Vampire Enchanted: Real Men of Othercross

by Kyle, Celia

  As far as Thayne was concerned, there was nothing thrilling about Enchantresses. The only thing he liked about such creatures was the generous distance he kept away from them. He shuddered as he recalled his last encounter with an Enchantress, blood rising to his pallid face.

  “Not going there,” he muttered under his breath, pushing the memories to a dark corner of his mind. It was bad enough he was stuck inside an Enchantress’s shop. There was no way he’d allow one to take residence inside his head. Besides, he had more important stuff to worry about.

  The sooner he caught the thief, the sooner he could leave. Of course, it didn’t help that there wasn’t much action. After that first-year student he’d helped, only a couple more customers came into the shop, and none had been remarkable. He’d watched all of them like a hawk, noting every detail of their demeanor and mentally filing the information, but he had seen nothing suspicious. Aside from a delivery he had signed for, nothing more had happened, so the first few hours of the morning went by slowly.

  Against all odds, though, he gradually felt more at ease inside the shop. The job was easy enough, which allowed his mind to wander, and he busied himself with trying to figure out the owner. It was a female—that one didn’t take a genius to deduce—and she had to be someone roughly Sara’s age.

  She had to be hard-working too, as everything about the shop spoke of a tidy and well-organized person. Despite the funky, whimsical feel of the interior, nothing had been left to chance. The jars and bottles had been lined up symmetrically, most of the merchandise had its proper and logical place, and there wasn’t a speck of dust to be found.

  When he checked the shop’s accounting books, he wasn’t surprised to find them as orderly as the rest of the shop. No wonder the owner was anxious about catching this thief. For someone who probably prided herself on creating order out of chaos, an insidious little shoplifter had to feel like a wrecking ball.

  He stopped his analysis of the owner when he caught himself imagining what she’d look like. Enchantresses were problematic enough without anyone daydreaming about them. He didn’t want to make his life even more difficult. Besides, it wasn’t like he’d even have to see her. Ever. Sara had guaranteed him the shop owner would keep away while he did his thing, and he had no reason to believe she’d lied.

  He checked out the clock mounted on the wall and drummed his fingers against the wooden counter. Dammit. He still had an hour to kill before lunch. So, he wandered down the aisles once more, trying to imagine himself as a wily shoplifter. Clearly, he couldn’t be dealing with a human.

  Any Enchantress worth her salt would have put a watchkeeping spell over the shop if she suspected foul play. Any non-magical being would have been tripped up by the casting. Whoever was behind this had to know a thing or two about magic. That would make the thief harder to catch, sure, but it did nothing to dampen his determination. Whenever he decided he’d do something, he didn’t stop until it was done.

  Of course, that meant he’d have to keep coming back until he caught the thief. Not something he looked forward to, but he tried not to obsess about the future. He didn’t trust Enchantresses, and he sure as hell didn’t like being around them, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t focus on the task at hand.

  “What’s this?” he muttered, stopping in front of a small display case lined with charms. The display card read Blood-B-Gone and, even though he’d heard of these things, he had never actually seen one. Intended for the messy eaters of the vampire world, they were supposed to keep one tidy and clean instead of looking like a blood-soaked monster of the night.

  He was about to open the case when he heard the usual bell jingle coming from the door, indicating that another customer had just walked in. He smoothed out the front of his apron and put on his best I’m-happy-to-be-a-clerk smile. When he turned the corner, though, his smile vanished fast.

  She didn’t notice him as she walked down the center aisle, her jet-black hair drifting behind her. Her striking blue eyes were focused on some point behind the counter, and she made a straight line there.

  Shell-shocked, Thayne merely stood stock still, jaw hanging open as he took in every detail of her figure. Her tapered waist moved in the most seductive of manners, each step she took sending a shiver up his spine, and her breasts strained against the fabric of her shirt in a way that made his fingers twitch. Even though he wasn’t doing it consciously, he already imagined how it’d feel to have her skin under his fingertips.

  This was the Enchantress. No doubt in his mind. Who else would elicit such a response from him? He felt as if his body had gained a mind of its own, a maddening cocktail of hormones rushing through his bloodstream. All the self-control he prided himself on collapsed like a sandcastle under a tidal wave. The only thing he could think about was that he wanted her. Hell, it was more than that—he needed her. Desperately.

  “I’m sorry to drop by like this,” she spoke without turning to face him. She ducked under the counter and, with both hands on her hips, scanned the small shelf just beneath the counter. Her eyes widened as she found whatever she was looking for, and she picked up the package Thayne had accepted on her behalf that morning. “It’s just that I got a notification that a special delivery came in a day early, and I really need to make sure that—”

  She stopped talking once she raised her eyes. Her gaze pierced him like a spear, and it felt as if the air crackled with electricity. The package slipped from her fingers and thumped back onto the shelf.

  Don’t, he thought, the thunderous pounding of his heart making it almost impossible to hear his own thoughts. Don’t you fucking dare, Thayne.

  Before he even knew what the hell he was doing, he took one step forward. The stride was difficult at first, as though he was moving while sedated, but then all resistance faded. He was propelled forward by something he didn’t quite understand, but he didn’t care. Right then, only one thing mattered. The Enchantress…

  She didn’t remain frozen either.

  Ducking under the counter, she stepped in front of him, that same stunned expression on both of their faces, and then it happened in the blink of an eye. One moment he was lost in the deep blue of her eyes, and the next he crushed his mouth to hers.

  Without even thinking, he pushed her back until she was pinned against the counter and then parted her lips with the tip of his tongue. The warmth of her mouth was just as good as he imagined, and it took less than a second before he was as hard as he had ever been.

  With his hands firmly planted on her hips, he lifted and pushed her on top of the counter, relishing the way her breasts pressed against his chest. She seemed as driven by lust as him, and her hands quickly found their way to his waist. She got rid of the apron with one swift gesture and then yanked his shirt over his head.

  He returned the favor just as eagerly.

  He tossed her shirt over the counter and then pulled back from her so he could look at the rising curve of her breasts. Her lace bra was the only barrier between their half-naked bodies.

  Resistance was futile.

  Without saying a word, he picked her up, walked around the counter, and carried her straight into the cramped stockroom. Closing the door with the heel of his boot, he went right back to kissing her, enjoying the way her fingers moved over his naked torso. Her fingertips glided over the ridges and grooves of his abs, and soon enough he heard the metallic clink of his belt as it loosened around his waist.

  “What the hell are we doing?” he whispered against her lips. A sliver of rationality pierced the fog on his mind, but his hands didn’t seem to share his confusion. He pressed one hand right between her legs, forcing a quivering moan up her throat.

  “Oh, shut up,” she threw back at him, swaying her hips so she ground against his palm. He melted into her without another word, happy to obey, and got busy with peeling her jeans down her legs. His mind almost snapped as he glanced down her body, her underwear leaving little to the imagination.

  Tall flames of
lust danced inside his body and mind, and he threaded his fingers in her dark hair. Locking his eyes on hers, he undid the clasp of her bra, his breath catching in his throat as her breasts spilled free. Without a moment’s hesitation, he leaned in and wrapped his lips around one hard nipple, sucking it into his mouth and allowing his tongue to dance around the nub.

  She tasted like heaven.

  Moving fast, he hooked his fingers on her thong’s elastic band and pulled it against her thigh. There was a ripping sound as the fabric tore apart, and then she was fully naked, the warmth emanating from her body driving him absolutely crazy.

  Once she pushed his pants and boxers down, freeing his hardness, he knew there’d be no stopping them. She was an Enchantress, no doubt about it, and it was very likely she had cast a spell on him. Still, then and there, that mattered little.

  He wanted her, and he was going to take her.

  Consequences be damned.

  Chapter Three

  There was nothing Kiki could do. From the moment she locked eyes on this vampire, there was only one conclusion. Bared to him completely, Kiki feasted her eyes on every contour of his sculpted chest, his firm, chiseled hips, and his stunningly hard cock.

  As if someone else controlled her, Kiki tipped back and opened herself to him in every way. With something between a snarl and a groan, Thayne nudged his hardness up against her wetness and then slid in with one lingering thrust. The pressure of him filling her made Kiki cry out, and he clamped his mouth over hers.

  With the heat of his body so close, she twined herself around him on pure instinct. Locking her legs over his driving hips, she pulled him deeper, closer to her with each stroke. Her hands fired across his back, searching for anything she could hold on to, desperate to anchor herself as her mind dissolved.

  He tore his mouth from hers, panting. “Fuck,” his breath was hot in her ear. “Oh, fuck.”

  If he was giving her instructions, Kiki was going to follow them. Riding her hips up to meet his, she pressed herself to him, letting her body beg for more.

  “Yes,” she moaned, taking his earlobe between her teeth. “Take me.”

  Thayne stood, and Kiki snaked her arms around his neck, continuing the furious pace of her hips. In an instant, her back was against the door, and he pounded into her with everything he had. She had never been so full, so stretched, in her life. It bordered on pain, but she was so hungry for the sensations that nothing else mattered.

  His fingers dug into her ass, holding on as the frenzy of her need raced away. In a blurred moment, they were in the shop proper. Thank god nobody was out there, but Kiki was pretty certain she wouldn’t have stopped if there were a hundred customers present. She couldn’t.

  Besides, they would probably have to thank her for the privilege of seeing the most perfect sex ever. Right?

  “Lie down.” It was as if someone else’s voice rattled out of her core as she commanded the vampire. Sprawled on his back, Kiki was able to take full ownership of her pleasure, riding him in whatever way her body demanded. And, at the moment, it demanded a lot.

  “Holy shit.” Thayne’s eyes burned a hole in her breasts as they jiggled with her every grinding move.

  “Take them. They’re yours.” In a flash, he leaned up from the floor and locked his warm mouth around the diamond point of her nipple. A dizzy shudder ran through her as his tongue lavished her with generous attention.

  An unraveling began deep in her core. The combination of his mouth, his strong hands, and that massive rod buried inside her pussy pushed her into regions she’d never touched.

  “Oh, fuck,” she cried. As if driven by a demon, her hips exploded against his in a full gallop. She had never needed anything in the world like what was clearly about to happen. Then, it broke loose. The first wave shattered her, and if Thayne hadn’t been holding so tightly, she might have spun off into the universe.

  Raking her nails across his shoulders, she pushed him back down onto his back as another powerful spasm rocked her. Her mouth was locked open, but no sound emitted. Every resource she had was given over to the earth-shattering orgasm tearing through her body.

  Just when she felt as if it couldn’t get any more intense, Thayne lost himself inside her. Clutching her quivering hips as she pressed her hands to his chest, the two locked in one, electric, pulsating entity. Every jerk of his throbbing member splintered her body further. As she felt his hot cum surging into her, she held him tighter.

  At last, her voice broke free from her chest, and one long wail of undiluted pleasure reverberated through the shop.

  The tide broke and she slumped forward. Able to breathe again, Kiki searched for something, anything to say. But what she had just experienced defied words. She couldn’t remember the last time she had experienced such incredible sex. Probably because she had never enjoyed anything like it before.

  Rolling off of him, she relished the cool floor against her slick, steaming hot back. Breathlessly she looked over to see Thayne panting as hard as her. How was this even possible? They hadn’t even really met yet, but the sheer magnetism of it had been unavoidable.

  “Oh, wow,” he sighed under his breath. Those words would have to do for the both of them.

  It dawned on her that they were lying in the middle of an aisle, stark naked, in the center of her shop. And, guess what? She couldn’t have cared less. The only thing that mattered in that moment was the unbelievable man glistening beside her.

  This was something entirely new for her. Kiki had never felt that kind of immediate snap between herself and anyone else. In the instant of seeing each other, something fired off in a way that was wholly unique. A connection like that was incredibly rare, and she’d be damned if she let her mind talk her out of it.

  “Hey,” she curled up next to him. “That was—”

  Thayne was on his feet like he’d been struck by lightning. Sitting up, Kiki watched him in a daze. What was that about?

  “Fuck,” he spat to no one in particular and then looked down at her sprawled naked on the floor and said it again. “Fuck.”

  “What?” She essentially asked that question to the door to the storeroom where the party had gotten started.

  Snatching his shirt along the way, Thayne vanished behind the counter. Padding after him, Kiki pushed open the door to find Thayne in a furious tangle of his own clothes, doing everything he could to tuck that magnificent body of his away as quickly as possible.

  “What’s up?”

  He barely looked at her. She put her hand on his back as he was about to pull his shirt on, and he jerked away as if she were the noon-day sun.

  “Just stop it, okay,” he snarled. “Don’t touch me.”

  All of the air went out of Kiki’s chest. “What? Why not?”

  She moved to touch him again, but he scrambled to put as much distance between them as he could in the cramped space.

  “I should have known better than to come into this shop. What kind of idiot was I to let Sara talk me into this?”

  “Will you knock it off and tell me what’s wrong?” In spite of the euphoria still tingling around the fringes of her entire body, she was on the cusp of getting pissed about the way he was acting.

  “You know exactly what’s wrong. You fucking enchanted me!”

  A bonfire raged up inside Kiki’s chest. “Excuse me?”

  If daggers could have flown out of her eyes, this undead hunk would have been dead-dead.

  “You heard me. I don’t know what I did to deserve it, but you cast one of those damned spells and lured me into your trap. Enchantresses.” He spat the last word with a level of disdain that cut right through her anger and stuck in her heart.

  This wasn’t the first time she’d been accused of enchanting someone when she hadn’t, but for some reason, his indictment stung in a very real way. It hurt more than all the other times combined. “I didn’t, I promise. How could I have? When would I have?”

  “Hell if I know. All I know is that what
just happened isn’t me. I would never just fall for somebody like that. You did this to me.”

  “But I didn’t.” Kiki wished she could say something else to convince him, but in cases like this, denying it only made a person look more guilty. Being an Enchantress really sucked sometimes.

  Suddenly aware of how very naked she was, Kiki set about gathering her clothes. Her shirt was still out by the counter, but at least she could get back into her jeans and bra. There was no graceful way to put one of those on, especially when someone was as amply endowed as her, but grace was far from the top of her agenda.

  “I don’t believe this,” Thayne growled under his breath. “I should never have come to this damned place.” Fully dressed again, he stormed back into the shop.

  Momentarily alone in the storeroom, Kiki felt every bit as bereft as she had felt euphoric. The vast extremes slammed right next to each other made her stomach hurt. When she went out into the shop to put her shirt back on, she felt like she had cast a shrinking spell over herself.

  Hell, maybe she should. Or an invisibility spell. Anything would be an improvement over the hateful glares Thayne threw her way every time she crossed his field of vision. She watched him sitting on the floor struggling to get his boots on, and a very different feeling came over her.

  Who the hell was he that she needed to enchant him? Was she really so pathetic that she couldn’t get a man without using her powers to win him against his will? The answer to that was definitive—Hell No!

  All that self-pity flashed into a white-hot anger that startled her. At least, it would have startled her if she had room for anything inside her except for the newly discovered rage.

  Clambering to his feet, Thayne turned back for a moment as if he were going to say something, but then he merely snorted and strode to the door. As he did, something near the exit caught Kiki’s eye. Or, rather, the absence of something caught her attention.