Enigma, Maine, Bundle 1
Page 3
Julie thought back to the coppery taste of blood she remembered tasting during their lovemaking. Her eyes widened. “You feed me some of your blood!”
“You are my chosen mate, Julie. I know you feel it just as I do. We are bound together by fate, the gods, your spell, and now my blood.”
Julie was speechless. It was a lot to digest. She should probably be alarmed, but Alessandro was right. Her intuitive powers that aided her witchcraft told her without a doubt that Alessandro was her soul mate and the one she needed to share the rest of her life with. “I need to sleep on this. Being mated to a vampire is going to take some getting used to. Maybe I should go back to my apartment.”
She started to get up, but Alessandro grasped her wrist.
“I need you to stay here with me. Vampires and other paranormal beings, for the most part, try to blend in and hide their true identities from humans. However, there are those that know of our existence, the secrets being passed down through generations in some families. These are the hunters that live only to destroy all beings different from them.”
He ran a hand through his hair and frowned. “Now that you’re mated to a vampire you are not safe. I know there’s a hunter that’s been poking around Enigma for at least a couple of weeks.”
“If that’s what you need, I’m here.” Julie wasn’t convinced she was really in danger, but Alessandro was hard to refuse. She snuggled back into his strong embrace and immediately fell asleep.
FOUR
Julie slowly came awake. She could feel a strong arm anchoring her to a warm hard body. She held her breath and slowly slipped out of the stronghold that Alessandro had on her even in his sleep. Julie rubbed her eyes and looked around.
The room was shrouded in darkness. Surely it was morning by now. She needed to find Selena and Brittany. They were probably worried sick about her. She hadn’t even bothered to let them know that she was still in the castle. Some friend she was!
She crossed her fingers and whispered into the darkness. “Silken threads and cotton fabrics, the elements bend and dress this witch in the latest trends.” She blinked three times and held her arms up and fully open to the powers around her. The air around her swirled and molded her body. Then she felt the soft whisper of jeans and a sweater encase her body.
Satisfied she grabbed the boots from her costume and the little beaded evening purse. She loved the stiletto-heeled boots, and she needed her bag. She refused to leave them behind.
She unbolted the door and quietly let herself into the hallway. Her insides began to roll the further she got from Alessandro, but she pressed on. She needed some time on her own to absorb everything she now knew and the changes that would be coming to her life.
It took her several minutes to find the stairs. She was out the front door before she wondered how she was going to get home. She spied Selena’s black sports car. She thanked the powers that be and her friends who left the vehicle behind for her. Julie fumbled through her purse until her fingers encountered the metal of her keys. She had a spare house and car key for both Selena and Brittany. She’d never been more thankful for Selena’s obsessive organizational skills. Her friend believed in being prepared even with the magical elements of the universe at their disposal.
****
The man stepped out of the shadows of the castle and watched the woman disappear. Apparently, she wasn’t a vampire, or she wouldn’t have been able to survive for so long in the glaring rays of the midmorning sun. He debated whether he should continue to look for a way into the castle and Russo’s hidden lair or follow the woman. Impulse made him choose the woman. He could search the castle for hours and not find the vampire’s hidden resting place. He didn’t want to be around when the security team figured out something was wrong.
He ran halfway down the drive to where his car was pulled onto the shoulder. A hefty bribe to one of the valets the night before secured him the spot and a way onto the grounds. The security team was made entirely of shifters. He’d slipped a new drug the hunters had developed into the water supply. It exceeded his greatest expectations. The shifters hadn’t detected the drug even with their superior senses. It sent the shifters into a deep sleep, leaving the castle susceptible to intruders.
He hurriedly turned the car around and pursued the woman. She was the key to getting to the centuries-old vampire. His family had been hunting Russo for decades. There’d been several women prey over the years, but none that ever spent the night and then casually walked away in the morning.
He reached the end of the drive and managed to catch sight of the little black sports car as it disappeared around a bend in the curvy road. He turned right and took off after it. He didn’t want to be close enough to her to be made as a tail, but he didn’t want to lose her either.
****
Julie nervously hummed to the music on the radio. She was trying hard to dispel the feeling of gloom that seemed to be hanging over her head like a dark thundercloud. Something terrible was on the horizon. She could sense it. And she didn’t think it was Alessandro because even though she’d only known him for one night, she knew he was the man or vampire for her.
Her lips curled into a smile at just the thought of his name. She knew he was the one meant for her, and she had the mated souls spell to thank for bringing them together. She just needed to check in with the girls and take care of Syn. She hadn’t asked, but she hoped that vampires and house cats were compatible!
Julie couldn’t wait until she got home. She reached for her phone and hit speed dial number one. She waited impatiently for Brittany to answer. Julie got voice mail and left a brief message instead. “I saw you with that super-hot pirate last night. You must be sleeping off a wild night. I hope you had as much fun as I did!” She paused there was so much more she wanted to say, but before she could continue a beep cut her off.
She disconnected and hit speed dial number two. A very sleepy sounding Selena answered on the third ring. A hard to understand “hello,” was barely mumbled into the phone. Then Julie heard feminine giggling and a muffled noise that sounded suspiciously like a purr. “Selena, Selena are you there? It’s Julie, and I need to talk to you right away.” Julie heard a muffled sigh, and then Selena came back on the line sounding much more alert.
“Julie I’m here,” she answered. “I’ve got some unbelievable but wonderful news, what’s going on with you? You and Brittany both disappeared last night. Luckily, I was claimed by Phillip, so I was able to leave my car behind for the two of you.”
“Thanks for that, and I have your car. I’m on the way to my apartment. I am going to grab a few things, check on Syn, and then I’m heading back to the castle.”
“Umm, about that,” Selena answered in a funny sounding voice. “Syn’s not going to be there, but don’t be alarmed. I promise he’s fine.”
Julie was perplexed by the sudden change in conversation. “Oh, did you somehow find his rightful owner?”
Selena giggled. “Something like that,” she finally managed to get out between laughs! “We’ll have to talk about it in greater detail, but I don’t want to do it over the phone.” She changed the topic again. “So where did you disappear to last night and did the spell work for you, because it definitely worked for me.”
“It did,” Julie confirmed with joyful glee. “That’s why I’m going back to the castle. And you aren’t going to believe what I found out last night, but that’s also a conversation better had in person.”
“Have you been able to get in touch with Brittany yet,” Selena asked in a concerned voice. “The last I saw of her she was being hauled off by that dashing pirate.”
“Same goes for me. I tried calling her before, but I only got voice mail. I’ll try again later. I’d be willing to take wagers on that pirate being her soul mate! Maybe he spirited her away to his ship.”
“Yeah, well, nothing would surprise me anymore after last night,” Selena admitted. “But I hope we hear from her soon.”
“I have a
brilliant idea! We must get together soon and compare notes. Meet me for lunch tomorrow at my place. How does eleven o’clock sound?”
“Sounds great,” Selena agreed. “I’ll see you and hopefully Brittany soon.” The two women air-kissed their respective phones and said their goodbyes.
Julie turned onto her street just as the call ended. A lot had happened in only one night, but she was more than ready for the twist the universe had seen fit to throw her way. She parked Selena’s car in front of her apartment building and sat there for a few seconds. She wanted to bask in the glow of knowledge that she and Alessandro had somehow managed to find each other. And apparently, Selena and Brittany had been aided by magic too.
Julie finally prodded herself into getting out of the car. The sooner she finished here the sooner she could return to Alessandro. If she were lucky, he wouldn’t even notice she was gone. She thought back to the promise she’d made not to leave until he rose that night. But she had things to do. She couldn’t explore the castle all day while he slept. Besides she’d thought Syn was still dependent on her for food. How was she to know that Selena found his true home?
Julie was so preoccupied with her thoughts she didn’t notice the stranger sneak up behind her until it was too late. She had just slipped the key into the lock when a large, meaty hand clamped over her mouth to keep her quiet. Julie tried to whirl away, but her captor was strong, and he held her caged between his arms. She picked up her foot and tried to grind the heel of the stiletto into his shoe, but he was already on the move. He turned the key and pushed them both into the foyer of her apartment.
Julie lost her balance, and they both toppled to the floor. She had the breath knocked out of her and struggled to inhale air into her lungs. She needed to get away long enough to cast a protection spell and call for help. She kicked and hit out with her hands to no avail. Unfortunately, the intruder got to his feet first and dragged her up by one arm. Julie screamed from the pain. It felt like her shoulder was about to be ripped out of its socket.
The stranger forced her onto one of the hard-backed wooden chairs in the kitchen alcove. She flinched when she felt the sting of abrasive rope against her skin. She stifled a groan of defeat. She was in real trouble. Without the full use of her arms and hands to call forth the elements of the universe her magic was all but useless even if she could remember a spell recitation that would help get her out of this mess.
This was one of those days when she should have stayed in bed. Right now, she could be snuggled up to Alessandro’s body safe in his protective embrace. Instead, she was tied to an uncomfortable chair wondering if she was ever going to see him again.
“Who are you?” Julie had to know why this was happening. It just didn’t have the feel of a random attack to her. Witches were recognized for their intuitive powers as well as the ability to cast spells.
The man turned to look at her. He was average looking, but there was a cold hardness in his eyes that sent shivers down Julie’s spine. “I’m the one that’ll be asking all the questions,” he hissed out. “How long have you known that bloodsucker Russo?” he demanded.
Crap! Julie knew she was in real trouble now, and so was Alessandro. This man had to be a vampire hunter. Well, no way was she going to let him use her against Alessandro.
“I don’t know who you’re talking about. I just went to a Halloween party, had too much to drink and passed out,” she crossed her fingers at the lie. She really hated to lie but lives and true love were at stake. Oops, maybe that wasn’t the best phrase to use she decided when she spotted the long sharp wooden weapon her captor was brandishing around the room.
The man chocked out an evil laugh. “Like I’m supposed to believe that one. Obviously, you’re not a vamp, or you wouldn’t have left the lair in broad daylight with so much exposed skin. You aren’t a shifter, or you would have shifted when I grabbed you.”
He scratched his chin. “I doubt if you’re a human victim because you don’t seem confused enough to have recently come out of a trance.” He glared at her. “That leaves one possibility. You must be a witch. Those bloodsuckers sure love their witches.”
Julie stared at him open-mouthed. How come this vampire hunter knew about all the supernatural and otherworldly beings in the universe, and she was just finding out about them now. She narrowed her eyes at him. “I think you’re certifiable with all this talk of vampires, witches, and shifters.”
“Really,” he raised an eyebrow at her. “My family has been documenting and hunting vamps for years. It was a tip by one of my ancestors that initiated the Salem witch trials, so I think I know all about this kind of thing.”
He narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m not buying your innocent act either. Witch, I do believe it is. I won’t be taking my eyes off you for a second.”
“Great,” Julie muttered. Leave it to her to get captured by a human that knew more about the supernatural world than she did. She tried to look unconcerned and gave the man a nonchalant shrug. “Whatever, if you want to waste your time hanging around here, I guess I’m in no position to stop you. But you’re going to be sorely disappointed if you think being here is going to help your vampire hunting cause.”
“We’ll just see about that. A vampire doesn’t give up what he considers his, and I saw his mark when we were struggling at the front door.”
Damn, Julie had forgotten all about the bite. She had an all-consuming urge to touch it with her fingers. Of course, that was out of the question since said fingers and hands were currently tied behind her back. She tugged at the ropes cautiously. Julie thought they felt looser than before, but she didn’t want to alert the crazy man currently pacing her living room that she had an escape plan.
She needed to keep him preoccupied. “If you’re so convinced that vampires, witches, and so forth exist why not go to the media and get the public on your side?”
The man let out a harsh laugh. “Paranormal beings are good at hiding their existence. When a hunter goes crying to the media, the message ends up on the front page of a tabloid. The hunter is either committed or disappears never to be seen or heard from again thanks to the guardians. And that will be enough out of you.”
He advanced on Julie and stuffed a gag into her mouth. She screamed her outrage, but there was nothing else she could do.
FIVE
Alessandro’s eyes popped open just as the last of the sun’s rays slipped below the horizon. The first thing he noticed was Julie’s absence. He used his heightened senses to search for her. He became alarmed when he realized she wasn’t anywhere around and hadn’t been for some time.
He’d specifically left instructions for his security team not to let her leave the grounds of the castle. It was too dangerous for her. He knew a hunter was near. He could sense the malice and anger that rolled off the man in waves. The thought of his sweet and sexy Julie in the hands of a madman made his blood boil.
He pushed aside the special ultraviolet blocking canopy that surrounded the king-sized bed and shot through the opening faster than any human eye could detect. He didn’t know Julie’s address, but thanks to the taste of her blood he’d taken last night he’d be able to hone in on her when he got close. He sensed the frenzied movement of his security team in the central part of the castle. Something was wrong, and he had a horrible feeling the something was directly related to Julie’s disappearance.
He went straight to Mitch Gannon. The alpha wolf shifter owned his own security company and was the best at what he did. Many trusted him to protect them including supernatural and human alike. The wolf shifter was usually at the top of his game.
“Where’s Julie,” he growled. He might not be an animal shifter, but he could growl and snarl with the best of them! “I gave strict instructions as to her wellbeing, and that included not letting her leave here.”
Mitch ran a hand through his already unkempt, dark, wavy hair. “Damn! I was hoping she was still with you in your resting place.”
“We’ve got problems!”
Alessandro snorted. “Tell me something I don’t already know, Mitch!” He glared at Enigma’s pack leader. “What happened?” He began pacing while he waited for an answer.
“The entire security detail was drugged.”
Alessandro stopped dead in his tracks. “How’s that even possible? I thought wolf shifters had an excellent sense of smell and taste.”
Mitch grimaced. “Normally that would be correct, hence the problem. This drug was tasteless and odorless. It knocked my men out cold for several hours.”
Alessandro did not like the sound of that. If hunters had such a potent drug in their arsenal, there was going to be big trouble on the horizon. “So, we have to assume that whoever drugged your men also has Julie.” He shook off the worry. He needed to focus. “The cat shifters have to be told about this immediately.”
Mitch agreed, “as guardians of the mystical universe I knew it was important for them to be notified immediately. Phillip Saint John is on his way.”
The cat shifter sauntered up just as Mitch finished speaking. “The council sent me here to investigate, and I was told to give top priority to the situation here,” he arched his brows. “What’s going on, Russo?”
Alessandro harshly frowned at Saint John. “Mitch can fill you in when I’m done, but right now Julie is my top priority. Somewhere in the middle of this mess, she disappeared. I have to find her, especially if there’s a hunter involved.”
Phillip let out an angry hiss. “Julie Banks?”
“Yes, Julie Banks,” his eyes narrowed. “And I can’t stand around talking about it. I have to find her, and I don’t know where to start.” He pushed a hand through his hair hard enough to leave it standing on end. “I saw you dancing with the blonde witch, any idea where I can find her? I know she’s friends with Julie.”