Spark of Magic (4 page)

24

“I think I’m in love with you,” she teased, bringing her hand up to tangle in his short black hair.

His face was buried in her chest and his chuckle shook both of them. “You just think?” he teased back. “I must have been a little off then.”

She laughed then slapped at his shoulder. “Someone is going to come out here and see us.”

“Let them,” he murmured then licked at her breasts, making her shiver in renewed desire.

“Oooh, that feels good,” she whispered. His cock began to harden again inside her, warming her flesh. “Insatiable monster,” she hissed then laughed when he bit down gently on her nipple. “I can’t believe I just did this,” she said, more to the ceiling than anyone in particular.

Marcus chuckled and rose up on his palms to smile down at her. His grin deepened the lines around his eyes and she reached up to gently trace one. There was a look of possessiveness in his gaze that startled her and she held her breath, wondering why it thrilled her like it did. Narrowing her eyes, she tried to think of something else. The last thing she needed to do was fall for a man she’d only meant to be a one-night stand and that’s all this was.

He’d probably slept with God knows how many women. Why hadn’t she thought of that before? My God. They hadn’t even used a condom. What had she been thinking?

She wasn’t like Rebecca. She couldn’t just cast a spell and protect herself from pregnancy or anything else for that matter.

His smile faded somewhat as he watched her. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” she replied quickly. “I was just wondering how old you are.”

She wondered at the sudden insecurity that flashed across his gaze. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“Try me,” she whispered.

He stared at her for a long moment, gauging her maybe, and she tried to read the emotions shining in his stare. With a devilish grin that made his eyes glow he shook his head. “A man has to have some secrets, sweet.”

Tonya snorted. “I always thought it was women that were supposed to be mysterious.”

She’d couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so alive, so satisfied, and deep down she hated to let it go. Marcus raised his hand and touched his fingers to her forehead. With a soft smile he slowly dragged his fingers down her face. Her eyes became heavy, tired, and before she realized what had happened she fell fast asleep.

Marcus stared down at the beauty beneath him. Her dark blonde hair and deep green eyes made a heavenly combination and contrasted perfectly with her tan complexion. She was short, maybe about five foot four with curves that made him 25

sweat the second he saw her but there was more to her. She was spunky, fun-loving, sweet.

What he’d felt as they’d joined had been unlike anything he’d felt before. At first it had surprised him that he’d connected so deeply with a mortal. As he was a half-breed vampire he hadn’t thought it was possible. Maybe that was something he could thank his mortal white-witch mother for because this was a connection he didn’t want to lose.

Sadness filled him as he thought of his mother. He hadn’t seen her in over four hundred years. She’d died when he was forty. Two days later his father returned, offering to teach him how to use his vampire powers. His mother had made his father promise to stay away until her death, to give her time at a normal life with her son.

Although he hadn’t been there physically, he’d supported them financially. A fact he’d found out at his mother’s death.

He was an unusual half-breed, something his father loved to point out. He had the immortality and the fangs but lacked the need to feed. Tonight with Tonya had been the first time he’d felt the desire to bite someone, to become a part of them. Although he didn’t need blood to survive he could be deadly when provoked and had torn more than one throat of an attacker before getting control of his anger. It was a battle he’d fought hard to win—to keep that devil deeply hidden.

He was also able to tolerate sunlight, which made him what his father’s people called a day-walker. It was his mortal blood that allowed the tolerance—the less-than-desirable side of him other vampires either despised or envied.

Something else he’d inherited from his mother had been magical powers. He tended to use magic as opposed to physical strength more often than not, a fact that irritated his father to no end. He didn’t like what he became when he unleashed his vampire side.

With a slight smile he reluctantly pulled from Tonya’s warm body and adjusted her skirt back over her legs. Tonya didn’t yet have the ability to hear his thoughts. He would have to join with her fully—bite her and let her bite him in return—before her mind would meld with his. It was the witch side of him that allowed him to sense her thoughts after sex—it was the witch side that knew she was his life mate.

For a fleeting second he wondered if maybe she had a little witch inside her and just didn’t know it. It wasn’t unheard of for a natural witch’s powers to be suppressed due to lack of training. He also knew from Nicholas and Darien’s research on Rebecca that Tonya was an orphan as well.

With a sigh, he wondered how all this with Rebecca would be handled. Tonya could be a problem. Touching his finger to her forehead, he placed memories in her mind of taking a taxi home and climbing into bed. As an afterthought he told her he wanted to see her again. And he did.

Placing a soft kiss on her lips, he blinked and transported her back to her apartment then waited for Nicholas and Darien to emerge from Rebecca’s fantasy.

26

Rebecca awoke and stretched lazily along the soft sheets beneath her. They felt so good, so much better than what she had at home. Her eyes popped wide open and she stared in confusion at the walls surrounding her. Sitting up, she studied the soft suede wall covering more closely. It looked to be about two shades lighter than the silk comforter covering her chilled and naked body.

A dress lay across the foot of the bed along with underwear and shoes but what held her attention the most were the little windows resembling windows in an airplane.

With trembling fingers she threw back the cover and walked the short distance to the window then jumped back with a strangled cry. She was in a plane—a plane in flight to God knew where.

Glancing around for the clothes, she tried to remember what had happened the night before but couldn’t. The last thing she remembered was the amazing sex with the identical twins. She stopped short, holding the dress against her chest. Had they kidnapped her? Was that what happened?

Blood pounded through her ears as she quickly threw the dress over her head then slipped on the underwear. Vaguely she realized the flowered material of the underwear matched the dress exactly but she didn’t take the time to examine it too closely. The dress didn’t require a bra, it had one built in, and she adjusted the underwire before dropping to the bed to slip on the sandals, the whole time keeping her eye on the closed door.

Had they locked it?

Slowly she crept toward it and put her ear to the door. All she could hear was the soft purr of the engines. Licking at her lips, she studied the doorknob, wondering if she should give it a try. If she did get out where would she go? She was flying god knows how many thousands of feet in the air.

“Come out and join us, Rebecca,” a deep voice said from the other side of the door and she jumped back, a strangled gasp escaping her parted lips.

The door opened by itself and she stood immobile, staring at the two men from her fantasy. They sat at a table, both dressed in black slacks and black turtlenecks, stretched tight across their wide shoulders.

“We won’t bite. At least not hard, anyway,” Nicholas said with a devilish grin, sending a wave of heat along her skin. Or at least she thought it was Nicholas. This morning she wasn’t exactly sure.

“That’s real funny,” she snarled, crossing her arms over her chest. “Where are you taking me?”

27

“Home,” the other one said as he stood and strolled toward her. With his hand, he brushed his long black hair over his shoulder. The same hand he’d used to caress her body with such tenderness, such care.

Taking a deep breath, she brushed those memories from her mind. “Somehow I don’t think it takes a plane to get me from the club back to my apartment. Where’s Tonya?” she demanded.

“She’s fine. She’s home.” The one walking toward her stopped and rested his palm against the wall, his other hand at his hip.

“She’ll be looking for me.”

“Yes, she will,” he said, his lips twitching slightly. “I’m Darien.”

“Yes. You told me your names in the club.”

She remained rooted to same spot, unsure she wanted to move into the other room with them.

“Come in here and have a seat, Rebecca,” Nicholas said and she shook her head.

“I believe I’ll remain where I am, Nicholas, thank you.”

Darien grinned then glanced at his brother. “She’s a stubborn little thing, isn’t she?”

“Just like her father.”

Her eyes widened and her breath caught in her chest. “You knew my father?”

“Yes,” Nicholas said. “Your father and our father were friends.”

Her gaze narrowed. “How do I know you’re telling the truth?”

“You don’t,” Darien said, his shoulder lifting in a shrug.

“Exactly,” she snapped. “What do you want with me?”

“We promised our father we would protect you,” Nicholas offered as he waved his hand toward the couch across from the small table. “Come, Rebecca, please. I’m sure you’re hungry. It’s way past noon. While you eat we can explain.”

Licking her dry lips, she studied Darien and his understanding gaze. Hunger rumbled through her stomach at the mention of food and she grudgingly admitted to herself she could eat. More than twelve hours had passed since the last time she’d eaten and she was starving. “Fine,” she snarled, then moved to sit at the couch.

A woman stepped forward quickly, placing a plate of delicate china in her hands laden with fruit, cheese and crackers. On the table next to Rebecca the woman placed a glass of red wine. “How do I know you haven’t done anything to it?” she asked, her gaze narrowing on Nicholas.

Nicholas’ dark eyes flashed fire then sparkled with amusement. “I could put you to sleep with a wave of my hand, Becca. Why would I need to put anything in your food?”

“It’s
Re
becca and what do you mean by put me to sleep with a wave of your hand?”

“We’re warlocks, just like you’re a witch.”

28

Rebecca choked. Struggling for air, she grabbed her wine and took several sips, finishing off half the glass. Nicholas snapped his fingers and a glass of water appeared in his hand. She stopped breathing, staring at that glass in disbelief.

He leaned forward, taking the wine glass and replacing it with the water. “Drink this. I don’t want you drunk because you drank the wine too fast.”

Turning the glass in her hand, she glared at it then back at the twins. “How did you do that?”

“That little trick wasn’t any different from some of the ones you’ve done in the past,” Darien said as he dropped onto the couch next to her.

“How did you know I was a witch?” she asked, still holding the glass in front of her. “Are we designed to pick each other out of a crowd? Do we have some inner radar that tells us another witch is close by?”

Darien chuckled. “If only it were that simple.”

“No, there is no inner radar,” Nicholas said, a slight grin tugging at his lips. “How we were able to find you is a little hard explain.”

“Try,” she said.

“Like we said before, we promised our father we would find and protect you. Our mother cast a spell that would ensure we would know you when we found you. We would know it was you when we…joined with you.”

“You’re joking, right? What did you have to do? Sleep with every woman you met until you found me?”

Darien snorted then glanced toward the cushions, trying to hide his grin. “No. We saw you at the restaurant. The night you tripped the waiter, making him spill the hot coffee on your date’s crotch.”

Her face heated as a blush moved over her cheeks.

“Remind me never to make you that angry.”

“You saw me do that?” she asked, her voice soft as a whisper, her breath shallow and quick. If they’d seen her, who else had?

“Yes,” Nicholas replied. “I was looking at you when you waved your hand. You don’t have to do that, by the way.”

“I’ve always done it. I haven’t figured out yet how to do it without waving my hand.”

“I can teach you,” Nicholas said and her heart skipped a beat.

Images of the night before flashed through her mind and her cheeks heated.

“You look a lot like your mother.”

Her breath caught and she turned to stare at Darien in surprise. She’d never known her mother. “You knew her too?”

“Yes. We have pictures if you would like to see them, although not on us.”

29

Rebecca shook her head, unsure she should believe any of this. “This is insane. I want to go back home. I have friends, a job…”

“Both have already been taken care of,” Nicholas interrupted with a nod.

Her stomach knotted in apprehension. “What do you mean ‘taken care of’?” she demanded.

“You sent your job a letter of resignation and you also left a letter for Tonya.”

“I did not!” she snapped. “Tonya isn’t going to believe that. She knows I would never just leave her a letter.” Darien moved closer, putting his hand on her arm but she jerked it away in anger. “Don’t touch me!”

“Rebecca,” Nicholas chided and she ground her teeth in frustration.

“Don’t try to placate me like a damn child,” she growled.

“I’m not placating you, damn it!” he yelled, coming to his feet and stretching to his full height, which had to be well over six feet. She swallowed her growing fear and met his glare with one of her own. “We’re trying to protect you, Rebecca. From the man who killed your parents. Now that we’ve joined he’ll know you’ve been found. He won’t rest until you’re dead. Just like your parents.”

Nicholas watched the color drain from her face and regret slammed through him.

He shouldn’t have yelled at her like that. He should have been more patient. Darien shot him a glare from his seat next to her and Nicholas sighed, wishing he’d been instructed on how to handle this part. With his father dead, he and his brother were on their own.

“I’m sorry, Rebecca,” he said quietly and her eyes narrowed in anger. Good. He would much rather see her angry than scared.

“What do you mean he won’t rest until I’m dead like my parents? Why did he kill my parents?”

“Your father held a seat on the Witches council. One of the most powerful ones. He found out something about Sebastian—he’s the man who killed your parents—but we’re not sure what that was. Your father was killed before he could tell anyone.”

“What does that have to do with me? Why am I in danger?”

“You’ve inherited your father’s seat and Sebastian wants it. In order to get it he has to provide proof of your death.”

“I see,” she murmured, then shuddered. “This is…”

“Is what, baby?” Nicholas asked and her startled gaze met his. Had he just called her baby?

“If I hadn’t spent the last ten years trying to control my own powers I would have said the two of you were insane.”

Nicholas and Darien both laughed.

30

“This isn’t funny,” she snapped. “You kidnapped me. Why didn’t you just explain it?”

“We didn’t have time, Rebecca,” Darien replied. “We have no idea where Sebastian is. He could have gotten to you before we had a chance to explain. We had to move fast.”

Rebecca finally placed the glass of water on the table beside her, her brow drawn in a thoughtful expression. “Tonya will be beside herself. She’ll know I didn’t leave that letter.” She looked at Nicholas and the sadness he saw darkening her eyes made his gut clench. “I can’t just leave her hanging. And what if Sebastian thinks to use her to get to me?”

“He shouldn’t even know about Tonya,” Nicholas said.

“Why wouldn’t he? According to you, once the three of us join, he’ll know. Who’s to say he won’t find out about me and about my friends?” She raised her hand, slapping them down on her thighs. “And why in God’s name would someone cast such a spell?

You have to have sex with me to know it’s me?”

“It wasn’t just about…identifying you,” Darien said with a slight grimace. “You are to be our wife.”

She raised an eyebrow and glared at them skeptically. “Your wife?”

“Yes,” Darien said, his lips lifting in a sideways grin of apology. “Warlocks and witches know their mates when they have sex with them. Apparently our mother knew you would be our life mate and that’s why she said we would know you when we joined with you.”

“We have a ring if you would like it,” Darien offered and she stared at him in shock.

“What I would like,” she snapped, “is for the two of you to come back to reality.

Your wife? Okay. I may believe the warlock story but your
wife
?”

“Why is that so hard to fathom?” Nicholas asked in exasperation. He would never understand women. “This is how it’s always done within our kind. Warlock to witch.

It’s what keeps us pure.”

She snorted. “Pure? And what if you fall in love with a mortal?”

“There have been a few,” Darien relented. “But not many. Is becoming our wife so distasteful? Did we not go well together?”

An adorable pink blush moved over her cheeks. “That’s not the point. I might be okay with the whole protection thing. But I refuse to marry you.”

Nicholas started to say something but Darien held up his hand, stopping him. “We will agree to that for now. But at least give us the opportunity to change your mind.”

“You want the opportunity to court me?” she asked Darien shrugged and Nicholas almost laughed out loud at her shocked expression.

She was so damn adorable. “No,” Nicholas replied, his grin widening. “We just want you to keep an open mind.”

31

She snorted, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Think about it. If the sex was that good, imagine what day-to-day life would be like.”

“Let’s see,” she murmured. “Going from uncontrollable lust to wanting to strangle you? Yeah, I can see how that would make for a heck of a day-to-day life.” She rolled her eyes. “I want to contact Tonya. That’s the only way you’ll get my cooperation.”

“You’re not exactly in a position to be making demands, Becca,” Darien replied, his lips forming a lopsided grin.