Spark of Magic (6 page)

“You should be!” she snapped and jumped up from the lounge chair. With hands on her hips, she glared at him. “You can’t just put women in a trance and take them wherever the hell you want. You know you can go to jail for this, right? You know what you did is illegal?”

“You know you’re cute when you’re pissed,” he teased.

“Screw you,” she snapped and he raised an eyebrow as though she’d just challenged him.

Marcus slowly stalked toward her, backing her toward the room as he advanced.

Her heart raced at the animal lust shining in his gaze—the way his muscles rippled beneath his shirt as he moved ever closer. His masculine scent mingled with the sweet smell of the flowers below, heating her skin and mentally drawing her to him like a moth to a burning flame.

“How do you ever expect me to—”

Marcus’ mouth covered hers so fast she didn’t have time to prepare—to stop him.

But the second his scent invaded her nostrils and wrapped around her she found she didn’t want to stop him. His lips were firm and hard at first then softened to glide enticingly across hers. Her mouth parted, allowing him access to deepen the kiss and invade her with his wicked tongue. He tasted so good—like coffee mixed with caramel—and she sucked at his tongue to get every last flavor.

He moaned into her kiss, his arms encircling her waist to pull her close. Her breasts pressed against his chest, his palms splayed against the small of her back, sending shocks of electricity through her limbs. With a desperate moan her fingers clenched and unclenched within the fabric of his shirt, her nails scraping his chest through the material.

She felt possessed. Every part of her screamed to take him—to let him take her. She needed him as much as she needed water to drink and the realization sent shock waves through her body.

Warm fingers moved beneath the fabric of her shirt, connecting with her flesh to scorch her very soul. His touch set her on fire, made her crazy with lust. One hand moved around to cup her breasts and she cried out, the sound swallowed by his kiss—a 41

never-ending kiss that consumed her. If she didn’t get his flesh against hers, didn’t get his cock buried inside her soon, she’d combust—fall to the floor in a pile of ash.

Marcus tugged at her top, breaking the kiss just long enough for him to remove it, letting the fabric fall to the floor forgotten. Cool air brushed across her nipples only to be replaced by the warmth of his lips as he teased her sensitive nubs. Her fingers buried in his hair, tugging him closer, begging for more of his delicious torture.

“Marcus,” she sighed. “What are you doing to me?”

“Whatever you want me to do, sweet,” he purred then tugged at the buttons of her jeans, ripping the material.

She gasped, her pussy spasming and leaking cream. She wanted him so bad it defied understanding. Only a moment ago she’d hated him. Now she couldn’t seem to get enough of him—couldn’t seem to get him close enough.

With an animalistic growl that sent her heart into palpitations, he lifted her onto the dresser and tugged her jeans off, throwing them across the room. Next went his shirt and her hands immediately moved to skim across his hard flesh. His lips covered hers as he pulled her hips close, his hard cock grinding against her hungry mound through the material of his pants.

It wasn’t enough and she groaned in frustration, desperate to feel his thick cock filling her. Her hands moved to his fly, tugging it apart with the same hungry desperation he’d used on hers. They both worked to shove his pants to the floor, where he hurriedly kicked them aside.

With his hands gripping her ass, he lifted her so her legs could encircle his waist as he walked back into the bedroom. She ground her pussy then held on tight to his shoulders to lift herself slightly. With a long, low growl she sank her pussy down onto his pulsing shaft, taking him clear to her womb.

They didn’t make it to the bed. Instead he shoved her against the wall, pushing his cock even deeper. His mouth covered hers, swallowing her cries of delight as he pounded into her, sending her senses reeling out of control. Pinned to the wall as she was she couldn’t move with him but had to take what he gave her. And what he gave her was heaven. She could feel every delectable inch of his shaft as he moved in and out, his cock stretching her with every pounding thrust into her pussy.

His grunts mingled with her cries as his thrusts became even more powerful, demanding even more from her. He bit at the sensitive flesh below her ear, his teeth gently scraping across her skin. Something pricked her then a trickle of warm fluid slid down her neck.

The slight bite of pain only intensified her pleasure and her orgasm slammed through her instantly. She screamed, holding tight to Marcus as he pressed deep, grinding his pelvis against her clit, intensifying her pleasure until he too stiffened.

Pulling away from her neck, he reared his head back and growled, shoving himself into her hard, spilling his warm seed into her pulsing channel.

42

“You’re mine, Tonya,” he growled and she opened her eyes to stare at him in dazed wonderment. “Only mine.”

Blood coated his lips and she rubbed her finger across it in confusion. Lifting her hand, she touched the side of her neck and winced at the sharp bite of pain. His eyes widened slightly then filled with concern. Pulling her hand away from her neck, she stared in shock at the blood on her fingers.

Their gazes met and locked as realization dawned for Tonya. “What did you do?”

she whispered.

Keeping her pinned to the wall with his hips, he lifted his hands to cup her face.

“I’m sorry, sweet. You weren’t ready for this.”

“For what?” she croaked.

Fear raced through her veins and she would have run if given the chance. Now that her vision had cleared somewhat she could see his fangs.
Fangs? What the hell?
Reaching out, she touched one, feeling the sharp tip. She pulled her hand away as though burned.

As she watched they slowly receded but the magnitude of what had just happened still hung between them.

“You’ve become a part of me,” he whispered.

Her heart stopped then sped out of control. What did he mean a part of him? Was he a vampire? Was that even possible? “Let me down.”

“No.” He put his palms against the wall, holding her in place. “Not until we talk.”

She gritted her teeth, shooting daggers at him as he stared down at her. “Then talk.

What are you?”

“I’m half vampire, half warlock. I’m what they call a day walker.”

“What about feeding? Aren’t vampires supposed to feed on the blood of others? Is that what you just did to me?”

“I don’t need to feed, not like a normal vampire. But the urge to bite intensifies when I’m with my true mate.”

Her eyes widened. “Your what?”

“My mate. You, Tonya.”

Removing one hand from the wall, he held a warm washcloth before her face, his eyebrow raised in question. She nodded slightly, her body tense. She held herself as stiff as possible as he gently placed it against the side of her neck.

“Where did you get that?” she whispered.

“Half witch, remember?” he replied, an apologetic smile tugging at his lips. “You shouldn’t fear me, sweet. I would never hurt you.”

She snorted but kept her gaze glued to his. She felt awkward, his cock still buried inside her, her breasts still pressed against his chest. Awkward didn’t even begin to cover it. She’d just had sex with a vampire. What was she saying? There was no such thing!

43

She shifted slightly, forcing his cock deeper, and she closed her eyes in a mixture of aggravation and desire.

“Keep doing that and you’ll get a repeat performance.”

“The hell I will,” she snarled. “You’re supposed to be talking, remember? Did you make me into you?”

He shook his head. “No. At least not yet. That’s your decision to make.”

“If I said yes. Then what?”

“You would feed from me and become what I am. A half-breed. Half human, half vampire. We would lack the need to feed but still have the capacity. I have been known to bite or draw blood when defending myself but have never done it for a need of food.

I can eat normal meals, just like you. I can walk around during the day but I am immortal. I also have the ability to read your mind due to my warlock side. If we were to join completely you would be what I am.”

“This is nuts.”

“No, sweet. It’s real. I felt the desire to bite you the other night at the club but I suppressed it. I guess today just got a little out of hand.”

Staring into his beautiful eyes, she swallowed. She believed him. Everything he told her. How had her life changed so quickly? One minute she was a normal person with a normal job then suddenly she was in a castle somewhere in “sort of” England with a talking cat and a half-breed vampire.
Oh my God. I’ve lost my damn mind.

44

Rebecca strolled through the library, her fingers running delicately along the spines of novels that had to be hundreds of years old. One several shelves up, its leather bindings soft with age, caught her interest and she reached up mentally, tugging the book from its resting spot. It floated slowly toward her hand until she was able to reach out and grab it

“Very good, Becca.”

She lifted her gaze to stare at the man who’d spoken. One of the twins stood in the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest, his hip leaning against the door frame. He looked quite dashing and way too sexy for his own good. Unfortunately she didn’t know which one he was.

“Darien,” he said with a grin.

“The two of you are identical. It’s very hard to tell you apart.”

Raising his hand, he slid two fingers down his hair on one side, a white stripe appearing in their wake. She frowned then laughed at his attempt to appear different.

“Better?” he asked.

“Much, thank you,” she said with a grin. “I think I like it, actually. It gives you a dangerous look for some reason.”

“Maybe I’ll keep it then.” He shrugged. “At least this way you can tell us apart.”

She chuckled and moved to sit on the large red sofa facing the massive stone fireplace. “That would certainly be helpful.”

Keeping her eyes downcast, she tried to not think about how incredibly sexy he looked in his jeans, a white t-shirt stretched tight across his chest. The blue suede shirt he wore over it accentuated his eyes and made him appear more like a casual rancher than the lord of a mystical castle.

Shouldn’t she be getting to know them before jumping their bones every time they looked at her?

“Are you beginning to feel a little more comfortable around me and Nicholas?”

She almost jumped at how close he sounded and stiffened when he sat down on the couch beside her. He had been so quiet she hadn’t even heard him approach. With a shrug, she kept her gaze on the book in her hand. Opening the worn, tattered pages, she studied the writing, which had faded with age.

“I suppose. Why do you ask?”

“Because I’m dying to lay you across this couch and screw the hell out of you.”

45

Her head came up with a jerk and tingles of desire skimmed along her flesh. She stared at him with a mixture of shock and anger—anger with herself for immediately coming to a state of burning need with his brash words. Heat flared in his eyes as he met her gaze and she swallowed, trying hard to think of a biting retort, but not a damn thing would come to mind. She was utterly speechless.

“You’re nothing if not blunt,” she snapped, making him grin.

He gently brushed the hair from her eyes, making her skin tingle. “I don’t see any sense in mincing words, not when I can sense your needs as clear as I can sense my own.”

“Where’s Nicholas?” she asked, trying to change the subject from the dangerous path it headed down.

Her whole body tingled with lust. Even her nipples were not immune as the material of her bra brushed against them, making them harden and ache for his touch.

She did want him. More than anything right now she wanted him to do exactly as he’d said and it scared her to death. She’d never felt this kind of attraction and wondered just how real it was. Was it a spell? And if so, did she want a relationship based on that?

“He’s in the lab with Vincent. They’re trying to formulate a spell that will draw out Sebastian as well as a protection spell for you. Prefer the two of us as opposed to just one?” he purred, reaching out to tug at one of the curls dangling around her earlobe.

“Stop it,” she whispered.

He only grinned, which fueled her aggravation even more. She needed some breathing room to better understand her jumbled emotions. Darien, in a word, was irresistible. Full, soft lips that could melt any arguments she might have, sultry eyes that could send her into a full state of lust with just a look and of course that amazing body and the confident way he carried it. Even just leaning against the wall he was delectable.

“I need some answers, Darien, not teasing,” she pleaded, trying her best to keep her wits about her.

“All right,” he conceded with a nod, moving his hand away from her and giving her a much needed reprieve from his overbearing sexuality. “What do you want to know?”

“You’ve told me so much about my parents, I’m still trying to process everything.

My father was very powerful, apparently so was my mother. I’m not by any stretch of the imagination as powerful. How can I fight Sebastian?”

“You won’t have to fight him alone. Nicholas and I will be with you. If the three of us combine our powers we’ll be able to defeat him.”

“Why doesn’t someone just kill him?” she asked in exasperation.

“It’s not that simple. He’s woven several protection spells around himself. Killing him will be a challenge.”

46

Rebecca sighed and closed the book with a loud clap. Insecurities washed through her. Fear gripped her chest. She had trouble doing simple things. How the hell was she supposed to be the woman to save the council from an evil warlock?

“I’m not ready for this,” she sighed. “I’m not.”

“Hey,” Darien murmured as he gripped her chin and turned her to face him. “You won’t be alone. I promise.” Leaning forward, he placed a soft kiss on her cheek, making her stomach flip. His lips were warm and as he pulled away she caught the scents of mint and tea. “How about we go outside and practice a little? Get those powers of yours warmed up a bit?”

Rebecca smiled slightly as she tried to recapture some of her composure. Just that one simple little kiss had sent her senses into a tailspin. For a fleeting second she could have sworn she felt his need for her, his desire to feel her beneath him, his tension-filled body coiled like a spring. Maybe magic practice was what they both needed to cool off.

With a nod, she relented. “Sounds like a good idea.”

* * * * *

Nicholas stood back and watched Rebecca try to manipulate a boulder with magic.

Twice she growled in frustration when the rock turned into something other than what she wanted it to. With a chuckle, he leaned against the tree, watching the sunlight play across her face. The pink sundress accentuated her trim waist and firm breasts. The color even brought out her tan and highlighted the blonde in her hair.

Her beauty sometimes left him breathless, incapable of coherent speech. He’d expected the physical bond to be strong but not the emotional one. He never expected he might actually be able to fall in love with his chosen wife but damned if he wasn’t halfway there. He loved her spunk. It was no doubt she was a handful.

“Try it this way,” Darien explained and for the first time Nicholas noticed the white streak down the side of his hair and smiled slightly.

For Rebecca, he imagined, so she could tell them apart. Not a bad idea really, just unusual for Darien. Normally Darien couldn’t care less if people were able to tell them apart. Their family and closest friends could and those were all that mattered.

Rebecca tried again, this time turning the rock into a turtle. “Oh for the love of god,” she grumbled, making Nicholas chuckle.

“Poor thing,” Vincent purred from his spot on the tree branch several feet off the ground. “I haven’t seen magic that bad since… Well I can’t remember
ever
seeing magic that bad.”

“Give her time. Remember, she hasn’t had any formal training. She’ll get the hang of it.”

“Mmmm,” Vincent murmured then flicked his tail. “Let’s just hope it’s before the Dominion Ball. Are you sure presenting her there is a good idea, Nicholas?”

“Sebastian will be there.”

47

“I’m sure he’s already aware of her existence and the fact that you’ve joined with her.”

“I am too but he can’t get to her here, it’s protected. We also can’t keep her here forever. The ball is the best place to bring her out and challenge Sebastian.”

Vincent jumped from his perch to the branch closest to Nicholas’ shoulder. “Make sure you know what you’re doing, Nicholas. Watch your back and keep your eyes open. Something isn’t right with Sebastian. It goes beyond evil. There’s something we’re not aware of. I can feel it in every bone of my body.”

* * * * *

Sebastian paced the cold stones of Jullian’s castle in Romania, careful to keep his feet in the shadows and not let them hit the part of the floor bathed in the last remains of the evening sunset. He’d kept his vampire transformation hidden for over three hundred years, blaming black magic for his immortality. It wasn’t unusual for warlocks to use such spells. Even those pain-in-the-ass twins Nicholas and Darien had dabbled in the black arts—all in the effort to hide Rebecca.

But he had his own methods and sooner or later he’d find her. He needed her family’s seat. Once that last seat was filled by Vlad, vampires would once again control the council and in turn everything else, including the mortal world.

“What’s got you in such a snit? You’re pacing a worn spot in my floor.”

Sebastian turned to stare at his friend Jullian as he entered the room. Jullian’s long black hair draped around his shoulders, his blue eyes intelligent and dark. Jullian was a strong asset. Despite the fact he kept out of council business he still held a huge amount of influence, if for no other reason than most of the council feared him.

So did he at times.

“Just anxious to get started. I’m hungry.”

Jullian nodded and handed him a glass of warm blood. “This will tide you over.”

Lifting the glass, Sebastian inhaled the spicy scent of warm blood. He hissed, for a moment allowing the hunger to flow through him. His fangs formed and he curled his lip, running his tongue over the sharp edges of his vampire teeth. Lifting the glass he drank the blood, letting its warmth sooth his lust, calm his hunger. Later tonight he and Jullian would feed, calming his blood lust for a few weeks until it would rise again.

He needed to find Rebecca soon. Make her death look like an accident, or better yet a suicide, then claim her family’s seat by right of lineage. He was the closest relative to her father’s line. Since Rebecca was the last of the age-old family the line would die with her.

Sebastian smiled as he thought about how close he was to his long-awaited plan coming together. Letting Jullian turn him all those years ago had been a brilliant idea.

Of course the fact that they’d been lovers hadn’t hurt matters. He and Jullian both 48

enjoyed women, most of the time together—giving them a night of unsurpassed pleasure before feeding from them, quieting their hunger with their blood.

Jullian insisted they not take all of their victims’ blood. They had to leave enough for them to survive. The women remembered little beyond the sex and it kept the villages from being too suspicious. His friend was cautious with the women, keeping himself detached, cold.

In all the years he’d known Jullian only one woman had penetrated that cold stone he called a heart. But in the end she’d chosen to remain human, been unwilling to cross over, leaving Jullian broken and angry.

Sebastian turned back to him. His gaze wandered aimlessly over a strong back and firm ass. His cock hardened as he imagined sinking into Jullian’s ass, taking him hard and deep. Setting his empty glass on the counter, he surmised that they had plenty of time to kill.

Jullian turned just as Sebastian reached him. With his hands on his shoulders, Sebastian shoved, forcing Jullian to the wall behind him with a grunt. Desire flared in his friend’s eyes as Sebastian leaned closer, covering Jullian’s mouth with his own.

* * * * *

Rebecca lounged before the fire, watching the flames lick at the air. The wood crackled and popped, sending a lone spark to land on the rock hearth. She watched as the red ember slowly faded, her mind on the last few hours.

Dinner had been wonderful. The food amazing, the wine delicious, the company entertaining. Tonya had seemed a little distracted but assured her she was fine, just tired. Once they’d finished Marcus had escorted Tonya to the garden, his hand possessive at the small of her back. She was certainly thankful they’d brought her here but at the same time Rebecca wished her friend didn’t have to go through this.

She couldn’t even begin to imagine what she must be thinking. Her lover a vampire? That would be enough to drive anyone over the edge. Unfortunately they hadn’t had an opportunity to talk about it. Hopefully they would have some time alone tomorrow. If she could keep Marcus away from her for a few hours. The man appeared to be permanently attached to the girl’s hip.

Her gaze wandered to the door where Nicholas and Darien had just strolled in, shutting it behind them. And speaking of men who appeared to be attached to their women…

“Don’t the two of you have something to do?” she drawled, ignoring the tingle of desire running down her spine at the sight of them together.

“Yes,” Nicholas purred in a sexy timbre, making goose bumps rise along her flesh.

Just the sound of his deep voice could make her pussy wet.

49

“How were your lessons?” Nicholas asked as he dropped onto the sofa beside her.

Darien moved in behind her, his fingers gently massaging her shoulders. It felt wonderful and she slowly began to relax.

“Like you weren’t there the whole time,” she replied, closing her eyes with a soft moan, allowing Darien’s fingers to gently work their relaxing magic.

“I wasn’t there the
whole
time.”