Dark Vortex: Mated by Magic

by Stella Marie Alden

  “You’re wrong, Zoe.” Jack gripped her shoulders and turned her so she could see the fury blazing in his eyes. She swore she could see real fire in the blackened centers. “We didn’t fuck. We mated and we’re going to have a baby and be a family. I may not know you very well, but Zoe, I feel you, here”–he banged on his chest–“constantly. I know you feel it too.”

  Of course she did. She felt him in a way that was overwhelming. He was there, constantly. Ever since she’d met him she couldn’t get him out of her mind. But she couldn’t tell him that. He already treated her like he owned her. Soon she would shrink to nothing against his constant ego and she would revert to nothing.

  Men always wanted ownership, body and soul. It was just like how her father had owned her until she finally left home. Zoe wanted to be free. More than that, she wanted to be loved, unconditionally, not chained to a relationship through magic.

  “This won’t work.” She shook her head.

  “It will. Just give it time.” Jack pulled her to him, and blasted her with a heat that warmed her very core.

  He wasn’t playing fair.

  “Let me go.” Zoe pushed weakly with both hands against his armor-like chest. “Haven’t you done enough to me already?”

  “I’ll fix things.” He held her tight. “Just give me the chance.”

  She sank her face against his chest. His scent drifted into her nostrils, making her knees go weak. Already her traitorous body recognized him as her own and lusted after him.

  How was she ever going to find the strength to walk away?

  *

  Confused, hurt, and angry, Jack held Zoe against him, worried that she would slip from him if he gave her even the slightest chance. Why was she so damn adamant about running from him? He’d give her the world if she’d only give him the chance.

  “Don’t run from me, Zoe.” He placed his hand over her abdomen. He could already sense another presence growing within her and it overwhelmed him. She needed to understand. Maybe he didn’t love her, but it was damn close to it. He moved his hand to her chest, and shared his emotions with a pulse of energy. It left him out there, feeling vulnerable as hell.

  “Jack?” She blinked up at him.

  “That’s what I feel for you angel.”

  “I can’t think straight when I’m with you.”

  “Then don’t think.” He brushed his lips over hers. “Just feel.”

  He nipped at her lips and sent tiny waves of heat through his fingertips along her bare thigh. She kissed him then. More like, devoured him.

  The energy between them was palatable. Fuck, she felt so good. Maybe everything was going to be all right after all.

  “I don’t want to live without you.” He slowly put his hand over her heart and pulsed in his energy.

  Her little gasp set him on fire.

  “Look at me, angel.” He placed her hand on his chest. “Feed me your lust, your power–your everything. I need it, sweetheart. I need to know you want to be mine. Like you did for me the first time.”

  Zoe opened her eyes, gazed into his, and tentatively gave him what he asked. Jack inhaled sharply as blood rushed to his cock.

  She groaned into his mouth, and rubbed against the hard erection that pressed against the fly of his jeans. Damn if he didn’t want to unzip it there, push her against the wall of the cottage, and take her.

  “We’re going inside. Now.” He bent down, placed his arm under her knees and scooped her up.

  She let out a little squeal, and he stopped her protest with a kiss.

  They were both breathing hard when they reached her bedroom. Her face was flushed with desire as he placed her feet on the ground and let her slide down his body.

  Hating the barrier of their clothes, he gripped the hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head. Her hands went to the buckle at his waist, and he groaned when her fingers brushed against his erection.

  He cupped the back of her neck, knotting his fingers in her hair, and lowered his lips to hers. Her mouth parted for him. He devoured her, and she rose against him, straining for more. She met him with an intensity that matched his own.

  It was like tasting wind and fire–an inferno of desire.

  He clenched his teeth. His body was strung tight and his cock throbbed in agony. He needed to be inside her. Now.

  She placed her hands on his chest, a wicked gleam in her eyes, and gave him a solid blast that sent him stumbling back against the bed.

  He inhaled roughly.

  She blasted him again. Fire and wind shot through him, straight to his balls, and he collapsed backwards on the bed, panting. She crawled on top of him and licked her lips.

  “Fuck, you’re beautiful.” He barely contained the primal growl that rumbled in his chest as she blasted him with another surge of energy. Her essence swirled through him, and for a moment, he couldn’t breathe.

  Her eyes glittered with challenge. She wanted to play.

  He chuckled, gripped her hips and flipped her on her back. She let out a small squeal of surprise, and he used that moment to conjure a large ball of sexually charged energy. He held it above her stomach. He smirked and lowered his mouth to her breast. He licked and nipped her hardened nipple.

  “Tell me you want it, angel.” He lowered the ball so that it sizzled and sparked just between her legs.

  “Please,” her weak cry was desperate.

  He placed his palm between her thighs and let the energy flood through her. Her head tossed, and her hips rocked beneath his hand. He blew a cool breath over her taut nipple and her body convulsed with another spasm.

  The sound of her cries overwhelmed his senses. There was no holding back. He lifted above her and pressed his cock against her swollen folds. She was warm, slick, and ready for him. He drove himself deep, filling her to capacity.

  “More,” she pleaded. She rocked her hips against his, driving him even deeper. Her fingers clawed at his hips, his back.

  “Stay with me, Zoe.” He put his hand on her chest and with another dose of energy, let her feel his want for her as he thrust hard and deep. She was his mate. Fully, completely. What more could any person want?

  “Jack.” She closed her eyes and gasped.

  Her body tightened. He could feel her orgasm building. She clawed at the sheets, her head tilted back, and her body clenched and convulsed around him.

  Holy Goddess. The sensation drove him over the edge.

  Intense pleasure tore through him. Heat and wind whipped around them. With one final thrust, Jack shouted in ecstasy. The final burst of his release pulsed through his body and he collapsed above her.

  His cock throbbed inside her, and he fought for breath, for sanity. He brushed his lips over her neck, then rolled on his back, bringing her with him.

  “I can’t live without you, angel,” he said. “I can’t let you go. Not part-time. Not anytime. We’ll go back to New York and figure this whole thing out, together.”

  She gave him a noncommittal nod.

  He played with a stand of her hair. “But I have to ask you drop the freelance hacking once we get back.”

  “How do you know about that?” she frowned.

  “What good is it to have money if I can’t spend it figuring out what you do for a living?” He chuckled and kissed her gently on her swollen lips.

  “You’ve been investigating me?”

  “You knew I was looking into your past.” He stood and started to dress.

  Her frown deepened. “That’s different.”

  “Just promise me no more illegal activities.”

  “Fine.” She sat up and pulled her knees under her chin. “But I’m not going to move in with you. Not yet. Nan said I could stay at her place until she gets back.”

  “We already discussed this.” He shrugged his shirt on.

  “No, you made your demands. I didn’t agree to anything.” She picked at a thread on the comforter, not meeting his eye. “I need some space to get used to everything.”

&nbs
p; “Who’s Nan?” Jack sat down on the bed and put on his shoes. He’d ignore her comment for now. She’d move in with him whether she liked it or not, she just didn’t know it yet.

  “A friend.” She bit her lip and looked out the window, her expression unreadable.

  He moved closer and held her head gently to face his own, their noses touching.

  “I thought we were good?” He searched her eyes for some kind of reasoning and reassurance.

  “We are good. But I really don’t know you, and I’m not ready to move in with you. Believe me when I say, you’re not ready for me.” She shook her head when he opened his mouth to speak. “And don’t say it. I know you’re my mate.”

  He muttered a curse under his breath and stood.

  “I’m not disagreeing that when it comes to making love, nothing is even close, but we don’t even know if we even like the same TV shows. Movies. Do you leave the seat up? Do you drink milk out of the carton? Will you use my toothbrush? What if we drive each other crazy?” She sighed and tucked her hair behind her ears. “We need to slow down.”

  “Kind of late for that,” he muttered, trying not to sound angry.

  “I gave you what you needed. Give me the same courtesy.” She raised her voice a notch and he felt his temper start to snap.

  Before he realized it, he was shouting. “What do you need, then?”

  She stood up suddenly, naked and heated. Thunder broke in the distance, and a cool breeze blew through the window, causing the blinds to complain and the curtains to stir.

  “Really?” she shouted back. “This is the first time you’ve asked. That’s what I need, Jack. Someone who wants to know what I need.” She opened a drawer and pulled out a bra and panties, then slipped them on. “So far, it’s been all about you.”

  He lowered his voice “Have I fucked everything up that badly?”

  “For you, it’s easy. You call me your mate, we have sex and it’s done. For me, I only know human relationships and how they work, or rather, maybe, mostly how they don’t work. I can’t trust your way. You have to admit, it’s caused a lot of problems for me so far.” She finished dressing and twisted her hair high on her head, securing it with an elastic. “My number is in your cell. We’ll drive back to New York. I’ll get settled at Nan’s and then we can go out for dinner.”

  “Okay,” he sighed. “What do you like to eat? I’ll make reservations.”

  “Surprise me.”

  He had no comeback. Other than eggs, he had no idea what she liked, and just like that, she drove her point home. He turned, partly dejected and decidedly angry. He’d personally follow her to New York and then make some calls to have her watched. He wasn’t going to lose her again.

  Chapter 18

  Ivar couldn’t believe his good fortune. The couple had taken both cars to drive north. He pulled into the slow lane, directly beside the son-of-whore who had stolen his clan’s vortex. When the traffic thinned, he pulled out his weapon and took careful aim at the tires of the Audi A4. Two shots. The tires exploded and the car spun out of control, across the meridian, and into oncoming traffic. Perfect.

  Tires screeched, metal banged against metal, and he imagined the people in the oncoming tour bus screamed. He chuckled, satisfaction bubbling in his chest. In his rearview mirror, a string of brake lights indicated traffic was coming to a halt. He focused on the small green Kia, now directly in front of him. His niece had no idea her tail was gone. Even if she did, he’d give her no time to react.

  Ivar put his foot on the gas, nudged her bumper, and fantasized about fucking her. Perhaps if he gifted Gregor with her infant, it wouldn’t be a problem. With the Iesco clan leader dead, she’d be free to mate again. The American hadn’t deserved her. Once Ivar had her safely back home in Russia, he’d lock her up. He almost spilled his seed as he rammed the back of the tiny Rio repeatedly with his massive Escalade.

  This was going to be fun.

  Chapter 19

  Zoe relished the quiet as she drove home. Mile after mile of pine trees, interrupted by shore exits and gas stations, soothed her. Soon enough they’d close in on the city and she’d need to put all her focus on driving. Occasionally she glanced at the mirror. Jack kept exactly one car length between them. She could almost make out his discernible frown. He hadn’t been happy taking two separate cars, but the solitude was just what she’d needed. Time to think without Jack turning her brain to mush and her body to liquid fire.

  A shiver raced down her spine as her thoughts drifted to Jack. She shrugged it off and turned on the air conditioner full blast.

  Focus, Zoe. This wasn’t just about sex. It was about her whole life being turned upside down. How the hell was she going to integrate witchy-power and a mate into her life?

  She couldn’t even tell anyone what had happened. Jack and his family had made it very clear that there was a no tolerance policy about blabbing. But really, who would she tell? Her therapist would have her committed, and Nan already thought she had been brainwashed. She was going to freak when she saw the vortex. Shit, what was she going to say when she found out Zoe was pregnant?

  Pregnant. It still didn’t seem real. She glanced in her rearview mirror and chewed on her lip. Could she really raise a baby with a man she had just met?

  No matter how deep her attraction, she didn’t know the first thing about him outside of the bedroom. She shook her head and gripped the steering wheel tighter. That wasn’t entirely true. He was close to his family and treated them all with kindness and respect. Loyal too, and protective. When he wasn’t solstice-crazy, he seemed pretty normal.

  Maybe they could make it work.

  And maybe pigs could fly.

  Relationships equaled love–not sex. And Jack had made it quite clear that love wasn’t part of mating.

  One thing for certain, she couldn’t trust her body to make the decision. Her stepfather had seen to that.

  As a kid, before she knew right from wrong, she’d wanted his touch. Asked for it. Zoe shuddered, her stomach cramping at the unbidden thought.

  Could she trust Jack? Could she trust herself?

  This morning, Jack had been sweet and gentle as he massaged her. But that, too, was all about sex, wasn’t it? She wasn’t sure. Her sexual perspective was all fucked up. Wasn’t that why she was in therapy? For once in her life, she’d like to have a normal relationship without all her baggage showing up on the doorstep like an unwanted guest.

  But there was nothing normal about Jack or their relationship. There never could be.

  Zoe’s head snapped forward, jolting her into the present. A car slammed into hers with a sickening crack of plastic and metal. In the rearview mirror, a dark SUV with black-tinted windows barreled towards her.

  What the hell? Where was Jack?

  The SUV rammed into her again. Zoe’s neck whipped forward and the seat belt cut into her skin. She grabbed the steering wheel, righted her path, and stomped the accelerator to the floor.

  Too slow.

  On the next hit, her car spun in slow motion. Dirt and grass spewed on her windshield, and then it all stopped. In her vision, the world still rotated. She unbuckled her belt and reached to the passenger seat floor. She unzipped the side pocket of her knapsack and curled her fingers around the mace can.

  A vehicle screeched to a halt, and she played dead. She rested her cheek on the hot plastic of the front seat. Leaking gas and burning rubber stung her nostrils and her stomach twisted. She gripped the little canister tighter and made a Herculean effort to stop shaking.

  Her driver side door opened “Get out of the car.”

  She stayed still and waited for him to come closer.

  He leaned over, grabbed her arm. The smell of garlic assaulted her nostril, along with the tingling of electric voltage. She turned, opened her eyes, and stared into the nightmare that had scared her shitless for months. How was he still alive?

  “Don’t move.” His smile was triumphant and arrogant. “I used the vortex energy be
fore you were even born. I don’t want to injure you or the baby. You come with me. Like a good girl.”

  Zoe prayed, whipped one hand from behind her back, and maced his face. He screamed and dug his fingers into his eyes. Immediately, she thrust her feet into his chest and he fell back into the ditch, cursing.

  She sprinted for his idling car and snorted a triumphant laugh. She hadn’t survived alone in New York without learning a few tricks.

  Stones spit from under the tires as she floored the accelerator of the SUV. After a couple of miles, her heart stopped racing and her brain engaged. Where was Jack? The southbound traffic was at a dead standstill.

  Oh my God. No, no, no.

  She picked up her cell phone, and said, “Call Jack.”

  A painful eternity of six unanswered rings followed while she held her breath.

  “Hi, this is Jack…”

  She exhaled. “Jack, Jack. Are you okay?”

  “…please leave a message…”

  She cursed, hung up, and then spoke into her phone again. “Call Olivia.”

  “Hi, leave a message for Olivia’s Natural Herbal Remedies…”

  Damn it all to hell. Didn’t anyone pick up their fucking phone anymore? She left a message. “Olivia, nine-one-one. Call me back immediately. Something’s happened. Get Josh, too. Get everyone.”

  Every few seconds, she checked the rearview mirror. How long would it take finger-gun-man to catch up? For a millisecond, she considered calling the police. Get real. She was driving a stolen car.

  She ached to turn around and find Jack, but the southbound lane was at a dead stop.

  Slamming her palms on the steering wheel, she cursed. She’d be a sitting duck if finger-gun-man found her, but she needed to find Jack. Despite the danger, she pulled off at the next rest area, ran into the overcrowded building, and sat down at a table in the far corner of the cafeteria.

  Zoe took out her phone and tried Jack again. No answer. Please, please, please be okay.

  Two heavyset, blue-haired women sat down at the table next to her. “I heard it was a twelve car pile-up.”