Remnants of Magic by S. Ravynheart, S.A. Archer Read Free Book Online

land, giving the landscape a patchwork appearance. She turned off the engine. Stepping out of the car, she felt the quiet and stillness of the countryside wrap around her. The calm would’ve been a comfort, if not for the memories of this evening tumbling through her head. London hopped up to sit on the hood of the car. She leaned back against the windshield and gazed at the vista of stars above her, so remote from the problems of this life.
    She thought of Kieran. Of his magic, which still filled her. Of the kiss they’d shared. She would long for him, as she still longed for Rico, as she even longed for Malcolm. Pining for the Sidhe was just part of who she was now. Fighting and complaining about it only made her miserable; it didn’t change the facts. This was who she was now. An Enchanted human. As parahuman as a vampire or a werewolf. There was no more chance of going back to ‘normal’ for her than there was for Selena or Stephan. Denial and anger hadn’t made one whit of difference. Not even the bargaining she tried with Donovan offered her a reprieve. All there was for her now was truth and the acceptance of it.
    London couldn’t blame Kieran for trying to kill her. Not after all she’d put him through. She couldn’t blame his friends for their reactions to her either, just wanting to protect one of their own from the likes of her.
    Although… Kieran hadn’t actually tried to kill her. He’d attacked Stephan with his magic, possibly even killed him, but he hadn’t used his magic against her. Hadn’t even truly harmed her, just grabbed her. Who was to say what might have happened next, if she’d not broken away from him? But in that moment, he’d not used deadly force against her, though he was well capable of it with his magic.
    The one they called Malcolm had taken her by surprise. Her first guess after their one encounter was that he would not remember her at all. Whatever drug he was flying high on apparently hadn’t blotted out the memory of her. Perhaps it twisted it somehow. She’d not recalled him appearing quite so young, naked and in the center of a clutch of vampire lovers. He’d had longer hair then, that fell across his face and she’d brushed it back with her fingers. When he’d gazed up at her with those dark eyes something struck her soul. Possibly just the effect of the enchantment, but it had felt so intense. And then they had kissed. His Touch had crashed through her with a force that shattered her. So much more powerful than Kieran’s or even Rico’s magic had been. How could this Sidhe, who kissed her so passionately then, seek to gut her so passionately now?
    The vibration of her phone in the pocket of her slacks startled her. She’d forgotten that she’d left it switched to ‘silent’ mode. London answered it, “Hello?”
    Selena hesitated. “I wasn’t sure that you’d answer. You made it away safely, then.”
    “Safe for the moment, I think.” London watched the stars above and the wisps of clouds passing between she and them. “Do I even want to know how bad the mess is?”
    “No fatal injuries.” There was a hint of a smirk in her voice that London could only guess as to the cause. The vamps must have bested the werewolves once the prey they fought over was lost to them.
    “Stephan?”
    “Alive. His ears are ringing, but the healer believes that should clear up in a week or so.”
    London dragged her fingers through her hair. “Is he furious?”
    “You know Stephan.” Selena chuckled. “You just scored major respect points, reclaiming your prey from him and his pack. He won’t underestimate you next time, though. Be forewarned.”
    “Oddly enough, sounds like you fared better than I did this evening.”
    “Ah, your prey slipped your grasp? Don’t despair. You’ll reclaim him or catch another.”
    “I don’t think so.” London sighed. “I think I’m not the huntress of the Sidhe. I’m nothing more or less than an enchanted human. Cursed,