The table had been set with white, round place mats and on top of them were white plates with a red napkin folded in between the dinner plate and the salad plate. In the center of each salad plate was a chocolate heart in a red wrapper. The glasses were clear and decorated with red hearts. Two vases of roses, several lit candles, and a bucket of iced champagne were on the table. His friend had definitely pulled out all of the stops to impress Sophie. The room and table looked like something you would have read about in a romance magazine.
The kitchen smelled delicious. Lasagna and garlic bread were cooling on top of the stove, and it looked as though Alec was in the middle of making a salad. The only question that remained was where had the host disappeared to? There were no notes and nothing seemed disturbed that Cole could tell. When he tried to call Alec on his cell phone, he quickly discovered that the man had left it in the kitchen, which seemed rather odd. Unsure of what to do, Alec decided to call Jasper. Maybe he would know where Alec was, and if something had come up unexpectedly.
The phone rang four times before Jasper picked up. “This better be good, Cole. You’re interrupting my alone time with Ruby, if you know what I mean.”
“I get the picture, Jasper, but this is important. We’re at Alec’s house for dinner, but he’s not here. Do you know if something came up? While nothing seems out of place in the house, it looks as though he left in a hurry. The food was cooling on the stove, and the salad he was preparing was left unfinished in the kitchen.”
“Not that I’m aware of. He was looking forward to your dinner tonight. In fact, when I saw him earlier, he looked downright giddy, but don’t tell him I said that. Have you tried calling his cell?” Jasper asked, concern in his voice.
“Yes, that’s the first thing I did, only to discover that his cell phone is here.”
“What? Alec never goes anywhere without his cell phone. Something’s not right. Give me about fifteen minutes to drop Ruby off and I’ll meet you at the house,” Jasper replied in a no nonsense voice that brokered no argument.
“Okay. We’ll see you when you get here,” Cole said. Knowing that if Jasper was willing to cancel his date, something had to be wrong. He just didn’t know what.
Less than fifteen minutes later, Jasper was pulling into Alec’s driveway. The raw power exuding off of the beta was intoxicating. Sophie could only imagine what Alec would be like when he was large and in charge, given that he was the Alpha of the pack.
Without a word, Jasper slowly, methodically started searching the house for what Sophie could only assume were anomalies. Once he’d completed his search, he came back downstairs and in a matter of fact tone explained that something bad had happened to Alec.
“How do you know something has happened to Alec, let alone that it’s bad?” Sophie inquired.
“Because in addition to your scents, I smell Serena’s and Dark Magic. Given that she and Alec had a run in earlier today and the vixen was determined to win him back, my gut is telling me that he’s in trouble,” Jasper replied in a deadpanned voice that left no hint of what he was feeling.
When everyone’s face paled a little and they all suddenly became quiet, Sophie asked, “Who is Serena?”
“She’s the witch Alec was dating before he discovered you were his mate. You may not remember much about the battle, but she’s also the one who received daddy’s Dark Magic. If Jasper is right and she’s used it on him, then he could be in big trouble,” Sarah said in a calming voice, as if she were afraid any more bad news would send her sister either running for the hills or cause her to have a nervous breakdown.
Straightening her spine, Sophie finally asked, “Is she a good witch or a bad one?”
“Well, if you consider someone who’s manipulative, vindictive, and spiteful good, then yes. If not, then I think you have your answer, little lady,” Jasper countered with all the venom and anger he could muster up.
“Good to know. So, what do we do?” Sophie asked.
“You go home and I let the rest of the magical community know what happened. We don’t want to tip off Serena and lose the element of surprise. I promise you, the witch is going to pay for whatever she’s done to Alec.”
Sophie walked right up to Jasper, who probably had a good foot or more on her and poked him in the chest. With all the bravado she could muster up, she said, “If Alec is truly my mate like you said, then the last thing I’m going to do is go home, buddy. So, quit acting as if I don’t have a stake in the matter for Goddess’s sake and tell me the plan.”
Chapter 5
It was decided that nothing more could be done at the moment, so everyone left for their respective homes with plans to meet early in the morning. Jasper would take his suspicions to the magical community and they would come up with a plan that didn’t tip Serena off. They had to be careful because the witch had enough Dark Magic coursing through her veins to take out the entire town and then some.
Worried about Alec, annoyed by the situation, and frustrated because once again, the mice occupying her closet seemed to be having a good time at the expense of her getting a good night’s sleep, Sophie was grouchy and madder than a hornets nest as she tossed and turned in her bed. The more the party ramped up, the more she tossed and turned until eventually, she wore herself out and at some point in the wee hours of the morning fell asleep.
* * *
The longer Alec remained at Chez Parée Deux, the more it became clear why it was the second most prestigious gentleman’s club in all the world. He could only imagine what Chez Parée was like. The booze was free-flowing, the women were friendly, and the men were more than happy to grant their every wish.
Jasper and every single man in Bass Ackwards, Tennessee would love a place like this, he thought, as he continued to survey the room.
Thinking of Jasper reminded him that he needed to get back to Sophie. There was no telling what Serena would do next, now that he wasn’t standing in her way. He needed to find Armand and see if the man would be willing to help him avoid being eaten alive by Maladour. Time was not on his side, and he needed to warn Sophie and the rest of the shifter community about Serena. She was out of control and needed to be stopped, immediately.
Unfortunately, before Alec could leave his perch at the bar and search for Armand, he was approached by the buxom blonde from the stage who had dazzled him senseless. If he remembered correctly, Armand referred to her as Lola. The more Alec looked at the vixen, the more he had to agree with his new friend. She definitely looked like the lean and hungry type. He couldn’t help but wonder if she only came out at night because her skin was like fine porcelain.
“Hello, lover. My name is Lola, and Lit-tle Lola wants you,” she said in a husky voice that would have given most men a hard on the size of Mount Everest, but instead left him somewhat uninspired.
Extending his hand in an effort to be polite, Alec said, “Hello, Lola. I’m Alec Stone.”
“It’s very nice to meet you, Alec Stone. Lola loves all of your rippling muscles. Buy a girl a drink.”
“Um. Oh-kay.”
Motioning the bartender over, Alec order Lola a martini, stirred not shaken, per the woman’s request. The way she continued staring at him, made him feel like prey. He should have listened to his gut and insisted that Armand find him a change of clothing. While Fabio’s Fab-a-tards were comfortable, they left little to the imagination. When it only took Lola a nanosecond to down the martini and ask for another, Alec knew he was in trouble.
“Alec. You naughty boy. Are you trying to get Lola tipsy? Careful big boy. Too much alcohol and Lola will turn into a wolf at midnight.”
“It must be a quarter to the witching hour now,” Alec mumbled under his breath. Clearing his throat, he finally said, “Just out of curiosity, do you always refer to yourself in the third person?”
“But of course. I love the way it rolls off my tongue,” she replied with a wink.
“Hmm. I see. Does that work for the men you date?”
�
�Yes, especially when Lola wants to play open sesame,” she countered with a purr that sounded more like a hyena than a Jaguar.
In an attempt to distract the less than shameless she-cat trying to make a move on him, Alec answered with a suggestion of his own. “Why don’t we mix it up and play Simon Says?”
Pondering Alec’s proposal for a moment, she finally asked, “Who is this Simon you speak of and would he like to play with Little Lola?”
Before Alec could respond, a heavy set gentleman with a long nose, big ears, and long whiskers slowly approached and said, “I’d love to play with Little Lola.”
“Ugh! Only in your wildest dreams, Igor,” Lola replied in disgust.
“You couldn’t handle my dreams, sweetheart,” Igor replied with a raised eyebrow while licking his lips as if he wanted to eat Lola alive, completely unfazed by her reaction to him.
“For Goddess’s sake, stop it Iggy,” Lola demanded.
“Stop what, Mi Reina?” Igor asked in a low, gruff voice.
“You know what I’m talking about, Iggy. Don’t make me say it. If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a million times, I’m not your queen, so quit implying that I am,” Lola snapped.
Feigning innocence, Igor shrugged his shoulders and locked eyes with his prey before whispering, “Say my name again, Mi Reina. I love the way it rolls off your tongue and lips. Every time I see you in all your beauty, I can’t help myself. I want to eat you alive.”
Alec thought he was going to vomit from the display these two were putting on. He had never seen anything like it in his entire life. Over the years, he’d witnessed plenty of wolves in heat because they were anxious to mate, but nothing like this. They were a sight for sore eyes and unfortunately, it would be a long time before he’d be able to scrub this scene from his memory.
When Igor signaled the band, jumped up on the stage, and started singing his own version of Hall and Oates, Maneater, it was all she wrote. Yet, he had to give it to the guy, he had balls of steel. Hours later, the song was still running through his mind like a train wreck. So much so, that he found himself humming the words, as he searched for Armand.
“Oh-oh, here I come.
Watch out Lola,
Iggy will chew you up.
Oh-oh, here I come,
I want to devour Little Lola.”
“I see you’ve met my friend Iggy,” Armand said, as he appeared from out of nowhere.
“Armand. You scared the living daylights out of me. Where have you been?”
“Just taking care of business. Thank goodness the night is over because I’m tired and could use a good night’s sleep. Do you have a place to stay, Alec Stone?”
“Um. No. That’s what I wanted to discuss?”
“No need for discussion. You stay with me and Iggy. We would never put our new friend out on the streets.”
“Thanks, Armand. I really appreciate all of your help, but I need to speak with Sophie. She’s in grave danger and doesn’t even realize it.”
Exhausted from the day’s events, the only thing Armand wanted to do was crash under is one-hundred percent Egyptian cotton sheets. He loved the way the thin fibers pleasured his butt naked skin at night. It was almost… almost… as pleasurable as a woman’s touch. Groaning at the thought of a woman pleasuring him caused Armand’s body to sizzle with heat. Realizing his mind had once again fallen down the rabbit hole, he started doing multiplication facts in his head before his cheeks became flushed and his new friend knew what he was thinking.
“I’m sorry, Alec. What did you say?”
“Are you okay, Armand? Your cheeks look a little flushed. Do you need a glass of water?”
Quickly replaying their conversation in his head, Armand said, “No, I’ll be fine. Tell me again about your Sophie and why you think she’s in grave danger.”
“Armand, as I told you before, I’m not really a raton. I’m a donjuán.”
“No, my friend. You’re a raton with very nice pantalones,” Armand said matter of fact.
Alec was already getting a headache and he wasn’t even at the tip of the iceberg when it came to his story. He needed to convince Armand that he was a wolf who had been cursed by an evil witch, or Sophie would be toast. So, he tried again.
Taking in a deep breath and sending up a prayer to the Goddess, he said, “Listen carefully, Armand. I’m not a raton. I’m a donjuán who has been cursed by a witch. Yes, I have nice pantalones and if you help me get to my Sophie, I’ll give you my pantalones, provided you have something else I can change into. I have no desire to walk around butt naked with the likes of Little Lola, if you know what I mean.”
“I do. She’s a Maneater. Yeah?”
“That would be an understatement. Besides, Iggy didn’t have a problem with her being a Maneater,” Alec replied.
“Iggy may be my best friend, but he’s also loco. Believe it or not, he’s an adrenaline junkie who loves to live dangerously. And trust me, playing footsie with Little Lola is living dangerously. Therefore, heed my warning, stay as far away from Little Lola as possible. She’ll only bring you down.”
“Not that I really care, but how would Little Lola bring me down?”
“Every man who has ever met Little Lola is mesmerized by her. It’s like a game to her. Once she has you under her spell and turns you into a whimpering, little bitch, she throws you back into the wild. Trust me. Armand has seen this too many times. It’s disgusting, which is why I keep my distance from Little Lola. She’s a Maneater.”
“Duly noted. Now, for the more important question, do you believe me? More importantly, will you help me?”
“Although I still think you’re a raton with nice pantalones, I’m going to help you because when we’re done, I’ll be the raton with nice pantalones. Just thinking about how the women are going to go wild when they see me in my new pantalones is incentive enough for me,” Armand said with a huge smile on his face. He looked as though he’d just won the lottery.
“That’s wonderful, Armand. Thank you so much. You have no idea what this means to me.”
“Yes, I do. It’s obvious this Sophie is very important to you.”
“How did you know?”
“She’d have to be in order for you to give up your nice pantalones,” he said, like it was the most obvious answer in the world.
“Excellent. How do we get back to the entrance where Maladour almost ate me alive?”
“Follow me. I will show you,” Armand said.
Alec had noticed throughout the night, the more Armand spoke, the thicker his accent became over time. He found himself listening closer and closer because there were times he only understood every other word Armand said. But instead of mentioning it to his new friend, he simply turned and followed him out of Chez Parée Deux and back down the long, dark corridor that would lead him to the love of his life. He just hoped he wasn’t too late.
Chapter 6
Sophie rolled over and realized that she had fallen asleep at some point. All was quiet in the house, which meant the party mongers had finally called it a night, thank the Goddess. There was only one problem. She couldn’t go back to sleep. The situation with Alec and Serena had been weighing heavily on her mind all night long.
She remembered the handsome man approaching her several weeks ago and mentioning something about her being his mate, but she ignored him and went on her merry way. He didn’t seem threatening, or set off any of her alarm bells, which was probably why she had discarded his comment with such ease. Now, she couldn’t help but wonder if he had been telling the truth. Could all of this have been prevented if she had just stopped and listened to what he had to say?
Staring at the dark ceiling and enjoying the quiet for the first time in a long time, Sophie’s senses went on high alert when she heard someone whisper her name. She waited with baited breath, hoping that this was all a bad dream except she was wide awake.
“Psst! Sophie. Down here. It’s Alec.”
“Who said that and
where are you?” she whispered into the dark.
“It’s Alec Stone and I’m near the closet.”
The closet! Why in the Hades is everyone so fascinated with my closet? You’d think it contained a genie in a bottle or something, the way everyone keeps flocking to it. Maybe it’s a magical portal to another time, she thought.
Peering through the dark, Sophie didn’t see anyone near her closet. Confused, she quickly came to the conclusion that she was hallucinating from the lack of sleep. So, instead of getting up and checking out the situation further, she rolled over and tried to go back to sleep. The morning would be here soon enough.
Armand patted Alec on the shoulder and in a somber voice said, “I don’t think she believes you my friend.”
“She has to Armand. Her life depends on it. Help me figure out a way to get her attention, or we’re all doomed,” Alec pleaded, desperation rolling off his skin like a tidal wave.
“Okay, my friend, but remember you asked for it,” Armand replied, shaking his head and sighing in exasperation.
Alec watched in horror as Igor appeared from out of nowhere, tiptoed toward the sleeping mountain lion, and plucked one of his whiskers. In a matter of seconds, the beast was awake and the chase was on. Maladour went one direction and Igor zipped the other, barely escaping his grasp. He had to hand it to the chubby man, he was quicker than Alec would have ever imagined, given his size. When the beast seemed to tire, Igor seized the opportunity to poke the bear again, which only made Maladour angrier. For every step the beast took to catch his prey, Igor was always two steps ahead. It was more mesmerizing than the show Little Lola had put on earlier in the evening. Granted, the woman could work a pole, but she had nothing on the Iggy and Mal show.
The amount of commotion the two created was loud enough to wake up the neighborhood. Therefore, he wasn’t surprised when the lights in the room suddenly came on. In an effort not to become part of the collateral damage left by Iggy and Maladour, he headed straight for Sophie’s bed. Armand quickly followed until they were securely hidden. Both turned and watched in fascination as Igor continued to duck and dodge Maladour’s advances.
Magic and Mayhem: Witch With An Axe To Grind (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Magick & Chaos Book 4) Page 4