Page 6 of Elemental Hope (Warlocks #2)

“Wow, I’m being trusted to be a grown-up.

” Dominic smiled. He knew how hard it must have been for Evrain to grant this concession.

He understood his protectiveness. Evrain inhabited a scary world that he was still new to, and Dominic knew he felt guilty about dragging him along.

He’d already suffered at the hands of Symeon Malus.

Evrain just wanted to make sure he never had to experience anything like that again.

Dominic touched his collar-length hair. He’d been physically altered by an evil warlock.

No wonder his lover was paranoid about his safety.

His next job, in the neighboring town, was uneventful.

Once he was done, Dominic dutifully made the call Evrain had requested even though nothing had happened.

He was beginning to think Evrain’s caution was unwarranted.

But later, as he was clearing up at the end of his final job mowing a massive lawn the size of a football field, he saw the two women again.

They were a little farther away and he had to squint into the sun to see them, but it was definitely the same two people.

They just stood and stared at him, not moving.

“Fuck, it’s like a scene from Stepford ,” Dominic muttered. As he went to press the speed-dial button on his phone, it started playing Witch’s Promise by Jethro Tull.

“Evrain.” Dominic answered the call.

“They’re there again, aren’t they?” Evrain’s voice was cold and calm, but Dominic caught a hint of something else in his tone—fear.

“How did you know?”

“I felt your anxiety.”

Dominic didn’t ask how that was possible. “They aren’t doing anything, just standing there watching me. I’m coming home now.”

“No detours, Dominic. I’ll expect you shortly.”

“I’m fine, Evrain. I’ll be back soon.” Dominic disconnected the call.

He loaded a few tools into the van, looking nervously over his shoulder.

The two women were still there, unmoving but managing to exude an aura of malevolence.

He didn’t know why he felt that way—they were completely nondescript and had done nothing to suggest they meant him harm—but somehow he knew they did.

Evrain gripped the phone so hard the keys pressed indentations into his fingers.

He wanted nothing more than to go after Dominic, find him and bring him home.

He hated being apart from him but now, when he was in danger once again, the separation was unbearable.

Channeling had created an emotional link between them and it was becoming stronger all the time.

He could feel when Dominic was happy, when he was sad and most strongly when he was scared.

The last made Evrain sick to his stomach but he had a house full of people, one of whom had not been invited.

He’d gone outside to make his call in private but now returned to the cottage kitchen.

The room that seemed cozy when it was just him and Dominic became overcrowded with four people around the table.

Gregory and Coryn sat at one end. Nathaniel Alberich lounged on one side, his hand clamped around the neck of the unwelcome guest seated next to him.

“Dominic is on his way home. Perhaps now, Damon, you could explain what the hell you’re doing here?” Evrain snapped. “Or do you have some kind of death wish?”

Damon cowered in his seat. “Do you think I’d be here if I had any other choice?”

Nathaniel gave him a light cuff to the head, ruffling his hair. “Mind your manners. You’re lucky I didn’t blast you out of existence.”

“I wasn’t doing nothing.”

“Anything. I wasn’t doing anything .”

“What are you, the grammar cop?”

“No. I’m the warlock who’s going to tan your hide if you don’t start explaining yourself.

I came here for a sociable visit with friends.

I didn’t expect to have to drag your sorry ass out of the woods, ruining my best pair of Ferragamos in the process.

” Nathaniel scowled in the direction of his muddy boots.

“Where’s your boyfriend gone?” Damon hunched his shoulders.

“Felix is my driver. He’s waiting in the car, probably listening to dire country music and snacking on the knucklebones of boys who can’t control their mouths.”

“Not a boy. Your gorilla hurt me.”

“No, he didn’t. If he’d wanted to do that, we’d be looking for supplies of O Negative about now. You fell over your own feet then landed face down in a nice soft layer of rotting vegetation. Now, stop avoiding the subject. What are you doing here?”

Evrain listened with interest. A connection already seemed to be developing between Nathaniel and Damon and their interplay was intriguing.

He tried to examine Damon objectively. He was slight with dark hair that curled at the ends.

His grey eyes were so shadowed they were almost black.

There were traces of half-healed bruises on his face and from the stiff way he held himself, Evrain guessed there were more beneath his clothing.

He was pretty, in a haunted, waifish kind of way.

It was difficult to imagine what Symeon might have done to him.

“How old were you?” Evrain asked. “When…”

“When Symeon sank his claws into me?” Damon dug his teeth into his already-abused lower lip.

Evrain nodded.

“Sixteen. I was with him six years.” He shivered. “I’m not here to make excuses but I would like to make up for what I did if I can.”

“No one here will hurt you.” Evrain gestured for him to continue. “Tempting though it is.” He didn’t think Damon deserved to be let off too easily. Not yet.

Damon took a deep breath. “Have any of you heard of Imelda Krenick?”

“The self-proclaimed leader of the Octis Coven,” Gregory announced. “Nasty bunch.”

“Octis Coven?” Evrain had never heard of it, or them.

“Group of power-crazy bitches who give witchcraft a bad name. The worst kind of self-serving sorority, interested in nothing but furthering their own interests, whether that be wealth, power or influence. All three if they can manage it.”

“They sound like a charming bunch,” Evrain said.

“And Symeon is working with them.” Damon stared, unblinking, at Evrain.

“There can only be one reason for that.” Gregory frowned.

“Agreed,” Nathaniel narrowed his eyes.

“Perhaps one of you would like to enlighten the rest of us?” Evrain’s voice was tinged with sarcasm. That earned him hard looks from both Nathaniel and Gregory. He sighed. “I don’t need both of you treating me like a child. I get enough of that already.”

“It would be better if we waited for Dominic,” said Gregory. “Then we won’t have to go through the whole sordid tale twice. I’m sure Damon would prefer not to have to explain himself more than once.”

“How do we even know if he’s telling the truth?” Evrain glared in Damon’s direction. “He’s hardly proved himself trustworthy so far.”

“I’ll know if he lies,” Nathaniel stated with certainty. “If he does, he’ll regret it.”

Damon gulped. He edged his chair a few inches away from Nathaniel, who grinned.

Evrain was reminded of a wolf he’d seen at a wildlife park back in Scotland—one who’d just been presented with a bloody carcass.

He checked his watch, then his phone in case there were any more messages from Dominic, but there was nothing.

His skin itched. He shoved his chair back because pacing had to be better than sitting.

The window panes rattled in a sudden squall.

“Control your emotions, Evrain. Dominic will get here as quickly as he can.” Gregory tried to soothe him but Evrain didn’t want to be pacified. He wanted Dominic in his arms where he belonged.

“You’re very fortunate to have found your soulmate, Evrain,” Nathaniel said. “I haven’t been so lucky yet.”

“Oh, I’d assumed that Felix…”

“No.” Nathaniel chuckled. “Though he would be amused to hear it.”

“So how do you control your power?” Evrain asked. “I could barely manage to light a candle before I was able to channel through Dominic.”

“No,” Gregory snorted. “He just blew things up.”

“I hope you don’t mind me asking?” Evrain scowled at his godfather.

“Not at all.” Nathaniel drummed his fingers against his thigh.

“Over the years, I’ve learned to filter the energy through multiple people.

Unless they are particularly sensitive, they feel nothing because the load is shared, the power spread thinly.

It’s not perfect. A single channel would be much more effective but it allows me to manage the winds in the way I need. ”

Evrain was impressed. It must have taken great self-discipline for Nathaniel to manage his power in the way he had.

“I have enough trouble channeling through one person,” he admitted.

“Because you love Dominic and you don’t want to hurt him?”

“Yes.” Small talk could only distract Evrain for so long, however interesting it was. “Where is he, damn it?”

“I’ll take a walk down the lane.” Coryn stood up. “I’ll meet Dominic and explain what’s happening. He won’t want to walk in on all this unprepared.”

“I should go!” Evrain moved toward the door.

“You will not.” Gregory banged the table. “Exposing yourself when you’re in this mood would be dangerous. You stay put.”

Evrain felt like stamping his foot but he caught Nathaniel’s knowing smirk. Some of his frustration dissolved as he realized how petulant he was being.

“One of these days I may just have to paddle your behind,” Gregory threatened.

Damon giggled. Nathaniel gave Damon’s ear a sharp flick. “Quiet, brat.”

Evrain shook his head and sighed. “Save your energy for Coryn. I’ll behave.”

Gregory grunted. “And I just spotted a pig flying past the window. I could use a drink. Show me where the mulling spices are and I’ll heat some wine. Agatha always did know how to magic up a good brew.”

“At least you didn’t suggest a pot of tea,” Evrain snarked.

“And I thought you British folk lived on the stuff,” Nathaniel said.

“Ninety-nine percent of the population probably couldn’t function without it. I’m an anomaly.”

“You can say that again,” Gregory chuckled.

Nathaniel burst out laughing. Evrain decided that he was outnumbered, outgunned and that silence was the better part of valor.