Phoenixash: A Reverse Harem Romance (The Rogue Witch Book 4)

by KT Strange

  “I’m going with you,” Elias said. Max raised one eyebrow at him.

  “Oh, you think?”

  “I think you don’t have a choice,” Eli answered her quickly, glancing at each one of us. “She needs one of us with her. To look for hunters. She doesn’t know what to look for, yet, anyway.”

  “Yeah, um, but,” Darcy piped up, “one small problem. You don’t go to our university, and you’re not living in our dorm.”

  Eli wasn’t going to be deterred by those small details however. He gazed steadily at Max, and, as if he’d planned this all along, he said,

  “Well that’s all right. Craig stayed over night with you, right? Just say I’m your boyfriend.”

  Seven

  Darcy

  I had no right to be mad at Eli, but I was. Max was my friend, and him, pretending at being her boyfriend? It was doing something to me. A ‘not good’ kind of something. But what was I supposed to say? He was the one pack member that had withdrawn from me the most, and Max did need protection if she was going to go back to school. So I let them go, buttoned up my feelings, and when Ace dogged my steps around the jam-space, I pretended like everything was fine.

  It helped that immediately I had something to distract myself with: the guys had talked to Chelsea, who’d talked to this Wolfe vampire, who’d agreed to come to Seattle to teach me in the jam space where he would be under the comforting glare of four pairs of werewolf eyes at all times.

  At least Eli wouldn’t be around much to be an asshole to my new magic teacher, since he was determined to stay by Max for a bit.

  “Have you heard from Eli?” I asked, looking up from my phone. Max had texted me when they’d gotten in, safe, avoiding any hunters that’d been camping out. What really scared me was that they knew. They knew she had survived. They’d lost a member of their merry band of murderers, and still knew to watch her dorm. I shivered at the thought of them getting her, but then, the way she’d taken out the guy made me wonder if she couldn’t handle herself.

  Things were off kilter with us, given her short texts and absence of usual happy emojis, but I got it. She needed space to figure this out. I couldn’t help feeling like she’d been catapulted from my side kick to the center of her own story, but for the most dangerous and wrong reasons.

  “Finn?” I nudged him. We were curled up on one of the couches, the sound of Charlie plucking at his guitar filtering through the air near the practice area. Ace stood at the kitchenette, cleaning up after dinner. “Finn?” I asked again.

  “Huh?” Finn lifted his head from his phone, and smiled when he realized I’d been talking to him. “Sorry, doll, didn’t mean to ignore you.” He dropped his phone and pulled me into his arms. “Just texting my brother. He’s bedding down for the night in your bed, and I think the scent is making him grumpy.”

  My cheeks were pink, I knew it, from how much they tingled.

  “Oh really?” I asked, and he booped my nose with one finger, a wicked grin on his face.

  “What, you think your scent doesn’t drive us crazy? He’s all the way over in your dorm room, and I’ve got you here, all to myself,” his voice dropped to a whisper that had my belly warming.

  “You gotta share her, asshole,” Cash called from across the jam space, where he was changing out the skins on his drum kit. Things were uncertain with the label, with our lives, but the music still had to go on. In response, Finn growled at Cash and snuggled me tighter until I squeaked. He loosened his hold enough so that I could breathe, and I let my head rest on his shoulder.

  “You doing okay?” Finn let his hands drag up and down my arms, his fingers running along the delicate bones of my wrists. He always knew. Mind-reading jerk.

  “Just feeling weird? Everything’s just too much right now. It feels like one more thing is going to happen and I’m going to collapse from it, you know? Like my legs are gonna give out.” It was such a relief to be honest with him. The touch of his hands on my arms was comforting, and I felt safe in his embrace. I let my eyes drift closed.

  "You won't," he promised. "You're stronger than that. But if it gets too much, all you gotta do is tell me, or one of the other guys. We're in this together, and you don't ever have to carry the load on your own."

  The offer was sweet, but in a way he was wrong. None of them could learn how to cast magic for me. That was one battle I was on my own for. Still, I didn't correct him. His arms were comforting, and I needed to rest... and not think about Eli, going to sleep in my bunk bed, a few feet away from Max. We'd all toured together, so why was the thought of them alone, bugging me so much? Max was my best friend. She'd never, not in a million years, make a move on one of my guys. I trusted her with my life, including my love life. A few minutes later, Finn nudged me.

  "Huh?" I lifted my head off his shoulder. The lights in the jam space were off, and the noises of the boys getting settled behind the partition wall floated over to us.

  "You fell asleep," Finn said, and sat up. "C'mon. Bed-time." A yawn nearly unhinged my jaw.

  "Right."

  "Big day tomorrow. Fangs comes to teach you how to toss around lightning, so let's get an early night, yeah?" Finn helped me to my feet and I followed him back to the sleeping area of the jam space. Ace was already out, sprawled on his stomach, his face buried in the crook of his arm. Cash flashed me a grin as he came out of the bathroom, brushing his fingers over my shoulder as he passed by.

  "All yours, sweetness," he said, as he sauntered in nothing but a pair of boxer shorts to where the two king-sized mattresses were shoved together on the floor. It might've been humble, but that bed was a symbol of how close the guys were, and that I had a place with them. I slipped between the sheets a few minutes later, bedding down in the middle between Cash and Finn. Their bodies were warm, and they shifted to make space for me, Charlie passing me a better pillow when I punched mine a few times.

  "You good?" Cash's voice was hushed, trying not to disturb Ace, although the younger wolf was breathing heavily and probably wouldn't wake unless he was elbowed.

  "So good," I said, squirming down under the layers of blankets with a happy sigh. The warmth of the guys surrounded me, their nearness a comfort, and I put the arrival of my magic instructor out of my mind so I could sleep.

  Heat flooded along my neck. That was the first sensation that brought me into wakefulness. I cracked my eyes open, and realized Cash was licking up the side of my throat, planting kisses every inch or so.

  "Morning," he said. I squirmed and rolled over to face him. Light was streaming in through the clerestory windows, falling on the planes of his face. No wonder I was warm. Behind me, Finn sat up and yawned. His hand came down on the rise of my hip, patting me.

  "Morning assholes, sweetheart. Where's Ace?" Finn slipped out from under the covers.

  "Making coffee for you guys, and breakfast, and stuff," Ace called, as the tap turned on.

  "Why you gotta get her out of bed?" Cash complained, grabbing me up in his arms and pulling me down on top of him. The warm, firm length of his body made up for the way the blankets tangled around my legs.

  "Hey," I protested, but it was half-hearted at best. This was where I wanted to be, really. The bed was safe. Cash's hands stroked down my back and up again, tugging at the sleep shirt I was wearing. I sighed and leaned in to a slow kiss with him. A third hand, flirted across the bare skin of my lower back, and when I pulled away I saw Charlie laying there, one eye cracked open as he watched us.

  "You mind?" Cash asked him.

  "Not at all," Charlie said with a grin. Cash grunted and tugged me away, sitting up. I gave him a kiss before escaping his grip and scooting to the bathroom. I heard him grousing with Charlie, their banter making my heart feel warm. Breakfast disappeared, even with Eli gone, food still vanished fast in front of four hungry werewolves. Charlie had dried the last dish as a knock came on the door.

  "Hey," a muffled, strange voice said. "Let me in. I'm dying out here." My boys exchanged looks, their shou
lders suddenly tense.

  "Darcy," Cash said, giving me a gentle push to stand behind Ace, closest to the back of the room. Finn approached the door, his shoulders set.

  "Hello? I can smell you in there, fur-faces," the voice said again. It was accented. That's why it sounded strange. Finn flipped the lock and opened the door. Immediately a man, easily as tall as Finn, stumbled into the room, a long trench coat hauled up over his head. Finn jerked back.

  "Alright, alright, there son, took you long enough," the man said, yanking the trench coat down from covering his head. He had dark brown hair that almost touched the collar of his coat. He shook himself off, casting a glance behind him. "Bloody fucking sun, cheerful as all get out, making everyone's lives miserable. This is the West Coast. I picked it because of the munting clouds." He leaned out the door. "Turn yourself off, already, you dozy butter ball!" When he turned back, his gaze flitted between all of us. "What?"

  "Oh my god, he's undead and he's looney tunes," Charlie murmured under his breath. Finn made a low noise.

  "I'm going to kill Chelsea," he said before sighing. "Wolfe, right?"

  "I know you are, but what am I?" The man answered with a wide grin. Even from across the room I could see the hint of his fangs. My magic teacher was English. And apparently had a ridiculous sense of humor. When Finn didn't laugh at the joke, Wolfe's eyes skipped over to me, and an appraising look crossed his face. "There she is, the witch of the hour." He pushed past Finn, who stumbled back as if he'd been shoved, and looking more than a little shocked. Cash bristled as Wolfe approached.

  I knew Chelsea wouldn't let me down though. This guy was as safe as a blood-sucker could be. He stopped right in front of me, ignoring the way my wolf-pack stared him down. He stooped; he was lanky more than muscular under that trench coat, and he looked me straight in the eyes. For a moment I felt like he was evaluating me and I inhaled, the feeling of something pulling inside me, that sensation turning into a rough tug.

  My hands came up against my will, and electricity shot out, crackling in the air. A loud pop made me wince and jerk back, as the lightning stopped still in mid air, flattening and pooling in front of Wolfe's face, circling slowly like it had hit a solid surface and turned liquid. My breath stuttered in my lungs. He snapped his fingers and my hands dropped, the lightning dissipating in a puff of sparks.

  I wanted to swear, but not wanting that to happen again, I stood there quiet.

  "You'll do alright, I think," Wolfe said, bringing his hand up to stroke his chin. "Excellent. Anyone got some gin?"

  "Really?" I glanced at Finn when he spoke, who was standing at the door still.

  "Yes, spirits, you know, excellent for conducting magic. A little nip now and then never hurt anyone," Wolfe said, turning to smile at Finn. "I like to cut mine with a bit of blood, but I wasn't certain my pupil would appreciate that. In the absence, I will take tomato juice. It doesn't even look the same, but I like to pretend."

  "Definitely going to murder Chelsea," Finn said. "We're not here to give you booze, man., Just teach her what she needs to know and we'll thank you for it."

  "Besides I'm not supposed to drink and cast," I said, finding my voice.

  "Oh, so she speaks. I can hear it in your words my dear, such power, it's almost musical, but on in the same way these flea-bags are," Wolfe said with a jerk of his head toward my boys, who'd moved to semi-circle around him.

  "I thought you liked wolves," I said, because the way he was talking down to them made me question what Chelsea had told us, and the sort of awe-inspired way some of the guys had spoken about Wolfe, like he was something out of legend.

  "Love 'em to pieces, I'd have myself a few hundred if I had the space for them to run around. Which... come to think of, I do, so perhaps I should start collecting." He tossed a look over his shoulder at the guys. "Will you be my second, then?" he asked, although what that meant, I had no idea.

  "So," I said, changing the subject, because I could sense the guys were getting twitchy. "How do we start? It felt like you were pulling my magic out of me. That's never happened before."

  "You mean that's never happened that you've known of," Wolfe corrected me, although his tone was kind. Up close, his eyes were on the green side of hazel. "Chelsea advised me that you've been tossing around lightning like peanuts at happy hour, although she said you couldn't control it. That's your power being yanked from you.” He beckoned and I stepped closer. “If the audience would take their seats, we can begin.” He gazed at me steadily. “I am going to pull and yank at that lightning inside of you, little girl, until you learn how to stop me. That will be our first step into making sure you stop frying anything that jumps out and shouts ‘boo’. Shall we start?”

  With an uncertain smile at my guys as they went to the couch slowly, watching us with equal unease, I nodded at Wolfe.

  “Okay,” I said. “I’m ready.”

  The next few hours of my life would prove what a huge lie that was.

  Eight

  Darcy

  Everything’s quiet. Max is working on some project for her internship. Tell Finn I said hello.

  I stared down at the text message from Eli before pushing open the door to XOhX’s office. My whole body felt like it had gone through a meat grinder after being left to soak in a hot-tub for way too long. My first ‘magic lesson’, or whatever Wolfe had called it before he’d minced out of the jam space around midnight, had absolutely shattered me.

  Ugh. I was even thinking like Wolfe spoke. The guy had somehow managed to get under my skin, literally and figuratively. I felt like I was undone. Over and over, he'd dragged my magic out of me, no matter how hard I'd tried to resist. By the end of it my guys were watching me with wide eyes, and Finn muttered that if it had gone on much longer he'd have called it torture.

  "Hey, Darcy!" A familiar voice made me jerk my head up. Shara stuck her head out of the downstairs studio door and waved at me. I hadn't seen her in what felt like forever. Tour was like that. One day felt like a week, and a week like a month.

  "Hey, how are you?" I asked as she ran to me and wrapped me up in a big hug. I squeaked at the fierceness of her embrace and she laughed.

  "You look so good. So, uh, you and Finn Gunner huh?" She raised an eyebrow at me and shook her head although she was grinning. "No playing the company trombone, didn't you know that?"

  "Uh, what?"

  She laughed more at my confused expression.

  "Just screwing with you. That's cute. You guys make an adorable couple. So how is he after the whole..." She waved her hands around in the air. I coughed.

  "Well, things are okay. The guys are writing more, I guess—”

  "Did they really have a blow up? I heard he and Aaron nearly went at it. Was it because of you? I thought he was bumping uglies with Chelsea. Oh shit, I love drama, and I'm off tour for a few months cause my older sister is having her third kid and I need to be there to help out or so my mom says."

  I lifted up a hand to stop her verbal barrage and shook my head.

  "They just had a disagreement about stuff, and it got heated enough we had to head back," I explained. "Definitely not me. I wasn't playing some sort of inter-band Yoko or anything." Shara nodded then punched me gently in the shoulder. "Well that's good. I'm gonna head back into the sesh. Troy's letting me shadow him. He's so amazing, like he knows his shit around the studio and what hits the sweet spot on each track, it's unreal." She gave a dip and bop of her head and disappeared into the studio before I could even get another word in. It had been nice to see her, but my stomach gave an unpleasant squeeze. Was my more public relationship with Finn going to put pressure on the band, and on me, at the label? Already Phoenixcry seemed to be the redheaded stepchildren at XOhX and having rumors of a hookup between the lead singer and their tour manager was going to make us all look bad.

  With those swampy thoughts dragging me down, I schlepped up the stairs and onto the production floor. My desk had probably been used by five other people while
I'd been on tour, but it was clean at least when I got to it. With a sigh, I collapsed into the chair and set up my laptop for a day of work.

  My focus had to be on Milen and my new project I was working on. Not my magic. At least because of my lesson with Wolfe draining me of power there was no way I was going to spark up, not even if someone jumped me from behind. My body was wrung out like a dry sponge.

  That fact came into handy once I was immersed in my email and someone set down something at the end of my desk, startling me. My chair creaked as I sat up straight.

  "Darcy Llewellyn, long time no see," Jake Tupper said, drawing out the syllables of my name. A groan nearly escaped my lips. The guy could not take a hint. Not even after I'd nearly fried him, but then Chelsea did say she was going to bork his memories like she’d done to Max… had it been that effective? I spun my chair around. There he was, in ripped, faded stone-washed jeans, a deep v-neck shirt that clung to muscles in his chest, and his hair was artfully styled. He was so many womens' wet-dreams. I wanted to throw a drink in his face. Then fry his ass.

  I glanced down at the end of my desk.

  Another. Fucking. Cactus.

  "What's that?" I asked. He grinned.

  "I saw someone got rid of the present I brought you, so," he gestured to the plant. I didn't know what to say. Well, that was a lie. I knew what to say. I didn't want to say thank you. He hadn't done anything, ever, to earn my thanks. The guy had tried to hurt me, had harassed me endlessly, and never took no for an answer.

  But there he was, putting himself in my path, forcing me into a position of being nice to him because if I didn't appreciate the gift then he could go around and call me a bitch or something along those lines behind my back. As far as anyone would know, he was right. He was the big indie star. I was the no-name tour manager intern who was fucking a lead singer.