His Dark Embrace

by Verika Sloane

  The witch sighed. “Oh, dear. Look. I normally wouldn’t recommend this, but…” She pulled out a recipe box, rifled through the cards, picked one, then scuttled to the kitchen. Less than a minute later, she returned, putting a few random items in a brown paper bag, and handed her the card. “The Me Obliviscere Spell. Have to warn you, this leans heavily in gray magick.”

  Kimber sniffed. “What do you mean?”

  “It’s fickle, but it knows the heart. You can’t lie to magick. Sometimes you’ll get what you want, and sometimes you’ll get more than you asked for, which can be worse.”

  “It can’t get worse.”

  “Don’t make me laugh. It can.”

  “How? By being more brokenhearted? That’s not possible.”

  “The spell will help. It just might help a little too much.” Una plopped down on a chair. “The most powerful result? You forget him altogether.”

  “Wait. Forget him?” Now that couldn’t be possible.

  The witch nodded. “Like he never happened. All your memories with him, every second you were together, every word he spoke to you. Erase him totale. Capisce?”

  “But I’ll remember everything else? How does it work?”

  “Exactly how your memory works now.” She leaned in, smelling like cake batter, some of it in her hair. “Do you recall every second of every day? No one does, your memory would overload otherwise. He consumes your thoughts because every other conversation or event or whatever pales in comparison to ordinary thoughts. The spell will remove that and leave the rest.”

  Talk about extreme. Kimber didn’t know magick that powerful existed, to expunge someone with such an impact from one’s mind. And heart. “What would it do to my wolf? Would she forget him, too?”

  “She’s a part of you, so yes, but I can’t guarantee it. Like I said, a singular memory wipe is the most powerful result of this kind of ritual. I’m sorry, but I can’t predict exactly what it’ll do to you. It could just make you feel indifferent about him, or it could eliminate from your mind the fact you ever met. Everyone is different. The first day after you complete the ritual, you’ll recall moments here and there, but they’ll be too distorted to piece together. After a few days, you’ll recall nothing. His face will be a blur, and try as you might to remember, you won’t be able to.”

  Kimber looked down at the instructions.

  Step one: Get rid of anything he gave you or that reminds you of him. Burning or burying them is preferable.

  Dare she go that far? Did she really want to obliterate that month and a half? The passion, the laughter, the angst? Moments flashed in her mind’s eye. Their first kiss. The first date at the restaurant. His hand over her hand on the glass in the aquarium. When they jumped in the pool in their clothes. Even that final scene in the bedroom. The anguish in his beautiful eyes. The desperation raging in her heart.

  To purge it all would be like cutting out a part of her. Their time together had changed Kimber. She didn’t want to forget.

  “No.” She set the bag down. “I can’t do that. I don’t want to forget him. I just want to forget how he hurt me.”

  “Unfortunately, you can’t compartmentalize your pain. Magick is extremely hard to customize for things of this nature. It’s all or nothing.” Una patted Kimber’s knee. “Take the ritual, just in case. Or take my free advice: Put on something cute, find a man—preferably one who looks nothing like this guy—to go out with, and drink and sex your pain away.”

  Sex it away? Ha.

  Kimber paid Una for the spell, a steep sum she would’ve been reluctant to pay if she wasn’t so desperate. Because of the high price—and her growing pity—Una also threw in enchanted chamomile tea, bath salts, a bag of lavender to put under a pillow, and a spelled candle for healing energy.

  She got the impression Una wanted to tell her something more when the woman handed her the change.

  “Anything else I should know?” Kimber asked.

  The witch’s lips twisted as she drew in a deep breath, then relented. “There is…one thing. You can do a remote spell cast instead. On him. All you have to do is say his name instead of ‘I’ in the incantation and include anything he’s touched or possessed. Like a trinket or a love letter. That way you’ll have your memories, but it’ll stop him from tempting you, reaching out, prolonging the pain. Sometimes putting it on them is best. And can work better.”

  “How so?”

  She shrugged. “Dunno. Men are weaker?”

  Men of all kinds? Una didn’t know Shain was a vampire, and Kimber had no experience using magick. Would it make a difference? She went down the steps, tucking hair behind her ear. “Thank you. I’ll think about it.”

  “Just know that you can’t reverse it if you change your mind.” Una waved goodbye and raced back into the cottage to finish her cake.

  “Got what you needed?” Stefan asked once she was back in the car. “Whatever’s in your bag smells yummy.”

  “Just some herbs to help me sleep.”

  “And you need it. The bags under your eyes are oversized,” he teased. “Break-ups are a bitch, right?”

  She sighed, putting on her seatbelt. “Thank you for bringing me.”

  “Of course. I feel so bad for you.”

  “Why? I told you we were doomed.”

  “I know, I know. But I’m a hopeless romantic.” Stefan cleared his throat, as if not sure if he should ask his next question, but was going to regardless. “Have you tried contacting him?”

  She shook her head, so tired. “No. It’s over. And he’ll never contact me either.”

  She knew because she’d gone to the park every morning to make sure. False hope was still hope. It kept her from falling apart because all day she’d wonder if he’d left a message the night before. Then she’d go, see nothing, return home, and repeat her heartbreak over again.

  Tomorrow would be the first morning she wouldn’t be going to the park to torture herself yet again.

  She was busy checking that the pack’s bills were being paid in her absence when Stefan pulled over in front of the townhouse and whistled low. “Who the heck is that?”

  Kimber looked up from her cell. Oh, great. “That’s Jackson.”

  He chatted with Lucinda, looking up at her pack sister with a smile, a few steps down from her, so they’d be eye to eye. He’d set one foot on a higher step, the position making his jeans tight across his butt, his big arms crossed, straining in his shirt.

  Stefan poked her knee. “Now I know you must be delirious with that kind of answer.” He whipped off his designer sunglasses and peered harder through the windshield. “You know what he reminds me of?”

  Kimber asked, “What?”

  “A merman of my fantasies, that’s what! Tanned, with glossy blond hair lightened by the sun, and amazing, sculpted shoulders to hold on to. For real!” he said as Kimber laughed. “Who is he?”

  “Just a local who befriended us.”

  Stefan lit up, grasping her arm but not taking his eyes off Jackson. “Is he single? Straight?”

  “Yes and yes, and before you say anything, he’s already asked me out.”

  “What! When?”

  “A while ago. I turned him down. Don’t look at me like that. I just didn’t… It was right before that weekend with Shain. The devil himself couldn’t have tempted me.”

  With any luck, Jackson wouldn’t see her. She half-turned and made a reach in the backseat for her purse. Not that he would look at her with the bags under her eyes and messy hair and have the urge to ask her out again. “Trust me, he’s not hurting from the rejection. And I’d rather avoid an awkward moment, so I’m just going to wait in the car with you until he leaves. Is that cool?”

  “Uh. Too late.”

  Tap, tap, tap.

  Nya bristled at Jackson’s wolf trying to get her attention. Kimber pasted on her best friendly smile and pressed the down button on her window. “Hi.”

  Jackson rested his forearms on the edge and took a qui
ck sniff. “Sure glad I hung around. Would’ve missed you.” He reached across her to shake Stefan’s hand. “Jackson.”

  He beamed and shook it. “Stefan. Ow. Nice grip.”

  The alpha had to know her friend was human, yet he still gave him the dominant squeeze. She contained the urge to roll her eyes.

  “What brought you by?” Kimber asked politely.

  “I was in the neighborhood. Hadn’t seen you ladies since the party. Wanted to stop and say hello. Check on ya.” He looked her over. “You okay? You look tired.”

  Thank you for telling me, I had no idea. “I’m—”

  “I was hoping you might say yes to a date this weekend. Things finally calmed down for me.” He looked back for a second, then leaned in as if to share a secret. “You’re kinda the only reason I came by.”

  “Really? You could’ve sent me a text.”

  He shrugged. “Texts are so impersonal. Plus, I wanted to make it extra hard for you to say no to my face.”

  “Smooth move,” Stefan praised him. “I like your style.”

  The alpha chuckled. “Well, what do you say? You busy tomorrow?”

  “Oh, she’s free,” Stefan answered for her. “Aren’t you, Kimber?”

  For the love of… Then again, what else did she have going on? More Investigation Discovery shows and sleep deprivation?

  Not once had she snuck out, unmotivated to explore. For the first time since their arrival, she’d been a well-behaved shiya. She caught up on pack business and read cozy mysteries. Whenever she needed to shift, she did so in the privacy of the den. Nya was fine with it, content to sit on the bay window and look outside for a while, just as depressed and lonely.

  Other than having coffee with Heather last week and meeting up with Stefan this afternoon, Kimber went nowhere, did nothing.

  Petra’s advice to pursue her own kind, Una’s advice to go out with someone new, and Stefan’s advice to have fun all screamed at her at once.

  Time to move on.

  “I’m free,” she said.

  Jackson grinned.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  A date with an alpha.

  She should be as excited as the rest of the house was. It was a wonder why Jackson was still interested. Was the dating pool in Atlanta that sparse or did he really like her?

  Regardless, Kimber was going out with someone of her own kind. A leader of a wolf pack, no less. A handsome, thoughtful, statue of a man who wouldn’t smolder, brood, or stare at her without speaking for awkward lengths of time.

  Wouldn’t that be refreshing?

  She’d told Jackson to pick her up at seven, though she had no idea what the plan was or where they’d go. It likely would not be a place like Cutty’s, so no dressing up was required. Except, all the clothes she had, she’d worn with Shain, and she just couldn’t wear anything that reminded her of him.

  She went to Tory and Lia’s room, hesitating before knocking. They were the closest to her size. And the friendliest.

  Tory answered with a smile, which slowly faded as she looked Kimber up and down in her T-shirt and shorts. “Isn’t he coming in like, less than an hour? You’re not even dressed. And your hair!”

  “I have nothing to wear. Maybe I could—”

  “Borrow from us? Of course!” She grabbed her arm for a haul inside.

  While Lia tossed one option after another at her, Kimber sat on a bed, wishing they’d just pick something. “Honestly, any of these will be fine.”

  “What do you think, T?” Lia asked her best friend. “Sultry? Sassy? Feminine? Casual? What do you think an alpha likes?”

  “All of that. And bright colors.”

  “How the hell do we pull off sultry, sassy, femmie casual?”

  Tory stood back, eyes narrowing as she assessed Kimber. She snapped her fingers. “I know.” A few garments came flying out of the closet like they’d been shot from a cannon.

  Lia caught them one by one. “Yes! I see where you’re going.”

  They chose a loose, deep coral-colored top, worn off one shoulder, a pair of white skinny jeans, pretty gold earrings, and sandals that looked like they were made of straw. After Kimber got dressed, they made her come out and walk around the room to model for them.

  Tory gushed, “Perfect. That color really shows off your tan. You’re a little wobbly on the espadrilles, though.”

  “She’ll get used to them,” Lia declared. “Jackson’s tall. Now he won’t have to bend too far for their first kiss.”

  Oh, God. Would he try to kiss her?

  “Way to go, Lia. She looks nervous now,” Tory laughed. “Come here, Kimber, let me curl your hair.”

  “Are you saying you wouldn’t want him to kiss you?” Lia exclaimed as Kimber sat and let Tory take a curler to the ends.

  “Of course she wants him to. She’s probably just nervous thinking about it,” Tory answered on her behalf.

  Which was fine, because Kimber didn’t want to admit she didn’t want Jackson to kiss her. No kiss would compare to Shain’s.

  There I go again. Always bringing it back to the vampire.

  If anything, she should kiss Jackson to see if maybe, just maybe, it was that easy to erase Shain’s. No gray magick ritual necessary.

  “Thanks girls, for your help,” she said, meaning it.

  “You’re welcome.” Lia smiled, as if the gratitude was unexpected. “I mean, what if you and Jackson become chosen mates? Wouldn’t that be amazing? And I helped you get ready for your first date? I’d practically have a hand in your first step to becoming queen of a pack.”

  “And me,” exclaimed Tory, twining Kimber’s locks around the curler, then bending down to whisper, “I’d have no problem switching packs.”

  Lia winked at them. “I wouldn’t either. It may be hot and sticky as a melting donut out here, but I could deal. How about you, Kimber?”

  They were just wishfully thinking out loud. The chances of her and Jackson becoming a mated couple were realistically low, but crazier things had happened. Funny how Lia and Tory would be happy to follow their “queen” just because they picked out her clothes. “You’re getting way ahead of yourself. It’s just a date. Nothing serious.”

  Lia brought the discarded clothes back to the closet to hang. “Oh, you better treat it like it is. An alpha is always serious when it comes to the women they date. They don’t waste time.”

  Kimber shrugged. “Or maybe he just wants to get laid. Isn’t that why most men ask women out?”

  Lia and Tory made equal noises of disagreement.

  Tory put down the curler and grabbed a bright pink brush. “Listen, it’s true, alphas don’t take a woman on a date hoping for sex at the end of the night. Like they need to! Shiefs can get laid anytime without having to go through the effort. Alphas most of all.”

  “Agreed,” Lia said with a sigh. “It has to do with the pheromones they put out. Their superpower, other than strength.”

  “And what about shifting?” Kimber teased.

  “Oh, right.” Lia laughed.

  Well, whether Jackson aimed to get in her pants or vet her as mate material, Kimber wasn’t going to fret about it. But if he did put moves on her, she’d set him straight. While she’d been more than ready to with Shain, she had no desire to give her body to another yet.

  The doorbell rang.

  Lia grinned. “He’s here.”

  Everyone in the house wished her good luck. Including Lucinda.

  To avoid an interrogation, Kimber met Jackson at the door and closed it before her sisters could ambush him.

  He looked good in his blue V-neck and jeans and smelled even better. Wow.

  Pheromones, her wolf warned her.

  Kimber choked back a laugh.

  “What’s so funny?” he asked.

  “Nothing.”

  His sexy smile should’ve woken up the butterflies by now.

  “You look pretty. Get in and buckle up.” He grinned as he started the truck, and shot so fast into traffi
c, Kimber was quick to take his advice.

  “Figured we could start at Big Flip’s. Best burgers in the city. They have a backyard kind of setup with games. Darts, shuffleboard, beer pong. Or we can hit up a food truck. I know a few good ones.”

  Oh, that’s right. I’m on a date with someone who only needs and wants to eat proper food. Who can be seen with me. Who can go anywhere. Someone I can stay out with as late as I want to.

  Convenience was highly underrated.

  “That sounds great.” She smiled.

  The moment they walked into Big Flip’s, it was as if a legend had entered. Faces lit up, exclaiming Jackson’s name with mugs of beer in the air.

  Kimber hung back while the alpha swaggered inside, grasping forearms with a few men. She swallowed at the sudden attention she hadn’t been expecting. And wasn’t used to.

  A slim, Black woman came out from the back. “I knew it. I knew it had to be you causing this uproar.”

  He bent to soundly kiss her cheek. “You missed me, right?”

  She slapped his bicep. “Nah. Introduce me to your friend.”

  “Dee, meet Kimber.”

  Kimber smiled. “Nice to meet you.”

  “Welcome, sugar! Patio or inside?”

  Jackson gestured for Kimber to decide. “Your choice.”

  Either way, she had a feeling they wouldn’t be left alone. “Patio.”

  Before they could get to their picnic table, someone stopped them three or four times, with Jackson making sure to introduce her to everyone, mostly shifters.

  “I can already tell she’s too good for you,” one shief teased, winking at her. “If he starts gettin’ handsy, slap him and come sit with us.”

  She gave him a friendly smile. “Thanks. I like having a Plan B.”

  Jackson playfully shoved at the shief’s shoulder before they finally got to their table. Eyes from every direction were on them. Good grief, was she on a date with an alpha or the mayor?

  “Are you sure you don’t own this place?” she teased as the server brought out menus.