The Wedding Spell Read online

  Sydney laughed, a full-hearted, robust laughter. “Darling, your audaciousness is as much a part of you as being a witch. You are who you are, Alisande, and you cannot deny your nature or your heritage.”

  “What you’re saying is that I can’t change who I am.”

  “Precisely.”

  “Then I can’t expect Sebastian to change his nature.”

  “Precisely.”

  Ali shook her head confused. “Then how will we ever get together?”

  “By accepting each other for who you are, not what you want the other to be.”

  “Practical, stubborn, logical, with no thought to the magic of life, this I should accept in Sebastian?” Ali asked, her confusion turning to annoyance.

  Sydney’s tone was serious. “If you cannot accept him as he is, how do you expect him to accept who you are?”

  Ali gave it a moment’s thought. “He is tenacious just like me.”

  “That he is.”

  “And passionate.” Ali grinned wickedly. “He is so passionate.”

  “Like you,” Sydney reminded.

  Ali nodded vigorously, her grin growing wider. “And he is searching for a permanent love, not just a brief affair.”

  “A reasonable and wise choice.”

  She recalled his words. “He wants the relationship built on a solid, practical foundation.”

  “A good place to begin. A good foundation offers sturdy support during the most inclement times.”

  “He does possess many good qualities.”

  “Like you.”

  Ali’s grin turned satisfying. “I suppose we are more alike than I first thought.”

  “An astute observation,” her aunt remarked. “Now, what do you intend to do about it?”

  Ali didn’t hesitate. “Continue my pursuit.”

  “How exactly?”

  Ali’s green eyes twinkled with delight. “Practical, reasonable, logical, and” —she threw her hand up and laughed, the tinkling sound raining down upon them—”with a sprinkle of magic.”

  “If it is a sprinkle of magic, then there is only one place to obtain it,” her aunt said with a wink.

  Ali sat straight up, gripping the arms of the lounge and staring wide-eyed at her aunt. “Do you think I dare?”

  “It’s not for you to dare, my dear. It is a mere favor you request from an old friend.”

  “Do you think she would do it?”

  “For you and Dagon, Beatrice would do anything. “Sydney assured her. “You two imps were always her favorites.”

  “Sebastian told me he thought he saw a fairy in the woods when he was a young boy. He would be so surprised to see one now as an adult.”

  Sydney smiled pleasantly. “You have no idea just how surprised.”

  “But Beatrice is in Ireland,” Ali said disappointed.

  “I think we can arrange a quick transportation.”

  “Do you think he’ll share the experience of seeing her again?”

  “It doesn’t really matter,” her aunt assured her. “It will give him food for thought, and that is what he needs, to open his mind to other possibilities.”

  “What possibilities?” Dagon asked, stepping from the French doors out to the pool area to join the two women.

  “Endless possibilities,” Ali said, reaching for her robe and covering up.

  “Good move, dear heart,” Dagon said with a wink and pulled a chair nearer to Ali.

  Ali leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “Guess who is coming to visit?”

  “Who?” he asked and looked past Ali to Sydney.

  She smiled and nodded. “Beatrice.”

  “Going to put Wainwright in his place, is she?” he teased.

  Ali playfully slapped his arm. “She’s going to offer her assistance.”

  Dagon tapped her nose. “She’s going to teach the mortal a much needed lesson.”

  That got Ali’s dander up and brought her to her knees on the chaise, her finger jabbing at his chest. “Beatrice will help.”

  “Hah,” Dagon said, tapping at her nose again. “She will put him in his place.”

  “She will help,” Ali repeated with further jabs to his hard chest.

  “She will teach him a lesson, as you need to be taught one,” Dagon said with a grin that irritated Ali all the more.

  “Who’s going to teach me that lesson?” she challenged, placing her face directly in front of his.

  “Alisande, dear,” her aunt interrupted. “Your powers are weak.”

  “I don’t need powers to handle her,” Dagon bragged.

  Ali got to her feet, though even at her five feet, six inch height Dagon still towered over her. “Going to lower yourself and use mortal tactics?”

  He grabbed her chin. “Since you have been playing with mortals, you should well understand their games.”

  “I do,” she said defiantly, yanking her chin from his grasp and placing her hands on her hips in an I-dare-you stance.

  “Good then you will expect my next move.”

  Before she could respond, Dagon had lifted her effortlessly into his strong arms and proceeded to walk toward the pool.

  “Don’t you dare,” she warned, kicking her feet wildly while her hands failed miserably in their senseless attempt to pummel his very hard, muscled chest.

  He laughed. “Wrong response.”

  He held her over the pool and with a smug smile said, “Enjoy the swim.

  Not one to be bested, Ali reached out and grabbed tightly around his neck. He stumbled attempting to stop them both from toppling head first into the pool.

  He wasn’t successful.

  o0o

  Sebastian sat in the chair staring at his cell phone. He had been staring at the blasted thing for the last thirty minutes. All day his thoughts had been focused on Alisande. He had to admit he had thoroughly enjoyed last night with her. Her last request, to meet fairies, had disturbed him, but giving it more rational thought in the bright light of day, it didn’t seem so unreasonable.

  People believed in all sorts of improbable things nowadays. Angels. Trolls. Fairies. If it made someone feel good to believe in mythical creatures—then why not? Hadn’t he pretended to slay dragons when he was a young boy? And didn’t everyone have a guardian angel? So what if Ali chose to believe in fairies?

  He quickly reached for the phone and dialed her number. Surprisingly, a man answered with a curt hello.

  Sebastian asked to speak with Alisande, attempting to keep a pleasant timbre to his voice and to ignore the disturbing sensation in his midsection that the man’s voice had caused.

  “Alisande is presently indisposed.”

  He didn’t like the sound of that or the brusque way in which he had been delivered. “Is she all right?”

  “As well as can be expected after receiving a much deserved dunking,” Dagon said sharply.

  “You deserved it, damn you,” Sebastian heard Ali call out. Her agitation brought him out of his chair in a flash, his hand clenching at his side.

  “Put her on the phone,” he demanded of the stranger on the other end.

  There was a brief moment of silence before Dagon spoke. “I don’t take well to orders.”

  “I don’t give a damn what you take well to, put Alisande on the phone now,” he voice steadily rising.

  “Sorry, pal, but since she’s standing here stark naked, I think it would be best if she called you back.” With that the phone went dead.

  Sebastian stood staring incredulously at the phone gripped in his hand. His first thought was to go storming over there like an enraged lover... But he wasn’t her lover. And what if she knew this man? Was familiar with him? Any why the hell was she standing naked in front of him?

  He slammed the receiver down and stormed out of the, out onto his deck that ran almost the full length of the back of the house. He marched back and forth, mumbling to himself.

  He wanted so badly to drive over to Alisande’s and punch that guy in the face.


  Impractical.

  He shook his head. He hadn’t even gathered all the facts and here he was resorting to violence. He was a grown man, not an adolescent in the throes of juvenile irrationality. He was a man who researched, gathered information, and made a reasonable evaluation of a situation before deciding on the wisest course of action.

  He shook his head again. Then why did he still feel like punching the unidentified man in the face?

  He took a deep calming breath, grasped the top rail of the deck and released his breath slowly.

  He didn’t like the idea that Ali could be standing naked in front of any man but him. The thought drove him crazy, so completely insane that logic disappeared and male pride ruled.

  He had no right to think of her as his, but he did. Where was the rationality of this?

  He stopped himself from shaking his head again. His thoughts hadn’t been rational since Ali had walked into his life.

  He wandered down the steps and toward the stone path that led to his wildflower garden in the woods. It was his place of solace. Where he went to think, relax, and settle his thoughts.

  A decision was necessary concerning Ali and their relationship. He had to face his feelings and the consequences that inevitably would follow.

  He walked a good distance into the woods and sat on a bench, an old, sturdy wooden one that had been refinished one too many times and looked to be on its last leg. The sturdiness and courage of the old piece caught his eye, and he had bought it to the surprise of the antique shop owner who had used it to display his wares.

  It was his special bench he shared with no one. He would sit on it when he was most weary or confused and absorb its strength.

  He sat now, stretching out of his jean-clad legs and folding his arms across his chest, covering the remaining letters on the blue faded shirt that once announced he was “thirty and proud” and now read “rty and oud.”

  “I’m in love with a crazy woman,” he announced to the wildflowers that appeared to be standing in rapt attention waiting to hear more.

  A soft summer breeze blew over them, and their blossomed buds nodded in unison.

  “Oh, and I can’t forget that she is also a witch.” He shook his head. “I’m in love with a crazy witch.”

  The wildflowers bobbed enthusiastically.

  But where was the breeze?

  He refused to shake his head again. “I’m going crazy. The next thing you know I’ll be seeing fairies.”

  “You call me and here I am, me boy,” the soft voice said in his ear.

  “I’m not going to look. I’m not,” Sebastian said.

  “And why not, when I’ve traveled so many miles to see you?”

  Sebastian sighed and reluctantly turned his head to his left shoulder.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Damn you, Dagon,” Ali said, dialing Sebastian’s number for the third time in fifteen minutes and once again having it go to voice mail. She didn’t bother leaving a message or sending a text. She would much rather talk with him in person. She wanted to clarify this huge misunderstanding, but most of all discover his reason for phoning her.

  Dagon sat with a terry towel draped around his lean hips while his hands were busy rubbing dry, with a thick towel, his shoulder-length hair. “He had no business ordering me about,” he snapped with irritation.

  “So you tell him that I’m naked?” Ali all but shouted at him.

  He pointed an accusing finger at her. “With that thing you call a bikini; you might as well be naked.”

  Ali tucked the large terry towel more securely around her. “Now what will he think of me?”

  “It is not what he is thinking of you that matters. It is what he is thinking of Dagon.”

  “Both heads turned sharply toward Sydney, who was pouring wine for them all at the poolside bar.

  Sydney continued. “Mortal males —” she paused a moment and settled intense eyes on Dagon. “And male witches as well are notoriously jealous creatures.”

  “I am not the jealous type,” Dagon protested.

  “Then you have never truly been in love,” Sydney informed him and sent him a look that dared him to repudiate her remark.

  Ali childishly stuck her tongue out at him.

  “Brat,” he retaliated.

  “Are you two quite finished acting like juveniles?” Sydney asked calmly and handed them each a glass of wine when they walked over to her.

  They nodded, looking repentant.

  “Now, I think this whole situation can be easily resolved and to Ali’s advantage if handled properly,” Sydney explained.

  Dagon and Ali, after slipping into beach robes, followed Sydney to the poolside table shaded by a large umbrella.

  Dagon took a seat only after holding out a chair for his aunt and then Ali. Proper manners had been embedded in him throughout the centuries, so it was second nature to him.

  “Does this plan include helping Ali win Wainwright?” Dagon asked skeptically.

  “This plan assists Ali in implementing steps that must be taken to see if her spell will prove successful,” Sydney answered, patient in her response but firm in her explanation.

  “And if it isn’t successful, will you be able to accept the consequences?” Dagon asked Ali with obvious concern.

  Her chin and stubborn pride went up. “I’ll have no choice. I’ll survive the outcome no matter the results.”

  Dagon softened his tone and reached out to give her hand a comforting squeeze. “I’ll be there for you, dear heart, no matter the circumstances.”

  “I never doubted that you wouldn’t be,” Ali said and leaned over to give him a grateful kiss on the cheek.

  “Now that you two have finally made up and grown up, we can proceed,” Sydney announced like a teacher ready to begin a lesson. “This is what we’re going to do.”

  o0o

  Sebastian stormed into his office the following morning shouting order. “I want my full research staff in the conference room five minutes ago, Ms. Smithers.”

  The woman wasn’t the least bit ruffled by his abrupt manner. She did as directed, and within seconds people were filing anxiously into the large conference room adjacent to Sebastian’s office.

  Sebastian stood staring out the window of his private office. He was as usual impeccably dressed. He wore a smoky gray suit, pin-striped shirt and dark tie. He was clean shaven and subtle scent of aftershave drifted off him. The only difference in his appearance was that his dark hair, though groomed, was a tad longer than he normally kept it. He’d had no time for a haircut lately, and he had not slept a good, solid night’s sleep without dreaming of... Alisande Wyrrd.

  This weekend had ended all that. This weekend had been the icing on the cake, and he was about to get to the bottom of it once and for all. Even if it took every last dime he owned, and he owned a substantial number of dimes.

  “The staff is all here, sir,” Ms. Smithers informed him over the intercom.

  Sebastian entered the conference room, all eyes turning on him in rapt attention. He cringed, recalling the wildflowers in his garden.

  He didn’t bother to take a seat in the comfortable leather chair at the head of the long table. He stood and got directly to the point. “I want a complete and thorough background check done on the Wyrrd’s various businesses and holdings.”

  Whispers and mumbles rushed around the table.

  “I also want you to find out what firm was responsible for the background check done on me.”

  The statement really caused grumblings.

  “I’ll handle the check on you,” Pierce Knowlin volunteered.

  “I appreciate that, Pierce, and I also have something else I want you to concentrate on.”

  Pierce nodded.

  Debra Carter, a middle-aged woman with a quick mind and sharp tongue, spoke. “This is going to cause a stir.”

  “She’s right,” Jim Cheevers agreed. “The Wyrrds are important people, and it isn’t going to look good for business if
we start poking around in their business.”

  Sebastian grew irritated. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but we are a security firm that deals with people who insist on discretion above everything. After all, this is Washington. D.C.”

  They all laughed.

  “I’m not asking for trade secrets to be divulged. I’m interested in simple business matters. What do they own and have partnerships in. An easy request and on that should not take you long.”

  They were all aware that he meant this was to be given top-priority handling.

  “If any of you have any questions or doubts concerning this case, see me, but presently this is all you need to know. Thank you for your attention to this matter, and, Pierce, I wish to speak with you privately.”

  Everyone departed quietly, each wondering what was going on — but each knowing better than to ask.

  Pierce followed Sebastian into his private office, where Ms. Smithers had fresh coffee and muffins waiting for them.

  Pierce sat on the couch and helped himself to a cup of coffee and an apple muffin.

  Sebastian paced in front and got right to the point. “I need you to find out if any of the Wyrrd enterprises are engaged in experiments with hallucinogenic drugs.”

  Pierce gulped down the mouthful of coffee he had just taken. “What the hell are you talking about?”

  Sebastian ran his hand through his hair. “I can’t explain the whole matter to you. I just need to know if they have access to drugs that can cause hallucinations.”

  “Are you sure about this?”

  Sebastian raked his hair with his fingers again. He wasn’t sure about anything. How the hell did he explain that he sat in the woods for over an hour yesterday and talked with a fairy named Beatrice who sat comfortably on his shoulder the whole time? And that she even had him laughing. If that wasn’t hallucinating, he didn’t know what was.

  “Look, Pierce,” he said finally taking a seat. “I don’t know what’s going on, but I need to get to the truth, and right now my practical side tells me to do what I do best. Research and deduce the information.”

  “The Wyrrds are a bit eccentric from what I hear.”

  Sebastian laughed. “A bit is putting it mildly.”