by Lola White
Table of Contents
Legal Page
Title Page
Book Description
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
New Excerpt
About the Author
Publisher Page
A Totally Bound Publication
Betrothed
ISBN # 978-1-78430-505-5
©Copyright Lola White 2015
Cover Art by Posh Gosh ©Copyright March 2015
Edited by Jennifer Douglas
Totally Bound Publishing
This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Totally Bound Publishing.
Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Totally Bound Publishing. Unauthorized or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.
The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.
Published in 2015 by Totally Bound Publishing, Newland House, The Point, Weaver Road, Lincoln, LN6 3QN
Totally Bound Publishing is a subsidiary of Totally Entwined Group Limited.
Warning:
This book contains sexually explicit content which is only suitable for mature readers. This story has a heat rating of Totally Burning and a Sexometer of 2.
Magic Matched
BETROTHED
Lola White
Book one in the Magic Matched series
In witching society, magic and politics are the only things that matter, and marriages are arranged for advantage rather than love.
Humiliated by a string of broken betrothals, Ileana Lovasz only wants freedom from her manipulative grandfather. So when she’s forced into meeting her next suitor, she decides to give the budding relationship all she’s got.
Eliasz Levy simply wants an alliance with Ileana’s brother Silviu, a man rising through the witching ranks. That is, until the Lovasz woman arrives at his home and stirs up emotions Eliasz never thought to feel.
Silviu has bigger things on his mind than his sister’s marriage. Georgeanne Davenold, Silviu’s betrothed and the key to his rise in power, is back in his life after a ten-year separation that left her distrustful of his intentions. Their union is a novelty, spanning the divide between matriarchal and patriarchal Families. Their union is also alarming, combining the influence and magic of two witches only heard of in myth and legend.
Ileana, Eliasz, Silviu and Georgie must build an alliance that will help them all get what they want, but with too many lies and too many enemies, the game they’re playing turns treacherous. When the two women come under attack, neither Silviu nor Eliasz knows which is the target. They only know that they will protect the women their hearts have claimed as their own, even though that means defying the traditions of witching society, risking every goal they hold dear and confronting the dangerous members of their own families.
Dedication
To my family who supports me even when I’m lost in my own world to the point of neglectfulness and nonresponsiveness. To the four women that listened patiently as I used them as sounding boards for this story: Jenna, Kate, Katje and Cathy-Jo. And to my editor, Jennifer Douglas, for her patience and wisdom. Thank you.
Chapter One
Ileana
With one last look over her shoulder at the night-shrouded gardens, Ileana eased the heavy window open. Inch by agonizing inch, the space widened until a low squeal issued from the rusting hinges. She froze, her heart kicking against her ribs, the hair at her nape lifting.
Holding her breath, she waited for any sound of alarm—or even curiosity—from within the dark house. She knew she wasn’t the only witch on the property with the ability to see and influence magic, so she didn’t dare use her talents here, knowing she’d be caught for sure if she tried. Instead, she levered herself up onto the window casing with her foot bracing her weight against the old building. Muscles shaking, she gritted her teeth and vowed to find the motivation to drop those five pounds she kept meaning to shed.
She threw one leg over the sill and dropped down silently. The thick rug on the floor muffled any noise and she breathed a little easier, shifting to swing the window closed. She took a precious moment to lock it before turning to the door leading farther into the house.
She pressed her ear to the old wood, ignoring the rough rasp of the ornamental scrollwork etched into the surface. Beyond the barrier all was quiet, the house breathing softly in the night, its occupants asleep.
She hoped.
With less care than she’d used with the window, she eased the door open, secure in the knowledge that there would be no more telltale squeaks. Not inside, where everything was ruthlessly maintained to the highest standards. After taking off her high heels, she stepped into the gloomy hall and tiptoed over the cold bare stone that shone in the dark due to centuries of wear.
She moved through the winding hallways of the ground floor and ascended the stairs without incident. At the top, she paused another moment, calming her breathing, clutching her shoes in clammy hands. Still no sound reached her ears and she confidently stepped out of the dark stairwell into a dimly lit corridor paved with a thick runner.
It was always the ground floor that was the problem, not the Family’s private space above. She had good reason to be on the private floors.
She collided with a tall male body at the first corner. Hard hands gripped her shoulders and immediately gave her a small shake as his reprimand rumbled over her.
“Ileana! My God, where have you been?”
She looked up into her brother’s face, so like her own except for the emotion darkening his silver gaze. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and pulled from his hold. “I went out with some friends. What’s wrong with you, Silviu?”
“What friends?” He closed his eyes briefly, shaking his head even as he reached for her again. “Never mind. Grandfather has been looking for you—”
She jerked back, eyes flying wide. “Why is he looking for me?”
“Eliasz Levy wants to discuss a betrothal—”
“Oh, God, I can’t bear another betrothal, Silviu.” Ileana rubbed her forehead, hoping it would help her gather her thoughts. “Who is Eliasz? I don’t know him.”
“Son of the head of the Levy tertiary branch in Poland.” Silviu latched onto her arm and started dragging her down the hall. “You’ve never been properly introduced.”
“Tertiary? Third br
anch. Third most powerful,” she mused bitterly. “Well, Grandfather’s pretended to betroth me to much lower ranking sons, so I suppose Eliasz is a step up.”
“A huge step up, Iley.” Silviu put his lips against her ear. “This time, it’s not Grandfather doing the bartering. This might be the real deal. Take this opportunity and run with it.”
“I would love to,” Ileana breathed, her voice as low as her brother’s. “But this won’t go through any more than the last dozen did. This is a game to Grandfather.”
“To him, yes, but to Eliasz? I think not. I’ve met him once. He’s more stubborn than the old man and a hell of a lot craftier.”
His words sent a lance of anxiety through her, but it was high praise indeed from her brother. Silviu had been trained from birth to be a politician. While their grandfather had focused all his attention on their older brother, the chosen heir to the Family power, their father had meticulously groomed Silviu, his youngest child, for greater things.
It was a small vengeance against the petty patriarch of the Family and a less than subtle vote of no confidence in the heir.
Ileana had—thankfully—been left alone until she was old enough to be used in her role as Family pawn. Then she’d lost all freedom but that she stole in the dead of night, sneaking around like a teenager to eke out some semblance of a life.
She was watched closely, even suspiciously. The men of her Family were calculating, and she was the best bargaining chip they had—the only daughter of the primary Lovasz branch, the only unmarried female left in any of the small Family’s branches.
Railing against her fate or her place was futile. No one else cared that she only wanted a normal life, a husband, a child. No one else cared that she wanted to go out beyond the walls of the Family’s ancestral home, out among people, dancing and laughing with friends. No one else cared that she was trapped in her role, her Family, their intrigues.
Silviu tugged her on at increasing speeds. Another fifty feet, another corner and she would be safe, no problem. She quickened her steps, her heart lifting with a sense of daring and independence, a thrill at successfully getting around her grandfather’s archaic rules concerning women’s behavior.
She and Silviu slipped around the corner, losing all sense of caution in the silent hall, only to slide to a quick stop in front of the three men waiting for them. Ileana’s stomach sank to her bare toes and fear convulsed her muscles. Silviu cursed under his breath as he released her arm like it was on fire.
Ileana dropped her gaze to the floor, unable to meet her grandfather’s angry silver eyes. Energy crackled and spat over his shoulders, adding to the sudden tension filling the corridor. Anger fed the old man’s magic—already too strong for her to stand against.
“Where have you been, Ileana?”
Her throat constricted, momentarily taking both her breath and her words. She swallowed and risked a quick glance at Silviu. He grimaced, but they both knew he couldn’t save her.
It would cost him too much.
She forced the words out, wincing when they were nearly too breathy to hear, but also knowing that would please the old man. “I misbehaved, Grandfather, and for that, I am deeply sorry.”
“You left this house?” Alexandru Lovasz’s narrowed gaze raked her body. He took in the sight of her little black dress, conforming to her curves with wicked invitation, revealing most of her upper thighs. Disapproval was too mild a word for the emotion hardening his face—hate would be closer to the mark. “In that? Your ass is hanging out of your dress.”
Ileana resisted the urge to run her hands over her bottom, knowing it wasn’t true. “Grandfather, women wear shorter skirts these days, and—”
“Enough!”
His voice boomed. Ileana winced and glanced at the man to Alexandru’s left—her father. Vasile Lovasz turned to his powerful patriarch with a blank face and a patient tone. “With every generation, the clothing has gotten less and less. She’s perfectly covered by today’s standards.”
Alexandru turned on his son with the same look he’d bestowed upon his granddaughter. “It is unacceptable.”
“I’m twenty-eight!” Ileana couldn’t hold her tongue, in spite of knowing better. Pure rebellion swirled in her heart—frustration was a living thing just beneath the surface of her skin. “I’m an adult, even by your old-fashioned criteria!”
“You’re an unmarried female!”
“And whose fault is that?” She flung the words at him, ignoring the others’ cringes.
“How dare you?”
“This isn’t the 1950s! It’s not even the 1990s anymore!” Ileana couldn’t stop. The dam had broken and words just kept tumbling from her mouth, her voice rising. “And I’m unmarried because of you! Twice you’ve broken pacts! How many times have you used me as a lure for your alliances? How many times have you used me for your own purposes and—”
“Silence!” Alexandru’s eyes narrowed until they were nearly shut. The snapping energy illuminating his shoulders spun angrily, spitting sparks. His fingers twitched sharply in her direction. Silver flares of magic pulsed from his palms.
Cold pressure wrapped her throat and squeezed, stealing her voice, strangling her. The high heels dropped from her numbed fingers, clattering against the floor. Ileana’s hands flew up to her neck, fingers clawing at her skin, her eyes bulging.
Alexandru Lovasz, powerful witch and Father of the Lovasz Family Coven, used his magic ruthlessly. Somewhere in her buzzing head, Ileana scolded herself for losing her temper, for rousing his patriarchal dominance. He’d never been a man who tolerated a show of temper or independence from any woman.
Least of all one who was supposed to be under his control.
But he was taking it far tonight. The old man had been growing more and more unstable lately, a terrifying prospect as he’d never been level-headed. These days, the only one who could wield any influence with him at all was her older brother, Costel.
She appealed to him as she dropped to her knees, her lungs burning, her head spinning. Costel crossed his arms over his chest and stared at her with dead eyes, leaving Vasile to plead with his father. The old man refused to budge, and Ileana’s heart began to slow under the press of magic. She thrashed on the floor, clawing at her chest, panic setting in.
She couldn’t fight back without losing everything.
Silviu sank into a crouch before her. He reached out, her only friend in the Family, the only one Ileana mattered to beyond a pretty bargaining chip. She was the Lovasz Family pawn, but she was Silviu’s sister.
She shook her head, but her younger brother ignored her warning. His warm palm pressed to her chest, easing the cold magic. With a deliberate widening of his eyes, he told her without words that he couldn’t lift the spell completely. That ability would give away too many of their secrets. But his magic took away the worst of the effects of their grandfather’s spell, allowing her to breathe until the buzzing in her head faded and racking sobs shook her.
Silviu kept his hand on her as he turned to look up at Alexandru. His tone was smooth and reasonable. “Grandfather, I don’t think Eliasz Levy would wish to wed a corpse.”
“You are disobeying me, Silviu,” Alexandru said silkily. “Get away from her.”
Silviu gentled his tone further. “The alliance with the Levy Family would be too great a thing to throw away for her minor crime.”
A tense standoff ensued. Vasile stood still, not yet willing to move against either his father or his favored, youngest son. Ileana hardly dared to breathe, but Silviu was resolute, as hard-willed as Alexandru, much to everyone’s surprise.
Finally Costel bestirred himself. “The Levy Family is widespread, Grandfather. They have powerful branches on three continents, and enough sway with the Council of Covens to push through any number of beneficial policies for us.”
“The boy could have any he wanted,” Alexandru said. “Let him choose another.”
Costel raised his hands. “Eliasz wants Ileana, their
territory borders ours and the match would benefit us to no end.”
Ileana said nothing, showed no surprise. She didn’t sag in relief that Costel had finally stood up for her. She showed no exasperation that, in this modern era when everyone else was concerned with business ventures, politics and technological innovation, her grandfather would be swayed by an old-fashioned concern for land. She fought not to show her frustration at having no say in her own future.
She was only a female, after all.
She’d been properly betrothed twice, complete with signed agreements. Countless times, she’d been promised to some son or other, without written agreements, only to have her hopes of freedom from the Lovasz Family dashed without warning.
She was a laughingstock in the witching world.
Pitied.
With a contemplative glance at Costel, Alexandru shrugged his shoulders. The spell fell away from Ileana’s body completely. A ragged moan ripped through her vocal cords, but Silviu pressed his hand hard against her breastbone, stopping her from speech.
Alexandru turned on his heel and stalked down the hall, throwing his command over his shoulder. “Come.”
Vasile and Costel hurried after the old man as Silviu helped Ileana to her feet. A little more slowly, they made their way down the hall. She let him comfort her with a small squeeze, his arm around her shoulder as he leaned in close. A silent minute later, they followed their grandfather into his office.
Alexandru settled himself behind his massive desk and nodded at Costel as the younger man slid into one of the two chairs before it. Vasile remained standing. Silviu and Ileana didn’t dare take more than a few steps inside the oppressive room—just enough to allow the door to close behind them.
A lamp on the desk was the only light, casting Alexandru’s features into harsh relief, a demonic illusion. “Have you met Eliasz Levy, Ileana?”