by Deanna Chase
The lukewarm water hit my bare skin and I let out a sigh of pleasure. He was right. This was exactly what I needed.
Or at least it was what I thought I needed until his arms came around me from behind and his lips brushed over the back of my neck.
“That feels really good,” I whispered.
“This is going to feel a hell of a lot better.” His hands moved from my hips, one of them coming up to cup my breast while the other moved lower, dipping between my legs.
If Kane hadn’t been an incubus, things might have been moving a little too quickly, but his desire was clinging to my skin, and because of our connection, I could feel exactly how much he wanted me. His passion lit a fire in me that made my knees weak.
He was a starving man who wanted me more now than he had when we’d first gotten together. And there was an urgency to his need that was no doubt fueled by the day’s events, by his wondering when and if he was going to see his wife again.
“Kane,” I said, leaning back against his chest and reaching one arm up and twining my fingers into his dark hair.
“Jade,” he said, his voice husky. “You’re so lush, so gorgeous. I can’t keep my hands off you.”
“No need to try,” I said, breathless as he pressed his thumb against that bundle of nerves, which had me moaning my approval.
He continued to stroke me, whispering his love and affection as the water sluiced over us. Time seemed to stand still. Nothing else mattered except that moment as my husband loved me, as I filled up on the pleasure he brought me.
Trailing hot kisses down my neck, he moved on to my shoulder, and when my gasps became louder and shorter, he increased the pressure on my most sensitive spot, pinched my nipple with his other hand, and bit down on the nape of my neck.
Everything inside me tightened, the orgasm taking me so hard that lightning bolts exploded behind my eyes. My breath got caught in my throat, and my entire body shuddered with wave after wave of delicious release. Kane’s arm tightened around my rib cage, holding me steady in case my legs failed to keep me upright. I was pure liquid in his arms, trembling with sweet, glorious pleasure.
“That’s my girl,” he whispered, gently running a washcloth over my back, my breasts, and my belly. I tried to turn to him, but he stilled me. “Let me do this first.”
“But Kane. It’s your turn,” I said, my eyes closed as I reveled in his touch. What had I ever done to deserve this glorious, giving man?
“Soon, love. Let me take my time lathering you up. Then we’ll move to the bed, where it’s a little safer for you and the peanut.”
I turned and gently took the soap from him. “Only if I get to return the favor.”
“Jade, I— Oh God.” His eyes closed as I wrapped my hand around his thick shaft, stroking him until he moaned. “This isn’t… Christ.”
He gently grabbed my wrist, stopping me, flipped the water off, and then hauled me into his arms and carried me to the bed.
After he set me down, his dark eyes shone with pure heat as he said, “On your knees.”
Anticipation made me tremble as I grabbed the pillow to support my baby bump and crawled up to kneel on the bed.
Before I could even look back, Kane’s hands grabbed my hips and he pressed himself to my opening, stopping just long enough to ask, “Are you ready?”
I nodded and let out a cry of pleasure as he plunged into me.
8
“Well, someone looks happy,” Pyper called from behind the counter. “I guess the black lace did its job.”
“Waste of money. Never even took it out of the shopping bag,” I said, walking toward the counter with Flame in tow.
Pyper raised her eyebrows. “You know I’m not supposed to let dogs in here, right?”
I snatched Flame up into my arms and gave Pyper a pained smile. “I know. I’m sorry. I couldn’t leave her at the house. She already left a burn mark on the hardwood when Kane walked up behind her and startled her. I’m afraid she’ll burn the house down, and it’s too hot to leave her outside.”
“Fine. Just keep her off the floor. Want something?”
“Decaf London Fog and a cinnamon scone, please.” I grinned at her. “You’re the best.”
“I know,” she said and eyed me again. “Did you have a good evening? You look positively shiny today.”
“Very good.” I glanced away, knowing by the heat in my cheeks that I was blushing furiously.
“Interesting. Guess the hubby needed a little intimacy after your time in the slammer.” She winked, pulled a cinnamon scone out of the case, and placed it in the toaster.
“You, on the other hand, look like you barely slept.” I eyed her messy ponytail and noted that while she was wearing a satisfied smile, her eyes were tinged red and slightly glassy. “Did that fiancé of yours keep you up all night or what?”
“It was ovulation day,” she said just as Bo walked in from the back room.
“Oh geez,” the teenager said with a groan. “Please, can you stop talking about your baby-making antics? It creeps me out.”
His girlfriend Reagan, a pretty girl with dark hair and onyx eyes, was right behind him. She put her arm around her tall, lanky boyfriend and laughed. “Give her a break. She’s trying to give you a niece or nephew to torture.”
“That’s perfectly fine,” he said. “But I sure don’t need to hear the details.”
Pyper handed an apron to Bo and pointed to the specials board as she cackled.
I glanced up and covered a giggle. The chalk was moving across the board, drawing a picture of two eclairs in a compromising position. Next to the drawing, the words Making the beignets appeared.
Bo rolled his eyes. “Thanks for the lesson, Ida May.”
A light breeze rippled through the café, followed by the bell jingling on the front door even though no one had walked in. It was Ida May’s way of making her presence known.
“Keep an eye on these two, Ida May,” Pyper told her ghost. “Make sure they don’t get into any trouble.”
I couldn’t see her, but I could feel Ida May’s joy and amusement. Her energy was light and full of love. Even though she was a ghost, she was living her best life.
“We’re off to save the world,” Pyper said, handing me my London Fog and toasted cinnamon scone in a paper bag.
“Again?” Bo and Reagan said at the same time.
“Always,” Pyper and I responded. Then we looked at each other and laughed.
“Come on,” she said, pulling her keys out of her pocket. “The VW is out back.”
Still carrying Flame, I followed her through the back of the store and out to the parking spot where she kept her red VW Bug. She opened my door for me and held my tea and scone while I hauled myself into her car and put Flame on the floor near my feet. “If this vehicle gets any smaller, we’re gonna need to trade it in for an SUV.”
“That’s funny. Julius and I were just talking about that. If we’re lucky enough to end up with a baby on board, that’s exactly what we’ll be doing.” She handed me my breakfast and hurried around to the driver’s side. Once she was seat-belted in, she turned to me and asked, “Where to, boss? The university or back to the Witches’ Council?”
The idea of going back to the Witches’ Council so soon after being locked up made my stomach a little queasy. Or maybe that was because I hadn’t actually eaten anything yet. Not to mention we couldn’t take Flame there. I had no doubt that they’d confiscate her. Either way, the Witches’ Council wasn’t high on my list of places I wanted to go. “Head to Tulane. I’ll text Mati and see if she can meet us there.”
“You got it.”
“Jade! Pyper!” Mati called from the steps outside the student union. She climbed to her feet, grabbed her backpack, and ran down to meet us.
I clutched Flame’s leash, keeping her from getting near any of the other students. If one got in her way, who knew what would happen?
“Thank the gods you’re okay,” Mati said. “What happened yest
erday?”
Pyper and I glanced at each other. “You didn’t hear?”
“Well, just that you were hauled off to the Witches’ Council.” She shoved her phone into the pocket of her impossibly short shorts. She was wearing an off-the-shoulder white blouse with her bright red shorts and white wedges. If it hadn’t been for the fierce scowl on her face, she looked like she could’ve been ready for the runway. “Those bastards. What crawled up their asses this time?”
“They wanted our help, and instead of asking for it, they coerced us instead,” Pyper said.
“What dicks.” She slung her backpack over her shoulder and glanced at me. “I see Flame is with us. Did you find out how she ended up at your house?”
I shrugged. “No idea. She was just curled up at our back door when we got home.”
Mati blinked. “That’s strange. Isn’t your gate locked? Did someone just put her back there?”
“Yes, it’s locked, and it was still locked last night. Your guess is as good as mine. The way I see it, there are only two options—she’s either a magical creature who somehow willed herself there, or someone put her there. A witch could’ve gotten in and out without any issues. But no way did Flame just run across the bridge and find her way back to our house without anyone noticing. So she’s with me for the time being until I figure out what she is or why she’s so important someone went out of their way to put her in my backyard.”
Mati frowned as she studied Flame. “She looks so harmless.”
“I know, right? Besides the sudden bursts of fire, she is mostly harmless.” I shrugged. “She doesn’t have an evil vibe. Maybe later today I’ll take her by Bea’s and see if she has any ideas.”
“That sounds like a good idea,” Mati said. “Are we ready to go? The sorority house is over on Broadway. Usually I just walk. Is that going to work, or do we need to find the car?”
“I’m good.” I’d opted to wear a cotton baby doll dress and tennis shoes. As far as I was concerned, I was better prepared than both of them. Mati had on heels, and Pyper was wearing flip-flops with zero support and a black jumper that was likely to cause heatstroke. Though I had to admit that “good” might have been overstating things a bit. The late-summer heat was brutal, and I was already so hot that my dress was sticking to my skin.
“Here.” Mati handed me a bottle of water and I nearly laughed as I took it and gulped down a sip. The cold water was welcome to my already overheated system.
“Thanks.” I handed it to Pyper, who tipped the bottle to her lips and downed half the liquid.
“Is it really hot out here or is it just me?” she asked, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand.
“It’s Hades hot,” I said. “Come on. The sooner we get there, the sooner we’ll have air-conditioning.”
“This way.” Mati took off down the street with Pyper and me right behind her.
The walk wasn’t that far, but the humidity had done a number on all of us by the time we reached the white Victorian. The Greek letters kµ were placed between the dormers just below the roofline.
“Looks like we made it,” I said, lifting my long strawberry blond hair off the back of my neck and coiling it into a bun.
“I feel like I’ve been roasting on the devil’s barbeque,” Pyper complained. Her face was bright red, and the top of her black jumper was clinging to her skin.
“Come on.” I grabbed her hand and hauled her under a large magnolia tree. “Why are you wearing black anyway? Are you crazy?”
“It’s laundry day,” she said simply.
“Man, I feel you,” Mati said. “That’s why I’m wearing these shorts. I didn’t realize they were half an inch from showing my ass cheeks when I bought them.”
“Girl, you look amazing. Wear those shorts as often as possible until your ass grows out of them. If I still had your assets, I’d be rocking those twice a week.” Pyper glanced at me. “To be twenty-one again, right?”
I just laughed and shook my head. “You have the assets to wear something like that now, Pyper.”
“You really do,” Mati said, eyeing Pyper’s backside as we walked up the pathway to the front door.
“Stop,” she said, a grin spreading over her face. “You’re embarrassing me.”
I rolled my eyes. Pyper was an ex-stripper who used to regularly wear only body paint during festivals. Now she was more likely to be found doing the painting rather than wearing it, but there was no way a little talk about her assets was embarrassing her.
Mati grabbed a large gold knocker and banged it against the dark walnut door. After a minute went by and we didn’t hear anything inside, I pressed the doorbell. Music that sounded a lot like the Bewitched theme song played inside.
“That would get annoying quickly,” Pyper said.
I laughed. “I love it. Do you think Kane would object if I changed our bell to something like that?”
“Probably.” Pyper leaned to the left and let the sprinkler running on the side of the house douse her face with water. She wiped it away and added, “But if you ask him while wearing that black number, he probably won’t care.”
“Solid point,” I said, nodding. It wasn’t that Kane was usually easily manipulated, it was just that when he was distracted, he was much more agreeable.
The door swung open, and a petite blonde clapped her hands together and nearly squealed when she spotted Mati. “Oh gosh! You’re here! Yay!” She slipped her arm through Mati’s and tugged her inside as she said, “You know you can just walk right in, don’t you? You’re part of the house now. Just because you don’t live here doesn’t mean this isn’t your home too.”
Mati glanced over her shoulder at us and jerked her head, indicating we were to follow.
Pyper didn’t hesitate and let out a relieved sigh the moment the air-conditioning hit her. I tugged on Flame’s leash and walked into the house. The Victorian was old with scuffed wood floors and a banister, which badly needed refinishing, leading to the second story, but the place was incredible. There were quality built-ins along the wall in the living room, large ten-foot-long windows overlooking the front yard, and gorgeous antique chandeliers in every room. I had no trouble seeing what it must’ve looked like a century ago.
“Listen, Cami,” Mati said. “We’re here to see the new recruits. The ones Harper brought in. Are they here?”
Her lips pursed as she glanced up the stairs. “They’re here, but they haven’t helped us with the autumn ball planning or the love spells we’re casting for rush week. Honestly, I’m not even sure if they’re Kappa Mu material.”
Mati stepped back and blinked at the perky blonde. “Are you serious? You do know Harper went missing yesterday, right?”
She waved an unconcerned hand. “She’s probably just getting a jump on her schoolwork. I’m sure she’ll be here tonight for the sisterhood ceremony.”
“No one has heard from her since she disappeared from the Witches’ Council. I highly doubt she’ll come here for a ceremony.” Mati looked over Cami’s head and gave me a can-you-believe-this look.
No, I couldn’t. Cami was so flippant about the situation I was starting to wonder if she wasn’t in on Harper’s disappearance. Why else would she be acting so tone-deaf?
“The Witches’ Council?” she asked, confused. “What are you talking about?”
I bit back an annoyed sigh. How was it possible a witch in New Orleans, especially one who was president of the college sorority for witches, could be so out of touch with what was going on in the community? This type of thing spread like wildfire. I hadn’t told anyone in the coven about yesterday’s events except Lucien, but I had no doubt that if I called any one of them they’d already have heard the rumors.
“The Witches’ Council hauled Harper away from work yesterday,” Mati said. “After an hour or so, she just disappeared from their custody. She wasn’t released. Either the council is lying and they still have her, or she’s MIA.” She waved to me. “You know who Jade Calhoun is, righ
t?”
Cami’s eyes went wide as saucers as she stared at me. “White witch,” she whispered.
“That’s right. And coven leader of New Orleans. She and her friend Pyper have been ordered by the council to find Harper.” Mati picked up a notebook near the house phone and flipped through the written messages. When she didn’t see anything noteworthy, she put the pad back down. “So if anyone here knows anything at all, it’s imperative that we speak to them. Harper hasn’t made contact with you, has she?”
“Me?” Cami pressed a hand to her chest and took a step back. “No. Of course not.” Then she frowned. “If Harper is a fugitive from the Witches’ Council, she can’t be part of Kappa Mu. We don’t deal with rogues.” She glanced toward the ceiling and bit her lip. “Her recruits are upstairs. If it turns out they have any part in this trouble, they’ll have to go too.”
Cami wasn’t wrong in her assessment. If Harper and her friends were warring with the council, that was a liability the sorority couldn’t handle. Maybe she was savvier than I’d given her credit for. College was pretty insular after all, especially when one had such a full plate.
“Cami,” I said. “Do you have any idea who Harper was closest to? Someone she hung out with more than anyone else?”
Her brow furrowed as she considered the question. “I think the raven-haired one. Willow? Wilma?”
“Willa,” Mati said. “Tall, athletic, brilliant green eyes.”
“Yes! That one,” Cami confirmed. “And she has a boyfriend I think. He’s a music major. Plays the violin. First chair. I don’t know his name.”
“That’s a start,” I said and glanced over at Pyper. She had her head cocked to one side as if she were listening to something… or someone. “What is it?” I asked her.
“Not sure yet. There’s a conversation about the ancient ones, but I’m not quite following. Something about resurrection and the order of things.”
Cami’s frown deepened. “I don’t hear anything.”
“Pyper’s a medium,” I said. “She’s listening in on ghosts.”