Gray took the amulet from Lee’s fingers. Tears misted her eyes. “Thank you, Lee… for saving me.” She looked down. “And giving up your powers. I’ll carry that guilt with me for the rest of my life.”
“Don’t you dare!” Lee said.
Gray blinked.
Lee sat up straight, ready to present her case, Morehouse style. “Look, neither of us were supposed to be alive at this point. And now we’ve been given a second chance—twice. I get a father, a boyfriend, a senior year… and I get to go to college. A day doesn’t go by that I don’t feel like the luckiest girl on the planet.”
From the tilt of her head, Lee knew she was beginning to convince Gray. Who knows, maybe Lee would follow in Mr. Morehouse’s footsteps and become an attorney. Or maybe she’d go into counseling. Then again, maybe she should finish senior year before she worried about the rest of her life.
“I’ll learn to live without powers,” Lee said. “Besides, I have a feeling you’re going to need them more than me.”
Enchantment
AVAILABLE FALL 2012
And now, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it gives me great pleasure to introduce the magnificent, the amazing, the fantastical, the world’s greatest magician…
Adrian Montez!
Someone please tell Gray she’d not only heard wrong, but was likewise HALLUCINATING… or having a very bad dream.
It couldn’t be.
She had not traveled halfway around the world to end up in the front row of Barcelona’s Teatre Poliorama to see Adrian Montez live on stage.
Applause erupted around Gray after Montez the Magician was announced, in Catalan, as the evening’s live entertainment. Her friend, Hannah, was hooting beside her, clueless that her attempt to cheer Gray up with a night of festivities was crashing down with each footfall Adrian made across the smoke-filled stage.
Gray could only make out the pleated bib of his tuxedo and white gloves. The rest of his body was shadowed in the dim light. An eerie tempo cranked through the sound system. Adrian stopped to light a cigarette, his side profile silhouetted in the dim haze. When he faced the audience a spotlight slowly illuminated his face.
Smoke now clung to his legs thick as London fog. The set, complete with a Victorian gas lamp, looked like something straight out of a Jack the Ripper horror flick.
Maybe this really was a nightmare.
Except when Hannah pinched Gray’s arm in excitement, she did not wake up.
Now that Adrian was illuminated, Gray could see his hair parted and slicked to one side. He held a top hat in one hand and a cane in the other. The cane he twirled in his fingers before lighting one end with his cigarette. After it caught fire the flame traveled up the cane. Adrian’s hand followed the flame as though guiding it, twisting his cane till the end pointed skyward. When the flame reached the end he grabbed it and fiery sparks erupted in his hand. The fire turned to wings as a dove appeared and landed on Adrian’s fingers.
The theater thundered with applause. Adrian took a slight bow and lifted his arm. The dove took to the air then perched on the gas lamp. Adrian secured his cane and hat against the lamp pole then walked forward.
Little did the riled-up crowd realize that the man before them was no magician, but a warlock—and a dangerous one at that.
Hannah turned to Gray, mouth widening in that pleased way that showed off all her molars. “Isn’t this brilliant? When we saw an old-school magician was in town we couldn’t resist. And he’s an American.” Hannah nudged Gray with her elbow.
Yes, huge comfort that.
On Gray’s opposite side, Will smiled as big as Hannah. They really had no idea the suffering they were inflicting on her. Gray tried to look across Will to Marco. Surely the suave Italian had dragged his heals when presented with the idea of watching a hack performer, but Marco’s eyes were glued to the stage and he was clapping along with the rest of the crowd.
These were Gray’s closest friends since arriving in Spain. They each had their reasons for enrolling in Benita’s Summer Retreat, a place where young adults took a break from their powers rather than developing them. Participants were also expected to face their inner demons alone, which was why—unless you were a Brit named Hannah—you kept your past problems to yourself and focused on the cultural experience, making friends, and being normal if only for a summer.
Now Gray was beginning to wish she had swapped stories with Hannah. At least then her friend would know why she was fidgeting in her seat, eyeing the theater’s exits.
Gray had put fifty states and the Atlantic between herself and home, only to end up face-to-face with one of the reasons she’d left.
Well, not exactly face-to-face. Maybe Adrian would continue to look over her head rather than directly down into the blasted front row Hannah had so cheerfully procured.
“Good evening,” Adrian said. He cast his voice across the audience without ever approaching the microphone. “I am Adrian Montez, the world-famous magician, and tonight it is my pleasure to show you wonders never before seen.”
A Catalan translator standing on the far right of the stage spoke hastily after Adrian finished.
Gray momentarily forgot both Spanish and what little Catalan she’d learned. It hummed merrily like a familiar tune without words. Only Adrian’s speech registered. Although he addressed the audience, his speech moved directly from his mouth to her ears.
He removed one of his gloves and tossed it into the air, where it turned into another dove that flew to the gas lamp to join his friend. By the time the first act was finished, Adrian had set no less than fifteen fires and produced six doves.
Gray was beginning to think she’d make it through the performance when Adrian switched gears halfway through. The lighting became brighter, the music and set more whimsical. The audience laughed when Adrian swallowed a sword, pulled it out, and moved his lips around as though getting rid of a bad taste.
“I think it’s time someone else went under the blade, don’t you agree?”
The audience cheered. At that point, they probably would have cheered if Adrian suggested setting the auditorium on fire. Two men wheeled out a table with a casket-sized box on top. Gray knew exactly what it was. Apparently a handsaw wasn’t impressive enough for Adrian. Attached to one side of the table was a round, sharp-toothed blade at least five feet wide.
Gray pitied Adrian’s unfortunate assistant, even if it was just an act… but no leotard-clad lady in sequins appeared.
Adrian grinned across the stage. “Now I need a volunteer from the audience…”
Before the translator could open his mouth to repeat Adrian’s words, Hannah was yelling, “Here! Over here!” pointing frantically at Gray.
Hannah missed the desperation behind Gray’s “No.” Before Gray had a chance to run for the nearest exit, the spotlight was blinding her. Gray didn’t realize she’d been crouching. Her chair wasn’t going to swallow her up no matter how much she wished it. Gray straightened and squinted into the brightness—a deer caught in the headlight.
“Wonderful! Come on up, young lady.”
There was no hint of recognition in the way Adrian spoke. Maybe he was having a difficult time seeing into the audience with all the stage lights shining in his face.
Gray quickly grabbed Hannah’s arm. “Go up for me.”
“No way!”
“Hannah…”
“I think someone is experiencing performance anxiety,” Adrian said.
Laughter.
“Go on! Everyone’s waiting!” Hannah said. She’d never spoken that harshly to Gray before.
As Gray stood, she had to bite down on her lower lip to keep it from trembling. Little did her friend know she was sending Gray up to the executioner’s block.
“Here she comes,” Adrian said as Gray dragged her feet to the set of stairs leading onto the stage.
Gray was shaken, not just to see him, but because someone from her past stood not eight feet away in a country so spectacular yet u
nbearably lonely at times. Here was a personal connection to her former life—albeit an unwelcome one.
Adrian betrayed no signs of familiarity. “What is your name?”
Gray glared at Adrian. His expression remained annoyingly neutral. From below, Hannah and Marco yelled, “Gray!”
Adrian smirked. He turned to his audience. “I don’t know. She doesn’t look gray to me.”
The audience laughed. Worst of all, she heard Hannah giggling before the translator even finished.
“Now then, Miss Gray, if you will step this way.”
Gray wasn’t about to step anywhere near the table with its giant saw. Adrian noticed her hesitance and said, “Don’t be afraid, my dear. I’ve done this a thousand times before… and only caused one fatality.”
The audience laughed.
Adrian reached his hand out. Gray looked from his palm to his gleaming eyes and took a step back.
“It appears the young lady is frightened.”
“Don’t be scared, Gray,” Marco yelled.
“There is nothing to fear,” Adrian called out, sweeping an arm toward the table.
“Go on, Gray!” Hannah hollered.
Could Gray come up with a plan in the ten steps it took to reach the table? Apparently not. She refused Adrian’s hand.
There was no teleporting herself out of this one. Señora Benita would never allow Gray back to the sanctuary and Gray wasn’t about to let Adrian ruin her summer in Spain. There was also the audience to consider, blissfully unaware that they were in the midst of real magic.
Once Adrian’s back turned to the audience he looked Gray over with an intimacy that bordered on inappropriate. At that moment, Gray felt as though she would have been better off facing him in a dark alley than in front of a mob screaming for her blood.
And if she let Adrian put her in the box, it most likely would be her blood.
Adrian’s lips curved up. The fitted suit made him appear older and more menacing than Gray remembered. Gone was the voice of the performer. Adrian lowered his voice. “Go on, Gray, get in.”
That’s it, she was out of there. They could all think of her as a coward. Better a coward than a fool. But as she backed up, Adrian caught her by the arm and hauled Gray to the step ladder. “Don’t ruin my show,” he hissed inside her ear.
The magic continues FALL 2012
ENCHANTMENT
Book Three in the Spellbound Trilogy
nikkijefford.com
About the Author
Nikki Jefford is a third generation Alaskan who found paradise in the not-so-tropical San Juan Islands where she is, once more, neighbors with Canada. She has a B.A. in journalism from the University of Alaska Anchorage and was an entertainment reporter before returning to her first love: fiction.
After a whirlwind romance in France, Nikki married Sébastien in March 2000. They reside with Cosmo the Wonder Westie.
Find her at:
http://nikkijefford.com
http://twitter.com/NikkiJefford
Acknowledgements
A big Alaskan thank you to my entire family for their enthusiasm and support no matter what genre I happen to be writing. Aunt Carmen, Aunt June, and Uncle Jerry, your kindness fills part of the hole left in my heart since leaving home.
More specifically, thanks to Aunt Carmen for proof reading six of my novels and to Aunt June for her legal advice.
My mom has been my greatest champion. When I was a child, she bought me notebooks and pens, later a typewriter, and after high school, my first laptop. She’s the first person I call to squeal over a five-star review and is so much more than a mother to me. She’s my best friend.
I’d like to pile on a heap of thanks to my brother Vernon for video editing the Spellbound trilogy book trailers. The outcome exceeded my expectations.
I can’t kiss Seb enough for the hours of electronic formatting he’s done on this series (and multiple redoes on Entangled) and for correcting my French.
Many thanks to Bob Friel for his input and direction on all three book covers in the Spellbound trilogy.
Hats off to cover designer Najla Qamber for being such a joy to work with and producing the beautiful cover art that graces this series.
I feel so fortunate to have come across copy editors Christine LePorte and S.M. Boyce. These two lovely ladies made my final manuscript sparkle and their enthusiasm for the series buoyed me beyond words.
This manuscript improved by leaps and bounds thanks to my phenomenally talented beta readers Nicole Steinhaus and Lacy Camey. These women are gorgeous inside and out. I am honored by the time they took out of their own writing schedules to give my book a thorough read-through and critique. Check out their work!
Thank you to friend and author, Lucy Swing, for her help with promoting over twitter and my beautiful blog tour banner.
And finally I want to thank my readers, friends, and the first people to purchase my book. I’m afraid to leave out names, but I want to express my gratitude, in particular, to my first reviewers for taking a chance on a debut author with Entangled: Keren at Gothic Angel Book Reviews, Jessica at Lover of Paranormal, Emma at Emma’s Ramblings on Supernatural Fiction, Brianne at Memories Overtaking Me, Dannielle and the crew at Book Whales, Melissa at Melissa’s Eclectic Bookshelf, Shera at Book Whispers, Mary at Book Nerds Across America, Lili at Lili Lost in Books, Katie at BlookGirl, Jenni at Alluring Reads, Nick at Nick’s Book Blog, Chey at The Hollow Cupboards, Melanie at Book Passion for Life, Marilyn Almodovar at Writing on the Sunny Side of the Street, S.M. Boyce, Lacy Camey, and “Bunny” for writing my all-time favorite comment at Goodreads. If I could grant you all three wishes I would. Instead, please accept my best wishes for all eternity.
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Duplicity (Spellbound #2) Page 20