Adamant Spirits, page 62
Lazlo was taking slow strides around the hopping man. He looked like a predator about to strike his prey down.
“Gentleman!” A smaller man in a green velvet suit walked between them. “If you really want to fight, might I suggest making it for a good cause? There is a charity event starting shortly in that building right there. You still have time to sign up! You can see who wins between the two of you while raising money for the children in need.”
“A bigger crowd to trash Mister Fancy Pants in front of? Oh, I’m game.”
Lazlo turned to me. “I’m sorry, Marjorie. I can’t back down. You didn’t hear the horrors that poor woman suffered.”
“What if you get hurt?” I whispered.
“Well, I’ve got the potions expert at my side. I think I’ll be good. Don’t worry, I’ll convince them to let us go first. I want to get back to our evening together.” He smiled.
“Challenge accepted, the charity it is. Where do I sign?” Lazlo asked.
We followed the man down the dirt road to a building just off of the town square. He ushered Lazlo and the other man into a side door, and I followed the rest of the people who were making their way inside. Another lady came in a similar green velvet outfit and took my hand.
“You are with the young, handsome one, aren’t you?” she inquired.
“Yes, I’m here with Lazlo,” I answered.
“Come with me, and I’ll show you where to go. You don’t need to mess with the regular crowd.”
She led me through the door. The interior of the building was nothing more than a large, empty room with windows at the top and seating around the sides at different levels. She ushered me to a spot nearer to ground level. If Lazlo suffered an injury, I wanted to be nearby. I always had at least one or two things on hand in the bag I was carrying.
I looked around and noticed that very few other women were in the building. This obviously wasn’t a ladies’ event, but she had guided me to what seemed to be a less crowded area, farther away from the male revelers.
Three men came out to the center, Lazlo, the stocky man, and a third man who seemed to be running the event. Both men were shirtless. I took a moment to drink that in. It was the first time I’d seen just how well defined Lazlo was, and it was impressive. His broad shoulders, arms, chest, and abdomen all had perfectly sculpted muscles. His shoulder-length hair was pulled into a ponytail.
His opponent wasn’t as tall, but his shoulders were every bit as broad. He looked like he could deliver some solid punches and very likely was pretty good at it.
The third man, I could only guess, was some sort of moderator. He stood in between Lazlo and his opponent. The moderator spread his arms and looked out at the audience.
“For your entertainment this evening, and to benefit the annual fundraising for our children and families in need, we present an evening of boxing matches. Our first match pits Lazlo of Ealach against Rogan, the armorer.” He turned to the fighters.
“Now, gentleman, when I give the signal, your match begins. Blows are with fists only. You may deliver strikes anywhere above the waist. If one of you hits the ground, the match will be over, and you will have thirty seconds to get back up and to the line, or your opponent is named the victor. Now, shake hands like good sports.”
The two men glared at each other but obediently shook hands and then stepped back. The moderator raised his hand and dropped it in between them, signaling the start of the match. Rogan wasted no time swinging wildly at Lazlo. Lazlo easily dodged and countered with a solid blow to the ribs. Rogan was knocked a few steps back, and Lazlo seized the opportunity to clock him hard across the face. Rogan was teetering but still looking determined. His swings were wide and slow compared to Lazlo’s speed, and Lazlo kept landing blows until Rogan wasn’t looking too good.
I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see a dark-haired man with large deep brown eyes and the fullest lashes I’d ever seen. His face was youthful and handsome, but there seemed to be a hint of someone much older in his eyes. He smiled, and his hand slipped down and grabbed my wrist tightly.
“You need to come with me now,” he said with an odd accent I’d never heard before.
He tugged at my wrist, and I felt a warm sensation traveling up my arm and into my head. I fell out of the chair in surprise. He grabbed me around the waist and began pulling me away from the ring.
“Hey!” I exclaimed in protest. I attempted to slap at him.
“Utae na vesta ae amae,” were the sounds he grumbled as he continued to pull me away.
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the action in the ring had changed. Lazlo heard my cry and lost his focus. Rogan finally landed a solid blow across his face.
“Lazlo!” I shouted as I worked to pull away from the stranger while being dragged through the aisle.
As the stranger pulled me farther away from the action, I couldn’t see what was happening in the ring. I heard Rogan yelling. “Oh, so you are a cad and a coward. Come back here, fancy pants and face me like a man.”
The stranger pulled me through the door and into the street. A smokey gray cloud was beginning to form around the two of us. It was unlike any magic I’d ever seen. I pulled away harder, terrified of what was ahead. Suddenly I saw Lazlo. His powerful fist landed with full force in the stranger’s face. The stranger lost his grip on me as he was knocked backward. I fell to my knees and scurried away as best as I could. Lazlo was throwing a second blow when the stranger disappeared into thin air. Lazlo nearly fell face first but caught himself.
“Marjorie, are you alright? Who was that man?”
Lazlo reached down and pulled me to my feet. I shook my head, still feeling a bit stunned and confused. My breath felt short and shallow. There was a strange glow on my wrist.
“I think . . .” was all I managed to say before burying myself in Lazlo’s bare chest.
“Let’s get you home,” he said, looking concerned at the sight of the unusual magic on me.
He held me close as we made our way back to his family carriage.
“Back so soon? What happened to your clothes?” the driver, Terrin inquired.
“It’s a long story Terrin, but we need to get back home now,” Lazlo replied as we stepped inside.
“Don’t you want to retrieve your shirt?” I asked. “You must be freezing.”
“I’ll be alright. I’m not leaving your side. It was foolish of me to do so in the first place. I owe you an apology. As much as I wanted to make a good impression, I fear I’m falling a bit short. Can you forgive me?”
“Just hold me,” I said. I could feel something creeping up my arm. I was afraid to look.
“Of course,” he replied and wrapped his arms around me. The warmth of his skin was comforting. The creeping feeling was still on my arm. It felt higher now.
“Can you, this sounds weird but, can you look at my arm?” I asked Lazlo.
He looked down at me. His eyes widened. He pulled back the collar of my jacket.
“You are glowing. The side of your neck and what I can see of your arm.” He called up to the driver. “Terrin, we need to get back as quickly as possible.”
“I don’t understand what is happening to me,” I said. “It feels so strange.”
Eleven
I laid my head on his chest and wrapped my arms around him as we made our way back toward the manor.
When we arrived, Lazlo helped me out of the carriage and let me inside. Gwen was in the hallway entrance.
“What the hell, Laz? Where’s your shirt? You weren’t fighting again, were you?”
“My state is unimportant. Someone tried to abduct Marjorie. They infected her with an unknown type of magic. Where is Mother?”
“She’s locked in the gate room. What happened?” Gwen’s eyes were wide at the news.
“He had an unusual look and used a different form of magic than I’ve seen to disappear. I felt it was important to get her back here with stronger wards surrounding her.” He looked at me. “I’ll take you up to your room now, alright? You are safe here.”
“No, take me to the potions room. I think I know of something there that might help me,” I said, attempting to avoid the panic building in my mind.
I clung tight to Lazlo as we headed toward the back staircase. I didn’t want to let go of him. I felt my whole body trembling. The glow was expanding. I stopped walking. Tears started falling down my face. I looked up at him. He nodded as if he understood my feelings. No words were needed. He reached down and pulled me into his arms, carrying me down the stairs until we made it to the potions room.
He carried me inside and sat me on a chair.
“It’s a red bottle, it should be on the second shelf over there,” I said, pointing.
Lazlo quickly retrieved the bottle, and as soon as it was in my hands, I poured the contents down my throat. Within seconds the glow began to subside. My heartbeat slowed. The side effects of the potion, however, were taking effect. I was dizzy but no longer afraid. I smiled at Lazlo. I was feeling pretty good.
“That’s better. I think I’m kind of wobbly, though,” I half giggled.
“Marjorie Rene, did that get you drunk?”
I shrugged. “Maybe a little.” I started to slide off the chair. Lazlo caught me.
“Well, you seem intoxicated. I’d best get you back to your room.”
“I’d rather go to your room, Laz,” I said, sliding my arms around him and pressing myself against him
“As tempting as that sounds, no, I’m taking you to your room.”
“No, get me that yellow bottle on the third shelf first. That’ll help”
“Hmm, provocative and demanding when intoxicated. I’ll remember that,” he said, smiling as he grabbed me the other bottle.
He assisted me in steadying myself as I drank the contents.
After a few breaths, I felt steadier.
“Is that better?” he asked.
I nodded. “I feel clearer now. I might have had too much of the other potion but I didn’t know how much it would take to counteract that weird magic.”
“Alright, am I taking you to your room, or are you up for perhaps a conversation in front of the fireplace?”
“I don’t feel tipsy, but I’d rather be somewhere we can talk with less chance of being disturbed.”
Lazlo nodded. “I, well, I can take you to your room. I can come in, and we can visit for a while.”
Our eyes met. I was sure he had no doubt what all I had decided I was open to.
He helped me off of the chair, and we held hands as we walked together up to my room.
“So, do you think your mother will be mad at you about tonight? I mean the fighting. Gwen seemed to think it was an issue?” I asked as we walked.
“Mother was already none too thrilled at how I behaved at the party. I thought I was doing what was expected of me, but apparently, I was too forward and upset more than the one gentleman we encountered tonight. Mother got an earful. I got one in return.”
We arrived at my room, and he walked inside with me.
“Here we are. I was a fool and ruined our date, but I’m here for you now,” he said, taking a seat on the floor in front of the bed.
“It wasn’t you who ruined it Laz, it was that weird guy who grabbed me that ruined the evening,” I said as I sat on the side of the bed.
“Well, I’m thankful I retrieved you,” he said, looking up at me. “That was a terrible scare. Still, if I hadn’t indulged that angry man, I’d never have left your side. But since we are here, perhaps we can engage in some overdue conversation. I’ll start. I recognize that my behavior this year has been a bit, well, I’m not sure how to put it,” He looked away from me, his eyes toward the floor.
“You’ve had a lot of attention, that’s for sure,” I said, placing a hand on his shoulder. His skin was warm and felt so lovely underneath my hand.
“And I fear I haven’t handled it the best, not just at the party but in general. You see, I’ve been quite unaccustomed to having eyes on me at all. Gwen is the heiress. I’m simply her brother.” He shrugged.
“Laz, as a man in a landed family, that is enough for a lot of women. Plenty of families want to attach themselves to yours.”
“Well, I prefer to be with someone I earn with who I am, not my family’s titles or money.”
His eyes met mine. I felt my heart flutter. “Oh,” was all I could manage to say. There was silence between us as we locked eyes. Suddenly he dropped his gaze.
“So, Marjorie, what about you? What wonders have you experienced since your last visit to Ealach?”
“Gran took me on a trip. It was a place where magic was scarce, and they needed her help. I got to see her in action. It was pretty cool. Other than those few months, I’ve been learning from her and working at the shop.”
“So, no great loves in your life?” He smiled.
“No, Gran is pretty protective, and honestly, until now, I wasn’t that interested,” I said, nervously biting my lip.
“Well, nothing wrong with protecting you. I should know young men can be scoundrels. I’m often accused of being one.”
“But you aren’t? Are you?”
He shrugged. “That depends on your definition, I suppose. I mean, I know my sister attempted to dissuade you earlier, and yet you still agreed to go out with me.”
“I agreed because I like you, Laz. I always have. I mean, I honestly just enjoy you.”
“Nothing new there. That’s always been the case for me as well. However, there’s more to it than that. I meant what I said about you becoming more beautiful every time I see you.”
His words echoed in my head. He placed a hand on my knee and looked up at me from his place on the floor.
Those beautiful eyes locked with mine. They felt as if they were penetrating my soul.
I slid off of the bed and sat next to him on the floor. He wrapped his arms around me, and his lips met mine. He lowered me to the ground. I returned his kiss hungrily. My hands draped around his back. I enjoyed the feeling of his bare skin beneath my fingers. It was so smooth, so warm, so firm. I wrapped a leg around him, pulling his body in closer to mine underneath my skirt. His fingers were in my hair, gliding on the back of my neck, his other hand on my waist. I moved it, bringing it to my breast. I felt him sigh into my mouth as he kissed me. I pulled his body tighter to me with my leg. Every ounce of my being was desperate to be as close to him as possible. I slid my hand down to his rear, pushing him in against me even closer until I could feel his arousal against me. It lit something alive in me, on fire. With precise skill, he unbuttoned my blouse quickly and easily, sliding his hand inside and cupping my bare breast. I moaned out loud. The feel of the flesh of his hand on my bare flesh was an ecstasy I’d never felt before.
He lowered his head and kissed my neck, then trailing his kisses down to my chest. I felt myself melting from the warmth of his lips on my skin. His hands were on my back as he held his head there, kissing lightly. His breathing became shallow, then slower, deeper. He pulled me on my back, his head still on my chest, just holding me.
“Marjorie,” he finally whispered. He lifted his head and looked at me.
“Do we have to stop?” I asked, desperate for him to continue.
“I need a moment, okay?” He said, closing his eyes.
“Is something wrong?” I asked
His arms tightened around me. “You are so incredible and so very tempting, but Mother only allowed me to take you out if I agreed I wouldn’t, well, you know.”
“Be a scoundrel and take advantage of me?”
He smiled. “Yes, that sums it up, I suppose. Although I think I’ve already crossed that line a bit.”
I rolled my eyes. “Hardly. I was the one willing to go further. You were the one putting on the brakes. Your mother and Gran are both wrong about you.”
“Well, when it comes to you. You’re different, Marjorie.”
“Can you just stay here a while and hold me?”
“Of course I can.”
We cuddled together on the floor, our conversation turning to our dreams of traveling throughout Vernaria and seeing all that the world had to offer, how we’d see it all together, hand in hand.
When my eyes became heavy, he pulled me into the bed, tucked me in, and kissed me gently before bidding me a good sleep and walking out the door.
Twelve
When I woke up, the whole odd night was on my mind. I’d had my first date. Not only that, it had been with Lazlo. If it hadn’t been for the boxing match, the near kidnapping, and the weird magic attack, it would have been a pleasant night, especially with the hot make-out session. That was certainly on my mind more than any of the other events.
I dressed and headed down to the dining room to grab some breakfast. I stopped in the hallway when I heard the raised voices of Maeve and Lazlo.
“Mother, it simply isn’t necessary. You’re overreacting. I’m fine, and no one was hurt.”
“Stop being such an arrogant brat, Lazlo. You’ll do as I say. I’m calling Penelope’s parents today to arrange it. Military service or not. The sooner, the better. You need a woman who can control you, one who’ll keep you in line.
“What in hell makes you think I’d behave for a woman like her? I can barely tolerate her presence.”
“Her parents will see to your behavior. I’ve faith in them.”
“Well, I won’t. I can’t. Not now.”
“What do you mean by that? Some infatuation? That doesn’t change anything.”
“I want to be with Marjorie.”
“The Michel witch? Oh God, Lazlo. I warned you specifically not to be intimate with her. You promised me. Did you do that just because I said not to?
“No, Mother, I did it because I adore her, and I want her.”
“Do you know what that means? The Michel witches are special. You can’t deflower a Michel virgin and walk away, and she was still untouched at dinner last night. I can sense that very easily.”
