Harlow shook her head and touched my arm. “No, I don’t. I’m so sorry. Are they all right? What can I do?”
Staring at her hand, an idea formed. “You can fix your mistake with a spell of protection so something such as this never happens again.” I lifted my head and pinned her with a piercing glare. “I am Emilio Conte, Head of the Boston Vampire Clan.” I let my words hang in the air, awaiting the shock I knew would come.
But it didn’t.
“I knew it.” She tossed her hands in the air, letting them flop down at her sides. “Okay, I knew you weren’t human, that was easy, but you used your vamp mojo on me to make me feel…um, things.” Harlow lowered her eyes to my crotch—there was nothing covert about it in the least.
I barked out a laugh. “I did no such thing. If I used any sort of compulsion on you, dearest Harlow,” I dropped my voice to a whisper and leaned in close, trailing my thumb across her bottom lip, “believe me, you would know it. You’d beg for me. On your knees and take anything I was willing to give you. Sexually or otherwise.”
Harlow let out a short gasp and sucked in a breath. “So, you didn’t—?”
Brushing my cheek alongside hers, I whispered against the shell of her ear, lightly caressing her collarbone with the back of my hand. “No, I did not. However, there is something I require of you.”
She shuddered as I ran one finger down the length of her arm. “What is it?” Her words came out on a breathy sigh.
Fuck. What was I doing? This witch had almost drained my fucking men dry! And here I was seducing her? But I couldn’t help myself. There was something about the woman that called to me. Perhaps if I fucked her and got it out of my system, I’d be able to think clearly and get my shit together.
“You’re coming with me. You’ve got a job to do.” I pressed a kiss to her neck, darting out my tongue to taste her silky skin, her blood calling to me like a siren’s song. “You’re to right the wrong you’ve made—or…” I paused for a moment, inhaling the scent of her and committing it to memory: jasmine, mint, and magic. “Or a war will begin between the Salem Witches and the Boston Vampire Clan.”
6
Harlow
“A war? I don’t… I…what? Why?” Unable to string a coherent sentence together, I knew I sounded like a bumbling idiot—all bravado had flown right out the window. But just what in the ever-loving hell was he talking about? And how in the blue fuck had I drained vampires from the spell I’d cast to stop—? Ah, shit. This was so freaking bad.
And just how was I supposed to think properly with this vampire touching and licking my skin like he had a right to? But, I hadn’t stopped him. I couldn’t. I was caught in his snare, his scent, his domineering presence, and dammit, he had my libido running on overdrive.
“Yes, Harlow.” Gods, even the way he said my name dripped with sexual desire. “Just as I said. A war. It is not ideal, but if you refuse to comply with my demands, that’s exactly what will happen.” Emilio stared into my eyes, and I tried to blink but couldn’t—I was lost in his gaze.
Not using his vamp mojo my ass.
“Fine. I have no idea what I’m doing, but I’ll try my best. What happened was a freaking fluke, all right? I… I…dammit.” Giving myself some breathing room and shaking off the insanity this man was doing to my body, I moved back and tugged my hair from its messy bun, knowing it probably looked like a rat’s nest, but I had no shits to give. “When I tell you why I performed that spell, you’re gonna…” I just stopped. No way in hell would I tell him. Hard. Nope.
The sexy asshole smirked. “Why? What would I do, Harlow?” Damn, my name—again—sounded like a purr coming from his full lips. I had to turn away, or I’d get lost in him once again. I wondered if all vampires were like this.
“Forget it. Will you at least allow me to grab a few things from my apartment before I go wherever it is you’re taking me? I mean, it’s not like I have a choice. I’d at least like to have some of my own stuff.” I crossed my arms for effect and narrowed my eyes. Yeah, it didn’t even faze him in the least. “Look, my apartment’s only a few blocks away, okay? You and your,” I gestured to his goons, “can come with me.” Knowing I was stuck between a rock and a hard place, I honestly didn’t have any other choice but to go with him or risk causing a war because of my fucked-up magic. Even if it had been an accident, I had to fix my shit.
This is on me, I sighed internally.
Emilio studied me, appearing as if he were staring straight into my soul with his piercing dark gaze. I shuddered. After a moment, he nodded. “You’ll have five minutes to gather a few necessities. I will accompany you.”
I rolled my eyes. “Thank you, Emilio. You’re a real… never mind.” I cut myself off because my smart-ass mouth always seemed to get me in trouble. “I need to close out the days’ sales and lock up here, then we can go.”
He glanced at his watch. “Tick tock.”
It was childish and I knew it as soon as I made the gesture—but screw it. I flipped him off for rushing me. If he was basically going to kidnap me for something I hadn’t even known I’d done, then I didn’t care. Nor did I care how freaking otherworldly sexy he was.
Yeah, and my magic could kiss my ass, too. Not even a freaking spark had come alive.
Emilio chuckled at my middle-finger salute—the vampire jerk. Now I wished I had run off at the mouth, but then again, I didn’t want to be his or his buddies’ dinner.
Grumbling beneath my breath, I finished with the sales count and got everything ready for Dahlia in the morning, leaving her a note to call me if she needed anything. I let her know that an emergency had come up, and I may not be in for a week. I hoped it was only a week, but what did I know? Just freaking awesome. I’d likely lose my shitty apartment, too, because no work meant I couldn’t afford rent.
This guy…vampire or whatever. Ugh. Where were my flames now, huh? Damn.
“I’m done,” I muttered, grabbing my purse from beneath the counter. “After you. I’ve got to lock up behind us.” The vamps filed out, and I shut down the shop, giving it one final glance and hoping it wouldn’t be the last time I saw it, before taking off toward my apartment. Yeah, my posse surrounded me like a pack of bodyguards. Just peachy.
And I’d been in such a great mood all day.
Now I was being forced into a vampire mafia home, bat cave? Where the hell did vamps even live? I’d admit, I was mostly ignorant of many other supernaturals. I only hoped it wasn’t some sort of freaking cave. But, Emilio and his crew dressed nice, like CEO types (with a mafioso vibe), so hopefully they lived like normal people.
What in the hell had I gotten myself into? And why in the blue fuck did I have to cast that spell?
Right. Because I thought I was going to die.
Next time, Harlow? Just die.
This shit sucked dirty gym socks.
I needed to call Jemma ASAP!
No sooner than that thought left me did I feel a freaking foreign power-grab touch my flesh.
Hell. No.
Not today, Devil. Not today!
“Move it along, kid.” One of the goons had gripped my arm and I stopped dead in my tracks, glaring at his meaty, tattooed paw and then into his beady brown eyes. No. He did not just put his fucking hand on me. No.
“I said, move. Why you stoppin’, blood-bag?” He stared me down, and Mr. Sexy Pants cleared his throat, seeming to hold back a chuckle. I didn’t find any part of this funny in the least.
Suddenly, what felt like electricity with a mixture of fire raced up and down the length of me, exiting my limbs and out my pores. If this was my magic making its “grand” appearance, it was a bit late. Even my magic was an asshole. Must be male, I thought to myself. No offense to dudes, but I digress…
If I could’ve shot flames from my eyeballs, though, I so would have. “Get your hand off me, Fang Boy.” I sneered and turned my gaze to Emilio. “I may be new with my magic, but if you don’t tell your meathead to let me go, I can’t be held re
sponsible for what I do to him. Taking his fucking blood will be like a walk in the park.” I yanked my arm, and the slimy bastard let go.
Yeah, I was bluffing, but they didn’t need to know that. Nobody freaking put their damn hands on me unless invited.
Meathead One growled and got in my face, while the other, with his slicked-back, almost-black hair, stood still as a statue. “You’d do good to remember your place, witch. You talkin’ to the boss. I’m his second, Nicky. Remember dat.”
Staring at him like the idiot he was, Nicky started to choke, and I swear, I had nothing to do with it this time. “What’s happening to him?” I stumbled back toward the alley, covering my mouth at the same time.
“What did you do, little witch?” Emilio raged. “Fix this shit now—or die.”
And that’s when I saw them—his fangs—they were long and scary as shit. He was going to eat me, and not in a good way.
The other guard dropped at our feet, and Emilio shoved me into the alleyway before I could get my bearings. Without hesitation, his eyes turned an ominous black as he yanked my head to the side and sank his teeth into the soft flesh of my neck.
I didn’t even have time to scream.
7
Emilio
Blood gushed down my throat before I knew what was happening. Rage, that was all I felt. Until magic filtered into my bloodstream and I heard Harlow moan, clutching tightly to my arms, bringing our bodies flush together. My cock hardened as the scent of her arousal rushed through me, the heat of her wrapping us in an enchanted cocoon. I could see it in the motes cascading around us—her magic, her power.
Getting my shit together (just barely), I retracted my fangs and licked the wounds, watching as they healed and closed. Harlow writhed against me, her eagerness still present, and when my face was only inches from hers, she grabbed my cheeks, meeting my lips in a demanding kiss.
Taken aback, but unwilling to stop myself, I gave her what she wanted. Our tongues tangled for dominance, and reaching between us, the little minx ran her hand firmly along my raging hard-on. I wanted to raise that skirt, wrap her long legs around my waist, fuck her against the bricks, and fill her to the hilt. Her blood was intoxicating, unlike any I’d tasted before.
Harlow licked the corner of my mouth, lapping at her own blood, and I groaned, needing release. But fuck. My men. The witch was lost in a blood haze. I had to stop this, even if I wanted nothing more than to bury my shaft inside her.
Clearing my mind, I grabbed her wrists with one hand, raising them above her head, and pulled away. She was a lovely sight with blood dripping down her chin, her eyes alight with power. Shit. Magic. Her fingertips had begun to flame. Stepping away, I dropped her arms and held them firmly to her sides.
“Harlow, look at me,” I said calmly. Fuck, what had I done? “You must calm down. You’ve lost control.” She hadn’t been lying about her magic. “I need you to breathe. In through your nose and out through your mouth. Got it?”
Her eyes were wild, like clouds racing in the night sky just before a storm. “I’m…trying,” she ground out through clenched teeth. “You, you…bit me. Blood.”
I nodded. “Yes, I did—as punishment. I thought you’d purposely harmed my family, but it’s becoming clearer that’s not the case. Breathe.” At my words, her hazel eyes started to return to their normal shade, and her limbs began to tremble. But at the same time, I heard Nicky stir, cursing and seeming to be out for blood while rousing Tony up off the sidewalk.
Fuck. We were in broad daylight; I had to control this shitshow.
“If I let you go, will you be okay? No more magical outbursts?” I stared into her eyes for confirmation.
She gave me a stiff nod but didn’t move from the wall. “I’m trying. I can’t…control it. I’m sorry.”
Letting go of her arms, I traced my finger along her jawline. “Stay where you are until I come for you. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” she said breathlessly with what appeared like tears welling. “Understood.”
“Good girl. Just keep breathing as I instructed.”
“I’ll kill that fuckin’ witch.” I heard Nicky growl as he rounded the corner with Tony at his side.
Lifting my right hand and stopping them dead in their tracks, I glared. “You’ll do no such thing. That is an order. Stand the fuck down. She is under my protection until I say otherwise. We clear?” Protection? Where the hell did that come from? I felt my chest tighten at the thought.
Nicky’s eyes blazed. “Whatever you say, Boss. She’s dangerous, though, that’s all I gotta say. Sleep with a fuckin’ knife.” He and the ever-silent Tony turned from the alley and stood sentry on the sidewalk.
I didn’t have to explain myself to them, but I’d at least inform my crew she couldn’t control her powers. This was something that needed to be remedied and fast. Perhaps it was a task I could help her with? In private…
However, that would mean divulging my secret. Two secrets, one of which could damn me even further.
Turning back to Harlow, she appeared to have calmed down. I reached out to take her hand. “Feeling better?”
Warily, she stared at my hand for a beat before intertwining her fingers with mine. “Yes. I have a theory, but we can’t discuss it here. It’s something... Well, it involves blood.”
Blood, of course it does.
Sucking in air through my teeth, I motioned for her to go on.
“My magic and blood. We can talk later, all right? Please, just not now. Not here.” Harlow hung her head for a moment and then brought her gaze to mine. “I never meant to hurt anybody.”
There was no lie in her words, so I nodded.
“Thank you. What I tell you, though, it might be shocking. Because it pretty much just shocked the shit out of me. I think my life as I know it is about to change, and I can’t say it’s for the better.”
I wondered what she meant, but I respected her wish to speak in a more private setting. Harlow seemed stricken, and not at all the same lust-crazed witch from several minutes ago. Whatever it was, I knew it had struck her to the core. I could now feel it through our blood connection.
And that, a blood connection, had never happened to me before.
What was it people said about best-laid plans? I’d come for revenge. Instead, I got an inexperienced witch I couldn’t seem to keep my hands off of—and a taste for her blood like none other.
I was fucked.
8
Harlow
Everything seemed hazy as we walked the short distance to my apartment. I had no idea what’d come over me after Emilio had bitten me. Power had surged from deep within my soul, eliciting a form of ecstasy unlike anything I’d ever felt in my life. I wanted him. I needed him, and it hadn’t just been lust. No, it had been something else altogether, even more powerful than desire. I couldn’t even explain it to myself.
Then when I’d tasted blood, felt it on my skin, my magic emerged like a firestorm. That’s when, after I’d come down from my sexually driven high, realization dawned I was not a normal witch. Not in the least. Had I been adopted? Was that why my parents couldn’t ever care for me the way they should? Looked down on me with pity and disgust? Because I wasn’t like them?
Shaking those thoughts from my head, I knew I needed my besties; they’d know what to do. If not, they’d at least be able to help me find or learn a spell to magically ward the vampires from attack. Then again, if I were what I thought I was, it was possible—with Emilio’s help, his blood in particular—I may be able to do it myself. I’d still need some sort of spell, maybe… Hell, what did I know?
Worst Witch Award goes to? Yeah, that’d still be me.
As we neared my studio walk-up, I rummaged through my purse for my keys. Hearing Nicky cursing me behind my back was getting on my last damn nerve. It wasn’t like I’d done anything to the jack-hole on purpose, but if he didn’t leave me the hell alone, or if he attacked me, I’d find a way to hurt him, and real good next time. Clearly,
we’d never be besties. I was cool with that.
Unlocking my door, I opened it wide enough to allow the vamp posse to enter behind me. “Welcome to my humble abode.” Yeah, I sounded corny as shit, but I didn’t care. I’d just been bitten, tried to screw a vampire against a brick wall, used strange-ass magic, and the list went on.
Emilio glanced around my tiny apartment with an odd, yet, assessing expression. It was a bit unnerving. But then again, everything that’d happened since meeting that vampire had been unsettling—mostly.
I almost asked if they wanted something to drink, but remembered it’d be me and my blood. Instead, I clamped my mouth shut and went to grab a suitcase in my makeshift bedroom.
“Nicky, Tony,” Emilio called to his men. “Stand sentry outside the door. Let nobody enter. Capiche?”
With a nod of recognition, his vamps strolled into the hallway, leaving Emilio and I alone.
Breathing heavily, I sat on my bed, packing forgotten. The two of us needed to talk, and I couldn’t be sure he’d like what I had to say. Or maybe, he’d read my mind? I had no idea.
He leaned against the wall and gestured to my suitcase. “You gonna pack?”
Sighing, I lifted my eyes to meet his dark gaze. “I want to perform the protection spell. Hell, it’s the least I can do, but as you just witnessed, I have no control of my magic.” I paused and inhaled another much-needed breath. “I’ve got friends who are much more advanced in magic, but as it stands, they’re low on the totem pole, and well, I’m at the bottom. Despised, really, even by my family—an embarrassment, an outcast.” That hurt to say aloud, but I needed to be truthful.
Emilio raised his hand to interrupt. “Why are you so despised as you say?”
“Because I suck as a witch.” I let out a mirthless laugh. “Or couldn’t you tell? But as I told you earlier, I do have a theory, though it’s probably a longshot.” My heart started pounding like a drum thinking about it and what the consequences could mean if it were true.
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