearts 2 day. I have always sensed you, even at a distance, as if I were able to see through your eyes. I have yearned to be with you, Dellance Lucas.” Shellena allowed herself to smile into his questioning gaze. “Oh yes, I have always felt you…my wolf, my protector, my mate?” She stepped closer almost touching his chest with her breasts’ hardened nipples. His control felt awesome, yet she sensed he neared its end and soon the wolf would rule, she must have her answers before that happens. “Are you my life mate, Dellance Lucas?” With infinite slowness her finger slipped from his lips, down his chin until her hand rested over his heart. He swallowed hard against the emotions and havoc she played over his dueling senses. That she didn’t waver before the fire behind his gaze told him how much she understood him. He also felt her conflict and desire to know his feelings, not the lust that would consume him and her with him. “You are bold and play a dangerous game, Shellena.” He caught her brow flicker over his growled statement, betraying her nervousness, intensifying his desire to take her. “I have struggled with your father’s wishes for some time, but hear me Shellena and listen well.” He took hold of her arms, reminding himself to gentle his touch. “I have wanted you for my life mate since the first time I saw you in the garden at your house. Your essence seeped into my blood like a bloodlust after a hunt.” He refused to soften his words. “I too swore that I would release you, should you want to be free. But hear me well, I have waited for you to come to me all this time, now that you are here, touching me, my feelings for you have never faltered.” He wanted to shake her, wishing she would show him some response to his honesty, yet she stayed placid and also blocked him from her thoughts. He gave her a half smile, knowing the focus and control she used. “I want you, Shellena. I desire you as no other. You have been my life mate before I signed those papers, so no, I don’t want to be released from you. I want to love you, protect you, live with you, battle with you, fight at your side if need be, but never, never will I leave you.” She stared at him for what seemed an eternity, when at last she spoke, he finally breathed and when he inhaled he could smell her scent and it was clear and enchanting, no longer stinging with tension. Even her wings began to open behind her, he watched in amazement as they glowed like a thousand rainbows brushed in gold and he realized she looked happy. “Then I accept you Dellance Lucas as my life mate. We are and will be one.” “And I accept you, Shellena as my life mate, to be one with you, forever.”

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Spellfire Hearts 2 His lips crushed hers, claiming her and she felt as if the world finally came into balance for her. In her heart she wanted to be one with this man her whole life and now it was happening. Dell couldn’t help but gather her up in his arms, careful to bring his arm up under her wings. Lifting her, he cradled her to him, twirling her around and around within the sun light she reflected. The feel of her arms about his neck and her smile of wonderment did some strange things to him. He could feel the wolf rise, overtaking him and yet he maintained control and his male form for her, something that surprised him. The feel of her head against his shoulder became enough to drive that wild lust to take her to the surface. Dell felt the battle rolling inside him, tearing him in two when he felt the touch of her palm on his cheek. His wild eyes looked in wonder at her and she smiled up at him. “It is all right, Dellance, I’m not afraid, let both sides be one.” As her fingers moved over his face as if softening the hard edges of his struggle he felt himself relax. His hold tightened on her as his heart raced in feelings for this special woman. She pulled herself up in his arms and took his lips to hers, kissing him, running her tongue over the full length of his fangs. When she pulled back to look up at him, she whispered, “Make us one.”

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CHAPTER TWO Dell watched as her wings fold into themselves against her back as he laid her down across the bed. Already in shreds, he ripped away the remnants of his shirt as her gaze moved over his chest. She looked beautiful, he wanted her. Shellena couldn’t stop looking at Dell. To see the change come over him filled her with fascination. That his man form blended with his wolf surprised her. She watched as his body filled out with thick bulging muscles. His arms and legs thickened with the power of the wolf and the strength he possessed as a man. The thick coat of dark fur accented the forceful lines of his massive build. Shelly’s fingers flexed and dug into the bedspread, fighting the need to bury her fingers into that lush, striking coat. He looked wild, dangerous and extremely handsome as he stood naked before her, silently demanding that she take her fill and she indulged in looking. She sucked in her breath as her hungry gaze lowered to take in the erection of his penis. Large and thick, its full length amazed her, making her wonder how it would feel inside her damp folds. She couldn’t help but move her thighs together, feeling the flow of her hot cream that looking at him called from her vibrating sex. A low growl rumbled through Dell as he watched her hand move over the fine fur covering her pussy. His long tongue came out and ran over his teeth as her fingers dipped between the lush pink folds spreading them open. The tip of one finger rolled over her clit and Dell’s penis flexed, stretching, wanting to take over and roll its head over her swollen heat. She saw his fingers move down the length of his stiff cock. The way he looked as she played with herself and pushed one finger into her canal made her hotter than she already felt. Her hip rose and pressed into her hand. “Touch me, Dellance, I need to feel your powerful cock moving against this wild part of my body.” Her finger pulled out of her canal and moved slowly up and over the pretty pink flesh her open thighs exposed. Dell moved up, he fought to control himself and not rush. His head went down, without touching her he sniffed the full length of her vagina. The way his head turned from side to side as he smelled her, she wondered if he would eat her and giggled at her wicked thought. His dark

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Spellfire Hearts 2 smile said he heard her thought and when his tongue came out and lapped at the entrance to her canal her giggle turned into a deep wanton moan. “Dear man, whatever are you doing to me?” “Loving you as man and wolf in one, my sweet angel.” The tip of his tongue pressed into her entrance, she raised her hips and he took hold of them, keeping them up so she could watch what he did to her, it was the most thrilling sight she ever encountered. She wrapped her legs around his neck. Her gasps as his thumb pressed down then rolled over her clit made her whimper in excitement. Shelly lost her control when his tongue lathed her sex’s folds and fondled that swollen nub of pleasure. Her fingers reached down and buried themselves in the thick fur of his arms, holding herself to the earth as he sucked relentlessly on her clit. “Oh, oh Dell, what are you doing, I feel so strange…oh my.” Her words drove him on, he sucked her clit and she felt his fangs rake against her soft folds. She possessed the sweetest taste he ever experienced, almost intoxicating. He wanted her to come. Her passion must be as great as his own for them to join. His tongue drove into her as his thumb took over exciting her, he tasted her in a way only a mate can do. When his tongue touched her seal he licked it with gentle caution. Her fingers dug into his forearms as the first spasm of her climax rolled through her. He lapped at her release, pushing her to loose control, allowing herself to trust him for guidance. With slow ease he coaxed her release, moving up the beautiful length of her body until he reached her breasts. Dell rolled his tongue over the hard, tender nipples, envisioning his sons gaining nourishment from the full breasts cupped in his hand. “You are very impatient, my lover.” He raised his head and looked into her shining silver eyes, her lids heavy in sated bliss. “I want many sons, Shellena, didn’t I mention that?” She gave him a small laugh and ruffled his hair. “Any daughters in those visions?” “Oh yes, she has long golden hair like her mother, with rainbow wings that shimmer in gold.” He moved up, placing loving kisses up her neck until he reached her inviting lips. “She will be head strong and bold, like her beautiful mother.” “And our boys will be brave and strong like their father. Powerful warriors with looks that will turn all the girls heads.” “Hmm, dare we let them out of our sight?” “Never.” Her arms wrapped around his neck as he loomed over her. “You are beautiful, Shellena.” “I want you buried inside me, Dellance.” She felt his low growl deep in his chest as his fur teased her nipples. “Be one with me.”

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Spellfire Hearts 2 Her hand closed around the thick, throbbing width of his penis. “This is what I want to feel.” He kissed her lips to silence her pleas, pleased with her brazen declaration. Fear wasn’t a part of his woman and the discovery made him shiver in desire to possess this special angel. Claiming her had been a goal that he lived with every day and Dell intended to savor every moment. He knew that once he buried his penis deep inside her, his wolf instincts would overtake them both and he wanted her to be ready for the wild side of his being. Her powers couldn’t keep his wolf instincts from taking over her essence as they mated. She knew that, he smiled realizing this is what she expected and desired from him. Before he could say anything her hands came to frame his face, he met her gaze. “I know what will happen, Dellance, I am prepared to experience this part of you that will become part of me as well. Please, don’t temper your instincts, be yourself, be the man and wolf I have adored forever.” He kissed her lips with the fierceness she called from him. His howl of pleasure filled the room as her small hands held him to her wet, welcoming sex. He let her play the swollen head over her fleshy folds as her excitement escalated. Dell sucked the tender, wanton nipples into his mouth as though he hungered for her essence. Her cries called to him, drawing out the wildness he no longer tried to tame, he was stiff, hard and wanting to claim the wild woman in his embrace. Dell took hold of her hips and brought her up, spreading her thighs open, he took control of his penis, moving it to her pulsing opening. Gentle at first he edged the large head against her until the canal opened and let his cock head enter. “Look at me Shellena.” He waited for her beautiful, now large eyes, to meet his own. “We are one, my life mate, one from now and evermore.” He lunged deep and fast and held her, staying buried deep inside her, breaking the seal that now made her his. She never looked away or broke the contact. He saw the gold blood on her lip where she bit down in order not to cry out. He lowered is head, his tongue slowly licked the blood away until it stopped. They kissed and he felt her start to relax and move against him, only then did Dell begin to set their pace. In slow deliberate motion he rocked it back and forth. He felt her start to move, joining his rhythm. He pushed a little deeper and increased the tempo as she grew bolder. He held on to her hips, guiding her. His lust drove him into her, the wildness inside him grew fierce as she hung on to him, refusing to let him slow down. Her hips rammed herself into him, matching his thrusts with her own. He could hear the short quick breaths she took, her velvet walls began to tighten and contract, she was

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Spellfire Hearts 2 ready. Shellena heard his howl fill the room as their pace grew wild. She felt him probe her thoughts and she focused to let him in. She listened to his words, taking her ecstasy higher as he brought her into his world of pure feeling. The cries joining his were ones of pleasure as he held her to him, telling her to let herself go and feel, just revel in the natural side of her being. Dell lifted her off the bed, holding her to him as she held him inside and his cum jettisoned against her womb. He wanted both sons and daughters, either was fine and he felt her pleasure over the thoughts they shared. “We are one…”

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CHAPTER THREE “Shellena?” His hand gently rocked her shoulder trying again to wake her. Dell smiled over the pout he saw coming over her lush lips. After a day and night of loving she finally collapsed in an exhausted yet beautiful sleep before dawn. He couldn’t say how long he watched her sleep this morning, but he hoped he’d never stop watching her. She looked glorious, all tousled and loved by him. His lips kissed where his hand left, he couldn’t help but run his tongue over her flesh, she tasted sweet and her lingering essence made his penis instantly hardened. He fell back on the bed and wondered how he would ever find the power to leave her to do his chores. The livestock were going to rebel… Shelly rolled over and cuddled up against his strong side, letting her fingers dwell into the thick fur on his chest. “You feel so good, Dellance.” She rubbed her chin against his shoulder as he pulled her closer. When her hand lowered to find the full erection to fondle she smiled and giggled into his warm flesh. “Yes, I want more, my love.” Before she could take a breath, he moved over her and she found herself looking up at the fierce planes of his face. She started to reach up, but he took hold of her wrist bringing it down over her head, where he held both her hands. “Dell?” “What did you just say to me?” She turned her head slightly sideways before answering, wondering what upset him. “I said I want you to love me more.” “And?” “And…” She smiled up into his questioning gaze. “I said, my love. You are my love, don’t you know by now that I’ve loved you all these long years.” His head lowered and he laid it against her chest, she pulled her one hand free and cradled his head, running her fingers through his hair. “Dear Dellance, please don’t ever stop loving me.” He slowly raised his head and looked at her. “I do love you, Shellena. We are together now, we will build a wonderful life together.” “I already find it quite thrilling, my wolf.” For the very first time Shelly heard his deep throated laughter resound off the walls of their bedroom. She waited for him to focus on her once

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Spellfire Hearts 2 again. “You are a marvel, my lovely angel mate. And insatiable.” “Really? Should I not want to make love again?” His kissed the pout off her lips. “Promise me you will ‘always’ want to make love again.” Her light laughter soothed his heart. “Oh, I think that will be a very easy promise to keep, my handsome wolf.” He sucked in his breath over the hold she took of his penis. “I agree…” Dell’s lips covered her open expectant ones, driving his tongue in to parlay with hers. As his lips left hers and moved down her neck, she guided his pulsing head to her sex, but Dell thought he’d show his new lady another way from them to be one. Shelly’s laughter joined his own as he flipped her over on the bed. She felt his strong, virile body lay over her own, she moved her backside until she found his large cock. “Hmm, I like how you feel against my back, Dellance.” His tongue licked the tender slits at her shoulder where her wings retracted. The way she began to move under him told him his instincts were right. He moved his hand under her, keeping her pinned under him as his fingers spread her damp folds, his large middle finger drove into the willing opening as his other played over her clit. “You like this, Shellena.” “Oh my yes, Dell, please don’t stop.” She rolled her hips, moving her sex harder against his arm. From behind her, Dell moved his penis down. When he pulled his finger out of her he quickly replaced it with his hard, anxious erection. Her hips pushed back to meet his lunge, Dell let himself go as he plunged into her willing sex. His large hands moved over her lovely buttocks, enjoying the feel of fine gold fur, marveling at the vibrancy she possessed. When she reached back she took hold of his hands, giving her the bracing she wanted. Their pace grew furious, all gentleness gone and their joining echoing off the walls. Her cries of passion met his own as the explosion of dual climaxes washed over the two of them. As Dell fell over on the bed he pulled her to him, holding her, running his hand down her side as the waves of bliss slowed and gentled. His breath slowly came back to reason, he pressed his lips into her hair, trying to brush down the wild locks of her golden hair. He still became breathless over the awesome sight of rolling rainbows moving down the length of her beautiful form. Her lips brushed his chest. Dell hugged her close, knowing he didn’t want to leave her side. “The animals are going to revolt if I don’t get out there and feed them.”

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Spellfire Hearts 2 Shelly pushed up and scooted off the bed. “I didn’t think, they will hate me, I am so sorry.” Dell could move like the wind when he wanted to and he did, to catch the swirling Shellena. His hand reached up to soothe her frantic state. “Shh, it is fine Shellena, we will go out together.” “How late are we?” He wished he could lie to her, but… “A couple hours.” She pushed out of his arms and headed to the bathroom. Dell smiled, shaking his head he followed her, knowing the dear animals wouldn’t miss breakfast ever again. **** She whisked by him with another arm load of fresh hay for the stalls. He didn’t say anything, but he saw the tired lines around her eyes. Stopping her crossed his mind, but he realized that she needed to find her own limits in this realm and also with him. He watched as she talked with the horses, he figured her apology would be more than accepted. To have her presence here was something any being would rarely, if ever see. He doubted if another like her existed anywhere in Spellfire or near it. She did seem to enjoy herself here in the barn, more than once he caught her hovering in the air as she chatted with one animal or another. It seemed she hovered without thought. He did feel some of his concern vanish because she did allow her wings to show. Dell laughed to himself, wondering if anyone ever saw an angel in jeans and one of his old t-shirts. He never realized what it would be like to have another person in his life. Watching her open that suitcase then start tossing out one thing after another until she found a pair of jeans, would be a memory to cherish. Realizing how upset she started to become when she failed to find a shirt, he couldn’t help but pull one of his out for her. The huge knot of the shirt at her waist actually looked extremely tempting. “What is so funny, Dell?” She figured his humor came for her. Did he realize how new all this is to her. She felt his arms come around her from behind. “You love, you are having too much fun.” She leaned back loving the feel of him, wishing their clothes were gone. She smiled over how he stuttered this morning trying to tell her how she would need to wear clothes outside of their bedroom. “I have missed so much. It is wonderful to be here.” He worried for so long that she would miss the ethereal Plane she left. Her hand reached back to touch his cheek as she leaned back and looked up at him. “I want to live here, Dellance. I will never go back there, I knew that when I left and I will never regret my decision.” He leaned down and kissed her. “Good to hear that, my loving mate.

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Spellfire Hearts 2 Would you like to see the rest of the ranch?” She spun about in his arms and jumped up, wrapping her legs around his waist. Her wings moved back and forth in her excitement. “Can we? I want to! Yes!” “Shellena.” He leaned his forehead to her to slow her down for a second. “You must be honest with me, if you get tired you need to say so.” His hug prevented her from moving to dismiss his request. “I mean it, Shellena. You are not used to this realm, the air is heavy and will wear you down until you become accustom to it.” He pulled back having said what he wanted. He began to realize that she didn’t want him to believe she might be weak. It seemed to be a worry inside her, one she hid well, but one his inner senses were beginning to uncover. “You are right. For now, I am all right.” She cocked her head to look into his eyes. “I promise, Dellance.” She spoke the truth, she would never intentionally lie to him nor he to her. “Good, we will ride out after lunch.” Shellena couldn’t help herself, she wrapped her legs tighter around him. His low growl seemed to turn her sex up side down. Her fingers combed through his thick satin hair. “You have a strong influence over me, my mate, my love. I seem to have a hunger to feel you.” “Hunger is mild for what I feel for you, my angel love.” He met her lips, his wolf senses catching the activity behind them as all the horses’ heads stuck out of their stalls. She must have caught his thought because she pulled back and buried her head into his neck trying to muffle her laughter. Dell swung her around to his back and headed to the house with her hanging on. Her lips kissed the back of his neck as he moved through the house to the bedroom. Their impatience became a new splendor for both of them. Dell dumped her on the bed and started yanking off his clothes, deciding what ever schedule he set for the day could wait, Shellena and their time together is what mattered. “Lady, you are in my blood…” When she crocked her finger, beckoning him to her, his low growl fell over her. **** “The ranch is beautiful Dellance.” He caught how her brow furrowed as she looked again to the right at scorched land. “It started about four months ago, the ground has turned poison. No animal can survive there. So far nothing has cleansed it of the evil. It is same at Dan Green’s farm. That started where our ranches join.” Last night he described the enormous battle on New Year’s Eve and of

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Spellfire Hearts 2 Electra Spellfire’s disappearance. She insisted, “It must be an opening for them. I need to see it.” His inner warning came alert at her words. The last thing Dell wanted was to have Shellena fighting this evil. Even with him at her side the thought made him extremely uncomfortable. Yes, she could be a fierce warrior, but he also knew her father kept her out of the battles between good and evil. Training without true action would not be a good match for what was happening to the land. “I will take you to Dan Green’s farm, his mate, Bess is a Nymph.” “Has she healed the land?” He hesitated in answering, “No, she doesn’t have the power to do it.” “I will need to speak with the creatures to see what they have witnessed.” “On our next trip to town I will take you by the Nymph nursery, Bess also faced this evil in the caverns beneath Spellfire. She might have some information.” He looked over to see her smiling. “What?” “I am anxious to meet these beings. It is surprising for me to realize all these different breeds live in harmony here in Spellfire.” “That is why this place is so special. We need to help it stay that way for all the residents.” Shellena silently asked her mount to move closer to Dell’s. “You know that I will help all I can.” He went on to tell her about he party that Lila and Geo invited them to before Valentines. After hearing about the large picnic and fireworks that were planned she decided that this Valentine’s Day holiday must be a very important event for Spellfire. Shellena wasn’t sure what fireworks might be, but decided to hold her questions until then. Instead, she went back to listening to Dellance tell her about his plans for the ranch. “A dood ranch?” “No, Dude, a place that people pay to come experience the west. They go on horse back rides, campfires, barbeques, trail rides, hay rides…” He stopped talking over her soft laughter to look at her. The hat he gave her had fallen down between her wings and she looked so cute he wanted to make love to her right here. “Okay, Shellena, what is so funny?” “Me.” She could see his brow rise. “I do not understand what any of these things are. You are going to have to educate me. I would like the campfire, it sounds…appealing, you did say it was under the stars.” His laughter joined hers as they headed back to the house. Riding behind her Dell didn’t mind the stops she made to look at the open vista. The colors of the setting sun fascinated her. She said she didn’t remember ever seeing such rich gold and reds, he wanted to tell her he saw them every time he made love to her in her rainbows.

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CHAPTER FOUR “Will you be all right?” “Please, Dellance, I will be fine. I want to explore.” “Are you sure?” “Go on.” She reached up and kissed him, then pulled back, letting him walk away. She smiled when he looked back and held it until he went around the corner. Once he left her sight she felt herself waiver, holding onto the truck to steady herself. Things were moving so fast between them that it took her breath away. Her heart filled with Dellance and she didn’t want anything to hurt their new found love. She told herself she needed to do this, she must get used to being here and around all these new beings. A pretty dragon walked past her and smiled. Shellena nodded and forced a smile. A dragon! Demons! Ghosts! All beings she learned to destroy and now must live with. What next? Another lady walk by, and a man, everyone seemed to be looking at her. Shellena suddenly felt out of place with her large angel wings. She pulled at the sleeves of her shirt, trying to cover her gold skin that everyone seemed interested in. A small, pretty gnome went past her and bowed in recognition to Shellena’s heritage, right there on the walk. She gave the girl a returning nod as she would in the Planes. A gnome would know of her being, she didn’t expect that many knew who or what her status might be. I should have concealed myself. Shellena turned one way then the next, not sure where to go. She never wanted to really hide before. To show such weakness to Dell would ruin his feelings for her. Always the wolf side of him would rule, fear would bring that forward faster then anything else she could do. Her father had been adamant about how Lupinals reacted to certain emotions. “Hi, my name is Moonshyne. You are new to Spellfire.” Shellena nodded and started to walk, the exquisite Moon fae moved along beside her. “I am Shellena.” “I just moved here last summer. I stood out like you. Pretty soon they will stop looking. Most people just haven’t seen an angel before.” “I’m not an angel.” “True, but you are as close as they have seen around here. Even I know of the Aasimars and their powers.”

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Spellfire Hearts 2 Shellena looked at the rather forward fae and wondered why she insisted on staying with her. She could barely walk, Shellena found herself automatically slowing her own steps. “You are going to have a child?” The girl’s hand moved over her protruding stomach. “Yes, soon now.” Shellena wondered if she would look this happy when she carried Dellance’s offspring. “Are you going to the Valentine’s picnic?” “Yes, Dellance told me about it, we will go.” “Oh yes, Dellance Lucas, you must be his intended.” “Yes, I am his life mate.” “Well then, I will see you there. My husband is Sheriff Malaci Spellfire.” “Very nice to meet you, Moonshyne.” “Everyone calls me Shyne.” She waved back at the fae as she turned and left her. Shellena found herself in the town square, almost wishing Shyne would come back, not sure what to do with herself she headed over to the one place she remembered, Sinful Sundaes. Once she entered the shop she looked around and decided to sit at the counter, the booths looked too small to accommodate her wings. She took the stool closest to the far wall hoping she wouldn’t stand out. “Hi, my name is Harpy, what would you like?” Shellena pulled her gaze from the harpie now staring at her. “I am not sure.” “We have all kinds of ice cream.” “What is ice cream?” “You have never had ice cream?” The flat way the woman said it made Shellena wish she hadn’t come here. She started to push off the stool, but the sudden feel of someone sliding in beside her on the once empty stool made her feel penned in. “Harpy, this is Shellena, my wife. I think she would like your summer fields special.” “Got it…and congratulations you two.” Shellena looked up at Dellance unable to hide her relief that he found her. His hand reached over and covered hers in her lap. “I am so sorry Shellena, I will not leave you again until you have a chance to feel more comfortable.” She took a deep breath and smiled at him, knowing he sensed her fear, the last thing she wanted to show to him. “What is a wife?” He gave her a smile, “Life mate, same thing.” Her mouth open in an oh that Dellance quickly covered with his gentle

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Spellfire Hearts 2 kiss. “You are all that to me and more, Shellena.” “Good, you know, I did meet a Moon fae.” “Shyne? She is new to Spellfire.” “Not that new, she is having a child.” He couldn’t help but laugh over her confused look as if moving here meant a person must get pregnant. “She married a demvir, Malaci.” “A demon?” Her question came out in disbelief. “He’s the sheriff…he fights evil and protects the good.” Dell realized how all this must sound to her. All the training her father did put her in conflicted with Spellfire and the reality of its residents. It seemed his worries concerning her adjustment were justified. “Then I won’t vanquish him.” “Good.” He squeezed her hand. “How about you don’t vanquish anyone in Spellfire without checking with me first?” He could tell that his question offended her. “Shellena…” “I won’t destroy anyone. Does that satisfy you?” She didn’t mean to snap, but it seemed that nothing she said or did since coming into town was right. The light in Dellance’s eyes flashed as he looked upon her with more questions. She was failing. Their ice cream arrived. Shellena picked up the spoon following Dellance’s instruction. The flavor seeped into her being, every flower and fresh blade of grass felt as though it just moved through her. Dell knew he picked the right flavor when her wings started to give off a rainbow of colors. The fact that she ordered another scoop on a cone to go, confirmed that she liked ice cream. He was just thankful that it calmed her fighting spirit down. Visions of fire balls took over his mind and he sighed, he would need to take more time to tell her everything, answer her questions. He made a promise to himself to be patient. **** Shellena walked through the meadow listening to the Elfen Warrior Danu’ell tell them about his poisoned land. The fact that his nymph mate couldn’t heal the land told Shellena that evil lay behind these events. She rubbed her arms to stave off the chill that nearing the area gave her. When she stopped cold, Dell’s fur rose all the way down his spine. “What is it, Shellena?” “Your Bess is right, this is evil of the worst kind.” She turned to face the two warriors, sensing their desire to fight, her own wanted to join them. “We need to investigate this further. Stay clear of it.” Dell let her go on ahead of them. “She won’t turn away from a fight, Dan.” “Then I will wait for your word.” They left the farm in silence. Dellance could feel the turmoil in

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Spellfire Hearts 2 Shellena, but held back from entering. She would tell him her feelings when she felt it was time. For now, he didn’t regret showing her dangers they faced. One thing did bother him, he made a mistake today leaving her alone. He wouldn’t do it again. It became difficult to realize how completely unaware she was over the proper behavior or what to expect from the people in Spellfire. “I am looking forward to the picnic.” It took a moment for Dell to realize what she meant. “And the fireworks?” She gave him a defeating smile. “You won’t tell me what they are, but yes, even the fireworks.” “Some secrets are fun.” “I failed today.” He took his gaze off the road to look over to her. She kept looking out the side window, refusing to let him see her after that announcement. “I don’t think you failed, I think I misjudged. You are so comfortable with me. I thought you would be fine with the people. What I didn’t realize is the difference between you and I, together, and strangers.” When he pulled the truck into the yard, he turned off the motor but didn’t move to exit the truck. “I won’t put you in that situation again.” “There is so much to learn…” “And you will.” She turned and looked at him, all the distress he sensed from her evident in her expressive face. “Will I, Dellance?” “You are Aasimar and the life mate of a Guardinal, this is just a different battle field, one you will conquer.” As she always knew, failing is never an option with Dellance.

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CHAPTER FIVE The days passed in a blur for Shellena. When she wasn’t helping Dellance with the livestock or work around the ranch, she took time to turn the room he set up for her into her spell room. All the books and potions she brought with her, along with her armor, were now in her private room as Dellance called it. She told him that he was welcome to come in at any time. He declined after his initial tour of the contents that she gave him. At least he knew if he couldn’t find her where she would most likely be. Shellena liked her room, it felt like home and she constantly reminded herself not to use it as an escape. No, she showed fear to Dellance, that and indecision, two weaknesses that would turn him against her, regardless of their love. “If only sex and making love were all that ruled in a relationship.” Shellena ran her fingers over the bindings of the timeless volumes of spells no other being ever opened once her father passed them on to her. The protective spell she issued over them and her potions would let no one, but Dellance, touch them. He would always be the exception. He didn’t realize he could touch anything in the room, except her killing spells, those no one but she could handle for fear of hurting him. They were both immune to most spells that could be used, but hers were more powerful than any beings in the outer worlds were used to dealing with. She thought again of the poisoned land. She looked back at the table and the blue and green swirling potion she made for Dellance’s land. If it worked she would cure Dan Green’s as well. Her eyes closed over the dangers involved, she could disturb the evil, calling it from the caverns to defend the openings into this realm. Yes, they were gateways for evil to evade. The openings are what poisoned the land. Shellena spoke to many creatures on the ranch. She found most of them down by the creek, the ones banished from the bad ground were hiding there. As she suspected they were driven out before the evil spread, killing the land. Bringing back the land became Shellena’s goal. If it meant killing the evil behind the cause she would do that as well. She didn’t realize how hard she bit her lip over the thought until it started bleeding. Taking her shirt sleeve she wiped away the drops of blood.

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Spellfire Hearts 2 Holding back her decision from Dellance became a troublesome burden, one she would be done with when he went to town. Once he left the ranch she would take care of the poison then he would realize how strong she truly could be. Her armor beckoned her, she did not fear the battle and he would know her strength. Shellena’s determination would not be changed. Ever since that failed trip to town Dellance began treating her differently. He acted as if she were some child that needed constant guidance and the heavens might fall from grace if he left her alone outside the house! No, she’d not stand for much more of his condescending attitude. She remembered what her father told her about the wolf side of Dellance. If she did not change his opinion of her, the wolf would refuse her, already he turned her affections away this morning. She realized this was just the beginning. His said that the ranch hands were returning from the range and branding, she knew it was just an excuse. Already the sun rose and still she saw no evidence of their return. Even should they show today, it still didn’t justify his refusal to make love to her again this morning. Wolf, her fear called the wolf against her, now she would need to prove her strength. **** Dellance watched her walk out on the porch. He suspected that she looked for the ranch hands he said would be returning this morning. What she failed to see was the rider that came in at dawn to tell him they would be arriving closer to noon, one of the wagon wheels broke and needed to be changed. The clang as he hit the horseshoe on the anvil rang out over the yard and still she refused to look over at him. Dellance felt his anger rise, lending more force to his swing. The sparks flew off the metal hitting metal. He lifted the glowing metal then lowered it into the bucket of water creating a hiss of steam as the metal cooled. He kept his head down, but he saw her stomp back into the house and most likely into her room. He didn’t regret telling her that the room was still for her. He couldn’t believe all the things she pulled out of that satchel. Thankfully the large room held it all, right down to the long thick table with all her mixing powders and material for her spells. He still shook his head over the library of spellbooks she possessed, he doubted if Lila ever saw the like of these books. That she spent the last week in that room creating a potion wasn’t a surprise to him. That she continued not to discuss it with him became a thorn under his hide. What made her suddenly become secretive? What changed? He failed

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Spellfire Hearts 2 to find any answers. Their love making certainly didn’t suffer, but he could feel her pull back from sharing her thoughts with him. She never did this before and Dell became furious over the possible reasons. Even reminding himself to be patient with her, refused to quell the temper steaming to life. He heard the call of the riders coming into the yard. Dell took a deep breath to regain his control. Showing his anger to his men wasn’t something he wanted to do, no, he wanted them to obtain their own opinions of Shellena. She surprised him by coming out of the house and walking over to his side. “They are well past dawn, you should punish them.” His teeth ground down against the anger her statement called from him. “The wheel on the wagon busted, delaying their arrival.” “Too bad you didn’t know that earlier.” Dell lost the chance to ask her what she meant as the various men started dismounting and introducing themselves. Shellena forced herself to smile and accept every hand that entered her vision, even the various demon based beings that normally turned her stomach. More than once she fought down the urge to throw-up her breakfast. How could Dell stand to be in their company? The one that nearly undid her was the ghoul, not only did he smell repugnant, the touch of his slime flesh against hers made her dizzy. If not for the touch of Dell’s hold on her elbow, Shelly knew she would have vanquished the offending thing. Thankfully he was the last, she heard one of the men yell out that the worst was always last. Did they all detest it? Why did they not kill it? Her head swirled in confusion. Dell held her beside him as long as he could. She never showed any of them the revulsion that he sensed rolling through her. When she turned to go back in the house over the excuse of fixing lunch he let her go. He took care of as much as he could, wanting nothing more than to be with her. When he finally entered the house he didn’t find her in the kitchen. He knocked on her room’s door and when no answer came he looked in, but she wasn’t there. The bedroom looked empty as well. Just as he started to close the door he heard the retching coming from the bathroom. Dell growled over what he saw when he entered the bathroom. Shellena hugged the toilet as another wave hit her. Dry heaves were hard on anyone. When she tried to pull away from his hold he refused to let her. Gathering her up in his arms, he picked her up and carried her into the bedroom, Dell went over to the big rocker and sat down with her. Her tears soaked his shirt. “I am so sorry, Shellena.”

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Spellfire Hearts 2 Through her hiccups she forced the words out. “He was a ghoul, Dellance, a slimy ghoul and he touched me!” He pulled her up to his chest, his hand soothed down her hair and caressed her wings. “Yeah, Gilly is pretty hard to tolerate.” She pushed up and stared at him. “Then, why is he here? Get rid of him! Even the others do not like him.” “True, but he helped me once.” He watched her roll her eyes in disbelief. “He did, I got thrown off this rotten stud and ended up in some quicksand.” He could see he had her attention through her hiccupping. “He pulled me out, if he hadn’t I probably wouldn’t be here.” She studied him for a minute. “You mean that thing really saved your life?” “Yes, he truly did. So you see he has to stay.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. He couldn’t tell if it was meant to stop the hiccups or for strength. “Fine, if he saved your life then I will accept his presence. But…” She looked hard at him. “What Shellena?” “Does he have to touch me?” “No. I will ask him not to do that again. I think he just tested you.” “I hope I passed, because I refuse to repeat it.” He pulled her down against his chest again. “You did great with all of them.” She hiccupped again and her fingers gripped his shirt. “Thank the stars for that.” He started to rock her, trying to finish calming her down. Dell’s hand kept running down her back, even soothing down her wings until he felt her finally relax. He stayed with her sleeping in his arms for a long time, burying his lips in her hair loving how she smelled. When he finally rose and laid her out of the bed, he needed to pry her hold away. He made sure she stayed asleep, covering her with the spread before he left. At the door he looked back at the beautiful vision on his bed and smiled. “You did real good my angel.”

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CHAPTER SIX “Are you sure you don’t want to ride in with me?” “I think not, Dellance, I have dinner to get ready.” It was the first lie she ever told and to know it went to him nearly killed her. The way he watched her she sensed he tried to understand the new feeling in her. She forced a smile and stepped back from the truck door. “You need to get going. I will be fine.” He didn’t move and for a minute she held her breath, praying that he did not detect her lie. Blocking his probe became harder every day. She needed to end this, heal the land and be done with it. She would close that vile hole for good. When he finally pulled away, she let her breath out, forcing herself to stay on the porch and wave to him until he disappeared over the hill. She looked around the yard, no one was about. She remembered hearing Dell handing out orders before he left. Just before she turned she caught a movement out at the barn, “…that slime thing.” It waved and she forced herself to wave back. Ghouls had no skills at reading thoughts, one mark in her favor. She suddenly feared the rest of the day wouldn’t go as smoothly. Shellena entered the spell room, commanding her armor. It flew across the room and strapped itself to her finely tuned body. Her hand went out in time to catch the broad sword, looking over the blade before she sheathed it. Next were her spells, she had special holders on her vest to hold the collection. “Poison killing, sealing spell for the opening and the replenishing spells.” She made double of everything, deciding that she must correct both Dellance’s and the Green’s land together. She slipped on her gloves, pushing the leather arm bands on. Two smaller swords slipped into their holders beneath her wings. She reminded herself to test her fireballs before she reached the fields. One last look around as she backed out told her she didn’t forget anything. Shelly ignored the front door and headed for the back door out pass the kitchen. A quick scan of the yard said no one would see her. She let her wings lift her, glorying in the feel of having air swirling around her once again, she missed flying. Shellena went high enough to test her fire throwing so that no one would notice in the clear blue sky. She felt pleased and knew she was ready

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Spellfire Hearts 2 for what ever battle came her way. The sealing spell would take a few moments to work, time enough for any guards to attack. She would need to be ready, she would use the height of her wings to help her escape, many earth creatures couldn’t fly. Not knowing what might come sharpened her skills. The cold fact that she lacked much real battle experience didn’t worry her, her father trained her for all possibilities. The few times she did fight, she prevailed, it would no different now. Shellena concentrated on the land below her flight until she saw the upcoming darkened acres. She flew around Dellance’s land then over Dan’s, it took a few passes before she finally pinpointed the opening. “Right between the two.” She wondered if there might be an underground river by the way the land sloped down to the opening. Realizing she didn’t need two of everything made her feel better, she did decide to use both bottles on the opening to seal it, the stronger the potion and the better. Heading down, she pulled out both sealing spells and took aim at the dark gash in the land. The scent of evil filled her nostrils the closer she came. She threw the first bottle, immediately reaching for the other as she hovered. Once thrown, she started to move away just as the first creatures of the dark started flowing out of the gaping mouth. The earth shook and crackled under the movement. A loud shot sounded through the air, shaking the air around her, still the creatures moved about the mouth looking for their enemy. Shellena quietly unsheathed her sword, waiting in ready for what might come. When the first dark shape flew out of the opening she hovered ready to kill the dark creatures. As they drew closer to her they looked like bats, hundreds of large fanged bats. She could hear their cries. Her gaze darted to the opening. It was closing, but too slow, she knew she couldn’t fight them all. Waiting until about a hundred of them drew near her, she sent out a spray of fire engulfing the scream demons, sending them plummeting to earth. The others pulled back, rethinking their attack, they came at her in circles, and Shellena spun in a tight circle with a speed that sent out her fire like a wall of circling flames. Another hundred or so fell in flames to the ground. In the reflection of her sword Shellena saw the larger winged demon coming up behind her. She turned just in time to deflect his sword, her own just tipped his wings. Another larger demon followed that one. Their swords clashed, over and over, Shellena kept moving to keep the other one behind his mate. Once she thought the word, Dellance filled her mind. She struck back

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Spellfire Hearts 2 harder knowing she must do this, she needed to win for them, for their love. The battle grew fierce, two against one proved punishing odds and though she managed to injure both demons, they also cut her wings and one large gash in her leg kept loosing a lot of blood. Shellena could feel her strength weakening… **** Dell pulled into Dan’s yard with his hand on the horn, hoping the man heard him. He saw Dan come out of the barn then run back in, when he came again he stood in armor and wielded his sword. Dell saw that his friend had another sword in his other hand for him. Dan jumped into the truck bed when Dell slowed down for him, Dell kept racing towards the darkened land that seemed to be heaving in the distance. He could see figures in the sky and his heart nearly stopped when he realized she was up there…fighting! When the truck stopped, both men jumped down and started running, Dan tossed Dell a sword, neither man needed orders. They both were headed for a fight. Dell prayed he wasn’t too late, how she kept him blocked from this still troubled him. The signs were there, she’d never hide anything from him again. Even her reason final came through in her last thoughts, he’d heard nothing from her since. He gutted something dark and smelly, not caring what, just that it came out of the closing hole and needed to be killed. Dan battled his own demons along side Dell. Once he had the chance he looked up to find Shellena, he saw her then, battling two winged demons that looked twice her size. He could tell by the way her wings flapped that she was injured, he couldn’t sense how bad, only that she was loosing the battle. “Shellena! Bring them to me, my angel…bring them down to us.” He spoke his mental order not caring how she heard him. He caught her sudden stop in mid air then her zoom towards them to the ground. That she landed on her knees was better than he expected with the speed she used. He didn’t have time to go her, the demons followed her as he expected, what they didn’t expect were the two men waiting for them. Their battle raged, but Dell killed one then right after Dan killed the other. Dell looked around for Shellena but failed to find her. “She is there, Dell.” He looked where Dan pointed. Her sword whisked through the last of the shadowy demons that escaped before the hole finally sealed. He watched as she pushed off the ground with only one wing really holding her up. She waved them back. They both started running when they saw her pull out the potion bottles, she flew away and Dell watched as she threw it onto his land. They saw her fly back, seeing that they were no longer in the bad area she threw

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Spellfire Hearts 2 another bottle onto Dan’s land. What happened next came close to a miracle. First, the land turned a rich deep brown, it even kept coming to where they stood. Next the plants and grass came back, what was already planted shot up to twice its size and the fruit exploded on the stalks as they watched. Dell saw Dan’s mouth open and shut as he spun about trying to take it all in. “It is beautiful and wonderful, how did she do this?” Dell would ask her once she came down. He watched as she threw another couple bottles to where the gaping opening used to exist, he figured she wasn’t taking any chances of it coming back. This time when she came down, he felt the heaviness before she hit the ground and stayed down, not moving. Dell rushed to her side. “Shellena, my love, please speak to me.” He could feel her pain, he pulled his belt off and put it about her thigh to stem the bleeding as he pulled it tight. She managed to open her eyes, he brushed her hair back. She was trying to tell him something, finally getting into his thoughts. There is a small vile on my table, blue and gold inside, make me drink it. All went silent, Dell realized she passed out. He gathered her up in his arms, his howl of anger and grief filling the air as he rushed her to the truck. She never woke during his frantic ride home. He rushed with her into her spell room, her shredded wings dragging on the floor. Dell laid her out on the floor and went to her table, the vile was there with a note. My dear Dellance, if you need to force this into me, I have failed once again. I seem to do that very well. Before your Wolf side turns against me any more, I will leave. Love, Shellena He crushed the note in his hand, finally understanding what has been happening to her. What she believed. “Damn you, Sebastian!” He grabbed the vile, holding her head up Dell push the cork out with his thumb. As he cradled her head, he poured the thick swirling liquid into her mouth, holding it closed when she tried to spit it out, forcing her swallow it by holding her nose closed as well. Dell sat there, on the floor, with her in his arms. “You did this old man. You and your ancient beliefs filled her head with lies. I would never turn her away for any fault, never!” His fingers pushed the waves away from her face. He could feel the tears filling his eyes over the cuts and bruises he now saw marring her beautiful face and body. His hands were covered in her gold blood, blood he couldn’t put back. “You muddled her thinking with old wives tales of Wolves that never tolerate fear. Well, by all the stars, I have fears, I fear my love will perish

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Spellfire Hearts 2 and if she does I will follow her, for I fear I can’t live in this world without her. I won’t live without her!” Shellena’s fingers pressed into his lips, halting the tearful words. Her other hands wiped away the tears falling down his proud cheeks. “I will not leave you, my love, my wolf, my protector and life mate, never.” “Shellena!” Dell gathered her up in his arms and rocked them both. When he finally regained some control he eased her back. His hard gaze moved over every inch of her, watching as the healing took place before his eyes. Even the large gash in her leg sealed and finally vanished. He removed his belt, stunned by what she achieved. “Did that potion in the vile do this?” She smiled up at him, loving him so much it hurt more than the pains still lingering in her body. “It speeds up healing, gets most of it, though I’ll be sore for a bit.” He looked away and towards her wings. “They will take longer to heal, I may have some scars on them.” When he looked back she sucked in her breath over the anger engulfing his features. “Dell?” “How could you put yourself in such danger! Never mind, this is all your father’s doing. I should have known he would fill your beautiful head with old superstitions! If he were alive…” She smiled up at him, refusing to let his outrage affect her. “You would beat him to a pulp.” “A damn bloody one!” “He would deserve it, sorry father, but you would.” She looked up as if he were there, she giggled when Dell stopped himself from looking as well. “I heard what you said.” She reached up and cupped his face. “I don’t think I have ever been so loved, it made me heal faster than any potion ever could.” Dell saw the rainbows trying to roll over her, where they faltered or missed, he could still see deep bruising or a scar. His hand reached out to try and make the raw ugliness vanish and to his amazement it really did disappear. Shellena’s smile waited for him when he looked down at her. “You healed me Dell, the potion only gives my body back some strength so I can heal. But your love was an ingredient I didn’t add.” “Don’t you ever doubt it again, Shellena.” Before she could answer he covered her mouth with his hand. “I want it all out, right now, no more hidden thoughts or worries. Tell me what pissed you off the other morning?” Her fingers pried his hand away so she could answer. “If you must know, you didn’t love me again. No, you had to go out there in the dark for the hands! You had more than enough time to make love to me again, I asked, I even pouted, but no, you refused.” His brow rose in amusement, he did ask for an answer. He fought off

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Spellfire Hearts 2 his laughter, trying hard to realize she still held a bit of anger over that morning. “I did expect them at dawn.” She rose one brow over his lacking reason. “And when they didn’t show? Did you return to me? No, you did not!” Her squeal filled the room as he rose to stand with her in his arms. Her arms went about his neck so he wouldn’t drop her as he pretended to do to get rid of her silly pout. “You are spoiled woman.” “Spoiled am I? Hah!” “You expect me to jump when you say jump.” “I do not, don’t be silly. I do expect you to love me when I say…love me.” Her smile looked so beguiling he couldn’t keep an angry look any longer and let his laughter loose to follow them to the bedroom. He almost pretended to drop her again, but gently set her down. He wanted to make sure she was really healed enough for what he had in mind. She watched him look her over, trying to see what he did behind her when he touched her wings. “What? What is wrong?” “Your wings took some bad blows. Can you spread them out?” She tried, but the pain stopped her. She felt his hands move over the tattered wings bit by bit and closed her eyes against the overwhelming feeling he created. “So warm Dellance, I can feel your healing rays.” Taking her at her word he worked his hands over her wings, willing them to heal. Though he didn’t show it, he felt amazed that they really did begin to heal. He didn’t stop until every tear healed, every scar disappeared and she could open and shut them without pain. Once he felt satisfied, Dell moved to stand back in front of her. “Make love to me, Shellena. Come on, you’re healed, love me, now.” He waited for her to look up at him, wondering what she thought. He saw her head turn sideways as if she contemplated his command. When she tipped her head back she met his gaze. “Do I sound that bad?” His hands came out and cupped her lovely face. “No, you always sound extremely tempting and loving.” “But I am still being demanding aren’t I?” He nodded slightly, glad she could see his point. “There are just times, like feeding the livestock or work that I must leave you.” Her face brightened and he wondered what she had planned for him next. “All right, Dellance, you made your point.” She gently jabbed him in the stomach, not ready to concede. “But I think I’ll still try to keep you with me, sometimes I might succeed and then think of what we might miss if I don’t at least try.” His lips came to take possession of hers, shutting her up with a kiss that

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Spellfire Hearts 2 broke all the records. They both fell back into the bed and she could feel his firm erection pressing into her stomach, making her scoot back until it jumped against her pussy. “My, that feels good my wolf lover.” Dellance growled against her ear, loving how she sounded. His hands moved over her as if still verifying her existence. “Don’t ever go into battle alone, Shellena, I can’t take it, I would not survive if something happened to you.” He pulled back to look at her as she went still. Her eyelids slowly rose to meet his gaze. “I swear to you, I won’t do it again. I am very sorry I hurt you like that. When I saw you fighting those demons my heart stopped more than once in fear, I suffered what I put you through, I will not do it again.” His lips sealed her promise and she melted under the assault. His hands were every where and hers went to his clothes, fighting to rid him of them. She told herself to come up with a spell to make them disappear, the thought made her smile as his tongue lathed her nipple. She moved beneath him with the wildness he drove her to. Her groan joined his deep growl as his hard thickness sank into her warm sheath, burying himself to the hilt. They rode the crest of passion’s fire, she felt as though they were riding on the clouds as they soared. Dell looked down at the bed beneath them and wondered when they left it. Her wings were shooting rainbows across the walls as they kept them afloat. His desire soared with the knowledge as he plunged into her warm recesses, loving the feel of her contractions trying to capture him. He slipped pass their trap, teasing and playing with her until she cried for him to ravish her as only his wolf lust could make happen. Again and again, he drove to her core insuring the offspring he senses would soon fill her sweet body. His hands held her stomach, wishing their presence could already be felt, he wanted to see how beautiful she would become. “My impatient lover, make it a boy and girl, I can not stand the suspense.” “Your wishes are mine, my angel love.’ Her cries of satisfaction increased with his tempo until he pounded into her, then held himself there, pressing into that hot nub of desire that made her squirm beneath him. Her cries drew out his growls, he nipped at her neck as he pulsed in pure ecstasy inside her. He lathed her sweet nipple sucking on each in turn until her hips ground harder against him. The first wave of her climax made him pull back and push in, only this time he held and felt his cum pump into her sex, mixing with her own vibrant release. “My love, my wolf, my life mate!” “Endless love…” The End

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That’s Normil for Spellfire By Bridghid Parkinson Abby ran for Mayor against her brother Perry, but disappeared before the election. Rumors of foul play abound in Spellfire, but her fiancé still searches. Visit Bridghid’s website and myspace http://bridghidparkinson.blogspirit.com/ of http://www.myspace.com/dbparkinson

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That’s Normil for Spellfire By Bridghid Parkinson James Dallingham walked around town as the bars closed. He wasn’t guarding a camp against Apache raids, but in this day and age, even legal social events were dangerous. His darling Sarah encouraged his efforts to keep an eye on Spellfire, but the look in her eye, each time he got out of bed for his bar closing patrols of the town, was sad. She always explained it as, “I’d love to feel selfish and keep you here in bed all to myself.” Her birthday was coming up on the day after Valentine’s Day and James already arranged that an old friend would take over his little patrols for two nights. He looked forward to getting out of bed and starting to get dressed, only to pop up with her Valentine’s Day gift one night and her birthday gift on the other. He planned to stay in bed with her on both nights. James started feeling randy all over again just thinking about it. Monday nights stayed quiet. A few bars were open and James wandered to the areas, where he knew people might need help. On the backside of Barnabas’ Bar, in the ally, James heard a trashcan overturn. He rounded the corner and called out, “Danny?” Drunken mumbling and swearing started coming from the alley, followed by the cackle of laughter. “Danny?” James didn’t have to ask. He knew the identity of the inebriated slurs and he knew why he drank. Daniel James Nightshade, a human with a mixed heritage in witchcraft, made a living as a prominent architect for the Trolls and Gremlins construction company. He became engaged to Abigail Normil seven years ago and began building her a house that could possibly rival anything existing in Spellfire, even the Inns. Wildly in love with Abby, Danny fully supported her run for the office of Spellfire Mayor, against her own brother Perry. The entire town figured she was a shoe in for the office because of the demeanor of her cheating brother and his friends. Success seemed assured, until Abby disappeared.

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Spellfire Hearts 2 Danny kept campaigning for her. He fully believed she might have gone to see her friends in Indiana. Everyone in the town knew the smile on Danny’s face stayed there only by an act of will. He quietly told a few friends that she never told him her reason for leaving town, but he had faith in Abby, insisting that he knew she would return at the first instant she could. Three days after she mysteriously left, he put in the missing person’s report, calling every one of her friends and family that he could think to call for any information. One week after the disappearance and two weeks before the election, Perry smugly announced through the news services that his sister left town because she could no longer handle the stress of the campaign. He demanded that she step forward or, if she would not, she should be removed from the ticket. Now, almost seven years later, Abby’s ‘Missing’ poster still graced most of the telephone poles in Spellfire. Danny still maintained a weekly ritual of posting fresh posters with her picture. The investigation into her disappearance uncovered enough evidence of suspicious behavior to declare that foul play was involved, but all leads turned cold. James knew it wouldn’t be long before she was declared dead. He suspected that she never made out will. Because she wasn’t yet married to Danny, everything would go to her family, namely her brother, Perry. Rumors in the town quickly spread about large insurance policies. Perry became mayor of Spellfire. The posters announcing his run for a third term appeared the telephone poles and bulletin boards next to Abby’s posters. Perry’s underhanded cheating seemed to assure him many more years in office. Danny drank to forget his doubts and heart aches. The Nightshade House stood on the hill at the outskirts of town. The pillars and walls covered in vines weaving their way around the stonework like a spooky shroud around a mausoleum. Inside, the furniture draped in white sheets looked spectral and the items not covered were layered in years of dust. The brand new home stood to be one of the most haunting visions in Spellfire. Danny moved his necessities into the garage of the house, where he lived like a hermit ever since. An old metal garbage can managed to make it to the curb, when James helped him. Stacks of newspapers served as a place to sleep on the nights he couldn’t stumble far enough to reach the bed. Piles of clothes lay around the floor. When Danny couldn’t be bothered to wash his old clothes, he bought new clothes. He didn’t bother shaving and even started braiding his beard. No one in town complained because they sympathized or pitied his

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Spellfire Hearts 2 anguish. A trustee handled the taxes and utilities through the construction company. He didn’t drive; he simply walked or staggered everywhere. A special edition Corvette kept him company in the garage, protected under an old parachute from the military surplus store. It served as another bed on the nights he became too inebriated to make the final steps into his bed. He never displayed belligerence or anger, he sat quietly with his drinks, listened to music in the bar, even spoke to a few people. Danny still owned the construction company. He set up a board of directors and showed up for meetings once or twice a week. Most nights, he stumbled home from Barnabas’ Bar. James escorted him home to make sure he made it indoors, safely. Danny served as the Spellfire town drunk, in hundred-dollar khaki’s and two hundred dollar loafers. “Hello-o-o, James.” Danny finally greeted him. “I’ll walk you home, Danny.” “Preach-e-ate it much, kind sir…” Danny staggered forward on unsteady legs. Tonight wasn’t bad and Danny never gave him problems. The walk would be peaceful, although James thought he had reason to be very angry. The two men would walk quietly to Danny’s home with a couple jokes about James walking through a tree, rather than around it. James felt honor bound to walk him inside and make sure he lay down on something other than the cement of the garage floor. He’d stay long enough to hear Danny starting to weep about Abby. James offered many prayers to the stars above Texas. He prayed most often, thankful for his newfound love with Sarah, standing on the driveway of DJ Nightshade’s home. **** “Damn it Jack! It’ll be the third time you’ve looked at this washing machine! If it’s not fixed this time, you’ll be buying me a new one for all the money I’ve spent on repairs that aren’t working!” Perry Normil’s voice bellowed out of the receiver, so loud that even Rosie heard the conversation, shaking her head. Everyone knew the Mayor of Spellfire enjoyed being boorish. “Perry, there are no gremlins in it. I went over it. Candy Jackson warded it. I went over every inch of the belts and engine, there is no reason for the machine to produce a pinging noise.” Jack felt confident with his previous work. “You have to be smarter than the box! Does it need wings for you to fix it properly? When I start the cycle, any cycle, there is a ping… ping… ping noise that you can hear all over the house. I’m not hauling it back to your shop, you come here this time!” Perry’s voice growled.

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Spellfire Hearts 2 Jack took a deep drag from his smoke before he pulled the filterless cigarette from his mouth, “Fine, maybe it’s bumping up against something when it’s running. I can check it.” He blew the smoke outward in a cloud. If it’s a ridiculous operator malfunction, he’s going to get the full charges for the site visit. “Jack!” Rosie suddenly screamed at him and caught Jack off guard. She came toward him fanning the air with her hand. Jack knew exactly what he did wrong. “Perry, I’ll be there in about an hour.” He hung up the receiver of the heavy black phone in resignation. Now, in addition to the boorish mayor, he felt like he let down Rosie for mindlessly falling back on his old smoking habits. Jack ducked when Rosie rushed up to him. At six feet four inches, and weighing two hundred and twenty pounds in life, Jack stood as an imposing figure of a man. At five feet even, with her temper flared, Rosie was the only person he ever feared. Dynamite comes in small packages. Jack knew he was now in deep cow poop. Rosie snatched the cigarette from Jack’s hand and tossed it over her shoulder, making it immediately disappear into ghostly vapors. “You don’t need that any more! Is he really such a boor ass that he got you flustered? Honey, you stared down all those Axis soldiers as a human…and as a ghost after the war was over. Why are you going to let a piss ant like Perry Normil get you upset?” Jack looked at Rosie. Without a doubt, she was right. Even during the war, he was fighting people who believed in their nation. Perry was a much smaller fish that believed in only himself and his motives were greedy. He felt better simply from her pep talk. “Don’t worry, hon. One slip doesn’t mean a thing. I know how it is as a ghost, all those things you loved in life just rematerialize around you in the old ways you used them. How many times have I been working and that old bandana just appears around my head as I’m brushing hair out of my face? I hadn’t worn it except for cleaning house and welding.” Jack understood. He wasn’t in any danger of dying from smoking, but the habit did become a crutch. In life, the instant he felt anxious, he could light up and take a long drag from the cigarette that would perpetually dangle from the corner of his mouth. The smoking habit followed him in death because the behavior became ingrained. “Get your tools together and head for Perry’s.” Rosie looked so sweet to Jack, even when she fussed and this was the sign that her temper flare up ended. “As much as I think that man is a pompous ass, he could be right that you need to see what is happening.” **** Jack gathered his tools and made a stop at the Candy Jackson’s store

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Spellfire Hearts 2 for a fresh gremlin trap. He hated to think that the little cordrah spirits could have gotten wise to the sugarcoated hay bale wire leftovers. His life would become complicated if they needed to devise a new way to trap the little mindless hate balls. It was ingenious of Candy to recycle the leftover baling wire from the area farmers, to create tangles of chaos then sugar coat the wire and set the trap with a spell. Jack used a nylon rope handle to pull the traps and lure the little bristling balls of negative energy away from the electrical components where they often cause failures and electrical shorts. When their jaws wouldn’t let go of the trap, he was able to imprison it in a special device created by Jealina Trinkets. Since the little imps lacked a spirit, the negative energy would simply dissipate in time and the trap never needed emptying. Once he arrived at Perry’s, the feelings of unease came back. Jack couldn’t place it, but he knew the negativity of some people would permeate the places they lived. Jack focused on relaxing because at times like this, he would reach for a cigarette. You faced down soldiers with more testicular fortitude than Perry, Jack thought to himself. It could be much worse. Taking a deep breath, Jack rang the doorbell at the Normil house. Perry opened the door with a sneer. “It’s about time,” he said. Jack stood his ground without blinking, but he would loose face just by being courteous. He knew he was early from the estimate he gave Perry over the phone. “Hello, Perry. Where’s the machine?” “It’s in the basement, first door on the right, once you enter the kitchen.” “I think I can find it.” Jack gave a wry smile and a lazy, even disrespectful, salute before he dematerialized and sank through the floor to the basement level. “Prick!” Perry muttered as Jack disappeared. Jack laughed to himself. It seemed to irritate Perry more when Jack didn’t react in the face of nasty temperament. Jack floated down toward the basement and immediately noticed the malevolent glow of several cordrah spirits. Jack wasn’t about to trap these creatures because he thought Perry deserved all the torment they could produce. He wasn’t keen on doing any favors for Perry. For the first time in his long repair career, Jack thought of the cordrah as being beneficial. As he surveyed the area, the only cordrah that concerned Jack, and might be worthy of mention to Perry, was the nasty ball of energy lurking inside the engine of a large chainsaw. What held Jack’s attention was the murky green glow around the floor of washing machine. He’d never seen anything like this when it sat in his shop. He sat down the toolbox and approached the washer, unsure of the

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Spellfire Hearts 2 cause of the problem. Jack floated through the walls to inspect the machine fully. All connections were intact, the electrical supply to the basement had modernized connections and all components complied with the electrical codes. All of the plumbing looked intact and Jack didn’t even find a leak. He turned on the washing machine to a delicate cycle and pulled the handle to start the water flow. Water began to fill the tub normally, just as Jack saw in the repair shop. He set the water level to low and advanced the wash cycle timer so it would run through the cycle quicker. Ping! Jack was shocked to hear the noise, just as Perry described it. Ping! In all the hours he worked on the machine in his shop, there was no indication of any type of failure or interference. Ping! Jack listened to the machine and tried to determine the source of the sound. Ping! Ping! Ping! He pressed his face into the side of the washing machine. Ping! Jack saw a tiny spark bouncing off the inside wall of the machine housing. Ping! Another flash. Ping! Jack froze, listening carefully. The pattern repeated. Three long. Three short. Three long. Morse code. SOS. Save Our Souls. Within seconds, the pattern repeated and Jack watched the flashes of light inside the machine to see if he could discover their source. Each flash struck the bottom of the washing machine, but he couldn’t determine the direction. Floating around the machine, he couldn’t see any type of spell components or creature that could be responsible. The pattern repeated again and Jack had no doubts. He floated down to the only place he hadn’t checked—the flooring and cement under the machine. As he tried to float down, he immediately butted against a heavy black box. The unusual piece was solid, even with Jack being immaterial. In the distance, he saw the shifting darkness of the grollim or the spirits referred to as ‘the Shadow People’. He inspected the mass neatly encased in the cement floor. He could not pass through it and couldn’t see an opening. Some kind of spell prevented him from touching the black casing and the magic tingled

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Spellfire Hearts 2 his arm. Jack, you are thinking like a human again! Jack chastised himself because he went around the sides of the mass, but failed to inspect the top or the bottom. The pattern of dings repeated in the machine over his head. He floated to the top of the black form and discovered a pattern of welds in the top surface. Jack found the tiny flashes of light shooting out from a crack. Each flash of energy bounced off the bottom of the machine to produce the ping noises. Ha! The machine is in perfect condition after all! Jack felt triumphant in the authentication of his handiwork and the spells of the witches in town. He started mentally planning the bill he would write up for Perry. Jack pulled down the goggles from his leather aviator helmet out of habit. He laughed, remembering Rosie’s comment about a person’s habits in life following them in death. Even James would tease him that they were about to honker-down and get to business when he saw Jack pulling his goggles over his eyes. He removed a small screwdriver from the pen pocket in the sleeve on his leather jacket. Jack waited for another complete pattern before trying to answer in a code message. He raised the screwdriver and brought the point down to the top of the box. Boom! Scree-e-e-e-e-t! Jack brought his hands up to his ears to block the screeching noise he heard. An energy blast knocked Jack backwards, into the dense topsoil on the side of the house. Every part of his body felt like he received a jolt of electricity and even his teeth hurt. Even his own death didn’t rival the blast he received. Spell. Strong. The soil around him was cool, moist and comforting. Jack didn’t know how long he sat trying to recover from the jolt. The Traps. Jack knew he had a brand new trap in his toolbox. He floated back into the basement. One of the cordrah already found his toolbox and was greedily chewing on one of the haywire traps. That could help, Jack thought to himself. Bait. He pulled the nylon handle of the trap, turning himself and the trap immaterial. The nasty little hate ball attached to the trap, following like a fish on a hook. Jack fixed himself in place and gave the trap, and its parasite, a heave onto the top of the black box. He let go of the entire trap and handle once assured that it would land on the top of the black box. Jack heard nothing this time, but when the trap landed on the top of the

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Spellfire Hearts 2 black mass, the cordrah exploded like fireworks. The haywire trap skittered over the top and began to disintegrate to ash. He picked up the other trap and repeated the process. The cordrah attached to this trap seemed to be in agony before the explosion came that ripped it apart. Jack briefly wondered is the little creatures might somehow feel pain, or if the spell on the box was so vile, that even the cordrah couldn’t withstand it. That thought left Jack queasy. The trap slowly disintegrated and Jack struck on the idea to grab one of the small detention units that he used to transport the spirits to his workshop and their final prison. The charms he used were taking some of the energy from the spells protecting the box. The third time, the charmed prison didn’t fully disintegrate. The small bits left of Jaelina’s prison charm were now worthless. Jack cautiously tapped twice on the top of the box, the energy that still surged through him felt like an accidental contact with a bare electrical wire. Tap! Tap! He heard a cautious answer from inside the black box. One last chance, he thought. He rose up from the cement flooring and discovered a large sledgehammer. If he hit it just right, in the area where he saw the flashes of light, he might be able to get into the box by splitting the seams of the weld. Jack cautiously stood with a perfect swing to the top of the spell box. If he let go of the handle at just the right moment, he might be able to open it. Batter up! Jack needed to find some way of steeling himself, even if only by humor, because he knew if he timed it badly he could get another nasty jolt from the spells. Jack gave the hammer a swing with all of the force he could muster. He let go of the handle before the head made contact with the weld, but sparks flew into the air. Jack found it necessary to try protecting himself by bringing his arms up as a shield. Cautiously turning to the box, he saw the hammer disintegrating, it created enough space in the weld that a mist began to filter up, slowly. He soon found the face of a woman staring back at him and the remainder of her body beginning to solidify. Jack lived around Spellfire for years and had seen this young woman grow up. He now stood face to face with Abby Normil. **** “What in the Hell is going on down there?” Perry’s voice boomed out from the upper door. Jack held his fingers up to his lips in a silencing motion to Abby. “Hey, I found your problem! A nasty pair of cordrah attacked your sewer and plumbing. I think I have it, but it’s amazing that this nasty little beast didn’t attack more than your washing machine.” Jack was good at thinking on his

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Spellfire Hearts 2 feet. “No kidding!” The astonishment in Perry’s voice was sincere, but he didn’t venture downstairs. Abby, held perfectly still and Jack decided to beef up the story. “Oh, yeah! You have nine of the little beasts in the basement and one of them is in a chainsaw. It’s nasty! I’ll make sure the chainsaw is OK, so it won’t cut your arm off the next time you use it. Another is in the dryer, I’m surprised he didn’t burn the house down. Want me to get them all?” “Yeah, go ahead.” Perry’s voice sounded subdued, but everyone in town bowed to Jack’s skill with the cordrah. Jack was counting on making these imps sound dire and he did it well. “I’m having Rosie get me some extra traps, I told her to just come straight down here.” Jack yelled to Perry. “Ok, sure.” Perry closed the kitchen door. Once the footsteps above stopped, he turned to Abby, “Do you have any idea what has happened to you?” “No.” Abby looked at him helplessly. “I’m pretty sure I’m dead, but the body is in a state of suspended animation or something. I don’t remember what hit me. I’ve been trying to get help. It’s been a long time, I’m sure.” “You have been missing for almost seven years. Investigators suspected foul play, but none of the leads they followed helped. It’s a cold case.” Abby started crying. “Danny? How’s my Danny?” “That’s a long story. He’s not doing too well, but when you disappeared, there was a huge scandal about the mayoral election. Perry made sure the election was in the spotlight more than the criminal investigation for your disappearance. I want to get you out of here, but not let your brother know.” “We have to go to Danny.” “We can’t right now. I have a friend that can help. I have to find a way to get you out of here. I don’t even want Perry to know, yet.” “Why?” The young woman looked up pleadingly before the acceptance sank in and she nodded, “How?” Jack had an idea, but he wasn’t sure if it could work. “Do you remember studying World War II in your history classes?” “Of course.” “Do you remember what the nose art of some of the bombers looked like?” “A bit like Rita Hayworth?” Abby asked. Jack smiled. “Exactly.” Jack described the details of shifting her appearances as best he could, but he remembered it took weeks before he could make himself resemble an Axis Officer.

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Spellfire Hearts 2 “Little shorts and a plaid shirt?” she asked. She closed her eyes and her body began to transform to a woman that could have stepped off the nose art of an airplane. “Perfect. A bandana around your head and medium reddish hair.” Abby kept her eyes closed and focused. Her hair turned red and a bandana came into place, to tie all but a few stray curls back. A plaid men’s shirt became visible and little tiny denim shorts. “A little heavier, about a size six, and bright red lipstick,” Jack encouraged her. Slowly the transformation came about and Jack was looking at the image of a woman that he would have kissed during a preflight inspection of his airplane. “I’m going to try passing you off as my wife, Rosie.” Abby gasped and stared at Jack. “Yes, she’s now in Spellfire. I’ll explain later.” Jack draped the two nylon handles of the remaining traps in Abby’s mouth. “If all else fails, giggle a little and then sigh.” Jack handed her two small tool cases for each hand and he collected the large case and the chainsaw. The cordrah was gone, but Perry didn’t need to know that. Jack led the way to the top of the steps and realized he didn’t know if Abby was in command of any other ghostly talents. Rather than create a fuss over asking her, he simply opened the door and hoped Perry didn’t think to notice. “Hey, what have you got there?” Perry came in from the main hall. Abby stayed behind Jack as he explained. “Rosie and I have some of them trapped. I have to go back to the shop and get more traps. I’m taking the chainsaw because I think the little beast busted it up bad. Consider yourself very lucky that you didn’t try starting it. It could have blown up in your face.” Perry craned his neck and looked over Jack’s shoulder, but kept away from the chainsaw that Jack shoved in front of him. “Honey, this is Perry Normil, the mayor.” On cue, Abby giggled. “Perry, I don’t know if you’ve had a chance to meet my wife yet, she’s only been here for a few months. Spellfire is a bit different from our old home on Long Island.” “How do ya do, Mrs. Taylor?” Jack had to give Perry points for being at least superficially polite. Had he done anything less, Jack would have beaten the man into a pulp. “Let me get back to the shop, you had a horrible infestation down there! It’s amazing that you didn’t have more problems than just the

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Spellfire Hearts 2 washing machine. I fixed the dryer and reconnected the wiring that the cordrah frayed.” “Send me a bill.” Perry said with his eyes again fixated on the large chainsaw. “I will do that, sir.” Jack said curtly. “When we come back, we can just go straight to the basement to finish the work.” “Alright, you do that.” Once Jack finally got out of the house, he felt a sense of relief. “Follow me to the hedgerow bushes.” He heard an affirmative, “ah huh,” behind him. When they were safely out of the view of the house, Jack set down the tool cases and took the tools Abby held. She spit out the frayed nylon handles in her mouth. “Can you hold that appearance for just a few more blocks?” “Sure. I think so.” “I want everyone to think you are Rosie.” Jack explained, “But, when we get back to the shop, I want you to go back to your normal appearance. If Rosie sees you looking like this, she will kill me—no questions asked.” They walked slowly and silently until they came to the corner of the Market Square, where James and Sarah ran their adjoining stores. Jack stopped Abby, setting the toolbox and chainsaw on the ground. “I’ll be right back.” He became immaterial and moved to James’ office in the corner of the market. James sat at his desk pouring over receipts. “I need you and Sarah to meet me in my shop, immediately.” Jack stayed just long enough to see that his startled friend saw him. Jack popped out of the office before the profanity could begin. When Jack returned to Abby, she looked confused, but she seemed to be accepting the current circumstances. “I need help that I can trust.” “Well, you got me.” James’ voice growled behind him. It was Jack’s turn to be startled, but he laughed. The old Ranger stood a couple inches taller than Jack and he looked a little upset. “Rosie, you’re lookin’ a might bit woozy. You alright?” “She’s fine. Shut up, grab Sarah and follow me to the shop!” Jack had never been this curt with his friend and he hoped the old man would be patient if he made it sound like an order in the squadron. He couldn’t risk speaking publicly. “Yes, Sir.” In spite of the pain that began in his ghostly body, Jack walked quickly to maintain the visage that he and Rosie were walking home. “Go into the shop ahead of me.” Jack instructed Sarah. Jack opened the door and let everyone pass.

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Spellfire Hearts 2 James looked up to the back of the store and found Rosie calmly typing on the computer. Astonished, he turned back to Jack. “James, I think you know Abby?” Jack asked. James was speechless. His moustache bobbed up and down as if he were trying to say something, but no sound would come out. Rosie stood up from the desk to investigate. Sarah was the first to speak. “Oh, my God! Abby Normil? The missing woman?” Jack tried to calm the group down as he closed the shutters on the shop and turned the sign to ‘closed’. Abby kept looking over her shoulder to the closed blinds. “Yes ma’am, I don’t know what happened. I’m almost sure I’m dead. My body is in some kind of ‘freeze’ and I’m here.” Rosie was the first to take any real action, “Honey, is there someone I can call for you?” “Danny,” The young woman answered. “Good,” Jack concurred. “We can get him down here and we can figure out what to do next.” James pulled Jack aside and whispered, “Hey, I don’t know if you realize it or not…but, Danny isn’t in a very good state. He was loaded last night.” **** James volunteered to go to Danny’s house, clean him up and bring him to the shop. He simply dematerialized from the shop and rematerialized on the driveway of the Nightshade home. He took comfort when Sarah volunteered to get Abby some new clothes from her store. They would get Abby cleaned up for Danny to arrive. James just wasn’t sure what kind of luck he was going to have with Danny. He knocked at the side entrance of the garage and could hear Danny rustling inside. James passed through the door to find Danny on his hands and knees on the cold cement. The man groaned loudly, James could still smell the remnants of the bourbon that Danny routinely steeped himself in, to forget his problems. “Hey, Danny. We need to get you cleaned up.” James thought it best that he not tell Danny about Abby and just find a way to coerce this man into Jack’s shop. “Where’s the shower?” “Hey! Take it easy! Watz de matter? Did you step in something, cowboy?” Danny asked. The cynicism in his voice was disappointing, but James didn’t want a scene before there was a plan in place. He shoved Danny into the shower stall, clothes and all, he turned on the cold water. Danny screamed and sputtered about ice cubes falling on his head, so

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Spellfire Hearts 2 James turned on the warm water a little to keep the man quiet. Danny stripped off the clothes he slept in and dumped them on the floor of the bathroom. James waited for him with a clean towel, but he silently mused that the shower left Danny as mad as a wet hornet. “You need to shave,” James said. “No,” Danny insisted. “Can you comb it then?” James asked. Danny pulled out the braids and brushed his beard. His hair was coarse, but smoothed out with a hairbrush. With fresh clothes, Danny looked respectable. His tastes in clothing certainly didn’t make him look like a bum. Then again, nothing in Spellfire was normal. “Now, will you tell me what in the fuck is going on?” Danny demanded. “We’ll be at the shop soon, the Colonel can brief you. I’m just following orders.” If all else fails, fall back on military protocol. Best of all, Danny accepted that explanation. **** Danny didn’t know what to expect. It was the first time he ever needed to step into the appliance repair shop. He knew of Jack Taylor simply based on his notoriety in town and working with him on several business deals. It sounded unusual when James spoke of a briefing from ‘the Colonel’. Jack commanded the local Paranormal Guardian’s Unit, but Danny had never been involved with militaristic endeavors. His body still felt like jelly. Yet again, he swore to himself that he’d quit drinking. Many nights, the comforts of the bar called him and with a drink, he could block out the myriad voices that insisted Abby was dead and gone forever. At least with a drink, he only heard the voices that said, “Oh, that’s a shame.” Danny walked unsteadily on the part of the sidewalk near the shop that sloped from the growth of tree roots underneath it, but his blood was pumping through his body with the exertion of the walk. He felt the fog of alcohol lifting, slowly from his body. James opened to door to the repair store and Danny stepped inside, cautiously. In the back office area, Jack stood and floated forward to shake hands with him. He also saw a group of women talking in the corner. “Mr. Nightshade, good to see you again.” Jack said formally. “Please, Danny or DJ…,” Danny offered and extended his hand. “Yes, sir.” Jack answered. “Come over here.” A handshake with a ghost always unnerved Danny because he felt solid, but it was obvious there was nothing to the substance. Like shaking

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Spellfire Hearts 2 hands with cotton candy, he thought. “There is a situation we have come across that is disturbing and we need your help. You need to be prepared. I didn’t allow James to tell you anything because, until we have a plan in place, this is a top secret mission.” “Yeah, I get ya. You need something built for the Guardians?” “No.” Jack took a deep breath and looked hesitant. “I was on a job this morning and I found a new clue that may lead to evidence about what happened to Abby.” Danny jumped up, and the wooden chair crashed to the floor behind him. He wanted to scream, but he couldn’t find his voice. “Easy, this is going to be a shock. We have no plan right now, other than sitting back and trying to sort out details, and get the authorities involved, but we need to know where to begin.” Danny understood Jack’s plight because it seemed something dirty happened to her all those years ago and he just couldn’t prove anything. “So, what did you find?” Jack looked behind him and simply nodded. “Hello, Danny.” The goose flesh rose on his skin. With the sound of Abby’s voice, Danny spun around and saw her the same way he saw Jack and the others in the room. He stared at her and fought every instinct to reach out and lift her off her feet. He covered his mouth with his hands. “I’m happy to see you, too.” Danny couldn’t resist the tears with his worst fears confirmed. “You’re dead?” “I don’t know,” Abby answered. “I was sealed into a spell box. I didn’t know how long I was there until Jack told me. My body is lying in the bottom of the box, but it still looks normal, like someone that went to sleep. My body is still, and immobile. I had to work to get myself like this.” “What happened?” Danny asked. “I don’t know… I was on my way home—walking. I felt a thump on the back of my head and it’s the last thing I remember before the box. I remember something about needing to help Frieda because I saw her working on some spell, but I don’t remember details.” “Help Frieda?” Danny asked for clarification, “Faraday?” “Sure…she has an interest in protecting Spellfire, I remember that much, but I don’t remember the details.” “Sure.” Danny answered. Jack stood to his full height and suggested, “We need to get your body out from under the house, Abby. If there is a spell, the spell could be deteriorating because I cracked the case to let you escape.” James immediately interrupted, “Perry ain’t gonna let us in there to dig

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Spellfire Hearts 2 up the foundation of the house.” Jack understood, “He doesn’t have a choice if there is a court order. We can have someone extract it by using spells.” “Electra!” Abby offered. Silence answered her question. Rosie shook her head. “She’s not here anymore, honey. There’s a lot of news we have to explain.” “Maejika!” Jack realized the woman would probably be ideal. “Once we extract the box, have it carried over to the healer that did all the work on Rosie…oh…Heather! She can clear the spells and if you need medical care, she can help you.” “The downside would be that I need an undertaker.” Abby said. “Stop!” Danny held up his hands to halt the rapid conversation, The prospect that Abby died, left him with a catch in his voice. “We need to think…rationally and positively.” “Danny? Look at me.” Abby’s soft voice halted them all. He looked up from the flurry of conversation, her eyes and face looked the same as they did the night she disappeared, but she still held the traits of the ghostly form. Her eyes were sad and her dark blond hair tumbled over her shoulders. “Spirits don’t leave a body without reason. If we expect the worst, it can only get better. Right?” “But…I…can’t…,” Danny stammered. The tears welled up, the idea that she was dead tore him apart. When Abby stepped closer, he wanted to pull her into his arms, but the weightless feel of her touch stopped him from hugging her tight. “Hey, even I don’t know what’s happening,” she said. Jack’s voice rose again, “Lets get Heather and Maejika. We need to call the police and get a summons or a warrant…or whatever.” Danny took a deep breath, “Let’s get the paramedics, too.” While Jack, James, Rosie and Sarah jumped into action on the phone, Danny could only stare at Abby. “I thought Frieda did this to you. I was sure Perry did something crooked for the election…” Abby couldn’t contain her laughter. “Perry? Mr. Perry, hot-shot-afraidof-everything-that-goes-bump-in-the-Spellfire-night, Normil? You have to be kidding! Perry doesn’t go out at night unless he can surround himself with hotshot friends.” “I don’t get it.” “Perry doesn’t like some of the…uh, people around Spellfire, since he became the victim of a freshman prank back in high school. Some guys thought it would be funny to get him drunk, but they put a drug into his drink and dumped him off at Labyrinthine Institution.” “He’s a bully!” “Pretty good act…right?”

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Spellfire Hearts 2 “But…how…what?” Danny was confused. “Perry is my brother. He acts tough for a reason. I think he takes it too far and every once in a while I call him on it.” The room became quiet as the entire group pondered her words. “He acts tough with everyone,” Jack said. “Including me.” “You are a ghost,” Abby pointed out. “Not when I was alive! You mean…?” “You don’t hide walking through walls…?” “Or, floors.” Jack finished quietly. “This morning, when I got to the house, I just passed through the floor to the basement and he started cussing. He was civil when we left, but we acted human because I didn’t want to attract attention to you. He thought he was meeting Rosie and he was polite. We walked and talked like regular people because I didn’t know what you could do.” “Yeah, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Perry that polite, but I am the big sister…I don’t think I’m supposed to see that.” Abby giggled. Danny couldn’t reconcile his experiences with Perry, against the descriptions she just gave. Even his memories of the many fights he saw between them, didn’t mesh with this description of a terrified teenager in a grown man’s body. As the others continued to make a flurry of phone calls, Danny stared at Abby, she looked the same as the night she disappeared, but now, staring at her, his gaze caught minute details of the refrigerator behind her. “Danny, the part of me that that loves you more than anything in the world is right here. That’s what I have been hanging on to all this time.” He reached out to her hand, but he only started crying. Her touch had the same cotton candy feel as Jack and the others. She closed her eyes, and the feel of her fingers slipping into his became a bit more solid. The anguish churned inside him with a sense of relief that the period of knowing nothing was over. He took a deep breath and opened his arms to her. “Come here.” Abby moved slowly into his arms. Her touch felt light and he couldn’t give her the bear crushing hug that he desperately needed, but he couldn’t deny the truth that he held her because his cock started to stir for the first time in years. “I’ve waited, I had to hang on and focus hard to get someone to understand where I sat. I learned to move, or I’d still be in the box and people might have given me up for dead.” “I always knew you were out there.” Danny couldn’t struggle to stop the tears anymore. “I knew, I wasn’t crazy, but everyone kept saying that I needed to face reality. I always thought that if ever you were dead, I would know it, and I just didn’t feel that part of my soul had disappeared. I had a hard time coping.”

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Spellfire Hearts 2 “I smell the bourbon…,” Abby started. “I won’t lie,” Danny took a deep breath. “I would drink at the end of the day just to make myself numb. It never worked, but at least I had a reason to block out the world that kept saying all the horrible things about your death.” “We still aren’t sure…,” Abby admitted. “But, I have you here now. I can tell you how nothing was more important to me, than the dreams we built between us. I can tell you all those things that I sometimes just never got out of my mouth, or I just took for granted that you knew.” “I did know…and that’s what I’ve hung onto.” Jack’s voice interrupted them. “OK…we have it! The cops will meet us with a warrant, if Perry gets nasty.” Abby protested, “If Perry thought I was down there, he’d have dug me out before now, even if he had to do it with a spoon!” Jack took a deep breath, “He’s still the primary suspect.” “My brother?” Abby asked in disbelief. “He stood to gain the most from your death. With the election, and the fact that you and Danny weren’t married yet, the insurance would be paid to him.” “No. Danny is my insurance beneficiary and the beneficiary in my will. Perry bought out my part of the family house a while ago, that’s the money I used when Danny and I bought our house. Perry gets only a few family trinkets that I know Danny wouldn’t want and he gets my old Vette, only because he worked on it so much and Danny hated driving the thing.” “Make sure you explain that to the cops. I think they’re planning to arrest Perry, based on the fact that you were buried under the old family house where he now lives.” “No, I can’t allow that.” Abby insisted. “Perry isn’t responsible.” “We have to get you to the house, two earth sorcerers are coming and they can move the box without tearing up the foundation. Heather and Maejika will meet us there, but Heather says she wants you back in the box with your body before Maejika banishes the spell on it.” “Why?” “Bodies have to have the spirit or…,” Jack didn’t finish the sentence. “Abby, I have to tell you, while there’s still time…,” Danny panicked from a sense of impending doom. “Danny, I know! I see you still hung on to all that…I saw the reward posters when we walked through town.” “I can get you there in a flash.” Jack offered. “Rosie and Sarah will bring Danny. “It would be easiest if you just watch me.” “Let’s go.”

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Spellfire Hearts 2 Jack extended his arm politely to Abby and she grasped his elbow. They both faded into ghostly vapors, instantly. Abby never let go of him, while they talked. When he used to be annoyed at her touchy-feely habits, he was thrilled to have her close again today, but having her disappear from his arms left an aching empty place in his heart. The tears started again. The one thing he longed for all these years—discovering Abby’s whereabouts, good or bad—finally concluded. “Danny, we are doing everything we can. We can hope that it’s going to be alright…,” Rosie rubbed his shoulder. “Don’t get me wrong…,” Danny started. “The longer it dragged out, the more I worried that she was dead, I would never get to tell her anything…even goodbye.” “You may not have to say goodbye,” Sarah answered. “We have to holler for the kids. Are you Ok? I don’t want them to get alarmed.” Danny remembered the two small children that were in the care of these two ghost families. He knew he needed to straighten up just a bit and get over to the Normil house. He nodded. “Jack? Sassy? We have something to do in town, come with us.” Rosie called from the bottom of the steps. The two kids that bounded down the steps were not the two small kids Danny remembered from the New Year’s fiasco. “That’s…the two…?” he stammered. The two kids that stood in front of him were around twelve years old. Young Jack’s hair fell into a shaggy cut around his shoulders, but he was smartly dressed in a button down shirt and khaki slacks. Sassy looked like a miniature of Sarah in jeans and a soft sweater. Rosie whispered, “Yes, They had about fifty years to be a kid and play as young children. Now, they have the outside influences to help them and they are discovering more, their bodies are growing into what they are learning. It’s just that they are reaching…well, that age. The four of us have been fit to be tied.” “Come on…jackets…lets go!” Sassy still looked cute as she batted her eyes. “Mom? Can we stay at Sinful Sundaes, while you guys do your stuff? Blaze Draconis is supposed to give us some stuff about the town, ‘cuz she used to work for the city.” “I don’t know…” “Hey, I’ll buy them lunch.” Danny offered, removing a twenty-dollar bill from his wallet. “It would probably be good to keep them away from the house.” Rosie conceded, “Alright, just this once, but you stay at the Ice Cream shop until we get you. Get Manny to work with you on the Morse code, if you see him.” Both of the youngsters protested with a whining, “Awe…,”

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Spellfire Hearts 2 “Nope…work at it. It’s like typing…your body learns how to make words out of the letters. Imagine if it’s the only way you could communicate.” “I can talk,” young Jack protested. “Manny can’t.” Rosie stated flatly. “He can understand you, but you would miss out on all of his jokes.” “What jokes?” “That’s my point,” Rosie said. “Let’s go!” **** Danny stood at the edge of the property and watched two Earth sorcerers, making animated pushing and pulling motions. In his line of sight, nothing appeared to get accomplished, but the tingle of the magic in the air told him that strong spells were active. Jack floated up out of the ground and moved toward the crowd lingering at the edge of the property. Jack nodded his head towards the front door of the old Victorian structure. “She’s back in there. When Perry saw her, his reaction surprised me. I honestly believe he knew nothing about her being right under the house.” “Was he mad?” Danny asked. “Not in the least. Shocked was more like it. If it hadn’t been for the description she gave of him earlier, I would have never believed what I saw. He honestly reminded me of a teenager and he was happy to see his sister.” Jack shook his head. “Imagine that,” Rosie said. “Perry is human after all.” “Well, I decided to be nice and didn’t do anything ghostly in front of him. I couldn’t have been more shocked when he thanked me for protecting his sister. He was thankful I knew enough resources to help her out and put her needs first—including getting Danny.” Danny found the conversation to be incredible himself. Perry and Danny had always been polite in the past, but they never cultivated a friendship. Danny easily believed the rumors that Perry might be responsible for Abby’s disappearance because of the many claims of what he stood to gain with her disappearance or death. He’d always been afraid to go near the lockbox with her important legal papers or he could have verified the disposition of her assets. Danny watched the animated pushing and pulling motions from the sorcerers continue as more emergency crews surrounded the house. Maejika stood near the back patio with Heather. They studied the ground for some signs of movement. The silence lingered, broken only by the sounds of the spells. Rosie interrupted. “You know, Jack. Maybe as a gesture of goodwill, ask Perry for help in pitching the Cordrah plan to the city council. You’ve

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Spellfire Hearts 2 been working on that a while. Maybe he could make a suggestion to help you net a contract for maintenance to protect the entire city, not just the town buildings.” Jack stared forward a moment and Danny found himself wishing he could read the ghost’s thoughts. He stood watching the crew work, but Jack seemed to be watching parts that Danny didn’t understand. In a few short minutes he straightened, “Here she comes!” Danny saw rocks rising up from the ground, followed by the corner of a large black square. In all his life, he never felt more helpless, but he knew it was best to let the professionals work. “Perry didn’t do this! He’s too human!” Jack exclaimed. The ghost turned and walked back to Perry. Danny looked at Rosie, but the little redheaded woman just shrugged her shoulders. Slowly, the box inched its way out of the ground. Danny flipped the crystals in his pockets as he nervously watched Maejika and Heather leap into action with their spells. He didn’t worry until he suddenly heard profanity coming from the women. The top of the box started to open slowly with a metallic screech and noises that made everyone flinch. Maejika appeared to be in pain and she screamed out, “Ok…grab her! Hurry!” Heather dove into the box and screamed, “Oh, God! The energy! Pull me out! I got her!” Abby’s body floated out as emergency workmen pulled on Heather’s ankles. The workmen groaned and grunted, but once Abby’s body was free from the box, they let out a collective groan of relief. Maejika’s scream started to become louder and blood trickled down her face from her nose. Heather moved Abby to the ground. “Let it go!” Maejika almost collapsed, and even Rosie ran forward to assist the elder witch. Abby’s body didn’t move from the position she’d laid in the bottom of the box. To Danny, it appeared that Abby went to sleep and didn’t move. The commotion around her body obscured the view as EMTs and firemen surrounded her and Heather with life support, back braces and cases of medical supplies. “Don’t banish the suspension spell,” Maejika called from the side. “Determine what injury caused the blood in the box! There’s not enough there to be a lethal injury, but she’s immobile for now.” Danny couldn’t hear the others from the emergency crews. He saw the back brace float up and over their heads until someone pulled it back down. Another EMT raised his arms into the air, while Rosie and Maejika started

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Spellfire Hearts 2 another spell. “Hold it!” Heather hollered. “That’s it!” “Now!” “Come on, honey,” Danny called, hoping Abby could hear him. A gasp and choking noises kicked off a symphony of cheers from all of the magical and non-magical work crews. “Don’t move!” “Stay still!” Chills went through Danny’s body as he watched the crews work. After all these years, she’s alive! Looking around, Danny saw Perry’s delighted astonishment, while he talked with Jack. Forgetting himself, he reached up to pat Jack on the back but his hand passed through the ghostly body. Rather than become agitated or belligerent, Perry started to laugh and just shook his head as he stuck his hands in his pockets. Jack teased him with a laugh before he smacked Perry’s shoulder in return. Excitedly, the crews worked to get Abby into the ambulance and Heather continued working. She yelled, “Medical center…STAT!” Panic gripped his insides again, while he watched the flashing lights of the ambulance as they sped down the street. His mind reeled with negative thoughts, but his witchy heritage meant nothing because he’d been battling the thoughts of Abby’s death for years. Danny heard Maejika’s voice. “I can get you to the Medical Center quickest. Close your eyes.” Danny closed his eyes and nodded. Maejika grabbed his arm. Fluid sensations around him lasted only a moment before the ground under his feet felt solid again. “OK, we are here,” she explained. Danny looked around, “Where is she?” “Hon, easy. We beat the ambulance by a good five minutes. They are going to have to run tests, so we are going to have to wait. She’s conscious, but I don’t know much after that, I’m not a doctor.” “Why not move her like that?” “With the spells she’s been under, it might hurt her.” Danny didn’t like that answer, but it made sense. “I’ve waited for years, this isn’t going to make much difference.” **** “Abby?” Abby opened her eyes, after the days and years that passed by in a dreamy fog, it was the first time she felt sure she was waking up and she stayed home—for good.

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Spellfire Hearts 2 “Good Morning, sleepy head.” Danny’s smile said it all. With the beard gone, Danny only looked a bit older than what she remembered, only a short time before. Even in his rumpled pajamas and tousled hair, he was still the same, his eyes gave away every thought. “Good Morning.” Abby tried to sit up. “Oh, no… I went to great lengths to make sure we have some food right here and we have an excuse to spend the whole day in bed. If you aren’t up to a little loving, we can still sit in bed and watch a movie, but the whole day will be in bed.” Danny gave a showman wave to a folding table of croissants, fruits, an omelet, sticky buns, a carafe of coffee, and a pitcher of orange juice. “That’s breakfast.” “Lunch will be leftover breakfast, or delivered Pizza. I didn’t want to get too brave in the kitchen. I’m having dinner catered by Spirit’s. We don’t even have to get out of our pajamas today!” “Movies?” “Yes…I like that flat TV a lot better and I have a stack of films that you have missed over the last few years that I think you would like.” Danny smirked, he seemed pleased with the improvements he made to the bedroom. “Happy Valentines Day,” Abby pulled the gift-wrapped a box out from under her pillow. She had been anticipating this presentation for two days after her release from the hospital on Monday. “When in the world did you do that? You have been here or in the hospital! We even missed the picnic!” Danny looked confused and Abby could only giggle. He slowly opened the box and gasped. “That’s what little brothers are for! I had Perry go over to the silversmith for me. I told him I wanted the absolute best watch he could find, he had one set with sapphires, your birthstone.” “This must have cost a fortune!” Danny exclaimed. “Perry found this for you?” “Perry owes me.” Abby said. “He does have a good eye for jewelry. By the way, he’s taking the old Vette. He’s got a plan to rework it and add some modifications. It needs more work than I’m willing to put in it.” “This is inscribed,” Danny brought the watch closer to read the inscription on the back, “Time means nothing to our love.” Abby reached out her hand and laced her fingers around his. “You are still here. You never gave up looking for me. You never believed the rumors that I was dead. You held on to the hope that we would be together again.” She couldn’t stop her tears. “Hey, we will find the person—or people—that did this to you.” Danny kissed her and his lips felt warm and tender.

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Spellfire Hearts 2 Abby sagged onto the bed. She didn’t want to stop the kiss, but her body just wouldn’t stay up for long. Danny held her gently, but the world still spun on her occasionally. Heather and the doctors all told her she would need rest and a little time to get back to normal. “Hey, nothing adventurous today, you are still recovering from your ordeal, but be advised that I’m prepared to ravage you the instant you tell me you are up to it.” “The tests say I am Ok, but the spells may have had an effect on me.” Abby looked up and smiled. “You have no idea how happy I am to be here. A few orgasms might be nice, but I like the idea of spending the whole day in bed, cuddled up with you.” “My turn,” Danny said. He reached over and produced a box from the nightstand. “Happy Valentines Day.” “Where did you get this?” Abby carefully removed the ribbon around the gift box. “Well, it was supposed to be your wedding present. After you disappeared, I had it locked up. I can find something else for the big wedding.” Inside the box, nestled in velvet, lay a large, diamond pendant necklace in the shape of a rose. The rose glistened with diamonds in varying sizes, but the most striking—a heart cut diamond at the bottom—laying nestled against the artistically curved stem. Her heart pounded inside her chest as she traced her fingers along the details. “You are my rose,” Danny said. “As soon as you tell me you are OK to do it, I’ll whisk you away to the little chapel just as fast as my arms can carry you. I love you.” “I’ll whip up something extra special.” Abby giggled and nuzzled against his shoulder. “Do you still want the June wedding?” “June sounds fine, Mrs. Nightshade.” Danny cuddled her close and grabbed the remote for the TV. “Lie back and relax for today. I have everything covered and we can rest.” “You know, no offense, but I may hyphenate my name for the next mayoral election. Nightshade for Mayor just doesn’t have the same ring as my first campaign with ‘That’s Normil for Spellfire’ to include the paranormals. Perry just shunned the whole concept.” “We can work on that.” Danny looked at her, “Are you sure you want to get back into the running?” “Of course!” Abby looked up into his eyes. “I’m stronger for the paranormals living in this town. Even Perry knows that.” Danny flipped the remote and started pressing buttons to start a movie, “Shhh…no more talk, this summer will come fast. I want an Abby Normil day today. I have a sign on the door that you aren’t taking visitors until

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Spellfire Hearts 2 tomorrow, even the rest of your family.” “No? Aunt May or Aunt Bea? Uncle Otis? Cousin Justin? Not even Cousin Izzy? Just you and me—in bed—all day long?” Abby exaggerated her words, but she and Danny had often teased back and forth about her family. “Oh, that sounds wonderful,” Danny moaned. “I love you!” Abby said.

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Sweet Freckles By Starla Malone Kisses from Terra Dapples left their mark on Willie Sphinx, Earth Sorcerer. Can he find a cure for the chaos of loving a Freckle Fairy? Visit Starla at her website… http://www.naughtynaughtyladies.com

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Sweet Freckles By Starla Malone Willie opened the windows of the house and let the greenish smoke escape from his laboratory. The green parrot squawked and beat its orange tipped wings inside the large corner cage. The cauldron simmered, smoke billowed out of the mixture that brewed. He removed his gloves. “I should’ve expected that!” The parrot beat his wings again, “Schlimazel!” “Knock that off!” Willie reprimanded the bird. “I could open the screen and you could fly away from your never ending supply of matzos!” “Shlump!” “We have to work on your language, B’Shira.” Willie seldom used the bird’s formal Yiddish name, meaning song, unless he was annoyed with the large parrot. “Oy, Vay!” It seemed the parrot knew it, too. Just my luck to inherit the parrot of a Jewish Rabbi. He nags from right to left! In truth, he missed the old Rabbi Ganapol and their weekly debates in college, about spirit and magic. The bird was as obstinate as the professor of Spiritual and Magical Ethics. In the distance, the sound of the volunteer fire department alarms began to wail an alert. “I should have expected, that, too.” A green glow spread across the surface of the liquid, glowing even through the smoky fog in the room, and the magical aura extended upward as the potion churned, blended and grew stronger. Willie removed the heavy latex gloves he wore for protection from the base ingredients of the potion. As a precaution, he reached out to the cauldron, but only brought his hand close to the level of the magical aura. He could feel the energy of the formula, it felt strong and vibrant, unlike the previous failed attempts. He could feel the shielding energy pushing upward. Now, he needed to test the formula—on himself.

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Spellfire Hearts 2 The wail of the fire trucks drew closer. “I might as well try this now, since I have emergency crews on the way that could scrape me up and take me to the hospital if it fails.” “Mazel Tov,” the parrot said. Good luck. “Right—smart ass.” He lifted a small glass ladle from the shelf and forced it through the magical aura. The shielding energy was strong and Willie took it as a good sign. He raised the broth like substance to his mouth. “L’Chayim!” The parrot said it for everything he drank. “Bottoms up!” Willie answered. **** The little foal rose on unsteady feet in the stall of the vet clinic. “You have got to be out of your mind!” Terra screamed out. She looked over the assignment paper and discovered why the task description field was blank. Her assignment was born only a half hour ago. “You are a freckle fairy? Terra Dapples, right? This poor little thing was born without her freckles!” The vet tech looked to her expectantly from her clipboard. The ‘poor little thing’ was a dark appaloosa foal with a large white area all around her tail but no spots at all. “Do you realize what I am going to have to kiss? On a horse?” The grey haired vet tech just looked over her glasses and shrugged her shoulders. Her green eyes flashed with a need and this new little patient was important. “I see lots of strange stuff in Spellfire, honey. If that’s the weirdest thing you have ever seen or done…you are my hero.” Terra worked several calls from the clinic because animals that should have freckles were born without them. “Haven’t you ever noticed that even on a red-headed freckled human that they don’t have many spots on their…well, you-know-what. That’s the stuff they do to pledges in fairy sororities and frat parties.” “Well, on an appaloosa horse the spots are all over their hind quarters. Besides honey, I never got close enough to a red head to inspect. My husband is African American. He has white spots instead of freckles.” “Vitiligo. Don’t look at me. Other fairies take away color.” “Fairies work for just about everything, right?” “Yep. Even in the traffic lights,” Terra said. “You wouldn’t want the job, the pay sucks.” “Wouldn’t that be funny? Fifty years old, prancing around on a light pole in downtown Spellfire in gossamer dresses with little wings? I don’t think so, Dearie.” The tech thought for a moment before asking, “How can I get the light fairies to help me down town?” “If you are in traffic and go through a yellow light, blow a kiss to the

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Spellfire Hearts 2 light. The fairy will recognize you later and hold another yellow light for you if she sees you coming through. Just be friendly.” “Well, do me a favor, just be friendly to this little horse. Look at her mamma! You can see all the freckles she has. Normally, the horse is born with them.” Terra giggled about Dalmatian puppies, a common gag gift among young Freckle fairies. The white puppy grows his own spots in time, but the fairy often kissed the dog black by time it reached adulthood. Terra looked into the foals eyes. Its shaky legs were hardly holding her up in the stall, much less holding her steady. The little filly, with big dark eyes, regarded her carefully before she stepped forward and shook her tale. “You are a brand new filly, and you were just born without spots.” The foal looked up and shook her tail, her head jerked up and down. “Ok, but I want to start with one special spot.” Terra reached to the horse’s chin and pondered the white blaze on its nose. A large diamond shaped flash of white extended upward between its eyes towards the mane. Her first kiss went to the middle of the blaze. Slowly, a darker spot materialized in the blaze with almost the same shape as the blaze. Terra was proud of the work. The little horse nickered. “You like that? Ok, you are about to get several more. Hold still.” The horse steadied herself on the shaky legs. The spot on the blaze darkened and the hair around it changed color to blend. “I just want it clear that I am not lifting your tail.” The foal nodded again. “I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone,” the vet tech said. “Gee…thanks,” Terra answered. **** Terra emerged from the stalls and walked into the office. She looked at the vet tech, shook her head and said, “The little horse now has spots. Sorry, I couldn’t resist, Mamma has a new one on her nose, too.” “The horses are hard to resist.” The vet tech snickered with a glint in her eye. “If you like, we have a special reward for you.” The vet tech gave a nod of her head and walked to the back kennel. She opened the door to the first cage and motioned Terra to go in. Terra squealed, “Puppies!” She was on her knees instantly scooping up two of the little creatures among squeals and whimpers from the littermates that bounced around her. “The mamma is a local mutt. We took her in when we found out she was pregnant. We have no idea about the father. Looking at the puppies, we have a good idea of what the father wasn’t, but that’s all we know. We are trying to find the pups a good home. I’ll take mamma home in a few weeks.

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Spellfire Hearts 2 I’ve become a little attached to her.” Terra focused on a tri-colored pup with long dark brown ears and black spots all over the white portions of body. “I could kiss you all over and no one would know the difference!” She held him up and kissed his black nose. “That looks like a done deal.” The vet tech pulled out her clipboard. “That one is Muttlee. He’s neutered already and had a first round of shots. He is due for a checkup in a week. Can you bring him back on Friday?” “Oh, sure. That’s after Valentine’s Day. We’re good.” Terra cuddled the little dog and he licked her face. “Ain’t you a sweetie! I guess you can be my date for the picnic.” “Now if we could just find men that were so attentive.” “I’d be happy with one that I could kiss and not make him turn spotty brown,” Terra said despondently. “Oh, honey! I never thought of it like that before.” “Well, no kissing. The guys think it’s a strange rule and eventually we break up, even when they know what I do.” “Even some of the magical men?” “Have you seen Willie Sphinx, the Earth Sorcerer?” “Oh, yeah, the fella that wears the makeup.” “We dated a few months ago.” Terra added, “He’s not gay.” “Oh, honey…I’m sorry.” Terra just shrugged. She couldn’t kid anyone. Lonely didn’t describe it because even with Willie in her life, she couldn’t do the one thing she enjoyed most—kissing. “Don’t worry, hon. Dogs are a cuddly substitute.” **** Terra left with the puppy; a new harness, leash and bowl set, and the vet clinic gave her coupons and sample bags of puppy food. During the walk home, she tried not to think about Willie, but he was hard to forget. As an Earth Sorcerer, he commanded things like rocks, or rocklike objects. He could get an erection and have it stay hard through multiple orgasms for both of them. Willie tried to explain to her that the Elemental influence for an erection was Earth. Terra never understood all his magical stuff and they both were happier when she didn’t mess around with magic. Willie broke off their relationship when the freckles over his face became solid dark blotches. He used to tell her he didn’t care, but it was easy to see when he woke up in the morning, looking in the mirror was difficult because the spots got darker. He cried one morning when he finally suggested they not see each other for a while. “I’ll work on it. I have to do some research and I can’t have any distractions.” Distractions. That was the last she’d heard from Willie, although the

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Spellfire Hearts 2 talk of the town seemed to be centered on his meetings with other sorcerers. The punch line of the gossip, included the fact that he was wearing makeup. With all the news in Spellfire over the last couple of months, it seemed unfair that someone would still pick on Willie, when there were problems that caused the disappearances of some big shots in town. Terra thought about the possibility that Willie was involved, but dismissed it. She dropped her bags at the house and just didn’t want to work any more that day. She scrubbed her face with a washrag while she looked over her assignment sheet and found short work that would easily wait until tomorrow. “Muttlee? Would you like to go for a walk?” The little pup eagerly barked. Little sparkles of enthusiasm lit up like tiny fireworks around him. “Well, I want to stop for lunch at Sinful Sundaes, so I have to find a purse that you can hide in.” She went to the closet of her apartment, finally pulling out a heavy canvas slouch bag that she used to carry her crochet projects. She emptied out the crumbs of yarn in the bottom, and had him crawl in to test it for size. When she lifted the bag, he whimpered, but settled down. She returned Muttlee to the floor, and changed into jeans with a bright blue sweater that wrapped around her wings after snapping behind her neck. She packed her wallet and a water bottle into the bag, escorting the bouncing pup out the door. Muttlee took his time, wandering around the front yard of the fairies apartment complex because he sniffed every imaginable section of the ground and then piddled in just the right spots. “Checking pee-mail, Muttlee?” The little dog just barked. At the light for the intersection, she waved to Yala, the light fairy. Muttlee just sniffed the ground the entire way. “Terra, I’m glad to see you! Someone is looking for you! Oopss, hang on!” Yala waved her wand over the traffic light and the light cycled from green to red. “I don’t have the details, ask one of the others!” Great, one blow off day and someone already figured out to start looking for me. She couldn’t get that type of attention if she tried to skip school, what made this so different? Well, if someone is looking for me, they will find me soon enough. She walked up two blocks to the sidewalk by Sinful Sundaes. Terra picked up the little wagging dog and put him in the bag. He settled quietly and she closed the snap on her purse to keep him from escaping. The lunch counter wasn’t very busy, yet. Several fairy types had begun to gather already, since most of them started working before the break of

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Spellfire Hearts 2 dawn. Star Fairies sat in a corner booth near the counter. They were responsible for the wishes people made on stars and working to make any reasonable wish come true. Although it was broad daylight, Terra knew the star fairies could get a magical assignment at any time and some reactions were obnoxious. Blaze Draconis took her order. The dragon became legendary at the picnic last Valentine’s Day and she’d been happily working at Sinful Sundaes ever since. They talked often because she too loved an elemental sorcerer, but even Blaze couldn’t explain Willie’s odd behavior. She ordered her favorite burger in the jumbo version with fries, and a chef salad. “Oh, and a super thick chocolate malt milkshake” Blaze raised her eyebrows. “You really want all that? You don’t normally get fries and it’s usually just a burger or a chef salad.” “Yes, bring me a little malt vinegar for the fries, I’ll take the rest home and finish it tonight.” “You know, chocolate malt won’t make the pain go away.” “I know.” Terra nodded. “I just want to take part home so I have a snack while I watch TV tonight.” Blaze just nodded. Terra kept her bag over her shoulder. The puppy wasn’t heavy and he lay quietly in the bottom. If he was this good all the time, she could take him out often. True to the star fairy nature, one of them got an assignment. “Oh! Hang on guys…oh, oh, oh…yes, it’s coming. Oh, it’s gonna be a double…Oh, my stars, they are in Australia…oh, that’s nice and heart felt…oh, yes. Oh, God… it’s a double! Oh, I…oh, yes! Yes! Yes! That’s it! Yes! Yes!” The star fairy started beating her hand on the table and grunting, panting and thrashing like she was in mid orgasm. Little flickers of light started dancing around her. She panted, “Oh, my god…that was great. Oh, sorry guys…I have to go…it’s a hot one, they wished aloud, and they are wishing for sex.” Terra just rolled her eyes. She didn’t have long to ponder the obnoxious public display of sparkles when Blaze brought her order to the counter. The enormous burger and salad loomed on separate plates, but she would have four-footed help finishing the order. She could pick all her favorite parts off first. She lifted a bite of the salty feta cheese balanced on frilly lettuce with a tiny bit of crouton and a sliver of dried apricot. Blaze certainly did not play around when she made the salads and she kept the pieces small for most of the fairy types. Terra didn’t expect a hand jumping up on the counter. It used a nearby spoon to start banging on the counter. Terra covered her mouth with a napkin. “I’m sorry. I’ll move.” Terra saw the hand before, but she didn’t know it by name. Assuming, from the

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Spellfire Hearts 2 large hand and square palm, it had to be a man; she just wasn’t sure where the rest of the body was hiding. The hand reached out and grabbed her arm before she could slide her plate away. He raised himself up on his arm stump and his fingers started waving wildly in the air. Terra sat, completely confused, watching his fist ball into different patterns and then his fingers would cross. “I have no idea what you are trying to do,” she told him. All five fingers drooped to the counter top. “You understand me?” Terra asked. The hand immediately answered with a thumbs-up sign. “OK. Is there a pencil handy?” The fingers drooped again, each digit falling on the counter. His fingers crawled along the counter to the side where a waitress left her order pad. He snatched the pencil between his fingers and crawled back to her on the counter. Terra pushed her plate aside, offering the hand her paper placemat. Why didn’t I think of this to begin with? Hi. I’m Manny. The hand wrote quickly, but in very precise block letters. “Hello Manny. I’m Terra, one of the Freckle Fairies.” I know. I’m dating a tooth fairy and I can identify different types. I saw your spots on your ruffled wings. I have a message, but I didn’t expect to find you already. Manny stopped to underscore the word ‘you’ twice. Do you know a sorcerer by the name of Willie Sphinx? “Yeah, we dated a while back, why?” He’s looking for you. There was an episode early this morning, where a lot of green smoke was seen coming out of his house. He says everything is fine, but we have been on standby all morning at the fire department. We were alarmed because he’s an Earth Sorcerer. “They don’t normally play with fire.” Right. He’s now walking up and down Main Street, trying to find you. “Why me? We broke up.” I don’t know. If you could be in danger from him, I have friends that can help you and we can get him to calm down. “Danger? From Willie? Oh, heck no…unless multiple orgasms are a life threatening problem.” Terra’s heart started beating in her chest. Willie was looking for her. The hand drooped to the counter for a moment and pulsated like he might be laughing. I hope not, or I’ll have a few problems of my own. That I know of, he’s back at his house, but that is the other side of town. He doesn’t know your new apartment or the assignments you might be working, so he is asking everyone around where to find you. No one is answering if they do

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Spellfire Hearts 2 know. I can help you find him if you think it’s safe. “Safe? Oh, it’s more than safe! It’s the best news I’ve heard since before Thanksgiving! Can I finish my burger first?” Sure. I have a question. Why is your bellybutton whimpering? “Shhh. I have a friend with me that is eagerly awaiting his doggie bag scraps from this meal.” Terra took another bite of the burger. Oh! Blaze wouldn’t like to find out there is a dog in the restaurant. Terra covered her mouth with the napkin again. “Trust me, I think he’s cleaner than some of the customers.” You are probably right! Manny flipped over the placemat to get a clean place to write. Let me get you a to-go plate for the scraps. Terra finished the last bites she could possibly finish on the burger and the salad. She picked the pickles off the burger for herself, and then pulled out the onions, remembering onions were bad for a dog. Manny beat on the counter and Blaze came up and placed a covered plate in front of her. “I didn’t think you were going to eat all that, honey. Manny said you needed a container.” “Um, yeah. Thanks.” I’ll go with you in case anything happens. “Nothing is going to happen. Willie and I dated. We parted on good terms—I guess—and he told me there was something he needed to do.” The thoughts of their breakup still brought a catch to her throat because Terra never understood the full reasons. Blaze spun around. “Willie Sphinx? He was in here earlier! I didn’t talk to him, Harpy did…” Manny started tapping on the counter with the pencil. “Oh, sorry. Guess you have the message then. I’ll just get back to work.” Blaze bustled behind the counter. Manny tapped on the counter again. “Oh, sure. Hang on.” Blaze said. I asked if she had an extra order pad so I can continue to talk with you while we walk. “That makes sense.” I may need your help to hold the pad. “Let’s wait until we get situated outside. We can talk more then.” Terra rumpled the placemat and dropped it into the bag with the dog. Manny just answered with a thumbs-up sign. He lifted the pad and pencil, clamped them between two curled fingers and used the remaining fingers to walk and balance himself. Whether she wanted it or not, Terra had another traveling companion for the time. Now to figure out what’s going on with Willie. ****

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Spellfire Hearts 2 Willie tapped the bottle carefully and slipped it into a leather pouch around his neck. The extra potion vial may not be necessary, but it would be good to keep available. Shielding potions were common for a variety of magic spells, but rarely in use against an entire species of creatures, without distinct reasons of danger. Such research held potentially harmful effects and prejudicial uses by unscrupulous sorcerers. He would have to phrase his justification and magical documentation, carefully, or risk review or censure by the Board of Magical Reviews. Not only did he have a spell to counter the effects of Terra’s freckles and her magic effects on his body, he could control the effects of any specialized fairy on an earthly human body. Brown freckles, strawberry marks, moles, white spots, frizzy hair, ingrown toenails, priaprism, neuralgia, hiccoughs or migraines…it didn’t matter. He couldn’t control genetics, but Earth energies were his forte. The solution appeared to control the chaos a magical creature might have on the bodily energies of a human sorcerer. He intentionally went around to several fairies—especially the pregnant ones—to see if the shielding formula held up to control the most scattered energy fields. So far, the tests were good and his skin cleared up from the freckles. He was actually sorry to see the little marks fall of into his washrag this morning because each mark held a sweet memory of where Terra’s mouth touched him. He sat the washcloth on the counter trying to decide if he should launder it or frame it. Even his cock stiffened with the memories as he washed. The last of the little marks circling the base of his rod fell away in the shower. With thoughts of the pleasures of her mouth, he soon erupted in thick spurts with nothing more than a few strokes of his hand. Willie saw the effects of Terra’s kiss on his face, and even his cock, but she possessed devastating effects on his own magic. Making a fairy understand how humans perceived magical energies was impossible. She could not possibly understand the dynamics of energy that she took for granted, in the same ways humans took air for granted. Now, he just had to make sure the counter magic didn’t have an adverse effect on her. Counter magic is never easy. Surely, there have been lesser reasons than love to inspire magic. Looking in the mirror, he saw the face he remembered from the time before he met Terra. As he walked through town again, no one was talking. If someone knew where she was, no one spoke of it. The echoes of Rabbi Ganapol’s lectures rang in his head about speaking of personal or magical matters without a person’s permission. I’ll find you Terra… if I have to walk every street in this town every

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Spellfire Hearts 2 day… I’ll find you. **** Muttlee lapped away the last of the salad dressing from the bottom of the plate while Terra sat on the bench. When he finished, he licked his chops and sat down. His pleading eyes seemed to want more. “Oh, boy. I can see this now. You are going to be a little bottomless pit. I hope I can keep you in food.” Manny jumped up from his perch on the bench and tugged at Terra’s sleeve. When he settled again, he made a pointing motion across the street. Terra saw where he was pointing. Across the street and almost two blocks away, Willie ran toward them. The short fringe of his green suede jacket fluttered around him like layers of leaves. Are you OK? Manny wrote. “Yes, I’ll be fine. Can you hold Muttlee on this bench?” Manny gave a thumbs-up sign. He wrapped the leash tightly around the arm of the bench and held tight. Terra ran down the block. When she was certain he could hear her she called out, “Willie!” When traffic was clear, she tried to cross the street. Willie turned, his light brown hair fluttered in the breezes and he, too, tried to cross the street. Straddling the centerline, they stared at each other. Horns blew and drivers made obnoxious remarks through their windows. Terra’s fears rose and she tried hard to convince herself that she would not walk into another heartbreak. He stood there, staring at her, but he smiled. She didn’t understand the reasons he couldn’t be with her to begin with, but it might be a good sign that he was looking for her now. She remembered seeing him cry about how she’d become his best friend, and that was what she thought she was supposed to be for him. She didn’t understand any necessity to set aside their relationship and thought she’d done something to upset him. She took an apartment in the fairy complex and tried to make the best of it, but she never escaped the feeling she hurt him and never understood why. **** Damn, she is beautiful in all her spotty, glorious colors. Terra stood before him in jeans with the blue sweater that let her speckled wings flutter in the wakes of the passing cars. Her red curls drifted in the wind, with little butterfly barrettes failing to keep the ringlets under control. Her wings arched over her head in vibrant spots of blue, red and purple against a light bluish-opal transparency, with the end ruffles framing her in a single, beautiful package. He continued to step closer to her, walking the yellow line, ignoring the traffic on the road and the crass comments of the drivers.

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Spellfire Hearts 2 Willie found it hard to breathe. His memories surfaced about the vibrant colors in her wings, getting brighter when they made love, the ruffled edges becoming brightest, shimmering even in a dark room. He longed to hear her call out, “oh, the sparkles are coming!” Her wings would glow brighter, flashing with her heartbeat and the convulsions of her body squeezed over him until he couldn’t resist his eruption. Terra became part of him because she was part of the magical wondrous Earth around him. Her name spoke of the energy she could not comprehend and could not live without, even if she never understood. Terra. As they drew closer, Willie waited for the prickly feelings of the magical disruptions, but they weren’t there. “I found it,” Willie said as soon as he thought she could hear him. “Found what?” “The answer to why your magic disrupts my magical workings.” “I only make freckles and spots.” “You do so much more than that!” Willie knew he couldn’t make her understand the power she held. “Every breath you take is magic.” “That’s corny, Willie…even for you.” “The very presence of fairies is magic.” Willie took a deep breath and hoped a simple answer would suffice. “Look around you. The very air you breathe has magic. You take air into your body and breathe it out again with your own special power added to it. I would hold you in my arms at night and in the morning I would feel frazzled—like I drank 3 pots of coffee by myself—and I couldn’t work. My body was taking in that magic, but unlike a spell, I couldn’t send it back out. I had to take mud baths to get my energy to calm down before I could work.” “I made you sick?” “No!” Willie could see the concept frightened her and he reached out to touch her shoulder and his thumb brushed her cheek. “But…if I can’t work, then I can’t support a wife and our children.” “I didn’t know you got married…,” Terra hung her head. Willie grabbed her arm before she could run or fly away. “I didn’t. I want to get married because there is a beautiful fairy I know and she drives me crazy with desire.” “Who is she?” Terra stared at the ground, refusing to look at him. “Terra Dapples…you may know her.” Terra looked at him in disbelief. “You mean me?” He wanted to shake her, but he knew she was only trying to protect herself. “I never meant to push you away. I thought it would only take a couple weeks, which was why I suggested you stay with your cousin. I worked to find a solution and I went to Vera’s house to tell you what I found. Vera said you were gone. She had some harsh words for me, too. I

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Spellfire Hearts 2 guess I deserved it. She told me that she hoped you never saw me again and I should just crawl in a cave like a real caveman.” “Solution to what?” She still didn’t understand. “Look at my face!” “Yeah, nice blending. Take the technique to the beauty shop.” “That’s not makeup!” She stared at him and then reached out to touch his chin, her hand moved ever so slowly, with the lightest touch of her fingernails. “Better yet, kiss me.” Willie looked in her eyes. He saw hesitance mixed with fear. He stepped forward to close the gap and lifted her chin so she could meet his own mouth. Terra reached up with a first hesitant kiss that made its mark on the corner of his mouth. He felt the tingle of her magic and sweet sensations fueled by erotic memories caused his cock to stir. Quickly, the tingle passed and she stared at him. “I felt it. I felt all of the wonderful magic inside you, but there isn’t a mark, is there?” “No, it came up, and then faded.” “I have to be sure it works. Stay with me tonight. I can’t be sure how long the spell will last. It may only be one night or it could be a year. I want to know that you won’t get sick from it. I want you in my life, but not if I could hurt you.” “What if it doesn’t work?” “It has to work. I want to hold you in my arms at night, but I’d even consider having a special little house made for you on the property. I’m pushing myself to work long days and not even knowing where you were, almost drove me crazy. My Yiddish is better…but it’s lonely.” Terra looked at him and started doing the one thing he dreaded. Her eyes welled up with tears and her lower lip trembled. “I thought I hurt you. I thought I did something wrong. You said you didn’t mind the freckles, but I saw you look in the mirror each morning…” “No! I was trying to explain to you. It’s magic around you that is as real as the road under our feet—to you. It’s not part of my life unless I work at it! I would wake up in the morning, but I would feel like I hadn’t slept at all and I was seeing the bags under my eyes, not the freckles. I miss the freckles.” “But, it might not work?” “If it doesn’t, I’ll find a way to keep you with me. I can’t take any more of the empty house, but I can handle anything if I know you are there!” To make his point, he bent to kiss her again, this time lingering and savoring every magical prickle and tingle over his mouth. She moaned out her pleasure in the kiss even as they stood in the street.

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Spellfire Hearts 2 “Get a room!” shouted a driver. “I could handle anything…come stay with me?” he pleaded. “A puppy?” Terra slowly nodded, but had a naughty look. With my luck, she picked up a St. Bernard for a steed. “Where is it?” “With Manny…on the bench!” Her wings flittered like she planned to fly off, but thought better of it. She grabbed his hand and pulled him back across the street. **** Manny wiggled a few fingers at Terra when they approached. The majority of his fingers held the leash firmly in place, around the arm of the bench even when the puppy began a happy yelping dance on the sidewalk. Terra wasn’t sure what to think when Willie kissed her in the street. He stirred her up all over again, just like they were in his bedroom about to make love. She didn’t understand how she could make him tired while they slept, but she remembered the ways he would wake up in the morning and his magic glowed bright green, the same as when he was working on a spell. She didn’t understand how it could be bad for him when other creatures had the same magical glow all the time. His mouth felt so warm and inviting. She felt the rise in her own arousal when she kissed him. She couldn’t say ‘no’, when getting him back was everything she wanted over the last few months. One small chance that they could be together was worth the risk. With any luck, she could keep the puppy and move her few things out of the tiny apartment forever. “Let’s go home.” Willie winked. “What’s the puppy’s name?” “Muttlee.” Her voice caught in her throat. Home. She clung to the end of Muttlee’s leash with both hands. She liked the house, with thick walls of carved rock and plants all around, and smooth flat rocks making the floor. It was like living in a fairy garden. She looked at Willie and the tears felt like they would start again, but now it was happy tears. She struggled against her doubts when all she wanted involved making that crazy shaped stone sorcerer’s cabin of his into a home. Willie stood. He raised his finger to her mouth to stop her from saying a word. “Give me one night. I want to make sure the spell won’t hurt you. I feel fine and I didn’t even burp when I drank the potion. I want to prove it works, but either way I need you. Let me show you what I did. You can come to the house and you are free to leave at any time.” Terra couldn’t argue. Her body and heart wouldn’t let her. **** Willie escorted her back through town, down the winding Lapidary Lane, to his stone cabin. As odd as it might be, the building exceeded modern building codes and lent the perfect energy to his spells and carvings.

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Spellfire Hearts 2 He opened the front door to the cabin. Terra entered gracefully, even when he still reached out and tickled the ruffles of her wings as she passed in front of him. Terra always giggled when he tickled the edges of her wings, but he also knew it was a very sensitive place on a fairy, even erogenous. She admitted, “I missed you so much, and I didn’t understand why I couldn’t stay with you.” “The energy around you is so strong. I would never take it away from you, and it’s the first thing I feel if you ever get sick. I just can’t see it the way you do.” Willie thought about the erratic energies of a fairy with a cold and he started to laugh. During the times he focused on her energies, if she sneezed, her aura energy would radiate out from her body in spikes. “Howdy!” squawked the parrot. “Hey, bad boy!” Terra answered. She reached into the box of Matzos and passed one through the wires of the enormous cage. The parrot wolf whistled. “Sexy Fairy!” Willie’s temper flared at the parrot. B’Shira never said a word of English, except to Terra. Around him, the parrot always spoke in Yiddish and in Kabbalah passages. Around Terra, the bird acted like a drunken cowboy. At least the bird vocalized what Willie was thinking. Terra turned around to face him and already her wings started to glow brighter as a sign of her arousal. “I missed you.” “And I missed you. I missed you in ways I cannot describe. This house was empty. It’s like a hollow shell when you aren’t around and I sometimes think I can’t take anymore, but I knew I had to keep working.” Terra stepped closer and immediately his cock started to stir. The bewitching little minx knew how to get the reactions out of him until he could think about nothing but his primal instincts of sex. Somewhere, Willie knew he would find the median between the aching loneliness of the times she was gone and the hot desires of when she was near. He wrapped his arms around her and heard her sigh. **** Terra loved the idea of having Willie back. “I would have kept walking all over Spellfire until I found you.” Willie explained. How sweet. Vera was wrong to be so negative. His arms pulled her in close. His energy was warm and welcoming, and having Willie go to such extremes to find her, sent her mind reeling. She saw no harm in giving their relationship one more try because with him everything had been wonderful in the past. “Could you do me a huge favor?” Willie asked her. “Sure.”

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Spellfire Hearts 2 “Scratch my back?” Terra giggled. Even the puppy couldn’t produce the sweet look of desperation that Willie now had on his face. Willie loved when she scratched his back through the light button-down shirts that he wore under his robe. Most men she knew liked back massages, but Willie preferred a gentle scratching, even when they were sitting and watching TV. He slipped off his green suede robe, hung it on the hook near the doorway, and turned his back to her. Terra’s nails were short and smooth tipped. She started scratching with a zigzag pattern up his back. Willie immediately responded with a long, “Ahh” and his shoulders slumped. “Ah…wow. I can’t tell you good that feels, and the door jams just don’t do the job very well.” The thought of Willie rubbing his back up and down the door jam of his laboratory made her giggle, again. Although his house was made of rough-hewn stone in most places, he often complained that it was too harsh and he preferred Terra’s touch. Willie led her to his bedroom. She wanted to make love to him again. During the time they were apart, she could only think of Willie. She felt being away from him was out of place, but she didn’t understand how she might have affected him and his work. Now, the entire situation and his work to make sure they could stay together made perfect sense. The enormous room held a platform bed elevated on smooth rocks. It was Willie’s nature that everything in the house involved rocks. The divan in his bedroom consisted of a large elevated rock with thick cushions. He used magic to sculpt stone into usable items all around the house, making good money from the sculptures. The bedroom hadn’t changed at all, but Terra didn’t think the rocks would move easily. Willie tossed a little spell to the warming rocks, in a special fireplace in the corner, the room started to warm up. When he unfastened the buttons around her wings at the back of her sweater, his touch sent tingles through her body, even when he wasn’t tickling her on purpose. He opened the last of the buttons and the sweater fell to the floor, letting the air stiffen her nipples. Her fingers found the buttons on his shirt and she unfastened each one, slowly. His chest muscles built up over the years of sculpting and magical work with rocks and rocklike objects, but he kept his body hidden under baggy shirts and robes. She enjoyed peeling away his shirt to reveal these hidden strengths. He always made comments about Earth magic is the strength lying beneath the surface, but Terra still didn’t understand all of his magic work. His slacks fell to the floor and he stepped out of them Magic wasn’t easy to understand when he talked about how a body had

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Spellfire Hearts 2 earth magic, but at times like this, she felt fire. His hands rubbed over her sides, gently to the area underneath her wings and down over her hips. She couldn’t think of anything to say, but any words were lost to the sweet taste of his mouth. Even though he wasn’t big for a human, he was at least a foot taller than she was and she loved feeling engulfed in his arms. Willie pushed away her jeans and lifted her gently to the bed. He lay down with his rod jutting into the air, letting Terra take her preferred position on top. Instead, Terra wanted to tease and play. Kneeling beside him, she kissed his chest and saw the mark raise and disappear almost instantly. She shifted up to his mouth, the sensations of the kiss thrilled her because she didn’t have to pull away. Willie gave her a gentle moan, his body relaxed. Terra took great delight in licking and kissing her way down his neck, over his shoulders, around each of his nipples and lower to his cock. His sharp intake of breath, told her his pleasures in the little licks over the mushroom head of his staff. She took delight in seeking out the tender parts around the head of his shaft because she knew her mouth gave him a magical tingle in addition to the feelings from her tongue. She sucked as much of his cock inside her mouth as she could manage, while using her hand to grip the base firmly. Willie began to wriggle already. She felt his hand on her thigh, but his fingers quickly moved to her damp cleft, playing with the nub of her clit. The charged feelings between them, lent desperation to their fevered attentions over each other’s bodies. Willie slowly pushed one finger into her body, but he withdrew and pushed two fingers inside. The tingles were starting in her hips and Terra was already becoming delirious with the pleasures of using her mouth without making marks. Now the pleasures between her mouth, the nipple that brushed Willie’s skin, and his fingers threatened to send her over the edge. “That’s it…keep that up and I am going to erupt.” “Mmmm…” she moaned over his cock. “Oh, damn,” Willie answered. Terra giggled to herself. Erupt, just like a volcano. All of Willies references were somehow Earth related. Her own pulse was picking up the tempo from the way his fingers played inside her body. She prayed he wouldn’t stop before she had the chance to enjoy a burst of sparkles. His pushed his fingers in a slow pulse inside her body. It didn’t take much for her to enjoy the way it felt, almost as good as having his cock inside her. The first surge started a slow peak inside her body, so she wriggled her backside just a little so Willie would move faster. She still sucked on his cock, moving her head faster. Soon she rocked her body back

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Spellfire Hearts 2 and forth against his hand. “Oh, easy…I’m getting so close.” Terra moaned against his cock again, “Mmmm.” The pulse started in her clit and she felt her body slowly squeeze on Willies fingers. She pumped her hips against his hand and let herself think for just one moment that his fingers were actually his cock playing inside her body. The sparkles of energy rose to the surface of her skin. “Oh, it’s coming…,” Willie announced. Terra groaned, the sparkles overtook her body as Willie’s cock throbbed and spurt into her mouth. She quickly took every drop. Willie smiled. “That’s one of the things I have missed most. Seeing you with full sparkles around you, I wish a painter could make a portrait of it because it’s like you’re surrounded with hundreds of fireflies.” “You start to glow yourself, and you got sparkles, too.” “Sparkles and surges,” Willie laughed about her comment. He panted while Terra stroked her fingers over his sweaty chest. Terra sipped on the last remnant of her milk shake. “Easy woman, seeing you with that straw in your mouth is starting to give me ideas all over again.” Terra fully understood him, and his randy feelings didn’t surprise her. Willie was usually good for two rounds before they took a break or fell asleep. She just gave him a playful wink. When she put the empty cup in the trash, she jumped back on the bed and straddled his legs. His cock stood ready all over again, but it didn’t surprise her. She shifted and welcomed his rod into her body slowly. Her first orgasm merely a prelude to the parts of loving him that she enjoyed most. Willie sat up to hold her close and looked into her eyes. Here, she would see a reflection of the sparkles when her body peaked in pleasure, but she could also see all of the emotion inside Willie. When he told her earlier that he wanted to get married, it reflected in his eyes. Now, he hardly blinked when he stared into her eyes and his magic swirled up around them. Safe. Shielded. Warm. Loved. Terra rolled her hips so that they kept moving together and his hands on her breasts sent more tingles of excitement through her. “That’s my girl,” Willie said. “Take your time and we can make lots of sparkles.” Terra didn’t think taking her time would help, so instead, she moved a little faster and let the warmth radiate up into her body. She pumped her wings a few times, but the extra sensation at the edges of her wings could make her come too soon. “Don’t stop, I know you are getting close.” He knew her body well, and he was right. She moved faster, working to

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Spellfire Hearts 2 gain speed, riding over the thick cock wedged in her body. When the prickles started, she could only hope that she would last long enough to see him squirm and wiggle. “That’s it, honey…keep going.” “Oh yes!” The tingles spread out from her body to the tips of her fingers, toes and even her wings. She tried to keep pumping over his hips, so he would be able to orgasm and enjoy his own eruption. Willie’s grunt told her he made it, and she felt the surges of his cock inside her body. When she looked back down at Willie, little flashes of light still glittered around his head. “You made sparkles,” she giggled. Willie pulled her close, “Silly, I don’t make sparkles. You do, but not me. I’m not a fairy.” “You still made sparkles, I saw them both times!” “Um…Houston…we have a problem.” Willie answered. Terra didn’t understand why he would want to go to Houston all of a sudden, but she thought of the books or candles she could pick out and some of the other shopping she liked in the town. She was even looking forward to a large book convention in the spring. Willie laughed at her expression. “Sorry, figure of speech. Something with the Space Program that made the news many, many years ago.” “You don’t want to go shopping?” Terra asked. “Maybe tomorrow. Can you call your Aunt Maizie and ask her a couple questions for me?” “Sure.” **** Terra called and talked to Maizie, asking the questions about Magic that Willie needed. He took a shortcut in his spell by using some of Terra’s hair from a brush she left at the house. Maizie confirmed his concerns that because the spell contained a physical part of Terra, it connected them for the duration of the spell. Her orgasms triggered his own eruptions, and it was quite likely that he produced sparkles during his orgasm they way she described. As she chatted on the phone about the last several days of fairy gossip, Terra started to tease him. She sat in front of him, stark naked and lifted one leg on the arm of the couch while she talked on the phone. The little minx knew exactly what she was doing because she watched intently as his cock rose into the air. The more she fingered her own clit, the harder his cock became. All the while, she chatted blithely about one or the other fairy emergencies. Willie thought his penis would split from the pressure. The more she fingered herself, the more he felt overcome with the need to fill her body with his semen. He reached over and lifted Terra’s backside up to the arm of

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Spellfire Hearts 2 the couch. He pushed his cock forward and found Terra wet, warm and welcoming. Still she chatted on the phone like nothing was happening, so he pushed in and out of her body faster, trying to find a way to distract her or get her to hang up the phone. Finally, Terra said, “Me? I have just been teasing Willie a little bit. Sure, I’ll have him call you in about 10 minutes. He’s coming soon. Bye.” The little mischievous creature had just blabbed out details without saying specifically that they were in the middle of having sex. Terra just giggled when she hung up the phone. The woman was a genius at taunting him, but he also saw the first hints of her orgasm starting to rise with a tiny flash of light that appeared over her forehead. Thrusting his hips forward in earnest, he pushed to the limits of her body and the little opening of her womb caused the head of his cock to tingle. Her body started squeezing over his rod and the waves of magical energy came to him as her orgasm began to blossom. The lights danced around her and Willie couldn’t help the release of his cream with the final thrust that made Terra cry out her pleasures. “You are a bewitching little vixen.” “I am not! I’m a fairy.” Willie could only laugh. “I love you. I don’t know how you can be so smart about creatures and herbalism, and I work so hard to understand magic and you live with it like a Selkie in water.” “We are connected now, by your spell, maybe you will see things the way I do. Let’s hope that it lasts for a while, and you can work, at least until the baby is born.” “Already?” Willie asked. “Are you sure?” “If we keep this up, it’s a definite yes.” Willie scooped her up off the couch. The little beauty rested her head against his shoulders and seemed to be falling asleep so he carried her toward the bedroom. He had to maneuver through the doorway carefully so he didn’t catch her droopy wings on the woodwork. “Can we go shopping in Houston tomorrow?” she asked. “Sure, anything you want in particular?” “Don’t we need wedding rings?” “Yes, and I need a tux,” he answered. “No, we’ll be naked.” Terra didn’t flinch when she said it. “It’s a little cold this time of year, don’t you think?” “Not in May, Maizie will light a bale fire for us down by the grove anyway. We jump the fire, for Mayday, but we can build it up and stay warm when the night air gets chilly.” “Sounds wonderful, why don’t you get some sleep and we can pull your things out of the apartment later.”

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Spellfire Hearts 2 “Where are you going?” Terra asked. “Nowhere, I’ll take a nap with you. I have finally gotten you back and I don’t want let you go.” “Are you sure?” “Absolutely positive. I love you.” “I love you, too, Willie.” In the next few minutes, Terra’s breathing settled to an even rhythm and he knew she was asleep. Willie focused to see some of the magic coming from her and saw a faint green aura coming from her mouth. The energy drifted onto his chest and rolled away onto the bed like water. Willie closed his eyes, “Great Gods, yes, I love you.”

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