Text copyright ©2017 by the Author.
This work was made possible by a special license through the Kindle Worlds publishing program and has not necessarily been reviewed by Robyn Peterman. All characters, scenes, events, plots and related elements appearing in the original Magic and Mayhem remain the exclusive copyrighted and/or trademarked property of Robyn Peterman, or their affiliates or licensors.
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Table of Contents
Witchin’ Up A Spell
About The Book
Acknowledgements
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Epilogue
Note From the Author
Amazing Magic & Mayhem Authors
Book List
About Isabel Micheals
Witchin’ Up A Spell
By
Isabel Micheals
About The Book
One witch scorned. One Shifter stuck in limbo. Demons who rise from Hell, and a Gypsy witch who sees all. What could go wrong? Everything.
Betrayed by his fiancée and best friend, Jasper was done with the idea of love and Happily Ever After. He'd decided it was easier to Love the One He Was With. Did it make him a womanizer? Maybe, but they knew the rules. No relationships. No last names. No sleepovers. No repeat visits. It was called a one night stand for a reason. Besides, he'd failed enough at relationships to last him a lifetime and had no desire to travel down that road again. Ever. That is… until he met Claire.
Claire had one objective when she walked into Sophie's farmhouse… help her new friends reverse an evil witch's spell and return home to her quiet life. What she hadn't planned on was an overzealous Shifter with midnight black hair and ice blue eyes, who touched something deep in her soul. Unable to see her own future, she had given up on Happily Ever After years ago. While Fate had allowed her to assist others in finding their true destiny, she had been denied the same opportunity. Did it make her bitter? Maybe.
So when a scorned witch joins forces with the King of Hell to exact her revenge, hold on to your seat because it’ll take the entire magical community of Bass Ackwards, Tennessee to send him back to Hell.
Note from the Author:
Please be advised that there are scenes in Witch With An Axe To Grind and Witchin' Up A Spell that overlap because the storylines were happening simultaneously.
Witchin’ Up A Spell is based on some of the wonderful characters found in Robyn Peterman’s Magic & Mayhem series.
Acknowledgements
Deb S., you’re my Wonder Woman. Thank you for listening, plotting, and laughing with me. But most of all, thank you for believing in me. I wouldn’t be able to do this without your help.
I’d also like to thank Blackraven’s Designs for their thorough editing. As always, it’s greatly appreciated.
Cover by Blackraven’s Designs
Edited by Blackraven’s Designs
Dedication
This book is dedicated to my nephew, Derrick, who is a true inspiration to me. He listens to my crazy ideas, critiques my covers, and rolls his eyes like the typical teenager, he is, when I try to tell him a funny joke, or read him a funny passage from one of my books. My life wouldn’t be the same without him.
Love you buddy!
Chapter 1
It had been a long, agonizing day and Jasper was ready for a drink by the time he reached Don Juan's. If another person wished him a Happy Valentine's Day, he might just strangle them. He hadn't always loathed the Day of Love, but when you walk in on your fiancée screwing your best friend, it sort of takes the wind out of your sails and leaves you angry enough to contemplate murder. It would have served them right if he had gone with his more animalistic instincts, but even he knew no one looked good in prison orange. Come to think of it, his wolf had howled more at being lied to and humiliated than the fact that Brittney had moved on with Salvatore. Not only was it the final clue that knocked some sense into him, but it also made him realize they weren't destined to be mates. He just wished the blow to his manhood hadn't felt like Thor's sledge hammer reigning down on all the evil and injustice in the world, especially given the Grim Reaper had already ripped to shreds what little heart he had left.
Now, the damn woman had returned to Bass Ackwards, Tennessee professing her love for him. She didn't know the true meaning of love. When you love someone, you don't sleep with their best friend. You don't humiliate them in front of their Alpha, their Pack and the entire magical community. When you love someone, you're loyal to only them. You protect them, instead of making a mockery of the damn relationship.
The more he thought about their deceit, the angrier he became. Goddess, he needed to let this shit go. If for no other reason than to maintain what little sanity he had left. There was only one problem, the evil ex kept popping up everywhere like a Jack-in-the-Box. Over the last couple of weeks, he had compared her to the damn energizer bunny who wouldn't slink away and lick her wounds like a good little witch in heat.
Shaking off his morbid thoughts, Jasper opened the door to Don Juan's and entered the dim lit room that looked more like a barn than a bar. The sawdust on the wood floors, the open beamed ceiling, and the smell of fresh brew always made him relax. Unfortunately, his relaxed state floated away when he noticed the animal heads mounted on the walls. What in the hell was Shorty thinking? The new décor was suddenly giving him the creeps. The only item that still gave the joint a little class was the mahogany bar Don Juan had insisted on having custom made by a company in Hickory, North Carolina.
The old jukebox in the corner was blaring Billy Ray Cyrus's “Achy Breaky Heart”, which immediately took him back to 1992, Mandy Morgan, and his dad's 1965 Ford Mustang. Goddess, he loved that car. Hell, once upon a time he thought he'd loved Mandy, but quickly realized it was lust when she started talking about marriage, babies and Happily Ever After. He never understood why Shorty hadn't changed the name of the bar when they'd ran Don Juan out of town for being a lying, cheating bastard who took advantage of other men's women with his cheesy Spanish accent—amongst other things. Moreover, he would never understand what women saw in the sorry excuse for a man.
The bar was full of lively patrons tonight in the mood for a good time. He decided to attribute the extra entertainment to it being a Saturday night, instead of it being Valentine's Day. Quickly taking in his surroundings, he located Dillen at the bar. Walking over, he shook his friend's hand, sat in the seat offered, and ordered a Bud Light. Dillen would give him hell about his choice in drinks, but what could he say. He liked the taste and regardless of what anyone said, it had nothing to do with his waistline. At six foot-three, two-hundred and twenty pounds, he was all man and muscle, which meant there wasn't a thing he needed to prove to anyone.
"Is the beer cold enough for you, Princess?" Dillen asked in a voice two octaves higher than his normal deep baritone grumble.
"Damn straight, Buttercup. How's your fruity martini?" Jasper replied with a smirk.
"You know damn well this is Ariel's drink. I'm a man's man and Jack has always been my friend," Dillen said, as he glared at Jasper with disgust.
"Who you trying t
o convince, Buttercup? Me, or yourself?" Jasper asked skeptically. "Look, there's no reason to be ashamed of your fruity martini. We're all friends here."
"Keep it up, Princess. You may be the Beta of your Pack, but I'm King of my Pride. Care to take your smartass comments outside?" Dillen asked with a mischievous grin.
When both men finally burst into laughter, Shorty let out the breath he had been holding, relaxed and continued serving his patrons. He couldn't afford another fight in Don Juan's. Not only because with shifters, there was always a lot of damage, but also because Sheriff Buford had threatened to close him down if he received one more complaint involving any of his clientele creating a ruckus.
"What are you two knuckle heads up to?" Ariel asked, as she retrieved her apple martini from the bar.
"Just discussing your brother's fear of embracing his desire for fruity martinis," Jasper choked out, as Dillen elbowed him in the gut.
“Will you two ever grow up?” Ariel asked, as she rolled her eyes and took a sip of her drink.
“We’re grown up where it counts,” Jasper replied, as he wiggled his eyebrows.
“Ugh! I don’t need to hear about your manwhoring sexcapades. Thank you very much. Besides, there’s not enough therapy in the world to wash my brain of your dirty, sinful deeds,” Ariel said in disgust.
“How do you know they're dirty, let alone sinful?” Jasper retorted.
"Speaking of sinful, there's a hot, little brunette on the dance floor who's been eyeing you ever since you walked through the door," Dillen said, interrupting their banter.
"Where?" Jasper inquired. His curiosity piqued.
"Look to your right," Dillen instructed. "She's wearing a sexy, red halter dress with legs that go on for days."
"That's it! I'm out of here," Ariel said. "I don't need to be a witness to your womanizing."
"Suit yourself," Jasper replied, as he quickly returned his attention to the brunette on the dance floor who was now motioning for him to join her.
"Careful man, she might bite," Dillen warned with a smirk.
"Let's hope so," Jasper whispered before downing his beer and heading toward the dance floor. He was definitely up for a little slap and tickle with a willing partner and by the looks of the brunette, so was she. One night stands, he could do, as long as they were clear about the rules up front. No relationships. No last names. No sleepovers. No repeat visits. It was called a one night stand for a reason. Besides, he'd failed enough at relationships to last him a lifetime and had no desire to travel down that road again. Ever.
* * *
Brittney knew she was playing a dangerous game and if Jasper figured out who she really was, all hell would break loose tonight. Yet, it was a risk she was willing to take to get her man back because whether he liked it or not, he was her man. They belonged together. So what if she'd made a little snafu and slept with his best friend. That's where the forgiveness and the forgetfulness came into the relationship. They weren't the first couple to experience growing pains, and she was positive they wouldn't be the last. But they would deal just like any other happily mated couple. She'd apologize and admit her wrong doing. Promise never to do it again. They'd have hot, steamy, make-up sex and everything would go back to normal. It was as simple as that, or at least that's what she kept telling herself.
Besides, the Broke Back Doctor couldn't be wrong. She'd paid $19.99 for his sage advice more out of desperation than anything else, but that was her little secret. Granted, he never mentioned anything about tricking your ex into sleeping with you, but what did he really know. If his plan had been full-proof, he would have been knocking boots with his ex-fiancée, instead of coming up with videos on how to get her back. Putting her wayward thoughts aside, she returned her focus to Jasper and how good he looked tonight in those jeans that were molded to his thighs. The dark blue Henley accentuated his light blue eyes that turned a dark gray when he was all hot and bothered. She'd anticipated that look from him for weeks, as she put her plan into action.
"Okay girlfriend, pull it together. He's taking the bait," she mumbled under her breath, while adjusting her cleavage and continuing to sway her hips in a come hither motion that had all eyes on her. She had to admit that it was a heady feeling being the center of attention and she loved every minute of it.
“That's what got you into this mess,” the Angel on her left shoulder huffed in a disapproving voice. She was dressed in white lace which accented her blonde locks and made her truly look heavenly when you added the halo hovering above her head.
“Quiet you. We've got this under control. Look at him. It's like taking candy from a baby. He can't take his eyes off of us,” the Devil on her right shoulder replied with a knowing smirk, who was dressed exactly the opposite. Her body was covered from head to toe in a tight, red leather bustier showing enough cleavage that it was a little indecent even for Brittney. The matching pants accentuated every curve on her voluptuous body and left nothing to the imagination. Her feet adorned kick ass black stiletto boots that would have made Sidney Bristol proud in the show Alias. However, it was the horns sticking out of her blonde hair that were truly magnificent and completed the outfit. She'd have to consider the look for Halloween. Jasper would definitely enjoy it, especially when it came time to peel each piece off with his teeth. Just thinking about it gave her goosebumps in all the right places.
"Enough you two. You're driving me crazy with your bickering. I've got this under control so why don't you two beat it," Brittney murmured through gritted teeth. The last words floating through her mind before her prey voluntarily entered her web of deceit were come into my parlor, said the spider to the fly.
When Jasper reached her on the dance floor, Brittney smiled and said, “Hey there handsome.”
“Hey there yourself, beautiful,” Jasper quickly replied with a shit eating grin that implied he’d just hit the Jackpot.
Brittney smiled and wiggled her nose, which caused the couple behind her to accidentally bump into them; thereby, pushing her directly into Jasper’s arms. Time was of the essence and she was determined to reclaim what was rightfully hers—or should she say who rightfully belonged to her. When Jasper simply smiled and pulled her closer as the jukebox started playing Reba McEntire and Linda Davis’s 1993 hit, “Does He Love You”, Brittney knew her plan was working.
* * *
Jasper pulled the brunette closer and started swaying on the dance floor. She was sexy as sin and felt amazing against his body, but he quickly reminded himself that he wasn't looking for love, regardless of what the song on the jukebox implied. Yet, when she snuggled closer, he couldn’t help losing himself in the moment. Lost in thought, he hadn't initially heard her question. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”
“I asked, what’s your name?” Brittney replied in a louder voice.
“Jasper. What’s yours?”
“Jasmine,” she lied, hoping he wouldn’t see through her disguise. She wasn’t sure how long the spell would last. Hopefully, long enough for him to take her to bed because Goddess only knew she needed to get laid. It had been too long and everyone knew all work and no play made Brittney a grumpy witch, especially when she was temporarily living with her psychotic cousin who was hell-bent on winning the love of a man who had kicked her butt to the curb on more than one occasion. She didn’t want to burst Serena’s bubble, but it was obvious Alec had moved on, unlike the man holding her in his muscular arms. The mere fact that he was still single after six months told her he still had feelings for her, which also gave her hope. Something her cousin was definitely in short supply of when it came to Alec.
The more they swayed, the more Jasper lost himself in the song and thought about how it mirrored the situation between him, Brittney, and Salvatore. He couldn’t help wondering if Brittney loved him like she loved Salvatore? Or, whether or not she loved either of them at all? Was it the chase that made her cheat? The thrill of sneaking around behind his back? What kind of woman said she loved you and then slept w
ith your best friend on Valentine’s Day of all days? What kind of best friend slept with your fiancée? The unknown answers to all of his questions drove him mad from time to time. It also pissed him off that he simply couldn’t let it go.
It’d been six months and he had yet to truly move on. He had casual flings and one night stands that meant nothing, but in all honesty, he was lonely. Although he’d never come right out and admit it to any of his friends, there was a deeper part of him that missed being in a relationship. Nope. He’d continue being the player without a care in the world because it was easier than delving into the feelings that kept him awake night after night. It was also cheaper than therapy.
When the song ended, Jasper leaned in close and whispered in Jasmine’s ear. “Can I buy you a drink, pretty lady?”
“I’d love one,” she replied, taking his outstretched hand and letting him escort her off the dance floor.
Once they reached the bar, Jasper ordered a Bud Light for himself and a strawberry margarita for Jasmine. Dillen was nowhere in sight, so they managed to snag a table in the corner for a little more privacy. The more Jasper learned about Jasmine, the more she piqued his interest. Yet, he couldn't let go of the niggling feeling in the back of his head that told him she was trouble. Or, that she seemed familiar to him. Had he slept with her before? He didn't think so, but it still bothered him how familiar she seemed not only to him, but also to his wolf.
"Jasper, did you hear what I said?" Jasmine asked, irritation evident in her voice.
"I'm sorry, Jasmine. I don't seem to be very good company tonight. Are you sure we've never met?" He inquired one more time out of curiosity.
"No, we've never met. Besides, you're pretty unforgettable," she quickly replied with a wink. Brittney knew if she didn't figure out a way to quickly change the subject, the jig would be up sooner rather than later. So, when Brooks and Dunn's "Boot Scootin' Boogie" started playing on the jukebox, she quickly dragged him to the dance floor.
Magic and Mayhem: Witchin' Up A Spell (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Magick & Chaos Book 5) Page 1