Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Eighteen
S irena took off in a sprint, digging her toes into the dirt, pushing herself forward.
Her heart pounded as she took off down the path. She forgot what it meant to run fast enough that she felt as if she were flying. For a few seconds, her feet lifted off the ground and she was floating. It had been a long time since she had run, always pushing off her evening runs to pick up more deliveries. Lucy invited her to work out with her after school, but Sirena usually declined. There was always another hustle or job that needed her time. As she kept running, it felt good to move and feel the blood rush through her body. Her arms pumped back and forth, the wind was whipping, her braids were falling from her updo, and her dress kicked up around her thighs. Every inch of her was free and in control. The atoms within her hummed the closer Gus got.
The late-afternoon wind whipped around her, chilling her skin. She could feel him one step behind her, his fingers brushing against her back as he reached out for her. Her skin warmed under his touch. Sirena pushed herself until she managed to escape his grasp. She heard his irritated yet amused laugh behind her. Sirena noticed that she was running toward a junction, where a passage branched off in two separate directions. Left. Right. You can lose him here.
She quietly battled within herself. Do you want to get lost with him or without him?
Sirena knew instantly.
The answer was clear. Sirena glanced back to see how close Gus was, then stopped and waited for him. Elm and elder tree. She gulped through a dry throat; the sight of Gus running toward her, his cloak thrashing behind his powerful body, made her thirsty. This spellbinding magician wasn’t just a tall drink of water; he was an entire gallon.
The longer she looked at Gus, the more she felt foolish for running away. From denying herself the pleasure of his company. He was on her in three seconds. Gus scooped her up, pressing their bodies together, his arms wrapped around her and lifting her.
They fit together. Effortlessly.
“I caught you,” he said, out of breath, his eyes shimmering with magic.
“You did,” she said, drawing in a breath. She wrapped her arms around his neck, leaned down, and captured his lips with hers. Gus returned the kiss. Their bodies pulsated with natural energy, a crackle of electricity, like a lightning strike, that reverberated between them.
She slid down the length of him, her feet finally touching the ground.
Sirena broke off the kiss, slightly breathless. “What’s your plan? To tickle me?”
He flicked a lazy glance over her from head to toe, sending a sizzle of heat up her spine. “I wasn’t thinking about tickling you.” Hunger glistened in his eyes.
“Ask me something,” she requested.
“What now?” His voice filled with raw need.
She moved in close, brushing her mouth with his. “Touch me,” she insisted.
Gus didn’t hesitate. He took off his cloak and placed it on the ground. Sirena twisted off her purse and lay down on the cloak. It seemed to stretch out big, like the size of a fitted sheet. She ran her hand over the red satin fabric; it felt smooth and luxurious under her palm. Gus lowered himself down next to Sirena, his eyes eager to hold her. Sirena yanked Gus into her arms. Her mouth found the space where his pulse throbbed, and she licked the salt off his skin. She shuddered. The taste of him reminded her of the sea salt dragged from the ocean, raw and elemental. A splinter of fear went through Sirena, but she willed herself to stay calm. She could do this. She could keep from slipping away with him. Stay grounded.
Gus let out a guttural moan that hit her right in her core.
Sirena nipped until she felt him reach for her and yank at her dress in desperate fistfuls. He captured her mouth in a rough kiss; his beard lightly scratched her. She whispered words of magic and enticement against him. Kiss me. Thrill me. Tease me. Her eyes shuttered closed. She breathed in; the woodsy scent of his beard oil made her think of campfires and dark forests. She whimpered as he deepened the kiss, his hand roaming slowly over her stomach and chest.
The ground seemed to slip away from them—as if it were made of quicksand. Suddenly, her body dipped as if she were on a descending elevator, and she was slipping away.
Away from the Grove. Away from her family and friends. Away from time.
I want to stay. The raven’s call forced Sirena to snap her eyes open. She slammed her hand on the ground, making it become solid again. They were back in the maze.
“I—” Sirena licked her lips. She met his eyes. “I don’t want to slip away.”
Gus pinned her with his stare. “I won’t let you.”
He shifted around and then produced a ring from his pocket. The air in her lungs suspended for an instant. She studied the item; it sparkled as if it had been hand carved from a meteorite.
“May what fall from the stars keep us bound to earth,” he chanted.
He slipped the ring on her finger, then kissed it. Comfort swathed her like a fluffy blanket. Any lingering fear eased away and was replaced with a sense of protection. Whoa. She touched the ground and felt the coarse dirt between her fingers. Sirena pressed a hand to Gus’s chest, his form solid and his heart beating rapidly under his shirt. Everything felt safe and unshakable.
Sirena looked at Gus. “You made this charm.”
Only her family used their magic to help her, but Gus had made this small thing for her peace of mind. He used his magic not to dazzle, but to comfort.
He merely nodded and took out a pendant dangling from a long chain. Her fingers wrapped around the silver centerpiece; her thumb ran over the smooth stone oval. Gus bowed his head. Wordlessly, she slipped the pendant around his neck and lowered it against his chest.
She looked between the ring and the oval pendant, noticing that they were made from the same element. Surprise fluttered through Sirena. They matched. They were mates.
The question why played on her lips, but her brain cautioned her not to ask. Instead, Sirena kissed him, letting her eyes shutter closed once more. She felt him grasp and squeeze her body, sending ripples of delight through her. His breath came out in eager pants. Sirena breathed in the crisp leaves and felt his body’s heat under her palm. She wanted to drag him into her dreams, where she could keep him close. This moment was theirs alone, and she didn’t want life to interrupt it. But life waited outside these maze walls.
“Someone might walk in,” she sighed.
“No,” he said, his voice coming out strangled. “Look what you’ve done.”
Sirena glanced around them. Whoa. The maze walls had receded, revealing a private orchard. The leaves remaining on the trees were golden yellow, and the ground outside the cloak was matted with fallen leaves among the rocks. A gust of wind came through and rustled the branches, causing the air to fill with the musky-sweet smell of fall. She recognized this place. It was the part of her that once loved Octobers and Novembers, where it was forever autumn, the perfect temperature for hoodies and steaming cups of tea. This illusion was the part of her that wished for apple orchards, ghost stories, and handmade brooms. The setting sun cast shadows over their entangled bodies.
Sirena pressed herself against Gus, feeling his other hand yank at the tie of her dress.
It eased open. He pulled and opened the dress, unwrapping her like a piece of candy. The cool air brushed her skin, and she was left in her underwear. Sirena propped herself on her elbows and arched her back, giving him a full view of her black lace bra and panties. This time was different from before. They weren’t under a passion brew spell now, and there was nothing but the fire they’d been slowly burning between them. She didn’t want the fire to go out.
Gus looked her over in a slow scan; his brown eyes darkened as he held her gaze.
Silently, she called upon the strength and beauty of all the fashion pages she saw online.
“On the air, the earth, and the fire…” Gus took a strained breath, then continued. “You’re gorgeous.”
His fingers slid up the length of her thigh until he reached the apex between her legs.
She gasped. He ground his hand against her barely covered flesh, creating a delicious sensation. Gus touched her under the fabric, slipping his fingers against her. His movements became steadier and more intense. The fire inside her flared and licked her from within. Every inch of her body pulsated in need. She grew damp quickly; the rhythmic movement of his hand sent a growing surge of bliss through her body. Delicious shivers filled Sirena as she muttered words of encouragement.
Right there. Keep going. Please. Please. Faster. Don’t stop.
She sucked her lower lip between her teeth, trying to hold back a scream. From lowered lids, she met his eyes; greed glittered in their depths as he toyed with her. Gus didn’t let up; he continued his deliberate motions, and she felt herself moving closer to the edge. He shot her a penetrating stare as she rolled her hips and rode against him. His words came out low and desperate as her desire grew to a feverish crescendo.
“Come for me. Now.”
A scream tore from her throat, and she pressed her mouth against his shoulder. He sent her spiraling into euphoria. She rode out her release, and she held on to Gus, not wanting to let him go. Their hidden world fell away, and she let out another cry of relief.
Who chased and then hooked up with their witch crush in the middle of a Merlin maze?
Who did that? Apparently, Gus Dearworth did. He’d never been this wild and reckless in the Grove, but she’d teased it out of him. As their hidden world disappeared, Gus rolled away from Sirena, taking several deep breaths. He was so hard and ready that he fought to keep from busting out of his pants and sinking into her. He glanced at Sirena. She was laid out on his cape, her red and black dress pushed up to reveal her thick, dimpled thighs, the scent of her arousal lingering in the air. Her eyes were closed, her head thrown back as she rode out her orgasm. His body could still feel the graze of her lips on his neck as she had teased him with her tongue and teeth. He still felt her hips rocking against him as he stroked her. How her sweet warmth tightened around his fingers as he teased and pleasured her over the edge. Sirena’s scent filled his brain and called on him to keep going. A bird call—it sounded like a raven—played overhead. His blood raced. To hear a raven’s call signaled an impending change. Yes, he wasn’t the same magician who walked into the maze.
Being around her made him feel alive—like a half-powered machine suddenly whirring to life after being unplugged for years. He wished it were as simple as just being charmed by Sirena. Gus was starting to fall for her, and that truth was absolutely frightening. He was thinking about reaching for a future he didn’t know if he was brave enough to hold on to or attempt to try again. Could he name her his kindred and declare to the universe that her soul matched his?
You have to try , his head encouraged.
His phone beeped, reminding him of the world outside. Sirena’s eyes snapped open, unfocused with need. She’d been sated but not satisfied. His phone beeped twice more. Gus let out an annoyed growl and checked his text messages.
All the texts were from Diane.
Y’all okay?
If you’re not out in 2 min, I’m coming in with a magical chainsaw.
You’ve got sixty seconds. Zeke and I are coming in!
Sirena watched him in anticipation. Gus showed her the texts.
Irritation flickered in her eyes at their game being interrupted. “Pause.”
Gus texted Diane. No need for the chainsaw. We’re leaving now.
He helped her fix her dress. She brushed the lingering hay and leaves from her body. Gus stood and extended his hand to her. Sirena took his hand, and he helped her stand up. He kissed her slowly and deeply, pressed his lips to her cheeks and chin. The sweet aroma of fallen leaves and Sirena remained in his nostrils. He picked up his cloak, brushed off the dirt, then draped it over her shoulders. Sirena pulled it closer around her body. “I’m ready.”
His chest lifted. She looks good in my cloak.
Sirena took him by the crook of his arm and strolled over to the nearest maze wall. It slid out of the path. They stepped out into the gardens, not meeting the curious looks being tossed their way. Zeke gave Gus a thumbs-up. Gus mouthed a thank you to him and he gave him a small salute in return. He’d have to make good with Zeke and finally talk to him about his ghosting act.
The chief and the members of the Freya Grove fire department leaned tiredly against the truck. It appeared from their exhausted postures that everyone was relieved that this maze nonsense was over. The fire truck and other emergency vehicles were in the parking lot down the path. The paramedics checked them out for injuries and issues, then allowed them to rejoin Sirena’s sisters, who were waiting by the benches.
Callie ran over to Sirena and hugged her tightly. “I’ll let Ursula know you’re safe. She had to leave. There’s a crystal problem at the shop and they needed her help.”
Lucy fussed over Sirena, brushing the few remaining strands of hay from her braids.
Diane peppered them with questions. “What took you so long?”
Sirena shot a searing look at Gus. Lust pounded through his bloodstream when their eyes connected. He licked his lips, remembering how it felt to shower her face with kisses. Gus answered her question the best he could without embarrassing himself or Sirena.
“We got lost again,” he said warmly.
Satisfied, Diane gestured to the parking lot and held up her keys. “I’m starting the car. It’s cold out here, and we’ve got to warm y’all up.”
Diane left them to continue to be fussed over by the Caraway sisters.
“You must be hungry,” Lucy said.
Sirena spoke up. “I’m starving. I’m taking Gus out for dinner.”
“It’s late. You’re never getting a table now.”
“You can’t go out covered in dirt and hay,” Callie said, aghast. “You look like a wood nymph. A cute wood nymph, but still—you can’t go out looking like this.” She slid a glance over to Gus. “Both of you look like you’ve been in the wilderness.”
Gus squeezed Sirena’s hand; the image of their private orchard vivid in his mind.
“Why don’t you cook for him at the house?” Lucy said.
“Um—” Sirena winced. “I don’t know what we have to cook in the house.”
Callie jumped in. “It’s the least we could do for Gus. You’ll just whip food together.”
Gus glanced around at the Caraway sisters, briefly taken aback by the request. Didn’t they know she was having issues with her powers? He noticed that Lucy stared at Sirena with her face bright with silent expectation. A low whine slipped from Sirena’s mouth and panic entered her eyes. She looked at Gus, her eyes silently telling him the truth. They don’t know.
He stepped in. “I’m fine with ordering a pizza. I’m just happy Sirena’s safe and out of the maze. Let’s take a night off.”
The sisters took this comment in, then nodded in agreement.
“Rapunzel’s does have the scary pie special,” Callie suggested.
“I like the way you think, Mr. Dearworth.” Lucy pointed to the parking lot. “Let’s ride.”
Their group tiredly walked away from the maze.
Sirena’s brown eyes shone with gratitude.
Gus gave her a discreet nod. Sirena pulled him close, wrapping her arm around his waist. She leaned into his side and whispered; her breath brushed against his ear. “Wild looks good on you, Dearworth.”
Desire slid down his spine. Wild. He liked being a little wild.