by Deanna Chase
“Who are you to knock at the door of Hell and deign to fight me?” Undeterred, the demon inched forward, advancing on me. “Your soul is worthless to me.” He sniffed. “Dirty, foul sex witch. You’re destined to spend the rest of your days trapped in stone for your sins.”
My eyes widened in surprise at his outburst. Demons had a problem with sex witches? Was he kidding me? Demons? Then I met his evil glare with one of my own. “And you’re destined to spend the rest of your days as ash, you evil soul-sucking bastard.”
Focusing on the rage-induced power streaming from my fingers, I lifted my arms and threw everything I had at him. But all he did was raise a hand and let it all stream into him as if he was feeding off me.
I gasped, suddenly feeling more vulnerable than I ever had before. A moment ago, my power had scorched him. Now it did nothing to stop this demon. And he’d swallowed Chessa’s fireball. She was right. I had to get out of there. But I couldn’t leave her. And what about the demon? We’d called one up. If we left now, who knew where he’d end up?
“Reverto!” Chessa cried and flung a bolt of light at the demon. Again, he opened his mouth to welcome the magic, but instead of swallowing it down, the magic grew into a giant ball in his mouth. He stumbled back, writhing and choking on the electric energy.
Chessa grabbed my hand and squeezed as we both watched in fascinated horror.
“What’s happening?” I asked, a tremor in my voice.
“I recalled the magic I threw at him earlier. Now it’s mixing and if I did the spell right—”
The demon’s eyes bulged and then a loud boom sounded as his head exploded, sending demon guts flying. We both ducked, but scaly flesh still landed on my arm.
“Oh, gross.” My stomach rolled, and I struggled to hold back a gag.
The horrified look on Chessa’s face told me she was doing the same thing.
The demon’s body was lying on the ground twitching, no head in sight. Then as we backed away, the body combusted into ash.
“Whoa,” I said, releasing Chessa’s hand. Had my sister really just blown up a demon?
“Disgusting.” She wiped dust off her white blouse and wrinkled her nose. “We better go.”
“Yeah.” I could barely breathe. Everything about what just happened was too horrifying.
“But we need to reappear in another spot. Preferably in a coven circle. If any more demons are coming, they’ll follow. It’ll be harder for them to burst through a properly sealed circle.”
Harder but not impossible. I suppressed a shudder. “Okay.” I could use our coven’s circle, but it was in the middle of the Pointe and far too exposed, so I opted to borrow the New Orleans coven’s circle. Theirs was shielded by a grove of oak trees. Aunt Dayla would approve. She’d been at war with their coven leader for years. Using their circle would be a bonus to her. Not that I had any issue with them. I just didn’t want to explain to the rest of the coven what Chessa and I had been up to.
Chessa could maneuver through the shadows, but she didn’t know them as well as I did, so I grabbed her hand again and focused on the circle, which wasn’t too far from my college campus. It was on the other side of the river and we had no way to get home, but we’d figure it out.
The shadows started to fade, and my vision blurred with a hazy reality of green. When everything came back into focus, we were standing exactly where I’d willed us to go—smack-dab in the middle of the New Orleans’ coven circle. Large oaks surrounded the clearing. The grass was pale green with patches of brown dead spots. No one was around.
The first thing I did was stop, drop, and roll to scrape away the demon remnants. Chessa stared at me, disgusted. I didn’t care. The guts had to go, and what didn’t come off easily, I rubbed on the patches of green grass. “You’re crazy if you think I’m walking around with demon guts clinging to me.”
She shook her head and waved a hand. Shimmering light spun around us both, and when it disappeared with a pop, we were both in fresh clothes, no guts in sight.
“Well that was… freaking awesome.” I climbed to my feet. “How long have you been holding that spell back?”
She gave me a noncommittal shrug. “I try not to show off when it isn’t necessary. But you’re right. There was no way I was going anywhere in those clothes.” She slipped her arm through mine. “Come on. I’ll walk you to class. I hear you have a test to take.”
We were only blocks from the university, but I wasn’t exactly prepared. I frowned and glanced at my watch. Forty minutes until class started. “My notes and supplies are at home.”
“Oh, no problem.” She snapped her fingers, and my backpack appeared from thin air.
“What? I mean…?” Jeez. When had she become Ms. Super Powerful? I rummaged through the backpack and found everything I needed. “How did you do that?”
She grinned. “Being head angel in charge has its perks.”
***
Vaughn
The rapid click of the shutter filled my senses as I focused on the bright magic pulsing on the banks of the Mississippi. I couldn’t see anything but light and hoped the camera picked up something of use.
“What’s that?” a male voice asked from behind me.
Fuck. Where’d he come from? My heart rate sped up with the surprise intrusion, and I took a deep breath as I turned around.
An older gentlemen dressed in a velour jogging suit squinted at the now fading light.
I shrugged and took a few more pictures. “No idea. Alien activity?”
“Government testing. Or radioactive contamination.” The man chuckled and saluted me as he continued on down the path.
“Riiight.” I turned back to the light, only to find it was completely gone and so was the magic. “Shit!”
I glanced over at the man. Had he been part of it? Been a distraction? It was possible. But that didn’t explain where the magic had come from. Frustrated, I packed my camera back in its case and took off to search the neighborhood. I spent the next hour scouring the streets, but it was virtually useless. Too many witches lived there. I sensed magic in at least a dozen homes. There was no way to know if the one who’d been casting on the riverfront was in one of the houses now.
Frustrated, I climbed back into my SUV and headed home. Maybe I’d find something on the camera.
Back home in the Garden District, I called the shop to let the boss know I wouldn’t be in until the next day.
“Whatever, man,” Rick said. “Have fun with the lady.”
“What lady?” I plugged my camera’s memory card into the computer.
“The one who came looking for you. I though that’s why you took off for the day.”
Matisse? Had she stopped by the shop? How had she known where to find me? “What did she say?”
“Nothing. She was just looking for you. When you weren’t here, she left. Real looker, too. Nice score, man.”
For some reason his words pissed me off. They shouldn’t, but they did. I didn’t like thinking about the old perv ogling her. “Yeah. All right. See you tomorrow.”
I sat at my desk, irritated at Mitch for sending me on a run that made me miss a visit from Mati. And if I didn’t find the witch he was after, I wouldn’t get paid at all. Shit. Get your head in the game, asshole. After a trip into the kitchen for a cup of coffee, I carried my mug back to the computer and got to work.
Chapter 8
Matisse
The test did not go well. I spent half the hour trying to block the demon out of my mind. But I just kept seeing him explode over and over again. The spreadsheet I was supposed to be filling in was just a sea of numbers. Who gave a shit about accounting when a demon had tried to kill me less than an hour ago?
Five minutes before class ended, I saved my file and clicked out of the program. No doubt I’d failed. I’d just sealed my fate. I’d have to retake the class for sure.
Outside in the hall I avoided Brandon, who was talking to one of his frat friends, and slipped out of the building
. With my head down, I headed straight for Saint Charles. Once there, I hopped on the streetcar and settled in the back. I’m not sure I even knew where I intended to go until I jumped off near the Garden District. There was only one reason I’d ended up there.
Vaughn. Nervous energy skittered through me. What was I doing?
At least I had an excuse. With single-minded determination, I headed straight down Sixth Street until I was standing in front of the white Victorian. My breath caught in my throat. The light shining from his front windows told me everything I needed to know. He was home.
I could always leave after I got my keys, right? Yeah, that’s what I’d come for. I scoffed at myself. Who was I kidding? After the day I had, all I wanted to do was lose myself in someone and recharge. I took a deep breath and went for it.
My knuckles hit the wood door in three solid raps.
Footsteps sounded from inside.
I glanced around and seriously considered darting behind a large water oak, but the door swung open before I could move, and there he was in his dark jeans, a long-sleeved shirt, and socks. He looked so relaxed. And even more inviting than he had the night before. My insides melted.
“Hey.” He leaned against the doorframe and gave me a smug smile.
Cocky bastard. I raised one eyebrow as I eyed his overconfident stance. “Whatever you’re thinking, you’re wrong.”
He laughed. “You sure about that?”
“Yes.”
He stepped back and waved an arm, gesturing for me to come in. “It’s pretty chilly out there. You’re welcome to warm up in here.”
I stepped over the threshold and eyed my keys, which were lying near a side table. There really was no reason for me to stay. Except not even a demon could’ve dragged me away from him right then. The sexual attraction I’d felt last night seemed to intensify to magnified proportions. I couldn’t explain the phenomenon, and after the day I’d had, I didn’t even want to.
Vaughn clasped my hand and tugged me through his shotgun-style apartment, all the way into the kitchen.
“Coffee?” he asked.
I nodded, leaning against the counter.
He filled a cup and placed it near me with a bottle of creamer and a bowl of sugar. As I doctored the coffee he said, “I’m glad you were able to track me down.”
“Excuse me?” I took a small sip of the coffee and met his gaze.
“Rick said you came by the shop earlier.”
“Rick?” I frowned. “Your shop? I don’t even know where you work.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. A wrinkle creased his brow and he mirrored my frown. “You didn’t come by to see me today?”
“No.” I chuckled. “I’m not a stalker.”
“Really?” His lips twitched. “But you’re here now.”
“I left my keys. I came to pick them up.” I couldn’t let him think I was one of those weird, clingy girls who thought one night in the sack meant some sort of relationship. Hell no. We barely knew each other.
His face turned stormy, and I had to fight back a laugh. He wanted me here. And it didn’t appear to be some misguided ego boost either. I mean, seriously. He clearly wasn’t lacking in self-confidence.
“I see. So does that mean your friend is waiting for you?”
“What friend?”
He took a step closer, his eyes burning into me. “The one who picked you up in the middle of the night last night.”
Oh. Right. “Um, no. I took the streetcar.”
That smoldering gaze dipped to my mouth.
I took my time, wetting my lips just to see what he would do.
His right arm flexed, but to my disappointment, he raised his gaze and took a step back. Then he stuffed his hands in his pockets. It was almost as if he were forcing himself to not touch me. Damn. There was that disappointment again. I took another long sip of my coffee.
Finally he asked, “Are you hungry?”
What a loaded question. Hell yes I was. But not really for food. “What did you have in mind?”
He took the coffee cup from me. “There’s a French restaurant on Magazine.”
“Yeah, sure, I could eat.” Because if I didn’t go, I’d be ripping his clothes off in two minutes flat. Desperation didn’t look good on me.
His shoulders relaxed and some of the tension eased from his face. “Good. It’s been a busy day. I haven’t eaten.”
He took off through his apartment, and I followed. We had to pass through his bedroom on our way out, but when we got there, he sat on the edge of his bed. Memories of what we’d done the night before filled my head. I couldn’t stop the heat from burning my cheeks. I hadn’t been in this position before. How was I supposed to act? Did dinner mean he expected a repeat of the night before? And what would I do if he didn’t? Seduce him anyway?
Once he had his shoes on, he stood and placed a hand on the small of my back. “Ready?”
“Sure.” His touch was so comfortable and oddly familiar it put me at ease. And suddenly, I wanted more than the life I’d been leading. I wanted someone to drop in on. Someone I cared about enough to spend more than one night with. Brandon was a possibility. He was a nice guy, but this natural chemistry that I had with Vaughn was missing. We’d bore each other before too long. I vowed right then and there to enjoy myself while I was with Vaughn. Consequences be damned. Was it so terrible to care about someone?
“So,” I said. “You had a mystery woman come by your shop. Who do you think it could be?” The obvious answer was some other one-night stand who couldn’t seem to stay away either. But I was comforted by the fact that he’d immediately assumed the person had been me. Plus he’d clearly been pleased to see me.
“I have no idea.” He ran a hand through his dark hair. It fell in short waves over his forehead.
I had to stop myself from brushing it out of his eyes. “Ah, secret admirer. Exciting.”
“Or irritating.” He laughed.
I gave him a mock look of horror as we turned onto Magazine Street. “What? You don’t like random women just showing up out of the blue?”
His eyes gleamed with mischief. “It depends on the woman.”
Oh, I could play this game. Warmth spread through my belly with the knowledge he was going to enjoy this just as much as I was. “So you’re into stalkers then? You like being chased, rather than do the chasing? Seems about right considering how things got started last night.”
“Ha!” His body shook with mild laughter. “I seem to recall someone doing her best to torment me and then spending her time fawning over some Ken doll. If I hadn’t taken your not-so-subtle bait, I’m pretty sure I’d have ended up alone last night.”
It was my turn to scoff. “Right. Alone. That seems likely.”
The humor vanished from his face and he turned serious eyes on me. “You’d be surprised.” But before I could question him, heat filled his eyes again and he added, “At least last night anyway. After that body shot, I had to find out what was under that skirt.”
My body had such a visceral response to the memories of the night before, I bit my lip to keep from moaning right there on the street. Goddess, he was winning again! I couldn’t have that. I brushed my fingers down the inside of his arm. “And did you like what you saw?”
He stopped in the middle of the block, wrapping his fingers around mine.
“I thought we were getting dinner,” I said with a teasing smile.
He stared at me, his smoldering gaze searing me from the inside out. “You should know I spent most of the day replaying the image of you undressing for me. I think it’s safe to say I liked what I saw.”
Well, that was… hot. I didn’t have a snappy comeback. My mind was too busy recalling last night’s events.
“If you keep looking at me like that, we’re not going to make it to dinner.” Vaughn took a step closer and clasped one hand around my neck as he caressed my jaw with his thumb.
I cleared my throat. “I thought you were hungry.”<
br />
“That’s a fair assessment.” His husky voice was low and full of promise.
Excitement shot through my core. How fast could we get back to his apartment? His fingers were tracing my neck, sending shivers of pleasure from the exact spot he’d bit down on twice the night before. I knew there was a small mark there from his love bites and wondered if he knew it, too. “Kiss me,” I said, my voice just as husky as his.
His hand slipped lower, but my neck continued to tingle as he leaned in and granted my request. His kiss was hungry, sinfully demanding in the way he pulled me closer and lifted me onto my toes as he pulled me up to meet him. I matched his intensity, catching his lower lip between my teeth. Who needed food with this guy around?
He let out a small groan and tightened his arms around me. We were lost, overtaken as the world around us slipped away.
That is, until the whooping started from a small group of tourists across the street, followed by the squeal of brakes from a car sliding to a stop mere feet from where we stood.
“Son of a bitch!” Vaughn cried and yanked me out of the way, causing me to stumble and fall on the uneven sidewalk.
“Dude! What the fuck?” an angry male voice shouted from the car.
Vaughn ignored him and helped me stand.
Pain pulsed through my knee and when I went to inspect it, I found torn jeans and blood. “Ouch,” I yelped as I grazed my fingers over the wound.
“Vaughn!” the man yelled again, the anger in his voice intensifying. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Making sure you don’t kill my date, you asshole.” Vaughn’s tone was laced with a dangerous edge. “What’s your problem?”
The dark-haired man in his early thirties jumped from the car and slammed the door. “I’ve been waiting for your phone call. Dude. You have a job to do.”
“I’m working on it.” Vaughn tucked me to his side, placing a protective arm around my shoulders. “When I have something for you, I’ll be in touch.”
The man’s nostrils flared in disgust. “You and your skanks. Man, that dick of yours is going to get someone killed one of these days.”
