Wintertide Read online

  I raised my hood as sunlight poured in as the doors swung open. I looked up at the mansion in front of me and rolled my eyes. “Another rich brat,” I muttered as I climbed down. Sergio fell into step beside me as I walked up the enormous marble staircase that led to the front door. It was large enough to host a fucking army and the polished white surface nearly blinded me as the sun reflected off the surface. I shook my head, if they had this much money outside, I could only imagine what the inside was like.

  I started to raise my hand to knock with the ornate golden lion knocker, but the door swung open before I could grab ahold of it. A butler dressed smartly in a well-tailored tux with tails bowed deeply before he spoke.

  “Good morning, sirs. If you would follow me, Mr. and Mrs. Bylar await your arrival in the parlor,” he turned and his heels clicked together before he stepped to the side to allow us through the door.

  We stood just inside the door while he closed it, before he stepped around us and began to lead us down the hallway.

  I lowered my hood as we followed him, willing myself to concentrate on the dark sun spot that graced the back of his balding head instead of the opulent manor that surrounded me. From the marbled floors, streaked with its grey veins, to the gold-plated handrails on the double staircase, this house screamed money. And not just the kind of money that would get you a good dinner at a nice restaurant, the kind of money that would buy you literally anything you wanted.

  I would imagine prisoner number six-thirty-five was about to have a rude wake-up call when she realized what an adjustment it was going to be in her new domicile.

  Hell, reformatory was just a fancy word for prison that allowed these rich asshole parents to sleep at night. They convinced themselves that their kids were simply sent away to receive an education and would come out as perfect angels absolved of any sins.

  I was dragged out of my thoughts as Sergio elbowed me in the ribs making me glance at him to ask him what the hell his problem was. He covertly made the sign of a smile and as we passed an oversized mirror in the hall, I peeked at myself and realized he was right. The scowl that marred my face made me look downright scary and we couldn’t have that.

  The warden would have my ass if I didn’t stick to the rules, one of the few that was actually followed, to make the parents feel comfortable as they sent their precious hellions to Shadow Isle. I took a deep breath and willed myself to relax. I had to get my thoughts under control and not focus on the trivial things. Instead, I concentrated on working through the magic I needed to use to bind the prisoner.

  We stopped in front of a large sitting room, as ornate as the rest of the house when the butler spoke up. “Mr. and Mrs. Bylar, the escorts for Miss Evangeline have arrived,” he announced with a bow.

  A man stood from his seat, Mr. Bylar, I presumed from the air about him that reeked of a man in control, yet one that was completely powerless.

  “Have the tea sent down, and send for my daughter,” he commanded, and immediately his voice grated on my nerves. A deep timbre that was haughty and entitled. It was no wonder this brat of his was being sent away. The butler turned without another word and left to do his bidding.

  He motioned for us to sit on the couch opposite him, never even pausing for a word of introduction. Mr. Bylar took his prior seat and lounged back as if he hadn’t a care in the world. His wife sat stiffly in her own seat, a petite chair that looked like it was designed more for prestige than for comfort. Together, sitting like this at the front of the room, the two reminded me of a king and queen sitting in their thrones. If I weren’t a druid and could summon the very magic from the earth, I would be intimidated.

  Rather than voicing my opinion, I smiled, as my job required, and waited for him to speak. The maid entered and served us tea, yet Mr. Bylar remained quiet, ignoring our presence.

  It wasn’t until a young woman entered the room that he finally moved, if only to shift forward slightly in his seat.

  “You called for me, Father?” she asked, her voice full of venom as her chin tilted up in defiance. I noted that she gripped her hands tightly together, and I could just make out the tendrils of frost that had begun to creep from her fists. I watched her closely and prepared myself in case I needed to jump in, ready to pounce at a moment’s notice.

  My slight adjustment caught her attention and she glared at me, her surprisingly turquoise eyes filled with a raging fire that shot heat straight to my cock. Her blonde hair so light it could have been mistaken for white as it flowed down her back. I found myself fighting the urge to run my fingers through it and see if it was as delicate as it appeared.

  The corner of my mouth twitched as I could almost feel her soft lips against my own, my mind wandering as I pictured her lying naked on my bed, her hair spread out across my pillow. The image was so real that I could even smell her. A scent of cold winter air that brushed across my nose, one connected to the Earth as much as I was. One that made me want to ravish her right here, my job be damned.

  Mr. Bylar cleared his throat speaking at last. “You will go with these men and not cause any trouble. When, and only when you have gained control of your magic you may return home.” His demanding voice caused the images to shatter from my mind, yet the feeling of something pleasant still remained, despite my inability to explain it.

  The two began to argue back and forth and I found myself unusually tuning the two of them out as I wracked my brain to see if I had seen anything in her file about a history of sirens in her family tree. I couldn’t recall anything of the sort, and I had an excellent memory, so I pushed that thought aside and considered creatures that would be able to cause a man to have sexual urges with just a look. When none came to mind, I studied her and wondered if I had come across a new creature of sorts.

  I was jerked back to my senses as a shard of ice flew past my head, barely missing me. The look that crossed her face was clearly one of fear, not vengeance, and I quickly realized she was losing control.

  I slowly stood as I addressed her, “Miss Evangeline,” I called softly, willing my voice to be calm and gentle. “I’m here to help you. I can see you’re angry and I understand. Let’s take some calming breaths before something happens that you might regret.”

  I remained standing next to my seat, watching as her breath heaved out, those large turquoise eyes of hers wide like a deer, with her demeanor to match. I was certain that any quick movement and she would startle, leaving destruction in her wake.

  It was my job to get her calmed down and out of here safely, and I intended to do exactly that. I gradually looked away from the young woman and spoke to Mr. Bylar. “Sir, I think it’s best if you allow Miss Evangeline and I to have a talk. I’m sure if she knew the details of her new home, she would be eager to come without a fight. We all have the same goal of teaching her to control her magic.” I turned back to her and tried to give her a small, reassuring smile.

  As expected, Mr. Bylar scoffed and started to argue with me. This time I kept my eyes on Evangeline. I watched as her body tensed and the frost now streaked to her fingertips, covering more of her flesh as he continued his rant. If my guess was right, she was not only angered by him but also afraid.

  I ignored her father and spoke directly to her, “Evangeline, do you think you can sit and chat with me for a little while?”

  She studied me warily, again reminding me of a deer right before they spooked and bounded into the forest. At last she nodded her head shyly, the complete opposite from the avenging angel that had walked in with every intention of burning, well freezing, everyone of us to get away.

  Something about this woman called to my very core and my instincts said there was more to her than was listed in her file. Those same instincts had never let me down in the past so I turned to Sergio and ordered him to escort the parents from the room.

  Though he didn’t outright question me, he did give me a look of shock before he did as I asked. With a hand on each of the Bylar’s shoulders he led them out and s
lid a pocket door closed behind them, shutting me in with her.

  As soon as they left, Evangeline took a defensive stance, her hands in front of her and her knees bent as if ready to attack at a moment's notice.

  “I’m not going to hurt you, Evangeline,” I said soothingly. “I just want to talk. Please, relax and have a seat. I’m not your enemy here.”

  Again she eyed me, doubt crossing her face before she spoke, “It’s Eva, and I’d prefer to stand if it’s all the same to you,” she replied, her voice as icy as the frost that covered her hands.

  “Whatever you wish,” I stated as I remained still.

  “Why would you want to talk about this? A druid like you could just force me to go with you. It’s not even like you need my permission to take me to that fucking prison.”

  I let out a heavy sigh not quite knowing how to answer her honestly. “I would rather not be forceful if I don’t have to be. What kind of man would I be if I forced a scared little girl to go off to an unknown place, fighting the whole way?”

  Eva let out a lifeless chuckle and rolled her eyes at me. Even in her sarcasm I found myself drawn to her, though I pushed the thoughts aside. Now was not the time to think with my dick.

  “I’m not a little girl, and somehow I doubt you can say you have never forced a female to go to Shadow Isle,” she scoffed. “How about we cut the bullshit and you tell me the real reason you want to talk? Maybe your boss man told you not to make a show in front of my parents, considering the sizable donation they are making to that hellhole for taking me off their hands.”

  No, she wasn’t a little girl. She was all woman, and every word she spit out at me made me want to take those full lips in mine. She wasn’t this spirited because she was evil, she simply was. I wanted to unravel the mystery that surrounded this woman, one who caused a reaction I hadn’t felt in years.

  “I don’t believe what I read in your file is true. I have had enough years of dealing with magical beings of every kind and I’ve become very good at reading people. I have a feeling that you, Eva, you are not the evil sorceress they make you out to be.”

  Her stance relaxed as she stared at me in surprise. I was glad I had said the right thing to put her at ease. While she was right, I had indeed taken prisoners to Shadow Isle by force in the past, it was also true that I tried to take every prisoner in as easily as possible. It wouldn’t be the first time I had sat and talked with one of them.

  It was however the first time I had demanded the parents leave the room. I watched as her whole body sagged and she plopped into a nearby chair as if she was unable to stand on her own anymore, the adrenaline fleeing her body.

  I watched her intently and looked for signs of deception as she began to blurt out her side of the story. As she spoke there were no indications that she lied, no signs that told me she had made anything up. At last she let out a long breath, and met my eyes.

  “I believe you,” I whispered, unable to say anything else as my heart ached for the hurt her family had caused her. The look of desperation she gave me made me feel as though my heart were going to shatter. It made me want to hold her and soothe her pain away.

  Instead, something else reached out, and shock filled my very being as I sensed the cords of souls extending outward. Two people entwined as they reached out and wrapped around my heart, binding me to her forever. “Eva…” I trailed off at a loss for words.

  “I understand you have no choice but to take me,” her voice filled with a mixture of sadness and resignation. “I do appreciate that you believe me. That’s all I’ve wanted for so long.” She looked at me bravely as she spoke, clueless to what had just happened. “You were kind and listened to me, I promise I’ll go quietly.”

  I put my head down, hating myself for having to bring her in. “I’m sorry I have to do this. Please know I don’t want to. In fact, I want the exact opposite. Neither one of us has a choice though, but if I am to help you, I have to treat you like any other prisoner, err, student,” I corrected quickly as her eyes narrowed on mine. “You will have to trust me to bind your hands as it’s protocol,” I informed her.

  “I understand,” she nodded. “Thank you,” she whispered, the look of hopefulness, along with the faith she had in me, brought me great sadness.

  It wasn’t just the humiliation of being bound, but also the pain that accompanied having natural magic bound by an outside force. Every fiber of my being screamed for me to protect her and not cause her harm.

  Not to mention her safety, once we arrived, would be a concern. I could pull some strings and assign her to a room with one of the least evil beings in the place, but I couldn’t stop them from getting to her once she was in the common areas.

  I was dragged from my thoughts as she innocently stretched her hands out in front of me. After swallowing hard, I pulled the coil of rope from a pocket in my robe and gently chanted in the language of my people to activate the magic. I paused with the rope poised above her delicate wrists and looked into her eyes. “This is going to hurt and I’m so sorry for the pain.”

  She looked back at me, steel determination filling her eyes. “I know. One of my instructors did this many times, expecting it to teach me control. It only hurts for a short time. Just do it and let me leave this place, please.”

  Emotions warred inside me, conflicted and confused as I wrapped the binding around her skin, the groans of agony that escaped her lips made me regret the job I had to do even more. She tried so hard to be strong, but even so, she was unable to control her small sign of weakness.

  I caught her as she lost consciousness and her knees buckled beneath her, gently catching her and scooping her up as I carried her toward the front door.

  Unbeknownst to Eva, I added a little present for her when I bound her. I knew she wouldn’t want to be awake during the walk from her home to the awaiting van, so I had enchanted it with something extra to render her unconscious. Not to mention, if her father tried to start something and she lost control again the bindings would hurt worse than they already did. I wanted to spare her as much pain as possible.

  Mr. and Mrs. Bylar tried to stop me before I could reach the entryway. “What have you done to my daughter?” Mr. Bylar shouted angrily at me as Sergio opened the front door.

  “I’m just doing my job, sir. I am protecting her and everyone around her,” I growled. “Would you like her anger to cause the van to break apart and tear your precious cargo to pieces?” I met steel with steel as his eyes went wide, and my words sunk in. “That’s what I thought. I’m getting her to the reformatory safely, where she will get the help she needs. She will wake with no side effects as soon as she reaches her room at Shadow Isle.”

  “B-but,” he stuttered, staring at me blankly, “I didn’t get to say goodbye.”

  I bit back my anger as he spewed bullshit. I knew I couldn’t show any affection toward her or risk us both. “She will call you when she earns the right to make a phone call. You can say what you need to then.” Without another word, I continued out to the van with Sergio on my heels.

  Chapter Four

  From far off, a strange yet familiar voice reached me as just a whisper, “Eva.” A strong hand stroked my cheek tenderly, spreading warmth through me as the rough skin trailed along my cheekbone. Whatever this dream was, I never wanted to wake. It was so much better than the reality of my life. So much better than facing the shame of my uncontrolled magic and my parents' decision to send me away.

  “You’re safe now, Eva,” the voice grew louder. “I need you to wake up,” he said, the tone becoming more urgent, yet still holding a deep, soothing quality. Something about it called to me and made me feel safe. Slowly, I opened my eyes, blinking as I adjusted to the light. I looked up and a set of dark brown eyes met mine, eyes so dark they almost blended in with the blackness of his pupils, and I found it hard not to stare.

  “There you are,” the man said as kindness radiated from eyes that I could easily find myself getting lost in. Beneath that t
hough there was some other emotion, one I couldn’t put my finger on. I blinked again to clear the thought, my mind was still fuzzy and there was no use dwelling on it. Hell, I knew that somehow I knew this person, but couldn’t quite place how.

  “Am I dreaming?” I croaked out, my own voice sounding foreign to me, as if I were dreaming and drifting far from everything.

  A smooth chuckle resounded around me and sent waves of heat flooding across my body. Instantly, I had to clench my thighs together to keep from moaning out loud. Even though I had no clue who this man was, he exuded sex and made me ache for things I had no business ever dreaming of.

  “No, Eva. This isn’t a dream,” he smiled kindly at me. “You might feel a bit hazy for a short time, but it’ll wear off soon enough,” he informed me as I tried to sit up. The stranger held me in place, and I looked at him curiously, oddly unafraid of him holding me down. Something about him made me feel safe, I somehow knew he wouldn’t hurt me. “Just lay here for a bit longer and the effects will fade, then you will be good to go.”

  My first instinct was to sit up and be prepared to fight, but again I found myself trusting him, so reluctantly, I laid back. I studied his features as the fog in my mind very slowly started to clear.

  Little snippets of my day had begun to return, yet I was unable to recall what had happened or how I arrived here, wherever here was. The last thing I remembered was waking up that morning.

  I strained to remember more but only came up blank, like a dark cloud shrouded my memories, keeping me clueless about everything and frustrating me to no end. Finally, I sighed and gave up on trying. If what he said was true it would come back eventually.

  I glanced back up at the man, and really looked at him, hoping something would give me a clue. The stranger’s hair attracted my attention first. Hair as dark as his eyes flowed past his shoulders in long waves, streaks of blonde framed his face which gave him a softer, yet edgy appearance. Hair like this on a man would normally make me laugh, but it perfectly complimented his hard features, easily making him the sexiest man I had ever laid my eyes upon. Even the flawlessly trimmed dark mustache and beard looked sexy, barely hiding his rounded jaw. Damn I would give anything in that moment to reach up and find out if it was as soft as it looked, or scratchy like most beards.