Seduced by Magic

by Stephanie Julian

  “You know, I love the way the night smells out here. The scent of the trees, the earth. You can’t smell the stench of the city here.”

  His non-sequitur made her frown. “I don’t—”

  “I’ve always loved the forest.” He interrupted her as if she hadn’t spoken. “Especially the old ones. You can almost sense a presence, as if the old gods still live here.”

  She wanted to tell him he was closer to the truth than he might think but did not want to give him more knowledge he would regret losing.

  “It took me years to realize my dad wasn’t crazy, that he knew what he was talking about. I think you might have to kill me, babe. Because if you ask me to destroy about my research, it’d be the same as slitting my throat.”

  His words and the conviction in his tone made her breath catch. He was so strong in the face of danger and her heart hurt to think anyone could harm a hair on his head. She certainly couldn’t.

  But what to do?

  What could she do? There were lives other than her own on the line.

  He turned to stare at her, his expression resigned but proud. “I understand responsibility, honey. I know why you need to keep your secrets. The majority of people in the world wouldn’t be able to handle the information I have now. But believe me when I tell you, even if you erase my memories of tonight and destroy my research, I won’t stop until I have answers.”

  The steady sincerity in his voice made her despair grow.

  Now what?

  She couldn’t do what she wanted, which was take him back to bed. Throw herself at him and ravage him until neither of them could see straight. She did not think he’d put up a fight—

  A low hum teased the outside edges of her hearing. A car approached up the mountain.

  She walked toward the door, toward him. Justin straightened, as if to prepare himself. She stopped next to him but continued to stare through the open doorway. She barely registered the feel of his warm, damp skin against hers as he pulled her into his arms.

  “Someone’s coming,” she said.

  His gaze fell on her for a second before he turned to stare in the same direction. “I don’t hear anything.”

  “No, you wouldn’t. Not yet. Are you expecting anyone?”

  She slid him a look. His eyes had narrowed to slits and his brow had furrowed.

  He shook his head. “No, I’m not. Maybe it’s kids out for a joyride or a little backwoods action.”

  Possibly. But instinct told her whoever drove that car had not picked this lane at random.

  Someone knew she was here.

  Justin heard the vehicle then.

  Nearly silent in its approach, it made a slow, steady ascent on the bumpy, rutted lane that broke off from the country road two miles to the south. That lane was the only way for a vehicle to reach this isolated cabin. The entrance to the lane was nearly invisible during the day unless you knew what to look for and impossible to identify in the dark.

  Whoever was on their way had to know where they were going.

  BD Enterprises had rented this cabin for him specifically because it was hard to find, literally in the middle of nowhere in the forest-covered hills that straddled the boundary line between Berks and Schuylkill counties. It was far enough away from the Appalachian Trail and its hikers and from any development that no one had stumbled onto the cabin as long as he’d been here.

  The car stopped before the bend in the lane, still hidden from the cabin by the forest.

  He heard a door open. Then another and another. Hushed whispers. The hair at the base of his neck stood up.

  Who the hell could be out there and what the hell did they want?

  “Get back.” He motioned for Scarlata to get behind him. “Stay out of sight. I’ll find out who it is and what they want.”

  “Justin—” She reached for his arm but he shrugged her off.

  “Just stay back, darlin’. And switch off the light in the kitchen.”

  He felt her move away then the cabin went dark. He saw the shadows in the dark forest move and reform with the play of the clouds over the moon. He tried to make sense of those shifting shapes but it wasn’t until they came closer that he realized there were five men out there…some carrying what looked like guns.

  He stiffened, ready to grab Scarlata and run, when he heard a familiar voice.

  “Hello, Justin. How are you tonight?”

  Surprise made him freeze. What was the owner of BD Enterprises doing here? “Mr. Bonnini? I didn’t realize you made onsite inspections. With armed guards.”

  A short, slim man dressed in dark pants and shirt, Daniel Bonnini broke away from the tree line. The four, gun-carrying shadows fanned out behind him.

  “Oh, I don’t. Not usually. But then this is an unusual situation. Almost magical, wouldn’t you say, Justin?”

  Bonnini’s voice held a shrewd tone and realization hit Justin. Holy shit. Bonnini knew. He knew what had happened here tonight. That prick must’ve had the cabin bugged. But why? What the hell was going on? “I’m not quite sure I understand what you’re talking about, sir.”

  Bonnini drew closer until Justin could see the dark-haired, sharp-featured man clearly. He could count on one hand how many times he’d spoken to the owner of BD Enterprises. Once at his final employment interview and once more during the briefing he’d received before leaving on this assignment.

  His immediate superior had given him the rundown but Bonnini had been there, sitting at the table in the conference room. They’d smiled, exchanged greetings. It hadn’t struck him as odd at the time because he’d heard around the office that Bonnini had devoted too much money to the research facility to have it fail.

  Justin had never questioned Bonnini’s desire to build near here. Now he had more questions than he could possibly ask and a shit-ton of doubts that threatened to eat a hole in his stomach.

  Bonnini smiled but it held no warmth. “Hand over the creature, Justin. You’ve done your job. I’ll take it from here.”

  Rage burned in his blood at Bonnini’s condescending tone. Was that bastard actually talking about Scarlata? Had he just called his beautiful Red a creature?

  And how the hell had he known she’d be here?

  To stall, Justin smiled, put on the absentminded professor look that had gotten him out of more than his share of trouble at college. He’d been an A-plus student and he had a near-genius IQ but he could play dumb better than the best actor.

  “Sir, I’m not sure I understand what creature you’re talking about?”

  Bonnini’s smile disappeared in a blink. “Son, don’t make this any harder than it has to be. You’ve served your purpose to draw her out. The magic you two created was easy enough to detect. This situation no longer needs your involvement. You’re free to go. Just walk away, Justin.”

  And what? Leave her alone with the men with the guns? No fucking way. What the hell did they want with Scarlata anyway?

  And had Bonnini actually used him as bait?

  Shit.

  He turned, slammed the door behind him and locked it. Scarlata stood in the hall, her eyes huge and sorrowful. Grabbing her arm, he pulled her along with him to the bedroom.

  “Get out the window and into the forest.” He threw open the window and pushed her toward it. “I’ll delay them here as long as I can.”

  He tried to boost her out but she wouldn’t move.

  Her tone confident, she said, “I’m in no danger from these men, Justin. It’s you they won’t hesitate to kill.”

  “So it’s all right for you to off me but not them.” Sarcasm dripped from his words. “That’s kind of a double standard, babe.”

  “Justin, that’s not—”

  “We don’t have time to argue. Just—”

  Before he could finish, she put her hand over his mouth. “Come with me.”

  He smiled, having gotten exactly what he wanted. “Now that’s a plan. Let’s get the hell out of here.”

  Her glare should’ve
made his balls shrivel. He knew she wouldn’t like being manipulated but they didn’t have time. He’d wanted her to want to take him with her.

  They were out the window when they heard the cabin door burst open with a bang.

  “Tranq the creature,” Bonnini shouted at his men. “Kill Johannson.”

  “There really is no job security anymore, is there?” He tried to make a joke as they ran for the forest but fear bit at his ass and anger made his stomach roll. “If we get separated, babe, don’t come back for me.”

  She dragged him along, her legs flying over the ground. “Shut up, Justin, and run faster. If you let anything happen to yourself now, I’ll beat you black and blue.”

  Trees flew by as they sprinted and she didn’t sound out of breath at all whereas he couldn’t seem to catch his. Something whizzed by his head.

  Holy shit. They’d shot at him.

  Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the men had chased them into the forest. He tried to put on a little more speed because she was kicking his ass and he didn’t want to be the cause of her capture.

  He didn’t know how long they ran, could only concentrate on one thing—staying on his feet. Scarlata ran as silently as a deer, picking out a path that kept them shielded from the men on their tails.

  He didn’t know when the sound of the men faded because after a while all he heard was his own tortured gasping. Trying to regulate his breathing, he kept his gaze locked on Scarlata’s pale, slim outline as she darted around trees.

  When she finally stopped, he practically ran into her, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind so he wouldn’t fall over. It sucked to realize she was barely winded.

  “I’m sorry.” She patted his arm. “I know you’re tired but we have to keep moving. They continue to follow us. That man, he has magic of his own. Dark magic.” She turned, sliding her arms around his waist and drawing him closer. “There is a spell I can perform, one that will hide us from them. But I will need your help.”

  Tucking her head under his chin, he couldn’t stop his body’s reaction to her nudity. His cock throbbed to attention.

  Must be the adrenaline.

  “Sure, no problem.” Or it wouldn’t be, as soon as he caught his breath. Damn, he needed to pick up his running, get more miles in. Just working with the free weights wasn’t cutting it. Especially when he had to run for his life. “Whatever you need.”

  He wasn’t prepared for her to slide her hand into his pants and grab his already thickening erection.

  “I only need this,” she whispered into his ear as his shorts fell to the ground. “Lie down, Justin. On your back.”

  His eyes flew wide-open at her words and he froze. “Not that I don’t want you, babe, but aren’t we kinda in a hurry at the moment?”

  She smiled and his blood began pounding through his veins. “Have you never heard of sex magic, Justin?” She gave him a slight nudge and he found himself sprawled on a soft bed of moss beneath an old oak. “In all the years you’ve researched, have you never discovered the power created when two bodies join?”

  Their gazes locked as Scarlata fell to her knees beside him then straddled his waist. It took him a moment to realize she was whispering something beneath her breath, something that sounded faintly like Latin, but wasn’t because he actually knew Latin.

  Then she slid down onto his stiff cock in one smooth motion.

  Holy fuck.

  His breath caught in his chest and a shaft of pure sensation shot straight from his cock into his balls then up his spine. The sweet, wet heat of her surrounded him and he grabbed her hips and thrust without thinking. The men, the guns…everything faded. Everything except Scarlata and the way she made him feel.

  Her hands spread flat on his chest on either side of his heart and heat flooded his body at those two distinct points. The sexy hum of her voice as she continued her incantation made him swallow hard.

  Then she began to move.

  Staring down into his eyes, she rose onto her knees, sliding up his cock as slowly as she possibly could. He felt the night air swirl around the base of his cock and he looked down to watch.

  He had to bite his tongue so he didn’t groan but every nerve ending in his body lit up with lust.

  Then she sank down, taking him back inside, clenching down on him with that tight pussy and… Oh, good Christ, this wasn’t going to take long.

  As if she’d realized he was already on the edge, she increased her speed, each rise and fall faster the previous set until she pumped up and down on his shaft with the limber moves of a gymnast and a look of pure bliss on her face.

  He barely had a chance to sense his orgasm starting before he groaned, his hands tightening on her hips as he came harder and sharper than he ever had before.

  His hips arched as he pumped his seed into her, his fingers sunk deep into her hips.

  An amazing sense of completion washed over him, making him feel as if were floating. He felt the spongy coolness of the moss beneath his back, felt the warmth of the summer air as it circulated around him.

  Then he felt something else, a force around him.

  Power.

  Pure energy radiated from their bodies, moving in the air around them like a physical entity.

  He wanted to take that power inside, use it to run. He felt he could go for hours now, get Scarlata far away from here.

  But as soon as he began to sit up, she pressed down on his chest with a strength he couldn’t counter.

  “Don’t move, Justin.” She stared down at him with a sexy smile, her green eyes half-closed. “The spell requires your energy as well as mine. Don’t siphon it.”

  Okay, sure. Whatever she wanted, she could have from him.

  She could take it all and he’d drift here in a state of pure satisfaction.

  Scarlata found it hard to concentrate on the spell when she still felt Justin’s cock twitching inside her. It very nearly jeopardized the glamour she was trying to draw around them.

  Forcing herself to focus on the spell, she dug her fingers into his rock-hard chest, drew on his energy and the energy they’d produced through their joining. It took an enormous amount of concentration not to be led astray by his scent and the feel of him beneath her.

  But this had to work.

  The men tracking them had magic, dark magic that tainted the air around them. Magic they used to track her.

  But she had years and years of experience to draw from.

  Muttering the last words of the spell, she felt it close around them, encompassing them in a bubble that felt like a thick layer of air between them and the rest of the world. As she blinked to focus her gaze, the first things she saw were Justin’s gorgeous blue eyes locked onto hers.

  “It worked, didn’t it?”

  His husky voice made her shiver as she nodded.

  “Yes, I—”

  She cut off with a moan as she realized he’d hardened again inside her. Sometimes this spell had unexpected side effects.

  “Good,” he rasped, “because this time I’m gonna make you come.”

  He lifted her off him, set her beside him on all fours then rose to his knees behind her. His first thrust seated him to the hilt and they both groaned.

  “Justin.” She had to fight to speak through the lust stuck in her throat. “We shouldn’t waste time—”

  “Believe me, baby, this won’t take long.” To prove his point, he pumped back into her while his fingers threaded through her curls and found her clit. He tweaked the little nub hard enough to be painful, yet pleasurable enough to make her writhe.

  Her hands dug into the ground as Justin moved behind her, dried leaves rustling as he adjusted his knees to get even closer.

  Blessed Goddess, yes.

  Forgetting for a brief second that they were still being chased, she lost herself in the feel of Justin’s cock shuttling in and out, the friction stoking an intense orgasm.

  Not yet. Don’t want to come yet.

  Clamping her i
nternal muscles around him, she dropped lower, onto her elbows, lifting her ass a little higher, sending him deeper.

  “Yeah, that’s right.” His voice had deepened even farther. “Come on.”

  His finger still on her clit, he fucked her hard and fast. And she loved every second of it.

  Seconds later, she came in a rush of heat that, combined with the residual traces of magic from the spell she’d just performed, very nearly made her faint.

  She bit her tongue in an effort not to scream and give away their location. His cock remained hard, wanting more. She squeezed her internal muscles again, making him moan. Making her smile.

  He lost his rhythm for a few seconds, his jerky thrusts coming faster until finally he groaned, rammed his cock into her and held it there as he pulsed deep inside her, suffusing her with warmth.

  When he’d finished, he pulled free but didn’t let her fall to the ground. Picking her up, he turned her around and wrapped his arms around her so she could rest against him.

  “Holy hell, Red.” He panted against her ear. “You’re gonna be the death of me.”

  Her stomach flipped as she realized that was exactly what she didn’t want to happen. She would make sure no harm came to him.

  She let him hold her for a few more seconds, loving the feel of his strong arms around.

  But she knew they couldn’t stay like this forever.

  When she shifted against him, he let her go and they rose to their feet. Justin pulled up his shorts as he stood, silent. She had no idea what to say either. Confusion made it hard for her to put her emotions into words.

  Instead, she caught the sound of men approaching, closer than they’d been before she’d lost herself the last few minutes.

  “The spell should shield us for several hours but we need to keep moving and keep quiet.” She kept her voice to a whisper. “I’ll take you to the end of the forest and then I must leave you. They don’t want you, Justin. You were just a pawn.”

  “Yeah, a pawn that led them directly to you.”