“What’s wrong?” His low, deep voice melted into her bones, making her weak. “You don’t trust me?” She stiffened her knees and tightened her grip on her makeshift weapon.
“I don’t know you.” He was closer now. So close that she caught a whiff of warm masculine flesh and a pleasant woodsy scent. She wanted to bury her nose against his neck and inhale.
There was something familiar about him that made her feel as though she’d met him before, but she couldn’t place where. Had she seen him on the street somewhere or at a coffee shop or some restaurant? Had she sold him a painting? No, she immediately discarded that idea. If she’d sold him a painting she’d have remembered him. Heck, he would have had a starring role in her dreams.
Everything inside her stopped for a moment, suspended by sheer disbelief. That was it. He was just like the man from her dreams, except she’d never seen her fantasy man’s face before. But the build, the way he carried himself and the line of his jaw were identical.
“Who are you?” It was suddenly imperative that she find out his name and where he came from. She didn’t want him to disappear and have no way of finding him again, which was crazy, all things considered. “And why are you out in the middle of the bayou?”
“I could ask you the same questions.” He crossed his arms over his chest, making his biceps swell and ripple. The guy was built like a brick wall, hard and thick all over.
A blast of heat settled low in her belly as she imagined another part of his anatomy being hard and thick. Her pussy clenched and she barely bit back a low moan.
The stranger sniffed the air and his frowned eased, the corners of his mouth turning slightly upward. It wasn’t quite a smile, but she knew he was pleased by something. He didn’t keep her in suspense long.
“You want me.” It wasn’t a question.
Sabrina took a step back. “What?” Her voice was more of a loud squeaking sound then the authoritative tone she was going for. Whatever she’d expected him to say, it wasn’t that.
He took a step closer and sniffed again. “I can smell your desire, your heat.”
He couldn’t. Could he? No, it was impossible. He was just messing with her. “Tell yourself whatever you want. I’m out of here.” She needed to get to Granny’s house. The urge to go there was getting stronger and more compelling. She couldn’t shake the idea she needed to be there to be safe.
But safe from what? The stranger or whatever else was out here lurking in the woods. She wished the wolf was still here to protect her, but she was on her own.
The man was behind her before she sensed him moving. Damn, he was fast. He swept his arms around her, locking her arms by her sides and her back against his broad chest. He buried his face against her hair and inhaled.
Embarrassment warred with fear as she struggled to get free. Sweat had her clothing plastered to her body and she knew she didn’t smell the freshest. Which should be a good thing, as it would discourage him from holding her for long.
“Let me go.” She wasn’t fighting him, not yet, which didn’t make any sense at all. For some stupid reason she didn’t feel physically threatened by him.
“No.” He said nothing else, but he began to move his hands against her stomach, drifting upward to cup her breasts. A low moan of pleasure escaped her as he brushed his thumbs over her nipples through the fabric of her top and bra. “You are lying to yourself and to me. You want me.”
“Yeah, so what. I don’t have sex with every guy I’m attracted to.” Although she’d never been quite as drawn to any man like she was to this stranger.
He tightened his hands around the soft mounds and his entire body stiffened. Oh, he hadn’t liked her last statement at all.
“I am not just any man.” His breath tickled her ear as he whispered the words in them.
“Who are you?” she asked again, desperately needing to know.
“Arand.” He traced his tongue over the delicate whorl of her ear. Her skin tingled and her pussy clenched with growing need.
“I’m Sabrina,” she offered.
“Sabrina,” he repeated. Her name sounded different when he said it, more exotic. His hand left her breast to trail down her ribcage, over her stomach to the notch between her thighs. She sucked in a breath, knowing she shouldn’t let him do this, knowing it was a mistake, but doing it anyway.
“We have to stop.” There, she’d said it. Now if she could only make her actions suit her words. Instead, she found herself leaning into his touch, wanting more of it. Something hard and thick pressed against her lower back, and she knew he was more than a little aroused.
“No.” Arand was turning out to be a man of few words, more a man of action.
Gathering all her strength, she pulled away and was partly disappointed when he let her go. She turned and studied him, but his expression gave away nothing. She couldn’t tell if he was disappointed she’d made him stop or if he truly didn’t care. She glanced lower. His erection was still prominent. Whatever else he was thinking, he definitely wanted her.
He cocked his head to one side and the corners of his mouth turned down.
“What is it?” she asked. His tension was palpable and she feared whatever the wolf had chased off was coming back.
“Something…” As his voice trailed off, he turned away from her to study the thick trees and vegetation.
Sabrina gasped when she caught her first glimpse of his back. It wasn’t bare like his chest but covered in a colorful tattoo. A tattoo that was more than a little familiar. It was incredibly similar to the one that was centered in the middle of her back, except her tattoo wasn’t quite as primal and ferocious as his. The large black and gray wolf snarled back at her, his back haunches low as he readied himself to attack.
Arand whirled around at the first sound she made, swiveling his head from side-to-side. He raised his head and sniffed the air, his actions reminding her of the wolf she’d encountered earlier. The wolf that looked eerily similar to his tattoo.
She stiffened. What the hell was going on?
“What is it?” he demanded.
She heard it then, a voice demanding attention. It distracted her, and the bayou and the man began to fade. A wolf howled and in the far distance something else growled, something dark and menacing. A blast of fear struck her hard and fast.
“Sabrina.”
She jerked her eyes open and found Jessica staring at her, worry in her eyes. “You fell asleep. The café is closing.”
“Yeah. Thanks.” Sabrina rubbed her hand over her face, giving herself time to try to get her bearings. Had she fallen asleep? She wasn’t sure. It had felt so real. A woodsy, masculine scent clung to her skin, making her frown. It was a dream. It had to be. There was no way it could be real. A cool breezed skated over her skin and she shivered.
“You okay?” Jessica asked. “You look pale.” She bit her bottom lip, pausing for a moment before adding. “And scared. You had another dream, didn’t you?”
Tilly joined them and pointed at the card that had fallen out of the tarot deck and onto the table. Sabrina hadn’t realized she was still clutching the cards tight in her hands. She set the deck aside and stared at the one card facing up. It was the devil. Usually, the card meant the person she was reading for was facing major decisions, having to face whatever devils they had plaguing them emotionally. But this time she didn’t think the card was meant figuratively but literally.
She’d feared to name the dark entity that had been stalking her dreams since her trip to Fargo, but she could no longer put her head in the sand and deny what she knew in her heart. She picked up the card and held it in front of her, staring at the image. Raising her head, she stared at her friends, reading the concern in their faces. “I’m in big trouble.”
Tilly swore. “This is bad. Very bad.”
Jessica was more practical. “We have a lot of work to do. Let’s get our stuff and get going.” She rubbed a comforting hand over Sabrina’s shoulders. “Everything will be okay,�
�� she assured her, even though Sabrina knew her friend couldn’t make such promises.
Muttering under her breath about demons and protection, Tilly shooed the last of her staff out the door and finished closing down the café. Sabrina gathered her cards, stuffed them into her oversized purse and slung the bag over her shoulder. Jessica was waiting with a large bag in her arms, filled with whatever she thought they’d need for the night.
“Whatever happens, I want you both to know how much I appreciate what you’re doing for me and how much I value your friendship.” Her throat tightening with emotion, she faced both her friends. “I love you guys.”
Jessica gave her a watery smile and a hug.
Tilly frowned at her. “Nothing bad will happen to you. We will not allow it to happen.” Her friend spoke with such authority that for a brief second, Sabrina almost believed her.
Then she thought about her latest vision and the devil card. Was her wolf warning her? And who was the stranger? Did he really exist or was he nothing more than a figment of her imagination. Was Arand there to help her or was he part of the threat that was coming for her?
“Let’s go.” Only time would tell, and she had a feeling that whatever was coming for her would make its appearance soon. She only hoped she was ready for it when it finally arrived.
Chapter Three
They didn’t talk as they made their way down the busy sidewalk and around the corner to Sabrina’s apartment, each of them lost in their own thoughts. Sabrina was still trying to come to grips with the vivid daydream she’d experienced back at the café. It was the first time her dreams had followed her out of sleep and into her waking life, and it scared her. If she started having visions at all hours of the day and night she was in big trouble.
Her street was surprisingly quiet considering it was only a little past nine in the evening. It gave the night an eerie feeling that she couldn’t quite shake. Of course, anyone would be a little shaken after the waking dream she’d had. Heck, her panties were still damp and she could still taste the thick flavor of fear on her tongue—eroticism and fear, a heck of a potent combination.
The wind was light, tugging at her skirt and top, drying the light sheen of perspiration on her arms and neck as the trio made their way up the stairs to her apartment.
Sabrina unlocked the door and pushed her way inside. “You want anything to drink? I’ve got sweet tea and orange juice.”
“Not for me.” Jessica kicked off her shoes and dropped her tote bag onto the bright yellow sofa that dominated the small living space. She’d gotten the sofa for a steal because the color was too vivid for most people. She loved it and the colorful jewel-toned throw pillows that were tossed on top of it.
“Me either.” Tilly wandered over to the living room window and glanced out as though searching for something.
“What is it?” Sabrina asked. She set her bag on the round table that served as her dining table.
“I don’t know.” Tilly rubbed her hands over her arms. “I felt as though something was following us.”
“Something?” Shivers raced down Sabrina’s back. She was really beginning to get freaked out.
Tilly yanked the leaf-green drapes shut and turned away from the window. She glanced toward Jessica. “You almost ready?”
Jessica nodded. “Take off your shoes and get comfortable.” Sabrina removed her sandals and padded across the hardwood floor to stand by her friend. Jessica had a variety of items spread across the coffee table—various stones, what looked to be a feather from a wild turkey, a seashell, a bundle of herbs, candles and a few other items.
“What do you want me to do?” she asked. Sabrina was glad to be doing something proactive rather than simply reacting to whatever was causing the dreams.
“First, we need to move the sofa so we can cast a circle.”
Sabrina and Tilly each grabbed an end and moved the sofa against the wall making a space large enough for the three women to sit easily. Sabrina wiped her hands over her skirt. “What’s next?”
“The candles,” Tilly replied before Jessica could. Jessica nodded and Tilly started setting the candles up so they formed an equidistant cross pattern.
“The candles represent the four elements,” Jessica explained as Tilly put them in place. “Green goes to the north to signify the earth, the blue to the east for water, the red to the south for fire and the yellow to the west for the element of air.”
Sabrina had seen rituals done before, but she’d never actually been a part of one. It was exciting and scary all at once.
“The white candle goes in the center to represent purity and protection.” Jessica placed the final candle in the proper position. “Before I cast the circle I’m going to purify the space.” She lifted the small bundle of herbs to her nose and sniffed them before offering it to Sabrina to smell.
The scent was slightly sweet and somehow comforting. Sabrina liked it a lot.
“This is a combination of sage and sweet grass. It’s very good for clearing negativity out of a space.” Jessica opened a box, struck a match to the side and used the flame to ignite the tip of the bundle. The flame flared briefly and then Jessica blew softly until the fire went out leaving embers smoldering. Whitish smoke rose from the bundle as she set it carefully in the large shell. Then she picked up the large white-and-black-striped feather. “Come with me,” her friend instructed.
The three of them walked the perimeter of the apartment, including the bedroom, tiny kitchen and bathroom. Jessica even opened closet doors and gently waved the feather through the smoke so it dispersed inside. Every corner, every nook was gently bathed in the fragrant smoke until the entire apartment was perfumed with its scent.
Jessica returned to the center of the circle and carefully placed the shell with the still-smoldering bundle on the coffee table. “The salt is next.” She opened a small wooden container. “It’s been blessed already.”
Sabrina followed her friend, curious as to what she would do with it. Jessica went to the living room window and started there. She laid a thin line of salt across the windowsill. “The salt will provide a protective barrier, keeping out evil.”
Sabrina wasn’t so sure about that, but she’d take any help she could get. Her friend did the same thing at each window and finished by adding a line across the threshold. “Be sure not to smudge or scuff the line when you come and go,” she instructed.
Sabrina nodded even as she wondered how long the protection would last or if it would even work at all, but she didn’t voice her concerns aloud.
Tilly went to her bag and brought out a small leather pouch. Sabrina immediately knew what it was, had seen her grandmother make them—a voodoo gris-gris bag. “You need something personal from me to make that.” A few strands of hair or a piece of clothing was the preferred item.
Totally unrepentant, Tilly placed the gris-gris on the table. “You wore your sweater to the café when you last worked. There were three stray hairs on it that I took. I knew the dreams were getting worse.” She stood, hands on hips, dominating the room with her sheer height and presence. In another time, Tilly could have been the high priestess for some ancient religion. “I took them to my granny and asked for her help.”
Sabrina knew Granny Ledet. She’d been a close friend of her own granny, the two women spending much of their time together, their friendship going back to childhood, much like her and Tilly’s friendship. Sabrina respected Granny Ledet’s power and was more than willing to accept any help she could get. “I’ll call her tomorrow and thank her.”
Tilly shook her head. “You know she doesn’t want any thanks. But maybe you could bake her some of your cherry tarts on the weekend. She likes those.”
“We should begin.” Jessica shifted the gris-gris so it was sitting next to the still-smoldering bundle of sage and sweet grass. “Stand inside the circle and, whatever you do, don’t leave it until I tell you.”
The tension was rising with each passing second, as was a sense of an
ticipation. Sabrina wasn’t certain how much of it was real and how much was simply generated by her own fears. Not that it really mattered. The fear she felt was real enough.
Jessica began at the green candle, raised her arms and invoked the element of earth to join them and to protect them. She went around the circle in a clockwise direction, stopping at each candle and invoking the particular element to join them. Sabrina’s skin tingled and she could feel the power rising in the room. The short hairs on her arms rose and her body felt as though it was humming. She’d always known her friend was a witch, but she’d always thought it more a personal belief system than an actual, tangible power.
The circle closed and she felt it all the way to her bones like a resounding thud even though the only sound was Jessica’s voice as she lifted the white candle in the center of the circle and invoked the protection of the goddess.
“Lady, with your light so bright, lend your power, lend your might. Banish darkness with your light and protect your daughter through the day and night.” Jessica walked around Sabrina as she chanted. Sabrina felt a gentle warmth envelop her like a cloak. It was such a comforting sensation it brought tears to her eyes.
Tilly picked up the gris-gris bag, which was suspended on a long leather thong, and slipped it over Sabrina’s neck. Real or imagined, Sabrina wasn’t sure, but she felt another layer of protection settle over her. Her granny had often told her that intention was everything and her friends’ intention was obviously to protect her.
Something dark and deadly crept across her consciousness. Beside her, Tilly and Jessica both sucked in a breath. “Whatever happens, stay inside the circle,” Jessica warned.
Tilly began to chant, a mixture of Cajun and English, speaking so fast Sabrina couldn’t make out all of it, but she understood enough to know it was definitely a spell to drive back evil.
Sabrina could feel the evil creeping up on her, pressing against the windows and walls of the apartment as though trying to get in. She could sense its anger when it was repelled. “What the hell is that?” she whispered.
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