A Witch's Fate: Witches of Lane County

by Jody A. Kessler

  * * * *

  The fire had gone out, and a chill crept into the room, whispering over Leif’s bare skin. He reached for the covers and pulled them over Tori and himself. She radiated beneath the blanket and warmed him in seconds. No longer able to sleep, he rested with eyes closed as his mind reviewed the circumstances of the previous day. Too many questions went unanswered for the effort he put into this investigation. Weston remained elusive, and Tori distracted him past the point of thinking clearly, if at all. He should be disturbed by the fact, but with her naked in the bed beside him, it didn’t currently bother him. He’d return to the case after the sun was fully up. Until then, he would accept his lack of judgment and move forward. One step at a time.

  Tori rolled over. The length of her body pressed into his side. Her hand slid over his stomach and came to rest on his lower abdomen. Tickling fingers glided lazily along his treasure trail.

  “How did you pick the fantasy out of my head?” he asked.

  “I didn’t.”

  “Don’t you have control over your own magic?” Leif tried to get a handle on what she was and wasn’t doing on purpose concerning her supernatural abilities.

  “Of course I do. I can’t control the effect it has on electronics. And sometimes the environment, but I created the illusion exactly the way I wanted it.” She ran hot fingers up his thigh. Her hand came to rest at his hip crease.

  “Are you admitting that you purposely tried to control my mind to seduce me?”

  “I admit no such thing.”

  She didn’t sound innocent. Tori’s seductive voice sounded exactly like the guilty temptress she was. Did he care? The trailing fingers across the edge of his hip bone, and the shivers of pleasure it created would suggest he didn’t care in the slightest.

  “So, the warm lodge, the fireplace, the smells of wood smoke and cedar? You in tiny pajamas, damp from the shower and smelling like a fucking ripe peach. That wasn’t intentionally done to brainwash me right into your bed?”

  “It was.” Her hand slid over his manhood. “A ripe peach?” she questioned. “And what of this fucking, you refer to? Is that what you want?”

  He growled as she gripped him with more confidence. “You read my mind and used it against me.” Leif wanted to clear up this matter.

  Tori inched in closer, so their bodies touched from chest to toes. Her taut nipple rubbed against his bare chest.

  “I didn’t. That was my fantasy of you. How interesting that you had a similar fantasy of me. I have another one if you’re interested. And it feels like you are.”

  He pulled his hips away from her massaging hand. “If you keep doing that you won’t find out what my other fantasy of you is.”

  “I wouldn’t want to ruin it,” she said with that vixen smile of hers.

  Leif peered into her eyes and saw none of the guarded shadows that had been there the day before. All he saw in her gaze was pure desire and that mischievous spark that he found himself recalling whenever he thought of her.

  Tori wrapped a leg over him and pushed herself up to straddle his hips.

  “Does your fantasy look anything like this?” She watched his face as she asked and ran her nails over his chest.

  “Exactly like this,” he admitted.

  If she could play with his chest, he could return the favor. The rounded mounds of her creamy breasts were irresistible. He cupped them and relished the silk of her skin. Tori whimpered with pleasure. The perfect raspberry nipples couldn’t be ignored, and he leaned up to sample one and then the other.

  “This is how I pictured you as well,” she said.

  His erection throbbed against her flesh, and she pressed down and rubbed against his length. Tori took the back of his neck and tilted his head back to place her lips on his. The passion in their kiss never waned. Each of them remained fully immersed in the moment, exploring the other without hesitation. Leif renewed his discovery of her shoulders, back, the curve of her hips and ass, her long legs and smooth stomach. He couldn’t get enough. He broke the kiss to explore her body with lips and tongue. He moved to her neck and the delicate skin of her earlobe. Tori tilted her head, giving him better access. Her red hair fell to the side. More silk, more fantasy. She was a fiery dream with an exotic flavor.

  He kissed along her collarbone eliciting a moan in response. A rippling shiver coursed over her satin skin and raised delicate gooseflesh. Her inner thighs tightened and trembled. The thrill of having such an effect on her clenched his groin and sent blood surging to his already eager member. He did it again, kissing her shoulder while he held her breast in his palm and brushed his thumb over her tight nipple. Another moan slipped passed her lips. Her lower body quivered around him.

  “Leif, I need you right now,” she breathed.

  She rose higher on her knees and positioned herself above him. He slid into her, and she rocked against him. Moans of pleasure emanated from her gorgeous full lips. They moved together in a way Leif had never known possible. Subtle shifts turned to rhythms of carnal ecstasy. Her heat encapsulated them and brought the temperature to a point where he wondered if he were melting. Leif took her by the hips and rode, completely losing himself in her, in the movement, in the feel of her inside and out. When they crested the insurmountable peak together, he was lost in the fire and silk of a world where nothing else existed except the two of them.

  Tori stretched out beside him, and to his surprise, he found another round of sleep dragging him under. Perhaps it was the jet lag, but he suspected it was the utter exhaustion and comfort of a satiated libido. The pre-dawn light filtering in through the windows had brightened the room, but morning seemed to be dragging its heels much like he was. He let himself drift and by Tori’s unmoving body and slow steady breaths, he thought she slept too.

  When he woke, sunlight streamed in through the sheer curtains. Tori lay on her stomach, propped on the pillow with her arms out in front of her, looking at the screen on her phone. She wore his shirt and nothing else. Her knees were bent so her feet dangled in the air. The curve of her fine bottom hung out just an inch. He wanted to begin kissing her from the inside of that naked ankle to her calf, the soft skin behind her knee and make his way north until he found the center of her pleasure. His manhood stirred with the vision. Then reality returned. Daylight was burning, and he had ignored his job for too long already. Plus, he was starved. He wasn’t sure if he would survive the journey to the dining room. With a loud rumbling snarl from his stomach, he was fairly certain his stomach would start digesting itself in protest if he didn’t feed it soon. Eating Tori for breakfast would have to wait, he decided regretfully. He definitely looked forward to fulfilling that particular fantasy in the near future.

  “Pretty hungry over there?”

  She must have heard his stomach.

  “Worse. I’m dying of starvation. It’s not pretty.”

  “I’m glad I ordered breakfast then,” she said. “It should be here in a few minutes, sleepyhead.”

  She didn’t take her gaze off the phone. Leif glanced at the slow knowing smile spreading across her face. He reached over and let lazy fingers glide up her leg. Since breakfast had not yet arrived, maybe they had a few minutes to test his stamina. Tori lifted an eyebrow and turned her bewitching gaze on him. The smile didn’t waver. She lowered the phone and rolled onto her side. His flannel shirt was only partially buttoned, and the top of it fell open from collar to mid-chest, alluring and taunting him in every seductive way. She had a knack for stealing his breath with her beauty. The view before him, of Tori in the morning light with tousled hair and half-dressed ranked as one of the best he’d ever seen. Definitely the most distracting. He scooted closer, intent on unfastening those two traitorous buttons when a knock at the door announced their breakfast.

  Leif glanced down the length of her and back up again. Was he really starving? The knock sounded again. Tori made no move to get up. He was. His stomach urged him to his feet.

  “Since you ordered, I’l
l answer the door.” She was half-naked after all, and he wouldn’t want to give the delivery person too much of a thrill.

  “Sounds good to me,” she said.

  Leif reluctantly rolled out of bed and glanced around the room for his discarded clothes. He slipped them on as he walked across the large suite. His wallet was still in his pants pocket, and he fished out some bills to tip the server. When he pulled open the door, he was surprised to see a wheeled cart covered with stainless steel warming covers, two carafes, and a basket covered with a cloth napkin. He handed over the tip, having no idea if it was enough or too much, and wheeled the cart inside.

  “How many people are we expecting for breakfast?” he asked, and glanced pointedly at the food and back to her.

  Tori sat crossed legged on the bed. He parked the cart next to the bed and began handing over the covered dishes.

  “Did you invite anyone?” She pulled off a lid and inhaled.

  “Not that I’m aware of. I’ve been doing other things I wouldn’t normally do, though, so inviting guests over in my sleep isn’t out of the question.”

  “Didn’t know what you liked, so I ordered everything. Besides, I’m famished.”

  “Famished?” he asked.

  “Yes. You are too. Join me. Breakfast in bed is my favorite.”

  He had to admit, it was inviting. Tori set the dishes in front of her with the lids off. Before Leif climbed back onto the bed, he poured two glasses of juice and two cups of coffee and left them in arms reach on the cart. He sat across from her, legs folded, and dove into the nearest plate. The omelet was stuffed with cheese, ham, mushrooms, and peppers. The home fries were peppery and browned to perfection. The basket held sweet bread and cinnamon rolls, and the coffee was strong. He could keep eating until he exploded, he was sure. Instead of scaring Tori with how much he could fit inside his stomach—although he wasn’t sure she’d be scared, she ate almost as much as he did—he nursed his second cup of coffee and finally asked her if she had any luck regarding the search for Weston.

  “How did it go yesterday?”

  Tori reached over and set her glass down on the cart. “I found this incredibly sexy man last night at a dance club, and he rocked my world.”

  His ego liked the confidence booster, but he needed to stay on topic and not let her distract him again. “Before that,” he said.

  “Not well. I—” She cut herself off.

  Her hands tugged at the shirt, adjusting it. Leif couldn’t see any difference she made. It was still way too sexy on her.

  “Leif, I have a confession to make.” She looked straight at him, food forgotten.

  He bristled slightly. The physical relaxation of their night together still had its effect on him. He waited for her continue without the typical pressure a statement like that would elicit. He thought she would say something related to Weston, not what came next.

  “I tried to give you a potion the night we met. Now that we shared a night together, I felt like I needed to tell you. You’re rather sensitive about the use of my magic.”

  “What was it for? And what do you mean, ‘tried to’?”

  “I’m sorry,” she said with a lift of her chin. “It was to make you forget about me and my house. When you drove me back to my building after coffee at The Magic Bean, I knew you didn’t drink it. And I’m glad you didn’t.”

  “Why would you do that?” he asked. “Was it like a roofie or something?” This was new. No one he ever met admitted to attempting to drug him before. The alarm bells sounded somewhere in the distance again.

  “The potion is totally harmless.”

  “Altering someone’s memories isn’t harmless,” he said.

  “I am truly sorry. I’ve had to use the potion only a couple of times before. I never let men know where I live. It sounds strange, but it’s for the best. Believe me. Remember that family curse I told you about? Anyway, I didn’t know you, and you were inside my house, and I never thought I’d see you again. My decision to try the potion on you was shortsighted and wrong. I’m making a lot of mistakes lately. And I am sorry. You asked me not to do any magic last night, and I didn’t. I’m trying to do better.”

  He considered her confession before speaking. Tori Morgan was an enigma he couldn’t quite wrap his head around, and he wasn’t sure if he should try. “I asked you to not perform magic on me or give me potions without my consent. Is there anything else I should be warned about before you attempt to use it on me?”

  “Charms,” she said.

  “Okay, no charms.”

  “Agreed.” The wariness and guilt on her face appeared genuine.

  “I’m serious, Tori. We can’t be friends if I can’t trust you,” he said.

  “I understand,” she said. “Now, tell me how your day went yesterday?”

  “It was terrible. No one would admit having seen Weston here, but I think they’re lying. Everyone I spoke to reacted exactly the same way. It was a united front, and I wasn’t going to break through any of them.”

  Tori remained silent, and Leif sensed a shift in her mood. She wouldn’t look directly at him now.

  “Why do I think you’re not telling me something? Did you find Weston? You started to say something about yesterday and then changed subjects.”

  “There’s a reason no one will talk to you.” Tori fiddled with the bedspread. When she finally looked up, he could see the hard set to her jaw. The last thing he wanted was an argument, a fight, or even a disagreement, so why did he think one was coming? His relaxation was starting to wear off for real. Tension crept down his backbone.

  “What is that reason?”

  “I’m not sure I can tell you.”

  Now it was his turn to sit in silence. What the hell was she playing at? “Did you find Weston or not?” he asked after he took a moment to brood over her previous answer. That needed to be cleared up before anything else.

  “Yes.”

  “Were you going to tell me?” He sounded calm, but the confusion over her lack of disclosure simmered in his gut. Not telling someone important information was the same as lying in his book. His ex had refrained from sharing her secret. The tangle of lies she wove cost him everything.

  “Yes, but I hadn’t decided how to do it.”

  “What the hell, Tori? Seriously? You drag me halfway around the world, begging for my help, but you don’t actually want it?”

  The stubborn and defiant streak inside her appeared all at once in the set of her shoulders and the rigidity of her body.

  “It’s not like that,” she said.

  “What is it like then? You wanted to screw me, feed me breakfast, and forget about the case? I can’t do that. I’m not just here to help you. I’m working with Portland PB, too.”

  She swung her legs off the bed and rose to her feet, arms crossed over her middle.

  “I’m sorry. That was uncalled for,” he apologized quickly. “I had a bad experience with someone who lied and used me.”

  He almost thought she flinched, but he couldn’t see all of her face behind the screen of her hair. Leif left the bed and came around to stand in front of her.

  “What happened yesterday?”

  “A tragedy. I—”

  She did it again. Unable to finish a sentence.

  “Are you all right? Did he hurt you? Is that why you acted so strange at the club when I found you?”

  “He didn’t hurt me. He wouldn’t. You have to believe me when I tell you he’s innocent. Weston’s not who you think he is. And yes, you’re right. My behavior is strange. I didn’t react well to seeing Weston. The club was my way of acting out. I don’t always handle life well. I make terrible decisions when emotions are involved.” Tori moved toward the bathroom. Leif placed his hand gently on her arm to stop her.

  “I don’t understand. Where is he? I still want to speak with him about the investigation.”

  She’d been staring first out the window, then toward the bathroom, but now she looked into his eyes. “Y
ou’ll never find him.”

  “Is he gone?”

  “I can’t say, Leif.”

  “Give me a more solid answer than that. You’re being vague.”

  “You can’t find him unless he wants to be found.”

  “Are you telling me Weston’s involved with magic and witchcraft?”

  “He is. There’s nothing you can do unless you suddenly turn into a wizard and learn to craft a counter spell or a tracking charm… or something similar. I’m so sorry. I’m waiting on an email about our flight back to the States. I should hear something soon.”

  Leif blinked and let his hand drop. “Can’t you perform these spells?”

  Tori stepped toward the bathroom. “No. I can’t from here. Everything I need to do that kind of magic is at home. There’s nothing else we can do right now.” She ducked into the bathroom and closed the door.

  Before she broke her gaze, he saw the moisture collecting around those beautiful eyes. What happened yesterday? He wanted to be furious with her, to rage and rant until she told him everything, but he understood that would do absolutely no good with Tori. She liked a challenge, and she could put up a good fight. The emotion he witnessed threw him off balance. He cared too deeply for her already. Sleeping with her was a mistake, he now saw. The case was compromised in every way, and he only had himself to blame. She admitted magic was involved. How could he fight a battle against woo-woo obscurity? He shook off the skepticism for the moment and reevaluated. Even if he was starting to believe in her mysticism and supernatural powers, he didn’t have any of his tools or his team to help him out here in the Ukraine. She was right about one thing. They were done in the Carpathian Mountains.

  Through the door, he listened to the shower come on. Leif collected his shoes and coat and returned to his room. She’d tell him when it was time to leave.

  Chapter Twelve

  “WHAT ARE YOU doing here?” Tori asked, not holding back the accusatory tone.