My entire body shook with tension as I let her ride it out. And just as she started to relax, I thrust up again, pulling a cry from her slightly parted lips. “Again,” she whispered on a moan.
Another thrust. She let out a second moan, her head thrown back as she moved her hips in tiny circles. It was too fucking much. In one swift movement, I had her on her back, her legs wrapped tightly around my hips. I quickened the pace, slamming into her, making her cry out with each hard thrust. And then it happened. Her magic pulsed over my skin and seized me, touching me deep inside. Her entire body wrapped around mine, and I buried myself deep inside her one last time as a firebolt seared through me. I shuddered against her, losing myself completely in the release.
It took a while to come back to myself. I was lying on my back with Matisse’s head resting on my chest. Her fingers were tracing a small circle over my abs. “Hey,” I said softly.
She tilted her head up and smiled. “Hey, yourself.”
I wanted to tell her how incredible she was. The words were right there on the tip of my tongue, but before I could say anything she rolled off, pulling one of the blankets with her. I watched her as she slipped into the bathroom. The sound of water rushing through the old pipes filled the room as I waited for her to return. I glanced at the clock. Two twenty-three a.m. Considering that I’d spent the day tracking the whereabouts of a sleezeball human who’d been selling spelled cookies to unsuspecting co-eds in an effort to get laid, and then climbed into bed with Matisse, I should’ve been exhausted. But I wasn’t. I was wide awake and all too happy to contemplate round two.
The door swung open. Matisse reappeared, her face freshly washed and her hair brushed back. Her relaxed posture and small, satisfied smile pleased me. I’d do whatever it took to put that look on her face again. She bypassed the bed and moved toward the front of my house.
I narrowed my eyes. “Going somewhere?”
She raised her eyebrows in mild surprise. “Home?”
“What’s the hurry?” I sat up, letting the sheet fall to my lap, ready to drag her back to the bed if I had to.
Her smile was back as she walked toward me. Reaching out, she pressed her hand to the side of my face and then trailed her fingers down the side of my neck. The gesture was gentle, almost romantic, and sent another ripple of lust through me. She could touch me anywhere she wanted and I’d be ready to take her in seconds. “I’ve got class in the morning.”
Dammit. College girl. And she sure as hell wasn’t the type to do the walk of shame. I slipped off the bed and pulled on a pair of pants I’d discarded the day before. “Gotcha.”
I followed her into the entry hall where all her clothes were scattered. I expected her to be a bit shy putting her clothes on after the fact, but she wasn’t. The blanket fell to the floor, leaving her entirely exposed. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She was mesmerizing with her quiet self-confidence, so different from the hard-edged seductress she’d been at the bar. Even more alluring than before.
“If you keep watching me like that, I doubt I’ll make it home tonight,” she said as she clasped her bra back in place.
“Is that a challenge? Or a request?” I moved in, nudging her chin up with my knuckle, and before she could answer, I claimed her mouth once again. The kiss was slow and full of promise. The passion sparking between us hadn’t diminished one tiny bit. Blood rushed to my groin, making me hard once again.
She chuckled and gently pushed me away. “I really have to go.”
I let my gaze rake down her body, pausing to appreciate her ample cleavage. “You’re sure?”
“I’m sure.” Her answer was so final as she zipped her skirt up there was no use trying to convince her otherwise. I pulled my T-shirt on and was stuffing my feet in my boots when she ran a light hand down my arm. “Thank you for the nice night, but there’s no need to take me back to the club. My friend is here to pick me up.”
I glanced out the window to see a small white car idling at the curb. What the hell? She hadn’t had a phone on her when she’d gone into the bathroom. “How did she know where to find you?”
“I used your phone. It was on the bathroom counter.” She leaned in and kissed my cheek. “Have a good night.”
She pulled the door open, but before she could stride out, I caught her wrist. “You’re leaving? Just like that?”
She frowned. “What do you mean, just like that?”
This wasn’t a place I’d been in before. I wanted this girl’s number. Wanted to see her again. Hell, what I really wanted to do was take her to bed again as soon as possible. But I liked that she challenged me, too. It was a thrilling combination. “I’ve only got your first name. How am I going to get in touch with you?”
Her lips turned up in that confident smile again. “You’ll find a way.”
This time when she walked away, I let her. She was right though. I damned well would find her again. And sooner rather than later.
Chapter 5
Matisse
Ashley sped away from the curb without saying a word. I knew she was waiting for me to give her a rundown of my night like I always did, but I couldn’t seem to find the words. Not this time. Vaughn had been something different. More. And yet, even though my power had reached new heights when I’d been straddling him, once we’d finished, my magic seemed almost fragile. Like it would slip away at any moment. On any other night, I’d be brimming with fresh energy, ready to cast any spell Chessandra wanted me to. Had I been that depleted? Something was off there, and I wasn’t sure what it was.
But sexually? Whoa. There was nothing wrong there. None of my past conquests could compete. Not even close. Like not even in the same state, let alone the same zip code. I couldn’t believe I didn’t give him my number. Maybe it was self-preservation. Because I could’ve easily stayed there in his bed for the next week, except I really did have class in the morning and an appointment with Chessandra to work on her special spell. The last thing I needed was a distraction. Especially one I knew I’d drop everything for. ’Cause, whew. If he knew how much I still wanted him…
I shook my head. No sense in thinking about that now. I’d made the decision to leave it at an incredible one-night stand. If we managed to run into each other again, that would be one thing, but I didn’t do relationships. Not when I used people for sex. It was wrong. Necessary for me, but wrong nonetheless. It seemed okay and bearable only when the person I was with was using me, too.
“Well?” Ashley prompted when it became clear I wasn’t talking. “How was it?”
“Good.” I stared out the window.
“Good?” She scoffed. “It’s getting close to three a.m. What the hell did you two do all night? Bake cookies?”
I couldn’t help the snort of laughter. “Definitely not.”
“So it was better than good then?”
She wasn’t going to let this go. I had to give her something. “If I were a dating person, I definitely would’ve given him my number.”
The car swerved slightly to the right, but Ashley quickly recovered and straightened the car. “Did you just say what I think you did?”
I gave her a rueful smile. “Yes. Definitely second date… er, second hookup material.”
“Remind me to write this down.” She took a left onto the on-ramp of the Crescent City Connection Bridge. “I do believe history has been made.”
I smiled even though I had a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. It had taken a great deal of will to leave Vaughn so soon after our joining. And then to walk out when he’d all but asked for my number… It was hard. But what was I to do? None of the females in my family maintained steady healthy relationships with the opposite sex. My mom couldn’t even give me the name of my father. She hadn’t asked nor had she ever seen him again. It was the life of a sex witch. It sucked.
When Ashley finally pulled up to our place in Coven Pointe, I placed a hand on her arm, keeping her in the car for a moment. “Thanks for picking me up.”
“I was conserving my energy.” In addition to being a sex witch, I also worked for the Angel Council as a shadow walker. If I concentrated, I could slip into the shadow world at a certain point and slip out at another using only my mind.
Being a shadow walker also meant I could cross between our world and the one where spirits walked. It was the same world demons had to pass through to get in and out of Hell. Since my sister was the head angel in charge, fighting demons was her main concern. Having someone she could count on who could slip through the worlds was very important to her. I wasn’t that crazy about working with her. Dealing with the shadow world and possibly demons wasn’t exactly on my to-do list. But it meant my mom left me alone and wasn’t asking me to do much with the Coven these days.
And since I was in college, that was a good thing.
“Conserve?” Ashley gave me her you’ve-lost-your-mind look. “Aren’t you brimming with power right now?”
I shrugged. “It’s a big day tomorrow.” I was working with Chessandra, and that meant I’d need my strength. If I had any. I was feeling pretty light-headed at the moment.
Ashley frowned and then yawned. “Well, whatever. Can we go in now?”
“Sure.” I slipped out of her Honda and followed her into the entry of our Victorian four-plex. We both lived on the top floor. Me on the left and her on the right.
“Need a ride to school tomorrow?” she asked.
“No thanks. My bike is back from the shop.” I gestured to the gated driveway. “Brandon took me to get it earlier today.”
She rubbed her tired eyes and nodded. “Okay. See you tomorrow night then.” She disappeared into her apartment while I was still fishing my key out of my pocket. Only it wasn’t there. Shit! It was probably on Vaughn’s tiled entryway somewhere. Well, there was nothing else to do but break in.
I placed my hand flat over the deadbolt and called my power. It was there, brewing beneath the surface, but it flickered with instability. Damn. After my night, I shouldn’t even have had to think about the spell. What was wrong? I had been working very hard with Chessandra. Maybe I should’ve given Vaughn my number. I was going to need another fix in no time. At least I had an excuse to go back to his house thanks to that missing key.
After a few moments, my power warmed my hand and I visualized the lock turning. I heard the soft click and strode into my apartment, exhausted. If I fell asleep right then, I’d be lucky to get four hours before my alarm went off. Mornings weren’t my thing, so I took a quick shower and fifteen minutes later crawled into bed.
I’d missed class. Damned snooze button. It was early afternoon, and I stood on the bank of the river on the Coven Pointe side, waiting for Chessandra to show up. It was cold and the wind blew off the Mississippi as I gazed at the French Quarter, resenting my sister more than she would ever know. Where the heck was she?
The whole point of working for Chessa was so that I would have more time to devote to my studies. But so far I’d had less time, or at the very least, less energy. Chessa was obsessed with this new spell we’d been working on. If we didn’t get it today, I was going to have to take a break from her. I had too much work to do.
I was a double major in business and fine art. I planned to run a store devoted to my two loves: witchcraft and art. I’m not much of an artist myself, but I’m fascinated with all the creativity New Orleans breeds. I had visions of selling any creation that paid tribute to witchcraft and witches of all kinds.
My mom hated the idea. She’d prefer I not go to college at all and work in her spell shop. No thanks. I’m not too excited about whipping up love potions and luck charms and then having to replenish my magic with random one-night stands on a regular basis. Not that there was anything wrong with that, it just wasn’t my thing.
I pulled my jacket around me and swore. “Damn, Chessa. I can’t wait all day.” I had a test later for my accounting class. If I missed it, I’d end up on academic probation. And then Mom would most likely refuse to pay my tuition for next semester.
“Get over yourself. I’m right here.” Chessa materialized out of the gray mist and walked over to me, smiling as if I should find her amusing.
I scowled. “You’re late. Again.”
One of her perfectly groomed eyebrows rose as her chestnut hair blew in the breeze. “Cranky? I thought you were going out last night.”
My scowl deepened. “Ugh. You’re so rude.” Usually I was relaxed and easygoing after recharging my batteries, so to speak.
“Did it not go well?” There was real concern in her tone.
I waved a hand, dismissing her question. “It went fine. But I have a test later. Can we get to work?” I knew I sounded irritated, but I couldn’t help it. All I really wanted was to live the life of a regular college girl. But that would mean forsaking my coven and my family. I wasn’t prepared to do that.
“Mati?” Chessa asked. “You seem out of sorts. Want to talk about it?”
I blew out a breath, hating that I was taking out my frustration on her. She was the head of the freaking Angel Council, for Goddess’s sake. The fact that she was taking time out to work with me one-on-one instead of sending a minion was a true testament to how much she cared about me and what we were trying to do. I pushed my frustration aside and softened my voice. “Maybe later. Sorry. I don’t mean to be such a bitch.”
She nodded. “Obligations suck. I get it.”
A low chuckle bubbled up, catching me by surprise. Chessa would know. She was fifteen years older than me, making her only thirty-six. At the age of eighteen she’d been pressed into service as a low-level angel here in our world. Angels didn’t have a choice. They were born into witch families and were so rare that they worked for the Council or were shunned by the magical community. She’d handled that well enough, but then two years ago, she’d battled a demon and somehow in the fight ended up absorbing the demon’s powers. The experience had made her the most powerful angel in the angel realm. Now she was forced to be the high angel whether she wanted to or not. Yes, she knew all about obligations.
“I assume that means you’re ready to get started?” She grinned, knowing that was the last thing I wanted to do.
“Yes. The sooner we do our thing, the sooner I can stare at Professor Fallon’s bald spot.”
She reached out and took my hand. A second later, we were standing in the shadow world next to the entrance to Hell.
Now it was time to really see what kind of power I’d gained from Vaughn. I’d been feeling a little off all day, so I didn’t have high hopes. But there was no reason not to try. Except for that pesky problem of potentially attracting a demon. Chessa would kick its ass though. I swallowed my fear and concentrated on the spell Chessa had taught me.
Magic stirred from deep in my gut. It was strong and almost foreign, but powerful. More powerful than I’d thought it would be. Relief flooded through me. My night with Vaughn had replenished my magic even if it did feel a little weird. It didn’t matter. The power was there, and that was what I needed.
Chessa stood beside me, vibrating with her own intense power. If she weren’t an angel, she’d have had this spell completed weeks ago. Unfortunately, angels were too closely connected to demons to be able to modify any of their spells. Demons were, after all, fallen angels. Of course if she weren’t an angel, she never would’ve learned the spell in the first place. And it wasn’t one she could teach to just anyone. It could be used to open portals as well, if the witch was powerful enough. It was far too dangerous.
I raised my arms and focused on the shimmering outline of the portal. Spells were mostly about intention. But some required special sayings or chants. This was one of them. “Obfirmave.” The light flickered.
“More power,” Chessa demanded.
I closed my eyes and focused, imagining my magic se
aling the portal shut.
“It’s working,” Chessa said softly. Then she started to chant a string of words in Latin. I joined in, having no idea what she was saying. It seemed she’d developed an ear for it after her run-in with the demon.
The more the light faded, the faster her words came. I struggled to keep up and to control my magic at the same time. It kept slipping from my psychic hold. Before long, I was sweating with the effort. My hold on the magic slipped. The light brightened and the demon magic rushed back at me, fighting with the power I was forcing into the portal. Pain rippled through me from the tug-of-war in my gut that threatened to rip me apart. Desperately, I reeled my magic in, unwilling to let the spell destroy me.
Then something snapped.
“No!” I cried as an invisible force slammed into me. My concentration fled, and I fell to my knees, clutching my stomach.
“Mati!” Chessa cried and kneeled beside me. “What happened?”
“It ah…” I sucked in a breath and forced out, “I think it fought back.”
Her head snapped up as the portal flashed brilliant white and a shadow formed behind the barrier. “Son of a demon’s whore,” she cried as she jumped to her feet and glanced at me. “Stay back.”
I scrambled to my knees and crawled away from the portal. There was only one thing behind that door. A demon. And it was coming for me.
Chapter 6
Vaughn
After Matisse left, I lay in my bed, breathing in the faint scent of her perfume, unable to find sleep. I could still feel the imprint of her body next to mine, and the sensation left me restless. The loss was wholly unfamiliar and very unwelcome.
When the clock ticked over to six a.m., I finally gave up and rolled out of bed. Thirty minutes later, I was showered, dressed in fresh jeans and a Henley shirt, and on my way to the garage. No one else would be there, but that was part of the appeal. Tinkering with the bikes would push the sexy witch from my mind. Damn. I hoped so anyway, because otherwise I’d be compelled to put a trace on her, and if that wasn’t crossing the line into creepy stalker, I didn’t know what was.
Demons & Djinn: Nine Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy Novels Featuring Demons, Djinn, and other Bad Boys of the Underworld Page 54