Page 13 of Haunted Hearts

“You’re a warlock,” she spat. “And your mother is a witch.” She crinkled her nose as if just saying this aloud repulsed her.

“I see you’ve inherited your father’s attitudes and opinions.”

“Are you denying it?”

He didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t agree to this, because it would only mean trouble for his family if he did. Yet, he didn’t want to lie to her either. He’d kept the secret for much too long, and it had never felt right to begin with. Part of him regretted not telling her years ago when she was so much more accepting of him.

“Whether you believe it or not, I had nothing to do with the death of your father,” he said, rather than to address the issue of witches.

“Really.”

“I have no qualms with your family. I never have,” he told her. “It was our fathers who were feuding. It never should have involved us.”

“That’s a lie. Your mother cursed Robert and now he’s dead.” The wench sounded as if she really believed this nonsense. My, had she changed. At one time Lillith had a mind of her own and would never think ill thoughts about him or his family. Now he couldn’t get her to think or say a kind thing about him.

“Nay. That’s not true. My mother didn’t curse anyone. Plus, I never wanted trouble between us, I swear. I care about you, Lilly. In case you’ve forgotten, that man in the wooden box that was buried today was not only your father, but was almost my father by marriage.”

“Nay, he wasn’t. Don’t say that. I would never marry a warlock.” Why was she being so stubborn and acting this way? He really missed the old Lilly.

“Our fathers had a verbal agreement that one day we’d be betrothed,” he reminded her.

“It wasn’t in writing and meant nothing,” she spat.

“If it wasn’t for the feud, we would have married one day, and you know it.”

“Never. That was nothing but a childhood infatuation.” Her face remained stone-like but at least she lowered the dagger a little.

“Was it really only infatuation, or something much more?” he asked her. “Were all those plans we had of spending our life together nothing but a fantasy or was it what we both really wanted?”

“Stop it,” she said in a whisper, her eyes partially closing. She seemed to be holding her breath. She couldn’t look at him when he asked this, so he knew she didn’t mean all those nasty things after all. He watched a blush rise to her cheeks, and knew for certain she was lying. She still had feelings for him, just like he did for her.

“We cared for each other, sweetheart, and you know it. Don’t try to deny it because I don’t believe that at all.”

The wind blew a stray strand of her ebony hair across her face. Without thinking what he was doing, he stepped forward, reaching out and gently brushing it back behind her ear. Her arm went limp and she lowered the blade to her side. When his fingers grazed against her soft skin, it became spellbinding and he couldn’t look away. One more gentle stroke of her cheek and Lillith’s eyes closed completely and her head fell back. This only reminded Blaze of the first, and only time he’d kissed Lillith. It was something he’d never forget. She was so sweet, and he was so unsure of himself around her. Part of him longed to go right back to those when life was so much easier.

The scent of lilies of the valley drifted from her body. It was the perfume he’d had an herbalist make up for her years ago from the oil of the flowers because of her name. He’d given it to her as a special gift on her fifteenth birthday, just before all the trouble between them started. He found it interesting that she still wore the scent. Especially since their families had been feuding for such a long time.

Blaze was trapped in his memories of the past and couldn’t stop himself from cupping her cheek in his palm. He liked the way it felt to touch her again. It felt right and natural. He hadn’t had eyes for anyone but her since this whole stupid feud began.

With her eyes still closed, she turned her head and slowly nuzzled his hand with her nose. He swore he heard her moan slightly. Boldly, Blaze took a step even closer.

When he did, her eyes drifted open, and he found himself looking directly at her, close enough to kiss her. His gaze fell to her pink lips with that full bottom lip and cute little natural pout that always drove him mad.

That’s when he noticed her looking at his mouth too. Throwing caution to the wind, he leaned in and gently brushed his lips across hers in a quick kiss. He wasn’t all that sure she wouldn’t stab him with her dagger, so he was cautious – the same way he was the first time he’d kissed her so many years ago. He didn’t want to frighten her, but he wanted her to know she was safe with him by her side. Blaze wanted to show her that nothing between them had changed after all. Or at least, not on his end, it hadn’t.

His fond memories of the past as well as his hope was knocked right out of his head when he felt her palm slapping across his cheek hard. It stung more than the autumn wind against his face.

The action startled his raven. The bird began to hiss from atop the horse, flapping its large wings wildly.

“How dare you!” she retorted.

That took him aback. He wasn’t expecting her to react this way and wasn’t exactly sure what to do or say now.

“I’m sorry,” he blurted out, quickly stepping away from her, making distance between them. He’d never have kissed her if he didn’t think she’d like it. He looked up to see Huntley running back from the creek now, holding the reins of the horses that trailed behind him.

“Lady Lillith, is there a problem?” called out Huntley, stretching his neck, trying to see better. “I thought I heard something.” Blaze purposely kept his face turned away from the undertaker, not wanting Huntley to know he was there.

“It’s the warlock,” gasped Huntley, recognizing Blaze immediately, and stopping dead in his tracks. Damn, too late. “I’ll protect you, Lady Lillith.” Huntley nervously fumbled for his dagger, but it got tangled in his cloak. Blaze took this as his cue to leave. Huntley couldn’t protect a mouse let alone a damsel in distress. Still, Blaze gave him credit for trying. Blaze didn’t want trouble, and decided to just leave.

“Huntley, for God’s sake, put away your blade,” he said over his shoulder, heading back to his horse. “I would never hurt Lady Lillith, and you know it.” He took one last look at the beautiful woman from his past, and then pulled himself up into his saddle. His raven squawked and took off into the sky. “I’m sorry, Lilly,” he said in a low voice. “I thought it was what you wanted.”

“What does that mean?” asked Huntley, finally getting a grip on his blade and holding his dagger out in front of him as he moved closer to Lillith.

Blaze didn’t think Lillith was going to answer. But as he turned to ride away, he heard her mumble her answer. “At one time, it was what I wanted, but not anymore.”

Blaze rode away, his heart breaking to hear her say this. His life of living hell for the last five years wasn’t over after all. Actually, now it seemed as if it was never going to end.

Lillith’s hand went to her cheek as she watched Blaze ride away. As she ran her fingers over her face, she could still feel the essence of his touch on her skin. She could also still taste the lingering flavor of his soft but strong lips that he’d gently brushed up against hers.

Blaze had caught her off guard when he’d touched her. It was the last thing she ever expected to happen. His gentle caress brought back feelings she thought she’d buried long ago. When their lips met, it made her body come back to life. She’d felt dead, ignoring her emotions ever since the feud started. But now, something deep inside her screamed to be with Blaze, while another part of her warned her to stay far, far away.

“My lady, did he hurt you?” asked Huntley, waving his dagger in the air as Blaze rode away. “I’ll stab him if he comes back, I swear I will.”

“Nay, I’m fine,” said Lillith, running her tongue over her lips to savor his taste. Her mouth held the faint flavor of whisky. The strong scent of Blaze’s leather clothes still lingered in the air around her. It made her want him to turn around and come back. “Let’s go,” she said, turning to mount her horse, angry at herself for even allowing him to kiss her. Why did she turn to clay in this warlock’s hands? How did it seem she still had feelings for him when she’d worked so hard to convince herself that she no longer cared?

“My lady, you must remember that Lord Blaze might have had something to do with your father’s death since he and his bloody blade were both seen at the site. Besides, he is your mortal enemy now, and also a warlock.” Huntley reminded her.

“I know, Huntley,” she answered, watching Blaze’s long cloak billowing out behind him as he rode away fast and disappeared from sight. “I guess for a moment I just thought I was with someone else.”