Enchanting Winter

The party is well and truely over, Luke has returned to his own home with the promise to visit at least twice over the Christmas break and Willow enters her room with Cassius close behind.

“Oh, Lord Black I -”

“Anna, would you mind leaving us alone for a few minutes?” Willow asks and Anna’s eyes widen.

“But...but I -”

“I promise to be the perfect gentleman Miss Day.” Cassius winks at her and Willow shakes her head as Anna blushes looking even more flustered then before.

“Of course!” Anna squeaks before hurrying out of the room.

As the door shuts Willow pulls back her hand, moving to punch Cassius again but he is quick catching her wrist before she can make contact. His eyes glowing red and he smiles wide enough to reveal his fangs.

“I apologise my love, for everything.”

“Everything?”

“For the engagement. For taking advantage of you. For marking you without your permission. For everything.”

“For ignoring me?”

“That love was not me. You have begun to put walls around your thoughts, something I think you learned after Lady Mills gave you that purple pendant.”

“You knew Jessica gave me the necklace?”

“I had an inkling which I looked into further.”

“I’m sorry too. This is world is just so...”

“Different?”

“That doesn’t even begin to describe it.”

“Perhaps you’d like to visit your old home for a time. I can arrange a passage for us if you wish.”

“I’d like that.”

Willow smiles and Cassius moves in closer drops his gaze to her lips. Willow’s tongue darts out to wet her lips and butterflies flutter in her stomach at the idea that Cassius might kiss her. He inches closer and she shuts her eyes in anticipation when suddenly her bedroom door flies open.

Willow jumps away from Cassius, she stumbles almost falling backwards but he is quick to catch her, arms wrapping around her waist.

“Careful my love.”

Willow smiles up at him. She is broken out of her thoughts by a throat clearing and Willow looks over to see her grandmother standing in the doorway.

“After our hospitality and love, this is how you repay us?” The Duchess glares at Cassius.

“I’m good enough for your niece but not your granddaughter?”

“Don’t talk back to me boy! How dare you do this to her! How dare you mark her!”

“Willow is my mate. I have known that since I was a boy. I knew it the moment she was born. Nora knew it to.”

“What?” Willow gasps at her mother’s name.

“Enough!” The Duchess holds her hands up in front of her. The air feels thin as Willow is moved away from Cassius by some invisible power. “Stay out of my head Black. You will leave this estate at once.”

“Grandmother-”

“No, Willow. “The Duchess cuts Willow off. “You don’t understand our world. You don’t understand what this means, what he has done to you.”

“No one has bothered explaining this fucking world to me.” Willow snaps and the Duchess gasps at the language. The invisible power keeping Willow from Cassius seems to tighten around her. Willow feels her arms pushed down against her sides. Cassius growls and Willow shifts her gaze, it is obvious at first glance that Cassius is also being held by some invisible power.

“Lord Mills and his parents will be taking tea with us tomorrow. I think that would be the perfect time to arrange your betrothal.”

A roar rips from Cassius throat and Willow feels a storm brewing inside her.

“Do you ever wonder why my father left the estate when he did?” Willow asks.

“The Duke and I wished for Henry to see the world while he was young enough to enjoy it.” The Duchess answers, her practiced answer matching her practiced smile.

“He was betrothed to another before he met Nora.” Cassius says smugly.

“I told you to stay out of my head leech!” The Duchess loses all composure as she turns all her attention to Cassius. The air in Willow’s bedroom seems to get even thinner. Willow watches as the invisible seems to suck the life out of Cass.

Cassius!

“Try to move love. Get out of here.” Cassius’s voice rings through her mind urging her to leave.

“Henry ran away.” Cassius says, stealing thoughts from the mind of the Duchess.

It all seems to be in an attempt to taunt her. Willow furrows her brow wondering why he would bother but as Cassius struggles against his tightening invisible prison Willow’s own prison seems to crack. Willow wiggles her fingers, relief rushing through her. Cassius’s mark on her neck burns, it’s way of telling her, something is seriously wrong with her mate. Anger moves through her again, she glances down at her hand to see her mother’s ring glowing brightly.

“Go love.” Cassius urges again his voice in her head weak.

No.

If she can create a prison, so can I.

Willow pictures the perfect ice prison in her head. Narrowing her eyes at her Grandmother she wills herself to make that mental image a reality. Willow hears the Duchess cry out as she is trapped against the nearest wall. A solid 6 inch piece of ice encases her. Willow watches as her eyes widen in realisation. Cassius slumps to the floor as his invisible prison falls. Willow barely notices her bedroom door break off it’s hinges as she falls to the floor next to Cassius, exhausted from using her magic.

“Oh goodness.”

“Willow!”

...

Yelling, beeping and pounding, three things wake Willow and no matter how hard she tries she can’t seem to escape it. She squeezes her already closed eyes even tighter as she tries to focus on the voices and making out exactly what they are saying.

“They are rallying their troops in the forest. It doesn’t appear they care about our current situation.” Luke’s voice breaks through the fog.

“She hasn’t had an episode in years, what do you think caused it?” Quinn asks.

“Willow returning has brought up a lot of painful memories I feel the marking may have pushed her over the edge. The very thing that drove our son and daughter-in-law away might just be the reason we lose our granddaughter.” The Duke’s voice is solemn but once again the pounding seems to drown everything out.

Willow seems to drift in and out of consciences for what feels like days. It is the unexpectedness of Luke’s voice that seems to rally her.

“You promised you would look after her.” Luke growls and Willow tries to blink her eyes open.

“I don’t take requests from mutts.” Cassius replies snidely.

“It wasn’t a request leech.”

“Please don’t kill each other.” Willow’s voice is small and breathy but it is enough to make every head in the room turn to face her.

“Oh, my lady! Thank goodness.” Anna rushes to her side first. “Can I get you anything? Water?”

“I’m fine Anna.” Willow pushes herself up to her elbows and Luke and Cassius both rush to her bed side, Cassius on her left and Luke on her right.

“Don’t touch her.” Cassius growls in Luke’s direction.

“Honestly, the two of you need to stop throwing around all that testosterone. Someone is going to get hurt.”

“Do you remember what happened?” The Duke’s voice sounds from the doorway. Willow looks him straight in the eye.

“My grandmother tried to kill my boyfriend.” She says and the Duke lowers his gaze.

“Willow I-” The Duke starts but Willow cuts him off.

“Cassius and I will be returning to my home.”

The Duke’s head snaps upward. “Home?”

“California.” Willow says her tone icy.

The Duke looks between Willow and Cassius clearly unsure how to respond. His stare finally lands on Cassius, his lips down turned.

“You are going to leave during the conflict?”

“Conflict?” Willow clarifies but she is ignored.

“I trust you can handle a few vampires.”

“Your father has an entire army coming for us and you intend to runaway with my granddaughter?”

“An army?” Willow speak again but the men in the room continue to argue over the top of her. She roll her eyes and blows out a frustrated breath. Willow pulls her hands away from Luke and Cassius and as she waves them through the air a strong gust of cold wind blasts through the room.

“Willow?” Luke looks at her with concern.

“Can someone please tell me what is going on?”

“The Vampire King is moving. I fear he may take Winter Grove.” The Duke says solemnly.

“Can’t you stop him?”

“My father is a formidable opponent Willow.” Cassius says, once again taking Willow’s hand in his own and giving it a small squeeze.