“Why do you have a red X taped over it?”
“Waiting for a repair man. I think there’s a leak in the system and it can’t be trusted until it’s checked out. Silver is damn heavy and I don’t want to take a chance of the chandelier crashing.”
She gazed back at the chandelier. “It’s almost as amazing as the organ.”
“Nope,” he said shaking his head, amused. “That doesn’t even come close to my baby here.” He lovingly ran his fingers over the ivory keys as he settled on the bench. Shedding the jackets she wore, she joined him.
He played a few notes and the grandeur of the sound sweeping over her was heaven itself. She expected him to play something grand and classical. Instead she got “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Born to be Wild.” They both ended up singing the melodies with abandonment and laughing at his rock antics.
Mid-laugh, a feeling of déjà vu swept over her. She remembered watching a man play, singing with glorious joy and laughing, him chasing her backstage and upstairs to an iron bed and making love to her. The dream was so vivid that she felt as if it were happening at that very moment. She could smell the man, taste the heat of his kiss, feel the hardness of his body and almost climaxed from the passion of his touch.
JD suddenly stopped playing and turned to face her. “What wrong?”
She blinked. “Uh, it was nothing.”
“You stopped singing and you’re as white as a ghost.”
“I just…thank you for playing.” She stood on watery knees. “We should finish seeing the rest of the place.” She followed a pathway she didn’t even know she knew. She went to a door at the back of the orchestra pit. That door led her to a dim corridor.
JD didn’t say a word, but she heard his steps behind her. Reaching a spiral staircase, she began to climb. At the very top, she found herself in a spacious loft, high above everything. The room was empty. No iron bed; no furniture; only cushions on the wide ledge beneath the magnificent stained glass window that painted beautiful colors across the room.
She walked over to the vibrant image of Penelope and Odysseus in a passionate embrace. The couple’s devotion to each other had been unwavering. This loft had been Anya and James’s retreat from the world.
JD stood at the door, arms crossed with a scowl creasing his brow. “How did you know this room was here?”
His question seemed like an accusation.
“I’ve seen it.” She sighed, turning from the window. “I’ve had dreams since I was eighteen. Dreams of a place—like this. Do you think it’s possible for ghosts to haunt your dreams? Or do you think I’m crazy for even suggesting such a thing?” Her gaze fell to the heavy cross at his throat, again feeling as if she should recognize it.
He strode determinedly her way, his blue eyes intent and demanding. “I don’t think you’re crazy at all, but I know damn well I am. Kris, if we don’t leave right now, I’m going to do what I have been aching to do since the moment we met. I’m going to kiss you and when I start, stopping won’t be easy. I know you feel this intense attraction, too.”
Then what is stopping you? She wanted to ask, but didn’t. What kind of woman made love to a man she’d met only a few short hours ago?
A twenty-five year old virgin who was about to explode from the world she’d boxed herself into. You’ve never let yourself live, or allowed any distractions in your life. You’ve never met a man you wanted this much before, either. You want him more than you want to sing at the moment. That has never happened before.
Still, she couldn’t say the words, and he turned from her, his hands fisted.
Whether it was this place and her dreams over the years, or just him and the overwhelming attraction she felt for him—both in body and in spirit—she couldn’t let this moment pass without knowing him deeper. Moving to him, she placed her palm and cheek against his warm back. “Kiss me,” she whispered.
His back stiffened and he groaned. Stepping away from her touch, he faced her, his blue gaze tortured with guilt. “I’m sorry, I coerced this. I’ve shouldn’t have—”
All Krisana heard was that he wasn’t going to kiss her. After she’d leapt over the ledge of caution, he was going to leave her freefalling in this strange world in which she’d hung in limbo for too long. Rushing to him, she slid her arms around his neck and pressed her lips and chest to his.
He responded like wildfire. Wrapping his arms around her, he lifted her higher to meet the full force of his desire. His mouth opened and his tongue sought hers in a kiss that demanded everything from her in an erotic tangle of give and take, thrust and parry, and devouring submission. The room spun and time seemed to stop, leaving them cocooned in a moment of pure passion.
Perfect pitch, perfect harmony, the melding of their need played like music in her soul, making her heart sing. She slid her hands into his thick hair and wrapped her legs around his hips, bringing the core of her sex closer to the hard, throbbing heat of his erection. He backed up until he sat on the window seat, enabling her to straddle him. A rainbow of colors painted them. Her heart thundered and every part of her ached for more of him. Sex-to-sex he thrust against her need as his mouth left hers, and kissed his way down her neck. A quick upward yank on the hem of her shirt, gave him access to her breasts.
His groan was deep and primal as he pulled down the lacy cups and exposed her nipples. She arched her back, offering herself to him and he claimed her. His lips covered one breast and sucked her deep into the heat of his mouth as his tongue lashed her nipple. His hand cupped her other breast, squeezing her nipple until she cried out in ecstasy. Waves of pleasure rippled through her, bringing a gripping climax. Stars blurred her vision as her body, spirit, and soul soared.
She opened her eyes to find JD staring at her with awe, as if she was the most beautiful woman in the world. He was breathing as heavily as she was. His face was flushed, his pupils dilated and the raw sensual edge to his demeanor was razor sharp, almost predatory. Yet, he leaned forward and brushed her lips reverently.
Before either of them could speak, a dark shadow appeared at the window. Krisana cried out, but it disappeared in a flash, leaving a shiver of fear that stole away her pleasure.
“What is it?” JD twisted around, his gaze searching. Seeing nothing, he turned back to her confused and assuming the worse. “There’s no reason to be frightened. I would never harm you.”
She shook her head. “It wasn’t you. There was a dark shadow hovering outside the window.”
“Tell me exactly what you saw,” he said, pulling her close.
“I don’t know. It was just a blur. There and gone before I could focus on it. Maybe a cloud passed before the sun and I just imagined it. It wouldn’t be the first time today that I got spooked over nothing.”
JD’s passion disappeared beneath a deep frown. He urged her up and helped her dress. “Tell me about them.”
“It’s silly really.” She told him about the raven and about Martha’s rescue bat.
“I don’t think it silly at all.” He sighed. “With your dreams and other things combined, we can both say something beyond the normal is happening. Do you agree?”
She nodded, so relieved that he put into words what she’d been unable to say.
“Promise me you will tell me. If anything else frightens you, no matter what, okay?”
He looked so serious that she agreed and felt compelled to tell him what happened with the door. The story deepened his frown. “We had better go now. We can come back tomorrow, if you like. The rest of the place is just bathrooms, a kitchen, storage, and the gardens, of course. The gardens are remarkable.”
She followed him down the spiral staircase and after collecting his jacket, he hurried her to the motorcycle. When she passed through the lobby, she caught glimpses of the pictures there. Several of them showed the place destroyed by fire.
Fear snaked a cold hand down her spine and she hurried her step.
~~~
Jameson was torn between exhilaration and d
eep worry.
Singing with Krisana, playing for her, and laughing with her had taken him so back in time that he’d actually felt as if he was with Anya. And when Krisana left him to lead the way to where he and Anya had often made love, his control had snapped.
He’d nearly blown his cover by demanding how she knew about the room and threatening to kiss her. He’d reacted as Jameson, a man who’d been waiting for her for decades. And not as JD, a man who’d just met her. She’d been so caught up in her own hauntings that she hadn’t noticed.
He didn’t know how it was possible that Krisana had dreams of their life together, but now that he knew it, his hope for their future soared. Her response to his kiss had brought him to his knees. For so long he’d ached to hold her again, to see and feel the beauty of her passion. He’d been unable to resist her, even though he feared he was taking advantage of the attraction between them. He could lose her if he rushed her into a physical relationship before involving her heart.
Worse, he was sure some sinister element was stalking her. And he damn well was going to find out who or what.
CHAPTER FOUR
The ride back from the opera house with JD was just as intensely sensual as the ride there, but this time an undercurrent of emotion stole away the abandoned fun. Laughter had disappeared beneath a heavy cloud of need.
There were no lingering touches as he helped her take off his helmet. His gaze barely connected with hers while they collected her bags from her car. Irrationally, she wanted to grab him and kiss him, deeper and harder, but didn’t because she herself didn’t know what she wanted to have happen next. She was so confused.
She followed him into the castle, wanting to be back in the opera house where he’d carried her over the threshold, made her laugh and sing.
Martha greeted them. “It’s a wonder if you don’t both catch pneumonia—out riding in the cold—and you with no jacket.” She frowned at JD. “You missed the lunch I prepared. Would you like me to fix it for you now?”
He stopped abruptly and Krisana bumped into him. “I hadn’t realized we had. I’m sorry. The decision to go see the opera house was last minute.”
“No problem. Lord Daniels took a tray in his room. He said he’d like to see Miss Krisana later in the observatory.”
JD swung around. “I’ve been negligent as a host. Are you hungry? The Old Man had Martha prepare a special lunch, and I forgot all about it. Unfortunately, there’s something I need to take care of before dinner tonight, otherwise I would join you.”
After everything that had happened today, Krisana needed some time alone to digest it all. “Would it be too much trouble to have a tray in my room?”
“No, dear.” The elderly woman peered closer. “You look as if you could do with a rest. I’ll bring it up shortly, along with a pot of tea to take the chill off.”
“Thank you,” Krisana smiled. Martha shooed them up the stairs as she left and JD continued to her room on the second floor.
He set the bags down just inside the door then unexpectedly caught her by the shoulders when she passed by him. “Kris. I can’t begin to explain the attraction between us. Just know I don’t take what happened between us lightly. It was incredible. Try and rest and we’ll talk after dinner tonight.”
She set her palm to his cheek. “Thank you for that. I am very confused right now, but your honesty helps. I have to ask you something. Now that you know about my dreams, do you think like your uncle does? That I’m Anya reincarnated?”
JD sighed and kissed her palm before releasing her. He paced across her room then back. “No. I don’t think it’s possible for the mind, body, and soul of one person to be reborn again. But I do believe in the spirit world. I think spirits can be reborn into new lives, but they aren’t the same person as before. I also think spirits can communicate in many ways to living souls.”
After searching his gaze and considering his thoughts, she felt as if a heavy weight lifted from her shoulders. “Will the fact that I’m attracted to you cause your uncle pain? If he thinks I’m Anya, the woman he loved and he finds out that we, uh,—”
“Nearly made love after just meeting?” JD laughed. “No. He knows you are not Anya, but you can bet the wily old fox is up to something. He didn’t leave us each half of the opera house in hopes we’d be platonic business partners. I just never expected to want what he had in mind. Rest for now, okay?” He bent and brushed her lips with his.
“Okay,” she said softly. He closed his eyes and inhaled as if drinking in her very essence, then swung around and marched out the door. She watched him leave, admiring his backside again.
He turned abruptly and she startled. “Kris, do me a favor. Don’t venture out on your own until we sort this out, especially to the opera house. I know that sounds ridiculous, but until I understand, I’d rather be safe than sorry.”
All she could do was nod. He left. She closed her door and surveyed her room again, noting that the bed had been turned down and a fuzzy robe placed upon the soft covers. A glance at her phone showed a returning text from Aleese and that it was now two in the afternoon.
Aleese told her to rock out the weekend and invited her to New York as soon as Krisana could get away. Kris texted a smiley face and then remembered Phineas Cruz. She called him. Thankful to get his voicemail, she left a message saying that she wouldn’t need the room he’d reserved and that she’d let him know tomorrow what time she’d be available to sign the papers.
Martha appeared with an inviting tray in hand and Kris soon found herself having a tasty lunch, as she gazed out at the castle lake and grounds. Everything she’d encountered since coming to Mysteria Falls this morning had been like something out of a fairytale. It was surreal, yet fate to find the place she’d dreamed of for years and encounter a man she wanted with a passion equal to her singing. Still a lot of questions remained, and she didn’t think fairytale answers were in her future.
~~~
Jameson left Krisana and dematerialized the second he reached his room. It had been a while since he’d operated as a phantom. With all of his focus on bringing Anya back, his warrior skills felt rusty and too damn soft. But something threatened her and he wasn’t going to soft-shoe the issue. Only one person in Mysteria Falls knew of her coming. Invisible, Jameson free-flighted to Phineas Cruz’s estate and materialized inside the vampire’s lair. The orgy of sex and blood and drugs among the young vampires was nauseating. “Phineas! Where in this hell are you?”
The vampire rose naked from a pile of writhing fanged women who barely looked legal. “Come to join my Valentine’s party?” The vampire’s fangs were covered with blood, and a feral gleam lit his eyes.
“You’re the only one who knows Krisana is here. You followed her. Why?”
Phineas snapped his fingers. The room cleared out and a naked woman brought him a silk robe. She turned to leave, but Phineas grabbed her wrist. “Stay with me. I’ve need.”
The vampire sat at a black marble table, that resembled a sacrificial altar. He pushed the woman to her knees and shoved her under the table. Sucking sounds soon followed and Phineas looked up and smiled. “I was curious this morning. That’s all. With all the delectable flesh at my fingertips, you can’t seriously think I’ve an interest in your pet.”
“That explains the raven, but what about later?”
Phineas frowned and thrust his hips. “What later? I’ve been busy as you can tell. And you’re wrong. Quite a few know you’ve a visitor in town. You really can’t expect for an unattached mortal to show up and be completely ignored. I suggest you speak to Harry over at Blood Moon. I made Krisana a room reservation there this morning. With the art festival this weekend, the rooms will fill up fast. What happened to your darling anyway? You sound as if she’d been attacked and devoured. We’re far too civilized here for that to happen. Consensual is the name of the game, now.” Phineas thrust again.
Jameson left without responding and popped into the pub at the Blood Moon Bed and Breakfas
t. He and the werewolf owner rarely saw eye-to-eye and avoided one another if possible. Harry wanted to put Mysteria Falls on the map and continually bombarded the town council with expansion proposals, like a paranormal Disneyland for humans. Jameson used his money and power to keep Mysteria Falls as private as possible.
Harry had gone hunting. Jameson didn’t bother asking the werewolf’s mate about Krisana. She appeared to be very territorial. No point in stirring trouble up there. Jameson located Harry in the mountains behind the opera house chasing down an eighteen-point buck. Jameson materialized just before the werewolf could strike.
Harry reared up onto his hind legs, his fangs lashing out in frustration before he shifted into human form. “What in the bloody hell are you doing? Get your aristocratic ass out of my way!”
“Just as soon as I get what I want.”
“Never. You think your money and connections can run this town forever? Change is coming and your old-school life is over.”
“Stay away from Krisana or you’ll spend eternity howling from the Chasm of Torture.”
“Who?”
“She came into town today.”
Harry frowned. “And why would I be interested in your bitch? Lorena would castrate me for even looking.”
The werewolf’s denial had a ring of truth to it, which left Jameson with nothing…or right back where he started, maybe. “You can thank Phineas for the visit.”
“Sly bastard. What did he say?”
Jameson dematerialized. He’d chase this shadow later.
~~~
Feeling refreshed, Krisana descended the stairs to meet Lord Daniels in the observatory. She’d bathed and rested since eating, and hoped that she’d soon be able to make sense of everything. In the short time she’d been in Mysteria Falls, her life had been forever altered. There was no going back, and any way forward had yet to be seen. Well, except for one aspect. It wasn’t hard to figure out where her attraction to JD was going.
Now that she wasn’t under the spell of his sex appeal, she had to wonder if she’d lost all perspective of what was real and what was influenced by her dreams. Until she understood how or why she’d had dreams of Anya and James, she might need to just be friends with JD.
Tonight and Forever Magical Romances Boxed Set Page 33