I looked at Kevin. “I’m going to get answers. Watch my body.” When his lip twitched, I rolled my eyes. “Not like that.” Lying on the floor, I closed my eyes, clutching the necklace in both hands.

  The ancestors were Witches who had long since passed. My mother could even be one now. It had been months since I’d seen her ghostly form, which had me worried. I knew she was probably in hiding because the ancestors were trying to force her into becoming one of them.

  I mentally called to the ancestors, asking for entry into their sanctuary. I heard hissing, as if they weren’t keen on the idea. They weren’t friendly. The bitches only came around when they wanted something. Their goal had yet to be revealed. All I knew was, according to them, I had big things ahead of me.

  “Why are you here? We did not call you to us,” one of them said with a hiss.

  “I need your help,” I said, looking around the white room I was suddenly in. Once again, I felt like I was in an invisible box that prevented me from moving. It bothered me the last time, but after dealing with them, I was grateful for the barrier.

  Something slammed against the side of the barricade, making me shriek. When I looked over, I saw one of the ancestors hunched over, her monster-like hands clawing at the wall. “We help when it is truly needed. Now is no concern to us.”

  More hooded figures appeared in front of me, their faces hidden. The images flickered as they switched back and forth from hunched over to standing up straight. I knew they could only maintain their human forms for so long.

  “Drake needs help. Something is attacking his system,” I practically begged.

  “The Vampire is not our concern. Whatever kills him is a strong magic.”

  Her hands changed to small, delicate woman’s hands. I knew there had to be a human with some compassion in there somewhere. Was I only around for when they needed something? Were they so cruel they would make me suffer without helping when they could? It wasn’t fair! I wanted to scream, but was afraid it would just anger them. Who knew if the barrier would hold?

  “What kind of magic? How do I stop it?” I asked, pressing a hand to the woman’s, the barrier between us.

  It changed immediately, clawing at the invisible wall. Startled, I fell onto the floor, scrambling back against the barrier. There was more growling as they all surrounded me, clawing at the walls.

  “Do not come to us about this Vampire again. He is no concern of ours.”

  “If I’m your concern, I suggest you help me!” I yelled, tears forming in my eyes.

  They all growled at once, throwing their bodies against the barrier. “Do not temp us, High Mistress.”

  “You are easily replaced.”

  “We can make you disappear.”

  “You mean nothing.”

  “Do not come to us again.”

  I pounded my fist against the barricade. “You do need me! You either give me what I ask for or you can forget my help!”

  “You dare defy us?” one of them snarled, pacing around the group. At least I thought the voice came from that one, but I wasn’t sure.

  “Your death will not be quick,” the one next to me hissed.

  “I stand by my words.” I stood, jutting out my chin, back straight.

  They were silent for a few long seconds, then I heard one speak. “There is a source of the magic.”

  “It requires an enchanted object,” another whispered.

  “Destroy the object.”

  I nodded, eager for the information, but they stopped. I had a feeling that was all they were willing to give.

  Then they all started growling and hissing, slamming their bodies against the barrier. Without warning, the wall disappeared and they were on me, clawing at me like rabid animals. I started to scream, trying to get away. I called to my magic, getting no response. One of them bit my arm and I cried out in pain, trying to kick the others away. No matter what I did, they just kept coming.

  “Sophie!”

  I heard someone shout my name. Gasping, I opened my eyes. Kevin and Drake leaned over me, concern written all over their faces, Kevin shaking my shoulders. Annoyed, I pushed him off, flinching in discomfort. When I looked down at my body, I saw scratch marks and gashes all over me.

  “Where did you go?” Drake asked, falling back against the couch. He still looked really sick.

  “To talk to the ancestors,” I moaned.

  Kevin supported my back, helping me sit up. “A friendly bunch,” he muttered, shaking his head. He looked at me, eyes narrowed. “You shouldn’t have risked it. You must have really pissed them off.”

  “You have no idea.” I hissed in pain when I moved my arm, seeing a bite mark the size of my palm on it.

  “They are some nasty bitches. Let me get something to clean up the wounds.”

  “Already healing.” Making a face of disgust, I watched as the marks, which had started to bubble and look infected, began to mend, turning into angry red scabs.

  Kevin watched in amazement. “I sometimes forget you’re a Vampire.”

  I glanced over at Drake. “There is some kind of object making you sick. If I find it, I have to destroy it.”

  Drake seemed surprised. “I thought it was a curse. This has happened to me before. Some of my powers have disappeared over time, making me weaker.”

  “Why would someone want your powers? They could try to get any Vampire’s. Why you specifically?” Kevin stood up and began to pace, his hand going through his blond hair.

  When I studied Drake, I realized he knew more about the reason behind his stolen powers than he said. He glanced at me, then looked away to avoid my stare. He knew I was like a dog with a bone. I wasn’t going to let it go.

  “What aren’t you telling us, Drake?” Just when I thought he couldn’t possibly have more secrets… I felt my anger rising. “You’re hiding something.”

  He stood, wavering slightly. He glared down at me. “This is my business.”

  Shocked, I stood up. “Like it or not, we’re in this together.”

  He sneered at me. “Are we, Sophie? Are we really? Last I checked, you and I weren’t together. How about you mind your own business and stay out of it. You’ve made your position clear.”

  “You have to let her help, Drake. What’s your problem?” Kevin asked, placing his hands on his hips. He seemed just as surprised as I was over Drake’s outburst.

  He waved us off, walking toward the bar on the other side of the room. He poured himself a drink and slammed it back. He glanced over at me as he poured another. “My powers weren’t exactly earned the way a Vampire typically earns them,” he started. When we stared at him, confused, he sighed. “A long time ago, I became possessed by an extremely powerful evil spirit. For weeks, we fought for control of my body. When I was finally able to regain control, I looked for help.”

  “How did you even get possessed in the first place?” I asked.

  He shrugged, taking another sip. “I woman I knew used me to bring her evil lover back into this world. She managed to trap me long enough to allow the spirit to invade my body.”

  Amazed, I sat down on the couch, turning to look at him. “How did you get him out? What does that have to do with your powers?”

  “I’m trying to explain that, Sophie,” Drake said impatiently.

  “Look—” I started, but Kevin placed a hand on my shoulder, shaking his head. Drake had no right to treat me with disrespect. Angry, I grabbed one of the couch pillows and clenched it. I wanted to smother him until he pled for his life. Taking a deep breath, I gestured for him to continue.

  “Anyway, there was a Witch people kept talking about. They said she could expel evil spirits. It was believed she possessed the power needed to cast out demons inhabiting the insane. I found her a week after I murdered the evil spirit’s lover. He was angry, wanting to completely push me from my body. He almost succeeded on numerous occasions, but I somehow managed to fight him off.

  “Finding this Witch was hard, but when I did, she immediately knew my problem. It cost me a small fortune, but I was willing to do anything to gain full control of myself again. She had a hell of a time expelling his spirit. She said she had never come across something so powerful. In the end, she managed to get him out, but not without a cost. She became permanently blind and completely lost her powers. Unfortunately, only his spirit was expelled. His power remained.”

  “So the powers you have are because of this spirit? Did you ever figure out who it was?” I asked, amazed. Why didn’t he tell me about it before? Maybe because we didn’t know each other long enough. He might have told me later, but for some reason, I didn’t think he would have voluntarily shared this information.

  Kevin rubbed his chin, scratching at the stubble. “Someone is after the powers, which means they know about your secret. Who did you tell?”

  “No one. I haven’t ever told anyone, and that Witch…” His voice trailed off. “I killed her.”

  “You killed her? Why the fuck would you do that?” I demanded.

  “I was a different man then, Sophie. I did many things I’m ashamed of. No one could know my secret.”

  Kevin didn’t seem phased at all with what Drake just revealed. Of course, he was used to killing people on command. I was in a room full of killers. Trying to calm myself, I walked over to get my own glass of whiskey. I threw it back like a professional, barely making a face when it burned my throat.

  Looking at Drake, I frowned. “Well, someone does, and they’ve come to collect that power.”

  Chapter Seven

  When the TV in my bedroom popped on, I shot up in bed, calling to my magic as I looked around. I saw him sitting in the corner of the room, the remote in his hand.

  I growled. “Ethan! What the hell are you doing?”

  What is with him coming into my room?

  He gestured to the TV. “Someone killed your streaker.”

  Confused, I stared at the TV. A blonde reporter gestured over a crowd of people in town. She started talking as soon as the camera zoomed in on a body hanging from a pole.

  “A few days ago, a man streaked through Heaven, claiming that Witches were, in fact, real. Today, that man was found hanging from a pole. He’s been there most of the night, somebody calling it in this morning.” She shook her head. “He appears to be in bad condition. Possibly tortured. Was this a hate crime? We aren’t sure. Once we have more information, we’ll report it immediately.”

  “He’s dead? I thought you found him!”

  I shot out of bed, not caring that I was only in a tank top and boy shorts. Rummaging through my closet, I found the clothes I wanted. Witches were going to be in a panic. I had to calm them down before it got out of hand. Did another Witch kill him? Was it a hate crime? Or…

  I spun around to look at Ethan.

  He flashed me a smile. “Oh, don’t give me credit for this. I said I would fix your problem, but not like this. It wouldn’t have been so public.”

  “You would have killed him?”

  “That is the law.”

  “No, it isn’t! It’s what I say it is!”

  I rushed into the bathroom and slammed the door. I stripped out of my clothes, hearing my cell phone ringing in my room. Then I heard talking. Did he just answer my phone?

  Swiftly, I put on my black pencil skirt and violet blouse. Then started to brush my teeth. “I’m working backwards,” I growled, trying not to get toothpaste on my clothes.

  Finishing up, I put my makeup on, then hurried out of the bathroom…running right into Ethan. He wrapped me in his arms. I fought, trying to pull away, but his intoxicating scent made my body warm. I swallowed hard, trying to find the best way to get around him without hurting him.

  “What are you doing, Ethan?” I asked.

  He placed his chin on top of my head and hugged me tighter. “I thought you might want one of these. Things have been hard for you.”

  I pushed away, glaring. He smirked. “Stop messing with my head.”

  “Aww, you did love it, though, didn’t you?”

  Admitting that would be the last thing I’d do. Being wrapped in his arms was soothing, making my body relax. Unfortunately, I knew this was just a game to him. He didn’t want to offer me comfort. He found it amusing.

  Shoving him away, I walked to my closet to find some matching shoes. “If you aren’t going to do your job, I don’t need you here. You told me you had him.”

  “I told you I found the area he was in. He was taken before I could get to him.” Ethan leaned against my bedpost, hands in his pockets as he watched me slip my feet into my heels. “I will complete this task for you.”

  “When?”

  “Soon.”

  “Is this some kind of game to you, Ethan? We’re in danger of being exposed!”

  “My spell becomes active tonight. Tomorrow, no one will remember a thing.”

  I took a deep breath. Not the way I wanted to go about things, but the situation had escalated into something I wasn’t expecting. We needed damage control. That meant there was no choice but to erase the humans’ minds. I noticed my phone on the bed and grabbed it, glaring at him.

  “It was a woman named Jenna. She said you needed to come in quickly. That was after she demanded why a strange man answered your phone.” He chuckled, trailing a finger down the side of my neck.

  Shivering, I stepped away, not sure if I could stop myself from leaning into his touch. Grabbing my coat, I looked around for my purse, seeing him holding it up with one finger.

  “You’re making me regret calling the Mages,” I grumbled, snatching it from him and slipping my cell phone inside as I hurried out of the bedroom. “What else do you need to do here?” I asked as I walked into the kitchen.

  Ethan took an apple from the bowl on the island and tossed it into the air. He looked so sexy. Everything he did turned me on! It was wrong on so many levels, but one taste was okay, right? I wasn’t actually involved with anybody anymore.

  Shaking my head, I snatched the apple in midair. “Thanks.”

  He chuckled, following me out the front door. “I have a feeling this problem is bigger than you anticipated. I looked through the rogue’s home and found many anonymous letters demanding he expose the secret. I also found different types of medications. I sent them in to be analyzed. My feeling is that he was taking placebos this entire time, which was the reason for his insanity.”

  I stopped in the middle of closing the door and looked at him, surprised he revealed so much information. Maybe he really was trying to take care of the problem. But just as I started to open my mouth to say something, he pressed me against the outside wall, his hands on my hips. Turning my head away, I couldn’t help but moan when his lips trailed over my neck.

  “We can’t do—”

  I groaned when he captured my lips, running his hands up my sides. I shivered, unable to control my reaction. I dropped my purse, placing my hands on the sides of his face, kissing back with urgency. My body betrayed my mind. It wanted…needed more. He was like some kind of addiction. I knew I shouldn’t be doing this, but when his tongue dove into my mouth, I was a goner. My nails raked over his chest. He moaned, starting to push me back into the house.

  “Wait, Ethan,” I whispered, bending down to grab my purse.

  He kicked the door closed and pulled me to him. I nibbled on his bottom lip, teasing him with my tongue.

  “Say you want this, Sophie,” he growled, backing me into my room.

  When I stumbled, he moved me so I landed on the bed. Kicking off my heels and dropping my purse, I started pulling his shirt up until I could feel his tight muscles beneath my hands. Moaning my approval, I trailed my nails down his stomach.

  “Say it,” he demanded, ripping open my blouse. I gasped in surprise, but it soon turned into a moan when he closed his mouth over my lace-covered nipple.

  “Gods yes!” I cried out when he pinched it. I heard a faint ringing sound.

  What the hell? Oh gods, I thought as he started kissing down my stomach. Phone. It’s my phone.

  I blinked several times, coming back from my hormonal daze. “Wait, wait. Someone’s calling me.”

  Ethan groaned. “They can wait.”

  I giggled, turning over, seeing my phone had fallen out of my purse. I reached down and grabbed it, then glanced down at the screen. Jenna. Sighing, I answered, trying to squirm away from Ethan. He inched up my skirt, fingers sliding along my legs. I shivered, trying to maintain my cool. I almost forgot I had answered the phone.

  “What’s up?” I asked, eyes closing when Ethan started kissing my legs.

  “Why are you not here already?! That rogue was murdered, and you’re doing who knows what with some random dude,” Jenna growled.

  “He’s a Mage. I called him in to help with the situation.” I gasped when his hand trailed up my thigh and pressed on my panty-covered pussy. Nearly buckling, I slapped away his hand, hearing him chuckle.

  “What are you doing? I’m coming over.” The phone went dead.

  Swearing, I scrambled off the bed. Amused, Ethan watched as I pulled down my skirt and rushed out of the bedroom just in time for Jenna to walk through the door. She examined my disheveled clothes, then stared at my hair. Her eyes narrowed when she spotted Ethan coming out of the bedroom.

  “Moving on, I see.”

  It was like a slap in the face. I didn’t know what to say. Was she judging me? Was she Team Drake, even though he broke my heart? I wanted to scream at her, but I straightened my back.

  “It’s none of your business.” My voice was the no-nonsense tone of the High Mistress.

  Shrugging, Jenna turned to leave. “I hope Drake understands when you finally decide to take him back, Sophie.”

  At that moment, I wanted to cry. What was I supposed to do? Drake lied to me about something truly important. I glanced over at the Mage, who stared at me with a blank expression. Then he was gone.

 

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