Page 103 of Magic Touch
He caresses my full belly and growls. “You are stunning, my love.”
Dozing on a chair in the corner, Simon responds to his growl with a hiss before settling back to his afternoon nap.
William snuggles against the baby and wedges himself between my legs. “Trina is in the back garden and likely won’t come in until teatime.”
With a girlish giggle, I nudge his shoulder. “I think you should read your book, and make love to me this evening when everyone is in bed, and there is no chance of us being interrupted.”
“You could throw up a blocking spell and keep us hidden from the world for a few minutes,” he suggests.
Mirth rises up in me and tumbles out as a loud laugh that is most unladylike. “A few minutes. Is that all you want? Well then, no need to even move from the chaise if your pleasure is that urgent.”
With a laugh and a dramatic sigh, he shakes his head. “You’re right. I’ll never be satisfied with just a few minutes. I shall wait for dark to have you completely to myself and seduce you properly.”
My flesh tingles wantonly. “I shall spend the afternoon looking forward to it, William.”
The look he gives me is positively ravenous. “So shall I.”
Being with child means that laying in one spot for too long is uncomfortable. I wiggle around him to sit up, then rise and stretch my aching back.
William rubs from the midpoint to the swell of my bottom and helps relieve the ache.
“What are you reading?” I take a turn around the room and admire all the blue and white furniture and dark woods. Outside the tall windows, the trees that wrap around the drive are full of sappy leaves and the warm scent of spring.
Trina helped me plant a fine garden in the back of the house, and I spend time tending it daily in hopes of a good crop for the shop. With Minerva in Kent, Sylvia and Ava are taking turns minding things while I’m away. Having a coven has its benefits.
“It’s an old journal written in 1701 by an ancestor named Early Meriwether. He gives some indication that he knew he was a witch but hides all evidence from society. I found an interesting passage.” He flips the pages back as he sits up.
Giving Simon a scratch on the chin, I smile at how the sweet feline always makes me feel content. I return to the chaise and sit next to William. “What does it say?”
“It speaks of an old enemy who has become a fiend or ghoul. I’m not sure what he means. He says the fiend came calling at his home and had to be spirited off.” William studies the handwritten page.
“This Early is very cryptic. Fiend and ghoul then spirit. What else does he say?” My gut tightens.
William shrugs. “Only that he’d won the battle, but the war would rage on until forest burned.”
“Forest?”
“That’s what he says, though his spelling is poor.” He holds up the book and shows me where it's spelled “forrest.”
Finding it hard to draw breath, I read over what William just told me. “Could it be intentionally spelled wrong? Could he have been talking about destroying an old family foe whose name was Forrester, and over sixty years, the last two letters were lost to time?”
“But he calls him a ghoul and a spirit. Forrester was a witch as far as I can tell, and even with the length of our lives, would have been quite old by 1701.”
An uncomfortable chill runs up my spine. “If a witch turns to darkness and becomes a master of the craft…”
“What?” William takes hold of my shoulders and turns me to face him. His eyes are full of worry.
I calm my breathing. “There are tales of witches turning to demons and extending their lives indefinitely by inhabiting other dark witches.”
“Orin.” William breathes the name softly. “Forrester is Orin. That’s what he meant by his being the demon I should worry about.”
My heart sinks. “You will have to go to Windsor and tell Sara Beth. This is too dangerous to be sent in the post.”
“I’m not leaving you. I will try a fire spell. Sara Beth uses them to communicate, and I’ve been studying the skill. If I fail, then I’ll send Henry to the coven with a note.” He wraps his hand around mine and kisses my forehead.
It’s silly, but I’m flooded with relief. "Somehow, I know we must stay together until after the baby is born."
He nods and pulls me into his arms. “I know. I feel it, too. The demon would like to separate us and see if we can be defeated individually now that he’s seen how powerful we are together. We’ll not give him that chance.”
