Chapter 17 #2
It took nearly five minutes for Cece to mend the window, and when she was done, the green shimmery glow around her had completely faded.
She turned around, and relief washed over Briggs.
Her dark eyes had returned to normal, and the angry, jittery energy was gone, leaving just his usual sweet Cece behind.
“Did you see that?” She gave him an excited look. “I did a restoration spell - and it was a really hard one! The glass pieces were so small and nearly impossible to fit back together, but I did it. The window’s perfect again.”
“I saw, Cece,” he said.
“I can’t believe I did that. I’ve never been able to do any spell stronger than a plant healing one before. Even though this one drained my magic, it still didn’t feel that hard to do and…”
Her voice trailed off as she studied the others in the living room. “Ronin?”
“Hey, tiny tree witch,” he said.
“What are you doing here?”
Ronin glanced at the others. “You don’t remember?”
Briggs started toward her as Cece stared at her hands. “I remember being in bed with Bri - oh shit.”
She stared wide-eyed at him, and he could almost see the memories slotting neatly into her brain. Her bottom lip trembling, she looked at the others, and her cheeks turned bright red before she whispered, “Briggs, I’m so sorry.”
“It’s fine,” he said.
“It isn’t,” she said. “I shouldn’t have… my magic took control and I… oh, God.”
She buried her hands in her face, her entire body shaking. Briggs wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms and comfort her, but they all knew how the fuck that would turn out.
Feeling anxious and helpless, he said, “You guys should go.”
“You sure you don’t want me to stay?” Hudson asked.
“Thank you, but no,” Briggs said. “We’re good here.”
“And if the witch comes back?” Bishop asked.
“I’ll call Mal again,” Briggs said.
Bishop frowned, but Ronin gave Cece a look of empathy before clapping Bishop on the back. “C’mon, Papa Bear, time to go. Even if we did stay, there isn’t much any of us can do against a witch. Not until we get a protection spell.”
“One o’clock tomorrow at the office,” Mal said as he and the others filed out of the room.
“We’ll be there. Thanks, Mal.” Briggs waited until he heard the front door shut before he said, “Cece? Sit down, okay?”
Her body still trembling, she sank onto the couch, and he draped the blanket from the back of the couch around Cece’s body, making sure not to touch her.
He sat beside her. “You okay?”
“I’m so embarrassed,” she said in a voice clogged with tears. “I told them all you were my conduit and that we should f-f-fuck, and I… oh God, I sexually assaulted you.”
Tears streamed down her face, and his polar bear whined with misery at not being allowed to comfort his mate. Briggs wanted to hold her just as much as his bear, but he kept his hands in a tight fist in his lap.
“Baby, no,” he said firmly. “You did not sexually assault me. Get that out of your head right now.”
She stared at him, the scent of her misery dripping from her body. “You wouldn’t have done any of that with me if I hadn’t touched you. You’re only attracted to me because you’re my conduit. You’re not consenting, Briggs, okay? The magic is tricking you into thinking you are.”
“That’s not true,” he said.
“It is,” she insisted. “The attraction between us is because of magic, nothing more.”
Her words cut deeper than he expected. He’d suspected she only wanted him for the extra magic, but to hear her say it out loud was a cruel reality check.
She is our mate, his polar bear insisted, but Briggs could feel his confusion and uncertainty. With a soft whimper, he retreated until Briggs could barely feel him.
“I’m so sorry,” Cece whispered.
“It’s not your fault,” he said.
She stared at her hands. “I woke up, and the plants were carrying me down the hall. I thought I was dreaming until…”
She sighed, her body shuddering again. “I think we should ask Mal to assign someone else to stay with me.”
“No,” he said. His polar bear immediately resurfaced, angry and upset at even the thought of leaving Cece.
“You’re right,” she said, defeat in her tone. “I shouldn’t let anyone stay here. It’s too dangerous. If I hadn’t come downstairs, you’d be paralyzed right now, and I’d probably be dead.”
“Cece -”
“Tomorrow I’ll let Mal know I don’t need the firm’s help,” Cece said. Her voice was soft but steady, and she gave Briggs a faint smile. “You should go home, Briggs. There isn’t anything you can do here.”
“I’m not leaving,” he said. “And you’re not stopping the security detail.”
“I’m a grown woman who can make her own choices,” Cece snapped.
He didn’t have the words to describe the relief he felt at her spark of defiance.
“Mal has a warlock coming to the office tomorrow afternoon to do protection spells,” he said.
“What?”
“It’s true,” he said. “We’re meeting them at the office tomorrow at one. This guy will do protection spells, and then we’ll be safe from any attacks.”
“Only if his spells are strong enough.” Cece frowned.
“They will be,” Briggs said. “You can’t fight this alone, Cece.”
She rubbed at her forehead, her body slumping against the couch. “I’m so tired, Briggs.”
“I know. Go to bed and get some sleep. Tomorrow will be better.”
“Yeah, okay.” She stood, and when he stayed on the couch, she gave him a look. “Are you not going back to bed?”
“I’ll sleep on the couch,” he said.
“I doubt she’ll come back tonight, and if she does, I don’t want you alone down here,” Cece said.
“It’s not because of the witch,” he said. “It’ll be more work for your plants to -”
“They won’t bring me to you again tonight,” Cece said quickly.
“How do you know that?” he asked.
“My magic is depleted. I don’t have enough left in the tank for it to manipulate the plants.”
He studied her carefully. She looked exhausted, with dark circles under her eyes and no sign of a green glow.
“All right,” he said. “Let’s get some rest.”
She nodded and, being careful to keep a healthy distance between them, they headed toward the stairs.