Spell Hell: An Undercover Witch (Witch's Brew Book 1)

by N. L. Hoffmann

  We hurried into the building, his pace fast and hard for me to match in my pencil skirt. My heels clicked on the white marble floor as we went to the stairs that were behind the security desk. The guard said hello to Drake, and the boss just waved in reply. He was on a mission, and wasn’t stopping for anyone. Why was he in such a rush?

  Climbing up the steps where there was a balcony with clear banister walls, I wondered if wearing sneakers would be acceptable to the dress code. There was no way in hell I could keep up with him in heels if he maintained this fast pace all the time. What if he used Vampire speed? I didn’t have that awesome skill.

  “We have a meeting in fifteen minutes. Your desk is here,” he said, gesturing to a desk in front of a large set of gray doors. “Get what you need, and bring it into that room. Wait for me there.” Then he disappeared behind the doors.

  I set my purse down in the chair behind the desk and tried to catch my breath. A bead of sweat made its way down my forehead and I wiped it away, annoyed. Working this case was going to be hard. He really didn’t seem like a killer, but that may have been the voice of my lady parts. I really just wanted the man to fuck me. It wasn’t normal for me to have those sort of thoughts, but damn if he wasn’t smoking hot. I needed something to curb the desire. I seemed to zone out, thinking about his muscular body over mine as he—

  “Are you ready for the meeting?” Drake asked, closing his office door behind him.

  Shit! I grabbed a pen and pad of paper, rushing after him as he made his way to a doorway that opened up to a large conference room. A glass table sat in the middle of the room. Amazingly, there wasn’t a fingerprint visible on it. He really did keep everything in order with his company.

  Shaking my head, I sat down in a chair, watching as he took his place at the head of the table. I only took notes a few times, but that usually resulted in a full page of doodles. Maybe I should have brought different colored pens to make better art.

  “Drake! How wonderful to see you!”

  A woman walked in, her designer dress screaming money. Her blonde hair was up in a fancy hairdo, and makeup perfectly applied. She was stunning, and it had the green-eyed monster raising his ugly head within me. Why was I even getting jealous? Drake wasn’t mine. I was supposed to be investigating him, not thinking about him in several sexual positions.

  Standing up, Drake hugged the woman. “Thank you for meeting me. I wanted to discuss a few things about your program. I think your company will benefit more with the ideas that I came up with.”

  “Oh, Drake, honey, I think whatever ideas you have, I’m more than willing to abide.” Her words were laced with innuendo.

  Chuckling, Drake gestured to a chair. “Have a seat, the rest of my people will be in here momentarily.”

  A few minutes later, people started to straggle in. Earning irritated glares from Drake, they hurried to their seats, piles of paperwork in their hands. One of them went to a computer that sat in a corner, his glasses reflecting what was on the screen. They were going to make a presentation. The meeting would surely be boring, and I was worried that I may have trouble staying awake. There were a few times I snored in a Council meeting.

  An hour later, I was still frantically writing down notes, yawning periodically. The girl sitting next to me would chuckle, shaking her head. Then we would both receive glares from Drake. He didn’t even know my name, I realized. That was almost sad.

  Shaking my head as they were saying their goodbyes, my eyes widened when I watched the blonde-haired woman, Samantha Young, move her hand down to Drake’s ass. He jumped in surprise, but chuckled, kissing her on the cheek.

  “Until we see each other again!” she called out as she was leaving.

  “Dear gods, the woman is going to be the death of me.” He straightened his suit coat and shuddered. “The things I allow them to do to me for business.” He flashed me a smile. “Come along, we have to discuss this evening’s plans, and then I will allow you to type up the minutes from this meeting.”

  I followed him, my gaze never leaving his ass. Was that wrong of me? I now knew what it was like to be a man. Here I was, looking at this man as a piece of meat. But he was one fine piece. Groaning because desire was blooming in me once again, I hurried after him. Why did he have to walk so fast?

  “Samantha is one of our best customers. You would do well not to yawn in the meetings anymore. One complaint, and I’ll have to let you go from the position. We must keep our clients happy, Ms.—”

  “Dexter.” I replied, immediately regretting it when I realized that if he wanted to look me up, he could easily find out I was Merlin’s daughter. I was featured in one of the Council’s newspapers, so it wouldn’t take much to figure me out.

  “Ah, Ms. Sophie Dexter. What a gift to have Merlin’s daughter working for me.”

  Shit. I screwed up bad. Really bad. “Yup, that’s me. Merlin’s daughter.”

  He seemed deep in thought, staring at me with an amused expression on his face. “I met your father once. He is an interesting man, though a little insane.”

  Merlin was known for his mad babblings, just randomly blurting out ideas for spells mid-conversation. People would always steer clear of him, but he was one of the most brilliant Wizards out there. To be a Wizard, you had to have many years of experience. There were very few who actually made that accomplishment. Plus, the ones that did were typically from Avalon. I was from that line. Not every Witch could say that. Those of us that did come from them were considered rare and often treasured. Well, besides for myself, who obviously had to suffer the wrath of the Head Mistress.

  My mother was also a Witch of Avalon, having been a daughter of the Lady of the Lake. That was probably another reason why Daphne hated me. Her family didn’t come from Avalon, so their ‘worth’ was considerably less. Which also meant, if I made a play for the Head Mistress position, I had a good chance, just because of where my family came from.

  “Come into my office, we have much to discuss, Sophie.” He opened the office door, revealing a large room surrounded by books. A lot of books. I couldn’t believe how many there were. There wasn’t even room to have pictures on the walls. My gaze went to his large glass desk where a computer sat on it. It was all very clean and had me worried that he would be offended by the state of my apartment. I didn’t typically keep things organized. I even used what little money I had to hire a maid to come in once a week to clean. I was lazy, I’d admit that.

  The window behind his desk looked out over the parking lot. The view wasn’t bad. No wonder he wanted everyone to have nice cars—he had to look at them every day. I didn’t see a single ‘old’ car in the lot. The employees had to be paid well to afford such nice vehicles. Maybe I’d rather work for him instead of the Council. They sure didn’t know how to pay their people.

  “Have a seat.” He took his place behind his desk, staring at me for a few seconds before speaking again. “Tonight, I need someone to come with me to a meeting at a restaurant. I’d rather not take a date because then it becomes awkward when they ask stupid questions.”

  “Why bring anyone at all?” I asked, not understanding why he needed someone with him.

  “Because I want an intelligent guest. The man will have his wife there, and I would rather not be the third wheel,” he explained.

  Nodding, I asked, “What do I wear?”

  “Something gorgeous. It’s an expensive restaurant, so you will need to go out and purchase a dress.” He reached into his back pocket, pulling out his wallet. “This card is yours. Buy whatever you need.”

  “That’s a little weird.”

  “It’s part of your job, and it’s a company card. Think nothing more about it.” He stood up, heading to a door that looked like it opened up to a bathroom. “Type up the minutes from the meeting and then go shopping. I will pick you up from your home at six.”

  “Uh, I’m staying a hotel.” I looked away when he raised an eyebrow. “I’m new in town.”

  He cont
inued to stare at me, not sure what to make of my admission. “We’ll have to remedy that. You are to also find an apartment, and we’ll pay for the first month’s rent and security deposit. Some of it will be taken out of your check, so you can pay back the company.”

  Stunned, I said, “You are far too generous.”

  “I would do it for any of my employees. You all are what make this company.”

  Feeling guilty that I was actually investigating him and not a real employee, I took the card and hurried out of his office. The minutes would be easy, considering I didn’t have write to too many. Most of the time Samantha flirted openly with Drake, and I didn’t think that would be appropriate for the company records. The woman was incorrigible.

  *

  After finishing up the notes, I sat in my chair, debating how the hell I was going to go shopping. Just as I was about to ask Drake about a vehicle, he came out of his office and dropped keys onto my desk. “Take my car. You may use it until you get your own. I have four more at home I can drive.”

  “I don’t feel comfortable using your car. You’re already doing too much for me, Mr. Jacobi.”

  “Drake, please. And as I said before, I would do this for any of my employees.”

  “You would let any of them drive your car?” I asked, surprised.

  He smirked. “No, only my assistant.”

  I wasn’t sure what to think about that, but my thoughts left my brain once he started walking away. The man had a great ass. He smelled really good, too. I felt my magic stirring as it was responding to my nerves. Why was I so anxious? Maybe because I was having a harder and harder time viewing him as a killer. He seemed like a good man, but I had to remember that he was still a Vampire. They survived on human blood, and that in itself could mean death for their victims.

  Chapter Five

  Uncomfortable, I paced in my hotel room, not sure how I felt about going to dinner with Drake. It felt weird, and not something you should be doing with your boss. Still, it did give me another opportunity to learn about the man. I was investigating him, after all. I had to explore all angles and see if he or someone else could possibly be the murderer. It had to be someone close to him, because it would be too much of a coincidence that the only people murdered were Witches who worked directly for Drake.

  A knock at my door had me jumping. My nerves were on edge. It had been too long since my last case, and I was out of practice. Walking to the door, I debated ignoring it. I could just go back home and pretend I never came to Riverdale. Maybe I could even convince Daphne to assign the case to someone else. Then she would see me for the loser that I felt like I was and drop the investigation against me. I’d tried calling Jenna and Mikey, but neither one were answering. It had me nervous and tempted to return home. What happened? Did the bitch get out of my apartment? Or was there now a warrant out for my arrest because of planted evidence? Shit, if I was stealing money, I would have something better to drive than the Toyota.

  Opening the door, I revealed a handsome Drake. He was still wearing a suit, but I could tell that he had recently showered. His hair was still damn perfect and he smelled amazing. The man was going to kill me one day—hopefully not literally. I wanted to kiss him, take him to my ugly motel bed, and have my way with him something fierce.

  “You look beautiful,” he said, gaze traveling up and down my body.

  I chose a black dress because that was basically the only color I wore. It hugged my every curve, reaching past my feet. I wore some black heels with red soles, and even shaved my legs before putting them on. Shaving was a big deal for me. I typically didn’t go out on dates, so I just let it all hang out. But I was with Drake, and I liked his attention on me. Especially looking at me the way he was at that moment.

  My blonde hair was in loose curls, draping over my bare shoulders. I even put on some winged eye liner to make my blue eyes pop. I knew I looked good. When he smiled at me, eyes hooded, I felt desire course through me in hot waves. Did we really have to go to the meeting?

  “My driver awaits. Let’s get this over with.” He let me close the door, and then offered his arm so I could wrap mine in it. I hummed with pleasure when I touched him. My need for him only growing stronger. There was no way my heart could continue to take the attraction. I was half mad with longing, wanting to rip his clothes off. My stomach was in knots.

  Then I realized that Vampires could smell desire on people. They had a strong sense of smell. So strong they could sense someone’s emotions, even. My face felt like it was on fire with embarrassment. Here I was pining over the man, and he probably knew the entire time!

  “Stop fidgeting, Sophie. It looks like we’ve never been together. I’d rather them not think that I found you off the street.” He chuckled.

  He knew I figured it out! Oh, gods. What was I going to do? My arm tightened around his, pulling me closer to his body. I wanted to hide more than anything, but at the same time, I still wanted to rip his clothes off. Did every woman who came in contact with him feel this way? Was it a power he had? Vampires had their own individual powers, and I wondered what his was. I was definitely in bigger trouble than I thought. He was far too tempting for me to keep a clear head around.

  *

  The restaurant was incredible to look at. The chandeliers were made of crystal, casting a warm light over the entire place. It was packed with a lot of people. I didn’t see a single open table, which meant the people we were meeting where already there. My palms began to sweat as I became nervous. I didn’t know how good my acting skills were, considering I failed drama in high school.

  Our host led us to a table at the far side of the restaurant where a man and a woman sat. The woman had short brown hair that was perfectly cut, not a hair out of place. She smiled, red lips exposing white teeth. When she saw me, her eyes darkened with annoyance, but the smile stayed plastered on her face.

  When the man turned around, I was immediately stunned by his resemblance to Drake. They had to be related in some way. My suspicion was confirmed when Drake said, “Sophie, this is my brother, Roark Jacobi, and his wife, Stella.”

  I took their hands, shaking briefly. “Nice to meet you.”

  Roark’s eyes gleamed with what I identified as mischief. “Where did you find this assistant?”

  Drake sighed, sitting down after he pulled out my chair for me. “You have to ruin everything, don’t you? Can’t accept the fact that I may have found someone for myself?”

  “Brother, you’re far too busy for a relationship. I know a plant when I see one.”

  Stella chuckled, obviously pleased that I wasn’t the girlfriend. I sense the jealousy almost immediately. The woman had it bad for her brother-in-law, which had me placing her on my suspect list.

  “I found her at that place. You know. For the needy.” Drake waved his hand as if it would help the words he was looking for come out.

  “A shelter?”

  “No! The agency that hires people for me,” he snapped.

  Roark laughed, throwing back his head. He was just as perfect. They came close to being twins. “Calm down, Drake. I knew what you meant.”

  “Always have to mess with me. I don’t do that to you.”

  “You need a sense of humor. All this stress will kill you.”

  “I’m immortal. I doubt that.”

  The waiter came over, his dark eyes on me at first. Then he looked over at the rest of them. “Would you like anything to drink?”

  “Took you long enough,” Roark barked, glancing down at his menu.

  By the time we all ordered our meals, everyone was silent. So, he had a meeting with his brother? When was the conversation supposed to pick up? I felt eyes on me as I looked out the window near where we sat. When I turned I found Stella watching me, her gaze one of malevolence. She turned away to look at her husband and smiled. “So, why did you call this meeting?”

  Roark put his drink down and sighed. “We need to cut some of the employees from the Denver location. Sales
have been down, and I just see that as the most logical location to make the layoffs.”

  Drake’s gaze snapped up in alarm. “No cuts. Sales will pick up. We have some big clients coming in this year.”

  “We need to do it if we are to make the budget. Our sales have dropped dramatically over the past few months. I only see more drops coming.”

  Suddenly, Drake had a steak knife in his hand, and he slammed it down into the table, rattling our glasses. “We will not make any cuts.”

  Everyone was staring in our direction inside the restaurant. I shrank in the corner, not sure what I was supposed to do. At least I got a view of Drake’s violent side. Who in their right mind takes a knife and stabs it into a table? A killer. I shouldn’t have let my hormones get the best of me. They were probably making me ignore some serious signs.

  “Brother, must you do that in public?” Roark asked, taking his wife’s hand.

  Pulling the knife from the table, Drake set it down, looking over at the waiter that was coming in our direction with food. My stomach rumbled, earning me an amused look from Drake. I was starving, having not eaten during my busy day. I’d spent more time riding around in his car than I should have. It was the nicest thing I ever drove. It was a brand new Lexus, super-fast and super nice. I loved it, and wanted one of my own. When I explained that to Drake, he said in a month’s time I should have enough to get the car I wanted. Maybe nothing as nice, but a new one. I didn’t know if I wanted to go back to Heavens, Colorado. Or back to the Witch’s Council at all.

  Our food was delicious. I was drooling just from the smell of it alone. My steak was cooked to perfection, and my potato loaded to capacity like I’d asked. Drake was surprised I ordered such a large meal, but what was the point in eating a salad? I was starving, and a man’s opinion of me didn’t matter. I had the right to make my belly full.

  Roark watched me with interest as his wife ate her salad. She glared in my direction, not pleased with the attention I was getting from both men. Why did she eat like that, then? Not that theirs wasn’t good salad, but when you’re starving, a full meal was important. Not just a few vegetables on a plate.