“Even Gryph thinks you’re being ridiculous,” I told Oliver.
“He was talking about me,” Oliver corrected me. “I’m the one who has some sense.”
“He was not referring to you having sense,” I insisted.
“Yes, I was,” Gryph told me. “Let’s get moving. I want to get back to my house so we can try to figure out where to start with looking for this asshole who’s threatening you.”
Rather than argue, I gathered up my belongings and set the protection wards on the office. Things hadn’t gone the way I’d imagined, but I’d accomplished one thing. Gryph seemed determined to be around me constantly. He obviously still wanted me. It would only be a matter of time before he gave in to his attraction.
Chapter 6
The Gentleman Warlock
The bitch had ruined everything!
I’d tried to put it all behind me and convince myself there was a chance Julia Dupree hadn’t been trying to ruin my life. I am, after all, a reasonable man. Despite my lowly birth, I am a gentleman, and a gentleman doesn’t simply go around killing people. No matter how much I enjoy killing, I’d always made every attempt to only kill those who deserved it. I was a strong believer in justice. The punishment had to fit the crime.
Admittedly, there were times when the perfect opportunity presented itself and I couldn’t resist. Looking down at the scars along my left arm, I could easily count the times I’d allowed my impulses to sway me. A spell ensured only I could see the scars. I couldn’t claim to seek justice if I didn’t hold myself to a high standard of morality. Each scar represented my own self-imposed punishment. In my younger years, I’d cut myself, but I’ve since moved on to burns. The burns were symbolic of the traditional human concept of Hell. Had I not reined in my temper weeks ago, I might have been forced to add a new one.
From the moment I’d learned of her role in Tatiana leaving me, I’d longed to go after the blonde bitch. I’d hesitated because I didn’t know what she’d actually told Tatiana, and Tatiana now refused to tell me anything more. I’d been left wondering if there was enough to justify Julia Dupree’s death. Those doubts had vanished when I’d gained access to Tatiana’s email account late last night. Now, there was no doubt in my mind the blonde bitch was guilty. Death was the only punishment that would satisfy me. I had to kill either Julia Dupree or someone close to her.
I was tempted to add a smaller scar now as punishment for my lack of self-control when I’d sent that email to Bliss. It had been a foolish move, but I could take comfort in the fact that it couldn’t be traced back to me. With a shake of my head, I decided to focus on Julia’s punishment.
Opening my laptop, I scanned the documents I’d collected on Julia Dupree. Taking away a close friend would hurt her, but who should I kill? While she was close to Alana Hunt, it hadn’t taken long to decide killing the half-succubus was too dangerous. Her warlock husband, Dylan Hunt, came from a powerful family with the ability to control the elements. His special talent was fire. Looking down at my arm again, I shook my head. I definitely didn’t want to anger someone who could wield fire.
Julia also had two younger sisters and an older brother. The brother was a bad choice due to his powerful half-demon wife. I pulled up pictures of the younger sisters. Both looked similar to Julia, and I was certain killing one of them would hurt her. Her familiar was another good option. From experience, I’d learned that killing a witch’s familiar caused a great deal of emotional distress and weakened the witch.
Looking at the pictures on my computer screen, my eyes moved from her familiar to her sisters before traveling to the picture of Julia Dupree. I longed to wrap my fingers around her throat as I choked the life out of her. My dick strained against the zipper of my pants, shaming me into pushing that fantasy to the back of my mind. This would not be an act of personal gratification. A gentleman didn’t behave that way. Punishment wasn’t about my own pleasure, yet there was no denying I’d enjoy killing her. It had to be Julia Dupree. I’d known that even as I’d toyed with the idea of killing another.
Looking around my new home, at least for the time being, I decided it would serve my needs. It wasn’t fancy, but it was comfortable. I frowned when my eyes landed on the two bodies in the corner. They ruined the comfortable feel of the place, and I’d need to do something before the smell became a problem. Sadly, I could only dispose of one for now. Each had died at my hands for entirely different reasons. One had died for her betrayal. The other had died to aid me in my revenge. For the last death, I’d have to add another scar.
“Are you happy now?” I asked Katya’s lifeless body. She’d been the only woman I’d ever come close to loving. “Did you really think I’d allow you to betray me?”
I brushed her blonde hair back from her pale cheek. She’d been so vibrant in life, no matter what body she’d inhabited. “I’ll bet you never guessed confessing the way to kill a shade would result in your own death, did you, Katya?” She’d been a fool for sharing her weakness with me.
The soft laughter behind me made the hairs on my arm stand up. “It can’t be,” I muttered.
“Did you really think I was so stupid that I didn’t have a backup plan?” the voice taunted.
When I stood and turned toward her voice, I found the room empty.
“I must be losing my mind,” I mused.
Her laughter flowed through the room again. I’d known Katya for years, and I’d talked to her shade form countless times. “How are you here? Did you lie to me about creating that form? Did you possess a real human?”
“There are two things you failed to realize the day you killed me,” she taunted. “First, shades don’t really die. Our incorporeal forms simply lose the ability to enter this realm. Second, shortly after that moment of stupidity when I told you how to kill a shade, I realized my mistake. I paid a demon to cast a special spell for me. It required a blood sacrifice, but it was worth it. All I needed was for you to say my first name to release me from the boring shade realm I’ve been stuck in.”
I waited to feel something. Emotions of any kind were such a rarity. Fear seemed like a logical reaction—something most would feel when the person they’d killed returned from the dead. “Are you here to kill me?” I asked with mild curiosity.
“I should kill you,” she hissed. “I should hate you for what you’ve done to me.”
“But you don’t,” I finished for her with a grin. “You knew I was going to kill you, yet you continued to come back to me. You really are a sick little shade, aren’t you?”
“I didn’t kill the person I claimed to love,” she reminded me.
“I do love you, Katya,” I murmured, and it was the truth in that moment. The sudden rush of emotion was like a drug. The only other time I truly felt alive was when I burned myself or killed someone. Sadly, the love always faded, but for a brief moment, my entire body hummed with excitement.
She let out a frustrated breath. “You’re lucky I need you.”
“Take a form so we can talk,” I coaxed. “You don’t need to be afraid I’ll kill you again. I’ve already punished you. You’re safe with me, Katya.” As safe as anyone could be, I admitted only to myself.
She snorted. “I don’t think it will be that easy to kill me a second time,” she insisted.
“Then steal a body or make a new one,” I urged. “I feel like a crazy person talking to you when you’re incorporeal.”
“I can’t,” she ground out. “That stupid demon thought it would be funny to add an extra twist to his spell. I didn’t have time to get another demon to fix this problem before you killed me. Now, we’re stuck together. Without a death sacrifice, performed by you, I am trapped in this incorporeal state. Even worse, you’re the only one who can hear me. Never trust a demon performing black market spells.”
I frowned. “What’s wrong with having only me to talk to? You loved me enough to sacrifice your life.”
“Sex was the thing that kept us together, not conversation,” she
reminded me. “I need a body. All you have to do is kill someone, and I can have my life back.”
“I know the perfect sacrifice!” I exclaimed with a laugh. “I can punish the last person who interfered with my plans for Tatiana while solving your problem.”
When Katya spoke again, I could picture her eyes narrowed as they’d be if she had a physical form. “Who cares about Tatiana Ashcroft? Why not just kill her?”
I let out a frustrated breath, annoyed that she couldn’t understand my need to elevate my status. I was tired of being looked down on by the other witches and warlocks, tired of being defined by my birth. With Tatiana as my witch, I’d be elevated from the lowest rank to the highest. My pale blue robe would be exchanged for a black robe. It’s all I’d ever wanted. “Tatiana needs to remain alive,” I told her. In truth, I hadn’t ruled out the possibility of killing Tatiana, but I wasn’t ready to give up on all the work I’d put into her yet.
“Then who are you planning to kill?” she demanded.
“As I’ve already said, I’ll kill the other deceitful bitch,” I began. “It will be justice for her betrayal.”
“Then let’s kill her now,” she insisted.
“It’s not that simple,” I argued. “I’ll need to find her in a less secure place. This will require planning.”
“I want my body now!” Katya shouted. She’d always had an ugly temper. That temper is what had gotten her in this position, so I didn’t feel too bad for her. “Find another kill today.”
“No,” I stated in a firm tone. “I’ve already made one unnecessary kill. I’m not about to add another just because you’re acting like an impatient child.”
A cold breeze blew through the room, and I suspected it meant Katya had stormed out. She was angry, but she’d get over it. There was no time to focus on Katya. Now was the time to start planning Julia Dupree’s punishment.
Chapter 7
Gryph
I’d been hesitant to buy a new place since I didn’t invite people over. Even after I’d started taking odd jobs and made some friends, I didn’t invite anyone into my home. I didn’t have women over because I’d already found my mate. Regardless of whether she accepted me as her mate, I couldn’t imagine being with another woman. Werewolves mated for life, and Julia was it for me. She didn’t know that. From what I could tell, Julia knew very little about werewolves. That wasn’t uncommon. Most witches could go their entire life without ever talking to a werewolf. Both species could be exclusive and secretive. Even those witches who spent a lot of time around werewolves knew very little about them. So, while I’d told Julia she was my mate, she probably just thought it was some macho claim I was making on her.
We’d left Julia’s car in her garage since I’d be driving her everywhere until I knew she was safe. My house was situated near the back of a vampire subdivision that bordered a large regional park. Julia spoke for the first time in nearly half an hour as we neared my house at the end of the cul-de-sac. “This is your home?” she asked, pointing to the yellow two-story house with the white trim. I was surprised she’d guessed correctly rather than picking one of the nondescript brown homes.
I smiled at her. “Yeah, it is. How’d you know it was my home?”
“I’m really sensitive to magic,” she explained. “The wards on your home are different from the ones on the vampire homes.”
“Do you like it?” I asked before adding, “My home, not the wards.”
“It’s really nice,” she praised.
I was definitely pleased since I’d bought it with her in mind. There was a great view of the park from the deck off the master bedroom in the back. That had been my biggest security concern, so I’d had it warded with extra security spells. The spells to deter non-vampires had been removed as it was the only way to make a vampire home habitable for a werewolf. Vampires weren’t usually friendly creatures. Their antisocial reputation was part of the reason I’d picked a vampire neighborhood to live in. I didn’t want to hang out with the neighbors. At least, that’s what I’d thought until I moved into my new home. My vampire neighbors were surprisingly friendly people. Eventually, they’d worn me down, and I’d accepted one of their many invitations to hang out with them. As it turns out, I like my neighbors.
“I never would have pictured you living in a cute little yellow house,” she mused as I pulled into the garage.
“It’s a good location,” I replied gruffly.
“I guess it makes it easier for you to run with the wooded area in the park right behind your house,” she remarked.
“It’s also an area the local pack doesn’t use much,” I explained. “I’m not supposed to have contact with them. There are areas where I’m not allowed to run.”
When I looked over, I expected to see some form of pity on Julia’s face. Instead, I saw anger. She looked seriously pissed.
“Werewolves can be complete assholes, can’t they?” she asked.
I chuckled as we both climbed out of the car. “Yeah, they can,” I agreed. “Even when I was still a member of the pack and expected to defend decisions like these, they didn’t make sense to me. The packs have their reasons.”
Julia went around the back to remove Oliver first, while I grabbed two of her bags.
“The reason is most werewolves are assholes,” she muttered.
“I guess we can be difficult,” I admitted.
“Difficult?” she demanded, setting Oliver’s carrier down in the family room and opening the door. “You saved the pack leader’s life. They owe you.”
“I saved the old pack leader,” I pointed out as I set her bags down and went to help with Oliver. There was no reason to mention that the old pack leader had kicked me out for losing my arm. Admittedly, he’d done it in a much kinder way. He’d at least allowed me contact with other werewolves in the pack, not that I’d had many friends. Still, I’d had visitors from time to time, along with female companionship whenever I wanted it. I’d felt less isolated.
“Come on, Oliver,” Julia crooned.
I didn’t fully understand Oliver, but I picked up a lot of his meaning. He was whining softly in the carrier, and he definitely wasn’t sure about his new surroundings.
“You wanted to come to Gryph’s,” Julia argued with him. “It’s very rude to say it smells funny here. I don’t smell anything.”
I suddenly realized what was bothering Oliver, and I understood his problem. I’d dealt with similar issues when I moved into the vampire neighborhood. Beagles had a keen sense of smell, almost as strong as werewolves. Vampires are dead. I’ve been told it’s impolite to refer to them as dead, but they are, and they smell dead. Cats tend to love vampires because they thoroughly enjoy that faint scent of decay. Werewolves and dogs hate that smell. It took me months to get used to it.
“He doesn’t like the vampire smell,” I told Julia.
“Oh!” Julia exclaimed. “I can’t even smell them, so I never stopped to think that Oliver can.”
“Why don’t you let me try?” I suggested.
“This may not work,” Julia told me. “Oliver’s nose is very sensitive, and I’m not sure he can adjust to living near vampires.”
I raised an eyebrow and waited. Julia laughed when she realized how ridiculous she sounded. “I suppose you know how that is.”
“I do,” I agreed.
“Oliver is also a little high-strung,” she added.
I laughed at her calling Oliver a little high-strung. That was definitely an understatement. “I noticed. Why don’t you take your stuff up to the guest room? It’s the second door on the right at the top of the stairs. I’ll have a word with Oliver and see if we can work this out.”
“You have a guest room?” she asked, sounding more shocked by that than anything else I’d said that day.
“I paid someone to decorate,” I explained. “He seemed to think I needed a guest room, despite my arguments on the subject.”
She nodded her understanding before grabbing her bags. “Got
it. You didn’t want to shop for furnishings, so it was easier to hire someone to do it, and he didn’t listen to any of your suggestions.”
“Would it have killed him to add one old recliner for me to sit in when I watch television?” I asked, voicing my biggest complaint about the decorator. “It’s not that the furniture is uncomfortable, but sometimes a man just wants to sit in a chair that’s already broken in.”
“Poor Gryph,” she teased. “Are you sure you can handle Oliver?”
“We’ll be fine,” I assured her.
After she walked up the stairs, I crouched in front of the carrier. “Get out, now!” I told Oliver in a commanding tone. We might be buddies, but I was still dominant to him.
Oliver slunk out of the carrier, eyes downcast. When he was standing in front of me, I put my hand on his head and spoke in a gentler tone. “I know vampires stink. It drove me up a wall when I moved here, but I got used to it. You will, too.”
Oliver whimpered his disagreement.
“We have to keep Julia safe, right?” I asked.
Oliver looked up at me, meeting my eyes for just a moment. There was a special bond between witch and familiar. I knew he’d do anything to keep her safe. His bark was agreement.
“This is the way to do it, my friend,” I assured him. “If I thought it was safe for you to stay at your home, I’d agree to that. No one will look for Julia in a vampire subdivision.”
Oliver regarded me for a long moment before finally flopping down on his back and releasing what I could only describe as a canine sigh. I immediately reached out to scratch his belly.
“You got him out,” Julia said as she joined us. I’d known she wouldn’t stay up there long while her familiar was in distress. It was touching that she’d trusted me this much.
“Sometimes, we males need to just work through things without females getting in the way,” I stated as I stood to my full height.
Oliver made his agreement known by taking his place at my side. As for Julia, she rolled her eyes and regarded us like we were complete morons.
Seductively Spellbound (Spells That Bind Book 3) Page 4
