He simply needed to find a way for her to see her gifts were a blessing and not a flaw. “Does your magic always come out with no sense of order?” At her nod, he considered her talents, then asked, “If you tried again, would you get the same chair or something different?”
She stared at the chair in pure disgust before she shrugged at him. “No idea. I’ve never tested the theory.”
“Test it, then.”
Rolling her eyes, she gave him another curse, then conjured her magic in the same way he’d witnessed only a moment ago. When the wind ceased, Zeke bit his lip hard to avoid laughing as he stared down at two matching steel tables, both in the same high-heeled shoe design.
“There,” she spat. “Satisfied?”
“So…” He carefully controlled his voice, considering she looked ready to banish him to hell. “It’s a different piece of furniture, but it’s part of the matching set.”
Her eyes once again narrowed. “Go on, laugh. I know you want to.”
As he stared at her, he swallowed, his insides quivering, but when he glanced down at the furniture, it was game over. “Forgive me.” He keeled over, bending at the hip and resting his hands on his knees, barking a loud shout of laughter. “I’m not laughing at you.”
She snorted. “You’re laughing with me, right?”
Taking a few deep breaths to send the laughter away, he straightened and instantly grabbed her hand, tugging her toward him. “You can’t blame me. It’s funny, Bryanna.”
“No, it really isn’t!” she snapped against his chest.
Moving a little away from her, he found her avoiding his gaze, so he tucked a finger under her chin. “It’s not you, it’s the items themselves. They are quite original.” The second the words passed through his lips, an idea struck him hard in the chest.
Her gaze became curious, head tilting. “What?”
Had he discovered the answer to fix her? He’d swear he had on the Devil himself. “Conjure more.”
* * * * *
An hour—a very long, treacherous hour—had passed and Bryanna gazed over all the items surrounding her. She had produced everything and anything. From furniture to candles to bath oils and even odd jewelry, which were all things that had nothing to do with the earth element. She turned toward the demon, who continued to grin at her. “Happy?”
“Incredibly.” His gaze drifted over each item in a slow sweep. “I’ve never seen quite so many quirky thingamajigs, as you’ve called them.”
Oh, by the elements, this was mortifying. She couldn’t produce a single leaf, flower or create an earthquake. Instead, she conjured items that were entirely useless—even a damn silk scarf. “We’re done here, right?”
“We’re done.” Dropping down onto the ridiculous high-heeled chair, he patted the cushion and smiled up at her. “It’s very comfortable.”
She rolled her eyes, but at least she didn’t produce something that hurt to sit on. Flopping down on the edge of the chair between his thighs, she grumbled, “Now you know why using my magic is pointless. It gets me nothing.”
“I disagree.” He smacked the heel on the chair and smirked. “I’d say it gets you a chair.”
Before she could help herself, she laughed. She didn’t want to see the amusement in her magic, but his playful expression made her only able to smile with him. “Perhaps my tagline should be—hate flowers? Come to Bryanna and she’ll give you a weird chair.”
He wrapped a hand around her waist and dragged her tight between his thighs. “Perfect slogan.”
“Nonetheless, pointless,” she repeated.
Running his finger down her shoulder, he followed the move with his gaze and the side of his mouth curved. “Must feel nice to use your magic, hmm?”
Nice?
No, that didn’t describe the sensation. Not using her element had been the hardest part of her old life. When she conjured her magic, it was as if her shattered heart had mended. “It felt wonderful.” She hesitated. “No, wait, it was…” It’d been so much more than wonderful, considering she’d conjured magic for an entire hour. “Exhilarating.”
At Zeke’s nod and soft smile, she added, “Maybe I could come back and play with my magic a little. It’s safe enough, I suppose.”
“Bryanna.” He shook his head in clear frustration. “You couldn’t hurt a flower that lay in this field. Stop thinking of yourself as broken.”
She was broken. Not that she’d admit that aloud to him. “I don’t. Really, I’m fine.”
He backed away, giving her a long look. “Stop that too.”
She blinked. “Pardon me?”
“Don’t give me the answer you think I want.” His eyebrow arched. “Tell me the truth.”
She stared at him, totally shocked, since no one had ever said anything like that to her before. Perhaps because no one had ever cared enough to want to hear her opinions or wondered as to how she felt. “Okay, maybe I do think of myself as a little broken.”
The sternness in his eyes faded. “Why?” He continued to trail his finger over her shoulder and down her arm. “Because others have told you so?”
A lump formed in her throat and she swallowed it back, not wanting to admit this, but somehow not able to keep the truth from him. “Well, they’re right.”
Dragging his finger back up her arm, he caught her chin, drawing up her gaze and staring at her with tender eyes. “No, Bryanna, they are wrong.”
Tears welled in her eyes. “How do you know?”
“Because I’ve been where you are. I’m a demon. I belong in the pits of hell and have been labeled a ruthless murderer of souls.” He tilted his head. “Am I those things?”
“No,” she answered without pause. He wasn’t at all what she’d known about demons. There was no sign of evil. If anything, he’d shown her nothing but kindness. “So, what, you ignore them?”
His eyes became pained. “It’s impossible to ignore.” His chin lifted and the dark edge to his eyes vanished. “But I live the way I do and prove them wrong. I accept myself for what I am. I’m not flawed, I’m special…and so are you.”
“Yeah, special.” She snorted, gazing out at the flowers around her that were scattered through the field. “That’s one way to put it.”
Capturing her chin in his hand again, he forced her gaze to him and gave her a hard look. “Do you know of another witch who can do what you can do?”
“No.”
He inclined his head, his eyes softening. “Meaning, there’s only one you. Only one witch who has been gifted in a way no one else has. I’d say that makes you pretty damn special.”
Drawing in a deep breath, she regarded him and couldn’t find any deception in his gaze. “You really believe that?”
“I do.”
The idea sounded nice. She welcomed a life of not having anyone judge her and point fingers as if she had a big wart on her nose. Maybe one day she’d share Zeke’s views. For now, she couldn’t and desperately wanted off the subject. “About my finding a job, is there an employment office?”
His eyes twinkled, at what she had no idea. “Goblin’s Employment is on the main road and I’m sure it’s still open. Everything in town closes at 10:00 p.m.” He gave her thigh a slap. “Why don’t you go there now and see what you can find?”
She stood, glancing down at him in the hideous chair, and he looked completely out of place on such a girly piece of furniture. When he didn’t move to join her, she asked, “You’re not coming with me?”
He shook his head slowly. “I’ve got to be somewhere else.”
Her breath caught in her throat at his dismissal. Oh, maybe he was done with her now or perhaps he had another lover. He owed her nothing, and well, he’d been kinder to her than any other one-night-stand she’d known. Still, hot jealousy over another lover burned in her veins, which made her heart skip a beat.
Witches didn’t care for demons. Besides, she hadn’t even known him a day. She needed to get into a hot bath, since clearly she was more o
f a mess than she even realized. “Okay then.” Though the jealous part of her made her add, “Will I see you later?”
He grinned. “Bet on it.”
So, he’s not done with me. But that left… “Are you going home to another lover?”
His eyes narrowed. “You think I would be here with you now if I had another lover?”
“Um…” She gulped.
He slowly stood from the chair, gripped her hip and yanked her to him, his fingers tangling into her hair. Then his lips were on hers and her concerns were forgotten.
Zeke kissed her with a fiery passion and his demanding kiss told her he only thought of her now. The power with which he kissed her left no room for a misunderstanding.
When he broke the kiss, he arched an eyebrow. “Any doubt now?”
“No,” she rasped.
“Good.”
Chapter Six
Zeke strode down Main Street and the night had now settled in, the town fluttered with activity. Most supernaturals who lived in Charmstone came out after dark. He neither minded the sun nor needed sleep. Days were endless for him, but he enjoyed when those who lived in the town awakened and the streets were busy.
When he reached the employment office, he peered through the window and Bryanna sat in a wooden chair across from a large desk. Her chin rested in her hand and she looked beyond bored. With a chuckle, he looked at the goblin, Nevin, who was saying something to her that Zeke couldn’t hear, but that apparently didn’t interest Bryanna either.
Raising his hand, he waved and Nevin caught sight of him. He clearly sighed, as his small shoulders heaved. Zeke would owe Nevin a huge thank you later for stalling her like he’d asked.
Nevin gestured toward the window and Bryanna instantly glanced over her shoulder with a smile. She leapt out of her chair, said something quickly to Nevin, then rushed from the office.
The second the door slammed behind her, she glared at him. “Where did you send me?”
He arched an eyebrow. “Nevin wasn’t helpful?”
“That goblin,” she pointed back toward the office, “spent the last two hours talking about absolutely nothing!” She drew in a very long, ragged breath. “And I still don’t have a job!”
“Hmmm…” He rubbed his jaw. “I never took Nevin to be a talker. Maybe he liked you.” At her worsening glare, he chuckled. “This isn’t the only employment office in town. I’ll take you to the other one tomorrow.” He gestured down the street. “Let me walk you home. It’s a beautiful night.”
She glanced down the street, her eyes widening as she took in all the supernaturals, including vampires and ghouls. With a long sigh, she smiled at him. “Thanks for walking me home, I’m not quite used to seeing…” A Phoenix flew by, a blur of red and gold feathers. “Well, I’m used to my coven and need to adjust to my new surroundings.”
“No need to be afraid of anything here.” He leaned down toward her. “You’ll only get bitten by request.”
She laughed and fell into stride with him. As they passed the Scaredy Cat Café, loud music poured out into the night and she glanced up at him. “It’s nice, you know, being surrounded by so many supernaturals. I’m so used to being around witches. I guess I forget how big the world really is.”
He nodded, glancing toward the café, curious what brought on her thought. Instantly, he spotted a vampire at a table, drinking blood from a goblet. Now he understood—in a larger city, a vampire would never drink blood in public. “The town is very accepting.”
Her eyes lit up. “It’s magical.”
As the music faded away behind them, he glanced down and noticed her hand resting so close to his. Without hesitation, he wrapped his hand around hers and she tensed. When she glanced up at him with huge eyes, he asked softly, “Is this okay?”
She stared at him so intently, he wondered if she would refuse him, which he didn’t quite understand. He’d been touching far more intimate places than her hand not too long ago. “Sorry…I…” She laughed, shaking her head and squeezing her hand around his. “I forgot what this is like.”
He stopped dead. “Having your hand held?”
She nodded. “It’s been so long since anyone held my hand in public. I guess it startled me.” She pulled on his hand, forcing him to continue down the street, and smiled at him. “But I like it.”
“I’m glad.” He smiled back, even if he didn’t understand it. Christ, he hadn’t known her long and he couldn’t keep his hands off her. “Can I have a turn to ask you some personal questions?
She grinned. “Depends.”
“On?”
Her eyes twinkled. “If I’ll still look good after I answer?”
He chuckled, lifting her hand to kiss her palm, thinking it cute she used his words back on him. After lowering her hand, he sighed away his smile, since the subject he wanted to discuss was anything but funny. “I realize that you have…” he hesitated, searching for the right words, “a history with another.”
“Mm-hm,” was her response.
He had wondered how to approach this conversation, but he knew treading lightly wouldn’t do them any good. “Do you love him?”
She studied him for a long minute before she looked toward the sidewalk, watching her steps. “I guess part of me still does. Now, though, I wonder if that part of me should forever stay in Shreveport. To know that he lied to me and never accepted me, it’s hard to imagine why I loved him.”
Zeke considered how he felt over what she had told him. Did he rage with jealousy? No, he didn’t think so. She proved she was exactly as he thought her to be, caring to the point of fault. Her ex-boyfriend Layton didn’t deserve her love, yet she still offered at least a part of herself to him. “Is there room for another in your heart?”
When she looked to him, her eyebrow furrowed. “Meaning?”
“I know that this…” He squeezed her hand, finding it hard to explain, only knowing he needed more time with her and didn’t want to let her go, “feels good and I like being with you.”
“I like it too.” A lovely blush filled her cheeks. “Like I said, I’m not sure I even understand why I love Layton. Maybe it’s the idea of it all. The dream that I could be happy and that he loved me back.”
He witnessed the intense longing in her eyes to be loved and his chest tightened. Such a simple desire that she undeniably deserved. But he stayed silent while they strode down the street, allowing her to continue, “You make me feel like it’s okay to be me.” She heaved a long sigh, gazing up at him with such pain, it was as if someone had punched him in the gut. “I’ve never felt like that before.”
Looking away from him, she smiled at the dragon shifter who strode by, then she continued, “Truthfully, I’m not even sure I know what love is. I’m not sure I ever experienced it.” Tears welled in her eyes and she glanced down to the sidewalk again. “So, do I have a place for you in my heart where Layton is? No, I don’t. But I’m not quite sure you belong there.”
Had she rejected him?
He stared down at her, unsure if he should be angry, finding a way to change her opinion or asking her questions to clarify what she meant.
When she looked up at him, she laughed softly. “I’ve confused you, haven’t I?” At his firm nod, she added, “What I’m trying to say is that I love the way you make me feel. How you seem to say everything to make me see sense and I love that I’m no one else but me when you are around.”
He arched an eyebrow. “Which means you do have a place for me in your heart?”
“No.”
He frowned. “No?”
Stopping along the busy sidewalk, she turned to him, pressing her beautiful body against his. She angled her head back and a single tear escaped her eye. “I’ve never been loved—all I’ve been is lied to and not accepted. You cannot possibly be compared to Layton and have a part of my heart that belongs to him, because the piece of me you’re touching is new and undiscovered.”
Warmth and happiness spread through him. “Now
that makes more sense.” He leaned down and kissed her lips softly with a long, enduring kiss he hoped would show her how pleased she made him. In truth, he didn’t want the damaged part of her that Layton had caused or the emotional baggage, he wanted this sweet, pure part of her soul that no one had cherished before.
When he backed away, he smiled and strode forward, but she pulled him back, laughing. He looked over his shoulder at her and she gestured to her right. He’d been so immersed in their conversation, he hadn’t realized they’d arrived at her house.
He caught her gaze as she said, “Guess this means goodnight.”
Her unasked question hung in the air around them, would he be joining her?
As much as he wanted to indulge that thought, he hadn’t finished finalizing the details of his plan for her and that took priority. “For tonight, yes, I’m afraid I have to leave you. How about breakfast? There’s a great restaurant around the corner.”
“I’d like that.” She smiled, leaning up to give him a quick peck, then hurried toward her house.
Hell, he understood her urgency to leave. If he took her into another fiery kiss, he would forget his plans and make his priority her body. He watched her open the front door, then step into the foyer, where she turned back and gave him that ever-so-sweet smile.
When she shut the door, he spun on his heels, hurrying to get back downtown.
On the way, he did a mental checklist of things he still needed to do, and by the time he reached Main Street, he was glad he’d finished most of it when she was at the employment office. He turned onto Main Street and noticed the resident ogre, Arlo, jogging toward him.
“There’s someone at the gates wanting to speak to Bryanna,” Arlo called.
When he finally settled his brutish body in front of Zeke, he added in his gravelly voice, “I told him he didn’t need to wait at the gate, but he refused to enter and demanded I go get her.”
Hot rage filled Zeke’s veins. “A warlock?” At the incline of Arlo’s big, burly green head, Zeke cursed and tightened his fists. “Did he say what he wanted?”
“Bryanna.”
Some Like it Wicked Page 5