Shadows of Bourbon Street (10 page)

“Whoa.” I glanced at Dayla, realizing the woman was a much younger version of her. “You two look like you had quite the romance.”

“None of this is relevant.” Dayla scowled and tried to take the picture, but Fiona pulled it out of her reach.

“It is.” The younger witch put the picture on the counter and turned to me and Kane. “The man in the photo was my father. He and my mother had a whirlwind romance. One for the record books. They were even married. But a week after the wedding, he disappeared. With most of Mom’s power.”

“He was an incubus,” I guessed, putting two and two together.

“Yeah,” Fiona said quietly. “He didn’t even know. But after they…uh, consummated the marriage, his incubus side awakened and he was called into service.”

“Service?” Kane asked. “To do what?”

The image of a brothel or a bath house flashed through my mind. I shook my head, trying to dislodge the ridiculous thought.

“Hunt demons,” Dayla said, cutting Fiona off before she could speak again. “The incubi spend their lives protecting this world from demon invasions. The only complication is they need a sex witch to awaken their power before they’re pressed into service. Max didn’t know about his calling. And after we…well, after he was with me, he was called.” She perched on the edge of her chair. “Neither of us knew what happened. I was left almost broken. It took years for my power to restore itself because we were kept apart. And that’s what happened to Matisse. Your job is to find Paxton and take him to her. He’s the only one who can help her get her power back.”

“And that’s why you did this to me?” Kane demanded. “You turned me into a demon hunter? Jesus. We have other ways to find people these days.”

Dayla leaned against the counter and regarded him. “Incubi walk in the shadows, Mr. Rouquette. Hiring a private detective or running an Internet search isn’t likely to help you. Incubi are notorious for slipping in and out of this world. Even if you did track him the traditional way, he’d likely disappear before you caught up with him. With what I’ve given you, you’ll be a part of the inner circle and will be able to track him from within.”

Kane didn’t say anything. He just studied Dayla.

I stood and held my hand out to him. We’d learned a shit ton of information in a very short time. It was no wonder he seemed to be at a loss for words. I almost was. But I sucked in a breath and asked, “What does this mean for Kane? And is this curse permanent?” I assumed so. She said she’d unlocked his power, but I had to ask.

“Oh, honey.” Fiona laughed. “It most certainly isn’t a curse for you as long as he doesn’t drain your power.” She gave me a sly smile. “You’re a white witch, so I imagine you can hold some back. But the more magic you can share with him, the better off he’ll be as a demon hunter.”

Was she seriously sitting there telling me my sex life was about to get explosive? Judging by the effect he’d been having on me since Dayla had tagged him with the spell, she probably wasn’t wrong. But I sure as hell didn’t want these strangers talking about it. “Umm, okay. Thanks for the warning.”

Kane placed a hand on my knee, sending tingles everywhere. “You didn’t answer her other question. Is this permanent? Is there a way to change me back to who I used to be?”

“That all depends,” Dayla said and waved for us to follow her. When she got to the front door, she pulled it open. “Once Matisse is back home and whole again, we’ll see what we can do.”

“Mother!” Fiona admonished, her expression truly horrified. She turned to me. “I’m so sorry, Jade. This isn’t how we normally do things.”

I ignored Fiona and focused on Dayla. “Blackmail? Is that how you want to play this?” My magic stirred in my chest and I had to fight to keep from throwing a bolt at the older witch. “No wonder Bea doesn’t trust you.”

“Beatrice can go to Hell,” Dayla said. “And don’t forget to tell her I said so.”

“Jade.” Kane touched my arm. “It’s time to go.”

His dark gaze was serious, focused, and when his fingers curled around my wrist, hot electricity shot straight to my center, almost bringing me to my knees. I closed my eyes, trying to get a hold of myself. His effect on me was damned inconvenient.

“We have what we came for,” he said.

“Looks like we got a lot more than that,” I muttered. Turning back around, I met Dayla’s hardened stare head on. “Stay out of our way, and if you ever touch Kane again, it really is going to be full-out war. Got it?”

Dayla’s lips curved into a self-satisfied smile. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” And before I could say another word, the door slammed closed, rattling the old windows.

“Holy fuck,” Kane said.

I turned to him, noting the hard lines of frustration creasing his forehead and his determined stance. “We’ll be okay,” I said softly and cupped his cheek with my palm.

Sparks shot from his skin into my fingertips, almost bringing me to my knees.

His eyes blazed with molten fire while his pulse quickened. But all of that was minor compared to the raw desire streaming off him. It wrapped around me, caressing me with coaxing fingers, sending shivers everywhere.

I wasn’t sure he knew exactly what he was doing to me, but his body was mirroring the trembling lust claiming mine. I wrapped my hand in his and dug my fingernails into his palm. “Take me home,” I said in a husky tone.

His gaze shifted to my lips, and for a moment I thought he was going to devour me right there on the porch. But then he gave my hand a quick tug and pulled me toward the car. Once strapped in, he stared straight ahead and said, “Forget the house. It’ll take too long. I can’t wait.”

“Hotel?” I asked and couldn’t keep the excitement from my tone, even though I knew we had more pressing matters.

Kane didn’t say a word. He just put the car in gear and peeled away from the curb, leaving a trail of rubber on the asphalt.

Chapter 8

Kane sped through the streets of Coven Pointe. Instead of getting on the bridge to head back over to his house in the French Quarter, he headed west on US 90. He kept one hand on my knee. His touch sent a sensual spark straight to my center, and I struggled to not squirm in my seat.

“Hurry,” I whispered.

He kept silent, but his hand tightened and the car shot forward with a tiny burst of speed. At the second exit, he swerved and cut off two cars. Less than a minute later we were parked in front of a chain hotel that advertised free cable and continental breakfast.

Kane cut the ignition but didn’t move to get out of the car. He pulled his hand away and gripped the steering wheel as if he was struggling to regain control.

“Kane?”

He hung his head but answered, “Yes, love?”

“Take me inside before I combust right here in your car.”

His head snapped up and damn, those eyes. They were so full of the desire and conflict he was trying to keep contained. But he should know better than to try and keep his emotions from me. They were almost an extension of mine.

“Please. I want you to.”

“But…” He took a deep breath. “It feels wrong. I don’t want—”

I pressed my fingertips to his lips, stopping him from whatever he was going to say. “It’s not wrong. It’s you and me. And right now, you need me, babe. I can feel how much you need the physical outlet. Let me do this for you. I want you. This thing… it’s affecting me too, you know. It’s not wrong. With us, it’s never wrong.”

“Jade,” he started, but when his lips brushed against my fingers, a groan came from the back of his throat. His tongue darted out, tasting, and then he wrapped his lips around my fingertip and sucked. A dart of pleasure hit me hard, and this time I moaned.

My response only made him suck harder, and my entire body lit with fire. I needed to feel his hands, his lips, his skin. I needed it like I needed to breathe. His fingers inched their way over my thigh and slid upward. I wanted to beg for more, beg him to take me right there in the car, but we weren’t going to be able to get close enough. Good God, I wanted all of him and I wanted him everywhere. “Hotel, now,” I forced out.

But my demand went unanswered. Kane’s hand moved higher between my thighs and his expert fingers pressed against my most sensitive spot. Pleasure burst through me and my hips bucked against him.

“Oh Goddess,” I cried as I threw my head back against the seat. Breathing heavily, I grabbed at his shirt and pulled him close, our mouths barely an inch apart. “If you don’t get me inside that room in less than five minutes, we’re going to be breaking a few laws.”

His eyes dilated and he pressed forward, crushing my mouth with his. Our tongues tangled, warring with each other, and then just as abruptly, he pulled away and jumped out of the car.

I sat, clutching the edge of the leather seat, trying to come back to myself. Even though he was striding through the sliding glass doors, his touch was still everywhere. My neck, my thigh, my sex. He’d branded me and I couldn’t think. Couldn’t even move from the trembling desire consuming me.

A knock on the window came out of nowhere and I jumped, hitting my head on the car roof. “Crap.”

A young man in his early twenties smiled at me and gestured toward the hotel.

I opened the door. “Can I help you?”

“Hello, ma’am. Mr. Rouquette has asked me to escort you to your room.” He smiled again, his eyes kind.

“Uh, where is Mr. Rouquette?”

“He’s inside. He says he’ll meet you in your room momentarily.”

“Okay.” This was highly unusual. I mean, the hotel wasn’t a roadside motel, but it wasn’t the Ritz, either. Still, Kane had gone in and this guy was wearing a hotel uniform. Who knew what Kane was up to? I grabbed my handbag and slammed the car door.

“Do you need help with any luggage today?”

I was about to shake my head no when I remembered I still had my wedding night bag in the trunk. And although I had a feeling my sexy lingerie would be pretty much a waste, considering the electricity already sparking between us, I fished the spare key out of my purse and popped the trunk. “Yes, thank you.”

The bellman grabbed my bag and together we headed into the hotel. He escorted me to the top floor, and when we reached room twenty-eight ten, he knocked once before sliding the plastic key into the slot.

Once inside, I tipped him and then stood alone in the middle of the room. There was a king-sized bed, plenty of down pillows, and a print of the New Orleans skyline on the wall. Nothing special, but nice enough.

Where the heck was Kane? With nothing else to do, I pulled my sexiest Victoria’s Secret outfit out of my bag and disappeared into the bathroom.

A few minutes later, I heard the hotel room door open.

“Jade?” Kane called.

“Just a minute.” I slid on my strappy black heels, the same ones I’d worn on our very first date, and then slipped back into the room.

Kane stood at the end of the bed, his shirt off, holding two champagne flutes. The moment he saw me, his gaze traveled the length of my body from head to toe and back up again. When our eyes met, I felt a blush work its way up from somewhere around my belly button.

“Nice corset,” he said.

“I thought you might like it.” I smiled sweetly.

“Take it off.”

I raised one questioning eyebrow. “That’s pretty demanding. I thought you might like the pleasure.”

His gaze dropped to my generous cleavage. He licked his lips. “I’d very much like the pleasure. But if I take it off you, there won’t be anything left of it.”

My smile widened with anxious anticipation. “In that case…” I crooked a finger at him. “Come closer.”

He shook his head, the muscle in his neck pulsing with barely constrained control.

“Okay then.” I trailed a finger down my neck and over the swell of my breast. His eyes tracked my progress as I moved lower to the front silk ties. I fingered the silk, watching him. And when I saw him swallow hard, I tugged.

“Off,” he commanded again.

“You’re sure?”

“Jade,” he all but growled.

I brought my other hand down and loosened the ties just enough to slip the corset down. It slid over my hips easily and landed with a soft swoosh at my feet.

“You are so damned beautiful,” he said breathlessly.

“Your turn,” I said, standing before him in nothing but my heels and red lace panties.

His gaze dropped to the V between my legs and once again he licked his lips. Heaven help me if I didn’t almost orgasm right then and there.

“Kane,” I said, my voice hoarse.

He raised his eyes to mine and clenched his fists at his sides.

“Your jeans,” I commanded.

Something close to sheer desperation flashed over his face, but the expression disappeared just as fast. And in one swift movement he had his fly open and jeans off. Then he was on me, hands sliding up my thighs and over my hips. “This isn’t what I imagined for tonight,” he whispered into my ear.

“It’s not far off from what I was imagining,” I teased and pressed my breasts against his hard chest.

He shivered against me. “God, Jade.” Then that magical spark was back, dancing across my skin everywhere he touched me, bringing every nerve ending to life. His left hand came up my side, sliding over my breast, and kept moving up the length of my neck almost as if he was claiming every inch of me with his touch.