Paranormal Magic (Shades of Prey Book 1)

by Margo Bond Collins

  “It took a great deal to get Mercer to crawl so we made sure he wouldn’t be able to stand for a while. I’m sure you understand.” Kalliope sounded very pleased with herself.

  Lainey felt sick to her core. Looking at the extent of his injuries, she guessed they had tormented him for a while. All she wanted to do was make him better and take away his pain. Instinctively stepping closer to help him, the purple lake spewed forth a geyser of steaming water in warning. There was no way she could reach him.

  “Well, first things first…now we test your serum, Lainey Hargreaves. I want to see if your healing powers or in this case, death dealing powers, far outstrip those of your witchcraft. Can this tiny little tube really rid the world of the un-dead? I think it’s about time that I found out.” Popping the little plastic stopper out with her thumb, she sniffed the contents within, and then nodded. “White chilli, Zingiber, and Annato seeds…what an interesting little combination. I don’t think this should be too hard to replicate with a little experimentation. How do you recommend it be administered?” Kalliope looked enquiringly at her.

  “Go to hell,” Lainey muttered.

  “You first. You can keep my seat warm for me.” Kalliope’s lips twitched. “Well, we’ll try the traditional way and see if that works.” Yanking hard upon Mercer’s leash, she pulled his head back and with her fingers pried his jaw open. He didn’t even struggle, probably realising that the end of his existence would be more of a blessing than a curse. With eyes that already seemed dead, he watched as the vial tipped forward at a forty-five degree angle ready to pour out its contents.

  “Any last words you’d like to share with your vampire?” Kalliope’s mouth twisted into a savage smile of triumph as she looked directly at Lainey.

  If Lainey had been on the other side of that lake, she swore she would have put her fist right through the vicious drama-queen’s head. Frustration and fury warred for supremacy inside her. Never had she felt so useless and powerless. There must be a way to fight back. Tears sprung to her eyes as the vial tilted closer towards Mercer’s mouth and she pleaded for his life.

  “What do you want? I’ll do anything, but you need to let him live.” Her arms reached out pleadingly, but Kalliope’s smile only got wider as the vial tipped lower.

  “You have nothing to offer me now, Lainey, except your death. So be a good girl and keep quiet.”

  “No! Please no!” Feeling her whole body turn to jelly, Lainey watched with a sickened fascination as a stream of clear fluid sank into the air above Mercer’s head. Everything began to whirl around in slow motion. The first drop seemed to hang in the air for the longest second and it was almost as if she was going mad. In fact, the serum appeared to separate into lots of tiny drops, which hovered just above his lips, glistening as they twirled around before suddenly changing direction and flying into the open mouth of a very puzzled, and now shocked, Matthieu. Well, that made two of them.

  All eyes focused on the blue-eyed vampire who had jumped up from his seat and was doing his best to spit out the liquid, which had forcefully flown down his throat. For a moment, nothing happened and there was a tense moment of silence as he unsteadily came to his full height. Then, after straightening his elegant black dinner jacket with two hands, he leapt down from the dais and rushed for Kalliope’s throat.

  “You bitch,” he spat at her and wasting no further time on words, he attacked.

  Taken by surprise, Kalliope managed to let out a flurry of bright magenta sparks but it didn’t stop him. His fangs erupted in twin arcs and pushing her hard into her seat, he bent his head into the curve of her neck but he never made it. There was a sudden stiffening of his entire body, a blood-curdling scream, and then he slumped onto the ground in front of her, the whites of his eyes rolling up into his head.

  Quickly recovering her composure, Kalliope kicked Matthieu’s body away from her chair and watched him roll over onto his face. She cleared her throat. “You should see the expression on your face. Why would I kill Mercer? He’s going to be the primary source of my entertainment for the next several years, at least until I grow bored of him. Matthieu, on the other hand, has served his purpose. I’m not good at sharing, you see, especially something as important as power.” She slowly stepped down from her raised chair and headed towards Mercer, where she pushed the point of a purple stiletto up against his chin. She tilted her head and appeared to consider something, letting her lilac eyes dominate the dull amber ones in front of her.

  “Shall we let the wannabe witch watch as I bind you to me? Do you think she would like that, darling?” Hooking her fingers under the thick black leather of his collar, she pulled his body upwards and frowned darkly when he couldn’t complete her request. Arching an eyebrow, she said, “We can always try it this way, sweetness.” Her fingers began to move in circles, and it wasn’t long before plumes of orange, red, and yellow threads began spinning together.

  Lainey wanted the floor to swallow her up and eat her whole. She was no coward but the last five minutes had been the worst of her life, and things weren’t about to get better any time soon. The fireball in Kalliope’s hands looked evil as the flames leaped and jumped, spreading its malevolence in creeping lines upon the harsh planes of the rock walls. The cavern suddenly felt like a furnace and the walls began closing in. Panic began to rear its ugly head, and Lainey was almost positive that she was hyperventilating. The amount of cortisol in her bloodstream could have gotten her six months off work and an impressive supply of Valium. Believe. She whispered the word over, and over in her head, rapidly trying to add up the dots of last night. Why had her magic worked then? Think Lainey, think!

  Kalliope released her ball of flames, and Mercer fell back to the floor writhing in agony. Lainey was no longer watching. She couldn’t. Already at her breaking point, watching him suffer would tip her over the edge of no return. She had to focus. If she was to be of any use to him at all, she had to figure out how her fingers worked. There had to be magic in them somewhere, her grandmother was one of the most respected witches in the northern hemisphere. Believe. The word was getting louder in her head. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kalliope put her hands under Mercer’s shoulders, bringing his lips up to her neck. She needed him to bite her one last time.

  Unable to put up more than a token resistance and desperate for blood as he was, Mercer latched onto her and began to suck. Mercer’s worst nightmares were about to become reality. Believe. Believe. Believe. The word was roaring in Lainey’s head now. She could do this. There was no other option.

  A trigger. There had to be a trigger for her magic, and suddenly her mind worked with perfect clarity. Thinking back to last night in the forest, she realised it could only be one of two things. It was either her need to heal which was so elemental in her she wondered why she hadn’t tested the notion before, or it was her growing love for Mercer. As Kalliope began to utter the words of the binding spell, Lainey had no time to test her theories. Digging deep inside herself, where there was nothing but silence and a soft velvety darkness, she focused on her desire to make Mercer whole and healthy again, and the rapidly blossoming bud of her feelings for him. Although their relationship was still in its infancy, she couldn’t stop thinking about him. She wanted him in her life, wanted to care for him, share the past, present and hopefully, the future. Damnit, she wanted a lifetime with Mercer. They could make this work. No one had managed to make her feel anything before and now she was overwhelmed with emotion. I believe.

  Feeling the first threads rip through her belly with startling speed, she began to chant the words of her own binding spell as fast as she could, knowing there would be precious seconds to spare. Opening her eyes wide, she raised her arms in a V shape above her head and without raising her voice, the words began to grow in volume and depth. They easily eclipsed Kalliope’s incantation and soon the cave was echoing each word Lainey said over, and over until it formed a strange kind of music as it ricocheted off the walls.

  Kalliop
e faltered unable to concentrate with Lainey’s voice undulating in waves around her, progressively getting louder and louder. Trying to retaliate in kind, she directed her hands at the lake in front of her, stirring up the water until it frothed and formed a gigantic wave that was about to crash down upon Lainey.

  While continuing her binding chant and concentrating her healing thoughts upon Mercer’s prone body, Lainey merely flicked her fingers and the lake turned a brilliant white and calmed instantly before it completely froze over in a creamy opaque hue glistening with all the colours of an opal. Walking forwards, her feet rising up to step upon the ice, she concentrated her threads of magic upon Mercer’s body as her binding spell neared completion. Solid white light coiled around him in concentric ribbons, gently wrapping his injured body in a cocoon of healing thoughts. Lainey’s voice was now so loud the ice beneath her feet began to crack.

  Kalliope screamed and covered her ears.

  Lainey wasn’t even aware she was there anymore. Her attention still centred on Mercer, watching as the threads became thicker and thicker, until she could barely see him. Then when she spoke the last words of her binding spell, they dissipated like fluffy white clouds. When it was over, there wasn’t a mark upon him.

  “No! No, you can’t do this,” Kalliope screamed in fury.

  Now that the cave had quietened down, the witch seemed to recover her wits and standing taller, her hands began to move frantically weaving another fireball. Lainey paid her no heed, because her sights were set firmly on Mercer so the dark witch used that to her advantage. Stepping behind Lainey, she raised her fireball and threw it with all her might.

  Mercer’s gaze shifted over Lainey’s shoulder and he smiled. Kalliope realised she had made a fatal mistake. Now that she had killed Matthieu, Mercer had complete control of Lainey’s body and mind so the young witch ducked smoothly from the waist down and the fireball flew harmlessly over her head. Then Lainey seized the orb, wrenching it from Kalliope’s grasp. The evil witch could do nothing more than watch helplessly as Lainey twisted her hand, wrapping her own energy around the ball and watching as the colours changed to a pure white and untainted power. Instead of flickering, the sparking threads now formed a solid orb which hovered in mid-air growing brighter and brighter.

  When Lainey turned her attention back to Kalliope, she pushed the pulsing ball back to its owner with a burst of impressive speed. Entering her chest, the glowing light spread all through her body and the witch looked down with growing horror. The vision she made was that of a shimmering angel, for all she was lacking was a pair of wings. Then the lights went out in her eyes and she sank to the floor in a sitting position staring ahead, her gaze empty and soulless.

  Lainey immediately turned her attention back to Mercer. “Are you all right?”

  The vampire wore a wide grin on his face. “Never better.” Looking down at his naked body, he smiled ruefully. “I’m not sure leather is my thing though.”

  He began unbuckling the collar from around his neck, completely comfortable with his nakedness. Lainey, on the other hand, didn’t know where to look.

  “What did you do to Little Miss Sunshine over there? Is she dead?” Mercer tilted his head, and regarded Kalliope’s lifeless face.

  “No.” Lainey smiled.

  “Fucking shame,” Mercer muttered, and Lainey couldn’t help but laugh.

  “I’m not exactly sure what I’ve done but the ball was made up of healing energy, so perhaps it’s resetting her? Who knows, perhaps she’ll wake up tomorrow and join a nunnery or something? Stranger things have happened.”

  Mercer pursed his lips, fighting to hold his mirth at bay. “Are you sure you don’t want to kill her? I’m sorely tempted to rip her head off her shoulders. You don’t mind, right?”

  Lainey shook her head. “No. I’m a healer, not a killer. Besides, we have much more important things to do next. We need to find Gaius and Guillaume. I can feel them. It shouldn’t take me too long to find them, and they need help. We also need to get you some clothes.”

  Mercer eyes twinkled. “That really bothers you, huh? It shouldn’t. You’ve just attached me to your side for the rest of your lifetime. You’re going to be seeing me naked an awful lot, Lainey Hargreaves.” His smile faltered then. “But you’re right. We need to find them. I have no idea what condition she might have left them in.”

  Lainey nodded and they began to walk towards the back of the cave and up the stairs that led into the rock. “I’m a healer. I can patch up some of the damage, but I have a feeling Gaius will need a whole lot more than that.” He nodded and reached for her hand while ruffling the hair on the top of her head with the other. “I’m sorry about the binding,” she then stuttered, not really knowing what to say. “I didn’t know what else to do, and I just remember…”

  Mercer pulled her close and put a finger to her lips. “Don’t. You did the right thing. My heart was beating double time when I heard you begin that spell. I just wanted you to finish it before she did. Having seen exactly what Kalliope is capable of, I couldn’t go through that a second time. I would have found some way to end my life, I swear.”

  “It was my fault though. I couldn’t think of another way, and I know that it must be your worst nightmare to be bound to a witch. I’m sorry, so very sorry. I panicked and the words just spilled out.” Intense waves of emotion flowed through Lainey, followed by a post-adrenaline rush that saw the bottom falling out of her world. “Oh God! What have I done? You must hate me. This is such a horrible mess. What a miserable way to start a relationship.” Her hand wobbled in his.

  Mercer picked her up in his arms and pressed her head into his neck. He stroked her hair softly and kissed her. “No, sweetheart, only the foundations for our pairing have been set. It’s up to us what we build, Lainey. If we both set our minds to it, I think we could build something beautiful. What do you say we take a chance?” He slowly pressed his lips to hers and when she looked up at his eyes, they were smiling.

  Grasping his hand and feeling the warmth of his fingers as they closed around hers, she said, “Well, I guess it would be wrong not to try. After all, the sex is pretty amazing.”

  In the next moment, Mercer spun her around in his arms and all she heard was his deep rumbling laughter. It was a good sound. Maybe there was a chance for them. If they seized it with both hands, who knew what might happen?

  ***

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  Limerence

  (The Obsession Series)

  by Claire C. Riley

  Prologue

  Those eyes.

  Those hungry eyes.

  They stare into my soul. They burn my resilience away, devouring me whole. Over and over he persists. I must fight or die. Or die fighting.

  I am his, but I do not know it yet. He will devour me. He will devour us all before this night is through.

  One

  Mia.

  A cold hand snakes under my duvet, intruding on my thoughts. It slides along the warmth of my calf, and I shiver. I pull my legs up to my chest, turning myself into a ball. The hand’s grip on me is firm and strong. It pulls my legs out from their foetal position and begins to massage the muscle of my inner thigh, kneading my flesh persistently. My muscles deep inside clench in expectancy and I smile despite myself.

  “Go on you, get to work.” I emerge from under the covers. My long black hair falls around my shoulders, untidily no doubt, and I yawn and rub my eyes.

  “I’m the boss you know, Mia; I'm allowed to be a little late.” Oliver’s voice is husky. His hand has reached my waist, and now rubs the arc of my hips.

  Damn, he’s gorgeous. I smile and look him over. His body is hard and toned with a rugged sex appeal, and his sandy hair is tousled. His eyes are a deep chocolate brown and sexy as hell as he looks at me. I notice that he’s only in his underwear—some tight, black boxer shorts—and
nothing else. My stomach twirls in excitement.

  “First off, Mr Boss Man, you cannot be late for work today. You need to make a good impression. Secondly, just because you’ve been given lead control on the development over on the Island, it does not make you ‘the boss’ as you so aptly put it.” I grin at him and sit up.

  I lean over, grab my coffee mug, and take a tentative sip. Grinning, I let the covers slide down off my shoulders, making sure to show more flesh than necessary.

  “Mmmmm.” The sound leaves me, deep and throaty. “This is really good.” I smile appreciatively, my blue eyes never leaving his.

  Clearly, I’m not talking about the coffee anymore.

  He grins and his hand grips me tighter under the covers, then moves up to my stomach. He reaches further under my lace cotton vest, his fingers probing the soft outline of my breasts.

  “I’m pretty much the boss,” Oliver says with affection, his body straining against his boxer shorts.

  And there’s that sexy grin again.

  “I’m in charge of the entire landscaping team over there. And you can’t do that,” he squeezes my plump breast tenderly, his eyes dark and brooding, “and expect me to go to work.”

  Leaning in for a kiss, he closes his eyes. I bring my face to his, our lips brushing against each other. Both his hands reach out for me, and he cups my face. Holding me to him, he slips his tongue between my lips. He strokes it against mine and heat spreads through me at his touch. He smells divine as he leans further in, kissing my neck. His chin stubble is rough against my sensitive skin and I shiver.