by Iris Abbott
All three women nodded their agreement. “You’re right,” Julie started moving toward Selena’s black sports car. “Let’s get this show on the road. I can’t wait to see what magic and the universe have in store for us tonight.”
****
Selena drove her car up to the imposing looking wrought iron gate. When prompted she announced their names into the gate’s security system. Whoever was hosting this party couldn’t have picked a better place Selena thought. It was kind of daunting, and the amount of security on show was very intimidating.
“How’d you find out about this party anyway?” Brittany asked.
Selena wondered the same thing herself. None of them knew the person or persons who lived behind the formidable gate.
“I found the invitation lying in the foyer of my apartment the night we cast the mated souls spell,” Julie responded. She shrugged. “I took it as a sign that this is where we’re supposed to be tonight.”
Selena frowned. Something else about that night had been bothering her too. “Isn’t that the same night Syn showed up on your doorstep?” A sudden shiver snaked down her spine at the mention of that cat. Something wasn’t right there. She just hadn’t figured it out yet.
She had been having erotic dreams about a tall, dark, and handsome stranger ever since Syn bit her. The kicker was that the man purred while they were making love. The whole thing was disconcerting, to say the least, and it didn’t make any sense to Selena.
Julie’s forehead puckered. “You know you’re right. I never thought about the two events being connected before. It was probably a coincidence that Syn showed up that night.” She gave a nonchalant shrug and turned her attention back to the castle looming at the end of the long driveway.
Selena wouldn’t be willing to wager her spell book on that, but she kept her unsettling thoughts to herself. She parked the car and tossed her keys to the tuxedo-wearing valet. “Wow look at this place. It’s like a medieval castle. I had no idea that anything like this existed around here.”
Selena heard her friend Julie suck in a breath. Julie stopped dead in her tracks when she got her first close up look at their destination “It’s absolutely gorgeous,” her friend said in awe as she started moving forward again.
“I don’t know. It looks kind of spooky to me,” Selena whispered so only her friends could hear. She didn’t want to offend anyone, but she had an unsettled feeling in the pit of her stomach.
Brittany laughed at her. “That’s rich coming from a spellcasting, card-carrying witch.”
All three women giggled as they entered the huge front door.
“What are you afraid of anyway vampires and werewolves?” Brittany asked.
That sent all three women into a fit of laughter that was soon drowned out by the noise from the party.
They were immediately surrounded by the sounds of throbbing music and chatting people. All three women jumped when the heavy door clanged shut behind them. Selena felt a chill work its way down her spine. She tried to shake it off.
She was here with her friends after all. They were witches and more than capable of looking after themselves. There was safety in numbers, and the three of them should be fine. Brittany was a black belt. She taught martial arts to young children and self-defense skills to women. They would be safe Selena decided.
The side of her neck began to tingle like crazy. She rubbed the offending spot, and her fingers touched the bit mark from Julie’s ornery cat. She started to say something to her friends, but she looked around, and instead of seeing her friends, she discovered she was standing toe to toe with a sexy stranger.
He had thick, short cropped, black hair. His costume was daring and set all kinds of alarm bells ringing in her head. He wore nothing but a pair of sexy black briefs. He also sported a pair of black cat ears and a tail. The most stunning part of his costume, however, was a pair of glowing yellow eyes that Selena decided had to be special contacts. The eyes looked straight at her!
Selena suppressed a sigh. It seemed her lot in life to be tormented by bossy, black cats. First Syn and now this delicious as sin stranger!
Selena tried to reassure herself with one more glance at her friends. A swift look around however did nothing to reassure her. She realized the cat had somehow maneuvered her into a corner away from everyone else without her even realizing it.
Brittany had been shanghaied onto the dance floor by a delicious looking pirate. Julie was standing at the foot of the grand staircase looking toward the top as if mesmerized. She turned her attention away from Julie and Brittany and focused on her surroundings.
It looked like it was just her and the cat. She needed to keep her wits about her. Great! The way he was looking at her she felt like a mouse that was about to be swallowed in one giant gulp. She should be alarmed, but instead, she found her body reacting to the intense physical chemistry between them.
She needed to do something to break the escalating tension before they started stripping each other here and now. She held out a hand and introduced herself. “Hi, I’m Selena Hunt.” She expected him to shake hands and give his name. Instead, he gave a courtly bow and then brought her hand to his mouth.
Selena was unprepared for the searing heat of his lips as he kissed the palm of her hand. She snatched her hand away from his lips and hid it in a fold of her black dress. The stranger didn’t seem to notice her fierce reaction, or if he did, he ignored it.
“Selena is such a lovely name for such a breathtaking woman.” He reached for her half-hidden hand and drew it into the crook of his arm. “I’m Phillip Saint John, and I would be most honored to be your escort for the night.”
Oh my! Selena had never been the focus of such gentlemanly attention before, especially from such a dark and brooding stranger. She felt that telltale tingle begin deep inside. Selena had to bite her lip to keep in the needy moan that threatened to escape from between her lips. She wanted this man with a fierce hunger that threatened to consume her if she didn’t do something about it and soon.
Phillip took advantage of Selena’s momentary silence. “Let’s dance.” He didn’t wait for a response. He bundled her into his arms and guided them slowly onto the dance floor.
They fit together perfectly. The top of her head fell just below his chin. Her soft curves welcomed the hard steel of his muscles, and her rounded hip nicely pillowed the growing erection she felt pressed against her.
A purr rattled in his throat. Selena stiffened and stopped moving. She stopped dead in the middle of a turn on the dance floor. He tightened his embrace.
She stumbled from the barrage of erotic images that flashed through her mind. Luckily, Phillip pulled her closer, and his hold kept her from falling and making a total fool of herself. The cat thing was getting to her.
Once again, she absently rubbed at the scar on the side of her neck. Was it her imagination or was it hot to the touch? She quickly withdrew her fingers and tried to concentrate on the man in front of her.
Phillip wrapped an arm around her waist and guided her off the dance floor. “I think we both know where we are headed at the end of the night.” He gave her a wicked smile. “Pardon the pun, but we should stop pussyfooting around and just get there already.”
Selena’s need for the man jumped up another notch. She was tingling all over her body, and her heart felt like it was going to beat right out of her chest. Usually, she would never dream of leaving a party with a man she didn’t know, but the attraction between them was so thick she could almost see it. She certainly felt it! There was no denying the passion that sizzled between them.
****
He guided her all the way to the front door before she protested. “Wait! I can’t just leave. I came to the party with my two friends, and I drove. I would be the worst kind of friend if I left them stranded. I’d never do that. They’re more like sisters than friends.”
Phillip located the other two witches in less than five seconds. “Your friends are in good hands, I promise.
Brittany is with someone I know quite well, and I promise he is more than capable of looking out for her. Julie is with the host of the party, and they look quite taken with each other as well.”
Selena frowned. The creases in her forehead were so deep they threatened to become permanent if she didn’t change her expression soon. “Wait,” she started to back away from him and the front door. “I know I didn’t introduce you and I certainly don’t remember mentioning their names.” She arched a brow. “So, how do you know my friends?”
Phillip tried to seem as nonchalant as possible. Intense waves of uneasiness quickly replaced the waves of physical desire rolling off her body. He knew he had to work fast or he might miss the opportunity to sweep Selena off her feet. “I’ve actually seen them around here and there. I hang out around Julie’s apartment complex a lot.” He’d elected to go with the truth even though he knew she would assume something other than the reality.
Selena’s eyes lit up, and she gave a short cry of excitement. “You must be the one that slipped the invitation under Julie’s door. We’ve all been wondering how it got there.” She pensively chewed her bottom lip. “We weren’t sure exactly where the invitation came from,” she admitted.
Phillip had to tease her. He couldn’t resist. “How else did you think it got there? Magic?” He had to swallow a chuckle when she turned bright red and whirled away from him. She was so agitated she marched right out the front door, which was exactly where he wanted her to go. He used his cat-like grace and speed to catch up with her easily.
“Now don’t go off all mad,” he called out to her. “I was only teasing. Besides, there are a lot of things we could be doing in the very near future. And I promise you don’t want to miss out on any of them!”
****
Selena took a deep breath and turned to take a look at her pursuer. She stumbled when she saw glowing eyes quickly closing the gap between them. Selena managed to right herself and not fall flat on her face. She stopped moving and took the time to study Phillip.
Dim lighting from the castle and surrounding cars was enough for her to get another good look at his magnificent body. Goodness, the man, was sexy enough to be an underwear model. He was definitely showcasing those black briefs as no one else could.
She hadn’t liked his flip comment about magic, however. It hit too close to home. Most people weren’t aware of and didn’t believe in the mystical powers of the universe. Many thought that witches were a figment of the imagination and that woman claiming to have magical powers were delusional, crazy, or both. That’s why most witches didn’t run around advertising their abilities and what they could actually do when they had a good spell and the powers of the universe behind them.
The mated souls spell was one of the best. The three of them spent more than a year developing it, and they put so much heart and yearning into it that it had to work. She had an innate feeling that Phillip was somehow linked to that spell. After all, the invitation to this party showed up the night they’d performed the spell. And now Phillip had all but admitted that he was the one that delivered it to Julie’s apartment.
Selena absently rubbed the spot where Syn bit her. It was tingling again. The closer Phillip got to her the stronger the sensation became. It developed into a light burn that matched the heat in regions south. The flames quickly spread to the rest of her body.
He didn’t seem ready to let her out of his sight. She had to admit she wasn’t eager to let him go either. Just the thought of walking away from him caused a gut-wrenching ache.
Selena let out a long, heart-wrenching sigh. She was in deep trouble and sinking deeper by the minute. It’s a good thing she could swim!
She placed one of her delicate hands into the much larger one that Phillip held out for her. “I’m a little sensitive when it comes to magic, so don’t joke about it.” That was the only warning Selena was going to give. She knew that Phillip would be wise enough to heed it. She let him guide her to a sleek black sports car parked near the front of the castle. It perfectly fit the image of the sleek black cat, and she had to laugh.
A tall, sexy male in a suit who looked more like he should be in charge of security instead of valet parking tossed Phillip a set of keys. “Saint John,” he nodded a greeting. “I figured you wouldn’t be here long.”
He turned his attention to Selena and gave her a wicked smile that showed a little too much teeth for her comfort. He reminded her of a wild predator that was barely held in check. “And I can definitely see why. She looks good enough to eat.” He followed up the words with a wolfish grin.
Something about him reminded her of the scary wolf from the fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood. She found herself inching closer to Phillip and the warmth and security his body offered. She could have sworn she heard a hiss come from Phillip that was aimed directly at the other man. It made the hair on the back of her neck and arms stand on end. The aura of raw power coming off of both men was intoxicating and sensually exciting. Phillip snarled at the other man and forced her thoughts away from the sensations throbbing through her body and onto the words her companion was speaking.
“Back off, Gannon! I’d hate to ruin everyone’s fun by shutting down this party early because I don’t think Russo would be too happy if I put his head of security out of commission for the night. He’d probably send everyone home, and that would disappoint a whole lot of people.”
The security guy bared his mouth full of very sharp looking teeth. “You are too easy to tease, Saint John.” He turned his attention to Selena. “If you ever get tired of this guy, look me up. I own the most successful security business in the state of Maine, and I’m based in Enigma.” He winked at her, sent a snarl Phillip’s way, and then turned on his heels and stalked through the crowd gathered outside the front door.
Phillip ignored the wolf shifter’s parting snarl. He opened the passenger door and used a hand to indicate that Selena should get in. She didn’t hesitate. Even though she knew she shouldn’t trust a stranger, there was something different about Phillip. She felt the connection straight through to her heart, and her witch’s intuition told her he was the man for her.
She was organized, and thanks to her forethought, she knew that Julie and Brittany both had a spare key to her car. They should be able to get home just fine without her. Besides the chance that they each might find their own man to leave with was very high, especially if Phillip had come her way thanks to the mated souls spell.
TWO
They were in the car and halfway down the driveway before Selena broke the silence. “Do I need to give you directions to my apartment or are we going to your place?”
“Definitely my place,” Phillip answered. “I have a penthouse apartment in the heart of Enigma. It has great views of the city. It’s in the middle of everything, very convenient.” And the security was hard to beat he added silently. In his line of work, security was everything.
The drive to the town center only took about fifteen minutes, and it was completed in a silence that was thick with sensual tension. Phillip finally drove into a parking garage attached to a high-rise full of luxury apartments. Instead of parking with the other cars, he continued on to a second gate and punched in a code. Then he continued driving to the top deck of the covered garage. There was only one other car there. “This is a private garage for the penthouse owner, which happens to be me,” he explained.
He parked next to his black SUV. Selena unfastened her belt and got out of the low-slung sports car before he could come around to her side. He put an arm around her waist and guided her toward the elevator. “Is your penthouse the only one occupied right now?”
Phillip chuckled. “Actually mine is the only penthouse in this building. It takes up the entire top floor. It has just as much privacy,” and security he silently added, “as a regular house. That’s why I chose to live here.” That and he liked high places. What cat didn’t? “I also have a rooftop terrace complete with landscaping, a covered seating area for
outdoor entertaining, and a pool.”
“Wow!” Selena looked sufficiently impressed. “I bet it’s beautiful at night when the foot and car traffic have cleared the area and the stars and moon are shining brightly.”
“It is. I can’t wait to show it to you, but probably not tonight, because tonight I have several things I want to do with you and stargazing is not one of them.” He guided her to the lone elevator where he punched in another code and slipped a keycard into the waiting slot. The elevator swished open immediately, and they stepped into the cool and well-lighted interior of the elevator car. He pushed the penthouse button, and they were silently and swiftly transported to the top floor of the high-rise.
He wasn’t waiting until they got to the top to taste Selena’s luscious mouth. He backed her into a corner and immediately covered her mouth with his own. She tasted sweet like strawberries and reminded him of a fresh summer day after a cleansing drizzle of rain. That taste and the involuntary moan she released worked like catnip on Phillip. He lifted her from the floor until her feet dangled in the air. He tore his mouth from hers. “Wrap your legs around my waist,” he demanded before reclaiming her lips.
The elevator came to a smooth halt, and the doors quietly slid open. Selena seemed reluctant to end the kiss. She tightened the legs that were already wrapped snugly around his waist. She tangled one hand in his hair, and the other rested on the heated flesh of his chest.
She kneaded his chest and tightened her grip on his hair. It took every ounce of willpower he possessed not to purr.
“Don’t let go,” she whispered, even as he began walking out of the elevator. That wouldn’t be a problem. He never wanted to let her go.
