* * * *
The second Jacob tossed the phone onto the antique table next to his side of the bed, Noelle knew he didn't have good news. And from the set of his jaw, he wasn't happy.
She propped herself up on her elbows and looked at him. “Bad news, I take it?"
Dark eyes pinned her. “Yeah, you could say that. Uncle Ed's body has disappeared. Now, you wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"
Noelle closed her eyes. Shit. Now was a fine time for Ella to strike again. “Jacob, you can't believe I had anything to do with this!"
"Can't I?” He rolled from the bed and stood glaring down at her. “Maybe this was your plan all along. Keep me distracted so you could dispose of the body."
Anger snagged her, and Noelle came to her feet on the opposite side of the bed. “Let me get this straight. You think I fucked you so I could get rid of Uncle Ed? For what reason? Honestly, Jacob, I think you were right."
"So what was I right about?” he snarled.
"When you said you were fucking nuts."
Jacob rounded the bed just as the air shimmered, sizzled, and split open like a curtain.
"It's about time you got here,” Noelle snapped.
* * * *
Jazz covered her eyes with both of her hands. “Oh, dear. Oh, dear. Noelle, perhaps you would like to take this opportunity to put some clothes on."
"Jazz, don't be naïve. She's a fully grown woman and is entitled to have sexual relations with a...” Heart stopped, her eyes dropping down Jacob's body. “Sweet Mother Earth."
Noelle rounded the bed to stand in front of Jacob. She might have known this wasn't going to be pretty. She saw the storm building in Jacob's eyes and the light of challenge in Heart's. She worked quickly in an attempt to diffuse the situation. “You might want to put some clothes on. They look like they've come to stay a while."
Emmie sashayed forward, her cheeks pink and a knowing look in her eyes. “Well, of course we came to stay, at least until this is all sorted out.” She flashed Jacob a bright smile. “And don't cover up on our account, young man. I haven't seen anything that good since Michelangelo created his first masterpiece."
Jacob gave a low snarl and snagged his pants from the floor, where he'd discarded them earlier. He dragged them up over his hips, and Emmie made a disappointed sound.
"Damn. Just my luck to find a man with modesty,” she muttered.
Noelle glared at her. “You didn't find him, Aunt Emmie. I did. Or he found me, rather."
"With my uncle,” Jacob reminded her curtly, shouldering his way forward. “Now, who are these women, and what in the hell are they doing in my house?"
"We saw policemen outside,” Jazz inserted with a nervous lilt to her voice.
"Police?” Noelle asked, shooting an anxious look at the door.
Heart waved a dismissing hand. “We sent them on a wild goose chase. Don't worry about it."
"No one has answered my question yet,” Jacob barked.
Noelle sighed and caught hold of his arm to quell his threatening manner. “These are my aunts, Emmie, Heart, and Jazz. They're witches, too."
"Why am I always last?” Jazz complained, practically skipping forward to extend her hand to Jacob. “Pleased to meet you, Mr. Sanders."
"So pleased she's simpering,” Heart snipped. “Ladies, let's not forget we're here for a reason."
Emmie tapped her forehead. “Yes, indeed, but you wouldn't happen to have a shot of tequila lying around the house, would you, Mr. Sanders?"
"Emmie!” Noelle massaged her temples. “You don't need any alcohol. What you need is to get me out of here. Now.” Though her aunts were there with every intention of helping, their timing was way off. With the disappearance of Ed's body, Jacob's distrust had returned full force, and the only thing that would help would be the body's safe return. Not even the aunts were that good.
Emmie didn't take her eyes off Jacob's lean form. “Are you seriously going to leave this man of yours behind?"
"He's not my man.” Noelle's exasperation climbed another notch.
"Pardon her for assuming,” Heart interjected with her own level of irritation. “As heatedly as the two of you were locked together, it's only natural we'd make certain assumptions."
Noelle stomped closer to her aunt Heart, coming nose to nose. “'Saw'? You watched us?” The mere thought made her stomach roll.
"We wanted to make sure we'd found the right niece. Ordinarily, it's Ella we find in such compromising situations, and with only a bare ass visible, it's not easy to discern the person's identity."
"You might have tried knocking first!” Noelle practically shouted. “You three are, without a doubt, the most irritating, nosy—"
"Really, dear,” Heart interrupted, “do you think we could move this along?"
"I wasn't finished!” Noelle shouted.
"Actually,” Jacob finally broke in, “you are. All of you are. My uncle is missing, and I have a body to find.” He dragged his hands through his hair. “And saying that aloud sounds even stranger than hearing it from my aunt's mouth. Now, all of you get your asses out of my bedroom, so I can finish dressing and your niece and I can have a little talk."
"Is that what they're calling it here on Earth?” Emmie asked, tongue-in-cheek.
"Out!” Jacob roared.
"Oh, dear,” Jazz murmured, turning to trot towards the door, distressed and dismayed.
"You don't have to shout at them,” Noelle admonished the second the room cleared. “They're innocent in all of this."
"They're fucking witches.” Jacob reached for his shirt. “I doubt they've ever been innocent a day in their lives.” He mismatched the buttons on his shirt, cursed, and tried again. “You know, I should have listened to my instincts. They told me I was going to regret believing your dumbass story about, well, about everything."
His words stung, and Noelle immediately went on the defensive. “Well, you certainly weren't thinking along those lines a few minutes ago."
"A few minutes ago, I was decidedly distracted, as I'm sure was your plan."
Her mouth fell open, and she wondered if she could remember all the words to a particularly nasty spell. “You don't want to piss me off, Jacob."
He challenged her with a dark look in his eyes. “Why not? You're the one who told me you aren't a very good witch."
Her breath hissed out from between clenched teeth, and Noelle thumped him squarely in the centre of his chest. “You are without a doubt, the most pig-headed, morally uptight, asinine, egotistical cretin I've ever had the misfortune to meet and I—” She flicked a disgusted glance towards the bed. “—can't believe I lowered my standards to sleep with you."
Colour bloomed high on his cheeks. “Lowered your standards?” He snatched hold of her arms and yanked her forward until her breasts collided with his chest. He glared down into her upturned face. “Well, you won't have to worry. I'll make sure it doesn't happen again.” The second the words left his mouth, his lips crashed down on hers.
Shock absorbed by the sheer force of the kiss, Noelle fought the turbulent emotions swelling within her. Kissing Jacob was nothing short of pure magic. And she'd definitely lied about lowering her standards.
He released her abruptly. “Get dressed. We're going to the funeral home."
Her lips tingling, Noelle gave him a blank look. “We are? Why are we going?"
"Because as much as it pains me to admit it, I think I'm going to need magic to find my uncle's body."
* * * *
Ella laughed delightedly at the procession heading into the funeral home. Her three aunts looked as unstable as ever, with Emmie nursing a headache when she'd rather be nursing a shot of tequila. Heart marched ahead like a member of the gentry. And Jazz brought up the rear, her hands fluttering like tiny white doves.
And then there was Noelle. Sweet, innocent Noelle, who'd just had the best sex of her life. And Ella didn't doubt it was the best sex; she'd seen her cousin's other lovers.
/>
And though Ella hated that she'd actually been the cause for Noelle's bout of illicit, mind-blowing sex, things were starting to look up with the return of Jacob's distrust.
Still chortling, she pulled up a celestial chair and made herself comfortable. Time to watch the fireworks.
Heart sniffed the air, her eyes narrowed in fury. She whispered to Jazz, who passed the message to Emmie.
At once, all three women turned and waved their arms at the ceiling of the foyer where the programs were laid out in a nice, neat display.
With a loud squeal, Ella descended rapidly, her rump bumping against the ground with an audible smack. The force of the fall scattered the programs and caused a candelabra to teeter precariously on the edge of the guest table.
Emmie leaned over her niece with glittering eyes. “You're going to be paying for this shit for a long time to come."
* * * *
Jacob rubbed his eyes and looked again. There was definitely another woman standing in front of one of the sisters. He couldn't remember which one was who. And he didn't even try to talk himself out of what he'd just seen.
She'd fallen from the air.
Shaking his head, he began to mutter to himself. Perhaps this was what had killed Uncle Ed. Crazy shit like this could stop any man's heart.
Noelle dug an elbow into his ribs. “Jacob.” She pasted the sweetest smile on her face. “This is my cousin, Ella. She's the witch who started all of this."
"Started all of it?” Jacob took a threatening step forward.
"Uh-uh-uh,” Ella warned, holding her hands up in a defensive posture. “Noelle's skills might be sadly lacking, but mine aren't. Don't make me turn you into a snake."
Heart sighed and dug her fingers into Ella's arm. “Don't be ridiculous.” She fixed her eyes on Jacob's face. “Don't worry. If she did, we'd reverse the spell, and we might even consider adding a little reptilian quality to our own wayward niece.” The warning didn't go without notice as Ella winced.
Jacob felt the colour draining from his face. “Thanks. I think.” He cleared his throat. “So you started all of this, huh?” Folding his arms over his chest, he tapped his foot. “Then I presume you can fix it."
She grinned, all gleaming white teeth. “I can. For a nominal fee."
"Fee!?” Forgetting the warning, Jacob lunged forward, but Noelle snagged his arm, tugging him back.
"Jacob, no!"
"Listen to my cousin,” Ella commanded in a bored tone of voice. She waved a hand in dismissal. “All of this drama. There's really no reason. I only want something small, just a token, really, and things will be returned to normal."
Noelle came forward to stand in front of Jacob, and he didn't know whether to be impressed or irritated at her protection.
"So what is this price you're talking about?"
Ella's eyes gleamed. “Originally, I was going to ask for something much larger, but instead, I think I'd like one night."
The aunts began to whisper among themselves, and before Jacob could ask for clarification, Noelle had thrown herself at her cousin with a curse he didn't understand.
"You little sneak!” Noelle shouted, with a handful of Ella's hair.
"Ow! Let go of me!” Ella grunted, aiming a kick at Noelle's shin with her pointed-toe shoes, which, in Jacob's opinion, looked pretty lethal.
As the aunts stood there watching, the fight became even more hostile.
Surging forward, Jacob snagged Noelle around the waist and tried to pull her off Ella, but she quickly slipped from his grasp, taking her cousin down again.
"Come on, Noelle!” Jacob shouted over the yelps of pain. “Whatever your cousin has asked for can't be worth fighting over like this."
Noelle stilled, raised her head, and blew a straggly lock of blonde hair out of her eyes. “She asked for you."
His eyes widened and shot to Ella's battered face. She gave him a wink out of her good eye. “Me?"
"Are you dense? The one night was with you."
With him? For a moment, Jacob could only stare at Noelle. Jazz began to whistle. Heart muttered something about busting all of their asses, while Emmie wandered down the aisle, leaving the fight behind.
Jacob lifted Noelle to her feet and brushed her hair away from her face. “Let me get this straight. You're fighting because your cousin asked for one night with me?"
Ella smirked and climbed to her feet. “Well, of course she is. She's never been the type to share.” She patted her hair back into place. “No matter how much the aunts tried to convince her that was the right thing to do."
"That wasn't the kind of sharing we had in mind,” Heart interjected.
"I think I'm going to pass out again,” Jazz murmured to no one in particular before she started to sway.
"Oh, for the love of the Goddess, will you sit your ass down?” Heart shoved her sister towards a chair located next to the door before focusing her attention on Ella again.
"I cannot begin to tell how truly disappointed I am in you. How could you do this to your cousin?"
Ella didn't look repentant. “Noelle is, well, quite frankly, boring, and she was giving me a bad name. I mean, look at her. She looks too docile. Well, okay, not now, but you know what I mean."
"So you killed my uncle to make her less perfect?” Jacob exploded.
Ella held up her hand. “Hold on there, cowboy. I didn't kill anyone. Your uncle is alive and well."
Heart clasped a hand to her chest. “Thank the Goddess. I don't know what we would have had to do if you'd killed a mortal. Emmie, did you hear that?” When her sister didn't respond, she looked over her shoulder. “Emmie? Now, where in the hell did she go?"
"I believe I heard her asking some old man for a nip from his flask,” Jazz responded weakly, her head between her knees.
Jacob took a step away from Noelle, towards Ella. “My uncle is alive?” He stared at her, trying to make sense of a senseless situation. “I saw him lying dead in his bed.” Was he going nuts? If he blinked, would they go away? But he realised with a sudden jolt that he didn't want Noelle to go away. Her, he would keep, if at all possible.
Ella wrinkled her nose. “You saw an illusion. Witches are good at that. I would have thought you would have figured that out from my cousin here, but I can see she didn't show you much."
Jacob ignored the dig. Noelle had shown him more in twenty-four hours than all of his other relationships combined. She'd shown him the wild side of life, its craziness, and had shaken up his ordinary, orderly word. And he'd liked it.
He realised all eyes had turned towards him, waiting for his response. “If my uncle isn't dead, then where is he?"
"Oh, I'm sure he'll be along soon,” Heart responded, trotting back up the aisle with Emmie in tow. “Now that the jig is up, Ella will release him."
"Release him? Has she been holding him prisoner?” Livid, Jacob took a threatening step forward.
Heart held up one hand. “Oh, don't be so dramatic. Ella might be a witch, but she isn't a bitch. Well, maybe this one time she was, but that's not always the case. Your uncle has been in safe hands, I assure you. Now, if you will excuse me I have to get Emmie to a bed. She took a bad shot of whiskey."
Emmie held her stomach. “Oh, it was horrid. I've never tasted such nasty stuff in my life.” She stopped long enough to waggle her index finger in Jacob's face. “You mortals should be ashamed of yourselves, calling stuff like that alcohol."
"Will someone please tell me where Uncle Ed is?” Jacob roared.
Jazz shrank back, hands over her ears. “Does he always shout like that?"
"How should I know?” Noelle barked back. “I haven't known him that long!"
"Long enough to scrog him,” Ella put in smugly.
"Bitch,” Noelle sniped in return.
"Slut,” Ella replied gleefully.
Jacob caught Noelle's hand and dragged her to an alcove just off the vestibule. “Why were you fighting your cousin?"
Noelle looked down at her
shoes. “Because I don't believe in sharing."
He tipped her chin up with two fingers. “Even after the way I acted back in the bedroom?"
Her eyes frosted. “I would never share you, Jacob, even though you were quite the ass."
With a grin, he slid his hand along her jaw line. “There has to be more than your unwillingness to share me. So, you want to tell me what it is?"
She shrugged, and Jacob felt the tension in her shoulders as his hands settled there. “Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I felt something.” She mumbled the last few words.
Jacob lowered his head closer to her ear. “Did you say ‘felt something'?"
Noelle lifted her head and glared at him. “I did, but it doesn't make any difference. Mortals and witches do not mix, and besides that, we've barely known each other a day. Just because I felt the connection doesn't mean you felt it or even know what it is. It's only supposed to exist between those in the outer realms, certainly not people here on Earth. In fact...” The remainder of her words were muffled beneath Jacob's kiss.
Minutes later, Ella and Heart rounded the corner. “Oh, for the love of the Goddess, it never stops. It's like she was born with a pot of gold under her ass,” Ella bemoaned.
"Hush.” Heart cleared her throat to interrupt. “I'm dreadfully sorry, but I've sent Jazz on her way with Emmie, who, as you know, was feeling terribly under the weather. And Ella has something she'd like to say to the both of you."
Ella remained stubbornly silent, but the warning Heart whispered proved to be the only impetus she needed to find her voice.
"Okay, fine. I'm sorry. It was only meant to be a practical joke on Noelle, just to bring her down a notch. It was never intended to hurt anyone, though from where I stand, no one got injured at all. Even Uncle Ed was having the time of his life at the slot machines in Vegas. And Noelle got—” She looked at her aunt's face and amended her response. “Well, you know, which, in my opinion, was long overdue."
"That'll be enough apologising out of you,” Heart snapped, snagging hold of her niece's arm. “You're in a heap of trouble."
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