The Witch Is Back

by H. P. Mallory

  “I can’t remember the last time I was this happy,” I said softly. “I feel alive, Sinjin, almost like I’ve been asleep for the last ten years or so and I’ve suddenly woken up.”

  “My sleeping beauty,” Sinjin whispered into my ear.

  I nodded. “Yes, that’s what it feels like. I just never knew there was such an amazing world out there, complete with incredibly handsome and sexy vampires,” I finished and giggled as he cocked a brow, obviously amused.

  “I cannot tell you how much that pleases me to know.” His eyes were sharp, as if they could look right through me. “I want nothing more than your happiness.”

  “I …” But he never let me finish, interrupting me instead.

  “I hope you will always remember, poppet, that everything I said or did was only to ensure your happiness.”

  I swallowed hard, finding it an odd thing for him to say. “You have done nothing but support me, teach me, and look out for me. Of course I’ll always remember that.”

  “Very good,” he said with a smile.

  And then it dawned on me that it could have been Rand who walked through my store before Sinjin ever had, given how determined he had been to find me. I could have succumbed to Rand’s treachery, and had the so-called wool pulled over my eyes. I sighed heavily as I thought about it, so relieved that things had worked out the way they had, that Sinjin had beaten Rand to the punch. “I’m so glad you found me,” I said. “So happy it was you and not Rand.”

  And that was when I remembered Rand and his little gift. I felt the smile drop off my lips.

  Sinjin sat up instantly. “What is wrong?”

  I took a deep breath and frowned. “I forgot to tell you my other bit of news.”

  “What, poppet,” he said and took my hand, squeezing it in his own.

  “I received a package,” I started and then told him the story about the box, the glitter, the holographic Rand and the images he’d sent me. The entire time Sinjin’s mouth was tight, his composure clearly strained. “I don’t understand it, Sinjin,” I finished. “What was he talking about with the time-travel stuff?”

  “Nothing,” Sinjin replied quickly and shifted uncomfortably. “It is nothing but bunk, drivel. As I mentioned before, the warlock wishes only to gain your confidence, your trust. He recognizes your abilities, and he seeks to control them and you.” He took my cheeks between his hands and turned my face toward his. “You must believe none of it, my love. He wishes only to undermine me, to turn you against me.”

  “I will never be turned against you, Sinjin,” I said softly.

  Sinjin nodded and cupped my chin, smiling down at me. “I will never allow anyone to harm you, Jolie,” he said and kissed my lips.

  A few hours after our marathon lovemaking session, I found myself alone. Sinjin had announced that the dawn was coming and he would have to leave me for the day. That was when it hit me. Sinjin and I would never witness the beauty of a sunrise together, never see the world bathed in that beautiful nascent pink. We would never spend the day at the beach, watching children play in the waves under an August sun. And speaking of children, Sinjin and I would never have any—vampires were unable to procreate. The more I thought about it, the more it bothered me.

  Is everything in life a trade-off, then? I asked myself. Sinjin was basically the perfect guy in every way but one … he was a vampire. And even that was arguable, because there were aspects of his vampirism that could definitely be considered benefits. His incredible strength and speed, for one, and the fact that he could live forever …

  Yeah, but you won’t live forever.

  I felt my breath catch, and I had to ask myself why this had only just occurred to me. I mean, the realization that I would grow old while Sinjin remained just as gorgeous and young as ever should have been one of my first thoughts after I’d discovered what he was.

  I don’t care, part of me declared. Sinjin is everything I could ever want in a man. He’s funny, kind, thoughtful, and extremely intelligent. He’s protective, not afraid of commitment, financially well off, and incredibly attractive. And he’s amazing in bed! I mean, what more could a woman want?

  Jolie, stop kidding yourself—you’ve always wanted a two-story house with a picket fence and two kids running through the yard.

  But Sinjin was the only man I’d ever met whom I’d even consider as a possible partner for my “two-story with a picket fence” scenario. How cruel fate was, offering me someone so perfect when there was no chance of us having a real future together.

  Besides, he’s made it pretty clear that he isn’t the falling-in-love type. I felt my heart sink.

  Although it seemed as if Sinjin was falling for me just as, er, well, almost as quickly as I was for him, I still couldn’t ignore the fact that he had purposefully announced he wasn’t into admitting to any sort of love.

  And, really, where did that leave me?

  Don’t give up on him, my optimistic side said. Don’t give up on him, because you are already in love with him.

  I took a deep breath at the very thought that I could be in love with Sinjin. Was I? Could I be? The more I considered it, though, the more I had to admit to myself that I absolutely was head over heels in love with him. I mean, really, how could I not be? He was basically like a knight in shining armor: someone who had ridden into my life and opened me up to a world I never knew existed, helped me see truths about myself I never would have otherwise known. There was a whole new world waiting for me, complete with creatures that had previously only existed in my dreams … or nightmares. And while that realization was frightening in itself, knowing that Sinjin would serve as my teacher and guardian somehow made it seem a little less daunting.

  Sinjin Sinclair was my sworn protector, teacher, friend, confidant, ally, and lover. And I was in love with him—it was as obvious as the fact that he was a vampire.

  Then why should it matter that you won’t be able to have his children? I asked myself.

  Hmm, I guess maybe it doesn’t matter …

  And furthermore, what do you care if you never watch a sunrise or sunset with him? Sunlight isn’t all it’s cracked up to be anyway, you know. It’s responsible for freckles, sunburns, skin cancer …

  Okay, okay, I get it. I paused at the realization now dawning within me. I guess I’m okay with loving Sinjin and seeing where it will go.

  But what about my getting older while he stays young?

  Hmm, that was a problem that I couldn’t discount quite so easily. But I also didn’t need to solve it today.

  I climbed out of Sinjin’s bed and took a deep breath, looking down through the window as the sun’s beams glittered on the pool’s surface, looking like thousands of diamonds. I turned back to the king-sized bed; half the linens were twisted up on the floor, and the fitted sheet hung off one side of the mattress. I smiled to myself and set about making the bed, almost regretting the fact that I was destroying evidence that I’d had the best sex of my life last night. I couldn’t help the flush that stained my cheeks. According to Sinjin, he’d never forget our first night together; I knew I wouldn’t either. It was chiseled into my memory, and I already looked forward to replaying it endlessly.

  I scanned the room for my clothing and I found the garments strewn around as haphazardly as if a hurricane had blown through the room. Still in a sex fog, I dressed slowly, and once I was decent, I opened the door, a small piece of paper on the floor taking my attention. I picked it up and unfolded it, reading:

  My lovely little poppet,

  Your breakfast awaits you in the kitchen.

  Last evening was magical and I am most excited to repeat it this eve.

  I will dream of you.

  ~ Sinjin

  I couldn’t help the smile that curled across my lips. I folded the note into a small triangle and put it in my pocket, knowing that I’d refer to it countless times today—to reread it and to admire the neat curlicues and flourishes of Sinjin’s calligraphic handwriting.

&
nbsp; I took the stairs two at a time and entered the kitchen, where a bouquet of red roses was sitting in a vase of water on the black granite countertop. Beside that was a plate full of croissants, biscuits, muffins, and Danishes; beside those was a bowl containing a mound of melon slices, grapes, strawberries, and bananas.

  “Wow, Sinjin,” I whispered with a smile as I plopped a few grapes into my mouth, helping myself to a croissant. I took a seat on one of his bar stools and leaned over to smell the roses. This whole thing was just so unbelievable—such a perfect fairy tale. Wasn’t this exactly what every woman dreamed of—a man, er, a vampire, as amazing as Sinjin in the looks department who was also just as caring?

  And suddenly I was angry with myself—angry that I’d ever doubted the future of a relationship with Sinjin in the first place. He was just so incredibly sweet and … good. And what was more, he made me happy. In fact, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been this completely content, this thrilled with my life.

  After finishing the croissant, a handful of strawberries, and a few melon wedges, I couldn’t eat any more. I got off the stool and searched through the kitchen drawers, looking for some Saran Wrap, but found them completely bare. Reluctantly, I put the uncovered bowl of fruit in his fridge, which was just as empty as the rest of his kitchen, and, grabbing the bouquet, started for the door. I made up my mind to stop off at Bed Bath & Beyond on the way to my shop and get Sinjin all the accoutrements of a well-stocked kitchen. Granted, he probably wouldn’t ever use any of them, but I would.

  Beeping my Jetta unlocked, I closed Sinjin’s door behind me before having second thoughts and locking it. I mean, it was daytime, after all, and Sinjin couldn’t protect himself. As soon as that thought dawned on me, I felt bogged down with worry. Sinjin was basically as helpless as a turtle on its back during the day. Hmm, we would have to have a discussion regarding his safety this evening …

  I jogged across the street, got in my car, and started it as I glanced at the clock.

  “Shit,” I said, remembering that my first client of the day was due in twenty minutes. My trip to Bed Bath & Beyond would have to wait until my lunch break.

  I peeled out into the street and gunned it, happy to find that I didn’t hit any red lights on the way. When I pulled up to my store, I noticed Christa’s red Camaro in front and breathed a sigh of relief that she’d managed to open the store on time. Her punctuality was usually fifty-fifty. I parked behind her, grabbed the bouquet, and sprinted to the front door.

  “Ahem,” she said as she glanced up at me, an irritated frown marring her pretty and otherwise perfectly made-up face. I handed her my purse, which she accepted and put underneath the counter, where we both kept our bags. “Did someone forget it was a school day?”

  I smiled guiltily. “Um, yeah, sort of lost track of time.”

  She narrowed her eyes on me and cocked a brow as her gaze dropped to my neck. “Looks like Mr. Vampire got a little carried away.”

  My hand immediately rose to my neck, where I felt the two telltale punctures. I hurried to the bathroom and looked in the mirror, turning my head to the side to see how bad the damage was. The two bite marks were red and raised, looking swollen and irritated. “It’s bad,” I said once I noticed Christa behind me.

  She handed me the pink scarf I insisted she keep in the drawer underneath the cash register. Why? Because Christa had come into the store more than once with hickeys all over her neck. Luckily for me, the hickey wrap was now going to come in very handy.

  “Did it hurt?” she asked.

  “No … well, maybe a little but I barely noticed because we were … doing other things.”

  She sighed and shook her head, crossing her arms against her chest. “So he finally got some vag?”

  I glanced over my shoulder at her and frowned. “Oh my God, Chris, do you have to be so … so gross?”

  She sighed. “Okay, so he finally got to lick your cupcake?”

  I laughed. I couldn’t help it. And then, remembering the moment when Sinjin devoured my so-called cupcake, I smiled, feeling a blush steal across my cheeks. “Yeah, you could say that.”

  “And you didn’t even call to tell me?” she demanded, following me into the front of the store. I glanced at the clock on the wall and noticed we had five minutes until my client was due.

  “Well, I didn’t really have time to call you, Chris.” I shot her a look over my shoulder. “I mean, I am late this morning, in case you didn’t notice.”

  She muttered something unintelligible, but I couldn’t say my mind was on her. Instead, I couldn’t help but focus on the beautiful woman who had just walked through my front door.

  With her arms crossed against her chest, she didn’t look happy. Well, happy or not, she was unarguably stunning. She looked like one of those femme fatales in the James Bond movies—perfect hourglass figure, large breasts, tiny waist, and generous hips. Her oval face finished in a square jaw and extremely high cheekbones, which emphasized her incredibly shapely, full lips. Her hair had a reddish tinge but was overall dark, and she had to have the most beautiful skin I’d ever seen. She was dressed in fitted black slacks and a low-cut, ivory satin blouse with heels that were so high, she appeared to be over six feet tall.

  But despite her incredible beauty, there was something hard about her, something bitchy.

  “Which one of you is Jolie Wilkins?” she asked, glancing between us. She had an American accent, which surprised me; her looks gave her a certain foreign vibe.

  “Um, that’s me,” I answered and stepped forward.

  She arched a brow at me, taking me in from head to toe and frowned, seemingly unimpressed. “Sinjin sent me.”

  “You know Sinjin?” I asked, feeling my heart plummet to the floor. Almost immediately, jealousy began to well up within me.

  How does she know Sinjin? And furthermore, why is Sinjin carrying on with such an incredibly beautiful woman?

  They must have been an item in the past.

  Who knows, maybe they’re an item now?

  Don’t think that or you’ll just drive yourself crazy. Besides, it isn’t fair to Sinjin to just make assumptions.

  Remember what happens when you assume. You make an ass of u and me.

  I shook my head, forcing the voices to shut the hell up.

  “Yes, I know Sinjin,” the mystery woman said hurriedly, like it was a given since she was here and he’d apparently sent her.

  “Who are you?” I asked, not liking the fact that she knew who I was and yet I had no clue who she was or why she was here. “And why did Sinjin send you?”

  She glanced at me and then at Christa, as if she wasn’t sure if she should say certain things in front of my friend.

  “Whatever you have to say to me, you can say in front of her,” I managed.

  The woman narrowed her eyes. “I’m Bella Sawyer, and I’m here to perform a protection spell on you.”

  “You’re a witch?” Christa piped up, sounding like a five-year-old, excitement brewing in her tone.

  Bella faced her but said nothing, merely scowled. It was pretty apparent she was a witch, and just then, I registered her electric blue aura, which I hadn’t even noticed. No, I’d been too busy sizing her up and feeling dejected and jealous all at the same time.

  Apparently dismissing Christa as unimportant, she faced me again. “Sinjin told me about your little visit from the warlock, which is why I’m here.”

  “Rand,” I said. She nodded, taking a few steps closer to me as she eyed the surroundings of my store and frowned with distaste.

  “Yes. Apparently Sinjin doesn’t want a repeat of Rand’s last visit. That’s why he called me.”

  “When you say a protection spell …” I started.

  She huffed, apparently annoyed that we weren’t getting down to business. But before anyone put any sort of spell on me, I had to understand just what that meant.

  “Think of it as a magical restraining order. The warlock won’t be able to get within
twenty feet of you.”

  I felt myself sigh in relief, grateful that Sinjin seemed to think of everything. Just as quickly as the relief overwhelmed me, another feeling reared its unwanted head, which was hard to describe. It was maybe something of a cross between regret and sadness. I trampled the feeling down, though, because it was ludicrous. Rand wanted to control me. Sinjin had said so himself. I glanced at Bella as it suddenly occurred to me that maybe I shouldn’t be so trusting of her either. I mean, how did I know Sinjin had sent her and not Rand? Maybe this was some sort of setup, and she was really going to drug me with her witchcraft. Who knew where I’d end up? “How do I know you are who you say you are or that you were really sent by Sinjin?”

  Bella frowned and glanced at her watch, obviously wanting to get the message across that she had places to go and people to bespell. Well, join the club. I still had a client who was probably going to walk in any second.

  “Check your cell phone,” she ordered. “You should have a message.”

  Surprised, I glanced at Christa. She reached for my purse underneath the counter, handing it to me. I fished through it until I found my cell phone. I clicked the voice-mail button and listened.

  “Good morning, my love,” Sinjin’s voice rang out. “A witch under my employ, Isabella Sawyer, will be visiting you today. I apologize for not giving you adequate notice but I am worried by the warlock’s visits. Isabella is a very capable witch and will ensure your protection. I apologize that I could not introduce you both in person. I do hope you understand.” He paused for a second or two. “Last evening was magical, little poppet.”

  He hung up and I turned the phone off, facing Bella. “I didn’t know he’d called.”

  She frowned again. “He contacted me early this morning before the sun came up. Apparently you were sleeping.” Then she eyed me up and down again, her expression one of repugnance, as if she were beholding Jabba the Hutt. She was, no doubt, shocked that girl-next-door me was now Sinjin’s newest flavor. At that moment I knew Bella Sawyer and I would never be friends. And it was also at that moment that I realized that she realized Sinjin and I were sleeping together. I couldn’t seem to find it in myself to be embarrassed.