Destiny Divided Read online

  He smiled and took a step towards her. “I know. You’re like a scared little kitten, claws out ready to fight the world.” His voice warmed, his pale blue eyes softened as he looked deep into hers. “Sheath your claws, anwylyd. No one is going to hurt you.”

  She almost believed him. Then reality hit. Adrenaline burst in her chest then burned through her veins. A ball of neon light formed between her hands. She tried to control it but it was intense, the pressure built, the power yearned for release.

  “Impressive,” he said. “Now what?”

  She narrowed her eyes and took a deep breath.

  Please don’t miss. Please don’t miss.

  Squaring her shoulders, she took aim then released the ball of light, thrusting it towards him. As soon as the energy left her fingertips, she ducked and covered her head. The light soared across the room. It missed her target then ricocheted off a metal cabinet and blew up the wooden chair between them.

  A few fractured pieces of chair bounced off James, but he barely seemed to notice. Sage rose to her feet, studying his reaction.

  “You’re going to pay for that,” he said.

  In answer, she reached into her pocket, took out the wad of cash – her only cash – and flung it at his chest. It bounced against him then plopped to the floor. He didn’t pick up.

  “There’s your payment. Now let me go.”

  He shook his head. “I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

  The light congregated in her palms again, but it was weaker. “I’ll do it again,” she warned.

  He shrugged and took a step toward her. Seeing no other option, she launched another lightening ball. This time it flew straight toward him. But he put up a hand and the light sizzled then disappeared. He stepped closer. Panicked, she launched another, but he flicked that one away too.

  What the fuck? She tried to pull up more light but her hands only sparked. He took another step, putting himself just a few feet away. She tried again but exhaustion washed over her.

  “Damn it!” She shook her hands as if it would spring power back into them.

  The professor sneered. “Fickle, aren’t they?”

  She couldn’t deny they were spiraling out of control. And she’d be lying if she said it didn’t scare her. But there wasn’t anything she could do about it. She didn’t even know where her powers came from. Erin was only person who’d known about the mysterious things that happened when she was angry or scared. But Sage had been taken from her sister long ago.

  He pulled another chair into the center of the room. “Sit in the chair, Sage.”

  Her fists clenched, her nails dug into her palms. “No.” She never did do well with orders.

  In the time it took to blink, he was inches in front of her. His scent hit her like a tidal wave, wrapping a cocoon of comfort around her. Crisp fall days, aftershave, and desire. It was the kind of smell she would have liked to curl up in on a cold day.

  He wrapped a hand around her upper arm and set her down on the chair. She tensed to flee when he released her arm, but before she could move, his hand clamped around her throat. There was something wrong with her that her first thought was how warm it felt against her skin. Was she that starved for human contact?

  Though gentle, the grip on her neck was still a threat. “Don’t move.”

  She heeded the command.

  A strange stream of light snaked from his index finger and wrapped around her body pinning her arms to her side. The light made a sort of magical rope that tied her to the chair. No matter how much she struggled, she couldn’t get free.

  “There.” He shook the light free from his finger. “That’s better.” He sat down on the couch opposite her. “As I was saying…we need to talk about your powers.”

  Always a survivor, she surrendered. Maybe he would let her go if she played nice. Or at least buy her some time to form a new plan. “Okay. Yes. I have certain…abilities. But I don’t know how they work or where they come from.”

  He furrowed his brow. “Do you really not know what you are?”

  “Do you?”

  “Of course,” he scoffed. “You’re a sorceress.”

  A flood of emotion overwhelmed her. A sorceress. She didn’t know much about it, but at least it was a name. Something that explained what had been happening to her, and around her, for as long as she could remember.

  She’d first recognized her power at the age of five when a blender her foster mother used to make a seaweed breakfast smoothie had exploded. Sage had wanted Lucky Charms. She’d won that battle.

  She had long since believed that anything was possible. Growing up she’d been called a witch because of the unexplained events that happened around her. She’d been tossed out of foster homes over and over because she was “bad”. In high school, students, and even teachers, had whispered rumors of witchcraft behind her back. When she went searching for answers, she came up blank. Nothing described the types of things she could do.

  Sorcery was not a stretch from witchcraft. But more importantly, there were more of her out there.

  “A sorceress,” she said out loud.

  “Yes. A very powerful one.” James glared at her with contempt, knocking the wind out of her newly flown sails. “But I can tell you’re untrained. Most of us have been guided by teachers and mentors since we were very young. We’ve had years to learn how to control our powers. It’s a good thing your aim is shit because the first Bolt you sent could have killed me.”

  A Bolt? At his unbending glare, she yelled, “Well nobody taught me!”

  “Obviously. Who are your parents?”

  “I don’t know,” she admitted.

  He folded his arms over his chest. “Why should I believe you? You’re a liar and a thief.”

  The corner of her mouth curled up. “And I cheat at cards too.”

  He exhaled a laugh but it was humorless. “Look at you. You’re nothing but a volatile, foul-mouthed, little smartass. Nothing like a sorceress should be. I’m surprised you’ve managed to stay alive all these years.”

  Only because of the light.

  “What are your parents’ names?”

  “I told you I don’t know.” The rope tightened across her chest, crushing her until she could barely breathe. She panicked. A flash of lightning lit up the sky outside. A gust of wind rattled the windows.

  James looked from her face to the windows and back again. Why did he look surprised? Didn’t all sorcerers affect the weather?

  “It’s really quite simple, Sage,” he said in clipped tones. “Answer the questions and we won’t have a problem.”

  “I already told you I don’t know who my parents are! I’m not lying. My mother left me at the hospital to be adopted right when I was born. I had a name and that was it.” She dropped her head, feeling helpless and broken. She would have cried if she hadn’t banned it years ago. This was the most vulnerable she had felt in a long time. God, she hated it.

  He blinked and stepped back. “I’m sorry.” Regret tinted his voice. “I can see now that you’re not lying.”

  She sent him a glare that told him exactly where he could shove his apology.

  “If I let you loose, do you promise not to run away?”

  She nodded, not that she had a choice. This man, who she now guessed was a sorcerer, was clearly more powerful than she.

  “All right. I’m going to remove the rope. Do not move from that chair. If you try to run, I will catch you. Do you understand?”

  It really couldn’t get any more humiliating. “Yes.” The light rope faded away and she stretched out her arms.

  If it had been a normal person guarding her, she’d have either run or fought. But since the arrogant spawn of Satan stood by her instead, she sucked up her pride and, for the first time in a long time, she allowed someone to tell her what to do.

  “I’m not a child.” For some reason she needed to make that clear.

  His gaze landed on her breasts. Usually she liked the attention her low cut sh
irts and well-endowed chest got her, but now she felt naked under his heated gaze.

  “I can see that. Here’s the thing, Sage. There are rules for our kind. You can’t go around using magic anytime you please. That’s not how it works and it’s going to get you in a lot of trouble. You’re lucky it hasn’t caught up with you so far.”

  “I’ve never known anyone else like me. How am I supposed to know all the rules for your magical wizard world? I can barely follow people rules in my own world.”

  “I know. And that’s why I’ve decided to train you.”

  She waited for him to crack and smile and admit he was joking. When didn’t, she arched a brow at him. “Excuse me?” What makes you think I want to be trained? And by you, no less.”

  “I don’t really see how you have a choice.”

  “Uh, yes, I do. It’s called ‘no’. No, I will not be trained by you. I’m not a dog.”

  “How will you know what the rules are for our kind?”

  “I don’t know. Don’t you have a book or something?”

  “What happens when your powers get out of your control? You need someone watching your back.”

  She snorted. “Yes, that’s just what I want. You watching my back. Did you forget the part where you almost suffocated me with a magical rope?”

  He took a deep breath. “What if I told you that I could make you more powerful?”

  This piqued her interest. Momentarily.

  “You could be ten times stronger, Sage. With some guidance and practice –”

  “No thanks,” she snapped. “I’ll figure it out on my own.”

  He didn’t seem shocked by her refusal, which made her uneasy. She shifted in the chair.

  “When’s the last time you ate?” he asked.

  “Lunch.”

  “And before that?”

  She couldn’t remember but that was none of his business.

  “Stay here with me, Sage. I’ll give you a warm place to sleep and regular meals. All you have to do is allow me to teach you how to use your powers responsibly.”

  She’d grown up with the old adage, if something sounded too good to be true, it usually was. “What’s your angle? If you think I’ll sleep with you, you can forget it. I’d rather starve.”

  “No angle. Just a sense of obligation. You’re dangerous and need to be controlled before you hurt somebody. I don’t want that on my conscience.”

  “Controlled? Who the hell do you think –”

  “Don’t be stubborn,” he snapped. “You look like you’re half-starved.”

  She grimaced and peered down at her body. Average height with curves in all the right places – she wasn’t ashamed of using her body to get what she wanted. But lately, the curves had been shrinking.

  “Don’t let your pride get in the way of taking something good that’s offered. There’s no better opportunity for you than this. And I promise, when I’m done with you, you’ll never have to mop floors again.”

  She gave him a wary glance. “I don’t trust you.”

  “Nor I you. But what do you have to lose?”

  Dignity? That didn’t seem so important anymore. Not after living on the streets. She hadn’t known James for more than five minutes and already he drove her batty. But he appeared to be ready to feed her and teach her. If she learned more about her abilities – how to harness them and control them – maybe she could finally have a normal life.

  “All right,” she conceded. “But just so you know, I sleep with one eye open.”

  “What makes you think you’re my type?”

  She glared. “Asshole.”

  His icy eyes melted to warmth as he held out a hand. “I know we got off on the wrong foot, but I want you to know you can trust me.”

  She had to stop herself from laughing. Trust? In one day? That was not something she could afford. Especially not with a demanding male who was clearly used to being in control. Well, she had control issues too. And when it came to a battle of wills, she always won.

  She bypassed his outstretched and grabbed her bag off the floor. “Goodnight, James.”

  In the bedroom, she shut the door and exhaled a deep breath. What the fuck had she gotten herself into?

  Something slid under the door. A wad of cash. She picked it up and counted it. He hadn’t taken a single dollar to pay for the broken chair.

  Chapter 3

  “All right, Sage. Show me what you’ve got.” James stood on one side of the back yard with Sage facing him on the other side.

  It was the afternoon following their showdown in the living room. Her hands hung at her sides as she watched him. He looked like a force, strong and fierce. His muscular chest heaved. She could almost spot six distinct rows of abs under his tight-fitting shirt. Or maybe it was her imagination.

  They were supposed to be dueling. He’d told her to “give him everything she’s got,” but she didn’t know what she had. Things just sort of…happened, mostly when she was scared or angry. It was frustrating beyond words for a girl who craved control.

  “Just try something,” he said. When she stared dumbly, he relaxed his stance and gave her a wicked smile. “Don’t make me provoke you.”

  She pursed her lips and flexed her fingers. When she spotted a tree branch hanging low above his head, she asked, “Are you sure?”

  He nodded. “I need a baseline for what you can do.”

  “You asked for it,” she mumbled.

  As she stared at the branch above him, she willed it to fall. In the past she’d been able to make things happen just by wishing them to, but it only happened out of desperation. Fear was usually the catalyst. Since she was neither afraid nor desperate, it was no surprise the branch didn’t move.

  She tried harder. Still nothing. She squinted her eyes then waved her hands towards it. Nothing. Stopping herself just short of yelling “abracadabra,” she sighed in defeat.

  “Did you just mouth ‘abracadabra?’” he mocked. “Oh, you’re much worse off than I thought.”

  Hot fury soared through her as she glared at her most recent nemesis. She hissed in a sharp breath. The flash of movement behind James surprised her. In a blur he was flipped up into the air, suspended in place by a tree branch wrapped around his ankle.

  She stalked towards him, wearing her cheekiest grin.

  He did a sit up and with one swipe of something she couldn’t see, he cut the branch and landed lithely on his feet.

  “It seems you’re full of surprises…witch.”

  “Huh?”

  “Sorcerers can’t manipulate elements of nature. That’s a witch trait.” He paused and she stammered for something to say. “I bet you made that gust of wind last night too. I was wondering about that.”

  “You’re saying I’m a witch? Like a…wart-toting, cackling, broom-riding witch?”

  He chuckled. “On the contrary, the witches I’ve seen rival supermodels. They derive their power from Mother Earth.” Mostly to himself, he added, “They are a bit dodgy though.”

  Sage stared through him, lost in a whirlwind of confusion. “So they were right all along. About me being a witch.” Only yesterday she’d found out she was a sorceress, which was overwhelming, but exhilarating. Now she was also a witch. What else could she be? Would she turn into a mermaid any day? A werewolf?

  “Half sorceress, half witch. An interesting combination. Certainly quite a puzzle.” He sounded like he was assessing the breeding of a dog. “That explains your name.”

  That shook her from her bewildered stupor. “My name?” Since moving from Albany, she’d ditched her first name and used her middle name instead.

  “It’s very…” His lips twitched. “Witchy.”

  “I…I…don’t even know what to say.”

  James put his hand on the small of her back and gently guided her towards the house. Her mind was stuck in a thick haze so she allowed the physical contact, for now.

  “Right. Now we have a starting point.” He gave her a little push through
the door. “But we need to build the foundation.”

  Starting point? Foundation? He was still talking about training. “Hold up. I’m trying to process the whole witch thing. You gotta give me some time here.” She batted his hand away when he tried to pull her to sit at the breakfast bar. She paced the length of the kitchen instead. “Maybe I should do a Google search.”

  “You won’t find anything helpful on Google.” James started a pot of coffee. “But lucky for you, I know everything about sorcerers and much about witches.”

  “And so modest too.”

  “For instance, a sorcerer’s power comes from –” He appeared in her pacing path so suddenly, she nearly plowed into him. “Will you stop pacing? It’s making me dizzy.”

  His chest was inches from her face. The scent of his aftershave overwhelmed her. Damn, the dry spell she was going through was really getting to her.

  She lifted her head to meet his gaze. His lips were thin but that didn’t make her want to taste them any less. Her tongue darted out, wetting her own lips. His gaze was riveted to her mouth. He wasn’t breathing. Neither was she.

  Snap out of it! You don’t even like him!

  A dry spell. It was a perfectly logical explanation for why, when he leaned in and lowered his head, she just stood there, waiting. His lips hovered over hers, his breath tickling her mouth.

  Something beeped.

  “Coffee’s done,” she said in a husky voice.

  He gave his head a little shake. “Uhh…right. How do you like your coffee?”

  “Black with enough sugar to drown the coffee taste.”

  His brows furrowed at her odd request but he nodded and poured at least eight packets worth of sugar into a mug.

  She watched him make his own coffee. He drank it black too, except for the little splash of something in a flask he pulled out of the cabinet. Alcohol problem?

  “Come. Sit down.” He handed her the mug of coffee.

  She sat on an overstuffed chair opposite James on the couch.

  “Sorcery centers around electricity,” he began. “That’s why the lights flicker when you’re angry. A Bolt is also the use of electricity, only the current comes from the air and your body is the conductor.”