And now, here he was in front of her again. Yet, the warrior she knew to be just as brave as her wouldn’t ask her out. Was it only her? Four hundred years was a long time to dream about someone. Maybe she’d turned their brief encounter on the battlefield into something more than it was.
Well, maybe Samuel just needed to fight for her because she was tired of trying to fight for him.
“Samuel,” Polly said as they set up for practice. He turned and his eyes met hers in a way that sent a shock to her heart and a flutter to her stomach. “Which Cavallaro brother is that?” She pointed at random at the herd of large Italian Tenebris witches currently surrounded by a flock of Claritase witches.
“Why?” Samuel asked as his jaw twitched.
“Because, I’m tired of waiting for you to make a move, and he seems to know which move to make,” Polly said sweetly as she smiled at the muscle bound Cavallaro man. No matter how they preened, they still weren’t Samuel. She just didn’t need to tell Samuel that. “So, which one is that?”
“They’re no good for you. They’re broom bunnies. They’re only after one thing when it comes to witches. To see how many they can get in bed,” Samuel bit out with frustration.
“Maybe this witch needs a little sweeping off her feet. A broom bunny will do the job.” Polly set down the table they were moving and walked off. She prayed he’d come after her, since she was done chasing after him.
Samuel watched the love of his life walking away and felt like killing someone. But he couldn’t love her. It wasn’t possible. He’d already found his True Love.
“Where’s Polly?” Zoey asked as she and Slade joined him as he laid out the weapons the witches could use for practice. They weren’t weapons like guns and knives, but magical weapons—spells, items that could be used to enhance or channel powers, and such.
“I’m not her keeper,” Samuel snapped before he heard Slade growl in displeasure.
“I’m sorry, Samuel. I didn’t mean—” Zoey reached out and touched his arm and suddenly Samuel was back at the Tenebris court, four hundred years ago. The battle was raging all around him.
Samuel was there, but he wasn’t. He saw his past self fighting, and as he looked down, he saw Zoey still clasping his hand. However, the sounds, the smells, and the horror were all very real.
“Katrina!” Samuel heard his past self yell. Samuel tracked his voice to see the Tenebris Hunter stealing the last of his wife’s life from her body. They had only been married two months. They were young to be married, and while the True Love bond hadn’t formed all the way, there were the beginnings of it. He knew in only a short time the True Love bond would be complete.
Samuel saw himself run to his bride. His sword swung taking the head of the Tenebris Hunter who had taken Katrina’s powers clean off. “Kat, can you hear me?”
The past Samuel dropped to his knees and cradled Katrina’s head in his arms. “True Love,” she said in shallow gasps. “She’s here.”
“Yes, love. You’re still here. Stay with me.” Samuel remembered that he’d tried to teleport but couldn’t. Someone powerful was blocking their ability to retreat. It was a slaughter. “Katrina?”
Samuel watched as his past self shook Katrina, but knew it was no use. His love was gone. A second later her body disappeared. With rage unlike anything he’d felt, he cut through the Tenebris Hunters. Samuel watched his past self lose all control of his powers. Anger fed him as he slaughtered everyone in his path toward Alexander.
Then there she was—Polly. Samuel watched his past self fight not toward Alexander, but toward Polly. He hadn’t realized who she was then. He’d never known her name until Slade had introduced them last year in Moonshine Hollow. The past Samuel had fought toward her and then there she was—the fierce warrior who looked too beautiful to be in the middle of a battle.
She’s here. Samuel looked around at the voice of Katrina that seemed to take over the memory he was reliving. That was new. That hadn’t happened in the past. He looked back down at himself fighting by Polly’s side. Zoey removed her hand and they were back in the clearing in Moonshine Hollow.
“What was that?” Slade asked. “I said your name like ten times and no one responded.”
Samuel looked down at Zoey, who was now looking at Polly with new admiration. Then he looked at Polly talking to the Cavallaro brothers. She’s here.
“Did you hear that?” Samuel asked Zoey.
“Hear what?” Slade asked, growing impatient with the lack of answers coming his way.
“I did. I think we both know what it means,” Zoey said quietly. Samuel noticed she didn’t reach for him again. Instead, she kept her hands clasped in front of her.
“It couldn’t. Katrina and I—”
“Were in love, but not True Loves. She knew that. Katrina is telling you that you need your True Love by your side for the battle to come. It’s no mistake the Goddess and Katrina showed us that particular moment in time,” Zoey said as gently as she could, but there was no mistaking the surety in her voice.
“I can’t. It would be disrespectful to Katrina’s memory,” Samuel said just as quietly as Zoey had been talking.
Zoey went to reach for him, but stopped and pulled her hand back. “Samuel, it was a message from Katrina to claim your True Love. She knew it that night. She’d felt Polly and your connection before you did. You still haven’t figured it out, have you? The way you fought to reach Polly in a castle full of people. It was Polly you fought side by side with that day. She’s your True Love and Katrina came back to tell you so you don’t lose Polly, which you are very close to doing.”
“Who is Katrina? What happened?” Slade asked again. Zoey reached out and took Slade’s hand in his to quiet him.
Samuel didn’t answer though. He kept his eyes on Polly. He always did. He always knew where she was, how she was feeling, but he’d tried to convince himself that it couldn’t be True Love. Was Zoey right? Katrina and he had loved each other, very much, but there was no bonding like between Zoey and Slade or Jane and Galen. She’s here. Katrina’s voice filled his head once again. Okay, Katrina, message received. Samuel smiled to his first love’s voice that practically screamed into his head so loudly that Zoey flinched.
“I think she’s being very clear on the matter. You have her blessing. Go, Samuel. Go now or lose her forever,” Zoey said, unconsciously reaching for him. She touched his arm again and instantly they were transported, but not to the past. This time it was to the future.
“What in the Goddess’s name is going on?” Slade muttered. The three of them stood on top of Earnest Mountain and looked down on Moonshine Hollow. It was burning to the ground. Screams of terror and pain echoed off the mountains and seemed to fill the clouds.
Below them, on the same bridge where Ian had been killed, stood Zoey, Slade, Polly, Samuel, Jane, and Galen. They were surrounded by dark shadows on each side of the bridge that were converging on them as blood rained down.
Darkness was almost upon them when light glowed from above.
“Mom?” Slade whispered.
“Linus!” Samuel gasped, but he noticed Zoey was quiet.