Scaredy Kat Read online

  “I’m going to make love to you, darling Katrina,” Gareth said against the flat, toned skin of her tummy. Blowing a hot breath into her navel, he watched her shiver.

  With his tongue, he continued its downward path to the juncture of her thighs. Gareth pressed his mouth against the mound of her pussy before he pulled off the thin piece of cloth that barred her from his lips. With that barrier gone, he spread her legs while she stood in the soft grass that grew beneath the tree. He was free to let his tongue slip between the soft lips that held her sex. Her tiny moans filled his ears, and her fingers dug into his thick hair, pulled him tighter against her pussy. The little flicks of his tongue lashed against her clit, and when he sucked on the bud of her sex, he felt Katrina shake. Her cries of ecstasy filled the air.

  Her hips bucked under the onslaught of his mouth. “Gareth, please! I want more. I want to feel more!”

  Her passionate plea and the way she spread her legs wider for him to have more of her snapped what little control Gareth had left. With an animalistic growl, he lifted her off her feet until her legs were on his shoulders and her back was against the soft moss of the tree. With her pussy pressed against his face, Gareth slipped his tongue inside her, and Katrina ground against his seeking mouth. He reached around and cupped her buttocks, massaged the rounded muscles while he lapped at her womanly flesh. His hands slid around from behind to slip his thumb inside her moist center, dipping in it deeper each time as he sucked at her flesh. Katrina screamed in ecstasy and bucked as orgasm after orgasm rocked her Gareth let her legs slide to the soft ground, freed his cock quickly, wrapped her legs around his waist, and plunged himself inside her. He filled her with his turgid length and pounded his body into her warm crevice.

  “You are so hot and tight around me!” he groaned against her naked breast before taking one nipple deep in his mouth. Katrina cried out, and her sweet cream flowed around his cock. They moved in a frenzied race to completion. His fingers dug into the soft skin of her thighs while his thick cock stretched her and her back rubbed against the back of the tree.

  “By the goddess, you take all of me, Katrina, every last inch!” He punctuated every word with a thrust into her body.

  Her body clenched around him, and she screamed his name as she came once again. This time Gareth was with her groaning her name against her chest over and over again. Because his legs could no longer hold him up, he slid to the ground with his cock still buried inside her and holding her to him.

  He caressed her naked body and whispered, “I love you, I love you Katrina, with everything in me. I shall never love anyone else.”

  She in turn touched and ran her hands all over him, memorizing each contour of muscle formed under skin, but still she did not echo his words of love.

  Gareth pulled away and looked into her eyes. “Why do you not speak, Katrina? Do you not love me?”

  “I don’t know, Gareth. I care for you deeply in only a few short days but how can we have a love when I must leave soon. You will be here and I will be at home. Even if I did love you, it is doomed.”

  “Even so, I cannot deny my heart, Katrina.”

  “Gareth, men are not so open to love in my time. They don’t talk like you do or share feelings like you do. They are not so quick to shout their love to the world. I do not know how I should take it.” Kat slid off him and began to dress.

  Gareth felt the loss of the intimate contact between them immediately. Not caring about his state of half dress, he turned her to him. He felt the flame of his anger start to simmer. “Then maybe the men in your world, your time, are just boys who play at men’s games. The thought of you being there with them trying to covet you makes my blood boil.”

  “No one wants me there. You are the first man in my life for a long time,” Kat said and then kissed his lips. “Please let’s not ruin this. Let’s not fight. I want your last thoughts of us to be happy ones.”

  He kissed her again and tried to let his anger fade. She could not profess her love and that hurt more than anything he could think of. They would fight the battle and then he would talk to her convince her that she should stay in this realm with him. They would be together. He would make sure of it. While they held hands, he lifted the veil of vines that he had created to expose them to the outside once again. They walked back to the encampment where the people of Herion were preparing to fight a battle that would determine their fate. Gareth kept her close beside him even as the fairies lowered the barrier and they rode out into the darkness to meet their destiny. This would be the day that good and evil would collide. Gareth had a look of determination on his face. This was not a battle he intended to lose.

  Chapter Nine

  Each step away from the natural light of the mountains protected by magic into the darkness encompassed the city of Herion, Katrina felt a sliver of fear run through her. Some of the men were on horseback and some walked but everyone was on guard. She could see Gareth’s demeanor change. The passionate lover with soft caresses was gone. Now the warlock took his place, a warrior ready to fight to the end for his people. The plan was simple. When they met resistance from the demon’s Genesis would have waiting in the shadows to attack, King Arturious and Leto would break off with the soldiers and village people who had taken up arms to try to take back their city. It would be up to Gareth and Kat to get to the castle, face Genesis and try to reclaim the Gem of Chale.

  As they moved slowly through the gates to the abandoned city, Kat saw Gareth raise his hand to give the signal for the men to stop. Something had raised an alarm in him and she felt it in her as well. Eyes were watching unseen and she could catch the faint sounds of things scuttling around in the shadows of the houses and in the alleys between them. Then the faint snicker of malevolent laughter came from somewhere beside or behind them. Kat heard sword being drawn from their sheaths with a metallic whispers, and the gleam of light that came from the blade of the swords being charmed broke some of the darkness.

  “Move cautiously, your highness. Leto, protect the king at all cost.” Gareth’s voice was low.

  “Do not trouble yourself with me, warlock, I long for a battle! You get to the castle and take back what belongs rightfully to Herion and its people!”

  Before the words were out of his mouth, the demon things surged from the darkened corners and their hiding places between the rotting corpses that littered the streets.

  “Go, Gareth, go!”

  Kat whirled around when the king’s voice urged his warlock on and, with a fierce cry, urged his people into battle with the minions of the dark.

  Gareth grabbed the reins of her horse and tried to ride through the throng of demons pouring out at them. The horses neighed in terror and reared, and Kat was almost unseated from her place on top of her animal. She wrapped her arms around the horse’s neck and pressed against it. If she fell into the mass of demons trying to get them off their mounts, she’d be dead before she hit the ground.

  “We won’t be able to get through!” she cried out to Gareth. She felt the demon’s talons pull at her feet. Luckily, the thick material of her jeans and leather boots stopped their deadly claws from getting to her skin.

  All around them were screams from the demon things as strikes from the charmed swords melted their grotesque skin and bones into puddles of ooze. They were mixed with the screams of soldiers as well when the demons sank their teeth and claws into flesh. The sound was horrifying to Kat’s ears as she looked around at the carnage taking place and held on for dear life to her horse.

  Gareth threw out a ball of pure energy around them that killed the demons surrounding Katrina and he. The things could not even run as the light went through them and left a puddle of black sludge where each of them stood. With the resistance around them gone, Kat was able to move her horse over to Gareth, who was turning his back to go help the others in battle.

  “Gareth, no, we have to get to Genesis! Stopping him stops these things!” she cried out. She could see the hesitation in him a
s every nerve cried out for him to protect his people, his king. “You know it’s the only way. Come on!”

  Gareth turned his horse back to her and together they rode through the empty dark streets to the castle. The few demons that blocked their way were easily dispatched by Gareth, who slashed them with his sword as they rode furiously toward the tall tower that pointed like a beacon into the sky. At the castle, everything was suspiciously quiet. The only sounds they could hear were from the distant battle they had left behind. No breeze blew and nothing came out them as they dismounted and moved cautiously up the stone steps. The huge doors that led to the main hall creaked open with just a slight push from Gareth. The noise of them creaking open echoed throughout the massive throne room. Katrina looked around as they stepped into the castle. Everything was shrouded in darkness even though there were a few torches lit to . Katrina could barely make of the tapestry that carried the Herion coat of arms hanging over the king’s throne.

  “This was probably a beautiful place before it was steeped in darkness,” Katrina murmured.

  “It was magnificent and it will be again.” Gareth’s voice was low as they moved into the center of the room. “We must find the gem and cleanse it.”

  A voice broke the silence in the main hall. “No need to go any farther, warlock. Here it is.”

  Two sets of eyes looked up to the top of the staircase. There Kat saw Genesis standing. He dangled the gem from his hand on the silver chain that held it.

  Katrina stared at the evil sorcerer who held this realm captive. He was tall and rail thin, but the power and evil that emanated from him was palpable in the large room. His eyes seem to glow as he held the gem. Katrina focused her gaze on the gem. The black power inside it was almost complete. There was only a thin ring of green around the edges. If they did not get to it to cleanse it soon, nothing would be able to stop Genesis and his evil.

  “So who is the beauty with you, warlock? She is not of Herion; I felt the portal open and her magic come through. I’ll have to use her to break the veil between our worlds when I destroy you.”

  “You will not be able to lay your filth on her!” Gareth snarled. Katrina could hear the fury in his voice when he looked up at Genesis.

  “I will do as I please, warlock. After all, you will be dead!” The nonchalance in Genesis’s voice proved how much he believed in his power. “Let us end this, warlock, once and for all.”

  With those words, Katrina watched as the sorcerer sent a ball of pure evil energy from his hands at them. Gareth pushed her to once side while he dived in the other direction to evade his attack. Katrina hit the stone floor with a hard thud, and she felt the jarring pain throughout her body. By the time she had slowly gotten to her knees, the two magical men were embroiled in battle. Genesis brought his sword up, and it was met with Gareth’s charmed sword with such force that sparks flew. As they thrust and parried, Katrina could not help but marvel at how skilled both were with their swords. They moved and met each other in a deadly dance as blade clashed with blade, each man trying to gain the upper hand. All the while, the Gem of Chale hung from the chain that Genesis had wrapped around his wrist, and the power that was now corrupted fueled his strength and gave him the advantage in the battle. She knew the role set for her in this was to cleanse the gem, but she could not stand by and let Gareth fight alone. She got to her feet and closed her eyes, letting the power inside her build until she could feel in her entire body.

  “Katrina, no!” Gareth cried out as he blocked another swipe of Genesis’s sword. But Kat was already rushing forward toward the two men fighting. She reached up, placed her hands on the temples of the dark Lord, and let her magic infuse his mind. His scream of anguish pierced the entire castle and he flung her off him as if she was a cloak he was dropping to the floor. Kat landed against the hard stone floor once again, but what she had done caused Genesis’s knees to buckle. He dropped his sword, and Gareth was able to rip the gem from around his wrist and throw it to Kat. She caught it easily, and as Genesis moved to rush at her, Gareth held him in a magical hold he formed quickly.

  “Do it, Katrina! I won’t be able to hold him for long.”

  Gareth words were strained, and she could see the sweat form on his brow from the effort to hold Genesis. Kat held the gem in her hand and watched the black mist swirl through it. She took a breath and closed her eyes, focusing her power onto the Gem in her hand. She felt the darkness inside it trying to pull her in and she opened her eyes in fear. Her gaze met Gareth’s and even though he was using all he had to hold his nemesis, the love that was in his eyes was directed at her.

  “Do not doubt yourself, my love, you can do this. You have the power. Trust yourself.”

  She nodded and closed her eyes once again, letting the energy inside her build and grow as she concentrated. The air crackled around them with the unseen force inside her and the gem began to glow in her hand. The power built and slowly the dark core that ate at the gem moved back.

  Genesis broke free of Gareth’s hold and rushed toward Kat with a snarl on his lips and deadly intent in his eyes. Before he could touch her, she opened her eyes and the gem’s glow became a beam of light that cut through the darkness and Genesis. His scream of rage, pain, and horror filled the air and he was hit by the pure light. His body shuddered and he fell to his knee, holding onto his body as the light cut through him, tearing him apart. His last cry of outrage and pain echoed against the walls when the light that filled him burst free. The light was so bright that it caused Gareth and Kat to cover their eyes as it expanded outward. By the time the light had dissipated and they could look, Genesis was no more, and they stood in the throne room alone. Another thing had changed. The perpetual darkness that Genesis had created was gone. A look at a sky once again blue proved that his darkness was gone from Herion for good.

  Katrina leaned into Gareth’s embrace as he pulled her to him and kissed her passionately. “I am grateful to you, my love; you have given us back our world.”

  She looked into Gareth’s eyes and opened her mouth to speak. Before she could, she felt a pull from behind her. Kat turned to see the nexus she had created opening to take her back to her time. It’s too soon! Nevertheless, the pentacle formed behind her and she was being pulled through regardless of wanting to go our not. Her body was sucked into the portal she had created, and Gareth held her hand tight, even though she was slipping from his grasp.

  “Katrina!” he yelled, but he could not hold on to her, the magic that created the nexus was too strong.

  As her hand slipped from his, Katrina screamed, “Gareth! I love you!”

  The portal closed and she was pulled through time back to her home, and the last thing she heard was Gareth yelling her name.

  * * * *

  Halloween night was clear and revelers young and old were out in masses in Charlotte, all except one. Kat sat at home on the sofa, looking into the clear fall sky filled with stars. It had been only a day since she saw Gareth last and her heart ached for him until it felt unbearable. How could I be so foolish not to see I loved him until the last moment? The thought rushed around in her head as she recalled their last time in the woods surrounded by magic, and even then she had been hesitant to admit her love. Now she would never get to tell him. How was he? Was Herion back to normal? Did he long for her like she did for him? Had he accepted fate and moved on to find another lover in the place he called home? There was no way to go back. She had tried. Every spell, every conjure she sent out did not work, and the doorway between their worlds remained closed.

  Mystique, in her own way, had tried to encourage her to go out and to smile, but Kat was not in the mood. She had avoided Sadie’s calls to come out to yet another Halloween party, alone. How could she go stand in a group of people who were pairing up, and want to be with anyone but the man who had her heart. She had left her heart in Gareth’s realm, the only thing she wanted to do was stay home and hand out candy to the trick-or-treaters who came to her door.


  The door bell rang. Kat got up of her seat in the sofa and went to answer the door with a sigh. At ten, she would turn off her lights to show that she was no longer handing out candy. But for now, she pasted a smile on her face and, in her witch’s hat and black gown, answered the door to entertain the little ones. Around her neck, she wore the charm that Gareth gave her.

  She opened the door, and instead of a group of costumed little children, there stood one large man in a mask. Kat heart leapt but it could not be him, he was trapped as she was in his own realm. “Aren’t you too old to be trick-or-treating?”

  He held out his, and in the middle, a single purple orchid appeared. “I came for my treat.”

  “Gareth?” Kat’s voice was filled with disbelief. She reached up to pull off his mask, revealing the emerald green eyes that she saw in her dreams. “But how can you be here? I closed the portal; I could not get back even when I tried!”