Alex tossed her knotted mass of red curls behind her shoulders and flopped back against the edge of the arm rest. He admired her complete lack of artifice. She was an open book. The witch was like that too. A little wild. So fresh. He wished he could soak in their freedom for a while. Wished he could let go like they did. He was exhausted.
“Grandfather and Collum both vouch for her. And Grandfather has known her forever. Plus, I trust her. She's my friend, Neeren.” Alex stared at the ceiling. Her hair brushed against the floor. “Did you ever think she disturbs you because you like her?”
He swallowed his rum slowly so he wouldn't choke on it. The brand—Zaya—was a blend from Trinidad and Tobago. It had sweet and complex flavors of citrus peel, vanilla, spices, and caramel. It had taken him fifteen years to find a rum with the exact flavor combination he preferred. It wasn't the most expensive brand out there. Didn't matter.
He grimaced. “I do not like her. She's a frat girl on steroids.”
Alex pierced him with a look that said he'd crossed a line. “Yes, she can be over the top sometimes. But she's incredibly strong. She found you when no one else could. And . . . she's a good person.” She handed him her empty glass and stood up. “Be kinder, Neeren.”
He accepted the cup. “She must respect my authority here.”
Was that pity in her eyes?
As they stared at each other she shook her head. “You have a lot to learn about women.”
~ ~ ~
After she left the room, Neeren fell back across the couch. To see what it felt like. It was strange—flopping. He felt like a fool within seconds. He stood, crossed the room, and sat at his desk instead. Started up his computer. Opened iTunes. Slowly scrolled through the music library. Bach, Beethoven, Strauss, Mozart. Further down were Ria Mae, Imagine Dragons, Lana Del Rey. Those came from Alex's library. She'd synced her library with his a few days ago. Told him it would bring him into the real world. What was the real world anyway? Who decided? His world was as real as any other, wasn't it?
Now that he didn't have to hide anymore, he could openly leave his island. For the past twenty-five years, immortals the world over had wondered who the new Parthen King was. There were plenty of rumors about him. Rumors he'd been happy to let grow. But now word was out. A peace agreement had been struck and the story was spreading. The story of him and Alex. He had a face now.
Neeren took a deep breath. Centered himself. Getting carried away wasn't an option. He closed his laptop without turning the music on. Poured himself another glass of Zaya. Strode back to stand in front of floor to ceiling windows. His entire home was built of steel and glass. Light poured in around him. Into every corner. Every crevice. He’d spent his life stuck on this island so the elemental wouldn’t find him or his mother. Long ago he’d decided he wouldn’t be stuck behind walls. Neeren refused to live like the shadow the world thought he was.
Below him, black cats roamed the grounds. Among them, dancing with her arms raised to the sky, her mahogany hair flying out behind her, twirled the witch. His hands clenched at his sides in response to . . . something he couldn't quite name. She was wild. Seemed to come and go by the rhythm of her own heartbeat. Lived like life was meant for devouring with gusto.
His people stared openly at her. As he did behind tinted glass. Did she know he watched her? Secretly admired her shocking beauty. The cream linen shift she wore did nothing to hide her tiny waist. She was an enigma. This creature of earth. She had as many secrets as he did. The others might not see it. They only saw her big hazel eyes. Her hips swinging with the wind.
She laughed, and his chest tightened.
“Maria Del Voscova.” He tasted her name on his lips. Wondered what her soundtrack was.
Chapter 3
Exhilarated and exhausted, Mar wandered into the commercial sized kitchen at the back of the house. She needed a release from the power flowing through her veins. She always felt high after performing magic. Dancing on the cliff edge hadn't helped.
Receiving admiring glances from the male parthen had been cool though.
She routed among cupboards while ignoring startled looks from the kitchen staff. “Don't mind me. I'm starving! Say, you got any Nutella? White bread? The good stuff, you know? I don't want any healthy crap. I need Azucar!”
One older, heavy set woman in a green apron—Jane? Janette?—took pity on her. “Try the freezer. We might have months old cream puffs in there somewhere.”
“Thanks, Jane!”
“It's, Janelle.”
“Are you sure? You look like a Jane.”
“It's, Janelle.”
“Huh. Cause I could've sworn it was Jane. You should do something different with your hair. You have Jane hair.”
The woman's face dropped. “There is nothing wrong with my hair. It's practical.”
“Yeeeaaaah. It's Jane hair.” Mar raised her hands in surrender. “Look, I'm just saying, you live on a tropical island, you're a gorgeous goddamn shifter, and a kick-ass cook. You should really have Janelle hair—not Jane hair. But you know, just one woman's opinion over here.”
Mar lifted hair off her neck. “God it's like a sauna in here. You guys need drapes or something to block the sun. Oh, Kingly One won't put out the money huh?”
Janelle pointed to the freezer and simply said, “Out.”
Mar winked good naturedly, headed to the freezer, and began searching for contraband cream puffs. She heard muffled voices outside the freezer. Could swear she heard Jane say something about leaving for a break. She smirked. Bets were Jane showed up to work later with a tight new hair style.
“What are you doing?”
She jumped. Smashed her head on the rack directly above. “Ow. Dammit.” She rubbed her head. “Do not sneak up on me. Do you have some kind of sick obsession?”
When Neeren only scowled, she replied, “I'm looking for sugar.”
He growled. “I did not sneak up on you. This is my freezer.”
“Okay, Negative N. Didn't your mother teach you to share?”
“My mother taught me many things. Such as, don't let strangers take things from you.”
Mar laughed and rubbed her head. “Sure, Norman. Whatever. I think after our little morning binding session we're hardly strangers.”
Neeren reached above her head, pushed two quarts of sugar free yogurt out of the way, and pulled down a tub of Rocky Road ice-cream.
“What the hell? No fair. You're six foot a million.”
“Do you want some?”
She stopped and stared at him. His voice had changed. Become deeper. Teasing. Erotic. The game was different now. Her eyes swung to his mouth before she could stop herself.
“Yes.”
He grinned. “I want to know more about your experience this morning. For each answer, I'll give you a spoonful. Deal?”
“You're evil.”
“So, I've been told. Shall we begin?”
“In here?”
“I believe you told Jane you were hot. This seems like the perfect place.”
He backed them further into the freezer. Stopped mere millimeters from touching her. Warning bells screamed in her head. He was a Tsunami swamping her frazzled mind. Her body leaned in to him of its own free will. Treacherous, needy flesh.
A frozen pig hung from the back-left corner. She concentrated on it. Focused on the bags of frozen vegetables and pizza dough to her left. The cases of fish to her right.
“Sure, perfect. What do you want to know?”
“What did it feel like?” He scooped out a spoonful of the ice-cream and brought it to his mouth.
She stared at his lips. “What?”
“Binding me?” he prompted before swallowing the ice-cream.
“It felt like it always does.”
; “Not a good enough answer. Take this seriously, Maria.”
“Fine. It felt hot and soft. Then it felt angry.”
He placed a new scoop of the ice-cream against her mouth. Seeking entry, he rubbed the spoon gently over her lips. Her traitorous breasts tightened. She opened her mouth and swallowed the cream he placed on her tongue. He leaned in closer.
“Does it always feel like that?” he purred in his honey voice.
“No.”
He placed another scoop against her lips.
“Why not?”
She swallowed the cream, licking a drop from the corner of her mouth. Stared him directly in the eye. “Because of what else you can do.”
He rubbed the cooling, empty spoon along her lower lip again. Stared back. His hooded gaze hot and heavy. “Dear, Maria, you know this is private, right?”
Her tongue darted out to catch the last bits of cream. She smiled at his intake of breath. Thought he could seduce her with dairy, did he? She ignored the twinge in her groin instructing her to lap him up instead of ice-cream.
Mar wrapped her fingers around his to hold the spoon. “Step back, Neeren.”
She knew the moment he realized she wasn't falling for his seduction game. The look on his face changed.
His eyes darkened. “What did you say?”
“I protected myself against you the minute you walked out my door this morning, big boy. Now step back, but leave me the Rocky Road.”
He tilted his head, but did as she asked. All business, his voice came out clipped. “I need your word you'll keep quiet. This affects Alex too.”
“No, it doesn't. You forget. I've been inside her brain too. She can't do what you can.”
“She can't?”
Mar sighed. “You heard me, big brother. Little sister isn't like you.”
“I am not evil.”
He said it with such conviction she almost believed him. Instead she grabbed the ice cream container and scooted around him so the door was directly behind her. “Tell that to all the people you've killed.” She sighed. “Look I'm not judging. Lord knows I've seen worse—well maybe equal—I'm just saying.”
A scratching noise at the door re-directed her attention. Whatever else she’d planned on saying lodged in her throat as a wrinkled, slobbering face peaked around the door. When the animal saw Neeren it waddled in, practically throwing itself at him. Neeren reach down, picked up the wriggling beast, and started crooning.
Mar choked on invisible ice-cream. “You have a bulldog?”
“Yes,” he replied while petting the dog’s wrinkled head.
“Is this a trick?”
“No. This is Daisy.”
“You have a bulldog named Daisy? You're a cat!”
“Don't stereotype. I adopted her a week and a half ago. She's a rescue.”
“Aha.” Mar searched the freezer for hidden cameras. “What are you trying to pull over on me? This isn't going to make me think you're less dark.”
He sighed while scratching behind the dog's ears. “I admit I will do whatever is necessary to protect my people, including kill. This doesn't make me dark.”
“It's the way you kill.”
“Yes, I suppose so,” he said with no remorse. “Would you like to pet her?”
“What? No.”
“Afraid you'll like her, and me a little, if you do?”
“Not gonna happen, big boy.”
He scratched the dog’s forehead before putting her down. Daisy snorted around Mar's feet and she almost laughed. “You own a bulldog.”
Neeren stepped closer. Without warning, he leaned down and licked her lower lip. Her knees buckled. Fire ignited in her belly. Hard. Fast. Before she could react, he placed her fingers in his mouth. Sucked errant drops of chocolate off them. Growled low in his throat.
“Maria, I need you to promise me you'll keep those beautiful lips sealed.”
Her head spun. He held her fingers tight. Locked his eyes on hers. Waited. Like stone. Her body raged with want. She pulled her hand back. Refused to look down at her tingling fingers. “Or what?”
A slow smile turned up his lips. “Or I'll have to convince you further.”
She refused to ask how. “Why is it so important? A promise doesn't change anything.”
“It changes everything. You are bound by your promise. A promise is sacred.” He took the carton of ice-cream out of her hands. “Should you break it, it would affect our . . . friendship.”
“I don't think I like you—even with your ridiculous little bulldog.”
A coldness swept over her as his face changed again. Gone was the seducer. In his place stood a king.
“I don't need you to like me. I need you to make me a promise.”
“Fine. I promise. But I'm doing it for Alex. Not you.” She grabbed the ice-cream back. “And you don't intimidate me, Cat. Now get out of my way.”
Pushing passed him, she strutted into the kitchen with her bounty of stolen ice-cream held high. Daisy trailed behind her, snorting.
Chapter 4
“The leader of the cat pack is watching us again.”
Sand sifted through Alex’s fingers as she glanced up to where Mar pointed. On the cliff above them stood Neeren. Wind whipped hair about his face. He wore his regular uniform of a button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up, tan slacks, and bare feet. She found her brother’s presence comforting. Apparently, Mar didn’t feel the same way.
Alex shrugged. “He doesn't mean anything weird by it. He likes to make sure we're okay.” Alex studied Mar under her lashes, thankful for her friendship. Thankful for her knowledge of the immortal world Alex found herself thrust into.
Mar turned to stare at Alex. “Yeah, you keep telling yourself that. Brother darling has a couple screws loose if you ask me. You two are nothing alike, thank God. I mean, dude actually yelled at me at dinner Saturday.”
Alex choked on her water. She wondered, not for the first time, if Mar was as wild as she acted. Mar was always up for something crazy. She drank more than anyone Alex had ever met and she always—always pushed buttons. No matter who the person was. Even Alex wasn't immune. It was like the switch telling Mar when to stop was missing. She never stopped.
“You were stripping on the kitchen table,” Alex exclaimed.
Mar laughed and flipped hair over her shoulder. “You make it sound dirty or something. I spilled coffee on me and it was burning.”
Alex pursed her lips together. “There were other people in the room, Mar.”
“I told them I was taking my top off. Is it my fault they didn't leave?”
Openly gaping, Alex said, “Well yes, kinda.”
“Whatever. Your brother still needs to pull the pole out of his ass and loosen up a little.”
“You just don't like how he looks at you.”
Mar recoiled. “Sistah say what?”
“Don't play stupid. Everyone’s talking about how he stares at you. You can't tell me you haven't noticed.”
“Dudette. You're crazy. Your brother is not looking at me. Also, did you know he has a friggin’ English Bulldog? Why didn't you tell me?”
Alex laughed. She searched the cliff to see her brother had moved on. The ocean at their feet churned slightly. Perhaps in response to Neeren’s emotions. She was never quite sure how much control he had over the ocean.
Mar snapped her fingers. “Earth to Alex.”
“Sorry. I keep thinking about when we met and everything that’s happened since.”
“Yeah, it’s been a crazy couple of weeks,” Mar replied.
“It’s going to take me a while to get used to all this immortal stuff.”
“Sure it is. It’d be nuts if you were like—oh yah this is a walk in the park.
You’re taking to your power like a fish does to water though.” Alex sighed as Mar stroked her shoulder. “You’re doing good, friend. Be patient with yourself. The rest of us were born to this world. Give it time.”
Alex rested her head on her friend’s shoulder as the image of Collum Thronus filled her mind. Collum, her two-thousand-year-old boyfriend, real life dragon, and guardian of the races, departed the island two weeks ago. She hadn't spoken to him since.
“Quit thinking about him,” Mar said,
“Oh, come on, you promised you'd stop using your witchy powers to read my brain.”
“Sorry to break it to you, friend but it doesn't take witchy powers to know you can't get your mind off ol' dragonballs.”
“Well I don't need you to bring it up every time we sit here, okay.”
Mar lifted her hands in a gesture of surrender. “Okay. Don't get your Levi's in a knot. I'm just saying if you want to talk to the guy, you should call him.”
Alex dug her fingers deeper into the sand. “I am not calling him. He's the one who wanted to go fast. I asked for time and a few dates. I haven't heard from him since.”
“Yeah,” Mar said. “How horrible of him to give you space.” She snorted. “Total looser.”
“You don't know what you're talking about.”
Alex walked to the water’s edge glancing into the shadows looking for . . . something. “He's avoiding me because he doesn't know how to date.”
Mar stood, dusted sand off her bare legs and walked to Alex. Alex squeezed her hand. It was still strange for her to call Mar friend. After Mar bound her dreamwalking power, Alex thought she'd be unable to trust her. Somehow it hadn't mattered. Mar wouldn't let it. She'd decided the two of them would be best friends and suddenly they were.
Mar was a Spanish spitfire half of Alex's height. She dressed like a high-priced call girl. Said utterly inappropriate things at the wrong time—even if they ended up being completely true. Alex loved everything about her.
Magic Born Page 2
