Bewitching the Beast

by Tamara Hughes

  He swept his hand out in front of him. “After you.”

  Such a gentleman. Great. If they kept this up she’d either convince him to get help or marry him.

  ~ ~ ~

  The dark interior of the Paper Dragon soothed Ethan’s nerves. Man, he was tired, and hungry. They followed a waitress to a booth in the back. Paper lanterns hung from the ceiling, and red candleholders glowed at each table. He scanned the cramped restaurant for danger of any kind—desperate people, off-balance ceiling fans, flaming dishes. With bad luck, he could only guess what to expect. Reasonably satisfied, he sank onto the shiny, red seat cushion. Unfortunately, he couldn’t do much about any sudden illnesses due to her lack of energy, except to stay close to her side. His energy could help protect her.

  “Can I get you something to drink?” the dark-haired waitress asked in a dull tone. She looked about as tired as he felt, although he hoped he didn’t have that gray cast to his skin.

  Ethan nodded to Tess. “Go ahead. You first.”

  “Green tea, please.”

  “I’ll have a black coffee.”

  The waitress passed them menus and left.

  Sitting up straight, Ethan stretched his back muscles. A few hours of sleep would work wonders about now. Too bad. Sleep wasn’t on the agenda. He’d just have to suck it up since there was no way he would let his guard down. Anything could happen.

  He studied Tess as she read the menu—blonde hair, smooth skin, perfectly arched eyebrows. His gaze took it all in.

  She looked up, her dove-gray eyes soft in the candlelight. “What are you hungry for?”

  His stomach was past growling, it ached. “Anything. Everything.” He scanned down the menu, practically drooling on its plastic cover.

  Their waitress returned with drinks and asked for their orders.

  “I’ll have the lunch special number three.” Tess handed over her menu.

  “How many peppers? The spiciness runs from one to five.”

  “None if possible.”

  Ethan smiled. “Don’t like spice or can’t handle spice?”

  “Hot peppers give me the hiccups.”

  Ethan ordered a hearty dish and added a plate of fried rice for good measure. As soon as the waitress left, he focused on Tess. If only he could make her believe her aura had been drained, that she was vulnerable to the worst life could dish out, maybe she’d be more careful. But how to start.

  “Do you have family in New York?” Tess asked, spreading a napkin on her lap.

  “No.” Maybe if they talked more about her near miss this morning—her slip on the ice.

  “Moved away from home, huh? Me too.” She fiddled with the napkin a while longer. “My mom would drive me crazy if we lived in the same city. As it is she calls me all the time. Always worrying, always wanting to visit.” Straightening the silverware, she glanced up. “So where do they live?”

  “Who?”

  “Your family. You know, your mom and dad.”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know where they live. I grew up in an orphanage in the Bronx. Tess, this morning—”

  “Do you have brothers or sisters?”

  “Not that I know of.”

  “Oh, sorry.”

  He waved it away. “Tess, we should talk—”

  “What about friends? Do you have any good friends in the city?”

  His jaw clenched. “Where are you going with this?”

  “I just thought . . .” Tess lifted a cup of tea to her lips and took a sip, her fingers trembling. “Well, you obviously need someone to talk to.” She leaned her elbows on the table but missed the edge. A stream of tea slopped into her lap.

  She jumped up. “Crap, that’s hot.” Setting the cup down, Tess sat back into her seat and tossed the wet paper napkin from her lap to her plate.

  Ethan handed her his. “Are you okay?”

  She pressed his napkin into the spill on her skirt and sighed. “I’m fine. Just having one of those days.”

  “No, you’re not.” He leaned forward. “It’s worse than that. I wish I could make you believe me.”

  “This”—she waved her hand over her lap—“is me. All the time. I’ve never been lucky.”

  Ethan cursed under his breath. How could he get her to understand? “You’re right in that sometimes we have minor accidents because our aura isn’t in balance. Negative energy can seep in when we’re stressed or depressed. Any amount of negative energy can affect your life in small ways. But what you’re experiencing today is different. It’s bigger. Think about all the accidents you’ve had today.” He watched her reactions closely. Other than a calculating stare, she gave no sign that any of this was sinking in. Dammit.

  “Then I must have been pretty high on negative energy to begin with.” She averted her eyes. “My fiancé died. That’s incredibly bad luck.”

  “His death had nothing to do with you, Tess. Your aura can’t have a catastrophic effect on someone else.”

  She didn’t look convinced.

  “I do know your positive energy was high before last night. The reason why . . .” Ethan stopped himself. Now wasn’t the time to bring up The Beast or she would really think he was crazy. “The reason why I was attracted to you last night was because of how much energy you had built up around you.”

  “Wow. Thanks.”

  He ignored the comment. At least he had her attention. “Now that you’re without it, your life is at risk. Hell, even the small stuff will happen more frequently.”

  Tess drummed her fingers on the edge of the table. “Okay, I’ll bite. Then why did you do it? Why did you take my aura and put me in such danger?”

  His hands tightened to fists beneath the table. “I couldn’t stop myself.”

  “You had no control?”

  He met her stony gaze. “None.”

  She sat back in her chair and crossed her arms. “How many women have you given this spiel to?”

  “Only one. You.”

  “Oh.” Her cheeks turned pink, and her hands dropped to her lap. “But you said you’d done this before.” Tess’s mouth dropped open. “Ohhhh.”

  “It’s not what you think.”

  Lifting a hand, she shook her head. “You don’t need to explain.”

  “Tess, I don’t have sex with men,” he hissed, then glanced around the room.

  “Then what do you do with men?”

  “It’s a touch at the base of the neck.”

  “That hardly seems fair.”

  “It isn’t. While you felt pleasure, men experience incredible pain.” Catching a movement behind her, Ethan lifted a finger to his lips to silence Tess.

  The waitress approached and laid out the food. Tess watched her leave, before turning back to him. “This is creepy, Ethan.”

  He dug into his beef and broccoli dish, so hungry he barely tasted it. “I wish I could stop. I really do.”

  Tess stabbed a large bite of her shrimp and shoved it into her mouth. After two chews, she spit it into a napkin and waved her hand in front of her face, sucking in air. “Hot. Hot.” Eyes watering, she hiccupped and grabbed her tea, draining the cup then sticking out her tongue. “Didn’t help. Need something else.” Hiccupping in earnest now, she reached for his coffee and slurped it down.

  Ethan stood. “Milk. Can we get some milk here?”

  The waitress hurried over, a glass of the white stuff in her hand.

  Tess shot him a look of disgust. “I hate milk.”

  “Trust me. It’ll help.”

  Grimacing, she accepted the glass and gulped down its contents. About halfway through, her shoulders relaxed, and her hiccups subsided.

  “Better?” he asked, taking his seat.

  She nodded and set the glass
aside. The waitress left them, muttering about talking to someone in the kitchen and bringing back a fresh non-spicy dish.

  Tess wiped her eyes with a tissue. “Don’t worry about it. I don’t want anything else,” she called after the girl.

  “You can have some of my food.”

  “Thanks, but I’ll stick with the tea.” She poured herself another cup from the black metal teapot, and her eyes followed the waitress as she served drinks to another table.

  Setting down the pot, Tess pointed in the waitress’s direction. “Look at the glass on that server’s tray. What do you think the Buddhists would think if they saw it? A Buddha with a hole in his stomach for a straw.”

  Ethan glanced at the Buddha glass used for the Happy Buddha drink listed on the menu.

  “I mean, if it were a Jesus cup with a hole in his side, the Catholics would be marching outside the door.”

  His shoulders shook, and he almost choked on his beef.

  Tess grinned. “He has a sense of humor. Who would have thought?”

  “What religion are you?”

  “Catholic.” She shrugged. “I know. I’ll say a few Hail Marys when I get home.” Her eyes twinkled with mischief. He couldn’t tear his gaze away.

  The waitress circled to their table and poured Ethan another cup of coffee. “Anything else?”

  Tess shook her head. “No, thanks.”

  “Here’s your check. You can pay at the register in front.”

  The waitress left them, and Tess sat back, smoothing her hands over her skirt. “Look, you seem like a nice guy.” She cleared her throat and reached for her purse. “I think I can get you some help.”

  “Help?” Ethan speared a piece of broccoli.

  She rummaged through her purse and pulled out a business card. “I saw this doctor for a while several months ago. You should make an appointment.”

  He took the card. A psychologist. “Not interested. What’s wrong with me isn’t in my mind.”

  “Then maybe a hypnotherapist. These fears could be a reaction to a childhood event. I don’t have his number, but Holly saw one for her shopping addiction.”

  Ethan handed the card back, wearier than ever. “Did it work?”

  Tess gave a sheepish smile and snagged one of the fortune cookies the waitress had left. “She’s a tough nut to crack.”

  After a last bite of his meal, Ethan reached for the bill, grabbing it the same time as Tess. Their fingers touched. Her eyes widened before she withdrew her hand. “I’ve got it,” he assured her, the feel of her soft skin still foremost in his mind.

  Leaving a tip on the table, he stood, snatching up a cookie and the check. “I don’t need a doctor, a hypnotist, or a fortuneteller.”

  She rose from her seat and followed him to the front. “You’re sick, Ethan. You need to see someone.”

  “What I need is for you to stop fighting me. Let me protect you. What could it hurt?”

  Tess stopped walking. “I won’t be a part of this delusion of yours. Leave me alone.”

  “I can’t.”

  “Why not? I can assure you, I’m not that special someone you think I am.”

  “I disagree.” He had to listen to his instincts. Tess was his only hope.

  “Enough.” Tess raised her hands to her hips, ready for a fight. “I understand you think I’m in danger. And I absolve you of all guilt. It’s my own bleeping fault if I die.”

  “Tess—”

  “No.” She took out her wallet and thrust a ten-dollar bill against his chest. “This is for my lunch. Now, don’t follow me. I don’t want to bring the police into this, but I will if I have to.” At that moment, a lantern fell from the ceiling, hitting Tess on the shoulder, the bulb inside breaking. “Ouch.” She rubbed her shoulder, assessed the mess on the floor, then looked him straight in the eye. “Don’t say anything,” she said as she headed for the door.

  Dammit. This was exactly why he didn’t try to help his victims anymore.

  Chapter 5

  Tess locked the gallery door and joined the steady stream of New Yorkers flowing down the sidewalk. Streetlamps, storefronts, and the skyscrapers above flooded the street with so much light the air itself seemed to glow.

  The afternoon had dragged. Ethan had stayed away, and her good old Catholic guilt reared its head again. Maybe she should’ve tried harder to help him, found a way to convince him to see someone. Of course what was she supposed to do? Let him chase her around forever, protecting her from some nonexistent force?

  She followed the crowd under a sidewalk shed, its wooden roof and steel-rod sides surrounding her like the skeleton of some prehistoric creature. Her mind wandered. The image of Ethan’s dark hair and blue, penetrating eyes popped into her head. Beneath his black leather coat beat the heart of a gentleman. All morning, he’d seen to her protection and comfort, opening doors, offering to pay for lunch. Didn’t find many men like that anymore. The nineteenth-century woman inside her sighed. Tess slapped her face. What the hell was she thinking? Knock it off. This guy needed professional help. He believed he controlled whether people had accidents, for God’s sake.

  Shivering, she snuggled into her coat. When would this cold snap end?

  Up ahead, a woman screamed. Tess craned her neck to see what had happened as the herd of people in front of her started to bunch up like penned sheep. A loud crack reverberated through the air, and the supporting poles at the far end of the shed buckled, causing a chain reaction. Tess’s heart pounded out a warning as screams and shouts echoed inside the tunnel.

  A mob of people raced toward her, their faces stamped with fear, all other paths out blocked by parked cars and moving traffic. An arm looped around her waist, pulling her away from the screaming crowd bearing down on her. Ethan was at her side, urging her forward. Clouds of dust blew past them as the shed continued to collapse, chasing them like a runaway train.

  Tess choked on the gritty air. Her eyes stung. Ethan’s arm never left her, even as he coughed and ran for his life. He glanced over his shoulder, and his grip tightened. Yanking her close to his body, he dove out an opening in the side of the shed. They landed on the hood of a parked car as the shed’s roof came crashing down. Pain throbbed in her side as they rolled off the car into the street. Ethan cradled her head in his hand, preventing her skull from hitting the pavement.

  Crouched above her, he reached out his arm. Tess peered up in time to see an approaching truck. She clasped onto Ethan, then gasped as his eyes changed color, from blue to an eerie green. He flexed his raised hand, and the muscles beneath her fingertips pulsed. She cringed, waiting for the impact, when an explosion boomed just ahead. One of the truck’s front tires flattened to the ground, throwing the vehicle into the next lane where it crashed into a taxi.

  She gaped at the accident beside them. “What just happened?”

  Ethan helped her up and guided her over to a parked SUV. “We got lucky.”

  Tess gawked at the chaos around her—sirens and lights, bent metal and injured people. “Yeah, lucky.”

  “Are you all right?” Ethan’s gaze swept over her, his eyes blue once more.

  She nodded, even though she couldn’t stop shaking. “You?”

  “I’m good.”

  Her legs trembled beneath her, and tears welled in her eyes. Lifting a hand to her face, she steadied herself, but the image of the truck barreling down on them . . .

  Ethan’s strong arms enveloped her, pressing her against his chest. “You’re safe now.”

  The smell of worn leather soothed her, and she relaxed into him, accepting the solace he offered. “You followed me,” she whispered.

  “I did.”

  “You saved my life.”

  “That too.”

  She blew out a long breath. “Thank you.” The
very thought of aura-sucking men scared the hell out of her. But this time, she believed.

  ~ ~ ~

  The whine of a guitar riff grew louder the closer they got to Tess’s door. Ethan ignored the noise and glanced at Tess. She looked like she was in a daze, still stunned by their near miss.

  He hung close. “I wish you’d come to my apartment with me.”

  “If all you have to offer there are magic tricks from an Idiot’s Guide, I’ll be just as safe here. You can go.” Stopping short of her door, she slid her purse from her shoulder and opened the clasp, the heavy metal music muffling her words. “I’m home now, and I’m off work the next two days.” Tess raised her hand. “I promise I’ll be a good girl. I won’t go out, and I’ll be careful.”

  Unbelievable. Even now she didn’t get it. He took a deep breath. Stay calm. “Listen to me. You don’t understand. The energy I have inside me is what saved us. I need to stay close to you until your own is replenished.”

  Her brow furrowed. “You saw what happened tonight. You could have been killed protecting me.”

  “No.” He shook his head. The Beast would never allow that to happen. “I can’t die.”

  The hint of a smile touched her lips. “Invincible, huh?”

  “Something like that.”

  Tess pulled her keys from her purse. “Okay. Then by all means, come in and stay a while. But can we take a break from this?”

  “This?”

  “This whole spiritual energy thing.” She rubbed her forehead. “I can’t think right now.”

  “All right.”

  Lifting the key to the lock, she paused. “Right. I forgot.” She grabbed the knob and turned, giving the door a shove. “I left a message for my super. We’ll see how soon he gets back to me.”

  Ethan glanced toward her neighbor’s apartment and followed Tess inside. He could almost feel the heavy beat rumbling through the wall. “Does your neighbor blast music a lot?”