Seduced by Magic

by Stephanie Julian

  His fierce tone lit sparks in her heart. He blamed himself for what had happened, and it was not his fault. “It was my own fault. If I’d only stayed away, they never would have found me there. But I could not help myself.”

  “Well, now that’s nice to know.” His drawl exaggerated, he smiled when she looked his way. Then his expression sobered. “I don’t want to lose you, Red. Not now. I’m not leaving you.”

  It wasn’t what she wanted to hear. Even though it was exactly what she was thinking. They couldn’t have a life together. It wouldn’t work…and that frightened her more than anything.

  Taking his hand, she began to run away from the sound of the men.

  Justin didn’t know how long they ran. By the time they reached the thinning line of trees that signaled the edge of the forest, not only his lungs burned but his thighs screamed in pain, his calves ached, he had a blistering headache and his feet felt like they’d gained a few hundred blisters.

  And his brain was working overtime.

  She wanted to ditch him. And damn, that pissed him off. He wanted to stay with her. Wanted to take care of her and make right what he’d had a hand in screwing up.

  He couldn’t allow her to get away from him. And he only had a few minutes to make a plan.

  So when she stopped behind a large oak at the edge of the tree line, he knocked her out with a chop to the back of her neck.

  Chapter Six

  It was a good thing he was a genius, because he sure wouldn’t have been able to make his living as a car thief.

  In theory, Justin knew how to hot-wire a car but, in practice, it was a lot harder than it looked. He knew he had to take off the cover on the base of the steering wheel and attach two wires together to spark the ignition. But it didn’t always work the first time.

  After he’d knocked out his gorgeous fairy—folletta, he had to remember that—he’d picked her up and ran down the two-lane road that led to the environmental center of Hawk Mountain Sanctuary.

  Two cars sat in the lot—a thirty-year-old, green Dodge Dart and a newer, white Ford pickup. He chose the Dart. No computer hardware to contend with and its dark color would make them less of a target.

  And it was open.

  “Guess they’re not worried about anybody stealing you,” he muttered as he laid Scarlata across the huge leather backseat then opened the driver’s door and slid in.

  Five minutes later, he’d finally managed to hotwire the damn car. Every time the engine failed to catch, he thought he heard movement in the forest. Sweat beaded on his forehead—more from fear than exertion.

  He couldn’t allow them to take Scarlata. If she were captured, it’d be his fault. She would have gotten away from them if he hadn’t been such a selfish bastard and knocked her out to keep her with him.

  He couldn’t live with that. Besides, they’d have to kill him before they got to her.

  Finally the engine turned over, sounding like a tank roaring to life.

  “Yes,” he hissed through tightly clenched teeth as he jammed the gearshift into drive and spewed gravel out of the parking lot.

  Speeding down the mountain, he pointed the car in the direction of his mother’s house in Leesport before he realized that’d be one of the first places Bonnini would send men to search for him. Bonnini would know from Justin’s emergency contact sheet at work where his mom lived. He might already have the place under surveillance.

  Shit, they couldn’t go there. And they couldn’t go to his apartment in Pottsville either.

  And if he didn’t slow down, some cop was going to pull him over and discover an unconscious, naked folletta on his backseat.

  Taking a deep breath, he eased his foot off the gas pedal, lowering his speed.

  Where the hell were they going to hide?

  “You are one stupid male.”

  His hands jerked on the wheel, sending the car onto the shoulder before he straightened out. “Damn, woman. You nearly made me crash.”

  He glanced in the rearview mirror and saw a very beautiful redhead glaring at him.

  “Believe me,” she snapped, “after what I do to you, you will wish you had crashed.”

  “Come on now, babe.” He flashed her a cocky grin. “Is that any way to talk to the man who saved your life?”

  Her mouth parted but apparently he’d made her speechless. Well, at least she couldn’t turn him into a frog.

  Then again…she let loose a stream of what he figured was Italian. From the bite in her tone and the way her hands were moving, he was pretty sure she was ripping into his hide.

  He listened to the beauty of the language with half an ear while he tried to figure out where they could go that’d be safe.

  After about five minutes, she finally stopped to take a breath and he had to admit he missed the sound of her sexy voice yelling at him. He actually had a hard-on.

  When she started again, in Italian, he released his grip on the steering wheel to raise one hand.

  “English, hon. You gotta speak English if you want me to understand what the hell you’re saying.”

  “Ooh.” She slapped him on the back of the head. Hell, even that turned him on. “Idiot! Where are we going?”

  “Well, I’m not quite sure about that yet. Got any ideas?”

  She snorted. “Actually, yes, if you had given me a chance to speak before you knocked me unconscious, I would have told you.”

  “I thought you were going to ditch me.”

  He glanced in the rearview mirror and saw her grimace in a purely feminine pout.

  “I believe that would have been a mistake. Those men would have harmed you no matter that you did not know where I was. And I would not have been able to live with that.”

  His heart actually felt like it flipped over in his chest. Her tone was offhand but the look she shot him from beneath her lowered lids was anything but.

  And he could think of nothing but getting her back to bed.

  “Then lead on, Red. Where are we going?”

  She didn’t answer as she slid over the front seat, nearly making him crash the car.

  Finally, when she’d settled next to him, she said, “Into the city.”

  He frowned. “Which one?”

  “The closest.”

  “Do you mean Reading?”

  He felt her gaze fall on him. “That is the closest, is it not?”

  “Do you go to the city a lot?”

  “I’ve not been to the city in at least fifty years, maybe longer.”

  He frowned again. “Then how do you know where we’re going?”

  “Trust me, Justin. I know a safe place for us to hide.”

  Funny, but he did trust her. Completely. She could’ve very easily left him behind in the woods. Hell, she could’ve flown away if she’d wanted to but she’d stuck with him. That had to count for something. “All right, but we still have to stop for gas before we get there. And I guess we better get you some more clothes, while we’re at it.”

  She shook her head, her hair shifting to play peekaboo with her nipples, hardening his erection to painful. “No one will see me if I don’t wish them to. Clothes are unnecessary. And I don’t like them.”

  He smiled even as he continued to check in the rearview mirror for any pursuers. “You don’t have to tell me twice, Red. But we still need gas.”

  * * * * *

  The closer they got to the city, the smaller Scarlata felt. And the more trapped.

  She couldn’t seem to catch her breath. Every time she drew in a breath, some foul odor made her gag.

  Trash lay in the hard streets. Trees struggled between slabs of concrete, their growth stunted because their roots could only reach so far into the soil.

  Occasional oases of green grass appeared but they were few and far between.

  Some homeowners had corralled containers of bright flowers on front porches but it wasn’t enough to combat the gray stone and red brick of the buildings. Not nearly enough.

  She was foll
etti. She needed a forest or a field to roam. Just the thought of cities made her hyperventilate. So many people in such a confined space made her ache to run into the wooded undergrowth and the fallen leaves.

  Worse still, she was having a hard time concentrating on the unique signature that marked the place she sought. The steady, magical beacon that could only be detected by the Fata faded in and out of her detection. She hoped that didn’t mean the safe house had been destroyed or abandoned. It had been many years since she’d spoken to Sal. Maybe more than a hundred.

  Still… “Turn right here. It’s this way.”

  Justin turned without hesitation, drawing her gaze to him. She’d been furious when she’d discovered his deception. Her neck still throbbed from his hit. He would pay for that.

  Nevertheless, her heart leapt at the fact that he’d wanted to keep her with him, even at the expense of his own life.

  She’d had time to think about the men who’d come to take her and she did not like her conclusions. Obviously those men had known she lived in the vicinity and that Justin’s research in the area would draw her out.

  But did they know the bigger secret still hidden in the forest? She needed to get to Sal’s. She wasn’t sure yet what she needed to do but she could keep Justin safe while she came up with a plan.

  As they drove further into the city, she had to pay more attention to her surroundings. She hadn’t been to Sal’s in many years. And though not much had changed in his neighborhood, she needed to look closely at the houses.

  “Here.” She touched Justin’s arm and waved toward the side. “Stop here.”

  Justin slowed and pulled into the next available parking space then stared out the side window at the buildings surrounding them.

  “This doesn’t seem like such a great neighborhood. Are you sure we’re at the right place?”

  “Yes. This is the place.” She opened the door and swung her legs out of the car. Then quickly drew them back before she could set her bare feet on broken glass. She huffed in displeasure but, in the next second, Justin appeared, reaching into the car to lift her from the seat.

  His scent shot straight to her head like sweet mountain water and she wanted to bury her nose behind his ear and lick his neck. Justin chose that moment to look at her and his expression hardened.

  “You’d better steer me toward the right place, Red. Because I might just take you on the street and not give a damn if people see us or not.”

  His words flooded her sex with moisture and made her swallow hard.

  “Which house, Red?”

  Which house? Oh. She turned to look at the buildings on the street. Skinny, red-brick houses built side-by-side. A few looked deserted but some had been well cared for over the years.

  The house they wanted had runes carved to look like decoration into the lintel above the front door. The paint around the windows looked dingy and curtains hid the inside. Some of the bricks needed replacing and the concrete steps leading to the front door had a few chunks missing.

  “That one.” She pointed to the house.

  Justin didn’t move, staring at the building. “You sure?”

  She stroked his jaw with her hand, drawing his gaze back to hers. “Yes. Trust me, Justin.”

  The corners of his mouth quirked. “I do trust you, Red.”

  He walked to the door, carrying her like she weighed nothing. “So is there a key or some hidden—”

  She grasped the doorknob. It turned smoothly in her hand.

  Justin shook his head. “Okay then. Guess we don’t need a key.” He stepped over the threshold and kicked the door closed behind them. “But I do need this.”

  He maneuvered her in his arms until he had her wrapped around him, both hands cupping her ass to hold her against him.

  Sinking her fingers into his hair, she yanked his head toward hers and sealed their lips together, kissing him until she thought she’d faint from oxygen deprivation.

  Moving one hand from her ass, he swept from her hip to her breast, sending heat sizzling along her skin. Cupping the sensitive mound, his fingers plucked at the nipple, playing with the hard tip until the faintest lick of pain shot through her.

  She moaned, not because of the pain, but because she liked it. She wanted more. So much more.

  Her hips began to move, grinding her mound against his stomach and the very tip of his cock, straining just above the waistband of his pants. Her pussy moistened and throbbed, yearning for something to grab onto, to fill her.

  “That’s right, babe. Let go.”

  His husky voice stoked her desire higher, made her move faster. When his hand moved around to rub her clit, she moaned into his mouth.

  More. Goddess, she wanted more.

  He gave it to her.

  He didn’t play with her. His strokes were deadly serious, working that little nub as if he could read her mind. Every muscle in her body tightened in anticipation, her lungs straining as she drew in air through her nose because her lips were sealed to his.

  Her pussy ached to be filled but she didn’t want him to stop working her clit because—

  Orgasm rocked through her body, a complete meltdown that made her shake and moan. Her pussy clenched and released almost painfully and she had to release his mouth to suck in air. Justin’s gasp sounded just as desperate as her own.

  “Don’t move…” he panted. “Just let me…the zipper…”

  She heard his shorts hit the floor a second before he grabbed her waist and jammed her down onto his cock. Groaning in ecstasy, he slid as far into her as he could, her still-contracting muscles clamping down on him.

  “Oh Christ. I’m gonna come in about two seconds.”

  “Then do it.” She licked at shell of his ear before biting the soft lobe. “I want you to. I want to know how hot I make you.”

  He put one hand under her chin and drew back until she met his gaze. “I only have to look at you and I burn.”

  His words and the look in his eyes made her sex contract and she felt him jerk and release into her without moving a muscle.

  With a sigh, he palmed the back of her head and urged her forward until she nuzzled her nose into his neck. He held her easily, her legs still wrapped around his waist.

  She rested her head on his shoulder, drawing in his musky scent, listening to him breathe. It was a good place to be. And that scared her.

  “Well, Scary. Haven’t seen you for a while. Looks like you’re doing okay.”

  The voice came from behind them, freezing them in place for a second. Then Justin nearly dropped her in his haste to shield her behind him. Her chest tighten at the thought that he was trying to protect her.

  “Who the hell—” Justin fumbled to put his shorts back on then paused and shook his head. “Whoa. Are you—Red, is that what I think it is?”

  She smiled at the wonder in his voice. “Yes, Justin. He is.”

  “But…but…that’s…”

  She moved to his side then down to her knees, showing the proper respect for the man before them. “Greetings, Salvatorus. We seek sanctuary.”

  The four-foot-tall salbinelli waved her to her feet. “Yeah, I kinda figured that. Sorry to disrupt.” The grin on his face made it clear he’d enjoyed their little show. Then he gestured to them. “Come on back. After you get cleaned up, we’ll get a drink and catch up and you can introduce me to your new friend.”

  Salvatorus turned and made his way to the back of the house, hooves clicking on the hardwood floor.

  As she rose to her feet, Justin grasped her elbow to help her up. “Red, is that really a…a satyr?”

  “He is salbinelli, maybe the oldest in the country. He arrived before the Purge. Possibly before the Europeans. He doesn’t talk about it. And I do not suggest you ask. The last person who did never lost the tail Sal gave her.”

  Justin looked at her with his lips parted, his surprise evident.

  “Is he really part goat and part man?”

  She shrugged and began pu
lling Justin in the direction Sal had gone. “No. He is salbinelli,” she said as if that would explain everything.

  Justin shook his head. “You know, Red, I’ve seen things tonight I never thought possible. But right now I feel like Alice in Wonderland, like I’ve fallen down the rabbit hole.”

  The salbinelli called Salvatorus popped back into the end of the hallway and smiled at him. “Son, this is definitely not Wonderland and I’m no fuckin’ goat.”

  Justin barely made it to the kitchen at the back of the house before his stomach rolled and his head started to spin.

  Then everything got a little dark.

  “Shit, Scary, he’s gonna faint.”

  “No.” Justin reached for a chair at the table in the surprisingly high-tech kitchen and sat. “No, I’m fine. It’s just been kind of a crazy day. Know what I mean?”

  “Yes, actually I do.” Scarlata kneeled at his side, her hand warm on his knee.

  The calm look in her eyes had the opposite effect on his cock, which actually gave a half-hearted attempt at getting hard.

  No way in hell that was gonna happen right now, though.

  “All right, you two.” Sal’s voice held amusement. “Your little displays of affection are making me sick. Why don’t you tell me what you’re doing here?”

  Justin turned in time to see the creature hop onto the wooden chair next to him. His furry goat legs dangled at least a foot from the ground and his small, black, goat-like horns glinted under the fluorescent light. His curly dark hair and facial features spoke of a Mediterranean heritage but his accented voice was pure “Noo Yawk.” And his muscled upper body would rival a Michelangelo masterpiece.

  Sal leveled a piercing, black gaze at him. “So you gonna stare all night or you gonna tell me what you’re doin’ here?”

  Justin caught himself before he raised one hand as if he were in high school. “Can I ask a question first?”

  The creature grabbed an unfiltered Marlboro from the pack on the table and lit it. “Sure, kid. Knock yourself out.”

  Justin tried to figure out how to phrase his question but in the end decided on straightforward. “Where did you come from?”