cookies."

For a brief second Sarina was envious of Ali being so safe and secure in her love and commitment with Sebastian and that she felt naughty enough to seduce her husband with cookies.

Ali seemed to read her thoughts. "Take cookies to Dagon."

Sarina laughed softly. "I don't think I'm as naughty as you."

Ali shook her head slowly. "I bet you can be real naughty when you want to be. You just have to want

to, you have to believe."

"Who's the teacher now?" Sarina asked, giving her suggestion serious thought.

"Whoever needs to be the teacher," Ali said and placed several cookies on another plate, then

discarded her ap.r.o.n over the chair. "Now let's stop being teachers and cooks and turn ourselves into vamps." She held a plate out to Sarina.

"I don't think Dagon's in the castle."

Ali untied Sarina's ap.r.o.n and pulled it off, tossing it to join hers on the chair, then forced the plate of cookies on her. "Wait in his room." She pushed Sarina toward the door.

"What about milk?" Sarina asked. "You can't eat cookies without milk."

"Sweety," Ali said exasperated. "They'll be lucky if they get to eat the cookies."

Ali gave her another shove and they were out the kitchen door and into the hall. "Now go," Ali

ordered, pointing to the staircase, and with a sinful sway of her hips Ali headed to the study. Sarina climbed the stairs slowly. She couldn't understand her reluctance to seduce Dagon. After all, she had done it before, and she did feel comfortable being intimate with him. So why suddenly a case of nerves? Perhaps it was what was left unspoken between them that caused her to tremble. What yet they had to say, what yet was to be. And of course the outcome. She approached his closed door with apprehension, grabbing hold of the k.n.o.b. He could be elsewhere in the castle or not in the castle at all, in which case it would not matter. She would leave the plate of cookies and make a hasty departure. She turned the k.n.o.b and with her breath paused she entered. His room was empty, the remnants of their morning indulgence gone, his bed made. Trepidation was instantly replaced by disappointment, and she walked over to the table near the window and set the plate of cookies down.

With a sigh of regret she turned to see Dagon standing in the doorway.

Her breath caught, her heart raced, and her blood heated in a mere second of looking at him. He was a compelling sight all in black, his long hair windswept, his handsome face stern, and his deep blue eyes focused intently on her.

"Cookies," she said, though she sounded more like she croaked the word.

He regarded her strangely as he entered and shut the door behind him.

She stepped aside and pointed to the plate, repeating more clearly, "Cookies."

He slipped off his overcoat, tossing it on the back of a chair as he approached her. "You baked them?"

She nodded and held the plate up to him.

He noticed her tremble but made no comment. He chose a star cookie. "Sugar cookies, my favorite."

He took a bite and chewed slowly, all the while keeping his eyes on her.

She returned the plate to the table, her hand trembling too much to hold on to it.

"Very good," he said and broke off a piece to place near her lips. "Taste."

She took the small piece, his fingertips brushing her lips as he offered it to her.

The fresh earthy and pine scent of his chilled fingers sparked her senses, and she never felt quite so alive. Her eyes drifted closed as she savored the intensity of her emotions. The b.u.t.tery richness of the sugar cookie melted in her mouth and tingled her taste buds, making her want more. Sounds flowed like a rich melody around her, the soft murmur of his steady breath, the potent beat of his heart. And then there was the urge to touch.

She forced herself to open her eyes and stop the madness, and when she did she saw the same madness in his eyes.

He dropped the partially eaten cookie to the plate and took her face in his hands with an urgent roughness. "Taste."

The simple word suggested so much, and once again her eyes drifted closed and she lost herself to her heightened senses.

They had kissed many times, gentle, rough, slow, hungry, but never had she tasted the essence of him. This was magic pure and simple.

It didn't take long for their hands to pull and tug at each other's clothes, to fall naked on the bed, to join with an urgency that had their hands locked together as tightly as their bodies. And to ride as one on a wave of pleasure that had them both crying out as they burst in a sudden climax that shuddered and trembled their bodies over and over and over again.

Dagon moved slowly off her and collapsed on his back beside her, his breathing still labored.

Sarina sighed with the pleasure only a good climax can bring and lay contented, her body much too relaxed to move a muscle. "I should bring you cookies more often," she said teasingly.

His breathing having calmed, he said, "Dear heart, you can bring me cookies any time."

She laughed and turned on her side, her hand reaching out to rub his stomach. "You may get fat."

He shook his head with a laugh. "I'll make certain to get plenty of exercise."

They continued to tease and taunt each other until their playful antics once again aroused them, and once again they joined together forgetting the world existed, forgetting everything but the magical moment they shared.

Ali was teary-eyed when she hugged Sarina good-bye the next day, and it was with reluctance that she quit hugging Dagon. She had said a quick good-bye to Sydney at breakfast, knowing she would be home before her.

Sebastian gave Sarina a kiss on the cheek and with a whisper reminded her that if she was ever in need of a friend he was close by. And for all to hear he said, "I can't thank you enough for helping my wife combat the kitchen."

"Just make certain she follows the recipes I gave her."

Ali smiled sweetly and said, "I think the cherry pie recipe may need extra cherries."

Dagon slapped Sebastian on the back. "At least she'll be testing that recipe at home."

Sebastian gave Dagon's hand a hardy shake. "Under strict supervision."

Ali ran her hand slowly down her husband's arm. "I like when you help me in the kitchen."

"In the car, witch," he ordered playfully, grabbing her stroking hand.

Ali shook her head. "You think he would pick a more civilized mode of travel."

Sebastian nibbled at her neck. "I don't feel civil."

Ali's eyes sparkled as she issued orders to the driver to take his time.

With promises that Dagon would visit with them soon and waves and kisses thrown, Sebastian and Ali

finally departed.

"I'm going to miss them," Sarina said, climbing the stone stairs to the castle.

"Ali has a way of staying on your mind and in your heart, and I must admit I find Sebastian a closer

friend than I had expected." He took her hand as they climbed the last few remaining steps to the front door, and she accepted it gratefully. She was uncertain of how much time they would have together, and she wanted to make certain she enjoyed every minute with him. "What would you like to do today?" he asked her as they entered the castle. Bernard closed the door behind them, and she held her tongue until they walked into the small receiving parlor. "What of my work?" He answered with patience and not a bit of annoyance. "We need time together, Sarina. Time to know each other and time to know what we want from each other. Will you share that time with me?"

"With pleasure," she said without hesitancy.

"Good, then I repeat, what would you like to do today?"

She didn't need to give his question thought-she knew. "Gather the pine and cones to make the wreaths and swags for the Winter Solstice."

"And a tree for Christmas," he added with excitement.

She grew just as excited. "A big one?"

"As big as you want."

She laughed and threw her arms around his neck, giving him a big sloppy kiss, which he eagerly accepted. "This will be a wonderful holiday season."

"The best," he agreed. And the first of many. He kept his thoughts to himself, though they were more of a promise to himself. He knew of only one way to make her understand how much he loved her, how he ached to spend the rest of his life with her, how he wanted her and her alone as a lifemate. And he would help her rid herself of whatever spell was cast upon her, and if that were not possible he would love her for who she was forever and always. But for now they would laugh and love and live and not worry about the future.

"Go change into something warm and suitable for the woods while I do the same."

She deposited a hasty kiss on his lips and warned, "Don't be long. I'll meet you out by the mermaid pond."

"I'll be waiting," he said and rushed past her.

"No fair," she called out and hurried after him.

Dagon turned the corner of the castle and rushed to the pond, seeing Sarina approach. She laughed as she tried to outrace him, and he grinned at the enticing picture she presented.

Ribbed black tights hugged her slim legs, and black boots rode up to her knees. A knit gray turtleneck sweater fell over her slender hips. A dark gray wool jacket dotted with silver stars topped the sweater, the two star b.u.t.tons being left undone. She had tucked her dark hair beneath a silver knit hat, a wisp of bangs falling over her forehead and along her temples.

He in turn had chosen black jeans, black turtleneck, and a heavy gray wool slipover sweater that served him as well as a jacket. They seemed almost a matching pair, and he liked the thought.

He caught her up in his arms as she rushed at him, and they laughed like a young couple in love and hurried off down the path to the woods, hand in hand, their gaiety a delightful tinkle in the air.

Sydney watched from the window in her room with concern. Time was drawing near, and she could do nothing more to prevent the collision that was certain to take place.

Nothing except offer a cast of protection.

She raised her hands up, drawing a circle with her fingers around the couple in the distance. "Love surround them with your faith; keep their hearts forever safe; unite their souls to form one; and let no one prevent what I have begun."

Twenty-six.

Dagon bundled together the batch of pine branches they had gathered while Sarina scouted the nearby trees for just the right size pinecones. She glanced up at the tall pine trees. She had explained that different sizes were needed in the decorating of wreaths and swags. The proper size pinecones and the plump red berries are what gave the wreath character.

Sarina stared at the tall pine with graduating branches that bore a plethora of pinecones and announced, "This tree has what we need." Dagon looked up, noticing the sky had darkened considerably since they had left the castle almost two hours ago, and the brisk wind had grown tempestuous. "We best hurry. The weather is about to turn dreadful."

She quickly hurried to his side and draped her arms around his neck. "All ready."

"For what?" he asked, though he understood what she expected.

"For you to take me up to those high branches so I may pick the pinecones."

His arms went around her waist to hug her snugly to him. "You think I should take you with me?"