by Deanna Chase
Marked by Temptation
USA Today bestselling author Deanna Chase brings you Marked by Temptation, a novella set in the Jade Calhoun Bourbon Street world.
Mati Ballintine is a sex witch looking for a hot one-night stand to bolster her power, and sexy Vaughn Paxton is cocky enough to make her work for it. But when their one night turns into more than they bargained for, one life is changed, another threatened, and suddenly there’s a whole lot more than lust at stake.
Marked by Temptation
A Coven Pointe Novella
Deanna Chase
www.DeannaChase.com
Bayou Moon Publishing
Copyright
Copyright © 2014 by Deanna Chase
First Edition 2014
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
ISBN: 978-1-940299-16-7 ebook Version
ISBN: 978-1-940299-17-4 Trade Paperback
Interior Design: The Printed Page, Phoenix, AZ
Cover Design: Phat Puppy
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in, or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher of this book.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locals, business establishments, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.
Bayou Moon Publishing
[email protected]
www.deannachase.com
Contents
Marked by Temptation
Marked by Temptation
Copyright
Contents
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Epilogue
Haunted on Bourbon Street Excerpt
Other Books by Deanna
About the Author
Acknowledgments
Thank you to Anne Victory for everything. And to my AAD girls: you all are rock stars!
Chapter 1
Matisse
“I think your sex-witch pheromones are broken.” Ashley smirked and took a long sip of her hurricane.
Glancing over her shoulder at Mr. Tall, Dark, and Holy-Shit-He’s-Hot, I frowned. Had I gone too long between one-night stands? As a sex witch, I could usually have the pick of a club without even trying. All I had to do was put the intention out there, and the next thing I knew, I’d have him eating out of the palm of my hand. This one, though? He hadn’t even looked twice.
“Mati?” Ashley waved her hand in front of my face. “I don’t think staring is helping.”
I blinked and then met her pale green eyes. “Do you think he’s a witch?” That would explain it. He could have cast a protection spell of some sort that would make him immune to my magic.
She shook her head. “I don’t think so. There’s no magical signature, but I wouldn’t say he’s mundane either.”
I gave her a confused look. “What does that mean? Is he an angel or intuitive or something?”
Ashley was a witch of a different sort. She couldn’t cast spells. Her talent was in reading those with supernatural abilities. Not only could she sense a witch, but she could tell what kind of witch a person was or if they were an angel or psychic, et cetera.
“I’m not sure. I’ve never encountered his energy before.” Her brows pinched as she concentrated. “It’s so odd. Not a witch or an angel. Definitely not a demon.”
I let out a small sigh of relief. That was a very good thing. Demons were nasty business. If he was a demon, I’d be obligated to send him back to Hell, and that would seriously ruin my plans for the evening. “So an intuitive then?”
She shrugged. “Probably, though I don’t know what kind. So be careful once you decide you’re done waiting for him to come to you.”
“You know me too well.” I grinned and tilted my beer bottle up, taking a swig of my Abita Purple Haze.
“If you’re lucky, he won’t know what hit him.”
I laughed. “He’s the one who’s gonna get lucky.”
She rolled her eyes. “Right. Like you don’t enjoy yourself at all.”
“Well…” I shifted my skirt so the slit landed in the middle of my thigh. If I needed to have sex to build up my powers, I sure as hell was going to enjoy it. I mean, right? How else was I supposed to deal with that?
Still, trolling for one-night stands in a bar sometimes meant ending up with under performers. There was nothing more disappointing than unwrapping the hottest guy in the place, only to find out he was a dud. Especially when I had spells to cast.
“What’s the latest mission?” Ashley asked. Her careful, nonchalant question was so calculated I couldn’t help but hide a giggle. Poor thing. She was dying to be more useful to the Witches’ Council, but she’d never be more than an administrator. Her powers just weren’t there.
“Special project for my sister.”
“Oh.” Ashley stared at me with interest but didn’t ask any more questions. My sister was the head of the Angel Council. Any work for her was strictly confidential, which was unfortunate, because I could really use someone to talk to about it.
“Yeah.” I downed the last of my beer and slammed the bottle on the table. “Time to get down to business.”
“He’s doomed.” She raised her glass in his direction and saluted him.
Gods, I hoped so. I needed a power fix, and this guy was outshining everyone in the club. Smoothing my long hair back, I gave Ashley a tiny wave and sauntered across the bar. My target wasn’t even watching me, but that didn’t matter. The attitude was more about getting myself ready for the battle.
Just as I was about to make my move, a tiny waif of a blonde slid next to him and wrapped her arm around his waist. She cocked her head, swinging her long ponytail over her shoulder as she gazed up at him. Well, that made things more interesting. Competition had never stopped me before. His lips turned up in a slow seductive smile as he ran his fingers down the back of her exposed neck.
“No date?” she asked him.
He shook his head. “I’m not looking for one either.”
Her lower lip jutted out into a sexy little pout as she said something about him needing the gentle touch of a good woman.
Oh Lord, help me. How desperate can you get? I squeezed between two tall, muscle-bound jocks and cast them each a flirty smile before turning my attention to the bartender.
“Matisse. Ready for that shot? Tequila?” Sally Ann gave me a knowing smile. She’d seen my routine a dozen times before.
“Rum this time.” I was in the mood to mix it up. Casting a glance at Mr. Tall, Dark, and Too-Hot-to-Handle, I said, “New Orleans, Cajun spice.”
She glanced at my future one-night stand and grinned. “Spicy indeed.”
I laughed. Hopefully.
Sally Ann poured two shots, set one in front of me and held the other one over her head. “Time for body shots!”
A cheer went up throug
h the bar. I turned around, holding my shot in front of me, letting them all know I was the prize. It was a well-known bar game that was supposed to be thrust upon unsuspecting patrons—usually bachelorettes—where the dude of the bartender’s choice gets a free shot only if he performs a body shot and wins the approval of the crowd.
They never said no. Too much pressure.
Sally Ann scanned the bar twice, never once making eye contact with the obvious target. On her third pass, she slowed and then stared right at him, holding the shot out. “Do you think you can handle it?”
There was that seductive, confident smile again. “I think I’ve got it covered.”
Sally Ann grinned. “We have a volunteer, folks. Now step back. Give him some space.”
The crowd parted, forming a half circle around him and me. I set my shot on the counter and leaned back, waiting for him to make his move.
He accepted the rum from Sally Ann and placed the shot glass next to mine while he took a long perusal of my bare thigh. Then he gazed at my cleavage before finally meeting my eyes. “Any preference?”
“Any place that’s already accessible,” I replied, lifting my foot and resting my stiletto on the lowest rung of a bar stool so that my skirt inched higher.
That sexy gaze shifted back to my thigh, then my cleavage again.
A shiver of desire ran through my core. Yes. When we finally got to it, this was going to be fun.
The crowd hooted and hollered, calling out their body part of choice. My neck seemed to be popular, but a growing segment was angling for my thigh.
He grinned and nodded to a stool. “Take a seat.”
I did as I was told, and with the way my skirt was positioned, my entire leg was virtually bare once I was settled on the stool.
He held the shot glass up high, letting everyone in the bar see it. Then he leaned down, drizzling a good portion of spiced rum over my thigh. With a wolfish grin, he lowered his mouth and licked every last drop.
Searing heat rippled through me, and I had to fight to keep from moaning right there in the bar. Holy shit. I wanted that mouth everywhere. I clenched my fists to keep from burying my hands in his hair. If I touched him, I might explode on the spot.
More catcalls erupted through the bar.
He stood up and moved in close with one leg between mine. “Still good?”
I nodded, unable to speak. If I did, I was certain I’d demand he take me to the back room right then and there.
Dipping two fingers in his half-empty shot glass, he eyed my neck and then my lips.
There was no way I was letting him kiss me in front of this giant crowd. Nope. Those lips weren’t coming anywhere near mine unless we were alone and getting horizontal. My libido was too far gone for that sort of thing. I turned my head, giving him full access to my neck.
He brought his hand up and ran two rum-soaked fingers from the base of my ear down to my collarbone. When he dipped his head and his hot tongue met my flesh, I couldn’t stop the tremor of desire. And the way his other hand tightened on my hip, I knew he’d felt it. Damn. He had all the power in this little scenario.
This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen. By the time he was done, I was going to be dripping with pure lust. I had to find a way to get the upper hand here.
He held up his not-quite-empty shot glass and asked the crowd, “What shall we do with this?”
They reached new heights of excitement. The roar was so loud not one coherent suggestion was audible.
I took the glass from his outstretched hand and dipped my own fingers in it, then pressed them to his lips. His tongue darted out, and it was a good thing I was sitting, because either my knees would’ve given out or I would’ve thrown myself at him. The promise of what was to come later was almost too much to take.
Whoa. I’d never been so attracted to anyone before. That was really saying something, considering my history. And for once, I didn’t even care about the power boost I was bound to get from the electricity sparking between us. No, what I had going on for this nameless guy was one hundred percent physical. Magic be damned. I wanted to enjoy everything he had to offer. But I couldn’t do that if I seemed like a needy fool.
I pulled my hand away from his mouth and held my own shot glass up in a salute. “A round of applause, please,” I said to the crowd. “He sure knows how to put on a show, wouldn’t you say?”
Sally Ann cheered the loudest and did a fist pump. “Do I know how to pick ’em or what?”
The blonde, who’d been hanging all over Shot Guy, scowled at her. “That was rude. How do you know I’m not his girlfriend?”
“Because, sister, I’ve seen half a dozen of your type hit on him in the last two weeks.” Sally Ann moved in and lowered her voice. “And I was right here when he said he wasn’t interested.”
Shot Guy sent the blonde an annoyed look and then glanced back at me with obvious interest. Good. I definitely had his attention. I moved in so our lips were only inches apart.
His dark eyes clouded with desire as he stared at my mouth. All it would take was one tiny movement in his direction, and his lips would be on mine. I was sure of it. I sucked in a tiny whisper of a breath and said, “Enjoy your night.”
With a satisfied smile, I pulled back and downed my rum in one gulp. Then I swept past him toward the table I’d been sharing with Ashley.
The crowd erupted with applause. Had he been anyone else, I would’ve been sure he was following me. But something told me he hadn’t moved an inch. I caught Ashley’s eye. She gave me a tiny shake of her head. Damn. He was still at the bar.
Time for phase two. Scanning the room, I narrowed in on Brandon, an ex-fling who’d become a good friend, and smiled. Perfect. He was talking with another guy I recognized from our psych class. Psych Guy’s eyes went wide with admiration when I silently took a place beside Brandon and slipped my hand in his. “It’s time to dance.”
He glanced down at me, humor in his clear blue eyes. “You think so? What about Shot Guy? Isn’t he on the menu tonight?”
I smirked. “Forget him. He’s old news. Or are you saying you’d rather sit here with no chance of getting laid?”
Psych Guy swallowed. I knew he thought I’d be taking Brandon home tonight. But after a few minutes of me sending Brandon’s pheromones out into the club, he’d have his pick of the ladies.
Brandon tightened his hand on mine. “Hell no.”
I grinned. I knew I could count on him. And why not? He’d get to go home with anyone he wanted… well, other than me. We were friends only. I didn’t date. One-night stands. That was it. Otherwise my magic was too much for the poor guys to handle. But to be fair, Brandon did handle it better than most. He was a witch, too. Non-practicing, though. He’d said he didn’t want to join a coven while in college. I couldn’t blame him. Who wanted to deal with that crap while trying to get an engineering degree? I wasn’t so lucky. My family made demands on me that kept me tied to my own coven.
Once on the dance floor, I pressed myself to Brandon. “Thanks.”
“Anytime, doll,” he said in my ear and wrapped his arms around me. “But it would be a lot easier if you’d just let me take care of your power needs.”
I snorted. “I bet that would be a real hardship for you.”
“Not in the slightest.” He glanced at the bar and then tilted his head to whisper in my ear. “But looks like tonight I’m gonna be out in the cold. Shot Guy can’t keep his eyes off you.”
Finally. I was starting to think I’d lost my touch. I glanced up at Brandon and smiled. He really would be the perfect boyfriend if I was looking for a nice, stable guy to lean on. Also he was exactly my type when it came to physical looks. He was on the basketball team—tall, fit, and a well-defined upper body.
But he was almost too nice. And I felt like shit when I siphoned his power. It left him physically depleted to the point he’d spend most of the next day sleeping it off like a hangover. It was different with regular guys. It would take them
a little longer to recover, but they were at least functional. Brandon’s power was just too seductive. And I liked him too much to use him like that. Being a sex witch wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.
“Excuse me,” my future one-night stand said.
I stopped swaying against Brandon. “Yes?”
“My friend here was wondering if she could cut in.”
I glanced around Shot Guy to find the waifish blonde making doe eyes at Brandon. I felt Brandon’s body shake with a suppressed chuckle, and it took all my willpower to not smack him as I stepped back. “Of course.”
Brandon leaned in, gave me a quick kiss on the cheek, and whispered, “Good luck with this one.”
Smiling, I nodded to his new dance partner. “You, too.”
Brandon held out his hand to the blonde, and eyeing each other with mutual interest, the pair disappeared into the crowd. I tilted my head, studying the tall, dark-haired guy standing next to me. “That was kind of you.”
He shrugged. “It was either that or figure out a way to let her down gently.”
“Not your type?”
Meeting my eyes, his lips curled up into that sexy half grin all the hot guys had perfected in high school. “I was hoping for more of a challenge.”
“I see.” I raised an eyebrow in question. “Who’s the lucky girl?”
He chuckled. “You already know the answer to that.” Then he held his hand out, offering it to me.
This guy was trouble waiting to happen. And I couldn’t wait. I slipped my hand into his, and a second later, he tugged me with enough force that I spun into his waiting arms. His hands clutched my hips, holding me against his hard, muscled body.
My breath caught. Was he the one spelling me and not the other way around? He smelled of clean soap and rum. I couldn’t help leaning in closer.
The song shifted to a faster number, but my partner kept our pace slow and sensual, barely swaying together. Everything was starting to heat. I wasn’t going to last if he kept this up. My magic was already skating across my skin, dying for his lips on me again.
