Some Like it Wicked (6 page)

He grinned. “Bet on it.”

So, he’s not done with me.
But that left… “Are you
going home to another lover?”

His eyes narrowed. “You think I would be here with you now
if I had another lover?”

“Um…” She gulped.

He slowly stood from the chair, gripped her hip and yanked
her to him, his fingers tangling into her hair. Then his lips were on hers and
her concerns were forgotten.

Zeke kissed her with a fiery passion and his demanding kiss
told her he only thought of her now. The power with which he kissed her left no
room for a misunderstanding.

When he broke the kiss, he arched an eyebrow. “Any doubt
now?”

“No,” she rasped.

“Good.”

Chapter Six

Zeke strode down Main Street and the night had now settled
in, the town fluttered with activity. Most supernaturals who lived in
Charmstone came out after dark. He neither minded the sun nor needed sleep.
Days were endless for him, but he enjoyed when those who lived in the town
awakened and the streets were busy.

When he reached the employment office, he peered through the
window and Bryanna sat in a wooden chair across from a large desk. Her chin
rested in her hand and she looked beyond bored. With a chuckle, he looked at
the goblin, Nevin, who was saying something to her that Zeke couldn’t hear, but
that apparently didn’t interest Bryanna either.

Raising his hand, he waved and Nevin caught sight of him. He
clearly sighed, as his small shoulders heaved. Zeke would owe Nevin a huge
thank you later for stalling her like he’d asked.

Nevin gestured toward the window and Bryanna instantly
glanced over her shoulder with a smile. She leapt out of her chair, said
something quickly to Nevin, then rushed from the office.

The second the door slammed behind her, she glared at him.
“Where did you send me?”

He arched an eyebrow. “Nevin wasn’t helpful?”

“That goblin,” she pointed back toward the office, “spent
the last two hours talking about absolutely nothing!” She drew in a very long,
ragged breath. “And I still don’t have a job!”

“Hmmm…” He rubbed his jaw. “I never took Nevin to be a
talker. Maybe he liked you.” At her worsening glare, he chuckled. “This isn’t
the only employment office in town. I’ll take you to the other one tomorrow.”
He gestured down the street. “Let me walk you home. It’s a beautiful night.”

She glanced down the street, her eyes widening as she took
in all the supernaturals, including vampires and ghouls. With a long sigh, she
smiled at him. “Thanks for walking me home, I’m not quite used to seeing…” A
Phoenix flew by, a blur of red and gold feathers. “Well, I’m used to my coven
and need to adjust to my new surroundings.”

“No need to be afraid of anything here.” He leaned down
toward her. “You’ll only get bitten by request.”

She laughed and fell into stride with him. As they passed
the Scaredy Cat Café, loud music poured out into the night and she glanced up
at him. “It’s nice, you know, being surrounded by so many supernaturals. I’m so
used to being around witches. I guess I forget how big the world really is.”

He nodded, glancing toward the café, curious what brought on
her thought. Instantly, he spotted a vampire at a table, drinking blood from a
goblet. Now he understood—in a larger city, a vampire would never drink blood
in public. “The town is very accepting.”

Her eyes lit up. “It’s magical.”

As the music faded away behind them, he glanced down and
noticed her hand resting so close to his. Without hesitation, he wrapped his
hand around hers and she tensed. When she glanced up at him with huge eyes, he
asked softly, “Is this okay?”

She stared at him so intently, he wondered if she would
refuse him, which he didn’t quite understand. He’d been touching far more
intimate places than her hand not too long ago. “Sorry…I…” She laughed, shaking
her head and squeezing her hand around his. “I forgot what this is like.”

He stopped dead. “Having your hand held?”

She nodded. “It’s been so long since anyone held my hand in
public. I guess it startled me.” She pulled on his hand, forcing him to
continue down the street, and smiled at him. “But I like it.”

“I’m glad.” He smiled back, even if he didn’t understand it.
Christ, he hadn’t known her long and he couldn’t keep his hands off her. “Can I
have a turn to ask you some personal questions?

She grinned. “Depends.”

“On?”

Her eyes twinkled. “If I’ll still look good after I answer?”

He chuckled, lifting her hand to kiss her palm, thinking it
cute she used his words back on him. After lowering her hand, he sighed away
his smile, since the subject he wanted to discuss was anything but funny. “I
realize that you have…” he hesitated, searching for the right words, “a history
with another.”

“Mm-hm,” was her response.

He had wondered how to approach this conversation, but he
knew treading lightly wouldn’t do them any good. “Do you love him?”

She studied him for a long minute before she looked toward
the sidewalk, watching her steps. “I guess part of me still does. Now, though,
I wonder if that part of me should forever stay in Shreveport. To know that he
lied to me and never accepted me, it’s hard to imagine why I loved him.”

Zeke considered how he felt over what she had told him. Did
he rage with jealousy? No, he didn’t think so. She proved she was exactly as he
thought her to be, caring to the point of fault. Her ex-boyfriend Layton didn’t
deserve her love, yet she still offered at least a part of herself to him. “Is
there room for another in your heart?”

When she looked to him, her eyebrow furrowed. “Meaning?”

“I know that
this
…” He squeezed her hand, finding it
hard to explain, only knowing he needed more time with her and didn’t want to
let her go, “feels good and I like being with you.”

“I like it too.” A lovely blush filled her cheeks. “Like I
said, I’m not sure I even understand why I love Layton. Maybe it’s the idea of
it all. The dream that I could be happy and that he loved me back.”

He witnessed the intense longing in her eyes to be loved and
his chest tightened. Such a simple desire that she undeniably deserved. But he
stayed silent while they strode down the street, allowing her to continue, “You
make me feel like it’s okay to be
me
.” She heaved a long sigh, gazing up
at him with such pain, it was as if someone had punched him in the gut. “I’ve
never felt like that before.”

Looking away from him, she smiled at the dragon shifter who
strode by, then she continued, “Truthfully, I’m not even sure I know what love
is. I’m not sure I ever experienced it.” Tears welled in her eyes and she
glanced down to the sidewalk again. “So, do I have a place for you in my heart
where Layton is? No, I don’t. But I’m not quite sure you belong there.”

Had she rejected him?

He stared down at her, unsure if he should be angry, finding
a way to change her opinion or asking her questions to clarify what she meant.

When she looked up at him, she laughed softly. “I’ve
confused you, haven’t I?” At his firm nod, she added, “What I’m trying to say
is that I love the way you make me feel. How you seem to say everything to make
me see sense and I love that I’m no one else but
me
when you are
around.”

He arched an eyebrow. “Which means you do have a place for
me in your heart?”

“No.”

He frowned. “No?”

Stopping along the busy sidewalk, she turned to him,
pressing her beautiful body against his. She angled her head back and a single
tear escaped her eye. “I’ve never been loved—all I’ve been is lied to and not
accepted. You cannot possibly be compared to Layton and have a part of my heart
that belongs to him, because the piece of me you’re touching is new and
undiscovered.”

Warmth and happiness spread through him. “Now that makes
more sense.” He leaned down and kissed her lips softly with a long, enduring
kiss he hoped would show her how pleased she made him. In truth, he didn’t want
the damaged part of her that Layton had caused or the emotional baggage, he
wanted this sweet, pure part of her soul that no one had cherished before.

When he backed away, he smiled and strode forward, but she
pulled him back, laughing. He looked over his shoulder at her and she gestured
to her right. He’d been so immersed in their conversation, he hadn’t realized
they’d arrived at her house.

He caught her gaze as she said, “Guess this means
goodnight.”

Her unasked question hung in the air around them, would he
be joining her?

As much as he wanted to indulge that thought, he hadn’t
finished finalizing the details of his plan for her and that took priority.
“For tonight, yes, I’m afraid I have to leave you. How about breakfast? There’s
a great restaurant around the corner.”

“I’d like that.” She smiled, leaning up to give him a quick
peck, then hurried toward her house.

Hell, he understood her urgency to leave. If he took her
into another fiery kiss, he would forget his plans and make his priority her
body. He watched her open the front door, then step into the foyer, where she
turned back and gave him that ever-so-sweet smile.

When she shut the door, he spun on his heels, hurrying to
get back downtown.

On the way, he did a mental checklist of things he still
needed to do, and by the time he reached Main Street, he was glad he’d finished
most of it when she was at the employment office. He turned onto Main Street
and noticed the resident ogre, Arlo, jogging toward him.

“There’s someone at the gates wanting to speak to Bryanna,”
Arlo called.

When he finally settled his brutish body in front of Zeke,
he added in his gravelly voice, “I told him he didn’t need to wait at the gate,
but he refused to enter and demanded I go get her.”

Hot rage filled Zeke’s veins. “A warlock?” At the incline of
Arlo’s big, burly green head, Zeke cursed and tightened his fists. “Did he say
what he wanted?”

“Bryanna.”

Zeke allowed the wrath to consume him and he welcomed the
idea of meeting this warlock who had treated her so poorly. He smiled at Arlo.
“I’ll deal with him.”

Arlo grinned in return, displaying large brown teeth.
“Figured you would.”

Making his way down the street toward the gates, Zeke moved
quickly, not wasting any time to confront this warlock. Anger fueled his steps,
and the longer he walked, the more he ground his teeth together.

Did the warlock honestly believe he had a right to Bryanna?

He neared the gates and spotted Layton, sitting atop the
hood of his expensive silver BMW sports car, which no doubt had been purchased
with Bryanna’s money.

When the warlock noticed Zeke, he jumped off the hood and
approached. Zeke studied Layton and understood why Bryanna had fallen under
Layton’s spell. The warlock had been blessed with good looks, but in his blue
eyes lay selfishness and greed, something he couldn’t hide from a demon.

Zeke stopped a few feet away, not daring to move too close
for fear he’d lose his temper. “Go back to Shreveport.”

Layton came to a halt. “Where is Bryanna?” He looked at
Arlo, frowning. “Why didn’t you go and get her?”

Zeke had to give Layton some credit; in front of a demon and
an ogre, he didn’t look afraid. “Your request to see her has officially been
denied.”

Darkness spread over Layton’s expression before he took two
large steps toward him, closing the distance. “By whose authority, demon?”

He snorted at Layton’s dark look. Compared to what he’d seen
from the Devil when he was banished from hell, Layton’s expression appeared
gentle. “It would be wise to leave now.”

Layton drew in a deep breath, stretched up to appear taller
and thrust out his chest. “Is she being held captive?”

That question struck Zeke hard in the chest and he growled,
“She’s freer than she has ever been.” He leaned in and allowed the fire inside
of him to shine through his eyes. “From here on out, your name will be nothing
more than a bad memory for her.”

The warlock’s eyes narrowed as the air shimmered around
them. Every hair on Zeke’s arms stood up, indicating Layton had conjured his
energy-based magic. Not that Zeke was worried. Magic had no effect on demons,
and if he dared unleash it, it would tickle Zeke at best.

“She’s
my
witch,” Layton spat. “You have no right to
refuse me.” His eyebrows drew together and he snarled, “Produce her now or I’ll
report you to a higher power.”

“Who?” Arlo laughed, low and deep, and he stomped a big foot
against the ground. “The supernatural police?”

Layton glanced sideways as the energy in the air vibrated.
“The Shreveport coven is powerful and they’ll come after you.”

Zeke would welcome the challenge. If anyone dared to be a
threat to Charmstone or anyone in it, those who lived in and loved this town
would show up to fight. Layton didn’t know who lived here; Zeke did. No coven
could stand against the powerful supernaturals who called Charmstone home.

Now though, Zeke understood why Layton wouldn’t cross
through the gates. His coven could not offer him protection. Anything that
happened outside of Charmstone he could report; anything inside the town, he
couldn’t.

Coward.

A pitiful excuse of a warlock whom Zeke wanted to rip to
shreds. “Is her money worth that much to you?”

Layton’s eyes went huge before they lowered into slits.
“That’s none of your business.”

“
She
is
my
business.” Rage burned so wicked
hot in his blood that thoughts of ending this threat filled his mind. He
hungered to rid Bryanna of this warlock who had mistreated her. “She no longer
belongs to you. She is
mine.
”

Layton stared at him hard, then threw his head back and
laughed. He finally looked back at him and he might as well have spit on Zeke,
since that look of disgust filled his face. “Bryanna would
never
belong
to you. Besides, she’s only been gone less than a day. Please, a
demon
,
as if she would sink that low.”

“Uh oh,” Arlo muttered, taking a step back, and his giant
foot thumped against the gravel road.

Layton’s laughter died off as Zeke took the final step to
reach him, now standing nose-to-nose with the prick. “I’ll look the past the
insult, warlock. But I will do whatever I must to ensure you don’t destroy what
I’ve built up.” He leaned in, allowing all the evil inside of him to register
in his eyes. “Her money is no longer yours. Your control over her has been
broken.”