with satisfaction when the dart disappeared in the darkness. With the skills of a trained warrior, she sprang to her feet, her eyes pinned on the men.
“Rose Thorn?” she asked, glancing at the offensive gun. A rumble of powers stirred inside as her body went into defensive mode. In response, the trees began to rustle around them.
“Worked last time.”
Sienna’s stomach rolled as she recognized the voice. “Harper. Back so soon?”
Harper stepped forward, wearing a leather jacket and a wicked smile, and reloaded. “I would’ve thought you’d be expecting me.”
“On the Bennett property? You must have a death wish.”
His brief laugh sounded more like mockery than amusement. “What better plan than to steal their witch from right under their nose?”
“Ah. There’s only one problem though.”
“And that would be?”
“You’re fresh out of Rose Thorn,” she replied, raising unsteady arms in his direction. A strong gust of wind rose up around them but vanished before she could channel it.
Harper gave her a satisfied smile. “Is that all you have, witchy? Even without the Rose Thorn, your powers are still sketchy.”
With shaking hands, Sienna tried again. The air shifted again, creating a slight whirlwind of forest debris. She raised her arms and sent the whirlwind their way but it whooshed past them, missing them completely.
Harper laughed and edged closer, raising the gun in her direction.
Sienna dragged in air, as the stupid tears welled in her eyes. This is what her fears had reduced her to?
His accomplice broke away to circle her, the motion sparking her defences all over again.
She moved backward as they closed in on her and panic welled up inside her. Giving in to the survival mode that overrode everything else, Sienna flung out her arms with a soft cry. A strong gust of wind slammed against Harper, catching him off guard, and sent the gun smashing against a nearby tree, destroying the batch of dreaded herb. Harper’s accomplice produced a second gun with lightning speed, but he quickly retreated a few steps when the gun exploded and landed at his feet.
Feeling empowered from the magic she still shunned, Sienna started chanting in a fierce tone that had both men stop and take notice. The chanting became louder, quicker, and more forceful, a fierce combination of fury and self-preservation brewing a deadly cocktail within, overriding her fear of the magic.
“Cut the crap, witch,” Harper ordered and slowly backed away.
The fear in his voice enthralled her, rather than stopped her, and Sienna flung out her arms with more purpose. A spark ignited into a ring of fire and chased off with neat precision, immediately forming a perfect circle around the two men.
They’d kept her prisoner. She was about to return the favour.
Instinctively, both men charged forward in hope of scaling the small wall of fire, but Sienna had already anticipated their move. With a quick raise of the arms, the wall of flames heightened.
“Don’t even try,” she warned. “I’ve spelled the circle.” When they backed down with loud curses, she gave them a wicked grin. “Not so brave now, are you?”
Even as she said it, she felt the briefest crack in her armour. Her powers were as strong as ever, but her body still lagged from the tail end effects of the Rose Thorn and despite the sudden unwelcome satisfaction at using magic again, the fear of losing control still lingered.
The bright flames flickered and Sienna had to concentrate on maintaining the intensity of heat. The circle of fire raged on, a deep glow of red in a circle of darkness.
She wouldn’t be able to hold them for much longer. With a grimace, she sank to her knees but held her head high.
There was no way she’d allow Harper see just how badly the Rose Thorn, or her demons, had tormented her.
Hell no.
****
Archer walked to the edge of the patio and scanned the grounds, a familiar discomfort of warning tugging at his gut. He sensed
“Rose Thorn?” she asked, glancing at the offensive gun. A rumble of powers stirred inside as her body went into defensive mode. In response, the trees began to rustle around them.
“Worked last time.”
Sienna’s stomach rolled as she recognized the voice. “Harper. Back so soon?”
Harper stepped forward, wearing a leather jacket and a wicked smile, and reloaded. “I would’ve thought you’d be expecting me.”
“On the Bennett property? You must have a death wish.”
His brief laugh sounded more like mockery than amusement. “What better plan than to steal their witch from right under their nose?”
“Ah. There’s only one problem though.”
“And that would be?”
“You’re fresh out of Rose Thorn,” she replied, raising unsteady arms in his direction. A strong gust of wind rose up around them but vanished before she could channel it.
Harper gave her a satisfied smile. “Is that all you have, witchy? Even without the Rose Thorn, your powers are still sketchy.”
With shaking hands, Sienna tried again. The air shifted again, creating a slight whirlwind of forest debris. She raised her arms and sent the whirlwind their way but it whooshed past them, missing them completely.
Harper laughed and edged closer, raising the gun in her direction.
Sienna dragged in air, as the stupid tears welled in her eyes. This is what her fears had reduced her to?
His accomplice broke away to circle her, the motion sparking her defences all over again.
She moved backward as they closed in on her and panic welled up inside her. Giving in to the survival mode that overrode everything else, Sienna flung out her arms with a soft cry. A strong gust of wind slammed against Harper, catching him off guard, and sent the gun smashing against a nearby tree, destroying the batch of dreaded herb. Harper’s accomplice produced a second gun with lightning speed, but he quickly retreated a few steps when the gun exploded and landed at his feet.
Feeling empowered from the magic she still shunned, Sienna started chanting in a fierce tone that had both men stop and take notice. The chanting became louder, quicker, and more forceful, a fierce combination of fury and self-preservation brewing a deadly cocktail within, overriding her fear of the magic.
“Cut the crap, witch,” Harper ordered and slowly backed away.
The fear in his voice enthralled her, rather than stopped her, and Sienna flung out her arms with more purpose. A spark ignited into a ring of fire and chased off with neat precision, immediately forming a perfect circle around the two men.
They’d kept her prisoner. She was about to return the favour.
Instinctively, both men charged forward in hope of scaling the small wall of fire, but Sienna had already anticipated their move. With a quick raise of the arms, the wall of flames heightened.
“Don’t even try,” she warned. “I’ve spelled the circle.” When they backed down with loud curses, she gave them a wicked grin. “Not so brave now, are you?”
Even as she said it, she felt the briefest crack in her armour. Her powers were as strong as ever, but her body still lagged from the tail end effects of the Rose Thorn and despite the sudden unwelcome satisfaction at using magic again, the fear of losing control still lingered.
The bright flames flickered and Sienna had to concentrate on maintaining the intensity of heat. The circle of fire raged on, a deep glow of red in a circle of darkness.
She wouldn’t be able to hold them for much longer. With a grimace, she sank to her knees but held her head high.
There was no way she’d allow Harper see just how badly the Rose Thorn, or her demons, had tormented her.
Hell no.
****
Archer walked to the edge of the patio and scanned the grounds, a familiar discomfort of warning tugging at his gut. He sensed
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