by Cara Wylde
“I’m in no danger. I know what I’m doing, trust me. I have a feeling this guy is pretty smitten with me, so it’ll be that much easier to play him.”
“What do you hope to accomplish?”
“I want to find out exactly why he’s here. He’s hiding something, and I won’t stop until I figure him out. This whole thing about the FBI working with witches… It sounds fishy, if you ask me. He only told me what he knew would make me admit to being a witch. I felt like he already knew, or suspected, and he wanted to corner me.”
Nina disentangled herself from her sister’s arms and reached for the box of tissues on the nightstand.
“Are you sure that’s the only reason you told him you’re the witch?”
Something fluttered in Skye’s stomach. She swallowed heavily.
“What do you mean?”
Nina smiled. “I don’t know… Maybe you want to spend time with him but you don’t want to admit it?”
“Nonsense.” Skye jumped off the bed and went to the window. She had heard the doorbell, and she wondered who it could be. From there, however, she couldn’t see a thing. “It was just a fling, nothing more. I’m through with guys like him. The next one is going to be good, kind, and supportive. You know… the sort of guy you can build a family with.”
Nina chuckled. “The sort of guy who will make you five children, abandon you in the kitchen ‘cause his favorite show is on, and take you to the movies once in a blue moon.”
Skye turned around and cocked an eyebrow. “What’s got into you? Jeremy is a good guy, and I don’t see him doing that to his woman.”
“I’m exaggerating, of course. My point is: you’d get bored, sister. In less than a month. You crave action. You like men who challenge you, who make you work for the life you want to have, and don’t settle for a plain, unexciting routine. Jeremy is that kind of guy, and that’s why you were never attracted to him. It’s true he’s what I need, but we’re so different.” Nina thought for a second, then added: “I need a guy like Jeremy because he’s so normal. I did have fun last night, but do you know why? Because he was like a breath of fresh air in all this madness.”
“Good. Good.” Skye smiled brightly.
“But you don’t need normal. You’ll never settle for normal, believe me. I know you. You need a guy who’s literally out of the ordinary. And I think this agent of yours might just be the walking definition of ‘out of the ordinary’.”
Skye laughed and waved her off, but her cheeks did turn a shade rosier. “Oh, you’re funny…” She was trying to come up with a good argument that would have had the slightest chance to contradict Nina, when their mother called for them.
“Skye! Nina! There’s someone here to see you, girls!” A short pause, as the woman probably wanted to make sure she got the visitor’s identity right. “Mr. Aiden Ashwood, FBI.”
Skye’s heart jumped at the sound of his name. Nina’s stomach tightened for entirely different reasons. They exchanged a quick glance, then headed downstairs.
“This should be interesting,” said Skye.
“More like scary, if you ask me,” replied Nina.
***
Aiden recognized the cute, redheaded girl at the club. He had waited for her to leave the table for at least half an hour so he could approach Skye. He couldn’t believe Nina was Skye’s sister. When Skye saw the confusion in his eyes, she explained the situation. The cogs in Aiden’s brain started working. He was trying really hard to make sense of each and every detail. So, if Nina was adopted and didn’t know her parents, it would have made sense for her to be a witch who had grown up unaware of her heritage. On the other hand, Skye had assured him she was the only one in the family with the gift. The only logical explanation was that, indeed, the gene had skipped a few generations, and Skye’s parents were completely in the dark about their daughter’s skills. Her mother didn’t look like a witch, he had to admit, and he’d have to assess the father later, when he came back from his business trip.
They sat in the living room for a while, Skye and Nina listening closely as Aiden told their mother why he was there. When he asked her if he could talk to her daughters in private, she was reluctant to leave. Eventually, she went into the kitchen. Aiden used his keen sense of hearing to approximate how low he had to speak so the woman wouldn’t make out his words, and turned to Skye.
“So, have you considered my proposal?”
Skye straightened her back. “I have, yes.”
They were silent for a moment.
“Well, are you going to tell me what you decided?”
Before Skye could answer, Nina cleared her throat to get his attention. It was difficult to make Aiden look anywhere else but in her sister’s direction, which made Nina believe that the guy saw what had happened between Skye and him as more than a fling.
“I’m sorry, but there’s something I don’t understand. Why would the FBI want the collaboration of a stranger when you said you already have some psychics, empaths, and witches you usually turn to?”
Aiden leaned against the backrest and smiled. He decided he liked Nina. She was smart, inquisitive, and cautious, unlike her foster sister, who seemed more prone to making rushed decisions.
“The reason why I decided to ask for Skye’s help is that I think it helps a lot when the witch is local. She knows Misty Falls and its people, which I believe will make her all the more sensitive to the energies I’d like her to tap into for this investigation.”
Nina nodded. She still wasn’t quite convinced, but it was more of a gut feeling than anything.
“It makes sense to me,” said Skye. “Mr. Ashwood, I’ve decided I’m going to help you.”
“Aiden, please.” He smirked. “I think we’re way past Mr. and Miss.”
“Because we’re working together, now,” Skye felt the need to emphasize.
“Of course.”
“That, and nothing else.”
“Absolutely.”
Nina fought the urge to roll her eyes. The chemistry between the two of them was obvious. Tension, attraction, unspoken desire… the air was so heavy with them that Nina felt a bit nauseated. If Aiden kept staring at Skye as if she were a delicious dessert, and Skye’s eyes kept traveling up and down his body, from his lips to his chest, to his abs, to his crotch, and then back up again, then Nina would simply have to leave them alone. Or suggest they should get a room.
“Before we begin our collaboration, however,” said Aiden, “I would like to see some proof of your gift. If you don’t mind.”
Skye’s heart sank. She suddenly felt a bit sick to her stomach.
“Oh. Are you implying that I may be lying to you?”
Her voice trembled a bit, and she hoped he thought it was because of concealed anger, not sheer terror that this was it, she’d make a fool of herself and Aiden would figure out her deceit. What had she expected, anyway? If she was to be his witch, she would have to do her job somehow. Her intention was to complain about how she couldn’t detect anything, or how some kind of weird energy was blocking her, until she found out enough about the case.
“No! I would never do that. But, you have to understand: before sharing the information I know, I must make sure you’re the right person to become my partner. It’s… common procedure.”
Skye nodded and gulped. What was she supposed to do now?
“What would you like me to do?”
“I don’t know,” shrugged Aiden. “Whatever you like. Something simple.”
“Maybe Skye could move some objects around?” suggested Nina.
Skye looked at her sister. She immediately understood what her idea was, and she almost cheered at her presence of mind.
Aiden shrugged again. “Sure, why not?”
Skye turned to him. “Maybe you’d like more sugar in your coffee?”
Nina took the hint and used her mind and intention to make two cubes of sugar fly into the agent’s coffee. It was something so simple that she almost didn’t feel her own
energy at work. More complicated spells required more energy. She hoped this small trick would do.
Skye made sure to pretend she was focusing on the sugar. When the cubes were in Aiden’s cup, she lifted her gaze to see what he thought. The most adorable smile was dancing on his lips.
“Marvelous!” he said.
In truth, this was one of the silliest, most underwhelming spells he had ever witnessed. He figured Skye Watson wasn’t a very skilled witch. But she looked so proud of herself, that he didn’t have the heart to tell her even a lousy hack of a magician could probably do it. He wondered whether she’d truly prove herself useful, or she’d turn out to be a pain he’d have to carry with him until the case was closed. Then, he wondered if it actually mattered. Yes, he kept telling himself he wanted her collaboration because she was a local witch, but his wolf knew a different story: he had asked her to join him because he felt like he couldn’t breathe without her. Since last night at the hotel, Skye was everything he could think of. He couldn’t focus on anything else, his brain could barely make sense of the information he had gathered from the townspeople, and his body ached to be close to hers. She had gotten under his skin, and she hadn’t even tried. He was well aware of the fact that she wasn’t interested in anything more than sex. If he hadn’t been a werewolf, he doubted he would have even noticed her attraction to him. She knew how to control herself and keep a straight face when her very core throbbed with desire. His shifter senses caught the smell of her arousal, the slight blush on her neck and cheeks, and the quick flutter of her heart when he held her gaze. Yes, she still wanted him. She wanted him just as hard as she had wanted him the night before, but in a raw, sexual way. His own wolf felt slightly hurt and desperate at the thought that the last thing Skye wanted was to get emotionally involved.
“So, when do we start?”
Her chirpy voice snapped him out of his trance.
“How about tonight?”
“Tonight? Are you one of those workaholics who work until morning?”
“Oh no!” He laughed. “I was thinking of taking you out to dinner so I can fill you in on the case. Then, you’re welcome to join me tomorrow, when I’ll finish interrogating your neighbors.”
“Oh, all right.” She bit the inside of her cheek. “Does it have to be over dinner? It seems to me you can fill me in right now.”
Aiden shook his head and stood up. “I have to report back to my supervisor first, and let him know I’ll be working with you.” He headed to the door, and Skye and Nina followed him. “Pick you up at 8?”
Skye sighed. She didn’t like this one bit.
“Sure.”
“Great! See you later, then.”
“Yes, yes.”
He was on their porch when he turned around and took Skye’s hand in his.
Skye didn’t have time to react. She gasped and simply stared at their joined hands.
“Thank you for your help,” he whispered. “It means a lot to me.”
“I haven’t done anything yet.”
“But you will.”
He smiled, and she smiled back. For a moment, they felt like they were alone on the Watsons’ porch, in Misty Falls, on Earth. Then, Nina yawned, and the spell was broken. Skye pulled her hand away, and Aiden ran down the few steps as the girls closed the door behind him.
“You do know what this is, right?” asked Nina when they were back inside.
“What?”
“The beginning of you falling head over heels for this guy.”
Skye sighed in exasperation. “Give me a break!”
“Sure. Sure. Keep lying to yourself, see where it leads.”
Skye threw her a death glare. “It leads to you being safe.”
Nina didn’t say anything. She still felt guilty for letting Skye take her place. Even if she was just being honest, it didn’t feel right to tell her each and every time she only did it to be close to Aiden. In the end, Skye would be exposed to whatever was out there that the agent was hunting, while Nina would be at home, safe and sound, albeit worried out of her mind.
CHAPTER THREE
Aiden had done his homework. He took Skye to the fanciest, most expensive restaurant in Misty Falls. It was a lovely evening, and they could see the Great Smoky Mountains through the large window at the top floor of the restaurant. After the first course and two glasses of wine, they started going over what Aiden had managed to find out from the townspeople. There was nothing new, really, and Skye felt a bit disappointed. Yes, she was having a great time, but Nina was waiting for her at home, desperate to know if Aiden’s investigation had anything to do with her experiment from two weeks before.
They talked about unimportant things during the second course. Aiden encouraged her to tell him about herself, about her life, her hobbies, and what her plans for the future were. Skye was reluctant at first, but then she started opening up. She couldn’t remember the last time a man had been so interested in every small, insignificant detail.
“You’re a very interesting woman, I must say,” he complimented her.
Skye chuckled and pulled a strand of soft, black hair behind her ear. The onyx earring caught the artificial light in the room, drawing Aiden’s attention to her neck.
“Why are you asking me all these questions? Am I a suspect, Mr. Ashwood?”
By now, Aiden knew she was only teasing him when she called him Mr. Ashwood.
“Yes. Yes, you are, Miss Watson. You’re the prime suspect. I’m waiting for you to finish your dinner so I can arrest you.”
Skye laughed wholeheartedly.
Aiden was entranced by the playful glint in her blue eyes. He took his time to admire her rosy cheeks, the white, creamy skin of her neck and shoulders, the enticing swell of her breasts. She was wearing a cute black dress with fiery red details that matched her red lipstick.
“Then, you won’t mind if I take two types of dessert,” she said when she finally caught her breath. “Who knows when I might get another chance?”
Aiden laughed and nodded. “You’re right. You should enjoy tonight as much as you can. Tomorrow’s not promised.”
“Not when I am your prime suspect, no.”
They ordered dessert and went on joking about Aiden arresting Skye. If she were to be honest, the scenario didn’t bother her that much. She would very much enjoy Aiden taking out the handcuffs, bending her over the table, and securing her wrists. She would feel his long, thick erection on her ass, and she’d push her hips against his crotch to show him she was still in control, even though he had her restrained. In her fantasy, the restaurant was empty. It was just the two of them, having rough, loud sex on the table, while the full moon shined over Misty Falls and the Great Smokies.
“Skye, before you join me tomorrow, I have one more thing to tell you.”
His low, serious voice shook her out of her reverie. She put her spoon down and took a sip of wine.
“Sure. What is it?”
Aiden shifted in his seat, unsure of where to begin. He had gone over this a thousand times. He had even discussed it with his supervisor at the Agency, and he still wasn’t sure if it was the right thing to do. On the one hand, if Skye was to help him, then it was only fair that she knew what she was going up against. On the other hand, it wasn’t his job to introduce a new paranormal person to the world of shifters, vampires, faes, warlocks, and witches. He hadn’t been trained for it, so he had no idea what the best way of breaking the news to her could be. His superior had suggested he stepped away from her and continue his investigation on his own. The Agency would send someone to test the new witch, introduce her to the paranormal world, and register her. Aiden had refused, though, insisting that Skye Watson was crucial to his case, and there wasn’t time for her to be registered now. He would do his best to explain to her how things worked, and the Agency would register her after the case was closed. Now, looking at her innocent smile and big, curious eyes, he wasn’t so sure he had made the right call. In fact, he was starting to thin
k he had gotten both himself and Skye in a pretty deep mess.
“Well?” Skye insisted when she saw he was hesitating. Finally, she was about to find out something useful!
“Have you ever wondered if there might be other people like you?”
“Oh shit!” thought Skye. “What would Nina say?” She made an effort to remember the long conversations she had had with her sister those nights when Nina messed up a spell, got all frustrated and emotional, and started wishing she could meet a more experienced witch who could guide her.
“Yes,” she said. “Of course I have. I’m not that self-centered to think I’m the only witch in the world. If I haven’t met anyone else like me yet, it doesn’t mean there are no other witches out there.”
Her answer confirmed what Aiden had feared since the moment he had knocked on her door: Skye was absolutely clueless about the paranormal world. This wasn’t going to be easy, but it had to be done.
“What about other paranormal people?”
Skye cocked an eyebrow. What was he saying?
“Err… are you talking about werewolves, vampires, and the like?”
“Yes.”
She blinked in confusion, then shook her head. Aiden could interpret her reaction whichever way he wanted. The truth was that, in her head, witches made sense. She saw them as more advanced beings who could access that part of their brain which was capable of awesome stuff. But people who could turn into wolves? Vampires?
“Does that mean you don’t believe they exist?” asked Aiden.
Skye cleared her throat. “Honestly, I don’t know what to believe. You tell me.”
Aiden took a deep breath and placed his hands on the table, as if he needed the physical support.
“Skye, I’m afraid I lied to you about the animal attacks. I had to. I’m sorry. Wild animals had nothing to do with the three incidents in the past two weeks. We believe the real culprit is a rogue wolf-shifter.”
Skye opened her mouth, then closed it. She searched his face carefully, trying to figure out if he was messing with her, just as he had done a few minutes before when he had told her he was going to arrest her. His eyes were honest, though. He wasn’t joking.
