Magic Awakened: A Paranormal Romance Boxed Set

by K.N. Lee

  “Babe?” He opened his arms.

  That was all it took. Addy came running toward him.

  Victor caught her and hugged her tight. Addy buried her face against his chest, as he inhaled her hair. Gods, he would protect this woman.

  No matter what. Damn the rules.

  Chapter 6

  “Where are we?”

  “Mercer Island. We can stay here while I talk to my brothers.” Victor parked the car in front of a mansion.

  Addy looked around. It must have been there for a hundred years. Still, the structure was magnificent. The stained glass windows shone from the moonlight, the eaves were intricately designed, and the pillars in front of the massive front doors must have weighed a ton. Well, maybe not, but they looked like they might. The mansion appeared to be empty though. Gigantic trees surrounded it and no neighbors. There were other houses, but they were on the other side of the water, ablaze with Christmas lights.

  “Is this where you live?”

  “No. This belongs to the Midnight Howl. A sanctuary, a place to hide.”

  “Well, you could have picked a smaller place to hide if you don’t want to be seen.”

  “Baby, this place is as old as dirt. I don’t know who bought this and when. All I know is that this is the closest one where we could stay for the night.”

  “I hope there are no spiders inside.” Addy shivered.

  Victor walked over to her, smiling. “You…Afraid of spiders? Babe, you are a warrior.”

  “Elephants are huge, but they’re afraid of mice.”

  “I hope there are spiders in there.”

  “Why?”

  “So you’ll run into my arms, I’ll hold you tight, we’ll kiss, and....”

  “And what?”

  Victor shrugged.

  “Chicken,” she teased.

  Victor just laughed.

  No. He wasn’t a chicken, but a shape-shifter. A real one with a great ass, she thought. Oh, yeah. Addy saw him put on his clothes after he shifted back to his human form. At first, when she saw him and the Blood Robbers turn, she felt shocked. But since she’d dreamed of them many times, she was able to get a grip of their reality. Lord, no one would believe that they truly existed.

  “Ready to come in?” he asked.

  “Yes.”

  Inside, the mansion looked equally impressive. The assorted furniture was exquisite and antique, the kind that she knew would fetch for big sums. Addy ran her hands over everything she could touch. It felt like touching history, something that belonged in the past that survived all these years. She took a deep breath and took in the wondrous scent of lemony oil. The mansion may look old, but someone was definitely taking care of it.

  “Bathroom is through there.” Victor pointed at the wide hallway. “And bedrooms are upstairs.”

  “Okay. Thank you.”

  “Hungry?”

  “No, but I need a shower.”

  Victor nodded. “Let’s go upstairs.”

  “Who’s keeping this place clean?”

  “Maid Brigade. They come here once a week.”

  “Seriously? Are they shifters too?”

  “No. We work with humans. In the government, schools, churches, anywhere…for centuries.”

  “Wow. Do they, I mean humans, work for the Blood Robbers, too?”

  “Unfortunately, yes.” Upstairs, there must have been eight doors that they passed before Victor opened one to usher her in.

  “Thank you.”

  “You bet. You okay if I leave you for a few minutes?”

  “Yes.”

  Victor smiled. “Your eyes are so blue, they don’t look real.”

  “Am I supposed to take that as a compliment?”

  “Yes. They are unusually beautiful. You are beautiful.” He stretched his hand out.

  “Thank you.” Addy knew she should go into the bedroom, but her feet wouldn’t cooperate. She loved feeling Victor’s touch. Instead of stepping back, she closed her eyes and rubbed her cheek on his hand.

  “Have you heard of midnight solstice?”

  Addy opened her eyes. “Yes. I’ve heard of it. From my neighbor who lived in Alaska. They have a midnight sun.”

  “Yes. Humans love it. But to us, it means a long night of watching for the sentries and also a night of celebration. Every year, we celebrate it. It doesn’t matter if we live in a place where the solstice never occurs.”

  “Like Christmas for us.”

  “Like that.” He touched her cheek with his knuckles.

  Only one boy had touched her face and kissed her on the lips. But he moved out of the city and they never saw each other again. There were others who tried to visit her at home, but her dad told them never to come back. When she asked why he would humiliate her like that, he explained he was just saving the boys from getting their hearts broken. Now she understood. She was wanted by the shape-shifters and was a mate to one of them. “You’ll miss the fun because of me.”

  “No. I’m celebrating it here. With you.” Victor leaned in to kiss her lips.

  “You shouldn’t kiss me,” she whispered to his lips

  “Why?”

  “Because—I—you have a code.”

  Victor let out a deep sigh. “Take a shower, love. And wear something nice.”

  “Like what?”

  “Anything.”

  Anything? Yeah, nice. Just like that and she found herself alone upstairs. She stepped into the bedroom and was greeted by the biggest bed she’d ever seen, with a deep red comforter and matching pillows. Black side tables flanked the bed and a writing table occupied the corner of the room. She liked it. Simple, no knick-knacks. No clutter. Addy placed her bags at the foot of the bed and then began stripping.

  She stared at the blood stains on her shirt and pants. Maybe it would be best if she just threw them away. Sighing, she folded the clothes. Did she really fight shape-shifters tonight?

  The bathroom tile was all white and the towels, too. Addy turned on the hot shower. Victor must be talking to his brothers. How many siblings did he have? She wondered if they were as tall and delicious looking as Victor.

  Ever since she’d started seeing him in her dreams, she wanted the day to be shorter and the night to come so she could go to bed, sleep and see him. She searched for him in her dreams. And each time she saw him, her heart would beat fast. She wanted to be with him. It was nuts, but she believed all along she was falling for a dream. Then it was even crazier to find out he was actually real.

  Crazy.

  Addy stepped in the shower. She sighed as the warm water cascaded down her skin. For a while, she just stood there and recollected everything that had happened today. Her brother was being kept in a den, she was being hunted because of her spear, and a sexy shape-shifter kissed her. No one would believe her story.

  Midnight Solstice. The thought of sharing an important night with Victor made her heart sing with delight. She actually felt nervous. She finished her shower then looked in her bag for the dress she’d grabbed at the last minute of packing. The ice blue dress hugged her like second skin. She hoped it would be nice enough for her shape-shifter.

  My own shape-shifter!

  Smiling, she quickly piled her hair high. She didn’t have any makeup with her, so she just had to go without it. Addy stood there just staring at her bare feet when she heard music. It didn’t sound familiar, but she liked it. She took a peek into the hall and found Victor walking towards her room.

  He’d taken a shower, too as his hair looked a little damp. Wearing low-rise jeans and a white long sleeved shirt, he looked magnificent. His slow step made him even sexier.

  My god, she wanted to touch him, feel his muscles. She wanted him to kiss her again.

  Victor studied her from head to toe. “Wow.”

  Addy felt her cheeks burn. “This is the only dress I have.”

  “It’s perfect.” Victor peered down at her toes peeking out through the hem of her dress. “I don’t have dress shoes to wear
either.”

  Addy wanted to tell him he looked sexy barefoot, but decided not to. “What song is that?”

  “Real Love Baby. Found it online.”

  “I like it.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Did you talk to your brothers?”

  “Yes. Zambro is not happy.”

  “With you? Because what happened wasn’t your fault. I’ll explain everything to him, if you want.”

  “He’s frightening.”

  “Does he look like you? Or like the razor heads from Oregon?”

  Victor grinned. “Zambro is my step-brother. Blond. Tall. Menacing.”

  “I want to meet him.”

  “Watch what you wish for, love.”

  Holy crap! Why does he keep calling me love? Not that she felt opposed to it, it was just that she liked it too much. “Thank you.”

  “By the way, my brother Zambro warned us. We might get company tonight. So we have to be vigilant.”

  Addy frowned. “Bad shifters. Here?”

  “Yes.”

  “After what happened today? I’m not afraid.”

  “Really, now.”

  “And you wouldn’t let anything bad happen to me.”

  “No. Not while I’m living.” Slowly, Victor closed their gap. He cupped Addy’s face then rubbed his lips against hers.

  She wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned against him.

  “Addy—”

  “Please don’t stop.”

  “I don’t plan to.” Grinning, Victor slowly walked Addy back inside the bedroom. “You feel so good to touch.”

  “Victor…” Addy didn’t know whether to run or tell him to hurry up and make love to her. She’d done this in her dreams many times and now that it was finally happening, she couldn’t contain herself from her overflowing excitement. When Victor kissed her neck, her knees almost buckled. He sucked her skin hard then licked the pain away. It felt so delicious. Shivers ran through her when he lifted her dress and touched her belly. He caressed her skin, the rise of her ass and then slowly snaked his hand inside her panties touching the spot where Addy throbbed.

  “You’re wet, love.”

  “Your fault.”

  Victor chuckled.

  His breath felt warm on her neck.

  He dipped his finger inside her pussy “Hot,” he said then pulled out. Victor stepped back and stared at Addy. Without saying a word, he began stripping.

  Addy did the same. Her dress pooled around her feet leaving her with nothing but her panties on. But it didn’t take long before she found herself naked and flat on her back as Victor stood at the side of the bed with his cock hard and throbbing. With her heart beating like drums, she watched him run his hands along her thighs then bend to kiss her knees. When he slowly tried to open her legs wide, embarrassment made her clamp them together. No one had seen or touched her pussy before. Only in her dreams. And it was always Victor. This time, though, it was different.

  “It’s okay, love. I’ll be gentle.”

  “This is the first—”

  Victor stopped her when he swiftly moved, so he was laying on top of her. “You’re a virgin. I know. If you want to stop now, we can. But if do this, you’ll be mine forever.”

  Addy couldn’t concentrate on what he was saying. He moved his cock up and down along the folds of her pussy, teasing, making her throb. Oh, she wanted more. So much more. “Did you say forever?”

  “Yes, love. I don’t know what it is that you do to me, but you’re not just a new acquaintance. You’re my heart that I’ve been searching for. I know that.”

  She couldn’t help but close her eyes and moan when Victor slid the tip of his cock over her clit then along the seams of her pussy. “Oh, god.”

  “Look at me, Addy.”

  She stared at him.

  His eyes glinted at her with unspent passion.

  These were the same eyes she’d seen many times. She reached up and combed back his hair. “Don’t disappear on me.”

  “I won’t love. Never. Look at me,” he commanded then surged his hips forward.

  Addy gasped from the pain, but kept her gaze on Victor. He was deep inside her, throbbing, stretching her walls. As soon as she began to feel comfortable, she tried to move.

  “Easy, love. You okay?”

  “I will be if you move.”

  “My pleasure.” Grinning, he kissed Addy as he began to move, his tempo real slow while kissing his way down to her breasts.

  She arched her back from the pure pleasure of having his mouth around her nipple. “Victor...”

  “Yeah, baby.”

  “So good…”

  “I know. I’ll give you what you want, love.” He anchored Addy’s legs on his thighs, spreading her wide. “We’ll go for a ride.” With his hands beneath her shoulders, he kept her in place as he thrust repeatedly.

  Addy took everything in as Victor made love with her as if tonight would be their last night. “You’re mine, too,” she whispered before screaming Victor’s name as an orgasm rocked her world.

  Seconds later, Victor also found his release.

  Together, they lay on the big bed, their limbs intertwined.

  “Happy midnight solstice.” He kissed her on the lips.

  “Same to you.”

  “My plan was to go downstairs, have wine, eat some Chinese food and dance maybe.”

  “Dance?”

  “Midnight Solstice dance.”

  Imagining dancing with Victor brought warmth all over her. “That would be wonderful.” She smoothed his hair back. “I wondered about your hair. But when I saw you in your wolf’s form, then I knew.”

  “Knew what?”

  “You didn’t dye your hair.”

  Victor laughed. “I love your hair, too. Also this.” He touched her mound then combed the fine hair. “Addy?”

  “Yes?”

  “Do you regret giving yourself to me?”

  “I’ve done it many times. In my dreams. You and me. Never with anyone else. Just you. Earlier, you claimed me as your mate forever. Is that why I could feel your heartbeat?”

  “If you live in my world, there are things that will be hard to explain but they will be really happening. Before tonight, I’ve been going back to the same alley when on patrol. I—”

  The doorbell sounded.

  “I ordered Chinese. Must be it.” He picked his jeans up off the floor.

  “Hey, you have to finish your story.”

  “Be right back.”

  “You’d better.”

  Victor winked then left the room.

  Addy put on his shirt and inhaled his masculine scent. She hugged the pillow that Victor used while waiting for him. Minutes later, she heard a sound that made her skin shiver.

  Blood Robbers.

  Chapter 7

  “Son of a bitch!” Leon threw his wine glass against the wall. He watched it shatter. “Imbeciles. I am surrounded by fucking imbeciles.”

  “We could still get them, Leon. The Midnight Howl and the woman were spotted at Mercer Island.”

  Leon looked over at Echo. His favorite cousin. They were born at the same time and grew up like brothers. Echo was the best fighter in his den and surprisingly, one of the smartest. “I want that woman. I don’t care what you do to her as long as she’s alive. Without her, the spear would be fucking useless.”

  “Give the order.”

  Leon nodded. “I’ll lead. We’ll make the Midnight Howl listen. If they refuse, we could always use the humans.”

  “Anytime you’re ready,” Echo replied.

  “The brothers work as a unit, Echo.”

  “Like us, they can be killed, Leon. I’m not afraid of them.”

  “Then let’s go fuck them up.”

  Chapter 8

  Turtle Bluff…

  Zambro stared at Watt and Bruce. He listened to them recount what had transpired in Seattle. They saved a boy, a human no less, and brought them here. Morgan. The second human to
see their den. The first one was Marisol, Callum’s soulmate.

  Fuckin’ eh. His clan was still trying to get used to the idea that a non-shifter lived with them, his brother Ty was still healing after nearly losing his fifth life, now this. Worse, Victor was holed up at the sanctuary on Mercer Island with Morgan’s sister. What. The. Fuck.

  Tonight was supposed to be a night of joyful celebration, of drinking and flirting. As it happened, he would have to work the night away.

  Midnight Howl didn’t have religion. No Christmas or Kwaanza or any human holiday. But they always celebrated solstice at midnight. Damn it all. How many solstices had he missed already? Well, as long as his clan was happy, nothing mattered. “Who’s watching the boy?”

  “He’s hanging out with Endy,” Watt replied. “Whispers about whether Morgan possessed power like Marisol, is already circulating.”

  “Does this Morgan have power?”

  Bruce shook his head. “He’s just a computer nerd, I think. The sister is a Dreamer, though.”

  “There are too many human dreamers to count,” Watt interjected. “But Victor told me Addy is different. She actually saw him in her dream. Shifting. Many times. Which is why her brother searched the Internet for information.”

  “Which led him to the Oregon Stumptown’s site,” Bruce added.

  Zambro ran his fingers through his hair. “So those motherfuckers wanted Morgan to get to Addy.”

  “Did the spear really choose her? Watt asked.

  “Victor is positive on that, too. Leon gave orders to nab Morgan because if he has the kid, his sister would do anything he asks her to do.” Zambro stood in front of the floor to ceiling bookshelf. When Marisol came to them carrying the most coveted and powerful sword that belonged to his ancestor, he re-acquainted himself with the Four Sacred Treasures of the Tuatha De Danann. According to the book, the Irish gods were given permission to bring with them four sacred objects: the sword, stone of destiny, couldron and the spear of Lugh. But the Midnight Howl knew the Irish myth was more than that. The sword that Marisol carried proved it. Now, it seemed the spear that had been gone for centuries decided to reappear and finally choose its master. A human. And if that is so, Victor and Addy are in serious trouble tonight. Fuck.