by Deanna Chase
Kissed by Temptation
Deanna Chase
From New York Times bestselling author Deanna Chase, Kissed by Temptation, a holiday story set in the Coven Pointe universe.
The last place sex–witch Mati Ballintine wants to be is at a holiday sorority party. But when the high angel from the council orders her to protect a new angel recruit, she has no choice but to go and grit her teeth through the frat boys’ advances.
The night turns from bad to worse when a demon appears and is hell–bent on taking the angel to Hell. Mati and her incubus boyfriend Vaughn will need to combine forces to not only save the angel, but everyone else the demon leaves in his wake.
Chapter One
Going to school full time while keeping an eye on some newbie angel sucked ass. Especially when the new recruit was raiding my closet for a dress that wouldn’t make her look like she was fresh off the buggy from Amish country.
“Oh, my,” Janie said, a blush creeping up her pale flesh. “This one, um… looks like it’s missing a couple of yards of fabric.”
I glanced at the silk spaghetti–strap dress and sent her a sly smile. “It gets the job done.”
“Only if you’re looking to…” She bit her lip as heat nearly radiated off her bright red cheeks.
I held back a snarky remark. Damn my sister Chessandra for foisting the newbie angel on me. Chessandra was the high angel of the angel council, and lucky me, every time she had a pet project, she tapped me to do it. And I wasn’t even an angel–I was a witch. A sex witch, at that. Not exactly the most respectable of witches in the eyes of the public. But that was their problem, not mine. I found it empowering, and, let’s face it, fun.
But it also meant most of my wardrobe had been purchased specifically for seduction. If Janie was going to shop in my closet, she was going to look hot by the time I was done with her. “Try this one,” I said, handing her a silk dress with a plunging halter–top neckline.
“I don’t–”
“If you wear that dress you’ve got on”–I swept my skeptical gaze down the length of her body–”you’re going to stick out like a church lady at a wet–T–shirt contest.”
“Mati!” She grabbed the halter and pressed it against her chest. “If I wear this, I might as well head straight for the strip bar. There’s no way this… handkerchief is going to cover all this.” Arching her back, she waved a hand in front of her ample chest.
I refrained from rolling my eyes. “Just try it on.”
She ran a hand through her perfectly coiled curls, unintentionally turning her look from too perfect to casually mussed. It was a start. She bit her lower lip. “I’m not sure about this.”
“Janie…” I gave her a stern look.
She swallowed, closed her eyes, and disappeared into my bathroom.
I let out a long sigh. Janie was a sweet girl, and I genuinely liked her. I just wasn’t a big fan of the night’s planned activity. We were headed to a holiday party put on by her sorority at the university, an elite Greek house only for those with magical gifts. It was hard to imagine she’d even want to be a part of the group considering she seemed happier in the book club and the drama department. That is until I met her mother–a socialite witch from Memphis whose life revolved around people of a certain social status and their connections. Janie was a legacy recruit, and if she hadn’t joined, her mom would’ve made her life hell.
Which was ironic, considering Janie was a low–level angel who would spend her life protecting souls from demons. She’d literally have her fair share of run–ins with Hell. In fact, it had already started. A week ago, Janie had accidently crossed paths with a couple of demons and barely escaped. It was now my job to keep her safe while the other resident New Orleans angel, Lailah, tracked the demons down.
I stared at my closet, contemplating the night’s outfit. If Vaughn were in town, I’d wear the silver–beaded number with the slit up to my hip just to torture him until we could get somewhere private. Oh, why not? It’d been weeks since I’d felt sexy. I pulled the dress out and slipped it on. The bodice showed just enough cleavage to be enticing but was still tasteful, while the skirt hit mid–thigh, showing off ample leg. It was that slit that put the dress into the danger zone. And I loved it.
The door to the bathroom swung open slowly. Janie’s blond head poked around the corner, a grimace on her face. “This isn’t going to work.”
“Get your skinny ass out here,” I said as I slipped into my matching silver heels.
Her eyes widened as she took in my transformation.
“Janie.” I stood with my hands on my hips. “You’re going to be late.”
She glanced at my wall clock, and then with a pained expression, she shuffled out of the bathroom. Her arms were crossed over her chest, hiding the deep plunge showing off her magnificent breasts. Damn, what I wouldn’t have given for a pair of those double Ds.
I grinned at her. “It’s perfect. Classy with just a little bit of sin.”
“A little?” She patted at her curls. “I messed up my hair.”
“No you didn’t.” I reached over and mussed them just a little more. “Perfect. Now slip on those shoes and we’ll get out of here.”
She strapped her feet into the black kitten heels I’d put out for her. Her scowl vanished as she admired them and seemed to relax a tiny bit. They were a far cry from my four–inch stilettos. Still, she couldn’t seem to keep from wrapping her arms around herself in an attempt to keep her cleavage covered.
“Here.” I handed her a loosely knitted sweater that would give her a layer of fabric but not really cover anything. “Stand up straight and stop fidgeting. There’s nothing more attractive than a girl with confidence. Got it?”
Her arms fell to her sides as she forced a smile and trailed after me as if she were on a death march.
“Janie?”
“Yeah.” Her fists clenched, but at least she didn’t cover her chest again.
“Do you want me to get you out of this? I can come up with something.”
She pressed her lips together, clearly in thought, and then shook her head. “No. Thank you, but I’m supposed to be meeting someone there. I don’t want to disappoint him. Otherwise, I might take you up on the offer. This sort of thing just isn’t my scene, you know?”
I nodded. I did know. It used to be my kind of scene, but only because hot, horny college guys would be there and they were easy pickings. These days, I steered clear. Who needed frat guys when I had Vaughn, the hottest incubus demon hunter in town? “Who are you meeting? Anyone I need to check out first?”
A tinge of blush crept up her cheeks again. “No. He’s just an athlete I tutored last semester. His aunt is a witch, so he knows about our world but doesn’t have any power. He’s not a threat in any way. We were supposed to bring dates, and well, he’s a friend.”
“Okay. Well then.” I winked, determined to hook her up with jock boy. If anyone needed a night with a hot–blooded male, it was her. Grabbing my clutch purse, I said, “Let’s go get ‘em.”
Chapter Two
Janie and I stood out front of the sorority house, staring at the twinkling snowflake lights. Each one was completely different and seemed to float in the air over the immaculate gardens.
“Gorgeous,” I said.
Janie nodded. “They’ve been working for days on the decorations.”
“It shows.” Everything about the place was a magical winter wonderland. Isolated blue–silver snow fell and gathered on the window frames, leaving a frost on the glass despite the fifty–two–degree weather, and the doors and windows were draped with frosted garland blooming with live poinsettia flowers.
The air tasted of powerful magic, electrifying me. My pulse quickened and that
desire that lived deep inside me rushed to the surface. Dammit, where was Vaughn when I needed him?
He’d been out of town the past three weeks, tracking a demon, and uh… without his attention, my power wasn’t exactly up to par. Unfortunate for me, considering I had to go into the party full of supernaturals and protect Janie if a demon showed up. If anything went down, I was going to be seriously handicapped in the kick–ass–magic department.
If I’d had a choice, I would’ve gone straight home, popped the top on a fresh carton of Blue Bell ice cream, and had a Netflix marathon. Because in my current state, my sex–witch pheromones were going to be damned hard to keep under wraps.
Janie visibly shivered beside me in the chilly New Orleans air. “Ready?” she asked, her teeth chattering.
It wasn’t that cold was it? That was one thing about being a sex witch, our blood ran a little warmer. “Sure.” I waved a hand for her to go ahead of me.
As soon as Janie stepped into the yard, actual magical snowflakes started to drift from the sky. I couldn’t help the tiny giggle that escaped when one hit my arm, causing magic to spark over my skin. “Nice touch.”
Janie shook her arms, brushing the glowing flakes to the ground. “I don’t like it. The magic stings a little.”
“Really? That’s unusual.”
She shrugged. “It always has. Just one of my quirks, I guess.” She said it in a mocking tone, making me believe that was something she’d heard a majority of her life. My heart cracked a bit at the thought. Then I was just pissed. This girl was gorgeous and smart, and I was getting the impression she hadn’t heard that nearly enough.
I clasped my fingers around hers. “Come on. Let’s go show you off and find that boy of yours.”
A small smile curled her lips as she inclined her head and followed me up the glowing walkway.
“Welcome to a Kiss of Magic,” the bubbly witch at the door said, waving us in. “Here are your party favors. Please put them on then make your way to the champagne station. We’re just about to start.”
“About to start? I asked Janie.
“The meet and greet.” The pained look on her face made me laugh.
“Okay. Don’t worry, we’ll do this together.” While we stood waiting for our champagne flutes, I tore into the silver–wrapped box. Inside lay a snowflake–charm bracelet that glowed with power. It was warm to the touch and caused tingles to ripple across my skin. Oh, this would be fun if… never mind. No Vaughn, no tingles. I slipped the bracelet onto my wrist and tried to ignore the seductive magic building inside me.
“Oh,” Janie said as she pulled out a snowflake pendant. It dangled on a silver chain. She held it up, peering at the snowflake but not touching it. Then with a sigh, she clasped it around her neck.
I frowned. “Are you going to be able to wear that? With magic being irritating to you and everything?”
She nodded. “I’ll get used to it.”
“No.” I shook my head and ran my fingers lightly over her chest, forcing a small dose of magic to coat her skin.
“Hey!” She stepped back, her eyes wide and full of suspicion. “What did you do?”
I shrugged and grabbed the two glasses the bartender was holding out for us. “I just put a barrier between you and the charmed snowflake. So it won’t bother you.”
“But my chest is numb!”
“Better than irritated, right?”
“How did you know that wouldn’t bother me as well?” She stood with her hands on her hips, staring me down.
Damn. She looked downright fierce with her eyes shooting daggers at me. She made me so proud.
I patted her hand. “Because it’s a numbing spell. By definition you shouldn’t feel it. Do you?”
“No…” She shuffled her feet. “But I feel… a little odd. Like, more alive or something.”
Should I have told her it was my sex–witch energy? Nah. Better to let her figure it out for herself.
“It’s just the party. The excitement in the air.” I nodded toward the makeshift stage. “Looks like things are getting started.”
A tall, sandy–haired, clean–cut guy appeared and slipped his arm around Janie’s waist. She let out a small yelp as she jumped in surprise.
“Hey, it’s just me, Janie.” He smiled down at her and leaned in to kiss her on her cheek.
Just a friend? Sure. I hid a chuckle and turned away.
“Chad,” she said breathlessly. “You made it.”
The sexual tension radiating off the pair of them was enough to make gooseflesh pop out over my skin. Whoa. Those two had it bad. And in my sex–deprived state, their energy was driving me insane. I took another step to the right, putting more distance between us, only I bumped right into a bronze–skinned god of epic proportions.
“Excuse me,” I said, glancing up into the clearest blue eyes I’d ever seen. They were hypnotizing. I was caught in his gaze, dumbfounded by their beauty. “Uh…”
He chuckled and stepped back, giving me a little space. “Hello there, Mati.”
I stood completely still, trying to place him. My track record with men was pretty long. Before Vaughn, I was a love ‘em and leave ‘em kind of girl. Emotional attachments weren’t my thing. So my list of sexual partners was longer than your average twenty–two–year–old. But this guy? This long, lean, corded guy of beauty? I’d have remembered him. “How did you know my name?”
He held his hand out. “I’m Chase. I work with Vaughn.”
My eyebrows shot straight up. “And you’re here because…?”
“Routine. Any place full of magical beings is a demon draw. The party is my assignment for the night.”
“And Vaughn told you to look for me?”
He nodded. “I’m to be your date so no one else gets any ideas.” His smile was easy and teasing.
Ideas weren’t exactly the problem, but he was right. With him by my side, the men would think twice before getting grabby.
“Welcome to Wicca Delta Mu’s Kiss of Magic holiday soiree!” A gorgeous redhead with bright green eyes stood on the stage holding a mic. “We’re so excited you’re all here to share our magical evening. And now it’s time to get this party started!” Her arms flew in the air and the lights cut out, leaving us all in complete darkness.
There was a cry of excited surprise that shuddered through the room, followed immediately by candles lighting spontaneously on the tables and in the wall sconces. As my eyes adjusted, the first thing I noticed was that each and every woman was wearing a piece of snowflake jewelry that was pulsing with magic.
My body responded instantly, bringing my sexual energy right to the surface. And there was nothing I could do about it. The sex–witch pheromones filtered out into the crowd.
“What are you doing?” Chase scowled. “That’s only going to make both of our jobs harder.”
“I didn’t do it on purpose,” I said, not surprised he knew exactly what had happened. He was an incubus, for God’s sake. “It was the sudden influx of magic.” I pointed to my bracelet. “See?”
He studied the snowflake charms and then glanced around. “Can you feel it radiating off everyone?”
I nodded.
“That’s damned inconvenient.”
I shrugged. It was, but it was beyond my control.
“Now here’s the fun part,” Bubbly Girl said, grinning. “Every ten minutes, the candles will flicker, and that’s the cue it’s time to meet someone new. When your magical charms glow bright blue, that means you’ve found your dance partner for the dance–off.”
“Oh son of a…,” I mumbled as Chase chuckled.
“You don’t dance?” Chase’s eyes lit with amusement.
“Oh, I dance. I just prefer to pick my partner… and I don’t compete.”
He snorted. “Right.”
I turned and cast a skeptical glance down the length of his body. Then I stared him dead in the eye. “Do I look like a girl who has a hard time getting what she wants?”
&nb
sp; It was a bitchy thing to say. I had advantages other women didn’t because of my powers, but damn it if this sorority mixer wasn’t annoying. Whatever happened to throwing a party, supplying booze, and letting everyone drink themselves into a good time?
Chase just laughed. “I guess not.”
I glanced over at Janie. She had her hand on Chad’s chest and was smiling up at him. The look of adoration on his face had me relaxing. Okay, for Janie I could mingle with the frat boys. No big deal.
Chase was lured away by a sexy little number with wildflower tattoos covering her shoulder. Two other girls flocked to the pair almost immediately. Yeah, incubi had the same gift… or curse… that I did. He’d be occupied for the foreseeable future.
I turned to the guy on my left, resigned to the fact if I was going to appear to be one of the crowd, I was going to have to participate. “Hi,” I said. “So are you–”
“Damn, baby,” he said, practically ripping my dress off with his gaze. “You’re the hottest fucking chick in this place.”
“Well, wasn’t that classy,” I said, sarcasm dripping.
He laughed as if I’d just let him in on a private joke. “I bet class is the last thing you want when it comes to making you scream. Am I right?” He took a step into my personal space, and just as I was about to zap him with a fiery bolt of magic, I felt someone else’s familiar sexual energy brush against my skin.
Vaughn–my tall, dark, and gorgeous incubus.
He was here. Right behind me. I spun and gaped at him. “What are you doing here?”
“You might want to take a step back, brother.” Vaughn glared at the idiot who’d been ogling me.
“Fuck off, asshole. My ten minutes aren’t up.” Frat dude’s eyes were narrowed, full of anger.
Vaughn stepped in front of me, his neck and shoulders stiff with tension. My fingers twitched to soothe them as I held back a chuckle. I was more than capable of defending myself, and Vaughn well knew it. But this he–man display was seriously turning me on.
“Go,” Vaughn said. “Before I bodily remove you from her presence.”