don’t have witches in my family history, or any mention of magic whatsoever. We’re just your ordinary, garden-variety humans.”
“You may not have witches that you know of,” he replied drily. “That doesn’t mean you didn’t have any. Witches have been known to conceal their true natures so they can coexist peacefully with magic-intolerant families and communities.”
He watched his last statement slam home, and her expression filled with dismay. “But why me? Why now?”
He shrugged. “I don’t think anybody knows. Everyone’s different. Sometimes witches manifest early, from the time they’re toddlers. Some come into their Power when they hit puberty. Others come into it later in life through personal trauma, like the death of a spouse or child, or a strong life shift like menopause.”
“But what about the old family dynasties in the witches demesne—in Louisville, right?” she asked. “They seem to have witches in every generation, or at least that’s what I’ve read.”
“Those families have carefully married and bred to strengthen their magical aptitude, but that isn’t any guarantee. Sometimes even the most Powerful families in the witches demesne can produce null offspring.” After pausing, he continued more slowly, “I didn’t have any history of known witches in my family either, but many years ago I was in an accident that put me into a coma for two weeks. When I came out of it, I was permanently changed.”
She dug the heels of her hands into her eyes. “Is there any way to stop this?” she asked. “Any way to turn it off?”
He laughed, genuinely amused. “Of course not. Why on earth would you want to?”
“Maybe because it’s scary as hell?” she retorted. “I don’t want to blow fuses or have my car break down randomly, or possibly hurt someone without meaning to.”
He sobered. “No, definitely not. You don’t want to hurt someone by accident. Everything you do, you want to do with intention.”
She looked more spooked than ever. “But I don’t understand what’s really happening or how to control it.” Her voice rose. “I know nothing. This is the first time anyone has said anything to me about any of this!”
“In some ways you’re a blank slate,” he murmured as he studied her with an assessing gaze. While discovering her had been a massive inconvenience, maybe he could make it work to his advantage. “You’re coming into so much magic it radiates out of you. You’re going to be a very Powerful witch. The only way you can hope to control it is through training.”
“Training.” She leaned forward. “What kind of training?”
The intense kind that reshapes your life. He thought it, but he didn’t say it.
Instead, he replied, “Practice, technique, and spellwork will help you gain control over your own Power. How long that takes is up to you. If you’re dedicated and focused, it will happen quicker.” His gaze narrowed as he considered the idea that had occurred to him. Unlike the other surprises, this one was not entirely unwelcome. “I could teach you.”
“You could?” She looked even more astonished.
He poked harder at the idea. He hadn’t planned on taking a student, and in many ways, it would be a hindrance to his goals, but with the kind of uncontrolled Power she was radiating right now, she was like a human Chernobyl. Unless she gained control over herself, she was going to draw unwanted attention to the area—attention he wasn’t yet ready to face.
“Think of everything we could do.” He studied her as he calculated this new turn of events. “Together, we could become a major force on the Eastern Seaboard if we wanted to—we’d be right up there with the Lord of the Wyr or the Elven High Lord.”
She coughed out a disbelieving laugh. “Become a major force on the Eastern Seaboard? Where the hell did that come from?”
His eyelids lowered to hide his expression. “I have ambitions.”
She shook her head. “My life is in shambles right now. This is too much to take in all at once. I didn’t ask for any of it.”
“You may not have asked for it, but you’ve got it.” He took hold of her hand and gripped her fingers. “With my training and guidance, there’s no limit to what you can do. Doesn’t that appeal to you on some level? Think of it—really take a moment and think.”
She hesitated, clearly snared by his words, and her gaze focused on their hands again.
Turning his voice deep and seductive, he said softly, “You want revenge against your husband for what he did to