by Kim Loraine
Table of Contents
Epilogue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
About the Author
Also by Kim Loraine
Sneak Peek
Waking the Watcher
Acknowledgments
Eternal Desire
The Siren Coven
Kim Loraine
Copyright © 2018 by Kim Loraine
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Cover art: Covers by Christian
Editor: Ellie McLove at Gray Ink
Proofreader: Virginia Tesi Carey
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Epilogue
About the Author
Also by Kim Loraine
Sneak Peek
Waking the Watcher
Acknowledgments
1
Izzy
The warm air of the Witch’s Brew Pub hits me as Helena pushes me through the door. The scent of freshly pulled pints and deep-fried chips fills the small, dark space, making me sigh in frustration. I’d rather be anywhere but here. It’s been months since I found my coven and our power has begun to return, I can’t wait for our magic to be strong enough for us to live as witches without having to hide. My home in Ireland is calling, and once we’re fully restored, maybe I can convince Helena and Gwen to come with me. Hope blooms in my chest, but is quickly replaced by resignation. We’ll be together, but only until our curse takes us—again.
“Why am I here on my night off? We should be practicing.”
Helena shoots me a frustrated look. “We’ve been using all our free time since we were reunited working to grow our magic. Once we’re at full strength, we can stop this human facade. But for now, we need a break. Go on, barmaid. Grab us some drinks.”
“Fine, shall we start the night off with a pint?” I ask, giving in to her because I know I won’t get my way.
Gwen grins. “Izzy, I see someone tall, dark, and handsome in your immediate future.”
Cocking an eyebrow, I snort. “Right, is this another vision of yours, or are you having me on?”
“Not a vision … this time. But isn’t that your type? Dark and brooding.” She juts her chin toward the bar where I see William, my co-worker, the definition of dark and brooding.
Not always, I think to myself.
Her words bring a flash of a long buried memory of a man who was the opposite of her description with his bright blue eyes, tawny hair, and a smile that could melt even the coldest of hearts. Tristan. Even the thought of his name makes my chest tighten at the pain of knowing it had all been a lie.
Shaking my head to clear the memories, I run my fingers through my long blond hair and paste a smile on my lips. “That’s right. The broodier, the better is what I always say. Those damaged ones always fuck like damn champions.”
“Damn right they do,” Helena interjects. “Go on, we need our drinks. Maybe if we get Gwen drunk enough she’ll do some karaoke with us tonight.”
Gwen’s rosy cheeks go pale at the mention of public singing. “Helena, you can’t use your song in public. What if you accidentally bewitch someone?”
Helena chuckles. “Then I’ll give him a wild ride and let him off the hook when I’m done. Or keep him.”
“Making up for lost time, Hel?” I ask.
“Absolutely. I had to spend nearly every lifetime alone. No one understood what I was going through. Now that I’ve got you two back with me, we’re sowing our oats, building our power, and making that bitch who cursed us pay. In that order.”
“I like that plan.”
“Me too,” she says as she swipes gloss over her deep red lip stain.
Gwen’s shoulders stiffen, and her eyes cloud over as a vision takes control. Shit. This is not what we need right now. I haven’t seen her in the throes of her gift in a very long time, but it’s still just as unsettling as it was lifetimes ago. It doesn’t last long, and in a few seconds she’s blinking rapidly and taking long breaths.
“You okay?” I ask.
She nods, then frowns. “You’re going to meet him tonight.”
A chill runs down my spine. “Who?”
“Your beast.”
Helena lets out a loud bark of laughter. “Oh, Gwen, you’re a riot. Stop stalling, Izzy. I’m parched.”
The floor is filled with patrons standing at the tall pub tables and laughing as they chatter away. With a slight flare of my power, I compel them to move aside so I can get through and to the bar. It’s not enough to drain me, but it does cause a faint ache behind my eyes. I can’t wait until we’re all strong enough to use our magic without any ill-effects.
“What are you doing here tonight?” William waves and shouts across the big mahogany bar as soon as he sees me.
“Hey, William, I’m…here with some friends. Girl’s night.”
He chuckles. “Is that what we’re calling it now?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Gaze sliding over my low-cut top and leather miniskirt, he grins. “You’re looking for more than a girl’s night. You know I’ve offered more than once, love.”
In another life, I might have taken him up on the offer, but his clean-cut good looks do little for me. “And I’ve told you, don’t shit where you eat.”
He frowns and shakes his head. “You’re nothing if not direct. What can I get for you and your friends?”
“A pint of bitter and two of Guinness.”
With a nod, he grabs three pint glasses and moves to the tap, but the phone rings, distracting him. I could just hop over the bar and do it myself, but then I’d end up working for a good thirty minutes just to help him clear the orders. He continues chattering on with whoever is on the other end of the line, and I give in. I step up on the footrest that spans the length of the bar and lean over the wood until I can reach the tap. After filling two of my three drinks, I place them on the bar and move to return to my position, but the man next to me clears his throat.
I stop, still bent over, and throw him a glare over my shoulder. But the instant I see him, my mouth runs dry. Dark hair, chiseled jaw, intense, penetrating stare. Unlike William, he’s checking all of my boxes. Then there are the tattoos I can see peeking out of the neckline of his shirt. He’s a bad boy. Oh, he’s going to be a fun one. Maybe he’s the man Gwen had been talking about.
“You can get me a pint while you’re over there, lass.” His Scottish brogue makes my thighs clench. In all my lives, I’ve never had a Scot. Maybe I should change that. But there’s something about him that makes me hesitate. He feels…different—stronger than a typical human.
“Manners.” My tone is light and teasing, but I want to keep this interaction going. “Don’t you know the magic word?”
He smirks. “Aye.”
I can’t stop my smile. He’s a sexy beast. Rolling my eyes, I return to my task but pull him a pint as well. When I’m done, I slide his glass to him and hop down from the bar. “Enjoy,” I say, collecting all three pints between my hands. “It’s on me.”
He raises his glass and says, “Cheers, Beauty,” before bringing it to his lips. I have to tear my gaze away from that mouth. I’d much rather him be tasting me.
My skin prickles with awareness as I walk away from him. He’s watching me, that’s the only explanation for what I’m feeling, but I refuse to let myself look back. My sister witches are nestled into a corner booth far from view, and I mourn the loss of his gaze as soon as I sit down.
“There you are. Drink slowly. It’s not likely I’ll be able to get us a second round without William convincing me to work an extra shift.”
“You look…bothered,” Helena says, frowning at me. “Hot and bothered. Did you and William have a quick shag in the back room or something?” Her eyes widen. “Is that why it took so long?”
“Helena, don’t tease her.” Gwen, sweet Gwen. Ever the peacekeeper.
“Yeah, Helena. Don’t tease.” I can’t keep the grin off my face. Let her think I was up to something if she wants. I bring my Guinness to my lips and take a long drink. “Now, if you don't let me finish this drink and go home so I can watch The Bachelor, I will turn you into a bunny and keep you in a cage.”
She chuckles, shaking her head as she toys with her beer. “I don't know why you want to watch other people fall in love. You know it’s all a lie.”
“It’s…a distraction.” My thoughts drift to memories from lifetimes ago, the one moment I thought love was true. I want to believe it’s possible to find a happy ending. Even if I’m not the one who’ll get it. Watching it all play out on telly is the only way I get that.
Helena takes a deep gulp of the bitter, her bronze gaze nearly withering me on the spot. “Izzy, the three of us haven't been together more than a handful of times since we were cursed. If it weren’t for that archangel summoning us so we could help Sariel, we would still be separated and powerless.” The tumble of chocolate colored tresses I’ve always envied cascades over her shoulder as she leans forward. “Do you really plan to continue life as though nothing has changed? Our magic is finally growing now that we’ve been reunited. Why are we wasting it on distractions?”
“What's the point? We're each dying within a year, and then we have to start this all over again. Twenty-seven gets closer every day. Why should I let myself get used to having you two back in my life?”
“Because, this time we are going to break the curse,” Gwen interjects, her soft voice strong and sure.
My sister witch’s long, nearly black hair is pulled up high on her head, making her look like a beautiful ballerina with her graceful neck and off the shoulder top.
“And how are we going to do that?” I ask, not able to keep the snark out of my tone.
“Kill the coven leader, of course.”
“Are you mad? We can’t kill Calista.” I toss my head back as a full body laugh rolls through me.
“It's not funny. This is exactly what we need. We're together, Gabriel saw to that when he summoned us in preparation for Sariel’s battle with Lucifer. At least helping that fallen angel gave us something for our trouble. Now, we take down Calista and take back our lives.”
Just the utterance of our coven leader’s name sends a shiver down my spine. The woman is pure evil dressed in a beautiful package.
Helena clears her throat as though asking for the floor. “It’s been thousands of years since she cursed us. She can't possibly still be alive.”
“I’ve seen it. She’s alive.” Gwen juts her chin out in defiance. Her shoulders stiffen as she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. “Besides, if she were dead, we wouldn't still be cursed.”
That’s true. Any spell we use loses its power when we die. Maybe that’s why I’ve never set a curse on anyone. I knew it wouldn't hold for long. Tapping my fingertips on the tabletop, I consider Gwen’s statement. “It makes sense that if she had the power to curse us the way she did, she'd also be able to keep herself alive.”
“She’s a goddamned twat,” Helena grumbles.
“That’s not news.” I sigh and let my head fall back onto the high cushion of the booth.
Silence falls between the three of us as life continues around us in the pub.
Helena stares at me with a cocked eyebrow. “I’m bored. Since we’re not killing Calista tonight, let’s make this into a pub crawl. Maybe I can find something to channel my pent up … energy into.”
I have to admit, it’s not a bad idea. In the short time we’ve been back together, I’ve learned a lot about my long lost sisters. We’ve each suffered tragic losses, but in very different ways, and it shows in how we deal with our curse. Helena picks a willing victim, bewitches him for a little while, then cuts him loose after she’s done with him. She likes the companionship, but not the idea of commitment. Gwen is still hoping for true love to be delivered to her doorstep. Me? I’m not interested in more than the occasional no-strings fuck. Give me a man who knows what he’s doing and a few hours, that’s all I need. Love isn’t a possibility for me. I’ve been tricked once before into believing its lies. Never again.
Standing, I rise onto my tiptoes in an attempt to get a better look at the line at the bar. It’s not bad. And that bad boy Scot is still there. “Another round?”
Helena nods. “I can get it if you want.”
No way in hell am I passing up another chance to flirt with that man. “I’ve got it.”
My body tingles the instant I break through the crowd, and that man’s eyes find me. He’s watching me, but I’m not going to favor him with a smile, or even acknowledgment. Not yet. I stand next to him, the heat of his body making me warm in all the right places.
William comes up to me and leans across the bar. “Three more?”
I nod, and he offers a wink and a smirk along with a glance down my shirt. Prick. If he thinks I didn’t see that, he’s an idiot. Sexy Scot’s posture goes stiff as well. Looks like he saw William’s leer, too. I let my fingers brush his on the bar and the pure energy rolling off him makes me gasp. He’s a shifter. My nipples tighten at the thought, the danger of him.
“Here we are, love. On the house.” William grins, his charming smile not affecting me like he wants it to, as three glasses, nearly overflowing, are settled in front of me, pulling my not-so-sly focus from the stranger at my side.
“Thanks, you’re a star.”
“You don’t find anyone to meet your needs tonight, just let me know,” he calls.
All I can do is laugh as I turn my head and glance back at him. Instead of William’s amused gaze, I find my focus on the stranger. He’s staring at me—hard. His eyes are pitch black and blazing with an intensity I’ve not found in a man in centuries. He moves to stand as though he’s coming after me, but stops and takes his seat again. I can’t deny the thrill that runs through me at the thought of this man I don’t know wanting me.
Shaking my head to clear my focus, I turn back toward our table and head to Helena and Gwen. But I feel his eyes on me the whole time I’m walking.
2
Grant
Settling back onto my stool, I down the rest of my pint and wave the barkeep over for another round. My gaze keeps flicking across the room at the gorgeous blonde.
“Fucking sexy isn’t she?�
� The bartender’s words have me gripping my knees in an effort to keep from punching him as he continues to leer after the beauty who’d been at the counter. I have to admit, I can’t stop looking at her either. And her scent. I’ve never smelled anything like it. She’s roses and fucking cherries. I love cherries. I hadn’t planned on bedding a woman tonight, but if I’m going to take any woman, it’ll have to be the one who smells like that.
My senses are on high alert as the day gives way into night. I can feel the moon rising, not full yet, but still making my blood sing with the animalistic power running through my veins. This pull toward the gorgeous blonde isn’t helping me rein in my need to change. Dammit, I can’t let my control slip right now. I should still have a few days before I have to shift and let my beast free. I’ve got a job to do, and my pack leader won’t be happy if I lose it.
I watch her as she stands amidst the crowd, smiling and chatting with a couple she must know. She’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Her gaze locks with mine more than once as I finish off my own pint. Oh, she’s interested, just as I am. When she bites her lower lip and trails her fingers over her exposed collarbone, I’m done. I have to have her.
Before I can stop myself, I’m halfway across the crowded pub, my need leading me more than my brain. She excuses herself from the person she’s chatting with and meets me in the middle of the room.
“Can I help you?” The intensity of her bronze gaze makes me wonder if she can see into my soul.
“I think so.”
Ruby red lips turn up in a smirk. “How’s that, beast?”
Startled, I can’t hide my reaction. I step back, brow furrowed. She called me beast. How the bloody hell had she known? More importantly, what is she that she’d know?