Influential Magic

by Deanna Chase

  I woke with a start to the sound of voices. Bolting upright, my head exploded as I collided with something solid. “Son of a…” I clutched my head as my eyes watered.

  “Are you all right?” David’s voice broke through the ringing in my ears.

  “Uh huh,” I mumbled, squinting. David stood beside the bed, leaning over me. “Was that your head?”

  “Yeah. Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  I waved a hand, indicating it wasn’t his fault. “Who’s here?”

  “No one.” He gently placed one of the discarded pillows under my head. “Lie back.”

  “I heard someone,” I insisted, scanning the room.

  “That was Nathan. He came to check on you, but left when I told him you were sleeping.”

  “Oh.” I relaxed into the pillows. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to clock you.”

  He shook his head, a small smile tugging at his lips. “I’ll survive.”

  “Right.” Vampire strength. He probably had barely felt my blow.

  The bed shifted as David sat next to me. “Are you hungry?”

  Before I could respond, my stomach rumbled.

  He laughed. “I guess so.” The bed shifted once more when he stood. “Sit up. I’ve brought fixings for a bedroom picnic.”

  I shifted, eyeing a silver cart next to the bed. “What type of picnic?” I asked with a heavy air of skepticism. The last time we’d shared a meal in the bedroom, I’d been slipped at least one magical edible. One of my own, no less.

  He held up his hands. “It’s all untainted. Promise.” When I didn’t respond, he lifted the cover off a large platter. “Check for yourself.”

  My lips twitched and broke into a smile. The entire tray was covered with food from my favorite grocery store, Organic Market. Goat cheese, hummus, flat bread, mixed berries, and baby carrots were all still sealed in their prepackaged containers. Definitely not tainted.

  David pulled an unopened bottle of wine from the bottom of the cart and held it out to me for inspection.

  A ten-year-old Cabernet from the Napa Valley. Another one of my favorites. I gazed at him, one eyebrow raised. “Are you trying to seduce me?”

  His eyes crinkled with humor as he dislodged the cork. “No, but if helping you relax turns into something more, I won’t complain.”

  My neck warmed, and the heat crawled upward, no doubt setting my face aflame. I forced a laugh and sat up, cross-legged. “Forget it, buddy. All I’m planning to do here is sleep. Now pass the hummus. I’m starving.”

  David placed a tablecloth on top of the pristine comforter, filled it with his offerings, and then sat across from me. He handed me a half-full wine glass and tipped his goblet in my direction for a toast. “To starting over.”

  I hesitated. What did that mean? Our working relationship? A friendship? Or something more?

  “Relax.” His eyes clouded with a slight air of frustration. “Wherever we go from here, we’ll figure it out. Together.” He lifted his glass higher and nodded toward it.

  I wasn’t sure our situation deserved a toast, but there was no denying that whatever happened from here on out, we were in it together. The fact that I’d saved him from death and changed his chemical makeup in the process had sealed the deal. The smooth crystal weighed heavy in my hand. I raised my wine, letting him close the distance with a soft clink. “To the future,” I said.

  “An amazing one,” he promised.

  His words, low and soft, were a vow, touching me deep in my heart. A flutter rippled through me and turned into a painful ache. I was dangerously close to crossing a forbidden line. An action I didn’t think I’d recover from.

  Our eyes met, holding each other’s gaze as we sipped the rich Cabernet. Heat that had nothing to do with the alcohol coiled in my stomach. I glanced away, concentrating on the picnic spread out in front of me. Only I wasn’t the least bit hungry anymore.

  David shifted. The sound of a drawer opening reclaimed my attention. He rustled around in the bedside nightstand and came up with a pair of scissors. I furrowed my brows in confusion and tensed when he moved to stand behind me.

  “What are you doing?” I asked.

  “Hold still.” He swept my hair aside, his fingers gently brushing against my neck, until it hung in an auburn sheet over the front of my left shoulder.

  I sucked in a breath, clutching my wine glass so hard I feared I’d break it. His touch was almost too much to take. Light and familiar. Sensual. Everything about him set me off.

  David stepped closer, running a gentle hand along my spine. “Why didn’t you modify this for your wings? You can’t be comfortable.”

  I shrugged, ignoring the fireworks going off in my nerve endings. “These are borrowed. I didn’t want to ruin your PJs.”

  David paused, and I wondered if he was waiting to see what I would do.

  This was it. The moment of truth. Did I trust him or not? Other than not telling me about Eadric, I didn’t have any reason not to. And at least I could understand why he kept that secret. Who tells a prejudiced faery his adoptive father is a vampire? I took a deep breath and held still.

  Finally, he chuckled. “Haven’t you figured it out by now?”

  I twisted to stare him in the eye.

  Shaking his head, he gave me a wry smile and leaned closer. “I’d do just about anything for you. A sacrificed piece of clothing means nothing.” He brought his hand up, caressing my jawline with his gentle fingers.

  My breath caught, and I turned my back to him, afraid of what I might do if I kept staring at his gorgeous midnight-blue eyes.

  Two careful snips later, David set the scissors aside. My wings twitched, straining to be free of the fabric. He adjusted my top to one side and then the other, easing my wings out of their restraints. “Better?”

  “Much.” I stretched, reveling in the sheer pleasure of my newfound freedom. David didn’t move, and I knew he was watching me. My wings had always fascinated him. Deceptively delicate with their almost sheer appearance, my wings’ resilience always amazed other species. I leaned back, wanting him to place his hand on my neck the way he used to.

  He didn’t disappoint. His firm hand cupped the base of my neck, his fingers lightly caressing my exposed skin. I closed my eyes and tilted my head, giving him easier access. After the last twenty-four hours, I no longer cared what was right or wrong. I only wanted to be comforted. And at that moment, David’s touch was filling the bill.

  His cool breath brushed over my ear. “Is this okay?”

  I shivered but wasn’t cold. Nodding, I clamped my mouth shut, afraid of what I’d say if I spoke. All my objections seemed to fly out of my head. All that mattered was his touch.

  Hands roving down my spine, he pressed his lips to my neck, brushing soft kisses over the area I knew was bruised from Nathan’s bite.

  “No one will ever bite you again,” David said, steel in his quiet voice.

  “Okay,” I breathed, flexing my wings as his fingers traced the sensitive edges.

  “That’s a promise.”

  My wings started to tingle and heat shot to my center. I’d believe anything he said right then. And he knew it. He’d long ago discovered my weakness for being caressed.

  “I’ve missed you,” David mumbled into my neck and wrapped his arms around my waist. He rested his cheek on the top of my head and hugged me to him, like a long-lost lover he’d never wanted to let go.

  My heart squeezed. I’d missed him too, but couldn’t bring myself to say the words. I was too overwhelmed. Too comfortable in his arms. Too unsure of anything. I covered his hands with mine and squeezed gently. It was enough for now.

  A frantic scraping at the door startled me out of my thoughts. David’s head jerked up just as the door burst open. Link, in wolf form, took two large leaps and landed directly in the middle of the bed, snarling at the vampire behind me. Hummus splattered across the bed and berries went flying. The once-pristine comforter was a goner. David straightened but kept one
protective hand on my shoulder.

  “Link!” I cried. “Stop it. You’re making a mess.”

  “He’s doing what he was trained to do,” a familiar male voice said from across the room.

  My whole body went cold. Shit! Shit! Shit! Slowly I raised my gaze, grimacing as I spotted the other man in my life. “Tal? I didn’t know you were coming.”

  His angry green eyes narrowed as he glared at David from the doorway. “Obviously.”

  Scrambling to my knees, I shook David’s hand off and clutched Link. “Calm down, boy. David isn’t going to hurt anyone.”

  “Get your hands off her, you sadistic bastard.” Talisen took two steps into the room. “If she has even one tiny scratch, one pinprick of a bruise, I’ll kill you.”

  “Tal,” I warned. “Stop. He’s not hurting me. I promise.”

  David backed off and headed toward the door. “I’ll give you three some privacy.”

  “Wait,” I called after him. Jesus, what was I doing? If Tal took a swing at him, David would crush him. A fae was no match for a vampire.

  He paused and glanced back.

  “This is your room. You don’t have to go.” I jumped off the bed, wincing when I remembered what I was wearing.

  He shook his head and sent me a resigned smile. “Better you have this conversation here where the rest of the house can’t hear you. I’ll be downstairs if you need me.”

  “David…”

  He didn’t turn back but paused as he reached Talisen standing in the path of the doorway. The pair glared at each other, tension mounting with each passing second.

  Talisen’s fists clenched.

  David eyed Tal and in a measured tone said, “Step aside, fae. I’m only granting you this courtesy because of Willow. Challenge me, and I’ll have no choice but to defend my territory.”

  Territory? Was he talking about me or his room? It had damn well better be the latter.

  “Tal,” I pleaded.

  The outrage in Tal’s expression told me he was thinking the same thing. He cast David a look of disgust and sidestepped just enough for David to pass.

  When the door closed with a soft click, I sat back on the bed, my back to Talisen.

  With the vampire gone, Link shifted and crept up beside me. His wet nose nuzzled my hand until I scratched his ears. He licked my wrist, pressed against my thigh, and rolled over, sticking his paws in the air. Despite the tension in the room, I laughed and rubbed his belly. “You goober. For such a vicious animal, you sure do shift gears fast.”

  “So does someone else I know,” Talisen said from the end of the bed.

  I snapped my head in his direction. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  He leveled a flat, dry stare in my direction. “Come on. Look at you. You’re in his clothes, on his bed, letting him touch you the way—” He clamped his mouth shut and a touch of pink colored his cheeks.

  The way what? The way a lover would? The way he, Talisen, would? Or the way he wanted to? I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry.

  Tal moved closer, eyeing me. “Did he hurt you?”

  I shook my head. “No. I’m sorry. So much has been going on, I haven’t had a chance to tell you. After I…changed David, something odd happened.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “More odd than turning him into a daywalker?”

  Grimacing, I forced the words out. “His touch doesn’t hurt me anymore.” Before he could respond, I did my best to change the subject. “Where’s Phoebe? I thought she went out for supplies.”

  His lips formed into a hard line. “She did, but now she’s downstairs.”

  “Well, where are they?” I glanced behind him toward the door and plucked at my cotton pants. They’d been fine before, but with Talisen in the room, I couldn’t stand to see him look at me with those accusing eyes. Like I’d let him down.

  “We’re what she was really after.” He gestured to himself and Link. “But I guess you didn’t need us after all. I mean, now that his touch doesn’t leave you black and blue, your vampire can take care of you.”

  That did it. I jumped off the bed and whirled on him. “Are you kidding me right now? Stop it with your judgmental bullshit. You weren’t there. You weren’t the one locked away in the Arcane wondering if you’d ever get out alive. You weren’t—”

  Talisen grabbed my arms and pulled me toward him, his hands digging into my flesh. “You let him bite you, Wil. Bite you! What the hell were you thinking?”

  “Let go,” I spat and twisted, dislodging myself from his grip.

  He stepped up, his face a mix of anger and pain. “What would Beau say?”

  Stunned, I took a tiny step back. Then anger took over. Uncontrollable rage rolled through my limbs, and before I knew what I was doing, I raised my hand and slapped him. Hard. So hard my hand stung.

  His hand flew up to cup his assaulted cheek. He stepped back and took a deep breath, visibly trying to calm himself. “I can’t believe you did that.”

  “And I can’t believe you’d think I’d ever willingly let a vampire bite me.” Fuming, I stalked toward the door with Link at my side. When I reached the threshold, I glanced over my shoulder. Talisen’s face had gone stark white except for the red handprint on his left cheek. “Just to be clear, even if you’d walked in on me and David naked and writhing with pleasure, you have no business judging anything I do. You’ve made it clear for years you’re not a one-woman man. So don’t start acting like you have some sort of claim over me, because we both know you’d never survive a committed relationship.”

  He opened his mouth but no words came out.

  I shook my head. “Exactly what I thought you’d say.”

  Chapter 20

  Once back on the main floor, the sticky vampire cloud returned, making my already upset stomach roll. How dare Talisen bring up Beau? The asshole. He knew bringing up my brother would leave the deepest wound. He’d done it on purpose, hurting me in a way only those who knew me best could.

  And I’d snapped. Shame washed over me. My guilt for letting David inside my heart had pushed me over the edge. No matter what Talisen had said, my behavior was inexcusable. Especially since I knew my actions hurt him. Even though he’d never admit it.

  Damn him.

  I stopped in the foyer at the bottom of the stairs, forcing myself to not bolt through the front door. Until Allcot made his deal with Maude, I was stuck in the twisted vampire orgy house. I turned, intending to head into the sitting room, when a small ball of fur bounded down the adjoining hallway.

  “Link!” I cried and took off after him. “Stop!”

  He barreled through a slightly open door at the end of the hall. I groaned. What was I going to walk in on now?

  “Get off!” Phoebe’s voice carried into the hallway. “Bad dog!”

  I scooted into the room to find Link sitting in the middle of a pile of clothes on the bed. Various outfits from jeans to cocktail dresses were lined up side by side. I snapped my fingers. Link raised his head and glanced at me. I leveled a glare. “Now, Link.”

  With his head hung low he jumped off the bed and slinked to my side.

  “Going somewhere?” I focused on Phoebe, taking in the Tulane hoody and rolled-up jeans that hit just above her ankles. The black plastic-frame glasses and book bag marked her as just another nondescript college student.

  She yanked on the ponytail of her artificial honey-blond hair and threw the wig into the suitcase. “I was until Allcot’s lackeys stopped me. Something about Maude’s spies watching the house. You should’ve seen the antics they used to smuggle me out of here when I left to get Link and Talisen. And even then they wouldn’t let me go home. I had to have them meet me on vamp row.” She pulled a silver credit card from her back pocket. “Allcot gave me this. I did a little shopping while I was there.”

  I took one more look at the bed and finally noticed the tags hanging off each piece of clothing. “Looks expensive,” I said.

  She snorted. “Yeah. I think he was expecti
ng me to buy fresh undergarments and clothes for tomorrow. Not an entire undercover wardrobe.”

  “He should get to know you better.” I smirked. Phoebe never went anywhere without at least four changes of clothes, three wigs, and about ten pounds of cosmetics. She hated to be unprepared.

  “Check this out.” She held up a purple sheath dress. “I overheard some of Allcot’s people talking about a Cryrique fundraiser tomorrow night. I’m going to crash and see what dirt I can dig up. One of them might know something about the threat against you.”

  “Gorgeous. Be careful, okay.”

  “Aren’t I always?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Mostly. Anything for me over there?”

  She scanned me from head to toe. “Looks like you’ve made do.”

  I grimaced and strode to the bed. It didn’t take long to realize not one piece of clothing was larger than a size four. “Thanks a lot, Phoebs.”

  She rolled her eyes and leaned down at the end of the bed. She came up with another shopping bag. “Here.”

  Inside I found a few T-shirts and a light sweater, all made for faeries. There were also some undergarments, yoga pants, and jeans. Size ten. I sent her a grateful smile and headed for the bathroom. As comfortable as David’s pajamas were, I couldn’t wait to get out of them. I didn’t need any more reminders of what had happened in his bedroom.

  Five minutes later, I sat cross-legged on the bed in yoga pants and a soft blue T-shirt, rifling through Phoebe’s stash of disguises. I held up a bright pink satin top that dipped in a V low enough to reveal her navel. “Where were you headed?”

  She snatched it out of my hands and gestured to what she was already wearing. “This was for the college library. And this,” she said, waving the halter top, “was for the college bar afterward.”

  “And you were going there because…?”

  She tossed the shirt into one of her shopping bags. “Daniels’s sister works at both.”

  I pursed my lips. “You think she’d be there today? He just died.”