by Deanna Chase
I glanced over my shoulder at Sterling. He’d moved away into the shadows, giving us space to have this argument. Once again, he was giving me what I needed without being a Neanderthal. Although in Diesel’s defense, he was a wolf and they tended to be very territorial. It was hard to stay mad for very long.
“Well, you’re welcome to join us,” I said.
His gaze shifted behind me and even in the dim moonlight I could see his body tense. “Maybe that’s not a great idea.”
Shit. Had I just asked him to join Sterling and me in the hot spring… naked? A bubble of laughter escaped my lips. Could I get any more inappropriate? Not likely. “I’m going for a swim. Who’s with me?”
“You go ahead,” Sterling said, moving to stand behind me. Then he lowered his voice and whispered, “I’ll be right here when you need someone to warm you up.”
A tingle of happiness shot through me. “You better be,” I whispered back.
“I’ll join you for that swim,” Diesel said.
I climbed out of the hot spring, acutely aware both men were staring at my naked body. I paused for a moment, letting them get their fill, taking just a bit of perverse pleasure in torturing them. But when a small wind picked up, I shivered and took off toward the lake, calling back, “Race you!”
“Hey!” Diesel ran after me, awkwardly shedding his clothes.
I laughed and plunged into the lake, gasping at the sharp sting of the freezing water. “Oh my God! Sassy, why the hell didn’t you warn me.”
“Why would I do that?” she yelled back. “Just make out with one of your boy toys and you’ll warm right up.”
“Not. Helpful.” I paddled around, trying to generate enough body heat to keep my teeth from chattering, but it wasn’t working. “It’s cold as ass out here!”
Diesel, impersonating an Olympic swimmer, cut through the water, swimming circles around me. “Are you all right?”
“Fi…ine,” I forced out. “Cold.”
“I can see that.” He held his arm out. “Come over here, I’ll warm you up.”
Even I wasn’t shameless enough to go straight from Sterling’s embrace to Diesel’s. “Um, thanks. That sounds very inviting, but I think I should probably just head back to the hot spring.” Without waiting for him to answer, I started working my way toward the shore. Halfway there, I paused to catch my breath and caught movement near the path. “Sterling? Are you leaving?”
“What? No,” he called from the hot spring.
“Then who—”
A flash of light sailed through the air and landed with a plop just a few feet from me. Golden light shimmered on top of the water and grew, spreading out in a large circle.
“Ida May!” I heard Sassy’s faint voice behind me just as the golden magic engulfed me.
My entire body froze, while intense pain hit me in the form of a thousand tiny little needles. I opened my mouth to scream, but nothing came out. Shouts sounded all around me. I started to sink and the last thing I saw before the water swallowed me whole was Sterling standing in the lake, green magic lighting him up like a neon sign.
My world turned black and cold and empty. This was it. My second death. My entry into Hell, where my soul would rot. My lungs burned and my mind ordered my limbs to move, but I was powerless to help myself. I went numb from the cold, and resigned to sinking to the depths of the unknown.
Suddenly an arm wrapped around me, and pulled me back up to the surface. The moment my head popped out of the water, I sucked in a huge gasp and started coughing.
“Ida May!”
I had a passing thought that the voice belonged to Sterling, but was too busy trying to expel the water from my lungs. A few moments later, Sterling made it to solid ground and picked me up in his arms. The coughing stopped, and I rested my head against his chest, hanging on for dear life.
When we got to the shore, he sat on the ground, still cradling me in his arms. “You’re okay,” he soothed, pushing my hair out of my eyes. “You’re fine.”
I blinked up at him. “Wha…” I cleared my throat, coughed, and finally forced out, “What happened?”
“A magical attack.”
Fear seized me as I stared up at him. “Diesel? Sassy? Jeeves? They were all in the water. Are they—”
He held up a hand, stopping me. “They’re fine. Or at least were. They took off after the attacker.”
I glanced around the now silent lake. “Was it Ophelia?” I whispered, forgetting all about not saying her name.
He pressed his lips together, a troubled expression on his face.
“Sterling, do you have any idea who it was?” I asked.
“No. I saw someone, but couldn’t see well enough to place them.” He stared me straight in the eye and said, “The spell was a magical bomb, one that trapped the magic.”
“Meaning?” I asked, barely able to breathe through the trepidation.
“It can be premade, the magic stored. It means that anyone can set it off, not just a witch.”
“Oh, God. You mean someone not magical just tried to drown me?”
“You and Diesel. He barely escaped the water before the spell had a chance to hit him.” He stood, still holding me to him. “We need to get you dressed and head back to the house.”
“Sassy and Jeeves?” I asked, almost too afraid to hear the answer.
“They got out. Sassy tossed a bolt of magic that cleared a path for them to the shore. Of course she nearly blew her and Jeeves up in the process, but they made it. Last I saw they were running down the path, chasing after the intruder.”
A small thread of relief rushed through me, but didn’t last. They were chasing after whoever did this. Ophelia? Or had she hired someone to do her dirty work?
Sterling put me on my feet next to where we’d tossed our clothes. We dressed as fast as we could, and then took off for the trail leading back to the house. On the way, I stumbled and fell, landing in a pile of clothes. I held up a slinky tank top. “Don’t tell me Sassy and Jeeves are running around naked.”
“Looks like it.”
“Oh, hell.” I scooped up all the clothes I could find and pushed myself to my feet. “Let’s go.”
“Give me a second,” Sterling said, then swept me back up in his arms. “You’re a little wobbly.”
Shaking my head, I smiled up at him, and in my best Hollywood starlet voice said, “You big strong man, you. Whatever would I do without your giant muscles to save me?”
He snorted, moving swiftly along the trail. “You’d find a way. You’re the scrappy type.”
I laughed then sobered. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Sterling?”
He paused. “Yes?”
“Kiss me.”
He slowly lowered me to my feet, brushed my wild hair back, and bent his head, his lips gently brushing over mine.
God, he was delicious, but I hadn’t asked for a kiss. I’d asked to be kissed. And dammit, that was exactly what I was going to get. Narrowing my eyes in determination, I grabbed the front of his shirt and yanked him to me, our lips meeting with a fiery passion.
I melted into him, loving his faint taste of coffee and cream. His large hands, slid down to my hips, pulling me to him until we were molded together. Everything pulsed with the promise of more to come and I was ready to give myself over to him, but finally came to my senses and pulled back.
We were both breathless, our eyes locked on each other. I smiled up at him. “That was really nice.”
He tightened his hold on my hips and pulled me back to him. “I can do better.”
“I just bet you can,” I said, wanting him to prove himself even as I put a hand on his chest, nudging him backward. “But we need to make sure everyone is okay.”
He sucked in a deep breath. “Yeah. Good point.”
“Later,” I promised and slipped my hand into his as we both turned toward the house.
“I’m holding you to that.”
“Some
thing to look—”
A loud high-pitched scream cut me off. Sterling and I glanced at each other, then ran.
6
We burst through the trees to find Zelda’s property lit up with magical floating orbs. Jeeves and Diesel were standing near the porch, both of them covering their junk with their hands.
But best of all, right in the middle of the yard, two women were wrestling. And a naked Sassy was winning.
“Holy shit,” Sterling said.
I was speechless as I watched Sassy straddle the other woman, and secure her hands over her head. As she leaned over, her massive boobs nearly smothered her captive.
“Well done, Sas,” Jeeves called.
“Impressive,” Diesel agreed.
“What is going on out here?” Zelda yelled from the back door. “Why is everyone naked?”
“Naked?” Fabio asked, his head popping out from behind Zelda’s.
I giggled.
“Not now, Naked Dude,” Zelda said, striding out onto the porch. Mac followed closely behind her.
“Andi here decided it would be a good idea to turn the lake into a death trap,” Sassy called.
“Andi? Diesel’s Andi?” I asked, shocked.
“She’s not mine,” Diesel growled.
I ignored him and ran over to Sassy. The woman beneath her squirmed, desperately trying to break free, but Sassy was freakishly strong. “My God. It is Andi.” I glanced up and met Diesel’s gaze.
“I told you she wasn’t my mate,” he insisted.
I ignored Diesel’s outburst and stared at the woman. “Why would you do such a thing?”
“We’re about to find out,” Mac said, striding toward Sassy and the she wolf. He glanced over his shoulder at Diesel and Jeeves. “Put some clothes on before Yaba Baba gets here.”
“Here,” I ran over to them, delivering the clothes we’d found.
“She tried to kill us all,” Sassy said, refusing to let go of her prisoner. “She doesn’t deserve mercy.” The anger streaming off my friend was palpable.
“Sassy,” Zelda said carefully. “Um, your girls look a little cold. You sure you don’t want to let Mac help you out? You wouldn’t want your nips to freeze out here would you?’
Sassy glanced down at herself, contemplating. Then she let go of Andi and jumped up, her boobage swinging wildly.
Mac reached down and yanked the Shifter up, holding her arms behind her back.
“You’re lucky Zelda was here to remind me there are more important things than your sorry ass.” She cupped herself, carefully inspecting her breasts. “If I end up with frostbite and have to amputate something, you’re going to not only pay, but donate those ridiculously perky nips of yours, got that?”
Andi just stood there, compliant, her pleading eyes locked on Diesel.
“Amputate?” Diesel asked, tearing his gaze from the woman, a blank expression on his face. “I don’t think one can freeze in sixty-degree weather.”
I stifled a chuckle. “Sassy has a flair for the dramatic, that’s for sure.”
Jeeves walked over to Sassy, put his arm around her, caressing her bare arm as he walked her inside.
“I think maybe we should go inside and wait,” Zelda said.
Everyone was silent as we piled back into the house. Sassy and Jeeves disappeared upstairs. I stood shivering in the living room. The skimpy outfit was doing nothing to warm my chilled bones. “Um, Zelda?”
“What?” she barked.
My eyes widened. Wow she was pissed. But it didn’t stop me from asking for a favor. “Can I borrow something with a little more material? This isn’t quite cutting it.”
She waved an impatient hand. “Whatever.”
Relief washed through me, and I jumped up, heading for the stairs.
“Stay out of my designer closet!” she yelled after me.
“Yeah. Sure. Thanks.” Like I knew which was which. Still, once I entered her bedroom, I rummaged around until I found leggings and a formfitting sweater dress. And high heeled boots, because when was I going to get the chance to dress in real clothes again. After fussing with my unruly hair and scrubbing my face until it turned pink, I clamored back down the stairs.
Zelda took one look at the boots and winced. “Those are Valentino.”
“Really?” I glanced down at the plain black knee-highs. “They look kinda generic to me.”
“Scuff them or stretch them out and I’ll fix it so your permanent ghost outfit is that monstrosity Sassy put you in earlier.”
I shuddered, seriously considering taking the boots off. But they were so damned comfortable, I decided against it. “Consider me warned.” I glanced around the empty living room. “Where is everyone?”
“Kitchen. We’re waiting for Yabity Doo Doo Head to get here. Mac’s interrogating the Shifter, but not getting very far. She either won’t talk or is too traumatized to get anything out.”
“Figures.”
Zelda took a moment to study me, then said, “That outfit looks nice on you. Classy.”
Pleasure wound through me and I smiled at the witch. “Thank you. For both letting me borrow them and the compliment.”
She waved a dismissive hand. “No problem.”
The door to the kitchen opened and Sterling stuck his head out. “I think you two might want to get in here.”
Zelda and I shared a glance, then quickly followed him. The moment I stepped through the door, I let out a startled gasp.
Andi was levitating above the table, her palms out, eyes wide with fear, chanting, “She’s coming. She’s coming. She’s coming.”
“Who’s coming?” I asked Diesel, my voice shaky.
“I don’t know for sure, but I can guess.” He reached for her, but the moment he touched her hand, she opened her mouth and screamed.
“Holy shit,” Zelda said, her hands lighting up with a rainbow of colors.
Mac stepped in front of her. “No. You can’t help her.”
“Why?” Zelda darted around him, magic crawling up her arms.
“She has that same tattoo.” He pointed, indicating her abdomen.
“Oh my Goddess,” Zelda said just as I spotted the mark peeking out from underneath her shirt. With her hands raised, we could see just a sliver of skin between her jeans and T-shirt. But it was enough to recognize the glowing pentagram.
“She’s been cursed, too!” I cried, clutching Diesel’s hand.
“That bitch Ophelia. She forced her to attack you guys,” Zelda spat. Then she took a step back and stood tall, her brilliant magic swirling around her.
“Zelda?” Mac said.
But she paid him no attention. She was a witch on a mission. The pots hanging on a rack rattled. Dishes clanked together. The floor rolled. And as Zelda’s magic rose up around her, she shouted, “Ophelia, show yourself!”
The rainbow of magic burst from Zelda with a loud boom.
Diesel and I flattened ourselves against the wall. Mac and Sterling ducked from a flying casserole dish. And Fabio shrieked, scrambling under a chair. Andi crumpled to the table, sending coffee mugs and pastries flying.
I couldn’t hear anything, and soon my vision was impaired when the entire kitchen filled with rainbow dust. But my arm started to burn and my head swam. I clutched at Diesel’s arm. “I’m going to be sick.”
When he didn’t say anything, I glanced up at him. His expression was murderous as he stared straight ahead with narrowed, menacing eyes. I followed his gaze and bit back a gasp as my heart sank.
Standing on the table, with a leash attached to a copper-color wolf I recognized as Andi, Ophelia smiled down at us. “Hello, Sterling my love.”
“I’m not your love, you bitch. Let her go.”
“I don’t think I will.” She yanked on the leash and Andi snarled in Zelda’s direction. “You see, my pet here still has work to do.”
“Your pet?” Zelda said, her tone full of rage. “That Shifter is one of us. Let her go, or I’ll spell your ass so hard, you’ll e
nd up cockroach food.”
Ophelia wrinkled her nose. “How charming,” she said dryly. “No, I think I’ll let Andrea here do what she came to do.”
Then with a snap of her fingers, Andi lunged for the Shifter healer.
7
Zelda threw up a wall of magic to protect herself from the snarling wolf just as Fabio lobbed a bolt of silver magic at Ophelia.
Ophelia blocked it with just a flick of her wrist, while sending rapid fire bolts of magic around the room, knocking of chunks of plaster and shattering windows. Everyone scrambled. Sterling and Fabio did their best to counteract her attacks, but males didn’t have as powerful magic as females did, and their attempts merely bounced off the magical shield protecting her.
Diesel and Mac had shifted and were standing in front of Zelda, doing their best to protect the witch from Andi’s vicious attacks. The female wolf had gone berserk as if she were possessed. Well, she was, wasn’t she? And likely the only reason Zelda hadn’t fried her ass was because the wolf was cursed, just like Diesel and I were.
Pounding sounded on the door behind me and I heard Sassy shouting, wanting to know what was happening. She couldn’t get in for some reason, but I didn’t have time to find out why.
Because Ophelia had her sights on me, and she was moving straight toward me. “This is all your fault, you whore.”
“Sticks and stones, loser,” I cried and bolted around the kitchen island. “All of this for one guy? I mean Diesel is hot and all, but damn, girl. How pathetic do you have to be to go through all of this?”
“You have no idea what you’re talking about.” She seethed, reaching back to diffuse one of Sterling’s bolts of green magic.
“Don’t I?” I ducked, using the counter for cover. “You loved and lost and now you can’t get over it. Look at you. You’re a hot mess. Don’t you think pining for a century for a man who never loved you is just… sad?”
“Shut up!” Magic poured from her hands, destroying the beautiful granite counters.
“Looks like I hit a nerve,” I said and rolled, avoiding her latest attack.
Her face scrunched up in fury as she flew—actually flew—through the air, her arms outstretched as if her greatest wish was to strangle me.