The Dashing Witch
Lauren McMinn
Copyright © 2012 Lauren McMinn
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 1478275227
ISBN-13: 978-1478275220
DEDICATION
To Jonathan McMinn
For not complaining when
I spend all night on a book
CHAPTER ONE
Melanie Reed hefted her suitcase into the trunk of the rental and wished she hadn’t packed it so heavily. But, when she was packing it, she wasn't totally sure what she would want on her trip. Hefting a heavy suitcase was just part of the price she would pay for being over-prepared. Richard, her friend and sometimes boyfriend, laughed as she struggled with it.
“Lay off. We don’t know how long we’ll be there.”
“And Heaven help us if you don’t have all the clothes in your closet when we do get there.”
“I don’t want to come off badly to these people.”
“You have to stop thinking of an us or a them. We’re all witches.” He placed his significantly lighter suitcase in the car next to hers. “I know we’re from LA and they’re from Boston, but it shouldn’t matter so much.”
1
THE DASHING WITCH
“My complaint,” Melanie grunted as she slammed the trunk, “is that they think they can summon us to meeting without anyone seeing something amiss.”
“Is she still whining?” Richard’s brother Nate threw up his hands.
“You have been doing this since we got in the car back in LA,” the other brother, Lawrence, contributed.
“Before that,” Richard added with a smile. “And they’re calling a summit to discuss recent developments. Like the fact that a contingent of witches are ritualistically killing people. Ring a bell?”
“I suppose. But...”
“But nothing. You in specific were requested. And please don’t argue with me anymore. I don’t know why either. But you’d better believe they’ll tell you when we get there. And if you don’t shut up long enough for a man to think, then I’ll be leaving you here and the mystery there.”
“She needs to get laid,” Nate said in a stage whisper to Lawrence.
“I heard that!” Melanie and Richard hollered back.
“Fine. I’ll stop. What time is the meeting?”
“Ten tomorrow, at the Coven House. We’re going to the hotel. Then we're going to find a bar.”
Melanie did what she said and didn’t pursue her complaints any further.
Justin Ward looked deeply into his brother's eyes and smiled. There was victory to be had there.
“I'm still not sure this is the best plan,” Seb, Justin's twin reminded him. “For hundreds of years the world of witchcraft has been ruled by the four Covens and various sects. It's worked pretty well for them so far.”
“If I need to restate why we're doing this I will. First, witches are gaining more and more publicity. We need a central organized front to combat bad publicity and promote witchcraft. Then there's the problem with the Dark Order. They don't care what Coven someone belongs to. They're more interested in kidnapping any witch they can find for their sacrifices. We all need to work together to take care of them. You were the one who came up with the change, remember?”
“I know. I just don't know if they're going to accept a National Coven promoted over the geological Coven bases we've always had.” Seb ran his fingers through his short blond hair.
“Don't think like that. Think of this as a victory. We've got preliminary support from all the Covens, based on your speech at the summit. You're the only one who can pull off a National Coven. Remember too that this move is best for all the witches. We need to stand unified or we'll be prey to the media and the Dark Order.”
“You know, Justin, it's awfully hard to hear my own words getting sent right back at me.”
“You need it sometimes, though, brother.”
“Fair enough. So what do you plan to do tonight before we make our big announcement?”
“Before you make your big announcement, you mean. I plan to go out to the Hellfire Club, meet a hot chick, and have a very good night indeed.”
Seb laughed. “You go for it. Have a nice time, Justin.”
“I plan to.” Justin winked. “I plan to.”
Two hours later, Melanie and her companions were walking out of the hotel on their way to a club that the clerk recommended especially because it was close enough to walk to. It was early September, and the weather was chilly, especially compared to Los Angeles. Melanie idly wondered if she had brought enough warm clothes. Surely she could layer, though, with all the clothes she did bring. She stamped her feet, as if it could make her any warmer.
When they finally got to the club, emblazoned above the doorway, a sign proclaimed “Hellfire Awaits You Within.”
Melanie got into line, fiddling with her skirt. She wasn't feeling so good after the long plane fight, but despite her feelings, the Waverly brothers insisted on going out to the Hellfire Club. She had packed clothes for an evening engagement, but she hadn’t planned on this being her evening engagement.
She showed her ID and moved to the interior of the club. There was loud music with heavy bass thumping along the floor, masses of people that couldn’t be fire friendly, and strobe lights pulsating. As an air witch, Melanie could hear people’s thoughts unless she guarded against it. In a club like this, she couldn’t build her defenses strong enough to keep all the thoughts and feelings out of her head. Receiving lascivious looks and thoughts didn’t help her current situation any.
Noting that her so called friends had been dragged away by the crowd, if they hadn’t left on their own, Melanie slowly made her way to the bar and snagged a stool right as its current occupant got up. She signaled to the barkeep and soon had two shots of whiskey in front of her. After she downed them, the noise, psychic and physical, receded a little, as did her headache. Two more shots, and she was feeling alright indeed. She possibly should have been worried about getting drunk, but anything was better than all the loud thoughts in the room.
A man sat on the stool next to her. He was tall, with blond hair and baby blue eyes. He was like a Grecian marble come to life, his figures were so perfect. He enticed her, and she had to stop from running her hand along his strong jawline. It must have been the alcohol making her want to see what those nicely curved lips tasted like.
“I’m Melanie,” she offered, hoping she wasn’t slurring her words too badly.
“Justin.” He smiled and extended a hand, which she shook. Perfect white teeth in a prefect friendly smile. “Did you demolish these by yourself?”
“Yeah. Think you can do more?”
“I’ll take that dare.” He ordered his five shots of whiskey and downed them one by one, his eye twinkling at her. She did two more, and so did he. She finally conceded when she was afraid she'd soon lose her ability to walk, and he asked what he won.
Flinging caution to the wind, she stood up and pulled him to his feet as well. Then she kissed him, strong and passionate kisses on the lips. He did taste good, too, just as she thought he would.
He pulled back. She moaned out a little disappointed noise. “I certainly shouldn’t be asking this, but can we pay for our shots and get out of here?” He asked before he kissed her again.
“I shouldn’t be agreeing, but I am.” It was time to turn her brain off, just as she wanted to. The alcohol helped, but she should just be free and loose, right? He paid for both tabs and escorted her out, a strong hand on the small of her back. His hand sent tingles up her spine and made her want to lean into him like a cat.
Melanie had enough foresight to text Richard “Go
ing back 2 hotel. C U tomorrow” before she turned her phone off.
She giggled as Justin caught her around the waist and twirled him to her for more kisses. “We really shouldn’t,” she said with a grin.
“But why not?”
“Good point. Come back to my hotel? I’ll get you some coffee to go with your seven shots.” She wasn’t normally this forward, but he had wanted to leave the bar with her. He was awfully hot, and tasted awfully good.
“Sounds heavenly.”
She kissed him on the nose before dancing away. He followed, grabbing her and lifting her off the ground. “Which hotel is yours?”
“That one.” She kept dancing away, and he walked alongside her.
Once up in the room, she slowly removed her jacket, watching his eyes watching her. Then she moved over to divest him of his jacket as well, taking extra care to stroke his arms on the way down.
“Looks like someone doesn’t need any coffee to wake up,” Melanie purred as she stroked him through his pants. He growled and threw the jackets to the side to drag her up against him and kiss her.
“You going to do something about that?”
“I do believe so, yes.”
She stepped back far enough that she could pull her shirt off, unbuckle her bra, and let it fall to the ground. He closed his eyes, as if in pain, but opened them to feel her breasts.
“Perfect,” Justin proclaimed, toying with the nipples. He undid the buttons on his shirt and tossed it and his undershirt away.
“Perfect,” she countered, running her hands down his toned muscles. She fingered the hair above his waistline. “I wonder where this will lead me.” She unbuckled his belt before pulling his pants down. “Oh my.”
Melanie had to pause. He was, for lack of a better word, enormous. She stroked down the length of him, marveling at the power to make him clench his teeth like that. Once he got his shoes off to remove the pants, she took him in her mouth. He groaned and threw back his head. This was nice, having this much power.
“Hold that thought, honey. I’ll go too fast if you continue like that, and I’d rather be inside you when that happens.” She smiled and backed off to shimmy out of her skirt and shoes. “God, you’re beautiful.”
“Ditto.”
He took her mouth again, pressing her back toward the bed, and she didn’t object when he helped her fall onto the bed since he was right there on top of her. His weight felt good, but she wanted more. On the same wavelength, he looked deeply into her brown eyes.
“Are you sure you want this?”
“Hell yes I do.” She shook her hips, and that’s all it took. Justin guided himself to her entrance and pushed in.
The both cried out at the same moment, and she watched as he regained enough of his composure to begin movement within her. When he did, Melanie inwardly rejoiced. This was better than it had ever be3en. Warily dodging that thought, she cleared her mind until all there was came into the frantic push and pull that they were going through. It didn’t take long for her to come, moaning out her pleasure as her back arched up. At the same time, Justin came within her, moaning as well.
They both came back from their orgasms, and he collapsed on top of her.
“That was... incredible,” Justin said when he could form words. Melanie just nodded enthusiastically. He rolled off of her and looked up at the ceiling.
“I’m feeling awfully dizzy now,” she told him, trying to make the objects in the room stay still.
“We did do a lot of shots,” he grinned. “Come on, you think you can sleep it off?”
“If you’ll stay with me.”
“I’d like that.” He moved off to set an alarm and crawled under the covers with her, spooning against her back. “I usually don’t do this.”
“Do what?” She asked groggily, very near sleep.
“Staying with a woman through the morning.”
“Glad you want to do it with me.”
“I do.” He kissed her shoulder, and they both fell into a deep sleep.
Melanie woke to clanging bells and a raging headache. It took a minute to realize where she was: in a hotel room in Boston with a naked man curled up next to her. He flipped over and turned off the alarm.
“Shouldn’t have done that many shots,” Melanie groaned.
“Same here.”
They turned and faced each other, looking into the other’s eyes, brown on blue.
“Holy shit!” they chorused.
“Tell me I’m still drunk,” she pleaded.
“I don’t think either one of us can claim that any longer. Hung over, sure, but not drunk. This is... well, I don’t know what to think.”
“It explains why we both acted so out of character last night.”
“Bonded.” He rolled the word around in his mouth.
“Bonded.” She moaned. “I didn’t know you were a witch! For God’s sake, I don’t even know your last name!”
“I can’t believe it. I know witches have a mate out there that they can bond with, but I planned to never meet her. I never wanted to find my mate, much less cement the bond,” Justin admitted. “I like my life just the way it is, thank you very much.”
“I always thought it would be sometime in the future, when I was ready. I’m not ready, not at all.” She vigorously shook her head, which had the effect of making the hangover worse and the bond still there.
“What do we do now?” Justin asked. He looked pissed.
“I don’t know. I mean, the bond’s for life, and in the community, that means we’re married. I’m not ready!” She was pissed too.
“Look, we can't be mad at each other,” Justin said sagely. “I don't want to be with you, and you don't want to be with me. So being angry won't help anything at all.”
They grinned weakly.
“Looks like we both lost,” Melanie said. “Look, I need a shower and some food before I have to be at the Coven House at ten. I don’t even know how to get there, and I’m not ready to face the guys I came here with.”
“So you’re here for the summit?”
“You betcha. Are you?”
“Pretty much. Look, my car’s over at the club. I’ll go get it and then get the second shower. We’ll talk on the way over. We need to figure out what to do about this.” Justin shook his head.
Melanie nodded and headed for the shower. Bonded! She could feel it within her, and it was powerful. She wanted to go back out, find Justin, and kiss him, maybe more. But she really shouldn't, especially since they were bonded.
But more than that, she had had her life figured out. She had wanted to find someone compatible with whom she could settle down. She didn’t want a sudden bond to someone she didn’t even know. Badly done, Melanie. Now you’re married, and you don’t even know his, or now your own, last name.
When she got out, Justin headed into the shower, so she dried off and got dressed. She wanted to look good to impress the North American Covens, so she had a nice dark blue suit over a light blue camisole. In just the pants and cami, she turned her phone on again. Three missed calls, one from each brother. She didn’t want to listen to the voicemails, so she ignored them for the time being and called Lawrence. She didn’t want to face any of them, but she really didn’t want to talk to Richard.
She had once even thought that Richard would be the one to settle down with. Sure, it wouldn’t be like the bond most witches had, but it would be a nice life. She could live without the bond.
Now that was impossible.
“Hello?” Lawrence’s voice brought her back to the present.
“It’s Melanie.”
“I surmised when I saw the Caller ID. What happened last night?”
“I met this guy.”
“Is that a smart idea? Going home with someone you don’t know?”
“You and Nate thought I should get laid.”
“Not like that.” His voice was joking. If only he knew. Well, actually, he was going to know soon, and all hell would break loo
se.
“Save the morality lessons for later. Anyway, the guy wants to give me a ride over to the Coven House, so you guys go ahead without me.”
“Melanie! Are you thinking straight? This isn’t at all like you!” He got serious again.
“I’ll be fine. See you at the summit.” She hung up before he could object any more. She sat on the bed, wondering if she really was fine when Justin came out of the shower. All he was wearing was a towel, and damned if she didn’t want to remove it and have another go. The tenting beneath the towel said that he wanted the same. He dressed in silence while she tried to pick up all the discarded clothing and not look at his well toned muscles.
“It’s time to go,” he said when he was dressed, and she grabbed her jacket and purse to follow him out. His car was a yellow Camaro, and she could swear it smelled like masculinity. Or maybe it just smelled like Justin, and she was getting the two confused.
Once they were on their way, he asked if she had any new ideas on the matter.
“It’s not like we can undo it. We’ll have to file papers with the state no matter what. Welcome to marriage, huh?” She said morosely. “We have to make our mistake last night legal.”
“Helluva way to get married.”
“I agree. But there’s no divorce in magical marriages. I figure what we should do is that after we take care of the legalities and the summit, we separate. I go back to my part of the country, and you go back to yours. Sure, it’ll be an inconvenience to never be with anyone else, but I hope that its effects will lessen over distance.”
“I would agree.” They shook hands without him taking his eyes off the road.
“How do we explain it to people?”
“We don’t. We say that we met last night and bonded. We even pretend to be happy about it, but later, we stage a huge fight, at which point you take off.” Justin said it as if it were simple. Well, they could make it as simple as they wanted it to be.
Soon they pulled up in front of the Coven House. Melanie was shocked at how big it was. It looked like some architects had taken an already large mansion and just added to it, numerous times in numerous different styles. She wasn’t sure she liked the end effect or not.
The Dashing Witch (The Ward Witches) Page 1