I kept my lips clamped shut, because if I opened them, a moan would escape. I kept my eyes fixed on the vicar as he held Connor up and talked about how he would be united with Christ in his burial and resurrection to life.
Oh, oh…it feels so good…
"Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost…”
The coat rustled. Flynn pulled it up above my shoulder and his hand went underneath, sliding between my breasts to tweak my nipple. He pinched the sensitive bud just as Arthur thrust two fingers inside me.
I clenched my teeth as the orgasm claimed me, my body shaking and shuddering against the hard pew. The pillar of power flared against my skin, humming with untapped energy.
I tasted blood.
“Oh, god,” I whispered. Arthur snorted.
Power thrummed in my veins. My fingers tingled. Arthur was right – I was ready for anything now.
But where are the fae? If they don’t show up soon, they won’t be able to take Connor, as he’ll be baptized.
I glanced around the church. Everyone else faced forward as the vicar moved across to the baptismal font. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
Maybe Blake’s friend was wrong. Maybe they used him to get us away from Briarwood so they could do something at the castle.
The priest raised Connor above his head, then brought him to his breast and dipped a goblet into the water. Connor gurgled. Jane sat in the front with Sheryl, her expression strained. The priest raised the goblet?—
“We’re actually going to do it,” I whispered.
Connor is going to be safe.
A loud bang made me jump. I whirled around in time to see a shaft of light cross the marble floor. The second wooden door banged on its hinges and angry footsteps marched toward the nave.
“Stop this service at once!” a voice rang out.
A figure stepped into the light thrown by the stained glass windows, followed by another, and another. A mob flocked down the aisle – but it wasn’t the fae I was expecting. Instead, they were mostly women in ugly sweaters and wary-looking men waving worn Bibles in their hands. All they were missing was the pitchforks and torches.
At the front of the horde stood Dora, her hands on her hips and a snarl of righteous fury on her face.
“These are witches and fornicators!” she yelled, her voice ringing out through the entire church. “They do not belong in this holy place! Remove them now, or we will do so by force!”
CHAPTER FIVE
MAEVE
“If you would like to take a seat,” The vicar – who clearly had no idea what was going on – indicated the near-empty church with a dramatic sweep of his wrist. “We’ll continue the proceedings.”
“We don’t want the baptism to continue,” an elderly woman sputtered. “Father, do you haveany ideawhat you’ve let into our church today?”
“This humble House of God accepts all sinners?—”
“Even fornicators who steal husbands and destroy families?” Another familiar voice spoke up. I swirled my head and recognized Chief Inspector Davies at the back of the mob, her mouth twisted into an ugly scowl.
“That’s not?—”
“Evenwitches?” Dora screamed, jabbing her finger at me and the guys. “Even the Devil’s own children?”
“Please, Dora.” A figure in the front pew stood up. I recognized Clara from theAstarteshop. Hope surged inside me. Maybe Corbin had called her, in case we needed her help. She swept her black hair behind her ears and met Dora’s fearful gaze with a mixture of kindness and pity. “A beautiful ritual is being conducted today. A child is being welcomed into the house of the Lord. Surely you have no quarrel with that?”
“That child is born of bad seed,” Dora snapped. “His mother is a curse in this village, beguiling honest men away from their wives and families. The child will grow up in an immoral household. He will learn from that Jezebel and those demon lovers and bring ruin on our fair village!”
“Hey,” Jane’s eyes narrowed. “That’s my son you’re talking about.”
