by Chloe Adler
"Disobey your wishes?" Katharine cocked her head.
"Yes, like if she won’t remove the tracking brand she burned into our backs." I motioned to Iphi who remained silent.
Katharine nodded and was silent for a moment, her eyes distant. Thinking. "If we were to cast a spell like that, each wish would have to be specified. Like the tracking device, et cetera. You would have to include every indiscretion first on paper and then verbally."
I clapped my hands together and exchanged glances with my sisters, who both nodded. "We can work on that."
In the kitchen at my house we passed a pad of paper around. I had added everything I could think of, Sadie had added her list, and Iphi was sitting with the pen in her mouth, reading.
"I can't think of anything else to add here. You've both covered it."
"You have to specify your tracking brand separately," I stated.
"I don't know if I care that much." Iphi's long lashes fluttered. "Mom only branded me for my protection, so she can save me if saving is needed. And what if it is? Remember what happened with the Scrim?"
I didn't want to remember what had happened when the Scrim had taken my sister but since she had been unhurt in the end, I nodded. "It's your choice. I'm not going to make you do anything you don't want to do."
Iphi put the pen down on the pad and sat back. Aurelia ribbited from her cage.
"Sounds like Mom agrees with your choice."
Another ribbit.
"I'll form the circle. We need to get this spell cast so we can change her back," Iphi said.
Sadie and I exchanged looks.
The candles were placed and my sister called in the four directions and cast the circle. I read the spell from Katharine's grimoire, but before it was finished, I motioned to Iphi, and she unlocked the birdcage door. Aurelia hopped out and Iph sprinkled the correct herbs over her. Then I read the list aloud, tore it from the notepad and held it over a candle flame. I passed the book to Sadie, who read the next sentence and passed it to Iphi, who read the final one. We chanted in Latin together as I set fire to the paper. With a dramatic whoosh of air, our mother appeared, naked, standing on our kitchen table. Nice and dramatic, just the way she liked things.
"Give me a robe, now," she said, one arm covering her breasts and the other held out, palm open. She didn't bother to thank us or acknowledge what had happened to her.
Iphi sprang into action and ran out of the kitchen to fetch something, presumably from Burgundy's room.
Aurelia held her hand toward Sadie, who helped her off the table, but my mother did not--would not make any eye contact with me whatsoever.
Iphi rushed back in, holding a velvet cape that had to be Burgundy's because it certainly wasn't mine, and helped Aurelia drape it over herself. I found myself caught up in how amazing she looked. I'd never seen her naked before and she had the body of a twenty-something. It was better than mine. Not an ounce of fat or cellulite anywhere. Even her breasts defied gravity. How did she do that?
"Iphigenia, will you please drive me home?" our mother asked.
"Can't you . . ." Iphi started but Mother gave her a wilting look.
"Your thoughtless, selfish, nasty sister turned me into a toad and left me there for days. Don't you think if I had any strength to cast a spell right now, I would?"
"Of course, Mama," Iphi said and put her arm around Aurelia, leading her out of the kitchen.
Before she crossed the threshold into the living room, she turned back and held my gaze, those two differently colored eyes--one bright blue and one brown--boring deep into me. "You," she pointed at me, "are not welcome in my house ever. You have completely broken my heart, Chrysothemis. I hope you have a nice life without a mother." She turned back and walked out, her head held high.
Sadie and I exchanged glances, my sister's eyebrows furrowed as she shook her bright red locks. Then she walked over and put her arm around me. "Are you okay?"
That's when I started to laugh. My laughter turned into guffaws and chortles. Sadie hesitated only a moment, looking at me as though I'd gone mad. And then she joined in.
The rest of our friends burst into the kitchen, throwing themselves on us. Burgundy and Jared wrapped their arms around Sadie. Carter wrapped his around me. We stood in the kitchen, holding onto each other until the sun faded from the sky.
Epilogue
A month later, everything had changed and nothing had. Carter and I were inseparable except when he had to work or I was in class. He hadn't quite moved into the Casa with me, but he did spend most nights there. We talked about our future and wanted to get our own place when we could afford it. But he also understood that after the abrupt loss of my mother in my life, I needed my friends around me.
"What do you want to do tomorrow?" he asked, sitting cross-legged on my bed as I peered at him from behind my easel, a photo he'd taken of me clipped to the top.
"I'd like to go hiking." I smiled.
"What?" He cocked his head to the side. "Since when do you want to go hiking?"
I didn't answer. Instead, I twisted the ring on my finger. A promise ring, he'd called it, sporting a small chamber inside that contained his blood. Turned out that when a vampire gave you their blood in a container, it formed a binding contract as well as protection against other Signum.
"Well, I embrace the newest version of Chrysothemis. The outdoorsy girl."
I threw my paint rag at him, which he caught without even looking, one handed. Damn reflexes.
Jumping off the bed, he approached me cautiously. "Can I see it yet?"
I leaned back, dabbing a touch of cad deep red on the portrayal of the velvet couch in our living room, and sighed. "Fine, fine." I waved him over and he practically leapt behind me.
"Oh, Chrys, it's amazing. Your finest piece yet."
The cad red color flushed my cheeks. It was difficult to look at my own work objectively, especially when it was me. In the past month, Carter and I, on Burgundy and Jared's prompting, had taken to making love on the velvet couch in the living room. Not with anyone watching, or even at home, but it was still a big step for me.
Carter liked to watch me on that couch and I found I loved the feel of it on my naked body. The way it softly caressed my skin, like a kiss. At his urging, I'd let Carter snap a few shots and I was finally painting one.
"I love the way you're looking at me, lounging naked there. That look in your eyes, reserved for your love." He leaned in to seductively nibble my neck.
"And who would that be?" I teased.
"I don't care if you're covered with paint right now, your eyes say you want me."
"In the painting," I laughed.
"You want me all the time." He nuzzled against me, gently slipping his hands underneath my bottom and lifting me up.
"Oh no. I'm working," I protested.
"Work it out on me," he growled into my ear, holding me tight. "If I can piss you off enough, maybe you'll turn me into your sex slave."
"I don't think I'd need a spell for that." I kissed his nose and he gently placed me back down on my stool. We both looked at the painting. In it, I was looking over my shoulder, my eyes trained on Carter as he snapped the pic. My long thick hair, which I always wore down now, was pulled to the side, revealing the column of my neck, where I wore a new brand. We'd picked it out together and it was lovely. Carter had driven me to San Francisco, where a famous tattoo artist had been able to transform Aurelia's tracking brand into a stunning piece of body art. The finished product consisted of spirals and lines intertwined to form an elaborate tree of life, representing the love of my chosen family.
Carter slid my hair aside and kissed the back of my neck as I stared at the portrait of myself. And for the first time in my life, I liked what I saw. Strong. Lovely. Confident.
"Beautiful." His sleek voice glided over me, painting me in warmth and admiration. "So beautiful. My amazingly talented witch." He continued dropping tiny kisses down the back of my neck, trailing his lips farther and fa
rther down my spine.
The End
Afterword
If you enjoyed what you read, please consider leaving a review for this book on Amazon and joining Chloe’s Newsletter - to receive news, blog posts, updates, sales and information about new releases - both mine and those of other authors in similar genres.
Excerpt from A Shifter’s Fevered Heart (Jared’s Book) available in July 2017:
Burgundy's bedroom door creaked open as I entered unannounced. I almost dropped the tray of coffee I was holding. Burg herself was naked and spread eagle on her bed, moaning. A blonde head of hair bobbed between her thighs while a sandy haired man was sucking on one of her abundant breasts.
One of her eyes popped open. I made a mental note to use some WD40 on that door hinge.
"Jared," she exclaimed huskily, drawing out my name in her passion. "Come join us." She gestured to me lazily. “Everyone, this is my hot roommate and best friend, Jared.”
The sandy haired man looked up, smiling at me broadly. "Yum. Jared, please come join." He winked, licking his lips. The blonde head between Burgundy's legs raised but she pushed it back down, hard.
"You stay there Misty and finish me, or else."
I knew her 'or else' was not an empty threat and apparently Misty did too because she returned to her task.
I didn't want to ruin my best friend's orgasm so I carefully placed the tray on her mahogany bureau and walked over to her bed. The man scooted to the edge and began unbuckling my pants but I rested my hands on his shoulder. He looked up at me with lustful eyes and I shook my head, jutting my chin out toward Burg. "Help finish her."
There was a spark of disappointment before the man crawled back to my friend, resuming his position at her rack.
I walked to the other side of the bed and bent down to kiss her, knowing she loved mouth contact at the point of orgasm. Her hand fisted in my hair as she bucked up into the blonde and came with gusto.
"Ouch," I yelped, pulling back. My tongue traced the contour of my lower lip where I tasted blood.
Burgundy opened her eyes lazily, surveying me. "I nicked you," she purred. "Come, let me lick it off."
"Gonna pretend that was an accident?" I teased.
"Pesky fang. You know I can't control myself when I'm coming. Be a good boy and bend over so I can taste you."
I stood straight up and walked back to the coffee tray.
"Oh can you bite me please?" The blonde head had emerged from between her legs. It belonged to a petite woman. She too was completely naked and utterly hairless from her neck down. A perfect contrast to Burgundy, a Latina with mad curves and luscious dark hair. Everywhere.
"No Misty, we've been over this," said Burgundy firmly. "I don't bite people I don't know."
"But I've just given you an orgasm, surely you know me well enough now," the girl whimpered.
"Orgasms are a dime a dozen." My friend waved her hand in the air. "Biting is much more intimate."
"More intimate than my wife licking your pussy?" The sandy hair man interjected.
"Much," said Burgundy, looking over at him with contempt. "What would you know about it? You're humans."
"Hey sexy people, want some coffee?" I called out. Burgundy often insulted her sex toys when she was done with them. I was slightly more diplomatic.
"Sure," squealed Misty, hopping off the bed and eyeing me like cake.
I handed her a cup and she took it, licking her lips at me.
"You're gorgeous," she said. "I'd love to suck your cock. Or my husband..." she motioned to the man crouched on the bed, "Dan would love it even more and I'd love to help."
"Oh yes please," panted Dan.
"Go for it." Burg threw out a hand with her signature red lacquered nails, beckoning for the cup.
"Sure, sure, in a minute." I handed her the coffee.
Dan was gorgeous. Tanned and buff. He resembled a tennis player. Misty was cute in a waifish sort of way but I didn't really play for her team. My friend out-beautified them both though. Burgundy was one of the most gorgeous women I knew with light brown skin and thick long black hair that hung almost to her waist. Her eyes, even unpainted, were sultry and mysterious. Dark brown and crescent shaped with thick long lashes to frame them. If I could transport her mouth onto a man’s face, I would bury my cock inside its warm cavern for an eternity. Thick red lips that looked pouty even in rest. The woman was the closest thing to female perfection inside and out. Of course, I was completely biased.
"Let me drink my coffee first." I loved the delicious precipice of making them wait. Burg’s lashes darted downwards. Lust. She let me chose my own path and timing when it came to her toys, which I appreciated.
"Or how about sucking me off?" Dan threw out, his eyes glistening.
"I'd rather watch," I responded. "Misty I want to see you take care of your man."
Misty made an approving squeak, practically throwing her coffee at me before sashaying over to Dan. She got on her knees and began licking his inner thigh. Dan kept his eyes fixed on me, sucking in his lower lip and then biting it. He fisted Misty's hair, pulling her onto his cock, then sat on the bed. He held eye contact with me and it worked, I was standing at attention.
Burgundy's husky laughter filled the room, bouncing off her rust colored walls. Her room was furnished like a French Moroccan boudoir from her four poster, mahogany carved bed, now sporting the overly eager hot man candy, to the brightly colored fabrics billowing down from her ceiling.
"Jared," she crooned, snapping my attention away from those smoldering pre-orgasmic eyes of Dan. "Climb on top of his face," she suggested and he nodded, practically drooling.
I took a sip of the coffee Misty had handed back to me and smiled. The anticipation was almost as delicious. Putting the coffee down, I joined the fray, flattening Dan to his back and pushing my cock hard into his mouth. He choked appreciatively.
My legs on either side of him, I pumped his face. Burgundy gurgled her appreciation, positioning herself between Misty’s legs.
Just another perfect morning, slutting it up with my BFF on a hot summer morning in our lovely Southern Californian abode. So why was my dick the only part of me enjoying it?
About the Author
Chloe Adler is a paranormal romance/urban fantasy author. A Witch’s Mortal Desire is the first book in the Distant Edge Romance series with a release schedule of one book a month in this series for the next five months.
Chloe is an avid reader of PNR and UF herself. When not reading or writing she is happily sipping tea with friends, hiking with her dog and performing circus tricks.
Chloe welcomes reader interaction and would love to hear from you.
Thank you so much for reading!
Come Live on the Edge!
@ChloeAdlerWrite
ChloeAdlerAuthor
www.ChloeAdler.com
[email protected]
Also by Chloe Adler
The Distant Edge Romance Series
Book 1 - A Witch’s Mortal Desire - Sadie’s Book
Book 2 - A Witch’s Dark Craving - Chrys’s Book (releasing in June 2017)
Book 3 - A Shifter’s Fevered Heart - Jared’s Book (releasing in July 2017)
Book 4 - A Vampire’s Wicked Hunger - Burgundy’s Book (releasing in August 2017)
Book 5 - Title TBD - Iphigenia’s Book (releasing in September 2017)
