“I AM coming, my love.” Amanda could hear Romeo, even though he wasn’t with her. She realized that they had connected telepathically, just like he said they would, and smiled as she spoke back to him in her mind.
“I know. I am fine.” She needed him to believe she was okay; even if she wasn’t. She wanted to make sure he was at ease.
“I told you; no matter where you go, I will find you. I will come for you.” His voice reached her ears as if he were standing in front of her, talking.
“I am coming to you.”
“No, my love. I am here already.”
She turned when she heard his voice. Romeo stood before her, in the middle of the field. She hadn’t realized how far she had actually run. Her steps quickened the closer she got to him. He gathered her close in his arms and chuckled when she started ripping his clothes from him. He kissed her deeply and pulled her into the circle of his arms.
“We are outside, honey. Anyone could see.”
“Come on, aren’t you a wolf? Besides, Romeo, don’t you think it is time to be ourselves?”
“You make a valid point,” he said, in between kisses on her throat.
“Good, then, come on. Let’s become one with nature.”
He chuckled as he slowly made love to his mate there among the wild flowers and fields.
Amanda knew her work wasn’t over. Somewhere out there, her brother was coming up with another plan to take her powers, but for the moment, she wanted nothing more than to feel her mate.
As Romeo slid inside her, she moaned deeply. She didn’t need any foreplay or fondling. She just needed him inside her as soon as possible.
He flipped her to her hands and knees and slid inside over and over, speeding up until he was taking her with such force that she lost her balance multiple times. She reveled in it, and met him thrust for thrust, until they both screamed in pleasure.
As they lay in each other’s arms afterward, they planned their next step in life and as a couple. They planned their eternity together.
***
It had been a month since the fiasco of Amanda’s kidnapping. Amanda had decided to move into her aunt’s estate with Romeo, and they were to be formally married in just two weeks’ time. Her powers were growing, and she was grateful for Penelope, who came and helped her to control them. Penelope, Audri and Aurora were like the sisters she had never had, and she found herself becoming very close with them all.
Amanda began to notice that Penelope acted a little strange whenever they came around Elijah, though. Being the quiet one, he often stood aloof when the family was together. He was also the polite one and the one that they all agreed to be the most loyal and family-oriented.
He didn’t say much, but his eyes would scan the room for Penelope often. When Penelope also noticed this, her cheeks would turn a light shade of pink. She would often avert her eyes, but Amanda saw the few instances where her eyes would meet his. There was a current of electricity in the air. Amanda could feel the effects of it from across the room. Was that what she and Romeo seemed like to others?
Amanda’s brother had disappeared along with Lilith, but Amanda knew that it wasn’t over. She could feel her brother breathing down her back. She would catch herself looking around, feeling like someone was watching her. Whether he was close enough to see her or he used his magic, she knew her brother was watching. She had often spoken to Penelope about it, and the other woman had decided to increase the frequency of Amanda’s magic lessons because of it.
She guessed the other woman could feel the anxiety building as well. Something was going to happen, and it was going to be big. She knew her brother would have something to do with it, would probably be the whole reason behind whatever chaos would ensue. The only problem was they didn’t know what exactly to expect from him. He was sneaky and conniving.
Amanda and Penelope were Radiants; two out of the four most powerful witches in the world. Soon, the news would be out, and the other two Radiants would meet up with them. They were sure of it. Amanda was so excited to meet the Fire Radiant and the Water Radiant.
She was sitting alone on the porch when Penelope made her way over. Penelope was petite and one of the most stunningly beautiful people Amanda had ever seen. She seemed so regal in her posture and movements. But she never seemed to hold herself above others.
Amanda had seen her in the dirt playing marbles with some of the kids just the day before. Her white shirt had been brown by the time she stood up. The funniest part was watching her play the childhood game as her tongue stuck from the corner of her mouth. She had an amazing laugh. Her cheeks had been tinged pink, and her long blond hair had been matted at the ends where it trailed the dirt while she crawled around on her knees.
Penelope had relayed to Amanda the nature of her childhood, or lack thereof. Her father had never allowed Penelope to play with other children, and she often wasn’t allowed outside. In the beginning, her mother would sneak her out or she would fight with Penelope’s father until he would finally give in and let her go out. Her mother very rarely lost an argument with anyone, including her father. Penelope thought it was in part because he was so scared of her. That was the reason for the poison he’d used to kill her. What a coward.
The servants had told Penelope what happened. They had said her father wanted to take her mother breakfast in bed, and he had them prepare the meal. They figured he must have added the poison on his way up the stairs, because her mother was gone the very next day. Their suspicions about the circumstances grew when he always seemed to be with Penelope’s adopted sister, who was just a few years older than herself. She was proved correct when she snuck downstairs in the middle of the night. Lilith leaned over a desk with her father behind her. It was an image that was scalded into Penelope’s brain. The worst part was the conversation afterward, where the both of them had clarified their plot to kill her mother.
Two of the servants loyal to her mother were standing in the doorway across from her. One of them had grabbed her and covered her mouth as they took her through a hidden doorway back to her room. They had shushed her and stroked her hair. They had tried reassuring her everything would be okay. They told her that they would help to protect her, and they wouldn’t let anything happen to her. That was the last time she ever saw them. A new housekeeper and butler started the very next day. From that point on, she had stayed hidden from everyone, especially her father and Lilith. She knew that her mother had given her powers to her, and she studied on how to use them, but never had the nerve to try anything out.
“Hey, Penelope. What’s going on?”
“I came to talk. I wanted to talk to you before, but we needed to be alone.”
“Okay.” Amanda instantly began to feel worried. What did Penelope not want to say in front of the others?
“Well, you know there are two other Radiants, and we will probably be meeting them anytime now.”
“Yes. It is exciting to meet new people, especially ones who will have the same powers as we do.”