Wicked Unveiled

by J. N. Colon

  Chapter 21

  I doubled back around the winding halls in Le Revenant as my toujou tingled, pointing me in the direction of my hiding alimèt. After Resix spilled the frijoles on how to weaken the voodoo king, Etie sent him on his merry way back to whatever hell he’d crawled out of.

  Then the pouvior bokor disappeared.

  My teeth mashed. He was avoiding me because of the crap-ton of darkness I’d jumped through to find his light. I’d seen deeper inside him than anyone. I’d experienced that part of him he tried to hide.

  It had been terrifying and not in the way most would think. His darkness was welcoming. It invited me in, made me want to stay. That was how Etie felt every time he tapped into it.

  He liked it.

  Now that I knew that, he was afraid it changed the way I felt about him.

  Idiot.

  When I arrived in front of our bedroom door, I waved my hand, using magic to push it open. Etie flinched from his spot by the window.

  “Angeline.” His eyes fastened to the floor. “What are you doing here?”

  I scoffed. “This is my room too.”

  He cleared his throat and stalked toward the door. “I-uh-need to see Rafe about—” His words cut off as I stepped in his way.

  “You don’t need to see anyone about anything.” I crossed my arms against my chest. “Stop avoiding me, Etie.”

  “I’m not.” His gaze was still intent on the floor. “I’m just busy.”

  “Busy trying to dodge me.” I shifted when he attempted to move around me again. “Look at me, Etie.” When he wouldn’t, I placed my hands on his cheeks, forcing his face up. “Look at me,” I said more gently. “It’s okay.”

  “No, it’s not,” he whispered. “None of what happened earlier was okay.”

  His pain became my own, and I swallowed hard to keep the sobs from breaching my lips.

  “You did what you had to.” My thumbs gently stroked his cheekbones. “I’m not afraid of you. You have to believe me.”

  “You should be.” He removed my hands from his face, trapping them against my sides. “You saw what was inside of me. All that evil and how I…” He shook his head.

  Part of me wanted to just hold him. The other wanted to shake some sense into him. “I’m not going to continue having this conversation every other week, Etie.” I tried to keep the frustration out of my voice, but the arch of his brow made it clear I failed. “I like all parts of you, even the darkness. Without it, you wouldn’t be the guy I love.” When he tried to turn away, I grabbed his shirt, holding the material in a death grip. “And I don’t want anyone else.”

  He sighed. “You say that now, but what happens when my darkness takes over the light for good?”

  “That’s not going to happen.” I reached up, running my fingers over his toujou. His lids fluttered closed. “I’ll be there to make sure your light finds its way past the darkness just like I did earlier.” My thumb brushed over his soft, pillowy lips. “I’ll always be there when you need me.”

  The tendons in Etie’s jaw flexed as if he were biting back more words of protest. I watched his internal struggle for several long moments before his lids finally lifted. His eyes were two burning orbs of sharp green and vivid blue. “I’ll never know what I did to deserve you, Angeline.”

  “You did save my life a couple of times.” I gave a noncommittal shrug. “I guess that counts for something.”

  The edges of his lips twitched. “I suppose so.” He brushed a lock of hair from my face, tucking it behind my ear. “It’s been a long night. We should get some sleep, no?”

  “No.”

  He blinked at my forceful answer. “No? What’s the matter?”

  I’d promised myself when Etie returned, we were going to finish what we started the other night. I had absolutely no intention of breaking that promise. “Sleep is the farthest thing from my mind right now, Étienne Benoit.” I stepped closer, running my hands down his chest, savoring the hard planes beneath his shirt. The lamp in the corner buzzed brighter.

  His brows rose up his forehead. He got my drift. “Are you s—”

  My index finger pressed against his mouth. “If the next words from you aren’t ‘yes Angeline, I’ll give you what you want’ or something along those lines, I’m going to turn you into a toad.” I popped my other hand on my hip. “And I know how to do that now.”

  Etie’s lips stretched into a smile beneath my finger. “Yes, Angeline, I’ll give you exactly what you want.”

  Tingles radiated through my stomach.

  He removed my hand from his face, nipping at my finger. “But I got to warn you, cher. When I’m done, you ain’t going to remember your own name.”

  My blood simmered at his words.

  “And you’re going to be out of commission for a while.” His finger curled into the hem of my jeans, and he yanked me forward. “You’re going to need to skip witch practice tomorrow. And maybe the next day too.”

  My knees trembled. This was going to be more than I bargained for, but I wasn’t about to chicken out. “Whatever you say, Cajun Casanova.” I breathed in his warm, spicy scent as his head dipped lower.

  “Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.” His lips brushed over mine, instantly shooting electricity down my spine.

  I didn’t care if I was in a coma for the next week. I’d probably have a smile on my face the whole time.

  Etie’s fingers slipped beneath my shirt, and cool air suddenly licked my bare skin. His hands pressed against the small of my back, slowly massaging circles. “Angeline,” he murmured as his mouth drew away. “I feel like I’ve been waiting my whole life for you, for this moment. Nothing before you matters.”

  His words were an unpleasant reminder of how experienced in the bedroom department Etie was while this was my first time.

  “Don’t worry about that,” he said as if he could read my mind. “No one else compares. You have to know that.” He spread kisses down my jaw.

  My eyes rolled in the back of my head at the things he was doing with his mouth. I made some kind of unintelligible murmur of agreement. His chuckle vibrated down my neck, making me shiver.

  “Oh, cher.” He pulled back, his eyes dancing. “We going to have fun, yeah?”

  “Yeah.”

  His swollen lips parted into a smile. “I like when your eyes turn purple as I’m kissing you.” He gently tapped the tip of my nose. “It means you’re coming undone.”

  Ugh. The Cajun Casanova already had me falling apart, and he was still fully dressed. “No fair,” I muttered and yanked at his shirt.

  He pulled it over his head, exposing his chest.

  My throat tightened. Red, angry patches spotted his torso where Bastien had drawn the symbols for the demon summoning ritual. His eyes lowered, avoiding my gaze again. I gently ran my fingers over the marks. He could have used voodoo to remove them. Instead, he’d scrubbed them clean. He hurt himself because he thought he deserved it.

  “Etie, I—”

  “Don’t, cher.” His hand laid over mine, pressing it into his chest. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  I choked back the sobs. I’d do anything to take his pain away.

  My lips brushed against his irritated skin. “I don’t want you to hurt yourself like this anymore.” I traced another raw spot. “You don’t need to punish yourself.”

  Etie’s fingers tangled in my hair, massaging the back of my neck. His breath was ragged, and his pulse began to race.

  “Promise me, Etie,” I demanded, my lips still moving over his skin.

  “I promise.” A moan slipped from him as my free hand danced over the deep V disappearing into his jeans.

  “Good.” I pried open the button on his pants.

  A growl rolled out of Etie, and before I could take another breath, he’d lifted me and dropped me on the bed. My gasp was swallowed up by his kiss. Heat quickly enveloped my skin. I’d unleashed his wildness.

  After devouring my mouth, Etie pulled back
, staring at me from beneath hooded lids. “I’ll ask you again, are you sure about this?” His eyes scorched, turning my insides to a hot mush of sensations. “Because once we do this, there’s no going back.”

  I didn’t want to go back. I wanted to be with him every way imaginable. Always. He was my soul mate. “I’m sure.” At least I thought that was what I said. Either way, he understood.

  “Okay.” A wicked smile curled his lips. “Be prepared to fall apart, cher.”

  Holy voodoo dolls. I was in for a world of trouble.

  And I couldn’t ask for anything more.

  Etie’s mouth descended on mine, consuming me once again. His hands slipped up my body, slowly caressing me. Every touch stoked embers of the fire he created the moment we met. When those mismatched eyes landed on me in the Leroux house, sparks ignited, and they never died out. Hell, they may have been there even before then.

  My early morning trip to the Benoit house months ago had ended in terror, but those few moments of being entranced by Etie’s electric stare had been the most exhilarating experience of my life then. He was only a silhouette on the porch, and he’d still branded his mark on me. It was as if I’d already known him. One way or another, I was going to be his.

  Etie’s lips slowly trekked down my chest, leaving a line of searing heat behind. “Your skin tastes like honeysuckles,” he murmured. His tongue swirled out, licking a path across my lower stomach.

  My body trembled, and I couldn’t catch my breath. My fingers dug into the sheets, trying to keep some small semblance of composure against my alimèt’s wicked talents.

  His rough chuckle vibrated against my belly as he tore my jeans open with his teeth. “I’m just getting started, cher.”

  Oh my voodoo gods. I wasn’t going to last much longer. The Cajun Casanova was living up to his nickname a little too well.

  He drew my jeans off, tossing them on the floor with a thud. His fingers traced shapes on my calf and then slowly climbed higher, barely skimming my thigh.

  A shaky moan slipped between my clenched teeth. Fire nipped at every square inch of my body, inside and out. My world was getting smaller, and the only thing in it was this feeling rumbling under the surface. It wasn’t my magic, but it was just as lethal.

  “Angeline…” Etie’s hand covered my stomach, his thumb languidly moving back and forth. “Stop holding back. Let go.”

  I bit my lip and stared at him through hazy vision. “I can’t. I won’t last another minute if I do.”

  A devilish smile spread across his lips. “You’re not supposed to last.” Etie’s body stretched over mine again, his wild, herbal scent flooding my brain. “You can fall as many times as you like.” His lips brushed over my toujou. “I’ll be there to catch you and bring you back every time.” He kissed my neck, his teeth dragging over my skin.

  Electricity blazed a trail through me, crashing deep inside my core. A whimper slipped out.

  “This is what being with me is like.” His hot breath spilled down my neck. “I’m not a one-trick pony, and I don’t do anything halfway. And this with you…” He slipped my bra strap down, drawing circles on my feverish skin. “I’m going to be working at two hundred and ten percent, cher.”

  The lamp in the corner sizzled and popped. Smoke spiraled from it.

  Etie grinned. “The entire room might need to be rewired by the time I’m done.”

  Another shaky breath fell from my lips. “I’m in trouble, aren’t I?”

  His mouth lowered to my collarbone while his fingers unclasped the hooks on my bra with ease. “I warned you, remember?”

  My body reacted, arching into his touch. My toes were already teetering on the edge of the cliff. Below was a dark mystery, one as intriguing as the voodoo caster slowly but surely pushing me over it. “Just as long as you catch me.”

  “Always.” Etie’s weight pressed into me, making the room spin. “I’ve got you, cher. Now let go.”

  Fire erupted through my core, radiating all the way to my toes and my fingertips. Hell, the ends of my hair seared. My entire being came alive, surrendering to his all-consuming power. “Étienne.” His name tumbled from my lips, and he squeezed me tighter.

  Time seemed nonexistent as Etie pushed me over the edge again and again. Minutes could have passed or hours. I wasn’t in the real world anymore. I was in paradise. And Etie was its god.

  Every stitch of clothing separating us disappeared. We were bare, hearts pounding in sync. His calloused hands were rough against my sensitive skin, drawing me even deeper into bliss. The swirling tattoo scorched above my collarbone, glowing in the reflection of Etie’s eyes. His began to burn bright, a warm golden light emanating from it.

  The gwo-bon lyen was ecstatic we were finally giving ourselves to each other. We’d been on this road for a while. As rocky as it had been at times, this was always our destination. Call it fate, destiny, or plain luck. Either way, this was the one certain thing in my life. I loved Etie, and his love shined through every touch, every caress.

  He was my home.

  Etie settled over me, his eyes brimming with heat. And love. And lust. “I got you, okay?”

  I nodded. He’d stolen my ability to speak actual words a long time ago.

  Strands of silken hair brushed my forehead as he lowered his body. His hips moved against mine. Pain ricocheted for an instant, but his kiss swallowed it up. Pleasure followed.

  A gasp tumbled out, joining Etie’s deep, rumbling growl. My fingers dug into his shoulder blades. I couldn’t stop the tremors crawling through my muscles. Tears leaked down my eyes from the overwhelming sensations swirling between us. Etie kissed them up, his lips a soothing balm.

  Then they became a blazing inferno. My voice grew hoarse.

  We were connected in every way possible now. Our hearts, our souls, and our bodies were intertwined and forever linked. Our bond was unbreakable, reinforced by the love between us.

  When I broke apart for the last time, my world shattered into a million dazzling pieces of colorful glass. A kaleidoscope of rainbow crystals was all I could see. And the Cajun Casanova had been right. I couldn’t even remember my own damn name.

  A loud buzzing interrupted my wonderful sleep. I’d felt like an angel on fluffy cloud nine, enjoying a warm foot massage from a shirtless Etie. His bronzed skin glistened under the sun. I could practically taste his sweet lips.

  The buzz echoed again, and a groan slipped out. “Shut up,” I sleepily mumbled.

  A deep chuckle vibrated in my ear. The bed shifted as a body stretched over mine, reaching for something.

  That same body tensed. “Angeline. Angeline, wake up. Your father’s calling.”

  My lids fluttered open, the fog surrounding my mind too thick to make sense of anything. “I’m sleeping. Be quiet.”

  “Cher.” A warm, calloused hand laid on my back, shaking me. “Wake up. Your father’s calling. It’s three in the morning so I imagine it’s important.” When I still didn’t stir, the voice continued. “I’ll answer it then.”

  My lids snapped open. “No.” Etie and my father speaking never ended well. I struggled into a sitting position and reached for the phone just as it began to ring again. “Hello.” Why was my dad calling right now?

  I glanced down and realized I was in the buff. My eyes flicked toward Etie. So was he.

  Flashes of what we’d been doing a few hours ago played through my mind. Every lamp in the room had been fried. The chandelier in the center was still swaying.

  Oh my voodoo gods. That was… I couldn’t even think of a word for it. The things Etie had done to me…

  Heat rushed my cheeks.

  The crooked tilt to Etie’s lips told me he knew exactly where my mind had gone.

  “Angel? Are you there?” My father’s voice came over the line.

  I tugged the covers up to my chin as if he could see me. Gawd, this was embarrassing. “Yeah, I’m here.” I cleared the sleep from my throat. “What’s wrong?”

  �
��It’s Marisol,” he said, his tone panicked. “She’s missing.”

  Chapter 22

  “What!” My heart jumped into my throat, beating a thousand times harder. “What do you mean missing?”

  Etie’s eyes grew bright as he used magic to listen in.

  “Lucas discovered she was gone a little while ago. He’s out looking for her now.” My dad took a deep breath. “Maybe she just snuck out to go to a club or something.”

  I swallowed hard. “Yeah. That’s probably it.” The lie tasted bitter on my tongue. I knew damn well that wasn’t the case. “I’m sure she’ll turn up.”

  “I hope so,” he said, sounding less than convinced. “In the meantime, we’re going to try another locator spell. The first few haven’t worked.”

  My stomach clenched. That wasn’t a good sign.

  “We’ll try that too, Dad.”

  I hung up and bolted out of bed, grabbing my jeans from the floor. Oh geez, my knees still trembled. I could barely stand let alone walk.

  Etie was ahead of me already fully dressed. We were both thinking the same thing. Baron Samedi had broken his word. He took Marisol before Fete Gede. This was his insurance policy to keep me in line.

  “We need to get Bastien,” Etie said, tossing me a shirt. “We’ll do a locator spell.”

  I shoved the tank top over my head. “My dad said it wasn’t working.”

  Etie arched his brow. “I’m a pouvior bokor, my brother is a bokor, and my alimèt is a conduit. We have enough power between the three of us to break through any kind of shield put around Marisol even by the voodoo king.”

  He had a point.

  Luckily Bastien was staying at Le Revenant. When we arrived at his door down the hall, he was already opening it, his expression none too thrilled.

  “This better be good,” he mumbled, still half asleep.

  My brows knit. “How did you know we were coming?”

  Bastien jerked his chin toward Etie. “He sent me a message through voodoo.” He shook his head. “I was having the best dream about these two girls and here comes my brother interrupting it.”