Magic After Dark: A Collection of Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance Novels

by Margo Bond Collins

  “It’s fine. Funny you’re here. I was going to stop by your place after work, but now will do just fine.”

  His smile was smug, even a bit daring. “Were you now? What did you have in mind? Another sleepover?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Does every girl you meet jump into your bed?”

  “You’re not like other girls.”

  My heart fluttered, betraying my level headiness. “True, which means I’m immune to your charms.”

  He moved without me realizing it, his warm breath dancing over my lips. “Would you like to test that theory?” he murmured.

  Uh, hell no. We both knew we’d be using this counter for something other than a table and tearing our clothes off. “You just keep your lips and your hands to yourself.”

  He chuckled. “What is it you have on your pretty little mind?”

  He was close, and the nearness of him was doing weird things to my belly. His knee brushed mine, and a shock of electricity raced up my thigh. “The curse.”

  “What curse?” he echoed, but not before the barest of emotion flickered in his eyes. I wasn’t sure if it was fear, anger, or both, but he wasn’t happy about it.

  I played with the corner of my wrapped sandwich. “The one that binds you.”

  A moment passed, and Conner sighed. “The farther you dig into my past, the more danger you put yourself in. How can I save myself, if I am worrying about what you’re doing, or what you’ll do next?”

  I jumped at the fact that a denial wasn’t quick on his lips. “So there is a curse. Tell me. There is a reason I’ve dreamed of you time and time again. I’m meant to help.”

  One side of his lips curved up. “Have you now, dreamed of me?”

  I frowned. That was beside the point. I wanted to know about the curse, not talk about my dreams. “Since I was six.”

  He reached out, toying with the amulet around my neck. It thrummed to life. “And I you, Mirela. But in my dreams, it was I saving you.”

  My mouth hit the floor. “I don’t understand. How is this possible?”

  “In short, you just can’t keep yourself from meddling in my life.” He unwrapped his sandwich, taking a bite out of his pickle spear.

  He was going to drive me batshit crazy. “You invaded my dreams,” I reminded him. “Now the score is even.”

  His brow arched, the one with the battle scar. “Is it now? I’m not so sure about that.”

  I considered throwing my pickle at him. “The other day wasn’t the first time you’ve entered my dreams.”

  “Dream casting. And no, it wasn’t the first. I was curious about you. The girl who is linked to my dreams—to me.”

  A link? My eyes beseeched his, and I felt it, a strand of electricity humming between us. “What kind of connection?”

  He broke the spell and took a bite of his sandwich. “That falls under the category of the less you know the safer you’ll be.”

  I rolled my eyes. If Conner wouldn’t give me the answers I sought, there were other methods, just as effective. I would find out one way or the other. I deserved the truth, especially if Conner and I were somehow connected.

  “Eat,” he said, indicating my untouched Reuben. “You’re going to need your strength if you insist on putting yourself in the middle of this fight.”

  I took a bite out of the sandwich. “Happy now?” I mumbled, my mouth full, crumbs tumbling on the counter.

  Seriousness reflected in his gaze. “Nah. I’ll be happy when you’re safe.”

  “Then you understand how I feel,” I reasoned.

  “’Tis different, Mirela.”

  “How so? And if you even try that sexist crap on me, I’ll throw you out of my shop on your ass.”

  His lips twitched. “Fine. Then I won’t. But you know there is something between us. That is reason enough.” He brushed a curl behind my ear.

  I couldn’t seem to look away from his gaze. There was an intensity that drew me to him. “If you think keeping me in the dark will protect me, you’re wrong.”

  “I’ve spent most of my life running from this place. There is darkness inside me, Mirela. I might not be worth risking your life to save. Have you thought about that? Let me do what I must. I’m asking you to stay far from me, and if you don’t heed my request, I’ll be forced to ensure you stay put.”

  His implication was clear. He would use magic to keep me at bay, hide himself from me. I scowled. “You wouldn’t dare.”

  “Thanks for lunch.” He brushed his lips softly across mine.

  I sat behind the counter and watched him walk out of the shop—and possibly out of my life. A smorgasbord of emotions turned inside me. Shock. Anger. Regret. Injustice. My heart ached as I suppressed the urge to run out into the street after him.

  Conner had another thing coming if he thought he could tell me what to do. That was the thanks I got for trying to save his life. He couldn’t just stroll in here, bring me lunch, tell me we were linked somehow, and then demand I go about my life, forget he existed until…until when? He died?

  It would be too late then. I’d never get the opportunity to see what he might mean to me, or if I was in fact in love with a dream.

  Served him right. I should just let the wolf kill him.

  If only I could…but damn if I would force myself upon someone who clearly didn’t think he needed me.

  That night, an artic wind blew through Kenmare, covering the grass and trees in a glistening frost, reflecting in the moon’s soft glow. Sharp clouds slashed across the dark skies. I walked home in the brisk air, with a shadow nipping at my heels. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, urging me to quicken my pace.

  The wolf.

  I didn’t bother to look over my shoulder, but kept my focus on getting home. A howl echoed through the valley, carrying up over the treetops. The sight of my little cottage was a beacon of safety. I will not fear him. I will not run. I will not give him the hunt he seeks. I vowed, clutching the amulet in my grasp.

  It glowed, warming under my hand.

  Climbing the front steps, I quickly shut the door behind me, throwing the lock in place. The house was as still as a grave. “Bastard,” I swore. “You’ve another thing coming, wolf, if you mean to do him harm. I won’t let you touch what’s mine.”

  With my back to the door, the words that left my lips resonated. Did I already think of Conner as mine?

  In a way I did. You didn’t dream of someone for years without forming an attachment. Just what the hell was I supposed to do about it? Conner wanted me to stay away, but my instincts were telling me to do whatever it took to keep him alive.

  Dropping my tote on the floor, I went to the hearth for the sole reason to warm my blood. I didn’t have the patience to light the fire by hand. Kneeling, with a slightly unsteady hand, I let the wee bit of magic I had gather in my fingers, before sending the energy into a ball of light that flared to life inside the hearth.

  Conner wasn’t the only one with magick in his blood. Although mine was weak and not much help against a fight with a wolf, it was something I respected and rarely used.

  I sat on the floor, my shirt billowed around me, absorbing the heat and trying to calm my nerves. The flames flickered and dance. “What am I going to do?” I whispered.

  When the fire in the hearth had died to embers, barely holding back the chill, he was there in the flames. Conner.

  But he wasn’t alone.

  I stared at my face in the flames.

  We were in the woods near the stone circle. My hand was in Conner’s, and a smile was on my lips. There was happiness in both our eyes and something more. Love. Conner leaned down to take my lips in a sweet kiss I could feel through the flames.

  The wind howled, carrying the whispers of Conner’s death. I shivered in his arms. “Did you hear that?” Brows knitted together, I scanned the trees.

  “Hear what?” he asked, lips skimming my cheekbone.

  “I don’t know. I thought I heard someone.”

  Hi
s fingers trailed down my side. “Let me distract you,” he murmured, leaning down to nuzzle my neck.

  For a few seconds he managed to do just that, but the feeling of being watched prickled at my skin. The woods were thick, and the night as black as spades. No moon shone tonight. No stars twinkling.

  And with a shudder, I understood. The wolf was coming, riding with the wind.

  I squeezed Conner’s arm, my eyes finding his. “We need to run. We need to get to the circle.”

  Conner stiffened. “What are you waiting for? Go!”

  I took off just as the ground heaved at my feet, boiling with mist. Wind slapped at me, sharp and icy, stinging my face. I paused, glancing behind me, expecting to see Conner, but there was no one there. I was alone in the woods.

  Baffled, I wondered if he had veered off to draw the wolf away from me. “Conner, you fool,” I grumbled.

  I did a circle, rubbing my arms and noticed something was wrong. The path had changed.

  “Oh shit.”

  Fog crawled out of the woods across the ground. Taking a step back, I whipped around, trying to orient myself. Going with impulse, I cut down a narrow path to my left at a jog, and it only took me seconds to realize it was the wrong decision.

  Instead of getting closer to the circle of stones, I found myself moving deeper into the woods. If I turned back now, the wolf would surely find me. So I ran.

  But I never made it out. I never made it to the circle.

  The wolf found me.

  He used the elements against me to get me on his turf and isolated. Water. Air. Earth. The woods to make me lose my way. The fog to impair my sight. And the wind to chafe my skin.

  I shivered as he whispered my name, stepping out from the dark shadows, eyes glowing. My chin tipped, and I steeled myself. “I’m alone. It’s what you wanted, isn’t it?”

  He stopped a few feet in front of me, bigger than I remembered. As long as you interfere, little dove, I will find you.

  “I told you I wouldn’t stop.”

  Do you think he can give you what you need? Love? There is more to this world than emotions. I can give you so much more. I can show you power. His words caressed in my head, trying to lure me.

  I flicked out my hands on either side of my hips, green flames licking over my fingertips. “I have my own power, only strengthened by what I feel for Conner. Emotions are magick of their own. Love is powerful...so is hate.”

  The wolf gave a haunting laugh. You think what you feel for me is hate?

  A gentle breeze caressed lightly over my skin, as soft as a feather. It was as if he was touching me, awakening my senses. There was a glint of seduction in his glowing eyes.

  I knew what he was doing, and I drummed up an image of Conner’s face, shattering the illusion. Instantaneously, a cold spear shot up my spine. “You show me smoke and mirrors. That isn’t real. What I have with Conner is, and that’s what frightens you.”

  The wolf showed me his fangs. I fear nothing. But I can taste yours. You aren’t safe. Not here. Not in your dreams. And not with him. Let me show you. A token to remember me by and what you could have with only a bite.

  “You gave me one of those the last time,” I reminded him, and a dull ache vibrated in my shoulder.

  Once wasn’t enough. Some need to be reminded time and time again.

  He lunged.

  I whirled and ran. Without the protection of the circle, the black wolf could very well eat me alive. I didn’t get but a few steps when his weight descended on me, slamming me to the ground. His heavy paws were on my chest, trapping me. I stared up, little gasps of breath wheezed in and out of my lungs. The amulet at my neck vibrated between the wolf and me.

  His gaze lowered to it, lips peeled back into a snarl. This time no magick can heal you. You will bear my mark so you remember.

  I threw my hand out to cover my face, forgetting about the green flames. One of his fangs pierced my skin. I cried out, but I wasn’t the only one in pain. The unearthly fire I had conjured singed his fur, barbequing his snout.

  The wolf howled, throwing back his head, and sent me into action. Drawing my feet up, I kicked him in the chest, throwing his weight off me. I scrambled to my feet, my heart racing.

  The air shifted, and with it a breeze blew in, taking away my hair, tumbling and tangling it. Night fell like a curtain drop. My mind grew fuzzy, and the sounds of the forest grew distant, as if I was at the bottom of a deep well. Pain registered and I glanced down.

  Blood welled up on the inside of my wrist.

  Shit.

  Chapter 9

  “Mirela!” My name boomed from the door, followed by a series of impatient knocks.

  I stared down at my hand, seeing droplets of blood hit the gleaming wood floors. A vision. The future—one in which Conner and I were in love. What frightened me wasn’t falling in love with the druid, but the change in my gifts. Twice, I’d been injured in a vision. Twice, the pain had become tangible in the here and now.

  The pounding at the front door sounded again. “Mirela, if you don’t open this door in ten seconds, I’m breaking it down.”

  Crap.

  Scrambling to my feet, I rushed down the hallway and threw open the door, staring at Conner’s striking yet cold face. Sandy hair blew in the violent wind. “Are you drunk?” I asked.

  He pushed open the door and strutted right in. “Not yet, but if anyone was going to drive me to drink, it would be you.”

  I closed the door. “The feeling’s mutual,” I muttered.

  Vibrant aqua eyes met mine. “What took you so long to come to the door?”

  “I think the more important question is, what are you doing here?” It was late, unless this was a booty call…

  The glint in his eyes vanished, replaced with concern etching his forehead. “Mirela, you’re bleeding.” His hand shot out, flipping over my wrist. “What’s this?”

  I guess it had been too much to hope he wouldn’t notice. “It’s only a scratch.” I tried to wrench my wrist out of his grasp. He wasn’t having it, producing a frown on my face.

  He twisted my hand from side to side. “Why is it you’re always in need of my aid when I stumble across you? Another tangle with the wolf?” His voice took on an edge of disapproval.

  “Appears you aren’t the only one who likes to invade my mind,” I replied dryly.

  A deep scowled lined his lips. “Hold still.” He covered the wound with his hand, and intense warmth encircled my arm.

  “You don’t have to do—”

  “Shhh. Let me finish.” The glow of magick soaked into my flesh, sinking under the surface and mending the cuts. “There’s no point in you bleeding all over the place, when I can heal you,” he said when he finished.

  My eyes glanced over where the slashes had been. This time, it was more than a scar. As promised, the wolf left me a reminder—a mark. Three C’s each joined at the arch.

  “You’ve been marked,” Conner informed me. “I warned you. This is only the beginning. More blood will be shed.”

  The last thing I wanted was an I-told-you-so. “I think I need a drink.”

  He followed me into the kitchen. “Finally, something we can agree on.”

  From the cabinet, I reached to grab a pair of wine glasses.

  Conner came up behind me. “Here, let me help.” His lips moved against my ear, his body brushing against mine as his arms stretched to remove the glasses.

  My fingers gripped the counter as my stomach fluttered. Oh god. “Thanks,” I replied, my voice breathy.

  “It’s the least I can do,” he murmured, taking a step back.

  I exhaled, gathering my composure before I turned around. “What does that mean?” I took the glasses and set them on the table before pulling out a bottle of wine.

  He caught my wrist and flipped it over, rubbing the pad of his thumb over the mark. His skin was rough and sent a thrill spiraling within me. “Isn’t it obvious? If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have this.”
>
  My gaze drifted over his face, before I took a seat. “Is it some kind of death mark?” I asked. The wolf had branded me for a reason.

  Conner lightly traced the black lines, his touch tingling on my skin. “Just the opposite. He’s marked you as his.”

  I sucked in a sharp breath. “Why would he do that?”

  Conner released my hand and uncorked the bottle, before filling our glasses. “A number of reasons. To show me he can hurt you. A warning to other wolves.”

  I took a long swig, letting the liquid warm my blood. “This is crazy. Is there a way to remove the mark?”

  He stretched out his long legs under the table. “There is.”

  “Are you just going to leave me hanging?”

  “I didn’t come here to discuss the wolf.”

  I angled my head to the side. “Why are you here?”

  “I sensed you were in trouble.”

  My brow arched. “Did you now? Our connection?”

  Our eyes locked, and I could see the flecks of deep amber pull through the aqua color of his eyes. “It seems to be getting stronger. I’m guessing the more time we spend together intensifies the magickal link between us.”

  I’d been aware of him before, but when he looked at me like that, my entire body felt it. He had emptied his glass, and I got up to refill it. “Tell me how we’re going to get this mark off me.”

  “Best leave the bottle,” he said.

  Setting the bottle down, I tossed my own glass back. “I couldn’t agree more.” There must be a full moon. All kinds of strange shit was happening. I doubted it was a coincidence.

  “The mark is only removed if another wolf challenges him for you,” he said when I was once again seated. “If the other wolf is successful in killing him, the mark will vanish, leaving you free to be marked by the winner, if he so chooses.”

  “Well shit.” I shoved a hand through my hair. “I’d been really hoping you had a spell.”

  Conner leaned forward on the table, bringing our faces close. “There are some things not even magick can cure.”

  God, he smelled wonderful. “What does he want?” I whispered.