A Dangerous Witch (Wildes Witch Academy Book 2)

by Holly Ice

  He yanked the jeans out of his way, the seams stretching.

  I didn’t care if they ripped. Anything between us needed to go.

  He threw the bunched fabric to the floor and pushed aside my knickers.

  I squeezed his arse. I begged him with my eyes to make a move. I didn’t want any more foreplay. I wanted him, swelling inside me.

  And he knew it. He filled me in one strong stroke, hitting that sweet spot that set my nerves alight.

  Immediately, I felt complete, right, whole. And I needed more. I needed him deeper, closer.

  I cupped his chin and we watched each other as he thrusted again, and again.

  ‘Yes, like that. Hell, yes.’

  He stretched me, pulling just enough to flare pleasure with pain. It burned so good.

  ‘You feel amazing. You are amazing,’ I whispered. He was all mine, to keep for good. Being with him felt like home. Safe. Cared for. Protected. Fought for. Supported. Maybe even loved.

  Our slick skin slid with each push and release. I gasped air in and dug my hands into his shoulders, his arse, anything I could hold on to.

  ‘You’re so tight,’ he huffed.

  ‘Push harder. Please, Shane.’

  He increased his pace, his breath hard and heavy, hot on my shivering neck. His balls slapped against me with each thrust, and I moaned, my clit crying out as he pushed me to the edge and over.

  I tensed, riding waves of sheer bliss, the world falling away to the two of us as he pumped hard and then shuddered inside me, sucking on my neck and sending me over a second cliff.

  Our breathing matched and our hearts thumped together through our chests. My heart swelled. Damn, but even if I had to fuck him through jail cell bars, I was not missing out on that again.

  And when my hitched breathing finally slowed, all I could do was grin and hold him, the smell of our sex heavy in the air. I’d never felt so close to someone, so at home. My soul was bare to him, and he was still here, on board for the ride.

  I kissed the crook of his neck and smiled against his skin. ‘Are you still never letting me go?’

  ‘Not a chance, trouble.’

  I grinned, syrupy warmth filling me.

  * * *

  I slept through the night without any bad dreams. I credited Shane’s arms for most of it, one claiming my waist and the other under my pillow so he could nuzzle in behind me. And the rest to how much he’d worn me out. I smirked. My legs had been like pudding.

  I listened to our breaths, in sync. He’d helped me through more than anyone ever had. And he’d done it for the same reason I’d insisted he take more time off, helped him stand up to Eugene, and patch things with his dad. Because he cared. He was so sweet and kind and sexy, and I’d fallen for him. Big time.

  Shane moaned and tightened his hold on my waist. ‘Why are you moving?’

  I rubbed the crick in my neck. ‘I didn’t think you were awake.’

  ‘Mmm.’

  I smiled at his sleepy drawl and twisted to watch him, his nose half hidden in the pillow, his hair bed-ruffled, begging for my fingers to smooth it.

  But I lifted Shane’s hand off my waist. Tempting as he was, my panting and sweat last night had told me I needed to get back to dancing fitness. And that meant cardio. Lots of it.

  Shane reclaimed my waist and gripped me tight. ‘Where you going? It’s barely light.’

  ‘A run.’

  ‘Now? Why?’ He sat, not bothering to hold the covers. They pooled in his waist, revealing wonderful inches of that V. My imagination filled in the rest.

  I looked away before I decided on another kind of workout. ‘Yes, now. And because I need to stay fit.’

  He smirked and patted the bed. ‘I can help with that.’

  I rolled my eyes but laughed. ‘That’s not off the menu, trust me. After, okay?’

  ‘Give me an hour and I’ll come with you?’

  ‘That’s okay. I’ll be done by then.’

  He thumped back onto the bed, and the covers slipped, showing me his long, hard cock.

  ‘Well, I’ll be here when you get back.’

  I knew that much. Smiling, I closed the door and nodded to Inziya. ‘I’m going for a run.’

  ‘I’ll come with… oh. never mind.’ She patted my shoulder, eying Grim’s approach. ‘Enjoy your run, Perry!’

  ‘What run?’

  Inzi had already disappeared.

  I grinned. ‘This way, Grim!’

  I jogged downstairs, out the doors, then to the side of the school. A hard-packed trail meandered through the trees and around the lake. Eventually it led back to the front doors. About five kilometres, all told.

  Grim ran behind me, one of his weapons clinking, but he didn’t complain, or breathe hard, so dragging him along wasn’t as much fun as I’d thought it’d be.

  We’d lost the cold front, and at times there was a whiff of spring on the breeze, but I didn’t see much new growth yet. Though I did smell the wet earth and the edge of the Baltic wind, its bite had softened.

  I increased my pace, my mind wandering with the rhythmic thumping of my feet on the empty trail. Shane was so sweet last night, but also so strong. The way he held me, I felt like the world couldn’t touch me. Like I did when Ivy… my heart clenched. The world could touch me anywhere, it seemed.

  The memory took the edge off my glow fast. So I went over our next options. We didn’t have many. I didn’t have any way of finding where the women went with my spirit powers, but I did ken someone on the WMCF raid or in the coven had tipped off the McKees. If I touched enough of them, I might find out who… but I’d never get that kind of access.

  My step faltered, and I flung my hands out to stop myself falling flat on my face.

  The coven was having a party this weekend to celebrate Tibor’s tenth year in charge. It was all over the supernatural press. Everyone in the coven would be there, and most the influential families. That’d be the perfect time and place to brush against multiple suspects, if I got an invite. And I knew just who to ask.

  I grinned and almost flew around the rest of the course.

  Chapter 16

  Shauna, Ivy, Shane, and Inzi dropped me off at the service entrance to an imposing castle.

  I’d have brought Keller and the wider WMCF on board, but the raid proved the force had too many moles.

  The moment they sought approval for an undercover op, the relevant people would be on edge, watching for me, which defeated the point and put me at greater risk. Though more backup would’ve been reassuring.

  The resort was grand, five storeys tall with pointed turrets and a spacious courtyard which was dominated by a busty mermaid water feature, the flowers at its base carefully manicured to show at their best. Nightlights lit the scene in blues and purples.

  If they had the money, witches could do everything here from ice skate in winter to golf in summer. And the inside was even more versatile. They had an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a bar, gymnasium, snooker tables, and a fully decked-out spa. Not to mention a ballroom. How the upper class lived…

  ‘You can still back out,’ Shane said.

  Not this again.

  I’d also like to go on record to say this is a bad idea. If you’re recognised…

  Inzi is only a call away.

  And if that’s too long? These aren’t students, Bianca. They can kill you before you twitch for your phone.

  I know.

  I felt overly warm, sweating under my heavy makeup, but I had to do this.

  Shauna and Ivy had already confirmed the WMCF operation didn’t have any new leads.

  I couldn’t sit and do nothing when no one was helping those women. They weren’t just a ticket to an easier retrial, they were women like Avery. Like me. Imprisoned for no reason. They deserved my help.

  I opened my car door and blew Shane a kiss.

  His frown didn’t shift. ‘If you need me…’

  ‘I’ll call you.’

  His jaw tightened. ‘I’
ll be right outside.’

  ‘Oi! You!’

  My stomach swirled. Did they recognise me?

  Shane’s eyes widened. He ducked farther into the car, out of sight. But he’d jump out if there was trouble.

  It’d be fine. I straightened.

  I was caked in contouring makeup. Magical solutions were too easy to spot. My normally full cheeks were razor sharp cheekbones, my chin pointier, my nose thinner, and we’d darkened my foundation a few shades to go with the dark-brown wig. I looked more Mediterranean than Scottish. But my face was so recognisable after the trial…

  Moment of truth time.

  Slowly, I turned around.

  A man in a blue suit waved me over. ‘Are you done with your social life? You’re late. Servers go straight to the bar. It’s through there, on your right.’ He pointed the way.

  I blew out my breath and nodded my thanks. Inzi’s undercover makeup training had done its job.

  The bar was traditional in style, all dark, polished wood. Two bartenders stood behind it, filling litre mugs of lager, beer, or cider, and fancy glasses with cocktails.

  The female bartender’s magenta hair took me aback. With her formal suit, in an upmarket resort, her wild style seemed out of place.

  She waved and pointed to a tray of cocktail glasses already prepped for delivery, the rims dusted with sugar and sliced fruit.

  ‘Take that one into the drawing room.’

  ‘Where’s that?’

  She sighed. ‘You’re new?’ She tutted. ‘Why do they always try out the newbies on the busiest day of the year? It’s out the courtyard, through the far doors, left, left, right, and second door on your left.’

  I felt dizzy trying to hold on to those turns but repeated them back to her a few times, then again and again in my own head like a mantra as I balanced the drinks tray and struggled to open each set of doors, the cocktails threatening to overflow.

  But with only one wrong turn into a library-cum-storage room, I found the drawing room. It was dark, musty, and masculine with wood-panelled walls and an oak floor. Yet the ceiling was striking, a burst of sea blues and gold filigree.

  I jumped at a sharp zap and prickle of static electricity, raising the hair on my arms.

  Two men across the room laughed. One ran electric sparks over his fingertips like water, then blew them out one by one.

  Lovely. Rich witches were even bigger arseholes than rich humans.

  I walked in the opposite direction. Shock me and laugh at my expense, fine, but they’d be the last in the room to be offered a drink. Petty, maybe, but screw it.

  I made sure to brush against everyone I passed, touching skin wherever possible.

  So far, no visions, which was probably a good thing when I was carrying delicate glassware. I wasn’t sure if I’d drop the tray or cling to it so hard everything fell and shattered. Neither was ideal.

  My disguise passed casual inspection, but to prolonged stares while I stood, frozen in place? Aye. Whole different kind of test.

  Yay for me. The drinks were gone long before I had to circle back to the zapping chuckle idiots.

  I hurried back to the bar, hoping they’d have a different room for me this time.

  The older guy behind the bar snapped his fingers and pointed to a tray with six litres of lager.

  ‘Courtyard.’

  I nodded and ducked out of the room. At least I knew where the courtyard was.

  Six men smoked, bathed in purple light. They chatted about golf and tennis and car problems.

  If I ignored how they lit their cigarettes with magic, it could be an upper-class discussion anywhere.

  ‘Excuse me,’ I said, balancing the tray in one hand and handing out the mugs in the other, my fingers ‘accidentally’ touching each man’s hand as they took the handle.

  One touch gave me a brief flash of a man yelling at his wife and shaking her silly. He looked normal enough in the castle courtyard. His polo shirt and posh chino trousers fit in… but you never knew who had an anger problem. I hurried back to the bar.

  The pink-haired woman added the last drink to a tray and sighed. ‘You again. This one’s for the sauna. They may want fresh towels, too. You’ll find them outside the door on racks.’

  ‘A sauna?’ I raised an eyebrow.

  She shrugged. ‘Plus-ones and wives are making a girls’ weekend of it.’

  If I could… I probably would, too. ‘Okay, where is it?’

  She directed me.

  I hurried through the steps before I forgot, finding myself outside a plain door. A long rack filled with fresh white towels was mounted to the wall, a sure sign I was in the right place.

  I pushed inside and bit my lip. This makeup better be waterproof because water soaked the air.

  The closest woman pulled her towel tighter against the draught.

  I circled around.

  When my drinks tray was empty, a woman with a sharp nose told me to bring towels for everyone, stat.

  I gathered three at a time and handed them out, making sure we brushed hands or arms if we didn’t with the drinks.

  Two women didn’t touch me, and I didn’t get anything from their towels either. Trying again brought too much attention, so I memorised what they looked like, in case I came across them later on.

  Through the night, I went back and forth from the bar to various groups scattered across multiple floors and locations.

  The guests moved around frequently, enjoying the atmosphere and the fast-flowing drinks, but ten minutes before midnight, the mood changed, organisers flitting between groups to inform everyone to meet in the ballroom.

  I doubted the plus-ones would make an appearance, but most people would be there, which meant I should be, too.

  At some point they’d hung the room with fairy lights… wait, no. Those were floating orbs of flame and electric light. Workers were spaced along each wall, maintaining the lights with fresh bursts of magic.

  I mingled with the crowd.

  Perseus brought out the cake, and Tibor took his place centre stage, blushing and ducking his head to his colleagues’ and friends’ praise.

  This was the most dangerous moment for me. The coven and the most influential families all gathered in one place. They could out me at any moment.

  A few times as Tibor thanked his team of the last few years, I felt twinges from the crowd, but each time I zeroed in on someone with a fake smile, an overly enthusiastic clap, or a bitter sneer. Tibor had his enemies, like anyone in such a powerful position. Especially after my trial.

  My drinks ran out before the end of his speech, so I had to run out and come back. When I did, a man waved me over to a group gathered around a food and drinks table below the stage. The coven.

  I sucked in my breath and tried to turn away, pretend I hadn’t seen them, but one of the hangers-on yelled loud enough the witches around me heard and pointed me in their direction. Rude. But, no getting out of it now. I was about to see if my disguise survived a meeting with the people who had watched me all through my trial.

  ‘Good, drinks!’ the shouter said, taking a litre mug and guzzling almost a third of it in one go. ‘Such a good evening, Tibor.’ He clapped his shoulder and moved on, shoving past me.

  He didn’t give me pause, but three of the coven members did. The briefest glance at one sent a putrid churning through my gut. Perseus.

  He sipped at an old drink, barely touching it, and made small talk with the others.

  Nothing looked out of the ordinary, but that gut feeling was more than enough to confirm my previous suspicions about him.

  I tried to offer him another drink, but he shook his head. I’d have to get to him another way.

  Tray empty, I slid past the other two dubious coven members. Both set my hairs on end but didn’t offer a vision.

  The coven definitely had people who didn’t have the best motivations.

  Though strangely, Tibor hadn’t set me off. He didn’t like the Wildes, but he didn’t seem
to have anything to do with the McKees or the captured women. Maybe he was the reason the raid was approved at all.

  * * *

  Two hours later, I was on cleaning duty with the rest of the service workers.

  We weren’t allowed music, so it was a long, dreary affair scouting for rubbish behind tables, in flowerpots, or crumpled on the floor. And there was a lot of ground to cover.

  The ballroom door opened, and Shauna strode in.

  ‘There you are!’ she said, loud enough for everyone to hear. ‘We need you back at the house.’

  She took my arm and brought me to the bar to collect my things.

  ‘How’d it go?’ she whispered.

  ‘Mixed.’

  The pink-haired bartender put up a finger when she saw me. ‘Newbie. Hold on.’ She threw down the towel she was using to scrub the bar and took a blank envelope out of a drawer. ‘This was left for you.’

  ‘By who?’

  She shrugged. ‘Some woman. Not a regular.’

  I checked it. No sign of the sender and no name. ‘You’re sure it’s for me?’

  My gut bubbled. No one was supposed to ken I was here.

  ‘Hand-delivered. They pointed you out by eye.’ She frowned and squinted at me.

  With the brighter lights on and after I’d spent hours sweating through my makeup, she probably saw more than I wanted her to. We’d need to wrap this up.

  ‘Okay, thanks.’ I waved the envelope. ‘Maybe I’ll see you at the next event?’

  ‘Sure. Maybe.’ She threw me a second envelope. ‘There’s your pay.’ She went back to scrubbing.

  I shoved the pay in my back pocket. The first envelope was far more worrying.

  Shauna hustled me out the back doors and into her waiting car. Ivy was behind the wheel, and Shane and Inzi were in the back.

  Shane pulled me against him and squeezed the life out of me.

  He must’ve been worried stupid, trying not to text me and ask for updates. I’d be the same in his place.

  ‘I’m so glad you’re okay,’ he whispered, smoothing my hair. ‘Why didn’t you ring? We’ve been waiting to hear from you for the last hour.’