Sinfully Spellbound (Spells That Bind Book 1)

by Lawson, Cassandra

  “Dylan Hunt and Alana Talbot,” a warlock at the front of the room called out, and I wondered if we were in trouble for talking during the meeting.

  Dylan tugged on my hand and led me to the front of the room. That’s when I noticed the strong resemblance the warlock standing at the front had to Trevor. Since Trevor had said his father would be administering the affinity test, the man before us had to be Trevor’s father.

  Isadora gave me a reassuring smile while my dad refused to make eye contact, probably figuring I was still mad at him for allowing this to happen.

  “Where are your robes?” another council member asked, clearly annoyed.

  “There was an unfortunate incident involving a paper shredder,” Dylan explained, and there were several coughs around the room, all probably meant to cover laughs.

  “Are you ready?” Trevor’s father asked with no expression at all.

  “They have no robes,” someone complained.

  “We can certainly proceed without robes,” Trevor’s father insisted.

  “I’m ready,” Dylan answered.

  “Um, I didn’t really study,” I said lamely.

  Trevor’s father coughed to cover his laugh.

  Isadora chuckled softly. “Alana, you are definitely what my son needs. Don’t worry, dear. Everything is going to be okay.” Then she turned her attention to Trevor’s father. “Alana wasn’t trying to be disrespectful. She’s just nervous, so please try to be patient with her.”

  Trevor’s father raised an eyebrow. “Do you think I’m going to yell at her?” he asked. “The poor girl looks like she’s going to faint.” His face softened as he looked at me. “There’s nothing to be afraid of, Alana. This is a simple matter, and it will be over soon.”

  “Can we get started?” Dylan asked. “Waiting is making it harder on Allie.”

  “Of course,” Trevor’s father agreed. “You’ll need to remove any magical items before we begin.”

  “I can’t,” I said quickly, feeling my panic returning.

  “It’ll be okay,” Dylan assured me quietly.

  “No!” I insisted. “I need to keep my cuffs on or there could be problems.”

  “The affinity test can only be performed with no magical items on your person,” Trevor’s father explained less patiently this time. “Those items make it impossible to give accurate results.”

  “The sooner you take them off, the sooner we can be done with this,” Dylan insisted as he walked to the table and dropped his keys with the spelled chain so he couldn’t lose them, his cell phone with the tracking spell, and his wallet with Goddess only knew what spell on the table.

  Since I’d left my purse in the car, I only had my cuffs to remove, and I really didn’t want to. Still, Dylan was right about me delaying things by standing here arguing. Reluctantly, I walked to the table and removed one cuff. As that cuff hit the table, I heard Dylan suck in a sharp breath. When the second cuff came off, Dylan groaned, and I turned to find him nearly doubled over. Looking around, I expected the same reaction from the other warlocks in the room and was surprised to find none of them were having any reaction at all to my succubus powers.

  This didn’t make any sense. Dylan was upright now with his head dropped back and his fists clenched at his sides. It looked like he was fighting to control his own arousal while everyone else was completely unaffected.

  “Can we get this over with quickly?” I asked, because I hated seeing what my succubus powers were doing to Dylan.

  “Move forward and take his hands,” Trevor’s father ordered.

  I hesitated for a moment because I wasn’t sure getting closer to Dylan was such a good idea. He might have an even stronger reaction if I touched him.

  “Come here,” Dylan ground out, his eyes burning into mine.

  I obeyed because I honestly didn’t feel like I could refuse. Dylan had both hands outstretched toward me. When I took his hands, he tugged me against his body and slammed his mouth down on mine. His kiss was hot, and I don’t just mean it was turning me on—it felt like we were surrounded by heat, and it kept getting hotter and hotter as Dylan’s tongue plunged into my mouth over and over, mimicking the act of sex.

  “I need you,” he said, pulling away slightly to stare at me.

  It was then that I noticed we were literally surrounded by fire. Crimson flames danced around us so high I could no longer see the council. These weren’t normal flames; they were Dylan’s magic, writhing around mine. Looking up at Dylan, I watched the fire dance in his eyes and felt myself getting wetter at the thought of the power he possessed. No, it was the power we possessed. This wasn’t just his power and my power; this was our power combined in some inexplicable way. The anxiety I’d felt about the test was gone, and it was like no one else existed—just us.

  A cool breeze wafted through the room, and the flames were gone, stealing the cocoon that shielded us from the rest of the world. Dylan blinked twice, looking disoriented, and I knew exactly how he felt.

  Chapter Fifty-Four

  Dylan

  What the fuck was that about?

  Seriously, I had no idea what had just happened with Allie and me, but all I wanted to do was get her out of this room and fuck her into next week. Allie quickly pulled away and rushed forward to put her cuffs back on. When she returned to my side, she was doing everything she could to avoid looking at me. If I had to guess, I’d say she was embarrassed about sharing our intimate moment with the council. Even knowing we’d been shielded by my magic, I was still annoyed about these people intruding on what had just happened, not that I fully understood what had just happened, but it felt profound—and fucking incredible.

  “That was certainly impressive,” Trevor’s father said, sounding almost awestruck by our performance.

  “More than impressive,” my mother added with a huge grin. “We rarely see magic so in tune. You two are perfect for each other!”

  “I believe it is my job to determine that,” Trevor’s father interjected.

  My mother waved off his admonishment. “Fine, you can tell them they passed.”

  “Normally, I would give you a long speech about how your magic interacts, and the importance of finding a good fit, but since it looks like Alana is ready to faint, I’ll just tell you that you passed on all aspects. Is either family demanding a marriage ceremony take place immediately?” Trevor’s father asked because it was required that he ask, but I saw the disapproval in his eyes. The Dupree family didn’t like forced marriages, even when the couple was compatible.

  My mother shook her head. “Alana and Dylan need time to discuss things,” she said. “I think it’s best to let them set a time when they are ready.”

  “And you?” he asked Julian.

  “I agree with Isadora,” Julian stated. “My daughter looks like she needs some time alone to process all of this. I suggest she return home with me, and then she can make a decision on her future with Dylan.”

  Practically holding my breath, I waited for Allie to respond to what her father had suggested. While it would kill me to let her go, I would if that’s what she wanted, but I really hoped it wasn’t. After what we’d shared, I wasn’t sure how I’d handle separation from her.

  When Julian held out a hand, Allie shook her head. “I’m going home with Dylan.”

  Relief washed through my body. When Allie turned to me, she looked confused and a little frightened. I was torn between my desire to get her alone to comfort her and my desire to get her alone so I could get inside her. Since both desires involved getting her out of the council meeting, I figured I’d worry about what happened next later.

  “We’re leaving,” I said, grasping Allie’s hand to lead her from the room.

  “Dylan!” Julian called out, and I heard his footsteps behind me.

  “Not now,” I growled without turning, because I wasn’t about to argue over where Allie was going. She’d already said she was going home with me.

  “Where are we going?” Alli
e asked, sounding confused.

  “Home,” I said.

  “What just happened in there?” she asked again.

  “We passed our test,” I explained as I opened the car door for her.

  “What I meant was what happened with our powers?” she clarified. “I’ve never felt anything like that before.”

  “Neither have I,” I said. “It just felt right.” Then I thought for a moment. “I’ve felt that on a more muted level with you before.”

  For the next few miles, we both remained silent, lost in our own thoughts. It was Allie who finally broke the silence. “Thank you for getting me out of there,” she chimed in, and I could hear the arousal in her voice. That arousal, I fully understood since I felt it, too.

  “Would you think I was a total asshole if I told you I need to be in you now?” I asked desperately.

  “Pull the car over,” Allie said quickly, and she didn’t have to tell me twice. I pulled to the side of the road in a human neighborhood and turned the engine off. It was so quiet that all I could hear was the blood pounding in my ears as I mouthed a spell to tint the windows, shielding us from prying eyes. I wouldn’t be able to fuck Allie like I wanted to while holding the spell, but I could get her off, and that was enough for now.

  Pushing my seat back as far as it would go, I grabbed Allie’s hand, encouraging her to move onto my lap, which she did without hesitation. When her lips came down on mine, everything suddenly felt right, and I didn’t want to stop, except I knew I needed to keep my mind focused enough to hold the spell.

  Tearing my mouth from Allie’s, I stripped off her shirt and undid the front clasp of her bra, freeing her breasts for me to feast on—and feast was the only way to describe how I practically devoured her breasts. Allie arched her back to get closer to my mouth, and her hips rolled against me as she tried to get closer. As I suckled her nipples, I cupped her pussy, which I knew was hot and wet under her jeans. She ground against my hand, working toward her orgasm.

  It wasn’t long before she was screaming my name with her head thrown back.

  When she finally collapsed against my body, I let out a chuckle as I realized the mistake in my plan.

  “What’s so funny?” she asked in a sleepy, relaxed voice.

  “I didn’t think to use a spell to mask the noises you were making. I wonder if some poor human got a fright thinking this car was empty until they heard you.”

  Allie laughed and slipped her shirt back on. “We should go home so I can take care of your needs.”

  “Believe me, sweetheart, I needed to make you come, but you’re right about us needing to get home. I won our bet, and I’ve had two weeks to think of all the things I want to do to you tonight.”

  “Drive fast,” Allie said as she slid back into her own seat.

  Chapter Fifty-Five

  Allie

  To say things had been strained since the affinity test would be an understatement. Not things between Dylan and me, though. We’d been getting along fine, and Dylan hadn’t once pressured me to talk about the test after that night. Dylan was one of the few people in my life who was not stressing me out.

  My mother—the traitor—had become Dylan’s biggest fan, despite her feelings about warlocks. At least once a day, I could count on a call from her asking me why I hadn’t snatched Dylan up the second we passed our affinity test. Today had been the worst call yet because she’d been in a panic about my future children with Dylan. I needed to give her Isadora’s number so they could talk about marriage and grandchildren. Until my mother’s call, worrying about how Dylan would feel if our children were born sex demons, I hadn’t even thought about having children. Now, I had to admit that I kind of liked the idea of having Dylan’s baby someday. Not soon, of course.

  My mother wasn’t the only one causing me stress. My father wanted me to stay with him, and I couldn’t figure out why. Near as I could tell, he felt guilty about allowing me to be pressured into the affinity test, even though I’d assured him I wasn’t upset now that it was over.

  Trevor was still acting crazy when it came to Mel, which meant they were both talking incessantly about the other.

  Marcos was still trying to convince me to continue working at SpellBinders. Since the demon who’d attacked me still hadn’t been caught, I was afraid to go into any room alone. While the police refused to go into any details about what they’d found when they searched his home, they had suggested I watch my back and run like hell if I saw him.

  With all of these things going on, it was no surprise I was distracted at work tonight. If it weren’t a crazy busy night, I’d ask Marcos to let me leave early, but I already knew what his answer would be.

  “What’s wrong with you tonight, Al?” Marcos demanded when I was done with my last client. Despite how understanding he’d been the night of my attack at SpellBinders, he was back to his old asshole self.

  “I’m just feeling a little off,” I admitted.

  “Well, you had better get it together fast. I don’t need my clients complaining about moody sex demons,” he said with a huff. “You’re supposed to be seductive for the customers.”

  “Sorry,” I muttered, because it did no good to argue with Marcos. I could point out that I was doing him a favor by giving him three weeks notice when I’d really wanted to quit right after my attack, but Marcos wasn’t the type to appreciate that sort of thing.

  “I’m surprised you’re here without the warlock shadowing you,” Marcos added, looking around as if Dylan might be hiding somewhere in the shadows.

  “He had some errands to run tonight,” I explained.

  “Is he picking you up after work?” Marcos asked. “If you need a ride, I can always drive you home.”

  When Marcos’ hand settled on my arm, I had to fight the urge to jerk away. I hated being touched by him. There was just something slimy about Marcos that made my skin crawl.

  “Trevor came with me tonight, so he’ll take me home,” I assured Marcos as I casually moved out of his grasp. It surprised me that Marcos hadn’t noticed Trevor. That was probably because Trevor had been brooding in a dark corner most of the evening. “I’d better get to my next client,” I said quickly to get away from Marcos.

  “Sure,” Marcos said. “Just let me know if you ever need a ride home. I could even drive you in to work so you don’t have to inconvenience the warlocks. There’s no reason I can’t assign a security guard to shadow you all night.”

  It was tempting to take him up on the offer of a security guard. Trevor and Dylan couldn’t really follow me around while I worked, but SpellBinders’ security could. The only reason I hesitated was the knowledge that Marcos could easily change his mind and pull the guard mid-shift. Besides, I wouldn’t be working here much longer. “Thanks. I’ll talk to Dylan when I get home and see what he thinks,” I said with a fake smile as I hurried off to my next client, knowing there was no way I’d ever trust Marcos to keep me safe.

  Chapter Fifty-Six

  Dylan

  I’d never done anything like this for a woman before, and I was a little nervous about Allie’s reaction. What if she didn’t like it? What if she was pissed at me for doing this without even asking what she wanted? I’d assumed this was something she’d want, from talking to her, but maybe I was wrong. It was crazy how this woman tied me up in knots so easily. This feeling was why I’d avoided witches for so long. Did that mean I regretted being with Allie? Hell no! Sure, the uncertainty of it all sucked, but I’d fallen hard for Allie, and that was pretty fucking awesome.

  Looking down at the tiny black kitten with white feet, I couldn’t help noticing he seemed nervous, too. “Don’t worry, my friend. She’ll love you.”

  The kitten heaved an exaggerated sigh and climbed off my lap to find a comfortable place on the bed. That was the thing with familiars; they were more intelligent than their ordinary animal counterparts. They also tended to feel more anxious when they weren’t with their witch. My mother rarely went anywhere without h
er familiar, Percy. I heard the front door open and rushed down to meet Allie, which probably made me look ridiculous.

  “How was your day?” I asked.

  “Don’t ask,” she said with a groan before turning toward Trevor. “Thanks for bringing me home.”

  “Any time.” He flashed his best smile, which looked forced. “Make sure you tell Melina how sweet I was.”

  Allie snorted. “You really need to give up on Mel.”

  “I’m trying,” Trevor said with a sigh.

  Allie hugged him one last time. “Thanks again, Trev. I’m going to grab a snack before I head upstairs.” She then headed toward the kitchen.

  “How’d it go?” I asked Trevor.

  “Fine, I guess. That vampire came in and asked if Allie wanted to see a movie after work. For a little while, it looked like she was considering going,” Trevor said with annoyance. “He waited around for a couple of hours, but her shift was really bad with that asshole Marcos on her case about everything, so she told the vampire she was too tired to go out tonight.”

  “That’s good.” I made a mental note to ask Nick to hang out with us later this week. “Not that I mind her hanging out with Nick, but I have a surprise for her.”

  “Do tell.” Trevor raised one eyebrow.

  “I’ll let you know what it is after I find out if Allie is happy or not,” I said, feeling nervous again. Damn, this woman made me crazy.

  “In that case, I’m gonna go home and get drunk,” Trevor said.

  “Why? Was it really that bad at SpellBinders?” I asked.

  Trevor chuckled. “Nah, I just need an excuse to drunk dial Melina.”

  “You’re an idiot,” I told him with a shake of my head, hoping Trevor would get over his obsession with Melina soon. It had gone on much longer than I’d expected.