by Hazel Hunter
As though she’d woken from a dream, she started.
“I guess this is the part where I…” Her trembling fingers found the zipper of her jacket.
Hugh covered her hands with his own, quieting them. “Not if you feel uncomfortable.”
Though he wanted her badly, his erection throbbing, he couldn’t have her this way.
“It’s not that,” she said. “It’s just…”
She didn’t have to say it. It all made sense. Though she’d been raped, she’d never made love.
“Here, let me,” he said, unzipping the jacket. He smoothed it back from her shoulders. Then he lifted the t-shirt off over her head. Her white bra was nearly luminous in the dim light. He smiled. “You’re beautiful.”
She didn’t say anything, and he wondered if she looked pleased or just relieved. But he didn’t pause, taking off her shoes and socks. As slowly as he could manage, he unbuttoned her jeans. Too big for her, it was easy to slide them off. Her legs were shapely. Though you’d never know it through the baggy clothes she wore, she was gorgeous—which is why she wore the baggy clothes.
Though he gingerly grasped her panties, she did too.
“Let me,” she said quietly.
She lay back and wriggled them off as he watched. His erection painfully stiffened. As she tossed them to the floor he bent to his own pants and removed a condom. When he tore the foil packet, she became still and watched. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he smoothed it down his penis. Though she sat waiting for him near the head of the bed, he took her hand and gently guided her off the bed. She tentatively stood next to it, still wearing her bra. But as he drew her to him, her legs straddling his thighs, almost as they’d done in the kitchen, she understood. It was up to her how fast or how far she went. As she placed her hands on his shoulders and lowered herself, he reached behind her and unfastened her bra.
* * *
• • • • •
* * *
Nix could hardly believe what she was seeing. Hugh wasn’t just handsome, he was like a model. He was the sort of man she thought only existed in underwear ads. As he slipped the bra from her shoulders and down her arms, she couldn’t help but run her fingers over his pecs. In response, he leaned his head down and kissed her breast.
“You hide your body,” he whispered, his warm breath washing over her nipple. It tightened in response. “But it’s beautiful, Phoenix.” His tongue traced a wet line to the tip of her breast. “You’re beautiful. Inside and out.” His lips closed around her nipple.
She closed her eyes. “Oh god,” she whispered. “Your mouth… It’s so…”
He gave her a little tug, let her go, and sucked on her other nipple. “Yes,” she whispered.
His lips gnawed tenderly into her flesh. His tongue flicked one way and then the other, across the captured nub in his mouth. She hissed as he sent jolts of pleasure through her. Warmth spread between her legs and the urge to move her hips returned.
Though his thick thighs supported her legs, she still stood on the floor, if only on her tiptoes. But as he continued to suckle her, his hands found her waist. Slowly he guided her forward and down. Her hips jerked, unable to keep still, until she felt his cock. They both froze. Slowly, she moved forward, letting its broad tip part her. Hugh sucked in a breath around her stiff nipple.
His erection felt like steel, nudging just inside her. Hugh tenderly kissed her breasts, the dip between her collar bones, and her throat.
“Slowly,” he whispered, his voice husky. “There’s no hurry.”
But there was a hurry. With each caress of his mouth, her skin was on fire. With each succulent kiss, heat flooded into her belly. As his cock spread her, the pressure mounting, all she wanted was to bring him inside. She rocked herself on top of him, balancing on his thighs, moving down his shaft. Her arms went around his neck, and his around her waist.
“Yes,” he breathed. “You feel so good.”
She sank down a little lower, took him a little deeper. His hips pulsed upward and then withdrew, pulsed upward and then withdrew. She rocked herself further, in time with his rhythm, moving her hips forward, and then back, forward and then back. With each thrust, she settled lower. The feeling was incredible, the rhythm intoxicating. But as her toes finally left the floor, she dropped a little. His hard flesh speared up into her. She gasped and clung to his neck. He clutched her firmly to his chest, supporting her, and went still. Inside her his shaft thickened and pulsed. Out of nowhere, her belly clenched.
“Oh god,” Hugh exhaled in a long shuddering breath.
Slowly, his hips moved up under hers, and he sank himself deeper. Phoenix moaned at the feeling of him inside her, something between pleasure and pain. But no sooner had the feeling of fullness reached its peak, than his hips drew back. Then he started upward again.
But now her hips jerked in response, and her mound collided with him. The vibration of the impact took her by surprise. A sweet pang throbbed where they connected. Before it could ebb, her hips jerked again, compounding the new sensation. In only a few rocking movements, she was grinding on him.
“Oh, Hugh,” she gasped.
“That’s it,” he breathed.
A beautiful, searing heat flooded into her mound. With each grinding flex of her hips, she took him deeper, clenched on him tighter, and pounded her clit harder. He bucked up under her, in perfect time, compounding her pleasure, sending it higher, until she couldn’t breathe. The only thing that existed was his shaft deep within her, the way it stretched her and she couldn’t get enough. Her body writhed on top of him, no longer in rhythm, just desperate to be satisfied, when the climax hit.
“Hugh!” she screamed.
Bright lights exploded behind her closed eyelids. Ecstasy poured through her, unlike anything she’d ever known. Like a beautiful pain of her own making, she gave herself up to it. Her body claimed his greedily, as his orgasm blossomed inside her. He held her to his chest, his entire body taut, as his shaft sank home.
“Phoenix,” he hissed through clenched teeth, as he came.
Though their bodies still rocked together, the climax had thankfully passed. A deep warmth suffused her as she sagged against his shoulder. Though she hadn’t realized it at first, he was leaning back. The next thing she knew, they were lying on their sides on the futon. Slowly he withdrew from her, got up and went to the bathroom. She moaned, only a little sore, more just wishing they’d stayed together longer. But Hugh was immediately back and pulling the covers over them. Though she was already tucking under his shoulder, his arms scooped her to him, and he held her close.
“Beautiful, Phoenix,” he whispered on top of her head.
She smiled in the darkness, feeling the warmth of his chest against her cheek. And for just a moment, she believed him.
Chapter 13
Pastor Bolivar left the pamphlets on the table near the front door, and ran to answer the phone.
“Cedars-Sinai Chapel, Pastor Bolivar speaking. How may I help you?”
“Sergeant Brother Bolivar,” said a man’s voice. “This is Marshall Walch.” When Ramon didn’t immediately answer, he continued. “Of the Knights of the Order of the Templars. I understand you called.”
Though it’d been years since he’d been active in the order, Ramon still knew the hierarchy. There were only two Marshalls in the entire organization, east coast and west coast. There had to be a dozen layers of rank and bureaucracy between Ramon and a Marshall.
“Yes, Marshall,” Ramon said, finally finding his voice. He sat up straight. “I did, sir.”
“And it was well done of you. Well done, indeed. I have only one instruction.”
Ramon scooted forward in his chair.
“Yes, sir?”
“Do nothing.”
Ramon cocked his head and nearly stared at the phone.
“I…I’m sorry, sir,” he said, sure he hadn’t heard right. “Did you say nothing?”
“Yes,” Marshall Walch said. “Nothing. Not
a single thing. You are not to approach or engage the Magus Corps officer in the least. The Order will handle everything from here out.”
Ramon frowned. That was not what he’d intended, or expected. He wanted to take care of the smarmy doctor himself––in front of Phoenix.
“But sir, I–”
“A seneschal is en route.”
“A seneschal?”
“He’ll arrive tomorrow,” the Marshall said cooly. “You may see him, but he won’t require your help.”
A seneschal was a field-hardened warrior with centuries of killing Wiccans behind him. Gods, what had he done. The last thing he wanted was someone like that around Phoenix.
“Sir, I think I may have overstated the–”
“Not at all,” the Marshall said reassuringly. “Not at all. In fact, it was a foregone conclusion. The Professor himself insisted on it.”
Ramon’s blood ran cold. He tried to swallow in a dry throat.
“The Professor?” he said, barely able to get the words out. “The Professor is coming?”
“Exactly. I see you take my meaning.”
Ramon had not thought the Professor was even real. He was rumored to be among the longest lived of the Templars. And also the cruelest. He was a Grand Inquisitor who had learned his trade in Spain.
The phone receiver was slick in Ramon’s fingers. He used both hands.
“Do not interfere, Sergeant Brother Bolivar. Your work is done.”
* * *
• • • • •
* * *
Now that Roxandra had her second cup of morning coffee in hand, she laid the tablet on the marble coffee table and sat on the leather couch. She read the email again as she sipped, just to be sure. Her network had come through as usual.
Phoenix Brielle had never been observed using magic. If Hugh was right about her being a necromancer, he was the first to have spotted it. But the really interesting part of the report was what it had to say about the chaplain. The man was a known Templar aide. Hugh’s necromancer was consorting with the enemy, even if he was only a sergeant brother. They were friends, of all things. How was that going to look to the Magus Corps higher-ups when he tried to bring her in?
Roxandra intended to find out.
Chapter 14
It was clear to Hugh that Phoenix didn’t know she was a witch. It was also clear he needed to tell her. But at this precise moment, it was the last thing he wanted to do. As Noobie rode in the back seat, Phoenix sat in the front. They held hands over the console between them. She’d taken his hand as carelessly and effortlessly as she did everything else. It only seemed natural. Of course they’d hold hands. That’s what you did when you were in love.
Hugh almost hit the brakes.
In love.
He put his foot back on the gas. Luckily there was stop-and-go traffic.
The words had simply popped into his head. He couldn’t remember the last time that had happened. It’d been years, maybe even decades. He stole a sideways glance at Phoenix, her delicate features in profile. They were the most improbable of couples. Over the course of his long life, he’d often played the lady’s man. It had come with the territory, but more than that, it’d been a good fit. He knew the effect his looks had on women. Given his immortality, it could go on indefinitely. But somehow Phoenix had changed that. Something in her tugged at him––hard. He gently rubbed his thumb along hers, savoring the connection. He stole another glance at her.
The opalescent, orange glow of her chi was gorgeous. Despite the gray of the overcast day, her eyes danced with a light that was more than just a reflection. It dawned on him that it was her inner light he saw. Under all the goth affectations, she wasn’t just physically beautiful. She was pretty on the inside, with a fragile charm that belied her ability to work around death.
That thought sobered him. She was a necromancer. It was a talent the Magus Corps desperately needed. But without any evidence of a spell book, not knowing Anubis was her familiar, and the lack of any pentagrams, incense, or candles, it was clear she had no idea. He sighed. Where should he even begin?
“Just so you know,” Phoenix said, looking out the passenger window. “I don’t do this all the time.”
“Skip the bus?” he said, smiling. “I know. Lucky for me that drainage pipe broke.”
“No,” Phoenix said, completely ignoring the humor. She brought his hand to her, looking down at it. “This,” she said, squeezing his larger hand with both of hers. Then she held the back of his hand to her heart. “And this.”
For a moment he thought he felt her heart beat. He couldn’t help but stare at the simple gesture. When she lifted her gaze to him, his throat tightened. Her large eyes watched him intently, and she seemed to hang on his next words. But Hugh found he didn’t have any. In all the morning afters, he couldn’t remember a gesture that had been so right. Gently he lifted the back of her hand to his mouth, and placed a soft, lingering kiss on it. The tip of his tongue tasted her soft skin.
Her nostrils flared as she sucked in a breath. “That feels–”
A car horn blared behind them.
Hugh jerked his gaze to the rearview mirror. Somehow he’d let the Mercedes slow to a crawl. He hit the gas again. But he hadn’t let go of her hand. He put his lips to the back of it again.
“It’s not something I do all the time either,” he murmured.
A wistful smile flitted across her face.
“You don’t have to lie,” she said quietly.
Somehow her thinking that he would lie to her made his chest constrict.
“I’m not,” he said. “But I don’t mean last night…or the car ride.”
He paused. There was that ‘love’ word again. But how could that be? He frowned, looking at their intertwined fingers. It was the last thing he’d been expecting. Maybe it was her fragility that called to his protective side. Maybe it was the fact they were both caregivers.
He realized Phoenix was watching him and waiting, her slight brows furrowed.
He smiled and been about to caress the side of her face, when Cedars-Sinai loomed. How had they arrived so soon?
A light sprinkle spattered the windows.
“I’ll drop you and Noobie at the lobby and park the car,” he said.
“We can go with you,” she said, tightening her fingers around his.
He grinned at her, and would have liked nothing better. “It’s probably the first time the two of you have arrived here completely dry. Just let me drop you off. I’ll be right in.”
Phoenix glanced back at Noobie, who stood, and poked his head between the seats. Hugh let her hand go, and they both petted Noobie.
“All right,” Phoenix said, laughing a little. “We’re good with dry.”
Chapter 15
At the touch on her shoulder, Nix jumped.
“Sorry,” said the pastor. “Sorry!”
Her hand flew to her chest as she gulped a breath. Nix whirled around.
“Oh, Pastor!” Nix said. “I didn’t hear you!”
“Sorry,” he said yet again. “I cleared my throat.”
“You did?” she said.
She and Noobie had been concentrating so hard on watching for Hugh, she hadn’t heard a thing.
“Waiting for someone?” he asked, looking through the large windows next to the sliding door.
“Hugh,” she said, grinning, looking through the window again.
She and Noobie had watched the Mercedes disappear only a minute ago.
“Ah,” the pastor said. “I see.”
Something in his tone caught her attention. His normally placid face was stern and tinged with red. Bloodshot eyes stared back at her. Only now did she realize his clothes were rumpled, as though he’d slept in them.
“Is…something wrong?” she said.
“May I speak to you privately?”
The bizarre formality put her on edge.
“Well, sure,” she said, anxious to find out what was wrong.
&nbs
p; He gestured to the chapel. With a final glance to the lobby entrance, she and Noobie headed to the chapel. The moment they were through the door, the pastor flipped the sign to ‘closed’ and shut the door.
“Geez, Pastor,” Nix said, holding Noobie on a short leash and close to her. “What’s the matter?”
He grimaced. “How many times have I asked you to call me Ramon?”
Nix scowled a little. “Okay. What’s the matter, Ramon?”
Ramon frowned, apparently not satisfied.
What was going on? She’d never seen the pastor unhappy, let alone angry. Alarm bells began to go off in the back of her mind. She wondered if the door was locked.
“It’s about Dr. Colmain,” he said.
He paused and took a deep breath. Though she didn’t know for what, Nix braced herself.
“He’s a warlock,” Ramon said.
The only sound in the small chapel was Noobie’s panting. As Ramon simply looked at her, she realized with a start that he was done.
“What?” she heard herself say.
“He’s a warlock,” Ramon said, louder this time. “Dr. Colmain is a Wiccan.”
Nix sputtered, half a laugh and half a snort. She cocked her head back.
“What?” she said again, staring at his remarkably serious face. “A what?”
“Phoenix, I don’t have time to explain,” he said. “I want you to come away with me.”
Now she was sure she wasn’t hearing right. “Look, Pastor, I don’t know–”
“It’s Ramon!” he said, making her blink. “Please, Phoenix, try to listen to what I’m saying–”