Intoxicating Magic

by Deanna Chase

  “Willow?” Jasper called from the register.

  I stuffed the rest of the bars in the case and smiled at my newest employee. I’d asked Phoebe to track him down to come talk to me. The fact that he’d sent Phoebe after me after I’d been sold to Rox had weighed heavily on my mind. He hadn’t willingly chosen the gang life. He’d been born into it, and I’d wanted to give him a hand up. So I’d made him a deal. Leave the gang for good and he had a full-time job with me for as long as he wanted. If there was ever even a hint of trouble, he was out. No second chances.

  He’d accepted on the spot. Today was his third day, and I was confident in saying I’d never had a more willing or eager employee. Especially one that was willing to show up at six a.m. for the morning shift.

  “What do you need, Jas?”

  “There’s a delivery for you.” He nodded to a woman holding a thick envelope sealed with wax.

  “Thanks,” I said absently.

  Oh jeez. It had to be from the Cryrique. The old-fashioned grandeur was their thing. I rolled my eyes. What did Allcot want now? Officially, I was no longer tied to them in any way. Talisen was, though. I bit my lip and signed the form, indicating I’d gotten the letter. The courier nodded and moved to the counter to order a Mocha in Motion.

  I stuffed the envelope in my pocket and went back to stocking the shelves, preferring to remain blissfully unaware of whatever it was Allcot wanted. But after a few minutes, my curiosity got the better of me.

  What if it was about David? What if whatever Beau Jr. had done to turn him human had caused side effects? We’d collectively decided to tell the Void that the fae Meredith had turned him back to human with some unknown magic so Beau would be protected from any testing or interrogation. With Meredith safely locked away in Allcot’s care—or worse… I didn’t want to know what he’d ultimately decided to do with her—no one would ever know Beau’s ability. It wasn’t something we wanted to explore. Not right now.

  The envelope started to burn a hole of curiosity in my jeans, and finally I touched my assistant’s arm.

  Tami paused from filling a pastry box. “What’s up, boss?”

  “I’m going to my office for a bit. Can you keep an eye on Jasper in case he needs anything?” I’d decided to be the one to train him, considering his checkered past. But he was doing so well I didn’t think letting Tami take the reins was going to be an issue.

  “Sure thing. I’ll call you if we need anything.”

  “Thanks.” I knew she wouldn’t unless the place caught on fire or something. I grimaced at the unfortunate thought. The Red Door and Allcot’s mansion would be undergoing construction for the next few months to repair the damage Asher had caused. In the meantime, I’d heard they were all staying at David’s house in Mid-City.

  I stepped into my office and was instantly cheered by the man sitting at my desk. “Hey,” I said. “When did you get here?”

  Tal stood and opened his arms wide. “About forty minutes ago. You seemed busy with the new kid, so Link and I just slipped in and got to work.”

  I moved and wrapped my arms around Tal as he tugged me to him, his embrace perfect and warm. I glanced over his shoulder at Link. He was curled up in his dog bed, blissfully sleeping. “Looks like someone is well on his way to a productive day.”

  “Lucky dog.” Tal chuckled.

  I felt the rumble in his chest and decided I could get very used to that. Tal had been staying at my house the past week. Mostly we’d been sleeping a lot, trying to recover from the toll taken on both of us. During the day he’d started to come into the shop to work on some healing spells until he could find his own lab.

  “I’ve been thinking,” I said.

  “Yeah?” He pulled back slightly and glanced down at me. “What’s that?”

  “There’s extra space here. There’s a storage room that’s just full of extra junk. Why don’t you use it as your lab? Maybe even team up with me to work on a few things?”

  His eyes sparkled with interest. “Like?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe something like Intoxicating Fusion or Heart’s Desire dollops. You know, something that helps people see what it is they really want out of life? But I can’t really do that on my own, I don’t think.”

  “No?” His lips turned up into a sexy little smile.

  “No. There’s a secret ingredient I’m missing, but I think you can help me out with that.”

  In answer, he bent his head and kissed my neck, his lips moving slowly up until they closed over my earlobe. “Hmm,” he murmured. “I kind of like the sound of this idea.”

  I let out a giggle and then turned to capture his lips with my own. Our bodies melded together in all the pent-up desire and longing we’d been burying the past eight or nine years. Soon our breathing became labored, and I knew I was moments from ripping his shirt off and mauling him right there in my office.

  Instead, I kissed him softly once more and stepped back. “I think we need to put this on hold until later tonight.”

  Passion smoldered in his vibrant green eyes. “Is that an invitation or a promise?”

  I swallowed and smiled shyly. “Both.”

  Tal had been sleeping in my bed the past week, holding me tightly while we slept. It had been a week of healing, but today felt different. Like we were both ready to let go of the past and finally embrace our future. There was only one thing standing in our way.

  Allcot.

  I sighed and pulled out the letter. “This came today.”

  Tal swore.

  “I know.”

  He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and gently tugged me over to the loveseat I’d placed near Link’s dog bed.

  I handed it to him. “You open it. I don’t think I can stomach whatever it is he wants.”

  Tal took the letter from me, and without ceremony, he tore it open. The envelope fell to the floor as he opened the folded piece of paper. His expression shifted from annoyance to downright shock. After a moment, he held it out to me.

  “What does it say?” I asked him, wanting to hear it from Tal. Allcot’s orders were entirely too condescending.

  Tal shook his head. “Read it.”

  I took a deep breath and scanned the letter.

  Dear Ms. Rhoswen,

  It is probably not a surprise to you that there are very few people in this world whom I treasure. I’m sure you well know one of them is Davidson and the other is my dear Pandora. Last week’s event marks the second time you have saved someone dear to me. I will be forever in your debt.

  I have asked Davidson what it is I might do to show you my appreciation for sacrificing your own health and well-being for the people around you, in particular for the people I treasure. Davidson informs me there is nothing more important to you than freedom. As you well know, the Void is unwilling to sell your tenure with them. However, you also might be aware I purchased Talisen Kavanagh’s contract not long ago. In exchange for your self-sacrifice in healing Pandora, I am hereby granting the freedom of one of your loved ones. I have enclosed the release-of-duty certificate for one Talisen Kavanagh. He is no longer required to be of service. If this is not an acceptable exchange, please inform me at your earliest convenience.

  I’m in your debt,

  Eadric Allcot

  I let out a loud gasp and picked up the fallen envelope. There it was. Talisen’s release-from-service form. “I can’t believe it!”

  Tal took the piece of paper from me and read it carefully. Twice. Then he stood and grabbed me, twirling me around as I laughed.

  “I still can’t believe it. Allcot did something that wasn’t completely self-serving.”

  Laughing, Tal set me back down on my feet and kissed me hard. “This calls for a celebration.”

  I grinned up at him. “What did you have in mind?”

  “You’ll just have to wait and see. What time do you get off today?”

  I glanced at the wall clock. “Six.”

  “Good. I have plenty of time to
arrange everything.” With one last kiss, he winked at me and then snapped his fingers. “Let’s go, Link. We have work to do.”

  “Hey!” I called as he opened the side door to my office.

  “Yeah?”

  “You never answered me about working here for a while.”

  His smile turned mischievous. “Are you sure you can handle having me around all the time? I might become a distraction.”

  “That’s what I was hoping for.”

  The gleam in his eyes brightened. “In that case, Ms. Rhoswen, you’re on.”

  ***

  The shop was empty with only few minutes left before closing, and I’d already let the rest of my staff take off early. I was crouched down, organizing the extra stock of boxes and cups, when the bell rang indicating a customer. “Just a sec,” I called.

  “Take your time,” a familiar male voice called.

  I popped up. “David?”

  He flashed me a lazy smile. His human one. I hadn’t seen him since that day at the farmhouse. He’d been in total shock. We all had.

  I slipped out from behind the counter and stood in front of him. “How are you?”

  He shrugged. “Good, I guess. It’s a huge change.”

  “I can imagine.” I waved toward one of the tables near the giant mural covering the wall. “Want to sit?”

  “Sure.” He pulled out one of the metal chairs while I flipped the Closed sign and locked the front door.

  “Want anything?” I asked as I sat across from him? “A Kiss Me chocolate?”

  It was an inside joke and I was happy he laughed. It was the first thing he’d ever ordered from me and was what I’d brought him when we’d restarted our friendship after Tal had left.

  “No, I’m good. I just wanted to talk to you for a minute.”

  “Sure,” I said. “I’m really glad you came by. I’ve been worried.”

  “You have?” There was true interest in his expression.

  “Of course. We’re friends, right?”

  He nodded. “Always have been.”

  “Good.”

  We stared at each other until an awkward silence stretched between us. I shifted, not sure what to say or do next.

  Then he cleared his throat. “Did you get Father’s letter?”

  “Oh. Yes, I did. That was—”

  “The least he could do?” David asked with a kind smile.

  I laughed. “I was going to say generous.”

  “You’re too nice, Willow.” David’s expression turned serious. “Honestly, I think it’s not enough considering everything you’ve been through.”

  I shook my head. “I’m not looking for anything. Your father looks after Beau and Carrie. All I’ve ever wanted is for them to be safe.”

  “And to live your life as you see fit,” he added.

  “Well, that, too. You were right about me wanting freedom. I have what I need now. Please thank Eadric for me. I saved each of you for my own reasons, so payment wasn’t necessary, but I appreciate it all the same.”

  David nodded. “I’ll tell him.”

  I studied his decidedly human features, loving the softness around his eyes and the small scar above his eyebrow that hadn’t been there as a vampire. “Can I ask you something?”

  “Anything.”

  I swallowed, not wanting to upset him. But I had to know. “Are you happy being human again?”

  He frowned, but not unhappily. More as if he was considering the question. “You know, I’m not sure. I don’t think I’ve fully come to terms with it. It’s hard to say.”

  That was interesting. “So you don’t want to be turned back into a vampire?” Allcot could do it. Would do it anytime David asked him to, I suspected.

  David met my gaze, his brilliant blue eyes suddenly intense. “I really don’t know. I wasn’t happy as a vampire. Life got better once you turned me into a daywalker. I don’t think I want to live in darkness again.”

  I bit my lip. “What if I agree to turn you again? Back into a daywalker, I mean.”

  He sat up straight. That had certainly gotten his attention. “You’d do that?” he asked, skepticism clouding his tone.

  “Well, yeah. It’s not something I’m dying to do, but you’ve suffered a lot of changes in your life because of me. If you loved being a daywalking vamp and wanted to be one again, I think I would be on board to help you out.”

  He reached across the table and clasped my hand in his. “That’s very generous of you.”

  I frowned. “Why do you say that?”

  He chuckled. “I know how you feel about vampires.”

  It was my turn to laugh. “No. I don’t think you do. I admit, I was a prejudice pill about vamps before. But one of the things I learned through all this is that not all vampires are created equal. There are good and bad and everything in between. Just like every other race and creature on this giant planet. You were one of the good ones.” I squeezed his hand. “At this point, David, I only want whatever will make you happy.”

  The brilliant blue of his eyes dimmed slightly but then brightened as he smiled at me once again. “I think I need to figure out what it is that will make me happy. Then maybe we can talk about it.”

  Before I could say anything else, he stood and kissed me on the top of my head. “Good night, Willow. You know where to find me if you need anything.”

  I stood and walked him to the door. “The same goes for you. And I meant what I said. If you want to be changed, all you have to do is ask.”

  “I know you did. And thank you.”

  I watched him walk down the street to his silver Mercedes. He slipped in and then waited. Just like he always did. I smiled, knowing he wouldn’t leave until I was safely in my car and on my way home.

  ***

  The house was silent and dark when I walked through the door that night. “Tal?” I called and flipped the deadbolt on the door.

  “Upstairs,” he called back.

  I wasted no time bounding up to the second floor but stopped dead in my tracks when I got to my bedroom door. Candles, what appeared to be hundreds of them, were placed all around my room on every flat surface. The soft glow bounced off the shadows and illuminated Tal, who was sitting at a small table right in the middle of the room.

  “What’s going on here?” I asked, walking slowly toward him.

  He stood and held out his hand. “We’re having a romantic evening for two.”

  I glanced around, noting Link hadn’t met me at the door. “Does Phoebe have my dog, or did you rent him out for the evening?”

  He chuckled. “Phoebe does have him. They’re holed up in her office doing paperwork.”

  “Poor dog,” I said, smiling.

  “Yeah, he’s really broken up about it.” Tal pulled out my chair for me.

  I sat and glanced around my room. It had been turned into a magical wonderland. “Did you do all this yourself?”

  He shrugged.

  “You did, didn’t you?” My heart swelled with more love than I thought possible.

  “It’s a special occasion. We’re celebrating, remember?” He picked up a chilled bottle of white wine and filled my glass. While I sipped, he dished a helping of seared tuna onto my plate.

  “Nice.” I couldn’t help the grin from claiming my face. He’d picked my favorites. I stabbed one of the slices and was getting ready to take a bite when I stopped and eyed him. He was staring at me with an intensity I didn’t recognize. Tal was almost never serious. And definitely not when we were eating.

  I put the tuna down. “What’s going on?”

  He swallowed. “Nothing. I…”

  “You’re nervous,” I said, noting the bounce of his right leg. “Why?”

  “Shit.” He chuckled. “This wasn’t how I wanted this to happen.”

  “For what to— Oh.”

  He slipped out of his chair and dropped to one knee. In his right hand was a small blue velvet box.

  “Oh,” I said again, my heart ready to p
ound out of my chest.

  Ever so slowly, he opened the box, revealing a large round diamond surrounded by sapphires. Ones the same color as my eyes. Tears started to fall before I could blink them back.

  Was this really happening?

  “Willow.” Tal swallowed again and then blinked hard, forcing back his own tears.

  I let out a small laugh through the lump clogging my throat.

  His hand squeezed my fingers tightly, and he looked up at me with so much love my heart nearly burst. “Wil, I’ve been in love with you for nine years. Nine glorious and frustrating years. There’s never been anyone I’ve ever wanted the way I want you, the way I crave you. You’re my other half, my partner, and the one I lie awake at night aching for.”

  “Tal—”

  “I don’t want to be apart from you again.” He pulled the ring from the velvet box and moved it toward my left ring finger. “Will you—”

  “Wait.” I pulled my hand back, needing a moment before he finished the question, and immediately hated myself when I saw the hurt flash through his eyes. “No, it’s not what you think. I want this. I want this more than you could ever know.” And dammit if that wasn’t God’s honest truth. My heart was cracking from just that small moment of uncertainty I’d caused.

  “Then what?” Tal got to his feet and sat in the chair opposite me, but he didn’t let go of my hand, and for that I was grateful.

  “I need to tell you something first.”

  His lips thinned and I wanted to kick myself again.

  “I’m messing this all up.” I sent him an apologetic smile. “It was a beautiful proposal and as soon as we get through this, if you still want to ask me, I promise my answer is yes.”

  Now he looked confused. “I think you better start explaining.”

  I let out a nervous laugh and pushed my hair off my face. It was best to just rip the Band-Aid off. Put it right out there. I took a deep breath and then said, “David came to see me tonight. He’s still human, but if he decides to turn vamp, I offered to turn him back into a daywalker.”

  Tal just looked at me, his brow furrowed. “And?”