Spark of Magic (8 page)

It worked like a booster, strengthening his powers. Unfortunately he had to be in the circle before it would work.

His father didn’t allow the use of magic in his home and Marcus had always been careful to honor that request. Although right now he could care less about his father’s sensibilities.

The hair on the back of his neck stood on end. Straining, he listened carefully but heard nothing. He would swear there was someone behind him.

Turning, he caught a blur of black right before he was hit in the chest, knocked back against the wall with a thud. His head hit the stone and he grunted, blinking his eyes to clear his fading vision and block the pain pounding the back of his neck. What the hell had hit him?

Focusing his gaze, he caught the blur again but this time raised his hands to block the attacker.

“
Manista
,” he murmured, using magic to protect himself.

The attacker stopped inches from him as though he’d hit a wall then fell to the ground in a groaning heap. Marcus took a good look at the man on the ground. Long 59

blond hair framed an angelic face and ice blue eyes. Blood-red lips curled back, showing fangs, distended and sharp. Vlad.

“What the hell are you doing, Vlad?” Marcus snapped.

Fast as lightening Vlad rose and slapped Marcus across his cheek with the back of his hand. Bright lights temporary blinded him as he turned and hit the stone wall again, this time scraping his cheek. With a groan he worked his jaw, trying to determine if it was broken.

Vlad’s fingers gripped the back of his neck, pinning him between Vlad’s chest and the wall. The stone bit into his flesh and a warm trickle of blood slid down his cheek.

Vlad inhaled, bringing his nose close to Marcus’ flesh.

“Jullian would never allow it, Vlad, and you know it,” Marcus hissed.

“I couldn’t care less what Jullian would allow, half-breed,” Vlad growled. “I should drain your blood now, relieve your father of his half-breed son, his embarrassment.”

“Fuck you,” Marcus snarled.

Vlad laughed then scraped his fangs across the surface of Marcus’s flesh but not deep enough to draw blood.

“Stay away from here, Marcus. Stop asking questions and keep your nose out of it or I’ll have no choice but to rid you of your curse.”

Marcus frowned. “How did you know I was asking questions?”

Vlad licked his cheek and Marcus growled, his own fangs dropping into place as his anger rose.

“Let’s just say a little birdie told me,” Vlad whispered.

Closing his eyes, Marcus concentrated hard, trying to focus on the magic and not suspicion that his father might be involved in all this—that his father had sent Vlad to do what he couldn’t.

Vlad tensed then screamed as pain sliced through him. He loosened his hold on Marcus and slid to the ground, his body contorting at odd angles. “Stop it,” he hissed.

“Who sent you?” Marcus asked, scowling down at the pain-racked vampire. “Was it my father?”

Vlad shook his head but didn’t speak. Marcus concentrated, worsening the pain.

“Who sent you?” he asked again.

“Sebastian,” Vlad gasped.

“Where is he?” Marcus yelled.

Vlad shook his head, barely able to speak. “He’s gone. I was just to deliver the message. Make it stop, Marcus. I’m on fire.”

“In time,” Marcus drawled as he squatted next to Vlad. “You deliver this message for me. Tell him I know what he’s up to and he’ll gain control of the council over my dead body.”

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* * * * *

Darien shook his head, staring at the spell as it hung in the air between him and Nicholas. “You realize this is dabbling in the black arts.”

“We’ve done it before,” Nicholas murmured with a shrug.

“Just because we got away with it once doesn’t mean we should drop our guard and do it again,” Darien growled, waving his hand to erase the spell.

Vincent jumped onto the cabinet, rattling the glass jars against one another. Blue smoke lifted from the powder his paws landed smack in the middle of. “Get off your high horse, Darien. It takes black magic to fight black magic.”

Darien rested his hands at his hips and shot the cat a glare. “Careful, cat, or I’ll drop you off at the nearest farmer’s hut where you can live off mice and fresh milk for the rest of your sentence.”

Vincent hissed, his eyes narrowing to tiny slits.

“Enough,” Nicholas sighed. “Vincent is right, Darien. If we’re going to do this we have to use all our options. And that includes black magic.”

Darien paced, his chest tightening in fear and apprehension. “So we take her to the ball, parade her around in the hope that Sebastian will see her and do something stupid? Do you realize what kind of risk we’re taking with her life?”

Nicholas growled and knocked one of the vials off the cabinet. Yellow liquid spilled across the floor, releasing a strong flower scent into the room. “Don’t you think I’ve thought this through? I’m terrified we’ll fail, Darien. I’m terrified we’ll lose her but I refuse to spend the rest of our lives in fear of that damn warlock! I want him taken care of so we can go on with our lives!”

“Marcus,” Vincent murmured just before a flash of light lit up the room.

Darien turned to stare at Marcus in surprise. A bruise had begun to form on his cheek, his eye swollen and turning black. His usual neat appearance had been replaced with dirt-smudged clothes and rumpled hair.

“What the hell happened to you?” Darien asked.

“Vlad,” Marcus snarled and nodded toward Vincent. “What have you got for this mess, Vincent?” he asked, pointing toward his cheek. “I don’t want Tonya seeing it.”

“I think it’s a little late for that.” Nicholas nodded toward the doorway.

Marcus turned to face Tonya. Her eyes widened in surprise then concern as she ran forward. “Are you okay?” she asked, gingerly touching his cheek.

“I’m fine, sweet,” he whispered, grabbing her hand and placing a kiss on the center of her palm.

Rebecca stood back, her gaze moving from Marcus to the various vials and jars littering the room. “What is this place? A lab?”

“Of sorts,” Darien said as he strolled forward and took her hand in his. Her fingers were cold, her gaze full of worry. “You all right?”

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She nodded, giving him a soft smile, but her gaze didn’t change. “Who’s Vlad? Is he the one you were talking about earlier?”

“I was just about to ask the same thing,” Tonya said, narrowing her eyes at Marcus.

“Yes,” Marcus said with a sigh.

“I take it the two of you don’t play well together,” Tonya said, making everyone snicker.

Marcus grinned. “You could say that. Seems he didn’t like my asking questions about Sebastian.”

Darien frowned as the heavy weight of doom settled on his shoulders. “How did he even know you were asking questions?”

“Sebastian,” Marcus sneered. “I’d bet every dime I have the son of a bitch was in my father’s house.”

“Do you think your father is in on it?” Vincent asked.

Marcus shook his head as Nicholas led him to a stool, where he rubbed a salve on his cheek. “I’m not sure. Part of me wants to say yes, the other part—the son—wants to give him the benefit of the doubt.”

Darien looked down at Rebecca and felt his heart tear into pieces. He couldn’t lose her. Not now. Leaning down, he placed a soft kiss on her temple, inhaling the sweet scent of her hair. She glanced up at him, her gaze questioning. With a smile he brushed her bangs from her eyes.

“Is this a magic thing?” Tonya asked as she stepped forward, studying the salve on Marcus’ cheek.

“Yes. Want to take care of it?” Nicholas asked, handing Tonya the small bottle.

Her eyes widened slightly. “Can I?”

“Of course. It’s the salve that has the magical properties, not the person applying it.”

Tonya took the bottle and sniffed, crinkling her nose in distaste. “This is disgusting.”

Darien shared a grin with Marcus.

“We’ll take it to the garden,” Marcus offered, putting his hand at the base of Tonya’s spine and leading her to the door. “I’ll get with you guys later about Sebastian.”

Darien nodded.

“I’ll meet you on the veranda for breakfast, Tonya,” Rebecca said and Tonya waved her consent, making Rebecca grin. “She’s so crazy about him. She just doesn’t realize it yet.” Her gaze wandered around the shelves, her fingers turning bottles so she could read the labels. “What is all this stuff?” she asked in curiosity.

“Herbs mostly,” Vincent replied. “Some of them are pretty powerful, so be careful.”

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“Why?” she asked with a cheeky grin as she lifted a bottle from one of the higher shelves. “Will it blow me up?”

Removing the cork, she lifted the bottle to her nose. Darien noticed the label and gasped, trying to stop her before she inhaled too much. “Rebecca, no!”

It was too late. She inhaled a huge whiff then gasped, her eyes widening and filling with unshed tears. “Oh my god. What is this?”

Vincent snickered. “Better get her to bed quick. She took in a good bit of that.”

Nicholas cursed and grabbed Rebecca’s waist just as her knees gave way. “Whoa, sweetheart.”

She giggled, waving her hand dismissively. “I’m not a hor…horse,” she said with a hiccup.

“No, you’re definitely not a horse, but you’re one fucked-up witch,” Darien murmured with barely contained humor.

“I haven’t been fucked up yet,” she purred, making Darien’s cock harden. “Am I drunk?”

He caught his brother’s raised eyebrow over her head and almost laughed at his strained expression. She’d taken a huge sniff of the magical herb, enough that the effects would probably last for hours.

“Sort of,” Darien replied.

With another drunken giggle, she turned to grasp Nicholas’ shirt in her fingers.

“Come on, Nicky. Fuck me up. Fuck me up really good, like last time.”

Nicholas’ lips twitched as Darien stepped forward and tugged at her tiny wrist, pulling her away from his brother. “Come on, sweet. Let’s take this upstairs.”

“Oh yes,” she sighed, her words slurred adorably. “I like it when you both take me, when you both give me…” She hiccuped, making Nicholas chuckle. “When you both give me… What were we talking about again?” she asked, her brow drawn in the most adorable frown.

She tripped over something on the floor, laughing as she attempted to right herself.

Nicholas moved forward and took her other arm, wrapping her hand around his elbow.

“You should learn to ask before you sniff, Becca,” Nicholas said with a grin. “You never know what you’ll end up with.”

“Did I sniff something?” She smiled. “I think you would look good with a white streak like Darien.”

“Then you wouldn’t be able to tell us apart.”

“Sure I would,” she replied proudly. “You call me baby and Darien calls me sweet.”

Nicholas and Darien laughed as they came to a stop at the bottom of the stairs.

Bending, Darien lifted her in his arms. With a squeal, she wrapped her arms around his neck, holding tight.

“Oh, you’re so strong,” she murmured, burying her face in his neck.

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Her breath felt warm against his skin. Her body curled against his chest perfectly, like she belonged there. And she did. Drunk on a magical herb or not, he wanted to take her upstairs and make love to her for as long as she could take it. Glancing at Nicholas, he noticed the same deepening desire in his gaze as well. Damn, they were so screwed.

Her lips nibbled along the column of this throat, sending prickles of heat straight to his balls. “You’re drunk, sweet,” he whispered.

“I’m not that drunk,” she purred, licking her tongue along his jawline.

“Yes you are, baby,” Nicholas said with a soft chuckle. “You won’t remember any of this tomorrow.”

“Nothing?” she murmured, running her hand through Darien’s hair.

“Not a thing,” Darien agreed as they reached their bedroom door. “But I certainly will and you’re going to pay for this.”

Opening it, he slipped through while Nicholas followed and closed it behind him.

Rebecca continued to kiss along his neck, driving him crazy. Her lips were warm, her fingers soft as they slipped inside his shirt and feathered along his chest. He glanced over his shoulder at his brother, who watched the whole scene with amusement.

“She’s killing me,” Darien hissed. “Don’t just stand there. Do something.”

Nicholas shrugged. “Like what?”

“Like screwing me,” Rebecca whispered, flicking her thumb across his nipple in a way that made his knees weak.

This was insane. He refused to fuck her in this condition. She wouldn’t remember any of it and would probably be pissed as hell if she found out they’d taken advantage of her.

“I’m so turned on my pussy actually hurts. It needs you, Nicky,” she murmured and Darien sighed.

“It’s Darien, sweet.”

“My ass needs you, Darien.”

Darien swallowed and glared at his brother across the top of her head. “Help me get her to bed before I give her what’s she’s begging for.”

Nicholas swallowed and moved forward, throwing back the covers. Darien laid her in the center, untangling her fingers from his hair. She moaned, arching her back enticingly and he swallowed down his lust. He needed to get control of himself. His brother wasn’t much better off if the hard-on outlined behind his jeans was any indication.

Her hands moved to cup her breasts, squeezing them with her fingers through the material of her top. His cock twitched as he watched her—eyes closed, lips open and moist. God, tempting didn’t even begin to cover how she looked.

“Take them off,” she begged. “Take off my clothes, please. I’m so hot.”

“I wish she would hurry the hell up and pass out,” Darien snarled.

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Nicholas chuckled, using trembling fingers to undo the button of her slacks. “You and me both,” he sighed, tugging at her pants.

“Oh yes,” she hissed, lifting her hips as he pushed her pants over her bottom.

Darien inhaled, catching the scent of her arousal. She smelled heavenly, like honey and musk. Nicholas dropped her pants to the floor while Darien worked on her top.