Holiday Magic

by Tl Reeve

  “Right, I guess not.” Aubrey sighed and reached for a pen beside her laptop and a pad of paper from a stack on the table. She quickly jotted down what she’d need from the grocery store. She cooked so often that her favorite recipes were in her head. Plus, she needed comfort foods after the past week, so she went with what she knew well. Walking through the steps to prep the meals would relax her.

  As they headed out the door with her list in hand, Aubrey thought of what he’d said—I’m not really here for fun. That had been clear enough. He’d made pleasant conversation with her about Alexis and Emile, but that’s all it was. Conversation. He wasn’t here to entertain her. This was his job. Work. Nothing else.

  7

  The day had been perfectly routine and Nate had enjoyed the slow pace. It had been a nice contrast to the last several months of nonstop work. He didn’t need to work so many long back-to-back days, but he was determined to show Dalton he’d made the right decision bringing Nate onto the team.

  Dalton knew Nate was a good detective, and wouldn’t have recruited him if he’d thought otherwise. But Nate had yet to land a big case like the others, and he wanted that to change. Protecting Aubrey wasn’t exactly a promotion in duties, even if it was a little fun.

  Earlier in the day, he’d pushed the cart at the grocery store while Aubrey darted around grabbing what she needed. As she selected various ingredients from stock bins and shelves, she talked about what she was going to make for them and insisted that she cook for them both while he was staying with her. He decided not to argue. A home cooked meal wasn’t something he had often.

  After the store, he helped her put away groceries, and then settled in while she wandered around the apartment, pulling randomly from various boxes, never working through one to completion. She seemed distracted. He tried not to watch her, but his eyes kept landing on her whenever she was in the room. There was something about her. Maybe it was the buzzing of his skin when she was near, or maybe it was just that he hadn’t been laid in too long and she was shapely in ways his body responded to and appreciated. It didn’t matter.

  Currently, she sat in the middle of the guestroom, her back to the door, her gorgeous legs out at a V in front of her, a small box open between them, books stacked on either side. Nate had walked past the door twice to check on her. This time he paused and leaned against the doorjamb. She had 3-D glasses on her face and was holding a comic book up sideways in front of her.

  “Serious work, huh?” he teased.

  “I forgot I had these,” she replied without turning. The comic was added to a stack on her right, and the glasses folded and placed on top. “Sufficiently bored?”

  “It’s nice to have quiet days every now and again,” he replied as she dug out more books and sorted them between the stacks.

  “Why do I get the feeling you prefer the madness?”

  “I don’t know, why do you?” He moved into the room and looked into the open box closest to him. A photo of Aubrey with a younger dark haired woman sat on the top. “This is your sister?” The woman looked enough like Dalton he figured she had to be related somehow.

  “Yeah, that’s Delilah.” She didn’t even look back to see the photo he was holding.

  Nate nodded and studied the two women. Delilah looked mischievous, and Aubrey appeared genuinely happy, if not a little carefree. He glanced at the woman sitting on the floor and tried to imagine that look on her now. Instead, her shoulders were tight, and if she faced him, he knew her eyes would reflect worry.

  “She reminds me of my sister,” he said, hoping to help Aubrey feel more comfortable. He’d been trying so hard to keep some distance between them. It was a lot easier to keep his hands to himself that way. He got the sense that putting on his work face and pretending like there was nothing between them had been the wrong approach to take with her. She kept giving him little pained and confused looks that he was pretty sure he wasn’t meant to see.

  “How so?”

  “Young, a bit too carefree maybe.” He wasn’t sure why he’d brought up Lauren. He normally didn’t talk about her. They were so close, he preferred to keep that aspect of his personal life separate from work. But he knew the usual bullshit wouldn’t work on Aubrey. Plus, he’d already talked about Lauren when Aubrey had asked about his apartment.

  “Well, she’s young. I’m sure she’ll outgrow some of that.”

  Lauren was certainly still very young at twenty-two, but Nate had a feeling Aubrey was talking about her own sister. “How old is Delilah?”

  “Just turned eighteen.” She chewed her lip and leaned back against her dresser. Her eyes were far away and pained.

  He’d apparently picked the wrong topic to dive into, but he was already there, so he kept going. “Are you two close?”

  “We were. Once. She’s been pushing me away lately. I said some things I probably shouldn’t have.” Aubrey was picking at the tape on the side of the box in front of her.

  “Oh yeah?” Nate walked around so he could see her face while they talked. He eased down into a squat and her eyes drifted up to meet his.

  “She was dating this guy I thought was a dick head. And I told her. I should have left it alone. But she was thinking about going to Ithaca for college and studying Russian poetry because of this guy. She’s wanted to go to Berkley for years and study political science. Now after dating this guy for two months she’s considering Ithaca instead?”

  “Sounds like you were right to say something. I would have locked my sister in her room and we’d have screamed at each other through the door for an hour until we’d hashed it out,” he said with a chuckle. “I’ve also threatened to turn her into a newt on more than one occasion.”

  Aubrey’s eyes were like saucers. “Can you do that?”

  Nate barked out a laugh. “No.”

  He’d expected her to look relieved. Instead she looked disappointed. “Oh.”

  “Shit, you’re adorable,” he muttered.

  “Because I’m a stupid human?” she asked, a challenge in her voice.

  “Blondie, you’re not stupid and you’re definitely not human.” He rocked forward on his knees and reached over to tap her on the leg. Sure enough a spark leapt out to meet him before he had a chance to make contact, which made his point for him. Not human.

  “I’m not a witch,” she said softly.

  “Yeah, I’m getting that.”

  “Then what am I?”

  “That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it, Blondie?” He let his hand drop to the floor on one side of her leg, and then brought down his other hand so that he was leaning forward over the box she’d been digging through.

  “Jaina says I pulled on your magic, on your power, to heal you,” Aubrey’s voice was breathy. The pulsing in his body felt like a second heartbeat. Her heartbeat.

  “Okay.” He’d forgotten what they were talking about.

  “How could I do that? How would that work?”

  Nate stared at her mouth as she talked. He needed to taste her again. Needed to. His whole body was telling him to lean forward, to take what he needed.

  “Nate?” There was a plea in her voice and it broke that last thread of restraint. He rocked forward and found her mouth. When she pushed into him, he fell back on his heels, freeing his hands to touch her.

  The box was moved, the room tilted, and then he was over her. Her legs were bent on either side of his hips. His one hand dug into her hair, pulling her head back so he could lick her throat, kiss her jaw, and then return to assaulting her mouth. The other hand was finding the bottom on the T-shirt she wore, skimming up under it. And when he found bare skin, he let out a hissing gasp. She was on fire. Her body burned under his touch and it only made him want to feel more of her.

  “Holy shit, you feel good,” she said through a moan as she arched into his touch, grinding her hips against his. He let go of her hair and used his hand to still her hips. If she kept moving like that, he was going to come in his pants like a fuckin
g high schooler. She struggled against his grasp.

  “Blondie, you’re killing me with that,” he growled into her ear as his hand slipped below the waistband of her pants. He held himself off her enough so he had room to touch her like this. He stared down at her green eyes while his fingers traced the elastic of her underwear. He smirked when she impatiently lifted her hips. “Yeah, Blondie?”

  “Nate,” she whimpered. “Please, just. . .”

  “Just what?” He slid his fingers lower, under the cotton and growled when he found her perfectly smooth. “Shit, Aubrey.”

  She smiled and lifted her hips again. When he rubbed his thumb over her clit, her eyes shut and her mouth opened letting out a low deep sound.

  “Oh my God, that’s. . .” she panted.

  Nate nodded in agreement. He could only imagine what it was like for her, but from the way his hand was humming with energy, he assumed it was electric and wonderful. He flicked her clit once before sinking two fingers deep into her wet folds. Her back arched. One hand found his shirt, clenching at the fabric and pulling him toward her. Her other hand simultaneously pushed him away as tremors rolled through her body. He felt her clamping down on his fingers, and his balls tightened. Fuck, he was going to come just from watching her come. He kept thrusting his fingers while she rode through the orgasm, stopping only when she went limp.

  “Holy shit,” she whispered. Nate withdrew his hand from her, and her pants, and brought two glistening fingers up to his lips. He held her gaze while he licked them clean.

  “You taste amazing, Blondie.”

  Her eyes were so dilated now that he couldn’t see the green anymore for all the black. In fact, somewhat alarmingly, there was nearly no white left to her eyes. Before he could properly process this information, she was kissing him and her hands were on him, one moving over his hardened dick over his pants.

  “Now I’m going to taste you.” It was the sexiest warning he’d ever heard. And it was a warning.

  He was pushed onto his back, her blonde hair falling over him. He watched her pull down the zipper and free him from his boxers. She seemed to be deliberately avoiding touching his bare skin, until she took hold of his cock and gave him one long pump. His whole body ignited. And then that fucking perfect mouth was stretching around him, and he was sure he was dying. Everything in his body tightened toward her. Every cell felt like it was squeezing itself into oblivion. He hadn’t come that fast since high school, but whatever was causing the hum magnified every touch.

  Aubrey took every last drop of his orgasm, licking the last of his seed from the head with a devious grin on her face.

  “Mm, yep. You taste good too,” she murmured.

  Nate stared at her. She’d just sucked him dry in less than thirty seconds, and he wanted to appreciate the moment. He really did. But her eyes were completely black, and the skin on her neck was translucent. Through that skin, he could see the shine of scales.

  “Jesus Christ,” he muttered.

  “Hmm, thanks.” She smiled, and her pupils shrank down until he could see the white of her eyes. And then the ring of green. And then they were normal. Her skin was still pale, but normal pale. Not translucent.

  Had he just hallucinated? Had she blown him so hard that he’d temporarily lost his mind?

  “Aubrey,” he said cautiously.

  “Yeah?”

  “You’re not human.”

  She laughed and said, “Okay, yeah, you’re overselling it now. But yeah, that was good, right?” She let out a satisfied sigh and looked around the room. “Really good.”

  “I’m not sure good is an adequate word,” Nate said as he tucked himself back into his pants. Aubrey gave another short laugh before climbing to her feet.

  She picked up the stack of comics and headed for a bookcase, talking as she moved. “I thought you were mad at me. Earlier, I mean. About having to stay here with me.”

  He closed his eyes and cursed silently. What the fuck was he doing? Had he really just let that happen? She was vulnerable, and he’d just walked in and stuck his hand down her pants. “Shit, Aubrey, I’m sorry. This shouldn’t have happened.”

  She was glaring at him. He felt it even before he opened his eyes.

  “What?” she asked.

  “I shouldn’t have taken advantage of you like that. It’s beyond unprofessional. It’s wrong, and I’m sorry. I’ll talk to Dalton tomorrow and—”

  “You’ll talk to Dalton?” her voice was high.

  Okay, wrong thing to say.

  “And it’s wrong?” She was gasping in air at this point. Or was she? No, she was pushing out smoke. Smoke was coming out of her nose.

  “Aubrey?”

  “What, did you, like, put a fucking spell on me? I sure felt like I was acting on my own volition, but sure, let’s say that you forced me to blow you.” Audrey seethed.

  His eyes widened. She was one hundred percent blowing smoke out of her damn nose. And her skin was paling away to nothing more than a thin paper over steely silver scales.

  “Blondie,” he whispered.

  “If you tell me to calm down, I swear to all things holy, Nate, I will punch you.”

  “Aubrey, look in the mirror.”

  “What the shit does that mean? Take a look at myself? I’m good.”

  “Blondie, look in the damn mirror,” he said more firmly.

  Aubrey narrowed her black eyes at him and turned toward the mirror over her dresser. She stumbled backward, dropping the comics to the floor.

  “What the fuck?” she gasped.

  “Shh, calm down.” He winced at his word choice. She had just told him not to say that. But she didn’t seem to hear him. Her hand was on her face. And then she was looking at her hands. Her nails were longer, much longer. And they looked sharp as shit.

  “Oh my God, you’re turning me into a demon. You said you couldn’t do this,” she stammered.

  Nate managed not to laugh at the thought that he could, and would, turn her into a demon. He took a step toward her, and she stumbled to the side into the bookcase. He rushed forward to catch it as it rocked.

  “Blondie, take a deep breath. I haven’t put any spells on you. I’m not turning you into a demon. You’re just. . .I don’t know what you are right this moment. But don’t freak out. Deep breaths. Cooling breaths.” When the fuck did it get so hot in here?

  Aubrey was trying to take deep breaths, but they came out shaky and with a cloud of smoke, which only brought tears to her eyes. Nate cautiously touched her face. She was so very hot. Too hot. Nearly burning his hands hot. But he wiped her tears away and whispered instructions for her to keep breathing, take deeper breaths. He avoided any reference to calm or down.

  Just when it seemed like her breathing was returning to normal, she passed out. He caught her before she slumped to the floor.

  Fucking perfect.

  8

  Aubrey wasn’t in a hospital bed. So that’s something.

  She groaned as she rolled over in her bed. Her whole body ached. Her sheets were damp from sweat. And her bedroom smelled like burnt sage.

  Oh my God, they’re trying to exorcise the demon.

  “Hey there, Blondie.” Nate’s voice made her stomach twist.

  Great. And Nate is here.

  “You’ll have to tell her family, Nathaniel.”

  And Jaina. Perfect. Really perfect.

  “Tell them what, exactly, Jaina?”

  Aubrey winced at his biting tone. Something told her that Jaina wasn’t going to take that from him.

  “Nathaniel Evans!”

  Aubrey chose that moment to sit up. Jaina stood at the foot of her bed next to Nate. Both of them looked at her in surprise. Aubrey doubled forward, holding her stomach, and let out a groan.

  “Get more of that broth down her throat,” Jaina said sternly before turning on her heel and disappearing from the room.

  “Please, no more broth. Not if it’s causing this stomach ache,” Aubrey said.

 
; “Still not feeling so great?” Nate asked as he moved around to the side of her bed.

  She gave him a confused look. “Still?”

  “This is the third time you’ve woken in the last two hours. Each time you’ve complained about your stomach hurting. Well, the first time, you vomited.”

  Of course, I did.

  She must have made a face because he laughed. “It was mostly smoke.”

  “Ugh, what?” She rubbed her face with the palms of her hands. “Nate, what?”

  “I don’t know. I have some ideas, but honestly, haven’t had much time to look into any of them. I called Jaina, knowing she’d have something that would get your temperature down. I didn’t take you to the hospital for obvious reasons. I should have taken you in to GA and let our doctors look you over, but I assumed you’d rip me a new one for that.”

  Aubrey nodded in agreement.

  “So I’ve been waiting it out. This is the longest you’ve been conscious, otherwise we’d have talked about the options sooner.”

  “I vomited smoke?”

  “I don’t suppose you remember the scales?” he asked cautiously.

  “Shit. That was real?” She crumpled forward, hands still covering her face. As if she could actually hide in the palms of her hands.

  “I doubt it was a joint hallucination.”

  She dropped her hands and looked at him. “Couldn’t we just go with that?”

  “Blondie, you passed out after your temperature spiked to one-thirty. No, we can’t go with joint hallucination on the scales.”

  How is he so fucking calm? I went full lizard lady on his ass and he’s just standing there.

  “What kind of ideas do you have? I want to hear them while I think about maybe—just maybe—going to see these fancy doctors you know,” she said as she adjusted the blankets around her.

  “Okay, sure. One, you’re a dragon.”

  “Excuse me?” Aubrey knew she hadn’t heard him correctly.

  “Maybe we should back up. You were raised with a family of witches, right?”

  She narrowed her eyes at him. He was not about to talk down to her, was he? “Yes.”