by Eve A Hunt
“Smirk again, you piece of shit! Do it. I’m having the time of my damn life right now!”
Kaippa sputtered, bending double and cupping a hand under his bleeding mouth and nose. “Well done. The infant mage still uses her human tactics.” His laughter razored under my skin.
Oh, Kaippa was going to die.
My teeth ground together. “You are going to let Titus go right now. And you are going to suffer the worst kind of death I can think up if he doesn't get back to one hundred percent in about five minutes.”
“Yeah!” Hekla shouted.
Kaippa waved us off. “Slow down, ladies. Your friend is fine. I only took a little snack.”
“Your snacking on humans days are over,” I said.
“I really don't think you can control me, infant mage.”
“Kaippa.” Lucus growled deep in his throat, and it was both scary and sexy.
Kaippa winked at him. “I realize you are the big fancy badass now, Coren, but I don't think you have the time to chase down one measly vampire’s daily choice of prey. A world of hurt is about to land on your face in the form of the Mage Duke.”
I met his gaze and narrowed my eyes, summoning lightning to my fingertips.
Then I threw my amethyst power at his chest.
He fell back and stumbled against the old four-poster bed, his hands splaying over the ugly wallpaper. Hekla grabbed Titus’s arm and dragged him out of the room while Baccio, Aurelio, and Lucus surrounded the vampire.
Kaippa laughed as he stood. “Fine. Fine. Take your friend home. I have no need of him. The other humans I have here will stay even if you give them the choice to leave.” He sniffed toward the door like he was trying to smell Hekla or Titus.
“Why did you even take him if you have a bunch of disciples already?” I asked. “Hmm? I find it really interesting.”
His smile dropped, and he glanced toward the door. Hekla’s voice carried through as she comforted Titus. Kaippa’s annoying grin returned as he looked at me. “I was bored. I’ve grown used to having you lot around for entertainment.”
Sure. I believed that. He had some nefarious plan. Maybe Lucus would know. “What’s the deal with these other humans you supposedly have here?”
Baccio cocked his head like he was listening. “You have five women in this house.”
Aurelio shook his head. “No, four.”
Kaippa shrugged and pulled the tie from his hair, letting the smooth black locks swing around his shoulders. “I met them at a local pub. It was their idea to come back here.” He raised his nose into the air and lifted his eyebrows, appearing incredibly pleased with himself. “They’re quite forward, and I can assure you, they had a lovely time at Chateau Kaippa.” He lowered his head and gave me a smile that screamed sex.
Hekla poked her head back into the room, glared quickly at Kaippa, then looked back to me. “Titus is able to walk. Let’s get out of here.”
Aurelio hurried out to help Hekla.
I pushed Kaippa into the wall again, lightning sparking over the backs of my hands as I gripped his throat. The scent of scorched flesh brought up my own vicious grin. “That’s only because you are doing something to them.”
“It’s called being fabulous and irresistible.”
Giving him one last push, I strode from the room. I hugged Titus quickly, then handed him over to the biggest of us—Lucus and Baccio—who helped him downstairs. They bumped a painting of a racehorse from the wall, and Aurelio caught it.
“Coren.” Hekla jerked a thumb toward a room across the hall.
I crept over to join her as she spied from the doorway. Four women, ranging in age from twenties to early forties, lounged on antique velvet couches and across another four-poster bed. They were in various stages of undress. One by the window wore only a bra and black jeans. Another that appeared to be dreaming happily lay in a tee shirt and a thong, ass-up in the big bed. They all seemed happy, but that was bullshit.
I walked in despite Hekla muttering warnings. “I can get you all out of here if you want to go.”
The oldest of them sipped red wine from a crystal goblet. “Why would we want to leave? Kaippa is an absolute god in bed. I’m happy to share.”
“Well, damn,” Hekla murmured.
The woman gestured toward her hair with a lazy hand. “There’s snow on the roof, but a fire in the furnace, darlings.”
Hekla clapped a hand over her mouth, a laugh-cry coming from her.
I shook my head. “You’re sure? You’re all good with the whole…” I gave them a slurpy, bloodsucking sound.
“We’re fine, honey,” the twenty-something on the couch said. “Move on.”
“All righty, then.” I followed Hekla out of the house.
“What a bunch of maniacs.”
“Yeah, that was weird. I think we should still try to get them away from Kaippa. Don’t you?”
Hekla nodded. “But maybe after you slay the demon dragon.”
I whimpered. “God, can we just not talk about it now? I need a second to absorb the horror. Hey, what was up with you staring at Kaippa in the hallway?”
Hekla choked, and I patted her back, one eye on the guys as they helped Titus into the Volvo.
“Let's head to my place, okay?” I said to Lucus, who nodded. A smear of blood marred his sharp cheek, and the emerald strands of his hair caught the light.
Picking at her cuticles, Hekla looked at her clogs. “I have a problem with Kaippa’s back.”
“What? I’m sorry, his back?”
She crossed her arms and watched the trees swaying in the plantation’s front yard. “Yep. It’s. It just. It swoops down and curves out a little and then.” She held her hands out to show the width of something—maybe his ass?
“Are you okay? Did Kaippa throw some weird glamour at you back there? What are you talking about?”
Exhaling, she blushed furiously. “I have an issue with his lower back. That’s all. That’s it.”
“Oh. My. God. You’re hot for him.”
Hekla smacked me. “No, I’m not. I just enjoy looking at his lower back. That’s it.”
“And that’s not a sign of being attracted to someone.”
“He is a murderer, Coren!”
“A murderer you want to bang.”
“Ugh!” She threw up her hands and walked away.
“Hekla. Okay. Walk away. But we are going to discuss this later.” I huffed a laugh. I couldn’t believe it. My best friend was in love, or at least lust, with a vampire.
She jerked her car door open. “I’ll only talk over a lot of wine.”
“Yeah. A crap ton.” I put my helmet on and started up my bike.
Driving away from the plantation, I wondered what other awfulness waited for us. I’d suggested going to my place so we could keep an eye on Titus for a while, thinking that was the best spot for now.
Until I pulled up and saw a small crowd of angry men with guns.
7 Hekla
Hekla steered her precious Volvo down Chickering Road, hands sweating on the wheel and hopefully not ruining the leather. Aurelio sat beside her in the front passenger seat, his gaze set on the side mirror like he worried the demon wyvern whatever thing was on their tail. Baccio and Lucus held Titus up between them. In the rearview mirror, Titus looked white as flour, but it seemed Lucus was maybe healing him because the fae lord’s eyes were narrowed like he was focusing.
“You didn’t send that text to me about relaxing, did you?” Hekla asked.
Titus’s face contorted with confusion.
“Yeah,” she said. “I didn’t think so. Stupid vampire.”
Baccio’s dark glare pushed into the rearview mirror’s rectangle. “Why are you humans so susceptible to vampires’ influence? What is it about them that attracts you? They have no lure. They look like death.”
“I am not susceptible to anything.”
Baccio raised an eyebrow.
“I’m not here to answer all your questions about humans.�
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Baccio turned his head to look out the window. “No matter what your body might tell you about the vampire, remember what he has done. He murdered scores of my kind. Young ones. The old. He had no mercy for any fae.”
“The Mage Duke’s spell controlled Kaippa during the wars,” Lucus said. “The vampire, although vile and certainly not innocent, had no choice but to obey his master’s orders while he wore that ensorcelled ring. Though Kaippa is a dark soul, he didn’t choose to kill our brethren. That was all the Mage Duke’s doing.”
“But he still wears that ring, right?” Hekla asked. “He didn’t seem to be under the Duke’s control at the unseelie feast.”
Lucus shifted his weight on the seat behind Hekla, his lure sparkling over her and making her breathe too quickly. “I suppose the power of the spell set into the ring has faded.”
“Hey, can you keep that lure on lock?” Hekla’s cheeks warmed. “You’re making it difficult to drive.”
“Oh, yes. Apologies. As to Kaippa’s ring, a portion of magic must remain in the gold, or the vampire would surely remove it. He has been clear about his hatred for his former master.”
Baccio huffed. “That’s the single instance in which the vampire and I are in agreement.”
Hekla shook one hand, trying to ease the knuckles that ached from gripping the crap out of the wheel. She took a right onto Hillsboro, heading for Coren’s place. Kaippa’s fair complexion didn’t make her think of death even though it totally should have. He reminded her of the sculptures she saw on the Uffizi gallery’s website. Yeah, he looked like an Italian Renaissance subject with his perfectly proportioned muscles, graceful hands, strong nose, and silky hair. His skin brought marble to mind, smooth and strong.
“Did you just sigh?” Baccio snorted a laugh. “You must restrain yourself with regard to the vampire, or you will become a danger to us. Or is it my brothers’ and my lure stirring your loins?”
Aurelio twisted in his seat. “Leave her alone, Baccio.”
Aurelio looked a bit like a sculpture too, and Hekla remembered Coren mentioning that.
“Listen, forest people. You are all incredibly good looking. It’s not easy for us mere humans and our lesser loins.” She rolled her eyes. “I would never, ever get cozy with Kaippa, especially after what he did to Titus.”
“Thanks, Hekla.” Titus gave her a smile in the mirror.
“No problem. But none of you need to worry about me because number one, you’re not my dad.” Not that her dad would’ve bothered to worry unless she’d been in charge of getting beer that day. “Number two, I’m not a traitor like some folks in this expertly constructed vehicle.”
“Hmm.” Aurelio shifted forward in his seat as Hekla pulled onto Coren’s street.
“Oh, damn it.” A group of not nice people stood on the road at the end of Coren’s driveway. “Today really sucks. I wish I had chocolate croissants.”
“I don’t think this lot will be swayed by sweets,” Aurelio said.
Hekla’s hands shook as she pulled in. The gathered bunch of men eyed them like they were criminals. “Still an unbeliever, Aurelio? We have to get you on board with the power of sugar.”
8 Coren
The small crowd of burly dudes moved aside so I could pull my Indian into the garage, but they blocked Hekla’s Volvo, forcing her to park along the curb.
I tore my helmet off and stormed toward the group. “What the hell is this? Did someone announce a Lynyrd Skynyrd concert in my front yard?”
The most heavily bearded of the bunch came toward me, narrowly missing the garden gnome Hekla had bought me as a joke gift two birthdays ago. “Miss Coren, we need to talk.”
“Then give me a call at the bakery. I don’t know you.”
I stormed past him, then began waving the rest of the motley crew back so Lucus could get Titus inside. Hekla hurried ahead and opened the door for them. Aurelio and Baccio remained in the garage like they were my bodyguards.
“You do know me, Miss Coren,” the guy with the beard said. “My aunt is Nancy Striffer.”
A faint memory of a knot of college boys getting arrested for public intoxication last year flitted through my mind. I faced him, ignoring the grunts of Titus as they shuffled him up the stairs and into my house.
“Right. Dain. The glory of Franklin. Arrested for public intoxication and not one but two DUIs between the bunch of you. Am I correct?”
“This isn’t a time for throwing mud, now.”
“Then call me at the bakery, Dain.” I got in his face. I could smell the minty dip he held in his cheek. “Because this stinks of harassment.”
His beard moved in and out as he pursed his lips, seeming to consider what he wanted to say. “You accosted my aunt, but you’re lucky she has no desire to press charges.”
“Press charges?” I laughed. “For what exactly? Because I didn’t accost anyone.”
Another of Nancy’s boys came forward, a Predators hat in one hand and a rifle in the other. This one wore a golf shirt and the air of private schooling. “We think it might be good if you and your friends left town for a while.”
“I’m sorry,” I said. “Are you even eighteen yet? Why are you here?”
A scowl twisted prep school’s face, and he started toward me, his arm muscles tensing.
There was a quick breeze, and then Lucus was standing beside me, his brothers a few steps away. “Shall I remove them?”
I patted Lucus on the chest. “Nah, love. I’ve got this. Listen, I’m sure you’re trying to be good guys and doing what your aunt asked,” I said to Dain and company, “but I doubt she wants anyone to get hurt. Right?”
They exchanged glances like they were considering their next move. Surely, these goofballs would mosey on. They weren’t going to start a—
Rifle slung across his shoulders, prep school came closer, his cologne souring the air. He was bearded guy’s cousin, if I remembered correctly. Nancy had introduced me at the Main Street Festival years ago. Yeah. Dain was the bearded one and golf shirt, prep school dude was Evan.
“You’re a witch,” he said quietly.
Ice cracked along my spine like I knew exactly where this was headed from tales of Salem and countless movies.
“You are the reason for these earthquakes. You and your new friends here.” Dain cocked his shotgun, his features practically exploding with judgment. “We strongly suggest you find a new place to live before we have to give you a hand.”
I would’ve been rolling my eyes if they weren’t right about the witch thing and he wasn’t holding a very large gun. “Calm down. You all know who I am. I make baked goods and drive possibly too fast on my fabulous motorcycle. Come on.”
“He’s a demon! Nancy told us what she saw.” Evan and his shorter brother—a ruddy-looking guy—started going on about demonic traits and what Pastor Rob had said about the real possibility of Satan and his influence in Franklin.
“Now, hold on.” I held up my hands. “I promise you that we are the good guys. You do not want to see real bad guys. Believe me.”
“So you admit there is supernatural activity here?” Evan’s brother was recording me now with his phone. His cheeks had gone paper white. “Do you, Coren Connelly, admit that your new associates are not natural?”
Okay. That was enough. “Listen. I have a friend inside. Titus. Remember him? The incredibly nice guy who runs the MMA gym in town? Yeah, you took classes last year, Evan, if I remember right. He was in…he was in a car accident and he is really banged up. I have to get in there and see if he needs a trip to the ER. So can y’all just go home and let me take care of Titus?”
Lucus and his brothers stood beside me now, bristling. All I had to do was say the word and they’d have this group begging under their lure and bleeding from multiple wounds. But I definitely didn’t want that. First off, these idiots were just that—idiots. They didn’t mean anything by this. They thought they were helping out their aunt. Second, ripping a bunch of people apart in
the middle of a neighborhood wasn’t going to make our quest any easier. It would be tough to save the world from the inside of a prison cell.
Gripping his rifle, Evan opened his mouth to shout at me, but his cousins and brother gently pulled him back.
Dain smoothed his beard and looked down at his hip leather shoes. “We’ll let you take care of Titus. He’s good people. But Miss Coren, you need to be gone before things get ugly.” When he looked up, his gaze threw a warning.
Showing off that preternatural grace, Lucus stepped forward. “Dain, I suggest you and your kin forget this location entirely.”
Lucus’s lure suffused the air, and my knees wobbled, heat blooming between my thighs and my thoughts growing fuzzy. “Lucus.” My tone said Don’t.
Dain’s lips parted, and he stumbled a step. Evan blinked beside his cousins, and they traded glances, eyes glazed.
“Go,” Lucus whispered to the group like a lover.
Several of the guys bowed their heads, and the entire crew turned away. They climbed into a red F150 and a black Escalade and drove away. I touched Lucus’s arm. His lure faded, but my body was still ripe with mind-numbing lust.
He cupped my face with one hand and studied me with his bright green eyes. “Let us heal your friend.”
I nodded, inhaling deep breaths of fresh air in hopes of clearing my head as we hurried inside. His influence had worked, but as sure as I was that Mondays suck, I knew those guys would be back. We had to come up with a plan.
9 Coren
I led my fae fellows inside. “Should I have told them about the wyvern? I mean, I thought maybe if I just made it seem like they were overreacting, they’d shove off.”
Titus lay on my couch with his long legs spread across the rumpled cushions and my Tennessee Bakes monthly magazine rolled up beside his battered tennis shoe.