“How much did you pay Black Shadow to help you summon a demon?” asked Remy.
“Nothing,” replied Silvaria. “He told us we’d be helping rid the earth of the foul stench of the wrong kind of magic.”
Pursing his lips as he shook his head, Remy said, “As Ruler of the Mystic Realm, it is my right and duty to enforce our laws, one of which forbids the use of black magic. By your own admission, both of you have broken this law, a law that protects the purity of magic. There is no justification you can offer that will mitigate the seriousness of your actions, especially since you used it in the past to help enslave an entire species of shifters for a thousand years. Your intent to continue violating this law is evident by your obtaining another demon after the loss of your first. And therefore, you must be punished.
“Due to the seriousness of your actions, I order the removal of all your magic and from this day forward, all your property and assets will be seized and you are forbidden from ever consorting with or seeking the services of any magic users. If you attempt to do so in violation of this order, your bodies will burst into flames, killing you. Do you understand?”
“Noooo, please Keeper, we meant no harm! I promise never to do it again!”
“Why are you punishing us? That’s not fair! Many others use black magic in more vile ways then we do.”
“Silence!” Remy’s voice thundered. “They, too, will be punished, in due course.” Then turning to Carson, he commanded, “Mystic Guardian, carry out the sentence.”
Ignoring the cacophony of pleas and cries coming from the two witches trapped in the sphere, Carson raised his arm, pointing his finger at them, uttering the words given to him by the Fates. An unearthly scream filled the room as the Mystic Guardian took possession of the witches’ personas.
Remy watched in awe as their bodies contorted and writhed in pain, flames enveloping them as their magic was exorcised and ricocheted off the light sphere’s inner surfaces before merging into a flaming ball. Then, passing through the sphere, it shot toward the Keeper and was absorbed by his body when it reached him, leaving the now ex-witches hunched over in agony at the loss of their powers.
Raising his hand, Remy said, “Remember what I told you about contacts with magic users…forbidden!” Then, flicking his fingers he sent the ex-witches back from where they came.
Wrapping his arms around Remy, Carson murmured, “Babe, you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m okay. I really regret having to do that, but I couldn’t let them continue using black magic.”
“Trust me, you made the right decision. It’ll be a warning to other magic users who are…or are thinking of…using the dark arts,” Carson said.
Nodding, Remy looked at Mystia. “Any thoughts?”
“Yes, for the first time…in a very long time…I feel hopeful for our future,” Mystia said, smiling with satisfaction.
“Thank you. Will you join us for a late lunch, Mystia? Then afterward, we can see if Fionn is back,” Remy said.
“I’d be delighted.”
~/~/~/~/~
Sawyer’s eyes snapped open. He didn’t need an alarm to wake him up this time. Grinning in anticipation of what he’d be doing in a few hours, he jumped out of bed, heading to the small bathroom. Last night after buying his surfboard he scope out the waves at the pier, agreeing with the recommendation he found online that the rollers on the south side broke the best. “Look at me,” Sawyer said, talking to himself, “I already sound like I know what I’m talking about.”
Laughing, he turned on the water in the shower before stepping into the narrow space. Soaping up, his thoughts returned to a sexy dude he saw standing on the beach looking out to sea. Giving a quick glance at the sky, he could see the gorgeous sunset that was holding his attention. When Sawyer’s gaze returned to the man, he felt his cock stir. Remembering Quin’s advice, he decided to see if the dude was interested in sharing a meal and, if he was lucky, his bed. But by the time he reached the spot where the man had been standing, he was gone.
“What a fucking shame,” Sawyer reminisced, tugging on his aching cock, imagining a beautiful pair of lips wrapped around it.
After rubbing one out, Sawyer stepped out of the shower, his mind now focused on his upcoming big day. According to the person who booked his series of lessons, his instructor was one of the best there was. Just thinking about being on a surfboard began to make him nervous…no, it’s just excitement…surface in his belly. Drying off quickly, he pulled on a pair of board shorts and a t-shirt before slipping his feet into some flip-flops. Grabbing his wallet, phone, keys, and sunglasses, he headed out the door, eager to get to the beach, even though it was hours before he was due for his first lesson.
Chapter 40
Holding his sleeping mate, Hunter shifted his body under the weight of the gold coins surrounding them, trying to find a more comfortable position. It had been a long day. His brother was right; Fionn woke up with?which, according to him?was the mother of all headaches. When the first burst of flames from his mate’s nose shot out, Hunter told him it would be happening for the next eight hours or so. His mate’s reaction wasn’t what he expected; in a split second, Fionn was gone, hiding from Hunter in the vast cavern, so embarrassed he didn’t want anyone to see him.
After two hours of searching, Hunter gave up. Sitting down in a chair made of gold bricks, he began reciting love poetry to his mate. All he got for his efforts were a few sobs that bounced off the stone walls. Changing tactics, he growled, “Pet, just thinking about the cock ring you got for me, has made me so fucking hard. Tonight, you’re going to get to put it on me and, when I’m finally wearing it, I’m going to fuck you until you come three times…not once…not twice…but three fucking times so you know who you belong to. And before I fill you up, I’ll mark you with my scent so even the goddess of the moon will know you’ve been claimed totally.
“Then, I’ll carry you to the bathroom, where we’ll climb into a bubble bath and I’ll ravish you all over again, this time, sucking and biting your skin, marking you so all who see you will know that you, my pet, belong to me. And you’ll come again, shooting your cum on me while riding me, marking me with your scent because I belong to you, pet, completely and forever…to do with what you want to, whenever you want to, wherever you want to. Now, come to me, my pet, I need you.”
At first, Hunter heard nothing, but then a rattle of chains and something scraping the floor was followed by the soft voice of his mate.
“Mate?”
“Pet, come here, I need to hold you.” Within seconds, Hunter’s arms were holding a sobbing mate, apologizing for getting drunk. Rubbing Fionn’s back, Hunter whispered words of love until his mate’s tears finally stopped. “Better?” he asked, gently.
“Yeah, but I swear I’m never going to drink that vile shit again,” Fionn mumbled before a round of flames burst forth. “Oh fuck!” Quickly slapping at Hunter’s shirt, now burning, he cried, “Sorry, sorry!”
