her body used the staircase for support, Ros could feel how tightly she held onto her control. He wondered if that control extended to bed and if that’s why her former lovers termed her icy. He knew he could melt that ice if given the chance. She’d commanded an answer. Fine. He’d give her one to emphasize how close to disaster she’d been tonight.
“When your name is used by another witch or magickal being, it can mean nothing.
Or, it can mean everything.”
He ticked off on his fingers the things a full name could be used for. “Love, demand, enslavement, murder, anything. Anything, Mari. Had his spell worked—and make no mistake—he was working magick on you. You stink of it. Had his spell worked, I would now be his slave.”
Ros paused. Her color had drained away leaving only those brown eyes wide and staring at him. Resisting the urge to wrap his arms around her for comfort, he delivered the coup de grace. “And you, Mari-girl, you would also be his slave.”
She drew in a shuddering breath but ignored the endearment again. “I get it. I took a stupid risk. But why didn’t it work?”
49
Marilu Mann
Shaking his head, he responded. “I don’t know. It almost sounds as if your powers were already unlocked, on at least the first level.”
Like a terrier, she pounced on that statement. “I need to know what a key is and how I’ll know it when I find it.”
“A key can be anything from an actual piece of metal meant to open a lock to something as small as a strand of hair. You will know it because it will unlock your own magickal abilities and will lead you to the next key when used properly. Your father would have locked you away from your powers in stages. Did he give you a number?”
“No, he didn’t say a number…just several.” She wrinkled her forehead in thought for a moment. “So, when my father said the key would be in his, I mean my, bedroom, it could be anything from the bed itself to the spider in the corner?”
“Yes.” Though it went against the law of his kind to volunteer information, the way she’d phrased the question allowed him to answer. Ros sighed and continued.
“However, the first one will probably be something that meant a great deal to your father, or something he valued highly. I do wish the old bastard had been more precise.
A number would have helped.”
He watched as she pulled a slender chain out from under her blouse, cupping her hand over whatever dangled from it. “Something he valued highly?”
“Yes. Something that was given to him or something that was passed down in the family, perhaps. Then again, it might be a painting or a particular piece of clothing. I don’t know, he didn’t tell me his plans.”
“Hmmm.” The noise was noncommittal, but he could almost hear the wheels turning in her brain. “I command you to tell me how my father spent his days.”
“He studied, he read, he wrote in his journals, he interrogated me—you have that in common with your father—and he tried various spells and incantations.”
“Did he teach?”
50
Sex and Trouble
“Not for several years. After he bound me to this house, he turned all of his students over to other teachers.” Pausing for a moment, Ros let another truth bubble to the surface. “I don’t think he really meant to enslave me, to bind me to this plane. I believe his intent was different. Unfortunately I don’t know exactly what it was.”
“Ros, did you and my father ever have any calm conversations, anything that didn’t revolve around magick?”
“Yes and no. I wouldn’t talk to him about my world. I refused to give him any information that might allow him to call forth another Demonae or strengthen his hold over me. We did find a mutual appreciation of ancient magickal history though.” The conversation edged to close to unnerving him now. He didn’t care to tell Mari that her father had some decency. No way would he tell her he’d actually been a bit sad at the
“When your name is used by another witch or magickal being, it can mean nothing.
Or, it can mean everything.”
He ticked off on his fingers the things a full name could be used for. “Love, demand, enslavement, murder, anything. Anything, Mari. Had his spell worked—and make no mistake—he was working magick on you. You stink of it. Had his spell worked, I would now be his slave.”
Ros paused. Her color had drained away leaving only those brown eyes wide and staring at him. Resisting the urge to wrap his arms around her for comfort, he delivered the coup de grace. “And you, Mari-girl, you would also be his slave.”
She drew in a shuddering breath but ignored the endearment again. “I get it. I took a stupid risk. But why didn’t it work?”
49
Marilu Mann
Shaking his head, he responded. “I don’t know. It almost sounds as if your powers were already unlocked, on at least the first level.”
Like a terrier, she pounced on that statement. “I need to know what a key is and how I’ll know it when I find it.”
“A key can be anything from an actual piece of metal meant to open a lock to something as small as a strand of hair. You will know it because it will unlock your own magickal abilities and will lead you to the next key when used properly. Your father would have locked you away from your powers in stages. Did he give you a number?”
“No, he didn’t say a number…just several.” She wrinkled her forehead in thought for a moment. “So, when my father said the key would be in his, I mean my, bedroom, it could be anything from the bed itself to the spider in the corner?”
“Yes.” Though it went against the law of his kind to volunteer information, the way she’d phrased the question allowed him to answer. Ros sighed and continued.
“However, the first one will probably be something that meant a great deal to your father, or something he valued highly. I do wish the old bastard had been more precise.
A number would have helped.”
He watched as she pulled a slender chain out from under her blouse, cupping her hand over whatever dangled from it. “Something he valued highly?”
“Yes. Something that was given to him or something that was passed down in the family, perhaps. Then again, it might be a painting or a particular piece of clothing. I don’t know, he didn’t tell me his plans.”
“Hmmm.” The noise was noncommittal, but he could almost hear the wheels turning in her brain. “I command you to tell me how my father spent his days.”
“He studied, he read, he wrote in his journals, he interrogated me—you have that in common with your father—and he tried various spells and incantations.”
“Did he teach?”
50
Sex and Trouble
“Not for several years. After he bound me to this house, he turned all of his students over to other teachers.” Pausing for a moment, Ros let another truth bubble to the surface. “I don’t think he really meant to enslave me, to bind me to this plane. I believe his intent was different. Unfortunately I don’t know exactly what it was.”
“Ros, did you and my father ever have any calm conversations, anything that didn’t revolve around magick?”
“Yes and no. I wouldn’t talk to him about my world. I refused to give him any information that might allow him to call forth another Demonae or strengthen his hold over me. We did find a mutual appreciation of ancient magickal history though.” The conversation edged to close to unnerving him now. He didn’t care to tell Mari that her father had some decency. No way would he tell her he’d actually been a bit sad at the
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