Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night

'Because he won't ever rest until he has her back with him,' she replied before they descended the stairs.

Alone with Mari, Bowe said, 'Lass, we're about to take a break from the mirror for a bit. How am I to marry you in front of all those witches in an eerie, embarrassing ceremony if you will no' look away?'

No reaction.

He put his arms around her waist and leaned down to kiss her neck, closing his eyes with pleasure just to be close to her once more.

'Doona wish to turn from your glass? Verra well. Then ask it some questions while you're here. Ask it how much your Lykae's missed you.'

Had she blinked?

At her other ear, he murmured, 'Ask it who Bowe loves.'

Her lips parted. Her body seemed to begin thrumming, as if she was struggling with everything she had in her to be free.

'Aye, that's right. Ask it who's the only one Bowe's ever been in love with.' He brushed the back of his fingers down her cheek, willing her to meet his gaze in the mirror. 'And the last question we're goin' tae have before you come away with me... ask it how damned good our lives are goin' tae be together, just as soon as you turn tae kiss me.'

Her brows drew together, and her stiff posture tightened, then relaxed. Her eyelids slid closed.

'There now, that's it, beautiful girl,' he rasped, easing her face toward him. Behind her, he pressed the mirror until it flipped over, revealing the back of the frame. 'Now, kiss me, witch.'

When Mari opened her eyes once more, Bowen's warm, firm lips covered her own. Then he was lifting her and carrying her to the bed.

Once he settled her in his lap, she laid her hand against his unshaven cheek. How she'd missed him! She felt a sharp pang at how exhausted he looked. 'I can't believe you made it here.'

'I'm your familiar.' He jutted his chin up in that proud way. 'I'm tae guard you. Besides, you canna lose me this easily.' His gaze held hers as he said, 'I'll follow you anywhere, Mari.'

'I'm so—Whoa,' she abruptly whispered, her hand flying to her forehead. The ponderous weight of Häxa's power was lessening. 'Are my eyes clearing?'

'Aye.' He exhaled with relief. 'The binding's working.'

'I can feel it.' She bit her lip. 'Bowen, about earlier—I'm sorry that my dad was rude to you. And I'm so sorry for everything that happened to you. The enchantment—'

'I'm no' sorry about that.' When she gave him an incredulous look, he amended, 'At first, I was furious. Then I realized that if we can be together, then everything's brought me to you. Think of it—I've even got to thank that damned vampire for beating me in the Hie. If not for that... ' He trailed off with a shudder. 'Besides, I doona mind the struggle, when the prize is so worthy.'

'But it must eat at you that you went so long, and it was so agonizing—'

'If you doubt what I'm saying, then you have no' grasped what I'm feeling for you. I would do anything to be here with you like this. If you'll have me.' His brows drew together. 'You know how I feel about you, but I'm no' certain you love me ba—'

'I love you,' she said quickly.

'Doona wish to ponder this? Be certain of your feelings? Play coy?'

'No way.' She shook her head emphatically. 'I've been a goner for you since the island, and was whipped since the first night we were together, together. But can you handle all this... witchery?'

'I wanted to tell you the day of the plane crash that I'd made up my mind to do whatever I had to in order to keep you—and that included accepting everything about you. I doona give a damn about all the variables as long as the constant is us—together.' He squeezed her in his arms, tucking her into his chest.

He was holding her tightly—as if he'd never let her go.

And this struck her as tremendously good. Then she frowned. 'Bowen?'

'Aye, love?'

'Why's your shirt inside out?'

55

Scotland

Winter Solstice, six months later...

So that's how we're tae play this, wife?' Bowen said, when her snowball beaned him squarely in the face. He shook the snow from him in that wolfy way she loved. 'You challenge a master at your own peril and have been duly warned.'

She wiggled her gloved fingers at him. 'Bring it on, Father Time.'

But her eyes widened as he began piling up the biggest snowball she'd ever seen. She took off, darting back toward the lodge.

Playing in the snow—what an incredible way to end an already wonderful day. They'd arrived in Scotland just this morning. The jet ride was forgettable—literally, with proper sedation. And last night, just before Mari and Bowen had flown out, her parents had told her they were having a baby, which delighted her, though she promised them she'd 'act out' due to the new sibling—

Bowen's mammoth snowball smacked her on the ass, nearly knocking her down. She gasped, looking over her shoulder.

'That's how you throw a snowball.' Grinning, he took a bow, then loped after her.

Bowen grinned a lot now. And damn, it was a good look for him.

Playing with him like this, she recognized that her own chance of making it to forty without having kids with her Lykae was nil.

With a squeal, she let him catch her, and he dragged her down into the snow with him. 'Dinna hurt you, did I?' he asked as he eased her beneath him.

Even though she'd turned immortal over three months ago, he still asked her that. She thought he always would and loved him for it. 'Not at all.'

'So you like it here?'

'Adore it.'

'You're no' just saying that? Because I can—'

'I want to live half the year here.' They'd stay the other six months in their place next to Andoain. 'If I'm needed by the coven or for a freelance job, I can commute to the coven via mirror.' She'd been working hard these last few months, organizing the Andoain coven with her parents' help and selling spells on her own. Did she hit it out of the park with each magick job? No, but at least she continued to get referrals.

'In addition to the apple orchard I had planted here over the summer,' he began, 'I also bought a six-foot- high, full-length mirror. So we can commute. You'll take me through with you. Since I'm your familiar.'

He took the position of 'protector of his witch' very seriously, going with her to all her jobs, and grumbled when she suggested he was more of an accountabilibuddy for her magick. 'Sounds good to me.'

'So what do you think about real snow?' He'd razzed her without cease because apparently, her dimension's imagined snow had been like the stuff they used on movie sets.

'It's beautiful.'

'Aye, beautiful,' he said with his gaze locked on her face. 'I knew snow would become you. I canna quite believe I'm finally enjoying my favorite season, and I'm doing it with you—my favorite sight.'

He cupped her face and leaned down to give her a languid kiss. But when she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, he slanted his mouth over hers, deepening the contact until she was trembling