Though Max’s warm, inviting, passionate presence was all I wanted, at the back of my mind, I thought of him.
McCane.
He was still there, still Max’s shadow. And I’d never have Max to myself until I found a way to split him from McCane and banish the sorcerer king for good.
Either time literally did draw to a standstill, or Max lost all track of time as we kissed. It drew on, a well-overdue conclusion to all the tension that had built between us.
And yet, it didn’t last.
There was a sudden clap of thunder close by, so close, it drove through the ground and shook me backward.
I jolted into Max, collapsing against his shoulder as a violent, ear-splitting clap of thunder blasted around the compound.
As it subsided, my ears rang.
Max tilted his head back and stared at me. “Maybe we should take this inside?” he muttered.
Pressed up against his shoulder, I smiled, the move hard enough to crumple his wet T-shirt around my cheek.
I shifted to pull out of Max’s arms, to walk on my own. He wouldn’t let me.
“The water’s still electrified, Chi.”
“Oh, I kind of forgot.” Excuse me for forgetting everything in the whole frigging world. My brain was kind of busy processing what had just happened, my body, too. My heart raced, my breath beat, and my skin warmed until I swore it would drive the rain back.
That had been my destiny. There was no doubting it. Never in my life had I ever done something that had felt so right. I swore my soul was singing.
Max looped an arm under my knees and plucked me up with his characteristic ease. Then he walked me through the compound and through the rain.
Above, the storm still raged. A part of me thought it would have dissipated after the Lonely King’s spell had failed. Maybe there was still a lot of excess magic to discharge?
I didn’t question further. What was the point? I just settled into Max’s grip, reveled in the feel of his tight, wet muscles, in the warmth of his body, in the depth of his presence.
It wouldn’t last. Nothing ever did….
…
Max McCane
In the factory, the ring glowed. As the storm raged above, it channeled more and more energy into the door, until the glowing magical circle shone so brightly, it chased back every shadow in the broken factory.
A violent hum vibrated through the air, shaking the crushed concrete floor beneath the ring until every fine pile of rubble danced like a mote of dust in the wind.
The hum grew louder, louder, louder – more cracks running through the floor and up through the metal walls.
Then, lightning struck. It sailed down through the hole in the ceiling and lanced into the ring, a boom blasting through the factory and echoing into the night.
The ring blazed, becoming so bright it could have rivaled the sun.
Within, a dark ball began to form. It was so black, it rivaled the lightless depths of space, and it was so cold, the rain that managed to make it through the hole instantly turned to ice and smashed against the broken floor.
The vibrating hum reached a crescendo then cut out.
Silence.
Dead silence.
The black orb continued to grow, cutting out the brilliant light of the time gate.
It grew and grew until it covered the gate in full.
Then a boot pushed through, then a leg, then a body. A man.
A sorcerer king.
Max McCane.
His sword jostled at his hip, the furs strung across his shoulder catching a few sparks of dark energy as the gate crackled behind him.
McCane shifted his head from side-to-side as he surveyed the factory with its warped walls, shattered roof, and cracked floor.
He looked for her.
The seer.
And then, he felt her. Drawing a hand up and locking it to his lips, he let a smile spread across his face.
Then he pushed forward. His rough hide boots slammed against the ice-covered floor, his furs jostling over his shoulder as his sword swung at his side.
He tilted his head back as he reached the open doorway that appeared to lead into a compound beyond. A great puddle of water stretched from the doorway to the walls, a gift of the laden storm clouds above.
To his side, he saw a great metal box crackling and spewing sparks. Long tentacles spilled from it and thrashed in the water.
The tentacles were wires; the crackling box a substation. He knew this, for he had watched through the eyes of the McLane bodyguard, and had learned.
McCane strode forward through the electrified puddle of water. Though it discharged and crackled up his legs, it could not affect him. Nothing in this new world would be able to affect him.
Except for her.
The seer.
But he knew how to deal with her.
McCane walked into the night. He knew where to go.
The end of A Lying Witch Book Three. The last book in this series – A Lying Witch Book Four – is currently available for pre-order to be released on March 1 2017.
If you liked this book, you may also like other urban fantasies by Odette C. Bell. For a full list of books, please visit www.odettecbell.com.
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Other fantasies by Odette C. Bell
The Odette C. Bell Fantasy Bundle
Agent of Light
A Lying Witch
Angel: Private Eye
Anna’s Hope
Gladys the Guard
Modern Goddess: Trapped by Thor
The Frozen Witch
The Witch and the Commander
Witch’s Bell
