Intoxicating Magic

by Deanna Chase

  She leaned in, her breath tickling my ear. “Where would you like me to touch you first, Ms. Rhoswen?”

  My wings fluttered, and I could almost hear the soft chuckle of my friend Harrison when he’d insisted that was a sign I was turned on. Tucking my wings against my back, I tried to scowl, tried to get a hold of myself. I shouldn’t be on this stage attracting attention. But I couldn’t move. Didn’t even really want to.

  “Here?” she asked and ran a hot-pink fingernail down the side of my neck.

  An uncontrollable shiver visibly shook my body. My eyes closed involuntarily, and I swayed as she ran her hands lightly down my back and over the tips of my wings.

  “Yes,” Victoria whispered.

  Her voice was so low I barely heard her. I was too busy concentrating on the feathery kisses she was trailing along my collarbone. Equal parts horror and pleasure filled my muddled brain.

  “Your scent is so sweet, so alluring. And to have you like this, in front of everyone. It’s almost too much to take.” Her right hand splayed over my stomach as she explored at will.

  My focus was riveted on the tingling coming from her fingers digging into my hip and the soft murmur of encouragement reverberating from the crowd. They wanted us both. And Goddess above, if I didn’t want to give them exactly what they craved.

  I was ready. Ready to partake in whatever Victoria had in store for us both.

  That is, until I felt the sharp prick of fangs press against my neck as Victoria said, “Asher will be so pleased.”

  Chapter 2

  The spell instantly shattered as my blood turned to ice. Vampire!

  Holy shit! How was that possible? I hadn’t sensed her and her touch wasn’t draining me like other vamps did. Just like David and Eadric, two vampires I’d turned into daywalkers.

  But I hadn’t turned her. How was she doing this? The question flew out of my head as she wrapped her stonelike arms around me. I jerked, trying to pry myself out of her embrace, but she was too strong.

  Her grip tightened, pinning my arms to my sides. Her tongue darted out, lapping at my pulse. “Fighting me will only heighten my desire to taste you.”

  I shivered in disgust, and a second, more horrifying realization slammed into me. She’d said Asher—the vampire who’d killed my brother and was after my nephew and me.

  Asher had sent her. She was here to kill me.

  My heart thundered in my chest. I frantically scanned the crowd for Link or Phoebe. The room was bathed in darkness past the first few rows, and one quick glance told me the spell hadn’t broken for anyone else, only me.

  I was truly on my own.

  “I can feel your pulse quickening.” The vamp let out a low growl. “I’d enjoy the hell out of this if it weren’t for your dirty, tainted blood.”

  Dirty, tainted blood. She was referring to the Sunshine potion I drank as a precaution to keep vampires from using my blood as a meal. To them it tasted horrendous. Anger squashed the fear consuming me and my fight reflex kicked in. “Victoria,” I said, my voice laced with steel. “Allcot will kill you for this.”

  Her laughter rang clear as a bell through the club as she tilted her head back. I gritted my teeth and rammed my elbow into her marbled gut and ineffectively stomped down on her instep. Son of a… that had to have hurt me infinitely worse than it did her. Adrenaline surged through my veins, and I flared my wings with such force she actually stumbled backward, freeing me from her clutches. Relief warred with my panic as I turned in midair, afraid that if I left, she’d attack an innocent bystander.

  The crowd gasped, but no one seemed to realize our actions weren’t part of the show. Or they didn’t care.

  Victoria righted herself and gave me an amused smile. As she prowled forward, her eyes sparkled with challenge. “Oh, good, a fighter. And here I was worried the audience might be bored.”

  “You’re crazy,” I said, spitting the words out. “Is that what this is all about? Putting on a show? Why does Asher want all these witnesses?”

  “So naïve.” She shook her head. “For the congregation, of course. How else is he going to gain his followers?”

  My mouth dropped open in shock and I was unable to form words. Asher wanted to be the savior of humans, and with my death he was going to form a religion. It was genius. Humans would follow him unconditionally. It would be a full-on vamp–human war. And what better way than by starting with killing the faery who could turn vampires into daywalkers?

  Shaking myself, I stared into the cold, uncaring eyes of the vamp. “You tell Asher to go fuck himself.”

  Then with one pump of my wings, I sailed upward, angling for the last place I’d seen Link. But before I could clear the stage, she leaped and her iron grip clasped around my ankle, pulling me back to her.

  “You bitch,” I cried, unable to free myself or keep control of my flight.

  The pair of us crashed to the stage floor, rolling around like hysterical mud wrestlers, me trying to break her hold. It was by pure luck that she landed on one arm, preventing her from pinning me the second we toppled to the stage.

  A moment of clarity seized me, and I knew without a doubt I’d never be able to just flee from her. She was too strong, too fast. There was only one thing that would keep me alive… if I survived it. Closing down my mind, I reached out, my fingers clawing at her throat.

  She growled, bucking to try to roll me over, but I clamped my hand around her neck and squeezed, using my magic to suck her life force from her vampire body. Instantly my hand began to burn, but I swallowed the urge to recoil and forced myself to hold on.

  “Get. Off. Me!”

  Her entire body convulsed beneath my touch. I pulled harder on her vampire energy. Scalding fire burned through my veins, making my eyes water from the intensity of it. My head swam, and I knew I was moments from passing out. If I took too much, I’d only end up killing myself. Talisen’s face suddenly swam in my vision. Deep sadness took up residence in my heart. If I didn’t survive this, I’d die never knowing what had really happened between us. I’d never get a chance to yell at him. Or hug him. Or tell him I loved him.

  Would he even care?

  That thought nearly broke me. Of course he’d care. He’d probably hate himself for the way we’d left things between us. Just like I did for letting him walk out of my life without demanding answers.

  It took me a moment to notice her body had gone completely still. And when a terrified cry erupted from the audience, I scrambled back on all fours, desperate to fade into the shadows. Holy shit. Had I really just done that in front of a room full of witnesses? The director was going to kill me. Not literally, most likely, but the notion wasn’t outside of reality.

  Purple Leotard grabbed me roughly by the shoulder and yanked me up. My feet dangled for just a moment until he dropped me. I was too stunned to remember to use my wings, and my ankle turned when my feet hit the ground, causing me to reach out and grab onto the emcee. He was cold as ice. Vampire cold.

  My eyes widened as I gasped. Another one? I hadn’t felt his energy either. Was my ability broken? In pure panic, I yanked on his energy, bracing for the hellfire to come.

  Only it didn’t. He wasn’t a vampire at all. The sweet rush of faery energy cooled the raw destruction caused by my attack on Victoria. My body craved the relief, reveled in it as my fingers clutched tighter.

  “No!” I cried, ripping my hands from him and flinging myself backward as he crumpled to the floor. Pain shot through my knee when it connected with the edge of the piano. Unable to catch myself, I crumpled to the ground, horror filling me, my body shaking with fear. What had I done? I’d stolen the energy of a fae, a rare skinwalker who could morph into any living… or undead… form he wanted to.

  It was the worst kind of intrusion. Utterly unforgiveable. It didn’t matter that I’d thought he was a vampire. I shouldn’t have been doing that either. Not according to our unspoken laws, anyway. But I’d done it before and I’d do it again if I needed to protect m
yself.

  The crowd was on its feet now, worry filling their expressions as a handful climbed the stage to help Victoria.

  The fae lay next to me unconscious, his face pale. I crawled to him, tears streaming down my cheeks. If he died, I’d never forgive myself, would welcome the punishment the Arcane would shackle me with. Sprawled next to him, I placed my hand over his heart and closed my eyes, settling myself. After blocking out the noise of the club, I let my magic flow, pumping his energy and mine back into him.

  My stomach turned and my head spun with the effort. But I wouldn’t give in until I saw his chest rise and his eyes open.

  His body heated under my hand, thawing the ice-cold shell he’d been cloaked in.

  “Come on,” I whispered, sweat now prickling my neck. “Wake up. I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

  There was chaos swirling around us, but I heard none of it. My entire focus was on this odd fae in his ridiculous purple leotard as I fought to save his life.

  A rush of static filled my ears and a hollow pit took up residence in my chest. I was near the end. I couldn’t keep going. Not if I wanted to survive. If I’d taken this fae’s life, it was only right that I give mine for his. But if there was one thing I’d learned over the past year, it was that the will to live is a lot stronger than anyone’s moral compass. Even mine.

  I moved to yank my hand back, but the fae jerked and in the next instant, he had an iron grip around my wrist, keeping my hold on him. A gasp ripped from my throat as I tried in vain to recoil.

  His green eyes blazed up at me, fire raging in his demented gaze. “You’re not going anywhere, Willow Rhoswen.”

  “Let her go,” Phoebe said from behind me, her tone low and dangerous.

  The fae jumped to his feet, dragging me with him. “I don’t think so.”

  “I’m so sorry,” I cried. “I didn’t know. I’d never do that to a fae. Never.” I tried to reason with him. “You’d taken on a vampire form. I was only trying to defend myself. If I’d known—”

  His face morphed into a dangerous scowl. “Shut up.”

  Well, that pissed me off.

  “You’re not going anywhere until you fix whatever the fuck you did to Victoria.” His eyes cut to the unconscious vampire still sprawled on the floor.

  Anger burned deep in my gut. He was working with her. I’d automatically assumed he’d been undercover or something. But no, this fae was my enemy. Suddenly I didn’t feel so bad for draining him, even if the very idea still made me sick to my stomach. “Put me down. Now, fae. Or else I’m going to tell the witch to unleash everything she’s got.”

  “I said to shut up,” he growled, shaking me again. “I’m not afraid of you or your witch.” His eyes unfocused and a second later, he morphed into the marbled form of a vampire once more.

  “Idiot,” Phoebe said. Raising her hand, she unleashed a blinding ray of sunlight at the fae and me. He crumpled to the ground, taking me with him.

  Pain rocketed through my kneecaps as I slammed into the stage once more. His petrified hand was still clutching my neck, forcing me forward. “Son of a… dammit.” Clutching at his fingers, I finally pried a few open far enough that I was able to slip from his grasp. Rubbing my neck, I glanced up at Phoebe, grateful she’d shown up when she had. “Thanks for that.”

  “Anytime. Now let’s get the eff out of here before we’re blindsided by any other surprises.”

  I scrambled to my feet. “What about Victoria?” She was a vamp. We couldn’t leave her where she was. What if she woke up?

  Phoebe aimed her agate at the vampire and flashed a ray of magic, ensuring Victoria would stay unconscious for hours. There was a loud gasp, followed by murmurs of confusion. The spectators milled about, asking each other what had happened. They were all disoriented. The spell had finally broken.

  “Done,” Phoebe said. “Now the cleanup crew can take care of her. Let’s go before anyone from the Arcane sees you here. If they find out what just went down, you’re in for another round of testing.”

  I shuddered. She was probably right. The fact that I couldn’t sense Victoria and hadn’t turned her would be very interesting to the director.

  “Did you ever find the other vampire?” I asked as I followed her. There had been at least one more. The one I’d felt.

  “He slipped out just as the show started. I got a picture, though. We’ll find him in the Arcane’s database.” She shuffled me out of the side entrance, tapping away at her phone.

  “Wait.” I slipped loose of her hold. “I need to find Link.” He was still in there. Before she could answer, I was through the door and skirting the edges of the club. I wasn’t going to leave without my dog. The patrons were still wandering around, some leaving, some rubbernecking the scene on the stage.

  I was halfway to our table when I stopped dead in my tracks as my gaze landed on David. My ex. The vampire I’d turned into a daywalker and the one I’d come to trust almost enough to consider dating again. But why was he leaning against the wall, his arms folded over his chest and ankles crossed as if he was a casual observer? Had he been there the entire time? And done nothing?

  Our gazes met. For just a second, I saw alarm flash through those deep, sapphire-blue eyes. What was that about? Maybe he didn’t want me caught up in any more Arcane business, either. He’d know they were on their way to clean up this mess.

  David pushed away from the wall, heading straight toward me. My body tensed with undeniable attraction. I hadn’t seen him in over a week. And whoa if he didn’t look more gorgeous than ever. Tall, sculpted vampire build, dark hair, and bronzed skin from the sun. I wasn’t supposed to be attracted to a vampire, let alone date one. Not as a fae. But I’d been flirting with the idea for weeks now. Ever since Talisen Kavanagh, my best friend and almost-boyfriend, had left me to go back to California. David wasn’t perfect, but he’d been by my side the past few months, making sure I was safe and protected from the Arcane and other powerful entities who’d do whatever it took to get a piece of me. He’d made me feel safe, cared for.

  “Wil…” He hesitated.

  I frowned. He didn’t seem worried. He seemed wary or even guilty. “What is it?”

  He averted his gaze, focusing on nothing. Definitely guilty.

  “David?” I asked, not entirely sure I wanted to know what was going on. It wasn’t as if we were dating. So if he’d been with another woman, it really wasn’t any of my business. The thought made me ill, though. “How long have you been standing there?” I tried to distract myself from the thoughts swirling in my head.

  His expression went blank and his jaw worked for a moment, but he didn’t actually speak.

  “David?”

  “I arrived just as you and Phoebe entered the club. I’ve been here the entire time.” He glanced at the stage.

  I took in his nervous body language, the way he was having trouble looking me in the eye, and then placed my hands on my hips. “I’m guessing by your behavior that you weren’t spelled like the rest of the club?”

  This time he did meet my penetrating gaze. “No.”

  I had to give credit where credit was due. At least he wasn’t lying. Still, that didn’t stop the bile from rising in my throat as my head started to pound with frustration. “So you just stood there and let that vamp attack me? The entire club was her puppet, including Link and Phoebe, and you left me to my own devices?”

  “Wil,” he said again, reaching out to take my hand.

  I pulled it away and took a step back, my chest feeling like it was going to burst wide open from my thundering heart. “Just don’t, David. I can’t imagine what your excuse is for letting a vampire almost tear my neck open while you did absolutely nothing to stop it.”

  “I’m sorry.” His eyes softened and his face took on a tortured look, the one he wore when he was being forced to do something he didn’t want to.

  And then I knew this had something to do with his father. Eadric Allcot went out of his way to protect my famil
y and me, but he was also a cold bastard who would do whatever was necessary to remain the most powerful vampire in New Orleans. “What did he order you to do this time?”

  David’s lips formed a thin line as he took a deep breath. “You don’t understand.”

  “I think I do. You stood there and watched Victoria try to destroy me without so much as moving a muscle. But I know you well enough to know that you’d never let that happen. So I’m guessing you had orders to let her. And you followed them. Am I close?”

  He ran a hand through his thick hair and blew out a long breath.

  That action told me everything I needed to know. “Forget it.” I turned my back to him.

  “Wait,” he said, clasping his grip over my wrist and twisting me to face him. It wasn’t aggressive, but nonetheless, Link leaped out of nowhere, snarling and snapping at David.

  “You’d better let go,” I said evenly, acutely aware the only reason Link hadn’t torn into him already was because David and I had history.

  David glanced at my wolf briefly and then slowly pulled his hand away. “Sorry,” he said to Link.

  My wolf growled. I placed a light hand on his head, soothing him. Then I gave David a flat stare.

  He closed his eyes for a moment, resigned to the fact that he was in deep shit.

  I didn’t wait for him to open his eyes again. I was too damned tired of waiting around for the men in my life to explain their actions. Instead, I turned silently on my heel and left the building, Link at my side.

  Chapter 3

  I’d known David would show up sooner or later. I just hadn’t expected to see him a mere ten minutes after Phoebe and I walked through our front door.

  He stood on the front porch of my Greek Revival home, trying to talk Phoebe into letting him inside. I mirrored the stance he’d taken in the club, my arms folded over my chest and feet crossed at the ankle as I leaned against the living room wall.