Nights in Black Satin

Praise for the writing of Rachel Carrington

Sin’s Touch

This is an intriguing and compelling story of a woman’s search for the truth… Ms. Carrington has written a fascinating story that I found very appealing. I loved reading it. -- Sheryl, Coffee Time Romance

Sin’s Touch has the classic good vs. evil battle with a twist… This story is filled to the brim with sex, love, mystery, and longing. -- Angela Camp, Romance Reviews Today Rachel Carrington has written one very intense and electrifying story; you will find yourself immersed right from the start. There is enough heat in this book to melt an igloo in the middle of Alaska! I am looking forward to reading more of Ms. Carrington’s highly addictive books very soon! -- Janean, Fallen Angel Reviews

Sin’s Touch is a great book that draws you in from page one with all of the mystery and intrigue… Rachel Carrington has done a wonderful job penning a story full of action and mystery. -- Romance Junkies With a strong plot and memorable fleshed out characters. This is a book I thoroughly enjoyed, and recommend for lovers of vampires and true love. -- Nikita, Enchanted in Romance

Sin’s Touch is now available from Ellora’s Cave Publishing.

NIGHTS IN BLACK SATIN

Rachel Carrington

www.loose-id.com

Warning This e-book contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language and may be considered offensive to some readers. Loose Id e-books are for sale to adults ONLY, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

***** This book is rated:

For explicit sexual content and graphic language.

Nights in Black Satin Rachel Carrington This e-book is a work of fiction. While reference might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Published by Loose Id LLC 1802 N Carson Street, Suite 212-29 Carson City NV 89701-1215 www.loose-id.com

Copyright © December 2005 by Rachel Carrington All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this e-book may be reproduced or shared in any form, including, but not limited to printing, photocopying, faxing, or emailing without prior written permission from Loose Id LLC.

ISBN 1-59632-207-1 Available in Adobe PDF, HTML, MobiPocket, and MS Reader

Printed in the United States of America

Editor: Maryam Salim Cover Artist: Kelly Priddy

www.loose-id.com

Chapter One

Noelle woke next to a dead body, and with the twenty tiny tin soldiers pounding in her head, she figured this wasn’t going to be the greatest Monday she’d ever had, if it was indeed Monday. Scrambling from the bed, she wrapped a sheet around her toga-style and stared at the corpse lying atop the fawn-colored bedding. She didn’t recognize the linens any more than she did the man. His face was almost purple, his lips blue, and the shock of white hair atop his head gave him a ghastly appearance, like one of those circus people Noelle had never particularly cared for. She edged forward, with her lower lip pulled into her mouth. With one outstretched finger, she poked the man’s chest. He didn’t move, which was good considering he was supposed to be dead. Or not really supposed to, but he was dead. She’d taken a few classes about anatomy, and the lack of exhalation clued her in. Well, that, his color, and the coldness of his body.

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Shivering, she backed as far away from the bed as possible, her wild-eyed gaze sweeping toward the window. Where was she, and how in the hell had she gotten into this stranger’s bed? Trying to recall the moments before she’d awakened, she ticked off the memories on her fingers. “Okay, I met with the aunts for breakfast; almost missed my ancient reversal spells class because I had to help pull Aunt Emmie from the bushes.” One of her most beloved relatives, Emmie, was particularly fond of alcohol, but couldn’t handle it worth a damn. Noelle smiled fondly before shaking herself back to the present. “Oh, yes, and then I went to the cleansing room because I was starting to develop a headache. Although why I can’t just whisk it away like the aunts do, I’ll never know.” Noelle drew in a deep sigh. “And that’s it. Nothing else. So what in the hell happened between the cleansing room and here?” “I’m going to go wake him up. He needs to get his ass out of bed,” came a deep, extremely irritated voice. “Breakfast was his idea, and now he decides to sleep in. Look, you go on to the restaurant, and if I can drag Ed’s ass out of bed, we’ll meet you there. If not, I hope he’s got something to eat in this damned house. I’ll call you later, Aunt Rita.” Noelle barely had time to make sure all her body parts were covered before the bedroom door slammed open against the wall and a male Adonis stormed across the champagne-colored carpet. The Greek god came to an abrupt halt, his face going ashen as he stared at the prone man. “Uncle Ed?” He took another step. “Uncle Ed?” “He’s dead,” Noelle offered in a timid voice. She suddenly found herself under direct scrutiny from a pair of eyes the color of polished onyx. It didn’t take her long to realize she probably shouldn’t have spoken, or better yet, she should have just whooshed away, but at this point, she wasn’t feeling rather sure of her abilities. Whooshing might not be such a good idea.

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“Who the hell are you?” the man questioned in an imperious tone of voice, which set Noelle’s teeth on edge. If the truth were known, Noelle had a problem with authority, and given that this man was in no position of authority over her, she was even more annoyed. Her shoulders squared, and her chin jutted forward. “My name is Noelle Bridges.” The god stood there, folding his arms across his massive chest. An impressive chest, if Noelle did say so herself. She particularly liked the way his T-shirt stretched across his muscles while the seams wept in dismay. “Is that supposed to mean something to me? What in the hell are you doing in my uncle’s bedroom?” He tapped one foot against the carpet, and Noelle noticed he favored expensive athletic shoes, the kind she’d have to save for a year to buy. If she really wanted a pair, she could have conjured them, but she wasn’t a typical witch. She liked to earn what she owned, unlike her cousin, who just happened to like the ability to acquire goods with the snap of her fingers. “Hello?” The deep voice carried more than a hint of impatience now. Noelle brought herself up to her full five-foot-four-inch height and glared up at his chin. “That’s none of your business.” It was the only response she could come up with on such short notice, especially given that she didn’t know how or what she was doing at the present moment. Odds were good it really was his business, and she doubted he was going to let her just sail out of the room without an explanation. So she’d better start thinking of a damned good one. The eyes narrowed, and Noelle sensed that wasn’t a good thing. “My uncle is sixtyeight years old.” Noelle didn’t think he’d appreciate her correcting his tenses, but the fact remained that poor Uncle Ed had expired and a sheet was all that separated her birthday suit from Ed’s nephew’s blazing gaze.

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What Uncle Ed’s age had to do with anything, she wasn’t sure, but apparently, the nephew thought it was important. And from the set of his jaw, his displeasure had taken a turn for the worse. She began to back toward the door, sweeping a nervous glance around at the floor in a desperate bid to find her clothes. “Well, I’m sorry for your loss. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be on my way.” He moved like a rattler, snagging hold of her arm and yanking her up next to his chest. That close, she saw the dimple in his chin and the rakish tilt of his eyebrows. God, the man was gorgeous. And angry. She couldn’t forget angry. “You’re not going anywhere. Not until you tell me what you’re doing here with my uncle and why he’s now dead!” Noelle willed herself not to faint. She’d never been much of a swooner, but she had to admit, she was feeling rather woozy at present. She thrust her chin up to gain more confidence and pinned the man with her most imperious look. “I have no idea how I got here.” Again, not the best answer, but Noelle had never been good under pressure. Whenever questioned, words tended to fail her, as they did now. How she envied her cousin’s sharp wit and snappish responses! “That’s it? That’s all you have to say?” She shifted nervously. “I don’t know what else to say.” Both eyebrows shot up to tangle with the tousled black locks sweeping his forehead. “Really?” He tugged at the edge of her makeshift toga. “So if I pulled this down, you wouldn’t be naked then?” Noelle gurgled her dismay and cursed her own luck, or lack thereof. “I ... I would hope you wouldn’t be so crude as to pull it down.” She held the top knot with both hands, just to be on the safe side. Don’t make me turn you into a snake. You’re too attractive to be a reptile. “Now, if you will kindly excuse me, I have to leave. I need to find my way home.” She noticed his fingers didn’t relent. “Look, Mr. ...” Not knowing his name, she paused.

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“Sanders. Jacob Sanders, but then, you probably knew that already, didn’t you?” Her lips pursed, and her mind drew a blank. Of course, Jacob Sanders would have no way of knowing that she didn’t really know too many people outside of Betony. “No. I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I don’t know you.” “Right. And you didn’t know my uncle just happens to be worth over one hundred million dollars?” Oh, the fates above! This was going from bad to worse. Now she was a gold-digging slut. “I can assure you, I didn’t know your uncle’s monetary worth, nor do I care. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.” “So you just make a habit out of picking up old men and sharing their beds with them?” Noelle’s nose wrinkled, and she shot a glance toward poor old Uncle Ed. She didn’t think they’d done that ... had they? She shuddered at the thought. “I didn’t share your uncle’s bed, at least not in the manner in which you are insinuating.” At least, she hoped not. “Did you or didn’t you sleep here last night?” The man was relentless. It was hard to remain dignified when she had no idea how she’d gotten into Ed’s bed or if she had, indeed, spent the night. The mere thought horrified her. “Look, I can explain all of this.” She stopped talking immediately. Well, no, actually, she couldn’t ... unless ... yes, that was it! Ella! Her beautiful, witty, charming, and pain-in-the-ass cousin, who was probably, at this very moment, having a hellacious chuckle at Noelle’s expense. Damn her! What was it with Ella and her practical jokes anyway? No doubt, Ella figured Noelle couldn’t find a way out of this predicament on her own. Well, she would just have to prove her cousin wrong. She could do this. She hoped. “Well?” Jacob barked. “I’m listening.”

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God, she loved the sound of his voice. Better not to point that out to him, though. Noelle wanted to clamp her hands on her hips, but the way Jacob kept eyeing the sheet, she didn’t dare risk it. “I was ... well, someone drugged me.” Jacob glared at her. “And you know this how?” “Because I didn’t come here with your uncle, and I don’t remember, well, doing anything with him.” His eyes slitted like a cat’s. “Stay put.” As he marched toward the door, Noelle realized she was free. Still naked, but free, at least. “Where are you going?” His hand twisted the doorknob. “To call the police.” He shot one more glance over his shoulder. “And the coroner.” Noelle gave a squeal of dismay. “The police? Why would you need to call the police?” “Because I don’t have time to investigate my uncle’s murder. That’s a job for the local authorities.” He slammed the door before Noelle had time to protest any further. “Hell’s bells,” she muttered, racing around the room in a frantic search for her clothes. “In case you’re listening, my dear aunts, I could really use some help here!” Now, to find a way out of this without bringing more attention to herself. And where were her damned clothes? “Ella, could you not have at least left me something to wear?” she barked at the ceiling.

***** “Oh, dear. Oh, dear. This isn’t good at all,” Jasmine “Jazz” Bridges wailed in a highpitched voice even tone-deaf dogs could hear. She tapped one finger to her chin and marched around the room in a perfect circle. Superstitious to a fault, she made exactly three laps around the chintz settee and brass floor lamp before returning to the Book of Spells lying open on the glass-topped table next to the fireplace.

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“You’re not going to be able to remember the spell, Jazz. You might as well give it up as a lost cause,” grumbled Heart Bridges, the older version of her sister, and the one considered to be the smartest of the three witches who shared the spectacular palace on Whispering Pines Road, dead center of Betony. The three witches shared much more than just a love of the craft; they also shared the genes that made them sisters, as well as a particular fondness for imported hooch. In fact, at that very moment, Emmie, the eldest of the three sisters, lay fast asleep on the veranda, passed out from too much tequila. “I have to help her,” Jazz continued to moan. Heart sighed and tromped forward, her voluminous robe sweeping out behind her. The picture of ancient elegance and grace, Heart closed her hands around her sister’s and leaned in close to enunciate each word. “You can’t help her. You can’t even remember how to reverse the spell on poor old Wally.” Responding to his name, Wally, a three-legged dog with a top knot, bounded into the room. Heart pointed to the mutt’s face. “See what I mean? Poor old critter used to have the same color eyes.” “I was only trying to make him more noticeable, is all,” Jazz responded in a defensive tone. “He had his eye on that poodle up the way, and she wouldn’t even give him the time of day.” Heart snorted. “It doesn’t change the fact that you turned him into a freak, and I’m sure our dear Noelle wouldn’t appreciate your attempt at assistance. She’ll figure things out. She always does.” Heart tapped her temple. “She’s a smart one, that Noelle.” A sudden light beamed in Jazz’s eyes. “That Ella needs her ass whipped.” At the mention of their wayward niece’s name, Heart rolled her eyes and smacked her forehead. “Of course! Why didn’t I think of that?” She glared at her sister. “Like that’ll do any good at this late stage in the game. That one is going to be the death of us all. Why, the

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coven is talking about giving her the boot, and think of the shame that would bring to our family name.” She shook her head sadly. “Centuries of witches in the Bridges family, and Ella is hell-bent on destroying us.” Jazz came to Ella’s defense. “She’s just lost her way.” Heart pointed a finger to the oval mirror atop the mantle. “She’s insane. If you don’t believe me, take a look. You’ll see for yourself what she’s capable of. The little wench wants to show off her handiwork.” Jazz whispered even more “oh, dears” as she traipsed toward the mirror as directed. The second Noelle’s blonde curls came into view, Jazz shook her head. “Ella will help her in the long run. She won’t leave her own cousin there to fend for herself, and she really is a dear girl at heart.” Heart patted her gullible sister’s back. “Come, dear. Let’s rouse Emmie and see if she has any thoughts on the situation. After all, she is the best at spells, now that my eyesight isn’t what it used to be.”

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Chapter Two

Jacob didn’t know what in the hell his crusty old uncle had been thinking to pick up a beauty like this one. With curves in all the right places, hair that made his fingers ache, and a body young men dreamed about, Noelle Bridges could have her pick of any man she wanted. So why hadn’t his uncle thought of that before he brought her home? Hadn’t the old coot realized the woman was only interested in the size of his wallet? Women like her could have their choice of any man in America, and of course, Uncle Ed wouldn’t have had a problem believing she’d want to be with him. Jacob knew it wasn’t fair to be angry with his uncle, but how many times had he warned the old codger not to go out on the town waving his money clip? Edward Spencer always knew what was best. No one could tell him anything, and he was always smarter than the average guy. Only, the average guy was still alive. With the phone in his hand, Jacob hesitated, every instinct in his body telling him to call the police. He needed to make arrangements for Ed’s funeral, and the last thing he needed to worry about was a saucy blonde with a smart mouth and perky breasts.

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Good God, man. Have a shred of decency. His mouth thinned. He couldn’t be blamed for noticing the woman’s attributes, but his uncle has just passed on. At the very least, he should restrain himself until after the funeral. In all fairness, Ed had lived his life to the fullest, and he’d always said the last thing he wanted was a bunch of weeping women draping themselves over his coffin. Ed had always insisted he wanted a party instead of a funeral. Jacob’s jaw clenched, and speaking in short, clipped tones, he informed the police of his uncle’s passing and his suspicions. And wondered why he didn’t feel better about it once he slammed the receiver down. Whipping around, he headed back to his uncle’s bedroom. He was almost surprised to find Noelle still standing next to the foot of the bed, right where he’d left her. Wouldn’t a typical criminal have at least attempted to haul ass out the window? Of course, this woman looked nothing like a “typical criminal.” Most of them wore clothes. He cleared his throat. “Ms. Bridges?” She raised her eyes to meet his gaze, and he noticed she was gnawing on her lower lip. With the innocent expression on her face, she looked like a child. He forced himself to keep his eyes above neck level. “Yes?” “The police are on their way.” “Oh.” She nodded, and Jacob thought he saw her lips twitch. If the little vixen was laughing at him ... He didn’t finish the thought, for Noelle began walking toward him. He eyed her with a tilt to his head. “What are you doing?” “I have an idea.” Her voice sounded animated. “I mean,” she hurried toward him, “it’s a shot in the dark, but it just might work.” He felt himself beginning to frown, and he deliberately hardened his expression. If the woman got any closer to him, something else was going to get hard, and that’s the last thing he needed her to notice. “That’s close enough to tell me your idea.”

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Slim shoulders squared, Noelle Bridges lifted her head and in a perfectly haughty voice announced, “I think I have a way to bring your uncle back to life.”

***** Emmie Bridges didn’t like being awakened from a perfectly good buzz, but the minute her sisters stirred her, she knew something was wrong. They didn’t need to say anything. Just the looks on their faces told her enough. Well, that and the way Jazz twisted her hands in a frantic to-and-fro motion. Jazz had always been the worrier in the family, and no matter how many times Emmie and Heart reassured her, their baby sister just couldn’t seem to control her anxieties. She was a witch, for God’s sake. Didn’t she realize she had little to worry about? Emmie sighed and climbed to her feet, her legs a little wobbly. The world spun crazily, and she automatically reached for Heart’s arm for assistance. “So what’s wrong now?” “Noelle is in a world of trouble,” Jazz began in perfectly dramatic fashion capable of earning her an Emmy. Emmie met Heart’s eyes over top of their youngest sister’s head. Jazz came from a long line of overreactors, so she couldn’t be blamed if she upheld the tradition. Their mother had had that gene, as well. Goddess rest her soul. Heart shook her head almost imperceptibly, and Emmie took that to mean trouble. Nothing that couldn’t be solved with a couple of spells and some hair of the dog, though. The hair would, of course, be for herself and not for their youngest niece. And would, hopefully, come first. Head throbbing and back aching, Emmie toddled into the living room, snapping her fingers to create a blaze in the brick fireplace. “It’s colder than a witch’s well in here, you know.” Plopping herself down on the chintz settee, she folded her arms. “Well? Is someone going to bring me the book, or do I just sit here all day?”

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Heart plunked the Book of Spells down into her sister’s lap. “Here, Your Highness.” Emmie ignored the jibe and thumbed through the pages. “So tell me exactly what has happened.” The printed words clouded before her eyes, and she shook her head. Exactly how much had she drunk last night, anyway? Not enough to wake up in the garden like she had the night before. She was thankful for that. Jazz spilled the disastrous happenings in a rush of words that only served to confuse Emmie, who held up one hand to stop her sister’s babbling. “Oh, for the love of the saints, would someone please go pour me a shot of tequila and let me think a minute?” Jazz clamped her hands on her skinny hips and glared down at her sister. “Now isn’t the time to be thinking about alcohol, Em.” Emmie massaged her temples while shooting her sister a dark look. “I don’t have to have a certain time of the day to think about tequila, dear sister. Besides, if I don’t get that shot, I’m not going to be able to think properly. And an improperly thinking witch can’t work magic!” Her voice rose on the last word, and Jazz smacked Heart’s shoulder. “Go get her the tequila.” Emmie bobbed her head, and her precarious bun slipped another notch. “That’s more like it.” She cracked her knuckles and began thumbing through the pages. “Now, it seems to me, we only have to bring Noelle back to Betony.” Jazz scrunched up her face. “Which would be simple enough, except ...” She broke off, unsure of how to continue. Emmie stopped turning the pages and looked up. “Well? Finish what you’re dying to tell me.” Heart strolled back into the living room, carrying a glass of brown liquid. “Noelle is trying to bring a man back from the dead, dear. Here. Drink up.”

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Eyes squinting, Emmie slammed the Book of Spells shut, snatched the shot glass, and drained it. Feeling a little clearer, she peered at both of her sisters, wondering if this were some kind of a trick to pay her back for yesterday’s practical joke. Was it yesterday? She couldn’t remember, but she could recall the looks on her sisters’ faces when she’d collapsed before them on the ancient rug imported from Thailand. That still brought a chuckle. Heart snapped her fingers in front of Emmie’s nose. “Will you please pay attention? Jazz is about to stroke out.” Emmie waved a hand, and a chair bumped against the back of Jazz’s legs. “Sit down, dear, and let me take a look-see. I’m sure I can find something in here to bring our dear niece back.” She aimed a glance at Heart. “Any idea how she got herself into this situation?” Heart folded her arms over her breasts while Jazz gave a wail of dismay. “One word,” Heart replied. “Ella.” “Remind me to kick that girl’s ass once this is all over. Ruined a perfectly good buzz, she did,” Emmie grumped. “Do you think you can bring her back?” Jazz scooted the chair forward to peer over her sister’s shoulder at the Book of Spells. Emmie tamped down her irritation. What kind of a question is that? There was very little she couldn’t accomplish once she set her mind to it. “You woke me up to doubt me?” Heart edged in between her sisters. “Actually, we woke you up because you were snoring.” The book fell open in Emmie’s lap again. “Both of you go rot somewhere and let me work.”

***** Noelle knew she should have thought before she spoke, but really, she didn’t have a lot of options. Her practical joker of a cousin had placed her in one helluva situation. But as the

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dark eyes looking down into her face began to glow with suspicion, Noelle figured she’d picked the wrong solution to her problem. “Mr. Sanders?” He held up one hand. “No. Just stop. I don’t believe I want to hear anything more from you.” He blew out a long breath, and Noelle caught the scent of coffee and mints. Her womanly parts tingled, which surprised her, considering they hadn’t tingled in quite some time. Being so busy learning the magic of the coven and following all of their damnable rules, she didn’t have a spare moment to engage in any extracurricular activities. Besides that, the male witches in Betony just weren’t her type. Most of them were too smug for their own good and thought they hung the moon. Noelle’s nose wrinkled as she thought of one witch in particular. Braxton Hills. The name alone sounded like a neighborhood in the suburbs. With a start, she realized Jacob Sanders was still staring at her. She fisted her hands on her hips and tried for a sophisticated look. “Look. You don’t have a lot of options here. Do you really want to tell the rest of your family that your dear old uncle is dead?” “What choice do I have?” His voice sounded tight with anger, but she didn’t need to hear the words to know that. Though gorgeous, Jacob Sanders definitely had a temper. She could see it in those sexy eyes of his. Great. More tingling. Didn’t her body recognize the face of the enemy? Well, one thing was for sure -- her pussy didn’t. Noelle gnawed at her lower lip. Should she tell him the truth? Instinct told her no. Then again, she’d never been good at following instinct. She was more a live-by-the-rules type of person. Give her a manual and she could follow it to the letter. Jacob cleared his throat. “I take it by the look on your face you think there is another option besides informing my family of my uncle’s demise. This ought to be good.”

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She didn’t particularly care for the snide response, but he did, at present, have the upper hand since she still didn’t know how in the hell she’d gotten there. “I’m listening.” More snideness. Her own temper began to escalate. ““Do you have to be so unpleasant about it?” “Unpleasant? My uncle is dead, and you were the last one to see him alive. Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t be ‘unpleasant’ to you.”

All right. That does it. Noelle glared and blurted, “I’m a witch.” One eyebrow rose. “Aren’t most women?” She glowered at him. “I’m not talking about my temperament.” Close to showing him just exactly what she meant by witch, Noelle gritted her teeth. He crossed his arms over his chest and rocked back on his heels, drawing Noelle’s eyes to the bulge in his jeans. “Oh. You mean witch as in Samantha. Sabrina. And all the other characters on television.” He gave a short bark of laughter. “You’re a piece of work. If you’re a witch, I’ve got a three-inch dick.” Her eyes narrowed. Oh, the many wonders she could work with this arrogant, yet delicious, man’s nether regions. “I can make that happen.” His head whipped up, and his hand dropped to his crotch. “What?” “If that’s what it will take to prove to you that I’m a witch, I can give you a one-inch dick.” Not on your life, buddy. Not until I see for myself what size it really is. The naughty thought made Noelle’s eyes widen. Okay, now she was beyond tingling. She was practically vibrating. Could he see her nipples poking against the sheet? Goddess, help me, she begged. Any moment now, this man was going to see the attraction in her eyes, realize she wasn’t breathing normally, and perhaps even smell the scent of her arousal. Unfortunately, witches

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gave off a distinct aroma when sexually aroused, but she wasn’t quite sure if mortals could smell it. “Do you always talk to yourself?” His words caught her off-guard. “What?” “Your lips were moving.” She expelled an irritated breath. “If I were you, I’d be more worried about the inches you’re about to lose.” Jacob edged toward the door, keeping a suspicious eye on her. “Yeah. Okay. Why don’t you just stay there? I’ll be right back.” She trotted after him. “You’re going to call the men in white suits now, right? I mean, you’re going to tell the police to bring along the nut-nabbers.” Noelle tapped him on the shoulder as he tugged open the bedroom door. “I won’t be here.” “You can’t leave,” he responded in a pompous tone. Praying she’d studied the lesson correctly, Noelle closed her eyes and felt herself whisking through the air. She heard Jacob’s loud “What the hell?” and then she dropped back to her feet, coming to stand inches away from his face. “I can leave. I only stayed because I’m trying to help.” Her breast pushed against his arm, and fire shot into the center of his eyes. She had his attention. “Don’t make the mistake of misjudging me, Mr. Sanders.” Her voice was husky, sensual. Though never having had the opportunity to use her abilities in this manner, Noelle was well aware of the ways of witches. They could intoxicate any man of their choosing and make them crave the touch of a woman’s hand and the scent of her hair. And if she wanted, she could have Jacob Sanders crawling at her feet right now.

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At least, that’s what she should be able to do. Certain spells confused Noelle, but others she could remember in her sleep. The mesmerizing thing had never been one of her strong suits. Jacob snagged her arm and shoved her away from him. “I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing, Ms. Bridges, but count me out.” Noelle let out a breathy sigh. “If you insist.” He stared at her for a long moment before wrenching the door open. “This is nuts. I’m fucking nuts.” He stormed out of the bedroom again and slammed the door behind him.

***** “Oh, this is going from bad to worse,” Jazz lamented. She turned her fretful gaze on her oldest sister. “Whatever shall we do, Emmie?” Emmie tapped her finger against her chin with one eye closed. “I’m thinking.” “Well, think faster,” Heart snapped. “Our darling niece is attempting to raise the dead!” Emmie’s other eye popped open, and she peered down into the clear bubble which allowed her to see into other worlds. Right now, she had interest in one world only, that being where Noelle was waving her hands like mad in an attempt to remember a certain spell. Surely, Noelle knew her magic wasn’t strong enough yet to raise the dead. Bejesus,

hasn’t she been paying attention? A witch has to be at least three centuries old before even attempting such a spell. And Noelle was less than a century old! Didn’t the girl know what in the hell could happen if she started dicking around with things she didn’t understand? “What’s going to happen to her when this man realizes she can’t do what she told him she’d do?” Wringing her hands, Jazz began to pace. “He is going to have her locked up. They’ll throw away the key.”

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Heart clamped a hand on her sister’s shoulder to still the traveling. “I don’t believe they actually throw away the keys anymore, honey.” “I don’t think they actually ever did that,” Emmie muttered before waving a hand in dismissal. “Besides that, there’s no jail cell a witch can’t get out of.” “But we’re talking about Noelle,” Heart reminded her. Point taken. Emmie glowered at both of her sisters in turn. “It doesn’t matter. We’re getting off track. We need a solution, not another problem.” Jazz leaned in closer to her sister’s face. “Well, that’s why we woke you.” “You mean, dragged me out of my wondrous intoxication.” Emmie glared at her sister. “Semantics,” Heart replied quickly, shouldering forward to stand in between Jazz and Emmie. She surveyed the oldest of the trio. “So, any ideas now that you’re sober?” Emmie pursed her lips and began to rock back and forth. “Just one, and I don’t think either of you are going to like it.” Heart sucked in a breath. “I know that look in your eyes, Sis.” She wagged a finger. “I know what you’re thinking, and I don’t think --” “We’re just going to have to go down there.” Jazz and Heart gasped in unison. “You mean, to Earth?” “I knew it,” Heart snapped. “Where else would I be thinking? Now, we’d better wear something appropriate. Why those mortals insist on dressing in such restrictive clothing, I’ll never know.” Emmie bounced to her feet and immediately clasped one hand to her forehead. The hair of the dog hadn’t helped as much as she’d thought it would. “But first, I must see to this damnable headache of mine.” “We can’t go down to Earth,” Jazz began in a shocked whisper. “Why, the last time we were there, people tried to burn us at the stake.”

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Heart rolled her eyes. “That was hundreds of years ago. The mortals have evolved since then. Now, they no longer consider us a threat to society.” Emmie glared at both of her sisters. “That’s because humans don’t believe we exist. Now, do hurry up and find something to wear. I’d like to find Noelle and be home before Samhain, if at all possible.” Jazz swayed on her feet. “But -- but, why can’t we just bring Noelle back here? I mean, why do we have to go get her? If you can remember the spell to take us down there, why can’t you just pop her right back up here?” She sounded positively frantic. “Because sweet Ella seems to have concocted some sort of blocking spell. I’ll bet you dollars to doughnuts the little witch never thought we’d actually take our asses down to Earth. Once I’m there, I can figure out a way to undo the spell and rescue Noelle. Then I’ll kick Ella’s curvy little ass. Not necessarily in that order. “Now, as I said, get ready. We’re leaving in ten minutes.” Emmie swept past her sisters, her vivid red tunic crawling along the floor behind her. “And Heart, you may want to catch Jazz. I do believe she’s about to pass out.”

***** The woman was following him, even went so far as to trail him down the hallway and into the bathroom. He stopped to glare at her. “If you don’t mind ...” Where in the hell are

the police? It seemed like hours ago that he’d called them. She folded her arms, but didn’t move. Jacob tried not to notice the way her defensive posture added to her tantalizing cleavage. “I do mind. I need your help to resurrect your uncle.” Jacob took a growling step toward her and caught the scent of her hair again. Hormones punched him in the gut, nearly bringing him to his knees. His cock pushed against the front of his pants, and he took a staggering step backwards. Holy hell. What was going on? He’d never felt such a powerful attraction before. This was beyond common lust.

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He eyed Noelle. “Did you just do something to me?” Although he didn’t think she had, he could actually think of a few things he’d like her to do. Those pink lips were driving him insane, and he barely knew her. But scattered images tantalized him. Visions of tugging the sheet down below her breasts, cupping the golden globes in his hands, and tasting the sweet buds of her nipples. Jesus. The woman might not be a true witch, but she could cast spells. Noelle gave him a disgusted look. “I didn’t touch you.” Suspicion narrowed his eyes. “You did earlier ... with your breast.” The reminder only served to make his cock harder. “Did you use some kind of a spell then?” “I thought you didn’t believe in witches.” Her words rankled, but the slipping sheet bothered him even more. The tops of her breasts were visible, and the round fullness was starting to make him sweat. He pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. “I don’t. You’re absolutely right. Just go away. Please.” He added the last through clenched teeth. “Jacob,” she began in a husky whisper that sent fingertips dancing down his spine. Good God. She’d bewitched him. The mirrors in the half bathroom began to fog, and since Noelle had lowered her arms, he could now see the outline of her perfectly pert nipples pushing against the sheet. She’d wrapped it around her toga-style, but it did little to camouflage her luscious curves. He clenched his hands into fists to keep from reaching out to her. “My name is Mr. Sanders.” She gave him a long, studious look while his cock grew harder with each passing blink of her tempting lashes. “As you wish, then. Like it or not, Mr. Sanders, I am a witch. And I can help your uncle.” “No one can help my uncle now.”

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“Do you know that for a fact?” Before he could stop her, she placed the palm of her hand against his chest. Every nerve in his body jangled, and he bit back a curse. Something was happening to him. Maybe he was coming down with the flu. Something was definitely coming up, though, and he couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this hard so fast. Looking down into those ocean-blue eyes, he started to feel different somehow. Not different bad. Definitely good. And hot. He couldn’t forget the heat. Those moist pink lips wouldn’t let him forget that. And as sure as he was going to regret his next words, he knew he was going to have this vixen in his bed. “What do I have to do?” Noelle practically purred her approval and moved in closer. “I’ll tell you that in a minute, but first, I’d like a taste.” Her words startled him, and before he could stop her, the witch had cupped the back of his head and dragged it lower, fastening her lips to his. With a low snarl, he grabbed hold of her hips and brought her body into rough contact with his erection. He knew he’d never come before from just a kiss, but then, he’d never been kissed in quite this manner before. Noelle didn’t just move her lips across his. She nibbled. Sucked. Licked ... encasing his body in a raging inferno before she lifted her head. With a wicked smile, she dusted her hands together. “Now, then. Shall we get started?” He already had, and he could barely fucking walk because of it.

***** “Ella!” Heart screeched as she stormed from room to room inside the picturesque house she shared with her two sisters. She figured if she hollered loud enough, their roaming niece would hear and make her presence known. “Don’t make me come looking for you.”

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The mere thought of having to go to Earth made her nauseous, and she’d be damned if she was going to be subjected to the atrocities that -- that planet offered. She shuddered at the thought. The last time she’d been to Earth, she’d been groped by a man in a dirty linen suit, shoved down the steps of a subway station, and fondled inside the train. The fondling she hadn’t minded so much once she’d gotten a good look at the man responsible, but being bandied around like a tennis ball wasn’t exactly her idea of fun. So if she was going to have to go to Earth, she damned sure wasn’t going without making sure Ella knew of her displeasure. “Ella!” The name came out on a shriek. Still, Heart only heard the whisper of the wind through the opened windows. “Ella, I swear, if I have to come looking for you, I’ll give you warts and a long, pointed nose!” She paused. “And a flat chest. Now get your ass down here!” Knowing how much Ella prided herself on her full bosoms, Heart wasn’t surprised when the air shifted and light corkscrewed from ceiling to floor, prefacing Ella’s arrival. A dark-haired beauty with a sultry smile and a wicked sense of humor, Ella thrived on practical jokes and living life to the fullest. And she didn’t always use her magic wisely. Which was exactly why Heart had called her home. She didn’t have a doubt in her mind that the little wench was behind all of this drama. Heart glared at the young woman. “What were you thinking? How could you do this to Noelle?” Ella tilted her head to one side and grinned. “She needed to have some fun, learn to lighten up. She’s been studying so much, trying to learn everything there is to know about being a witch, when we all know she just isn’t cut out to be one.” She inspected her nails. “So I thought this little break would be just what she needed to clear her head.” “And you thought putting her in a dead man’s bed would do that?”

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Momentarily taken aback, the young witch frowned. “He wasn’t dead when I put her there. He was snoring quite soundly. Hmm. The old goat must have croaked in the night.” Heart gasped. “Don’t you dare speak that way about the deceased! Were it not for your own immortality, you could be facing the same fate.” “So what exactly do you want me to do?” Ella moved on to buffing her nails against her silk blouse, obviously unconcerned. Taking two steps forward, Heart captured a handful of that same silk, dragging her niece in for a closer look. She hated that her eyesight was failing, but her magic didn’t promise her a perfect body, just an eternal one. “You will go back down to Earth and reverse the spell.” Ella pursed her lips. “I can’t do that now, Auntie. You know the rules. To reverse a spell would mean conceding defeat. Noelle will have to get herself out of this one.” “She’s attempting to resurrect that ... that ... dead man!” Rich laughter poured from Ella’s lips. “Oh, that’s rich! Noelle can barely keep a plant alive even with magical assistance. I think I should like to see this.” Heart began to tow her niece toward the door at the opposite end of the living room. “The Book of Spells is in the sitting room right where Emmie left it. I want your ass on that sofa, reading it. Don’t move a muscle until you figure out a way to put an end to this nonsense. Right now, I have Emmie insisting we go to Earth to retrieve Noelle, and Jazz fainting every twenty seconds. I will not have my life disrupted in this manner. Am I making myself clear, my sweet?” She leaned in to emphasize her point. “If I’m not happy, you won’t be happy.” She let go of the blouse and pointed toward the sofa. “Now, sit.” Ella straightened the wrinkles in the silk and grinned, apparently unaffected by her aunt’s display of temper. “As I said, I can’t help Noelle. But I do wish her the best, and from the sound of things, she’s going to need it.” With a wave of her hand, she disappeared.

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Heart glared up at the ceiling and counted to ten. Whoever thought of such a ludicrous way of controlling anger, anyway? “Okay, Ella. I warned you. One flat chest coming up.”

***** Noelle led the way back to poor old Uncle Ed’s bedroom with her knees knocking together. She had no idea what she was supposed to do now, but she knew the man behind her, the Adonis-looking male, expected magic to raise the dead. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she pushed open the door. She should have just kept kissing him. Maybe that would have made him forget all about his dearly departed uncle. It had sure made her forget where she was. The feel of his hard body pressed so closely to hers had created a fire in the pit of her stomach and a wealth of moisture between her thighs. And in that exact moment, when she’d felt the ridge of his cock bumping against her hip, she’d decided that Jacob Sanders would be the first mortal she’d sleep with. The thought should have stunned her, but instead, it had swept through her like an intense flame, warming her from head to toe. Now that she’d made her decision, she was eager to get this resurrecting business out of the way. Then, of course, she’d have to make Jacob aware of her intentions, but she doubted he’d refuse. He didn’t look like the playboy type -- or maybe he did. Ella would know, but Noelle knew very little about the ways of mortals. Either way, though, she was sure she could convince Jacob to spend one night with her. Alone. Her lips curled into a smile while the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. And what a night it would be. Vivid images of silken sheets, sweaty bodies, and chocolate-covered cherries skated through her mind along with whipped cream. Couldn’t forget the whipped cream. Jacob tapped his foot against the carpeted floor. “Hello? Are you meditating, or what?”

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Her teeth snapped together. The only thing that helped her temper was the calming reminder that no matter how much he pissed her off, she still intended to fuck him. And maybe not just for one night. “Okay.” Noelle raked her palms down the front of the sheet still protecting her nudity from his gaze. Not that she’d seen Jacob Sanders looking at her with any emotion other than disgust, but a witch could always hope a man would notice her rather than her having to bind him with a spell. She did, of course, understand why Jacob might not be paying such rapt attention to her. He thought she’d slept with his uncle. Her nose wrinkled. She prayed she hadn’t. Surely, she hadn’t. The mere thought made her shudder. And wouldn’t she know? A woman just knew, didn’t she? “What am I supposed to be doing?” His deep voice made her jump. She looked over her shoulder. When had he moved so close to her? She could see the taut lines edging his mouth and the sparks shooting from his dark eyes. And she couldn’t help but notice the thickness of his lashes. The man was beautiful. There were no other words to describe him. Sheer beauty. He probably wouldn’t appreciate the adjective, but no other man who’d ever crossed her path had earned the label. “Could you stop staring at me and get on with whatever abracadabra stuff you’re going to do?” His feet shifted, as if he was uncomfortable, drawing attention to the tight bulge between his thighs. Noelle’s gaze flicked to his crotch. Impressive. And hard. A smug smile pulled at her lips. Okay, so maybe he had noticed her. Jacob waved a hand back and forth in front of her face. Then he waved a hand back and forth in front of the zipper of his jeans. “Hello again? How about keeping your eyes above my belt buckle?”

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Heat flooded her face, and she quickly obeyed. “Well, could you move back a little? You’re making me nervous.” “Think how you’re going to feel inside the jail cell.” Noelle cursed, drew in a deep breath, and vainly tried to recall a spell, any spell, that would get her out of this predicament. Nothing. Her mind was an empty slate. And when she looked over her shoulder again, she saw that Jacob Sanders had gone from mad to furious. She knew then that was her exit cue, but before the words would form in her brain, the bedroom door flew open, and two uniformed police officers stood facing them with guns drawn. Jacob stepped forward without any fear in his eyes. Even as a witch, Noelle had to admit the guns made her nervous. She’d been told she was immortal, but, well, knowing the way her life went, she’d probably be the one witch who wasn’t. “Officers, I’m Jacob Sanders, and this woman says her name is Noelle Bridges.”

Says? Noelle frowned. She didn’t like the tone of his voice. “My name is Noelle Bridges.” “And,” Jacob stressed the word, “she’s the woman I told you about -- the one I found in bed with my uncle.” “Actually --” Noelle shot him a dirty look. “-- he didn’t find me in bed with his deceased uncle. He found me standing in the room with his dead uncle.” She held up one finger. “There’s a big difference.” The cops exchanged glances before the bigger, paunchy one jerked his chin toward Noelle. “Turn around and put your hands behind your back.”

They’re arresting me? Noelle had never even considered that possibility, but she already knew she wasn’t going to allow these two men with shiny badges to take her anywhere.

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She simply just wouldn’t go. “Are you listening to us, ma’am? Turn around and put your hands behind your back.” The same officer spoke with a sterner tone, using both hands to steady his weapon. Okay, she was growing irritated now. “There’s no need to speak to me so rudely.” She clamped her hands on her hips and shot a dirty look toward Jacob. “You really had to call them, didn’t you? Do I look like a woman who could kill a man? Because if that’s what you’re thinking, you don’t know me at all.” Jacob stared at her for a long second. “Lady, I don’t know you at all.” “And whose fault is that?” she responded snippily. “Ma’am, if you don’t turn around and put your hands behind your back, we’re going to have to use force.” Noelle’s brow knitted. “I don’t think so.” With a wave of her hand, she silenced the police officers, freezing them where they stood. “What the hell?” Jacob’s gaze whipped from the frozen men to Noelle’s face before he started backing away from her. “Okay, look. I don’t know what in the hell you are, but --” “Yes, you do,” she interrupted. “I already told you I was a witch. Now, I’ll be on my way. When I leave, these men will come to life again. Of course, they might suspect you helped me to escape.” She tapped her finger against her chin. “I suppose you wouldn’t like that.” His eyes narrowed, and he took a warning step toward her. “I don’t respond well to threats, Ms. Bridges.” “And I don’t respond well to being handcuffed. I’m not going to jail for killing your uncle, when I didn’t kill him.” A muscle ticked in Jacob’s jaw. “Get those cops out of here.” “And then what?” He blew out a breath. “I don’t know, but we’ll have to figure something out.”

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“We? As in, we’re now a team?” He glared at her. “Hell, no. Just get them out of here and ...” He stopped talking. “Where did they go?” “You told me to get them out of here.” Noelle folded her arms over her chest. She was enjoying herself immensely. The look on Jacob Sanders’s face was priceless. “Didn’t you?” “Okay, that’s it. I’ve had just about enough of you.” Jacob moved forward as if to grab her. This time, Noelle made her getaway.

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Chapter Three

He couldn’t believe the little vixen had simply disappeared. Gone. Just like that. Jacob poured himself another shot of whiskey and tossed back the contents seconds before his two maiden aunts came barreling into the living room to weep and wail. Jesus. This was going to be a long day. He shouldn’t have called them, but there was certainly no bringing Uncle Ed back to life, especially since the witch had failed. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he couldn’t even believe he was thinking Noelle had actually wanted to try to raise his deceased uncle. It was impossible. But then, so was a woman disappearing before his eyes. He massaged his temples and escorted the two spinsters toward the table of food while keeping one eye on his twin nephews, who were currently organizing a food fight. “Becca, could you please control your kids?” Jacob called out to his sister. Becca sailed forward, the picture of grace and perfection. “Knock it off, guys. Jacob, the cops are here to see you.” He checked his watch. Four hours had passed. Maybe they’d just woken up from Noelle’s spell or whatever the hell it was. “It’s about damned time.” He made it sound like this was the first time he’d heard anything from the police.

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Striding toward the door, he heard his aunts’ continued weeping, urging him to step out onto the front porch and tug the door shut behind him. A stiff breeze lifted his tie and sent it flapping. He held it against his starched white shirt while the same police officers he’d seen earlier introduced themselves. “We received your call about your uncle’s death.” The chubby cop checked a small notepad. “You indicated a woman was with him.” Jacob looked from one uniformed officer to the other. They didn’t even remember they’d been there! Jesus. Either he was going nuts, or Noelle Bridges really was a witch. “Uh ... Mr. Sanders?” Clearing his throat, Jacob nodded. “That’s right. Blonde hair. Blue eyes.” Sexy as hell. He kept that part to himself. “And is she still here?” “No. She just disappeared.” The officers exchanged glances. “Disappeared? You mean, you left the room and came back to find her gone?” Jacob latched on to the plausible excuse. “Yeah. That’s what I meant.” “Do you know who she is or how we can get in touch with her?” He wished. The thought made him flush. “No, I don’t. I’d never seen her before.” “We’re going to need to seal the bedroom until the medical examiner determines the exact cause of death.” One of the cops took a step forward, but Jacob blocked his path. “Can’t this wait? The coroner just left, and my aunts are taking this hard.” The men didn’t look pleased. “That’s against protocol, Mr. Sanders. If the bedroom is a crime scene, we need to preserve the evidence. Homicide will have our asses on a platter if we don’t follow the rules.”

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Jacob held up one hand, preparing to do what he did best. Negotiate. It’s what had made him a very rich man before he’d turned thirty. “Look, I can promise you no one will go into the bedroom. In fact, my family and I will be leaving for the funeral home in a few minutes. As soon as we leave, you can have carte blanche to do what you need to do.” The officers shifted, but finally relented. “Well, okay, as long as no one goes into the bedroom. We’ll give you an hour, and then we have to follow procedure.” “I understand, and I’ll make sure everyone knows the bedroom is off limits.” Jacob figured that shouldn’t be a problem. He bade the cops goodbye and turned to the task of ushering his sobbing aunts, rowdy nieces and nephews, and the rest of his family out the door There were myriad hugs and wet kisses and comments about how good Uncle Ed had been before Jacob finally managed to convince everyone he would meet them at the funeral home later that day to help with the arrangements. Then Aunt Rita led the pack down the driveway, her floppy black hat waving in the breeze while her wails caused every dog in the neighborhood to start barking. Jacob leaned his head against the closed door for one second before straightening, rolling the knots out of his shoulders, and heading down the hallway to secure his uncle’s bedroom door. As his hand turned the doorknob, he heard the soft rustle of movement inside. He froze. No one should be in the room. Unless ... Pushing open the door, he heard the gasp of surprise and saw the startled blue eyes once more. He stared. He didn’t quite know what else to do.

Noelle’s shoulders drooped. Perfect. Could this day get any worse? She’d spent the last few hours trying to recall a way, any way, to summon her aunts, even her cousin, to no avail.

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Figuring she might be able to find a clue back inside the bedroom, she’d returned to Uncle Ed’s house. Her plan had been not to get caught. Apparently, Lady Luck just wasn’t in a smiling mood today. “Mr. Sanders. I imagine you never expected to see me again.” Jacob came into the bedroom, kicking the door shut behind him. “How in the hell did you get back in here?” Noelle caught the scent of expensive cologne, and she practically sighed with pleasure. “I just asked you a question.” He snapped her out of her longing. “You can ask me that after the way I left?” She saw his eyes frost and cursed under her breath. The last thing she needed to do now was antagonize him. “I just had to tell my family about Uncle Ed’s death, talk to the police, and deal with my Aunt Rita’s fucking hysterics, and you’re in the middle of my uncle’s bedroom, standing like you belong here,” he ground out through clenched teeth. The tightness of his jaw combined with the tension of his muscles, and Noelle couldn’t help but appreciate every nuance of his male beauty. She was sure he wouldn’t want to know where her mind was at the present moment, though. She tugged the hem of her T-shirt lower over her stomach. She’d been thankful her magic was still good enough to help her procure clothes, but she just wasn’t comfortable in Earth’s clothing as much as she was in the robes of her home. “Don’t expect me to hang around and talk to them again. Next time, I might not be so polite as to return them to their station house.” “Christ, woman. Who the hell are you? What the hell are you?” She thrust her chin back to see his face. Still beautiful. Damn. She’d hoped her morning attraction to him had been a fluke. Nope. Her hormones were still singing opera. “I’ve already told you what I am. You didn’t want to listen.”

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“You couldn’t resurrect my uncle,” he pointed out with maddening precision. Her teeth worried her lower lip. His spicy scent reached her nostrils again, and she drew in a deep breath. The man smelled as good as he looked. Good enough to eat. The idea had possibilities. “That’s because it’s not something I do every day. The coven doesn’t exactly teach that, either.” She shot him a glare. “And they don’t condone it. Had I been caught in the act, I would have suffered severe punishment, but I was trying to do it for you, for your family, not for my own benefit.” Why was she trying to explain herself to a mere mortal? “As you can see, I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.” Jacob pointed toward the window seat covered with floral cushions. His broad shoulders obliterated the door behind him. “Sit down.” She didn’t like his tone of voice, but at least he wasn’t calling for help. She sat and crossed her legs. The jeans felt strange against her flesh, too constricting. She tugged at the denim material and watched Jacob’s eyes follow her movements. Disgust had disappeared, apparently. “Are you going to sit, too, or are you going to stand there looming over me?” “Right now, looming looks pretty good.” “I didn’t kill your uncle.” “Let’s just say I’m starting to believe you. What were you doing with him?” Hell. They were back to the part he wasn’t going to believe no matter how she tried to describe it. “I’m not sure. The last thing I remember last night was walking down the Great Hall.” At his frown, she elaborated. “The Great Hall is the main link to all the rooms inside the coven’s tower. Most witches live there, except for my aunts. They branched out on their own, and now they own a house in Betony.” She blew out a breath and shifted on the seat. “Betony is a city, but I can’t exactly tell you where. It’s not on Earth.” “Wait!” His hand sliced the air. “Is this information I need?”

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Noelle took offense. “Maybe not, but I thought you’d want to know more about the woman you think slept with your uncle.” Jacob expelled a loud breath and dropped down beside her. “Did you sleep with him?” Noelle shivered. “No! As I was saying, I was walking down the Great Hall one minute, and the next, I end up here.” “And let me guess. You have no idea how you got here.” His jaws made a snapping sound. “I have one.” But she already knew she wasn’t going to be able to explain the ways of her cousin to the man glaring at her. Noelle wasn’t quite sure she understood Ella anyway. She felt him turn, positioning his body to face her. The strong line of his jaw captured her attention for a brief moment, and she wondered what he’d do if she decided to kiss him again. Great. Her nipples peaked again. Jacob coughed and snapped his fingers in the air. “Would you care to share your thoughts, or am I supposed to guess?” “Ella.” Jacob raked a hand through his hair, leaving it in thick waves against his head. Noelle could only imagine running her fingers through the silky strands. “Lady, you’re confusing the hell out of me.” His bark brought her back to the situation at hand. What was it about the man that mesmerized her? That wasn’t supposed to happen to witches. At least, she didn’t think so. Seeing he was still waiting for a further explanation, Noelle frowned. “My apologies for not making myself clearer, but I’m afraid I don’t really have a way to explain my family. And my name is Noelle, not lady.” She pushed herself to her feet. “You’re right. You probably couldn’t be called a lady,” he growled in a low tone, but witches had excellent hearing.

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Noelle glared down at the top of his head, noticing the way the sunlight glinted off the blue-black strands of his hair. “I can always leave again if you find me so offensive.” He snagged hold of her wrist, and electricity sparked between them. Noelle’s skin tingled, and looking down into Jacob’s upturned face, she knew he felt it, too. He stood, towering over her, and the connection became a living, breathing thing. “This is crazy,” he whispered. Awareness clamored up her spine. “Try being in my world.” He hooked his hand at the back of her neck. “I think I already am.” This time, the kiss was all his idea, but Noelle didn’t have a better one. She wrapped her arms around his neck and sank into the heat of his lips. His tongue thrust inside her mouth, meeting hers in a quick stroke. Moisture dashed across her slit, and she hooked one leg behind his, dragging him even closer. Any minute now, she was going to explode, but she’d be damned if she’d go alone. One of his arms wrapped around her waist and tightened. Hot breath blew against her ear as he moved his lips to her neck. His free hand palmed her breast, and Noelle cursed the cotton separating her flesh from his. With a whisper of her lips, the material fell away to reveal her lush breasts. Jacob groaned and cupped her fully. “God, you’re so beautiful,” he whispered in a ragged voice. “Don’t talk,” she instructed. “Just touch me. Taste me.” His head popped up at the suggestion. “Your wish is my command.” Thank the goddess. Her jeans came down over her thighs and pooled around her feet, followed quickly by her panties. As Jacob knelt before her, she waved her hands over top of his head, feeling only a slight twinge of guilt for using her magic. But she desperately needed to feel the touch of his fingers, the roughness of his tongue, and she wasn’t quite sure he would oblige her without some magical intervention.

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There was something about the man, something that changed her into this wanton sexual being who couldn’t think unless it was naughty thoughts. Carnal, lustful thoughts that she turned into reality with just a sweep of her hand. The heat of his breath caused her to catch hers. She rocked back on her heels and felt a push against her thighs. Jacob’s hands, guiding her back toward the window seat. She sat, opening her legs wide. His dark head went between them, and the air thickened with desire and tension. His palms smoothed the skin above her bikini line, which he followed with gentle kisses. Noelle closed her eyes and concentrated on breathing. The connection she felt with this man was so strong, so overpowering, and yet, she barely knew him. An explanation failed her as her hands threaded through the silk of his hair. Looking down, she saw his dark eyes watching her before he leaned forward. At the first lick of his tongue, so slight, like the barest hint of a raindrop, she forgot all about breathing. Hands braced behind her, she arched her spine, ready for the downpour. Jacob lifted her right leg and settled it over his shoulder. The scent of sex wafted up to her, heating her blood. Thumbs parting her lips, he lowered his mouth to her pussy. Goddess above! Noelle groaned even before the first real stroke of his tongue. He kissed the smooth petals of her flesh, rubbed his cheek against her inner thigh. And then he allowed the tip of his tongue to lightly brush her clit, just enough to tease her. She wanted to shove his face against her and demand he eat, but she didn’t want to distract him. It seemed he had a plan in mind. She might have known he’d be good at this. Just the look of him told her he was a master in bed. He buried his tongue deep within her pussy, and her ass came up off the padded bench as she gave a startled cry. Cream gushed out to greet him, and he lapped her clean before continuing his journey up her slick valley. Teeth nibbling at her clit, he raised his eyes to see her face.

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Noelle’s chest heaved as she watched him watching her. She’d never seen a more erotic thing in her life. “God, that feels good,” she encouraged, lest he think she didn’t appreciate his efforts. He lifted his head. “Yeah? You like that?” His tongue circled around her clit, taunting and tempting before settling back against the electrified nub. The roughness of the strokes nearly drove her over the edge, but the push of his fingers deep within her soaked channel made her scream with pleasure. Making growling noises, he shoved his face deeper against her pussy, pushing hard against her clit while his fingers scissored inside her. His tongue was everywhere -- against the slick flesh of her lips, across her vulva, in between the cheeks of her ass before taking her clit into his mouth once more. Noelle knew this was going to be a powerful orgasm. She felt it building from the top of her scalp. It tingled, just like refreshing shampoo. Then warmth swept over her, much like the sun on a hot summer day. The muscles of her thighs began to clench, and as the sounds of Jacob’s enjoyment reached her ears, she began to pant. Closer and closer the climax drew, reaching for her, grasping hold of her. Nerve endings began to sizzle, and then she came with a loud cry of pure, undiluted pleasure. Her ass bucked off the bench, and she slammed back and forth into his face while little screams continued to come from the back of her throat. The orgasm only made Jacob grind his mouth against her harder, more focused on his task. Just when Noelle thought he’d need to come up for air, he went deeper, his tongue sliding down between the cheeks of her ass to bathe the tight hole. He tickled and flicked against the skin while Noelle writhed atop the window seat.

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Oh, the goddess had smiled on her today. She threw her other leg over his shoulder and slid down lower, giving Jacob a wide-open view of her pussy and more places to touch and suck. And he took full advantage. His fingers bit into her flesh as he moved his hands back to her thighs, leaving damp impressions against her skin. Spreading her legs wider than she’d ever thought they could go, he suckled and ate with pleased murmurs. Noelle’s fingers tightened around the thick strands of his hair, her back jerking from lack of support. Sweet Mother Earth, she was going to come again. More screaming. More arching and jerking until she segued into another mind-numbing orgasm and then another. Jacob didn’t stop until she was exhausted, or perhaps he needed air. And when he rose over her, his face glistened with her juices, and Noelle couldn’t help but notice the damp patch against the crotch of his pants. She’d bet her cousin’s two gold teeth that he was hard as a rock, but before her hand could test the bet, Jacob stiffened, his head whipping around. “Did you hear that?” he asked in a gruff voice. Noelle didn’t want to hear anything but the sounds of his groans as he fucked her. “Nope. Didn’t hear a thing.” She hooked her hands at the back of his neck and tried to drag him closer to her, but he resisted. “No, wait. I think there’s someone at the front door.” He managed to extricate himself from her embrace, a feat Noelle considered damned amazing, considering the tightness of her grip. With a low groan of frustration, she sat up on the bench. “All right. Well, go see who it is. I’ll be right here.” He stood with a jerk and walked stiffly toward the door. It was no wonder. She could see for herself that the bulge between his thighs was a full-blown erection. “Do you need some help with that first?” she purred.

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Jacob yanked open the bedroom door just as voices filtered into the room. “Mr. Sanders, it’s Detectives Brabham and Simon. We’d like to have a word with you, please.” He spun around. “You need to get out of here. Those detectives want to search this room, and the last thing you want is for them to find you here.” His hand swept over his mouth in an effort to erase the traces of her musk. Warmth filled Noelle’s stomach, and she stood with a smile on her face. “You’re telling me to run away from the police?” Tugging her panties and jeans back up her hips, she gave him an appreciative look, which he quickly squelched. “I’m telling you to get out of my uncle’s house.” “I don’t have anywhere to go.” Jacob’s brows lowered. “You’re homeless, too? Jesus.” She glared at him. Apparently, her spell had worn off. He was back to being unpleasant again. “I have a home. In Betony.” “Oh, yes. And Betony is somewhere in the wild blue yonder. Great. That’s just great.” He dipped his hand into the front pocket of his pants. “All right. Then climb out the window.” Noelle stood on her tiptoes and peeked over the window seat. “We’re on the second floor.” “Then fly out the fucking window, for all I care. Look --” He dragged a hand through his mussed hair. “-- if the police catch you, they’ll throw your ass in jail.” “Why? What did you tell them?” “Mr. Sanders, could you open the door, please?” More banging sounded against the front door. “Will you just get the hell out of here? Go to the garage, and I’ll meet you there.” The tingle returned, but she frowned. “You want to finish what we started in a dusty garage?”

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He gave her a blank look. “I’m taking you with me,” he explained with a considerable lack of patience. Noelle’s interest was caught. “You’re taking me to your house?” Jacob eyed her with increased suspicion in the depths of his ebony eyes. “Why do you sound so excited?” Her face cleared. “No reason. I’m just surprised that you’re suddenly interested in helping me.” “Who said anything about helping you? I just don’t want to risk your taking off again.” “I still can, you know,” she reminded him. He exhaled with one hand on the doorknob. “That’s one reminder I didn’t need.”

***** “Will you stop humming?” Emmie burst out, her hands fluttering in the air. “I can’t think!” Jazz gave a wail of distress and sank down atop the settee, holding her face in her hands. “It’s no use. We’re not going to be able to go.” “Well, at least Noelle couldn’t remember the resurrection spell.” Heart breathed a sigh of relief. “We can count our blessings in that, but the coven won’t be happy about this if they get wind of it.” Emmie lifted the glass next to the overstuffed chair she sat in and took a nip of brandy. “They needn’t know. At least, not yet.” “They’ll know.” Jazz sighed. “They always know everything.” Emmie silently agreed. She’d been on the receiving end of the coven’s ire, and she still bore the wicked memories. “Then we shall just have to make sure that it doesn’t happen.” “She can’t fall in love with a mortal,” Heart announced suddenly.

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Both sisters stared at Heart. “Who said anything about falling in love?” Jazz began to wring her hands. “She’s just met the mortal!” Emmie considered Heart’s comment. “But we both did see that spark. Not to mention the ... beginnings of the -- um -- other thing.” “Which I’m only too thankful I didn’t see.” Heart shuddered. “Well, regardless, there’s something there, all right.” Jazz’s nose wrinkled. “Perhaps that other thing was a spell.” She was on the receiving end of both her sisters’ stares. “Well,” she defended her position, “it has been a long time since Noelle has been -- well -- you know.” Heart clapped her hands over her ears. “I don’t even want to hear any more of this.” “It doesn’t matter. Ella could have done something, for all we know.” Emmie waved away any need for concern. “You can’t trust that little vixen. She’s next on my shit list.” Jazz clapped her hand against her mouth. “You shouldn’t say words like that, Emmie. It’s not becoming a lady.” Heart rolled her eyes. “We’re not ladies. We’re witches.” Emmie jogged the Book of Spells on her knees. “I just wish I could remember the last line of that damned spell. That’s all we need. Think, sisters.” “It’s no use,” Jazz said morosely. “I gave up thinking a long time ago.”

***** Ella wasn’t a happy witch. Trust Noelle to be thrust into the mortal world and still end up on the arm of a sexy male specimen. She didn’t think the aunts had managed to offer any type of assistance. She’d have been able to track any magic traversing between worlds, even though they were making preparations to drop down to Earth. She doubted they’d actually come; at least, she hoped

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they didn’t. For now, she was just happy Heart hadn’t changed the size of her breasts as she’d threatened. Ella strolled across the plush carpet inside the hotel room. She’d always enjoyed these little trips to Earth, in spite of the coven’s displeasure. Many times she’d asked Noelle to join her, but Noelle always followed the rules like some fucking Little Red Riding Hood. But now, things were different. Here, Ella made the rules. “Let’s see you get yourself out of this, sweet cousin. Not even your beauty will help you escape this one.” If Noelle ended up finding more than just her way home, Ella would swear off witchcraft and become a celestial nun.

***** Noelle spun around in the center of the large living room, her arms outstretched. For the first time since waking next to a dead man, she felt comfortable. She heard Jacob talking on the phone, but she didn’t that worry he was calling the police. He’d taken her away to protect her, no matter what he said. Closing her eyes, she quickly rid herself of the restrictive jeans and T-shirt, clothing herself in a long, flowing robe of pure silk. Much better. She walked across the carpet, the long slit in the front of the ebony garment giving her plenty of freedom. She nearly sighed with bliss. Perhaps spending a few days on Earth wouldn’t be so bad, after all. The plush carpet comforted her aching feet as she made her way around the living area. She inspected pictures of what she assumed was Jacob’s family and felt a gnawing ache in the pit of her stomach. He looked so happy there with his mother and father. She continued down the row until one particular photograph brought her up short. Jacob with his arm around a leggy brunette with a wide smile.

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They looked deliriously happy. Noelle’s brows lowered as she lifted the silver frame and brought it up closer to her face for further inspection. “She’s my sister.” Jacob spoke from over her left shoulder. Noelle jumped, and with no small amount of guilt, clunked the frame back down onto the top of the entertainment center. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to pry.” She turned to face him. “Sure you did.” If he thought he could embarrass her, he was in for a sad awakening. “I’ve always been rather nosy.” When he didn’t respond, she cleared her throat. He hadn’t taken his eyes off of her since he’d walked into the room, and now he stood several inches away from her, holding a steaming mug. “Why are you staring at me like that?” “What in the hell are you wearing?” His voice sounded strangled. “What I always wear. The other clothing didn’t belong to me. I only wore it to fit in. I’m much more comfortable in this. It’s so unrestricted.” She swept her arms out to demonstrate the freedom she now experienced. Jacob gave a choked gasp and walked toward her, still holding the mug. “Yeah, well, I thought you might like some coffee.” Self-preservation instincts kicked in. “Why are you being so nice to me all of a sudden?” He placed the cup down on the coffee table and returned to the kitchen. “There’s a reward out for information leading to your arrest.” Horror settled into her bones. “What?” She scurried after him. “Are you serious?” She clasped one hand to her throat. “My aunts will be mortified.” Jacob raised his own mug to his lips, pausing before taking a sip. “I’d think you’d be more worried about your own hide.” Noelle scowled at him. She didn’t particularly care for eternally nasty men, even if they did come wrapped in attractive packages. “I’m not worried about my hide, because I will

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survive. Eventually, my cousin will see the error of her ways and reverse this damnable spell she has cast.” “And what makes you so sure she’s cast a spell?” His lips curled around the rim of the cup, and Noelle found herself staring at him. He made sipping coffee a sensual moment. Heat curled her toes, and she looked away. “Who else would put me in bed with a dead man?” “Maybe he wasn’t dead. Perhaps a night of vigorous sex killed him.” “That was an incredibly horrid thing to say.” And repulsive. She was sure Uncle Ed had been a perfectly nice man, but he certainly wasn’t her type. Unlike his nephew. One shoulder lifted in a shrug. Noelle noticed how it pulled his shirt tighter across his muscles. “You don’t know me, Noelle. I could be a perpetually horrid person.” Oh, the many, many spells she could cast right now. Her temper climbed higher, and she counted to ten. Apparently, this man didn’t know that a bad-tempered witch could be the epitome of nasty. “Are you trying to bait me?” He sipped again. “Why not? Isn’t that what you’re trying to do to me?” Sorting through her mental Rolodex, she came up blank. “What are you talking about? All I’m trying to do is find my way home.” “And the new get-up doesn’t have anything to do with your desire to keep me offguard, to seduce me?” A red haze glazed her vision. His arrogance astounded her. “Seduce you? I would rather eat a kettle of Aunt Heart’s toad stew -- and let me tell you, she’s one aunt who wasn’t blessed with talent in the kitchen.” She marched forward and poked him squarely in the center of his chest. “So, if you could push your ego out of the way, perhaps we could concentrate on finding a way out of this unpalatable mess. Because I can assure you that as much as you want me gone, I want to be gone even more.” Okay, it wasn’t entirely the truth, but he didn’t need to know that.

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Jacob moved fast, and in an instant, he had her in his arms, his hand fisted in her hair. Noelle barely had time to gasp before his lips captured hers. Pleasant sensations buffeted her body. Actually, “pleasant” was too mild of a word. Wild, rocking tingles moonwalked down her spine. Good Lord, the man could kiss. Heat sliced through her, radiating from head to toe. His lips created carnal images in her brain, visions of tangled limbs, naked bodies, and whipped cream. She’d always had a fondness for sweetness and sex. His tongue licked the corners of her mouth, coaxing, teasing, until her lips parted. Coffee had never tasted so divine. Her knees weakened, bumped together. Jettisoning her earlier protests, she pressed her body against his. Nipples tingled and peaked. Her pussy quivered, damp with the moisture of her excitement. And just when she was prepared to fling herself atop the dining room table with legs akimbo, the kiss ended. Abruptly. Jacob had pushed her away. “And what were you saying about not seducing me?” Picking up his coffee mug, he raised it in a mocking salute. “Here’s to honesty.”

The lesson had cost him dearly. His cock throbbed with each move he made, giving him a harsh reminder he’d suffered more than the witch. Though his words had tripped her trigger and sent her into a maelstrom of violent emotions, she’d calmed down quickly enough. Now, she’d taken up residence on his sofa, calmly flipping through a sports magazine. He doubted she had the first inkling of knowledge about any game, lest it was the game of seduction. He blew out a loud breath and swept his hand through his hair while shooting a glance over his shoulder. The wench hadn’t taken her eyes off the glossy pages. “Christ.”

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“Did you say something, Mr. Sanders?” The sarcastic bite to her voice annoyed him further. “No, I didn’t.” But what he wanted to say was “I’m going to fuck you.” As inappropriate as that might be with his uncle’s funeral just around the corner. “But now that you asked, I have to get back to my family. They’re very distraught right now, as you can imagine. Think you can stay here and keep out of trouble?” Noelle slapped the magazine down atop the coffee table and pushed herself to her feet. Her breasts bobbed against the low-cut neckline of the silky confection she wore. “I didn’t get myself into trouble to begin with. You might be surprised to discover that I’m actually a respectable adult. In Betony, I somehow manage to live a normal life unencumbered by dead bodies or middle-aged playboys with a penchant for self-persecution.” Middle-aged playboy? Jacob’s blood boiled. “Self-persecution?” He took a threatening step toward her. What the hell ...? Noelle surprised him by favoring him with a sweet smile, but her words quickly belied the softness. “Unless I miss my guess, you do have a rather prominent erection. So it would appear you are the only one who got punished during your little mind game.” Jacob gave a low growl and contemplated strangling her. He wanted her out of his house. Out of his life. Not entirely accurate, but she didn’t have to know that. Snagging his keys from the pocket of his pants, he stormed toward the door. “Stay inside and keep out of sight. The last thing I need is for one of my neighbors to see you and call the police.” “Jacob, wait.” As he turned, he saw her standing by the edge of the sofa, and for a brief moment, he swore that was regret he saw on her face. “What is it now?” He wasn’t about to take the bait. “Look, I know we got off to a bad start, but could you ... would you just listen to my side of things?”

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He folded his arms, but remained silent. Noelle sank back down onto the sofa and curled her legs beneath her, giving Jacob another peek at golden limbs. He shifted uncomfortably, but leaned against the doorframe, the picture of nonchalance. “I know it’s hard to believe, but I really don’t know how I got here. I really didn’t sleep with your uncle, and I certainly didn’t kill him.” She ticked the points off on her fingers. “Oh, and I really am a witch.” Her shoulders hunched. “I guess what I’m trying to say is, I’m sorry. Here I’ve been thinking about my situation and never even considered yours.” Jacob straightened. What game is this? He wasn’t ready to relinquish his anger yet. The kernel of distrust continued to batter him. “What is it exactly that you’re sorry for?” “For your uncle’s passing, for putting you in such an untenable situation, and for, well, causing you so much trouble. I seem to do that a lot with my aunts.” “Cause them trouble?” His interest was captured, and he found himself moving toward the sofa. Her fingers curled around the hem of the robe. “Yeah.” She gave him a wobbly smile. “Although I am a witch, I’m not really a very good one.” “I kind of got that impression when you couldn’t raise my uncle.” He felt himself weakening. Of course, that could have had more to do with his proximity to Noelle than it did to just her words. “Not too many witches can do that. I was just bluffing.” “Yeah, figured that out, too.” He sat down beside her, inhaling the fresh fragrance of her hair. His shoulder bumped against hers. “So why do you think this Ella put you in this situation?” Noelle looked down at her hands. “I don’t really know. She’s always been a better witch than I am, so it’s not like we’re rivals.”

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Maybe not in magic, but perhaps in beauty? “Why aren’t you a good witch?” He couldn’t believe he was actually talking about witchery with an actual witch. As much as he hated to admit it, he was starting to believe her damned story, too. She looked positively forlorn. “Because I just can’t seem to get the damned spells right. As much as I try, I just screw up. I think it’s because I’m not cut out to be a witch, but my aunts tell me it’s not a choice. I was born a witch, and that’s what I’ll be until the day I die.” “Maybe you just haven’t quite gotten the hang of it yet.” Jacob’s need to comfort made him scoot closer to her. “It’s not like you’re old and gray. You have plenty of time.” “I’m seventy-two, and witches don’t get old and gray.” Jacob was still reeling too much from the first half of her sentence to even take note of the second half. “What do you mean, you’re seventy-two?” Noelle peeked up at him. “I’m from a different sect of witches. My great-great-greatgrandmother discovered an immortality spell, and since then, everyone in my lineage lives forever ... unless they want to go to the other side.”

The other side? It sounded like something out of a spooky Halloween movie. What was worse, Jacob was starting to believe it. Or maybe it was just that he was starting to see that Noelle wasn’t the cause of his uncle’s death, after all. But her age did lend more credence to his suspicions that they might have slept together. The thought made him inch away from her. “Well, then, you really do have plenty of time.” She watched him. “Why are you backing away from me like I’m tainted meat now?” Jacob scratched his upper lip. The witch did have a way with words. “It’s just that ... well ... my uncle was sixty-eight and --” Noelle came to her feet, looming over him like some kind of dark, avenging angel, and his cock sprang to life once more. “You think my age would make me sleep with your uncle. Do I look seventy-two to you, Jacob?”

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His gaze traveled from her glossy hair to the tips of her painted pink toenails, and he swallowed hard. “No.” The one word came out on a croak. “And in another two hundred years, I’ll look just like this.” “Then there are going to be some lucky guys in the next few centuries.” A smile spread across her face. “That was a nice thing to say.” Heat crept up the back of his neck. “Yeah, well, don’t get used to it. Remember, I’m perpetually horrid.” Noelle plopped back down beside him, so close that her hip bumped against his. “I’m starting not to believe that.” Who’d fucked with the thermostat? It was like a hundred degrees in the room all of a sudden. “Noelle, I think I’m going to ...” He broke off at the touch of her hand against his thigh. What was it he was going to do, exactly? “Jacob, I think you should know that I’m extremely attracted to you.” The blood left his head and went straight to his dick in a swift rush. He coughed, tried to clear his throat, to think of a response, anything which wouldn’t make him sound like some randy punk. “Why ...” Another cough. “Why was it necessary for you to tell me that?” “Because I’m not very good with relationships. Maybe it’s because I haven’t had a lot of practice. Oh, don’t get me wrong. I’m not a virgin, but the men I’ve been with don’t seem to ... well ... understand me. In fact, none of the male witches in Betony can tolerate me for very long.” That, he could believe. “Why’s that?” Noelle shifted on the sofa and clasped her hands together in her lap. “They say I’m too --” She stopped talking and shook her head. “Never mind. I shouldn’t even be talking to you, but I guess I was just trying to warn you. But you have a lot on your mind with your uncle’s death and helping your aunts and --”

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“Noelle,” Jacob interrupted her. He had to know what she’d been trying to tell him. “What warning?” Her small pink tongue licked her lower lip, and Jacob figured he couldn’t get any harder. “As a witch, I can be ... um ... more active in the ... um ... bedroom.” Active? Jacob was all ears. “I’m not following you.” But his cock would follow her anywhere. “Let’s just say I have a lot of energy.” Holy hell. Jacob knew at that exact moment that fucking her was at the top of his agenda, right after burying his uncle, as gruesome as that sounded. “You aren’t saying anything.” Noelle’s hand slid up and down his thigh. He quickly stilled the motion. “That’s because I don’t really have any blood left in my brain.” Before she could respond, he turned toward her and took hold of her shoulders. The need to taste her was so strong, it was almost palpable. And the kiss almost crippled him. Her lips were so soft, so sweet, like fresh-picked cherries. He angled his body even closer toward hers, pressing her back against the sofa. Noelle moaned and slid one hand along his jaw line, her thumb caressing his cheek while the other hand grew bolder, moving ever so lightly against the bulge between his thighs. Jacob jerked as if struck by lightning, and at that precise moment, his cell phone trilled. Leaping to his feet like he’d been caught kissing behind the school, he whipped his head around, searching for a way to silence the sound. “Jacob, it’s in your pocket,” Noelle patted the pocket dangerously close to his hard shaft. “Yeah. Yeah.” Breathing deeply, he tugged the cell phone out and answered with more of a bark than a greeting. “What?”

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The second he heard his aunt’s voice, he lost his erection and the moment with Noelle. Damn his luck. One hand scrubbed the back of his neck. “Yes, Aunt Rita. I’ll be right there. No, tell the director I’m covering the expenses, so choose whatever you want. Okay. Okay. Just calm down. I’m on my way.” Noelle stood and touched his arm. “I’m sorry. Here I was talking about sex, and you’re still in mourning.” Jacob closed his eyes momentarily and asked Uncle Ed for forgiveness. Somehow, he knew the old guy would understand. “That was my aunt. She needs me to come down to the funeral home and help her with the arrangements. Ed was her brother, and she’s --” Noelle touched a finger to his lips. “Don’t. You don’t have to explain. I shouldn’t have kept you.” Giving a brief nod, Jacob stuffed the cell phone back into his pocket and spun around. Halfway to the front door, he paused. “Noelle?” “Yes?” “For what it’s worth, I think you’ll make one helluva witch.” Her eyes lightened. “Thank you.” It wasn’t so difficult to believe. She’d bewitched him easily enough.

Laughter trickled into the room, floating down to smack Noelle full in the face. She barely had time to say her cousin’s name before Ella floated down from the ceiling, her porcelain face alight with amusement. “Oh, Noelle, Noelle, Noelle. Have I taught you nothing? You don’t let a man of such perfect beauty walk away when you have him ensnared in your web.” She kissed her fingertips. “He’s absolutely exquisite.” Her long brown hair licked at her waist, and she’d painted her face with an artist’s perfection, adding to the drama of her beauty. And now, with the gleam of mischief in her eyes, Ella looked particularly wicked, to boot.

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Noelle shot forward and snagged hold of the sleeve of Ella’s kimono, a splashy number with vivid crimson lightning bolts and bright yellow sunbursts. “How could you do this to me? I mean, putting me in bed with a dead man was terrible enough, but to make me a wanted person? A criminal?” She gave the woman a slight shake. “The aunts will have your hide for this.” Ella peeled Noelle’s fingers away from the silk and brushed her hand down the sleeve to erase the wrinkle. “Don’t get so worked up. I thought it was about time you got out and saw more of the world. You were getting a little prudish up there.” The corners of her almond-shaped brown eyes crinkled with laughter. Noelle wanted to grab her throat. “Prudish? I’ve been busy!” “Yes, I would imagine sucking up to the coven takes a lot out of a person.” Spluttering her indignation, Noelle reached for anything she could get her hands on that would do damage. Ella only laughed again and moved out of the way. “Oh, come on, Noelle. Even you have to admit that you are stuffy sometimes. When’s the last time you had some rocking fun?” A witch well versed in wild exploits, Ella flung her arms wide and twirled around the room. “You’re wasting so much of your time and energy trying to be what the aunts and the coven want you to be.” She came to a sudden stop. “What about what you want to be?” Tapping one foot against the carpet, she fixed her cousin with a knowing smirk. “Surely you have thought about breaking the rules just once in your life.” Her shoulders lifted in a careless shrug. “I just gave you a little prodding.” Still simmering, Noelle glared at her cousin. “Is this your asinine way of saying you did this for my own good?” The kimono slipped off one shoulder. “Part of it, I did, but don’t try to pin the old guy’s death on me. He was alive and snoring when I left you there.” “You’re telling me he died in his sleep?”

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Ella shrugged with a careless attitude. “He was old, Noelle. It’s entirely possible, and if I were you, I’d be more focused on how you’re going to get out of this mess, rather than poor old Ed’s departure from the mortal realm.” “You’re telling me you’re not going to reverse the spell?” Noelle’s hands clenched at her sides. “You can’t just leave me here.” Lips pursed, Ella nodded. “Actually, I can. You’re doing quite well. I mean, you did manage to find solace in the apartment of the dead guy’s nephew. From what I saw, a guy who could make any woman’s twat twitch. Not bad for a novice witch.” “I think he still believes I had something to do with his uncle’s death!” “Do you really think so?” Ella sniffed the air. “Is that coffee I smell? I can’t remember the last bit of caffeine I had.” She wandered toward the kitchen, with Noelle right behind her. “You’re not getting coffee. What you will get are my hands around your throat unless you give me the words to reverse this damnable spell.” Ella angled a look over her shoulder. “When did you get so temperamental?” “Since my bitchy cousin left me alone in a strange place to fend for myself ... without the proper knowledge to return to Betony!” The last words ended on a shout. “Temper, temper. And here I thought you paid better attention in Spells and Potions class. Well, my mistake. Gotta run. Just keep doing what you’re doing.” She snickered. “From the way Jacob Sanders was walking when he left here, I’d say you’re doing a helluva job.” She smacked Noelle on the shoulder. “By this time tomorrow, you’ll have him eating ...” She paused for effect. “... out of your hand.” Noelle opened her mouth to retort, but the air separated in a shower of sparks, signaling Ella’s rapid departure. “Hell’s bells,” Noelle groused, stomping back into the living room. Of all the harebrained schemes her cousin had ever concocted, this one certainly took the cake. With

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no reversal spell and doubting her aunts’ abilities to reach her, Noelle knew she was well and truly alone. Except for Jacob. She didn’t quite know what she was going to do with him, though plenty of naughty ideas came to mind. In fact, an overabundance of those particular thoughts whipped through her brain, and she swore she heard Ella’s gleeful chuckle. “Bitch,” Noelle snarled. “Coward,” came the glib reply. Noelle glowered at the ceiling. She was in hell. But it was nothing that a hot bath and a glass of wine couldn’t cure. Since sex wasn’t on the table ... yet.

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Chapter Four

“I’ve got it.” Emmie waved her hands in the air and bounced to her feet, immediately regretting the action. Her throbbing head reminded her she was still suffering from the effects of last night’s libations. She groaned and massaged her temples. “What did you get?” Heart scooted to the edge of the rocking chair and nudged Jazz with her foot. “Wake up, dear. I do believe Emmie’s found something.” Jazz sat up and blinked, her hair sticking out in various tufts. She rubbed her eyes sleepily. “What is it?” Emmie rushed forward and shoved the Book of Spells in front of Heart’s face. “The spell.” She waited for her accolades. Heart scratched her head for a moment before her face cleared. Then, with a squeal, she launched herself to her feet and threw her arms around Emmie’s waist. “You found it! That’s wonderful.” Jazz tapped Heart’s shoulder. “What exactly did she find?” She continued the rapid pats until Heart finally answered. “Emmie found the spell to take us to Earth.”

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Emmie beamed. “Pack your bags, sisters. We’re going on a road trip.”

***** Jacob stayed at his uncle’s house, where everyone had gathered, long enough to convince his aunts that Uncle Ed would receive the most lavish funeral possible, and then he quickly said his goodbyes. He convinced himself he was in such a hurry to get home because he still wasn’t quite sure he could trust Noelle, but his cock told him otherwise. He’d had a perpetual hard-on since he’d left and had been forced to stand behind tables and stuffed chairs for most of the evening to hide the condition. He growled in tune with the powerful engine of the sports car and stomped the accelerator. Whoever or whatever Noelle Bridges was, she’d hexed him somehow. He couldn’t stop thinking about her, and it hadn’t helped that he’d given the police an almost picture-perfect description of her. Now, with an artist’s nearly identical depiction of her image scrolling across every news station in town, he was effectively harboring a fugitive. Perfect. Where once he’d been an upstanding citizen, he could now be considered an accessory if the police discovered Noelle was the woman they were looking for. So why didn’t that bother him as much as he thought it should? Lights glowed from the windows as he approached his beachfront condo. He heard the soft hum of music coming from the end of the hallway as he tossed his keys on the Queen Anne table in the foyer. He toed off his shoes and followed the sound. Steam billowed out from under the bathroom door. He froze, swallowing hard. She was taking a bath. Vivid, erotic images played in front of his eyes. Creamy, smooth skin. Pinktipped breasts and a flat, silky stomach. A lump lodged in his throat, and his hand settled on the doorknob. He shouldn’t go in, but then, he shouldn’t be hiding her from the police, either. Silent hinges allowed him to step inside the bathroom unnoticed. All guilty thoughts fled, dissipating to mingle with the steam fogging the mirror above the pedestal sink.

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Noelle, her hair piled atop her head in a haphazard bun, reclined against the back of the tub, eyes closed and lips pursed as she sang softly. She’d filled the tub with frothy bubbles, but her puckered nipples peeked out of the white foam. Water glistened on the smooth column of her throat, and a thin trickle of moisture slid down between her breasts. The images pummeled him, and as much as he knew he should turn away, he couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. His cock took over, propelling him forward until he knelt by the edge of the tub. Noelle’s eyes opened, and instead of gasping as he expected, she smiled, long lashes blinking. “Hi, again.” Jacob dipped two fingers in the water, testing the warmth. “I didn’t expect to find you here.” Her brows rose. “You told me to stay here.” “I meant in the tub.” He heard the hoarseness in his own voice. “I didn’t think you would mind.” His fingers edged closer to one nipple. “I don’t.” She shifted, and her breast made contact with the side of his hand. “You know, I’ve been thinking about something since you left.” “Yeah, what’s that?” Was that his voice that came out sounding like the engine of a freight train? “You ... and what we started before you left. I’m getting the distinct impression you want me, but you don’t want to want me.” Jacob leaned in closer, breathing in the scent of the fragrant bubbles and her feminine essence. “Did you put a spell on me?” “So you finally believe I’m a witch, now, do you?” “How could I not?”

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“I’m sure you could figure out a way if you wanted to continue to disbelieve my existence.” He glossed over one nipple with just the pad of his index finger. “You didn’t answer my first question. Did you bewitch me?” She let out a breathy sigh. “No, I didn’t put a spell on you. Weren’t you listening when I told you I wasn’t a very good witch?” She closed her eyes. “The attraction you feel is real.” His hand slipped beneath the heated water, sliding along her ribcage. “And did you sleep with my uncle?” Her eyes popped open. “No, I didn’t.” “How can you be sure?” He inched his fingers even lower, encountering soft, wet curls and slick flesh. Sweet Jesus. Any minute now, his cock was going to burst out of his sharply creased slacks. “A woman knows when she’s had sex, Jacob.” Her lashes lowered to half-mast. “She feels different. When I woke up this morning, I felt the same as I did the night before and the night before that.” His lips twitched. “So it’s been a while, has it?” “You could say that.” He palmed her mound, and the heat singed his skin. “Want to change that?” She lifted her hips, pressing into his hand. “I believe I do.” Jacob stood, dipped both hands beneath her, and lifted her into his arms. Water dripped down the front of his shirt as he shifted her wet, slippery body against his chest. “I was hoping you’d say that.” He carried her out of the bathroom and down the hall.

The second Noelle’s back touched the mattress, she summoned the can of whipped cream. Jacob looked over his shoulder, and Noelle whispered a naughty suggestion in his ear.

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He let loose with a curse and covered her body with his. Everywhere he touched her, she burned. Any second now, she would implode. The cool air had beaded her nipples, causing their pebbled tightness to press against Jacob’s soaked shirt. Her stomach muscles tightened, and a rush of heat enveloped her pussy. He smelled divine. Good enough to eat, which was exactly what she had in mind before the day ended. Just one of those wicked thoughts while she’d soaked in the tub. “I want to fuck you so badly,” Jacob growled, his lips hovering over hers. Noelle gave him a satisfied smile. “Excellent.” She might be a novice witch, but sex was a sport she’d excelled in once upon a time. Before the coven had taken over her life. Jacob shifted, and his cock jabbed her thigh. “But it doesn’t make sense. I barely know you.” His words were buried against her neck while his hands busied themselves with massaging her breasts. “I thought the same thing, too,” Noelle responded. “In fact, I ... oh, um, that feels nice.” She lost her train of thought when his fingers began to lightly pinch her nipples. “Tell me how you like this.” Jacob’s hand covered her pussy again, and Noelle’s eyes glazed. Fingertips delved into her wetness, sinking deep into her sheath, and Noelle’s hips jutted upwards. “Sweet Mother Earth,” she cried out, digging her heels into the mattress. “Just like that. Oh. My. God. Just like that.” He tweaked her clit, and Noelle gave thanks to the goddess. “I want to taste you when you come,” came his ragged suggestion. Noelle thrust her legs open wider in silent invitation, wanting -- no, needing -- to feel his mouth on her pussy again, his tongue doing wild, wicked things to her clit. The wilder the better, in her opinion.

Jacob didn’t think about spells, lust, or common sense. He recognized this for what it was: Gut-wrenching desire. Desperation. Gnawing hunger.

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He slipped down her body, inch by delicious inch, gliding over silky-soft skin. And loving every second of the journey. His tongue worshipped her from the undersides of her breasts to the slight indentation of her belly button. And lower. The sweet beyond. Her scent enticed him, a heady combination of soap and warm femininity. His tongue caressed the crease of her lips, and she moaned, her hands fisting in the comforter beneath her. A growl rumbled in his throat, and he dove into her pussy, licking, ravaging, and laving until Noelle squirmed and cried out with an orgasm. And still he continued to suckle while his cock throbbed and ached. “Jacob.” The word came out on a husky whisper. He needed no further invitation ... or demand. Standing, he ripped his clothes from his body, freeing his pounding sex. He’d never been this hard, this solid, and as his gaze met Noelle’s, he accepted the possibility that she really was a witch. No ordinary woman could entice him like this. Or enthrall him. Caught in her web, he succumbed to his own need. Her legs went around his hips, completing the invitation. Noelle’s fingers dug into his shoulders, her nails scoring his skin. “Fuck me. Fuck me now.” “Oh, yeah, baby.” He swept his cock up and down her channel, swirling the head over her clit. She gasped and squirmed, growing wild in his arms. Arching her back and grinding her pussy against his cock, she panted the demand, “Jacob, now.” Jacob hooked his hands underneath her thighs and plunged into her heat, going deep. She was wet. Tight. Perfect. Her sheath clenched around his cock with a firm grasp, and he moved. The friction made him catch his breath. “Faster.” Noelle pumped in time with his thrusts.

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Sweet Jesus. He came with such force that even the muscles in his chest clenched. Head tossed back, he let loose a loud, long roar. Weak, replete, he bumped his forehead against hers. “Shit.” She stroked his back and chuckled, the sound like pure honey in his ear. “Not exactly what a woman likes to hear after sex.” He raised his head and stroked the damp strands of hair away from her face. “I haven’t done that since I was a teenager.” She arched an eyebrow. “Had sex?” “Come so fast,” he corrected her. A dimple appeared in her cheek. “Well, I don’t remember holding off myself, but if you think it might help, we can try again.” Jacob looked down into her earnest face and began to laugh, deep, hearty chuckles. He couldn’t remember ever laughing so hard. This woman made him feel emotions that hadn’t been a part of who he was in a long time, if ever. And damned if he wasn’t starting to like it. His hand settled on her hip. “So what exactly is the whipped cream for?” Noelle’s expressive eyes lit up. “I’ve always been a sucker ... for sweets.” The pun sent a powerful surge straight through him, and in that instant, he wanted her again. He stroked her creamy skin. “I want to make love to you again.” And he would ... given the proper amount of recovery time. Her eyes lit up. “I can’t think of anything I’d rather do.” His foot rubbed her shin. “So compliant.” He nipped her ear. “Unfortunately, I’m not a teenager anymore, so you’ll have to be patient.” “I could help.”

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Jacob shook his head so suddenly, his chin bumped her forehead. “No. No way. No magic.” He wagged a finger for added emphasis. “I’m not that old.” Noelle smiled and laid her head on his shoulder, but Jacob could tell by her constant movement that she was impatient. The knowledge made him smile. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. How long had it been since he’d held a sexy woman in his arms ... at least one that he found himself wanting to spend the night with? He couldn’t remember the last time. Perhaps that was because it had never happened before. He’d always been something of a loner and preferred accompanying his “dates” to their homes so he could leave immediately after sex. Maybe that made him a playboy, but it definitely kept him out of the same types of situations Uncle Ed had always found himself in. Minutes passed while Noelle lay beside him, nuzzling her lips against his chest, running her hands up and down his thighs as if to encourage him. He grinned against her hair and felt the heat beginning a slow burn in the center of his stomach. “Do we have lift-off?” she purred, boldly curling her fingers around his rising cock. “Do you have to ask?” Her head bounced up. “Good. I have an idea.” His heart began to pump rapidly, and suddenly, hearing her idea was more important than breathing. “Just lie back.” She pushed against his shoulders to help him follow orders. Jacob flopped back against the mattress, arms outstretched. A million possibilities ran through his mind, all wicked and wild. Perfect. Noelle snagged the can of whipped cream from the bedside table and held the tip close to the head of his cock. As Jacob’s eyes widened, she depressed the lever and squirted liberally.

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The cool foam contrasted with the heat of his skin. Jacob moaned low in his throat, quickly changing to a growl when Noelle delicately licked him. She murmured her delight and began to slurp at his skin, edging closer to the tightness of his balls. “Noelle ...” he whispered. Her mouth closed around his dick, as tight as a vise, and Jacob came up off the bed, reaching for her shoulders. “Dear God,” he muttered. She sucked enthusiastically, nails tickling his balls. His eyes crossed, and his hips began to pump. Noelle didn’t complain. She took him deeper, almost to the back of her throat. The orgasm began slowly, building as a warm rush, constricting his muscles. Then it swept over him, squeezing him in a powerful eclipse of feeling. Jacob cried her name unintelligibly and jerked rhythmically while she swallowed his juices. Exhausted, content, he closed his eyes, his body relaxing into the mattress. Then his cell phone shrilled. Just like before. He had to remember to turn the fucking thing off. Regretfully, he opened his eyes. “Shit.” Noelle climbed up to lie beside him, her hand settling on his stomach. “Just let it ring.” He checked the caller ID. “I can’t. It’s my aunt.” He flipped open the phone in time to hear Aunt Mildred’s dismayed shriek. “Millie, calm down. Tell me what’s going on.” “Ed’s ... Ed’s ...” Mildred spluttered. “What about Uncle Ed?” “His body is gone!”

The second Jacob tossed the phone onto the antique table next to his side of the bed, Noelle knew he didn’t have good news. And from the set of his jaw, he wasn’t happy.

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She propped herself up on her elbows and looked at him. “Bad news, I take it?” Dark eyes pinned her. “Yeah, you could say that. Uncle Ed’s body has disappeared. Now, you wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?” Noelle closed her eyes. Shit. Now was a fine time for Ella to strike again. “Jacob, you can’t believe I had anything to do with this!” “Can’t I?” He rolled from the bed and stood glaring down at her. “Maybe this was your plan all along. Keep me distracted so you could dispose of the body.” Anger snagged her, and Noelle came to her feet on the opposite side of the bed. “Let me get this straight. You think I fucked you so I could get rid of Uncle Ed? For what reason? Honestly, Jacob, I think you were right.” “So what was I right about?” he snarled. “When you said you were fucking nuts.” Jacob rounded the bed just as the air shimmered, sizzled, and split open like a curtain. “It’s about time you got here,” Noelle snapped.

Jazz covered her eyes with both of her hands. “Oh, dear. Oh, dear. Noelle, perhaps you would like to take this opportunity to put some clothes on.” “Jazz, don’t be naïve. She’s a fully grown woman and is entitled to have sexual relations with a ...” Heart stopped, her eyes dropping down Jacob’s body. “Sweet Mother Earth.” Noelle rounded the bed to stand in front of Jacob. She might have known this wasn’t going to be pretty. She saw the storm building in Jacob’s eyes and the light of challenge in Heart’s. She worked quickly in an attempt to diffuse the situation. “You might want to put some clothes on. They look like they’ve come to stay a while.” Emmie sashayed forward, her cheeks pink and a knowing look in her eyes. “Well, of course we came to stay, at least until this is all sorted out.” She flashed Jacob a bright smile.

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“And don’t cover up on our account, young man. I haven’t seen anything that good since Michelangelo created his first masterpiece.” Jacob gave a low snarl and snagged his pants from the floor, where he’d discarded them earlier. He dragged them up over his hips, and Emmie made a disappointed sound. “Damn. Just my luck to find a man with modesty,” she muttered. Noelle glared at her. “You didn’t find him, Aunt Emmie. I did. Or he found me, rather.” “With my uncle,” Jacob reminded her curtly, shouldering his way forward. “Now, who are these women, and what in the hell are they doing in my house?” “We saw policemen outside,” Jazz inserted with a nervous lilt to her voice. “Police?” Noelle asked, shooting an anxious look at the door. Heart waved a dismissing hand. “We sent them on a wild goose chase. Don’t worry about it.” “No one has answered my question yet,” Jacob barked. Noelle sighed and caught hold of his arm to quell his threatening manner. “These are my aunts, Emmie, Heart, and Jazz. They’re witches, too.” “Why am I always last?” Jazz complained, practically skipping forward to extend her hand to Jacob. “Pleased to meet you, Mr. Sanders.” “So pleased she’s simpering,” Heart snipped. “Ladies, let’s not forget we’re here for a reason.” Emmie tapped her forehead. “Yes, indeed, but you wouldn’t happen to have a shot of tequila lying around the house, would you, Mr. Sanders?” “Emmie!” Noelle massaged her temples. “You don’t need any alcohol. What you need is to get me out of here. Now.” Though her aunts were there with every intention of helping, their timing was way off. With the disappearance of Ed’s body, Jacob’s distrust had returned full force, and the only thing that would help would be the body’s safe return. Not even the aunts were that good.

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Emmie didn’t take her eyes off Jacob’s lean form. “Are you seriously going to leave this man of yours behind?” “He’s not my man.” Noelle’s exasperation climbed another notch. “Pardon her for assuming,” Heart interjected with her own level of irritation. “When we see two people locked together as heatedly as we saw the two of you, we make certain assumptions.” Noelle stomped closer to her aunt Heart, coming nose to nose. “‘Saw’? You watched us?” The mere thought made her stomach roll. “We wanted to make sure we’d found the right niece. Ordinarily, it’s Ella we find in such compromising situations, and with only a bare ass visible, it’s not easy to discern the person’s identity.” “You might have tried knocking first!” Noelle practically shouted. “You three are, without a doubt, the most irritating, nosy --” “Really, dear,” Heart interrupted, “do you think we could move this along?” “I wasn’t finished!” Noelle shouted. “Actually,” Jacob finally broke in, “you are. All of you are. My uncle is missing, and I have a body to find.” He dragged his hands through his hair. “And saying that aloud sounds even stranger than hearing it from my aunt’s mouth. Now, all of you get your asses out of my bedroom, so I can finish dressing and your niece and I can have a little talk.” “Is that what they’re calling it here on Earth?” Emmie asked, tongue-in-cheek. “Out!” Jacob roared. “Oh, dear,” Jazz murmured, turning to trot toward the door, distressed and dismayed. “You don’t have to shout at them,” Noelle admonished the second the room cleared. “They’re innocent in all of this.” “They’re fucking witches.” Jacob reached for his shirt. “I doubt they’ve ever been innocent a day in their lives.” He mismatched the buttons on his shirt, cursed, and tried

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again. “You know, I should have listened to my instincts. They told me I was going to regret believing your dumbass story about, well, about everything.” His words stung, and Noelle immediately went on the defensive. “Well, you certainly weren’t thinking along those lines a few minutes again.” “A few minutes ago, I was decidedly distracted, as I’m sure was your plan.” Her mouth fell open, and she wondered if she could remember all the words to a particularly nasty spell. “You don’t want to piss me off, Jacob.” He challenged her with a dark look in his eyes. “Why not? You’re the one who told me you aren’t a very good witch.” Her breath hissed out from between clenched teeth, and Noelle thumped him squarely in the center of his chest. “You are, without a doubt, the most pig-headed, morally uptight, asinine, egotistical cretin I’ve ever had the misfortune to meet, and I --” She flicked a disgusted glance toward the bed. “-- can’t believe I lowered my standards to sleep with you.” Color bloomed high on his cheeks. “Lowered your standards?” He snatched hold of her arms and yanked her forward until her breasts collided with his chest. He glared down into her upturned face. “Well, you won’t have to worry. I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.” The second the words left his mouth, his lips crashed down on hers. Shock absorbed by the sheer force of the kiss, Noelle fought the turbulent emotions swelling within her. Kissing Jacob was nothing short of pure magic. And she’d definitely lied about lowering her standards. He released her abruptly. “Get dressed. We’re going to the funeral home.” Her lips tingling, Noelle gave him a blank look. “We are? Why are we going?” “Because as much as it pains me to admit it, I think I’m going to need magic to find my uncle’s body.”

*****

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Ella laughed delightedly at the procession heading into the funeral home. Her three aunts looked as unstable as ever, with Emmie nursing a headache when she’d rather be nursing a shot of tequila. Heart marched ahead like a member of the gentry. And Jazz brought up the rear, her hands fluttering like tiny white doves. And then there was Noelle. Sweet, innocent Noelle, who’d just had the best sex of her life. And Ella didn’t doubt it was the best sex; she’d seen her cousin’s other lovers. And though Ella hated that she’d actually been the cause for Noelle’s bout of illicit, mind-blowing sex, things were starting to look up with the return of Jacob’s distrust. Still chortling, she pulled up a celestial chair and made herself comfortable. Time to watch the fireworks. Heart sniffed the air, her eyes narrowed in fury. She whispered to Jazz, who passed the message to Emmie. At once, all three women turned and waved their arms at the ceiling of the foyer where the programs were laid out in a nice, neat display. With a loud squeal, Ella descended rapidly, her rump bumping against the ground with an audible smack. The force of the fall scattered the programs and caused a candelabra to teeter precariously on the edge of the guest table. Emmie leaned over her niece with glittering eyes. “You’re going to be paying for this shit for a long time to come.”

Jacob rubbed his eyes and looked again. There was definitely another woman standing in front of one of the sisters; he couldn’t remember which one was who. And he didn’t even try to talk himself out of what he’d just seen. She’d fallen from the air. Shaking his head, he began to mutter to himself. Perhaps this was what had killed Uncle Ed. Crazy shit like this could stop any man’s heart.

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Noelle dug an elbow into his ribs. “Jacob.” She pasted the sweetest smile on her face. “This is my cousin, Ella. She’s the witch who started all of this.” “Started all of it?” Jacob took a threatening step forward. “Uh-uh-uh,” Ella warned, holding her hands up in a defensive posture. “Noelle’s skills might be sadly lacking, but mine aren’t. Don’t make me turn you into a snake.” Heart sighed and dug her fingers into Ella’s arm. “Don’t be ridiculous.” She fixed her eyes on Jacob’s face. “Don’t worry. If she did, we’d reverse the spell, and we might even consider adding a little reptilian quality to our own wayward niece.” The warning didn’t go without notice as Ella winced. Jacob felt the color draining from his face. “Thanks. I think.” He cleared his throat. “So you started all of this, huh?” Folding his arms over his chest, he tapped his foot. “Then I presume you can fix it.” She grinned, all gleaming white teeth. “I can. For a nominal fee.” “Fee!?” Forgetting the warning, Jacob lunged forward, but Noelle snagged his arm, tugging him back. “Jacob, no!” “Listen to my cousin,” Ella commanded in a bored tone of voice. She waved a hand in dismissal. “All of this drama. There’s really no reason. I only want something small, just a token, really, and things will be returned to normal.” Noelle came forward to stand in front of Jacob, and he didn’t know whether to be impressed or irritated at her protection. “So what is this price you’re talking about?” Ella’s eyes gleamed. “Originally, I was going to ask for something much larger, but instead, I think I’d like one night.” The aunts began to whisper among themselves, and before Jacob could ask for clarification, Noelle had thrown herself at her cousin with a curse he didn’t understand.

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“You little sneak!” Noelle shouted, with a handful of Ella’s hair. “Ow! Let go of me!” Ella grunted, aiming a kick at Noelle’s shin with her pointed-toe shoes, which, in Jacob’s opinion, looked pretty lethal. As the aunts stood there watching, the fight became even more hostile. Surging forward, Jacob snagged Noelle around the waist and tried to pull her off Ella, but she quickly slipped from his grasp, taking her cousin down again. “Come on, Noelle!” Jacob shouted over the yelps of pain. “Whatever your cousin has asked for can’t be worth fighting over like this.” Noelle stilled, raised her head, and blew a straggly lock of blonde hair out of her eyes. “She asked for you.” His eyes widened and shot to Ella’s battered face. She gave him a wink out of her good eye. “Me?” “Are you dense? The one night was with you.” With him? For a moment, Jacob could only stare at Noelle. Jazz began to whistle. Heart muttered something about busting all of their asses, while Emmie wandered away, leaving the fight behind. Jacob lifted Noelle to her feet and brushed her hair away from her face. “Let me get this straight. You’re fighting because your cousin asked for one night with me?” Ella smirked and climbed to her feet. “Well, of course she is. She’s never been the type to share.” She patted her hair back into place. “No matter how much the aunts tried to convince her that was the right thing to do.” “That wasn’t the kind of sharing we had in mind,” Heart interjected. “I think I’m going to pass out again,” Jazz murmured to no one in particular before she started to sway. “Oh, for the love of the goddess, will you sit your ass down?” Heart shoved her sister toward a chair located next to the door before focusing her attention on Ella again.

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“I cannot begin to tell how truly disappointed I am in you. How could you do this to your cousin?” Ella didn’t look repentant. “Noelle is, well, quite frankly, boring, and she was giving me a bad name. I mean, look at her. She looks too docile. Well, okay, not now, but you know what I mean.” “So you killed my uncle to make her less perfect?” Jacob exploded. Ella held up her hand. “Hold on there, cowboy. I didn’t kill anyone. Your uncle is alive and well.” Heart clasped a hand to her chest. “Thank the goddess. I don’t know what we would have had to do if you’d killed a mortal. Emmie, did you hear that?” When her sister didn’t respond, she looked over her shoulder. “Emmie? Now, where in the hell did she go?” “I believe I heard her asking some old man for a nip from his flask,” Jazz responded weakly, her head between her knees. Jacob took a step away from Noelle, toward Ella. “My uncle is alive?” He stared at her, trying to make sense of a senseless situation. “I saw him lying dead in his bed.” Was he going nuts? If he blinked, would they go away? But he realized with a sudden jolt that he didn’t want Noelle to go away. Her, he would keep, if at all possible. Ella wrinkled her nose. “You saw an illusion. Witches are good at that. I would have thought you would have figured that out from my cousin here, but I can see she didn’t show you much.” Jacob ignored the dig. Noelle had shown him more in twenty-four hours than all of his other relationships combined. She’d shown him the wild side of life, its craziness, and had shaken up his ordinary, orderly word. And he’d liked it. He realized all eyes had turned toward him, waiting for his response. “If my uncle isn’t dead, then where is he?”

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“Oh, I’m sure he’ll be along soon,” Heart responded, trotting back up with Emmie in tow. “Now that the jig is up, Ella will release him.” “Release him? Has she been holding him prisoner?” Livid, Jacob took a threatening step forward. Heart held up one hand. “Oh, don’t be so dramatic. Ella might be a witch, but she isn’t a bitch. Well, maybe this one time she was, but that’s not always the case. Your uncle has been in safe hands, I assure you. Now, if you will excuse me, I have to get Emmie to a bed. She took a bad shot of whiskey.” Emmie held her stomach. “Oh, it was horrid. I’ve never tasted such nasty stuff in my life.” She stopped long enough to waggle her index finger in Jacob’s face. “You mortals should be ashamed of yourselves, calling stuff like that alcohol.” “Will someone please tell me where Uncle Ed is?” Jacob roared. Jazz shrank back, hands over her ears. “Does he always shout like that?” “How should I know?” Noelle barked back. “I haven’t known him that long!” “Long enough to scrog him,” Ella put in smugly. “Bitch,” Noelle sniped in return. “Slut,” Ella replied gleefully. Jacob caught Noelle’s hand and dragged her to an alcove just off the vestibule. “Why were you fighting your cousin?” Noelle looked down at her shoes. “Because I don’t believe in sharing.” He tipped her chin up with two fingers. “Even after the way I acted back in the bedroom?” Her eyes frosted. “I would never share you, Jacob, even though you were quite the ass.” With a grin, he slid his hand along her jaw line. “There has to be more than your unwillingness to share me. So, you want to tell me what it is?”

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She shrugged, and Jacob felt the tension in her shoulders as his hands settled there. “Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I felt something.” She mumbled the last few words. Jacob lowered his head closer to her ear. “Did you say ‘felt something’?” Noelle lifted her head and glared at him. “I did, but it doesn’t make any difference. Mortals and witches do not mix, and besides that, we’ve barely known each other a day. Just because I felt the connection doesn’t mean you felt it or even know what it is. It’s only supposed to exist between those in the outer realms, certainly not people here on Earth. In fact ...” The remainder of her words was muffled beneath Jacob’s kiss. Minutes later, Ella and Heart rounded the corner. “Oh, for the love of the goddess, it never stops. It’s like she was born with a pot of gold under her ass,” Ella bemoaned. “Hush.” Heart cleared her throat to interrupt. “I’m dreadfully sorry, but I’ve sent Jazz on her way with Emmie, who, as you know, was feeling terribly under the weather. And Ella has something she’d like to say to the both of you.” Ella remained stubbornly silent, but the warning Heart whispered proved to be the only impetus she needed to find her voice. “Okay, fine. I’m sorry. It was only meant to be a practical joke on Noelle, just to bring her down a notch. It was never intended to hurt anyone, though, from where I stand, no one got injured at all. Even Uncle Ed was having the time of his life at the slot machines in Vegas. And Noelle got --” She looked at her aunt’s face and amended her response. “Well, you know. Which, in my opinion, was long overdue.” “That’ll be enough apologizing out of you,” Heart snapped, snagging hold of her niece’s arm. “You’re in a heap of trouble.” For a brief moment, Ella looked worried. Then her face cleared, and she lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “It’s not like I’ve never been there before.”

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Heart’s eyes narrowed. “Oh, yes, but this time will be a bit different. First, you’re grounded.” “Grounded? You can’t ground me! I’m an adult!” One foot stomped the ground, and Heart muttered something under her breath. Ella squeaked and staggered backwards before dropping to her knees. “Ella!” Noelle rushed to help her cousin, but Heart held her back with the palm of her hand. “No, there’s no need. She just lost some of her sassiness, that’s all.” Holding up one fisted hand, Heart glared down at her niece. “What I have in this hand right now is your magic, Ella, and I’m keeping it until you and I can have a long talk about how you’re supposed to use it. Then, you’re going to be tied to Betony for a long, long time.” Ella dragged herself to her feet, looking pale. “Aunt Heart, you know I was only trying to have some fun.” “Save it for the jury.” Dusting her hands down the front of her dress, Heart bestowed a smile upon Noelle and Jacob. “Now, don’t either of you worry. I’ll take care of the police and Jacob’s family.” “What do you mean, take care of my family?” Jacob was instantly on the defensive. “Oh, for the love of the goddess! You have to start trusting people more, boy,” Heart reprimanded. “I only meant that a simple spell will take care of any recollection they have of all of these shenanigans.” As Jacob’s shoulders relaxed, she continued. “I don’t believe your uncle will want his memory erased, however.” Her eyes twinkled. “I can only imagine the good time he was having. That is one thing that Ella is quite capable of -- showing a man a good time.” “Yeah, well, fat lot of good it did me,” Ella complained, falling silent when Heart glared at her.

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“Now that everything is settled, shall we go, Noelle?” Heart swept one hand toward the ceiling, her fingers dancing in the air. Noelle looked up at Jacob and then back at her aunt. “Yes, I suppose so.” She started to walk toward Heart, paused, and looked over her shoulder. “I’m terribly sorry about all of this, Jacob. I hope one day you can forgive me for interrupting your life like this.” Jacob stared at her, and Noelle thought she caught a glimmer of something in his eyes, but it could have been the poor lighting inside the front door of the funeral home. “You’re leaving?” he finally asked. Noelle gave a jerky nod. She didn’t want to go, but rules were rules. And the coven rarely made exceptions. “It’s time for me to go home.” Ella made a rude noise in the back of her throat, and Heart yanked her away, leading her out the door and into the waning sunlight to “give the kids time to say their goodbyes.” Jacob stuck his hands into the front pockets of his pants. “Okay, I know this may sound like a strange question, but will I see you again?” As much as she wished it were possible, Noelle knew it could never be. The coven would never allow it, and after Ella’s stunt, she doubted any witch in Betony would be allowed to return to Earth. “I can’t come back to Earth, Jacob.” He took hold of her hands. “You’re telling me this is it?” “We had twenty-four hours.” She smiled up at him. “Consider yourself lucky that Ella didn’t cause even more damage.” “I don’t care about Ella.” “Jacob, don’t. You haven’t known me long enough to care.” Standing on tiptoe, she planted a kiss against his lips. “Live well.” Slipping her hands from his, she followed her aunt’s earlier path.

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***** “Why are you still sitting here, boy?” Ed propped his feet on the coffee table and tipped the beer bottle to his lips. Jacob’s hand froze, holding the remote control aloft. “What are you talking about now?” Since his uncle had returned shortly after Noelle had disappeared, Ed had taken to hanging around Jacob’s condo. And giving his opinion on Jacob’s life. It seemed that Ed had enjoyed his sojourn away, and upon his return, had regaled Jacob with exploits that would have sent an ordinary sixty-eight-year-old man to the hospital. And once Jacob had explained the trick Ella had played on Ed, the old man only seemed to enjoy it more. Of course, Ed had always been the type to believe in the oddities of the world, which was probably why he hadn’t had a problem when Ella had informed him she was a witch. “You’re missing that gal, ain’t ya?” Ed slapped his knee and adjusted himself on the leather sofa. “Yeah, I figured as much. Ever since you told me about this Noelle, you’ve been moping around here like a cat in heat. Seems to me while the two of you were busy trying to figure out a way to get her home, you done went and fell in love with her.” Jacob surged to his feet. “I don’t know what in the hell you’re talking about. Noelle and I had a few laughs together and a helluva lot of trouble. In fact, she’s more trouble than she’s worth.” A snort exploded in the air. “Yeah, and I’m King Tut.” Ed’s sneakered feet smacked the floor as he dropped his legs off the table. “I’m telling you, boy. Go after her. You’re feeling things you ain’t felt in ... well, hell, as long as I’ve known you. This woman done caught you by the short and curlies.” He cackled, then coughed. “A good woman will do that to you.” Jacob got to his feet. “I’m not going to listen to this Dear Abby advice, Uncle Ed.” He snagged his keys from the kitchen counter. “I’m going for a drive.”

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“Why don’t you go see if you can find that little floozy that put you in this predicament? She might have some ideas.” Jacob stalked toward the door. “If you’re talking about Ella, I have no interest in ever seeing her again. I’d think you wouldn’t want me to have anything to do with her, considering the nasty-ass practical joke she pulled.” “It wasn’t like I was suffering.” Ed smiled, and Jacob didn’t even want to know what kind of memory he was having. “Who knew witches actually existed? And damn, but don’t they make ’em hot.” Massaging his temples, Jacob stopped in front of the louvered door. “That’s all you’ve been talking about since you got back. You seem to be missing the fact that Ella led us all to believe you were dead, Ed! Your sisters were planning your funeral!” Another snort rent the air. “My sisters were planning how to divvy up my shit.” He pushed himself to his feet and hitched up his pants. “Now, then, suppose you tell me more about this Noelle. Seems she’s really put a stamp in that brain of yours.” Jacob didn’t want to talk about it anymore. The memories were killing him. Though they’d only known each other twenty-four hours, Noelle had left a mark. Just sleeping in his bed wrapped him in the images. Every night for the past two weeks, he’d lain in the same bed, inhaling Noelle’s scent and feeling her soft skin. The last thing he wanted was Ed’s pushing and taunts. “You’re thinking about her, aren’t you? Remembering how she felt in your arms?” Jacob whirled. “That is enough! You know nothing about Noelle.” “That’s because you ain’t told me much, but I know you fucked her.” “Oh, for the love of God, will you just stop talking about it? My sex life is none of your business.”

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Ed lifted a shoulder dismissively. “Why not? I told you I got laid in Vegas. Even won me some money. The way I look at it, that witch with a nose for practical jokes did us both a favor.” He scratched his stomach. “That was the best sex I’d had in quite some time.” Jacob’s hand went up as he winced. “That’s enough.” “What? You don’t want to hear about the sexy little thing I hooked up with? You think you’re the only one in this family who still has it?” “I don’t want any more details!” Jacob practically shouted as he tore open the front door. “I’ll be back later. You can let yourself out.” Ed’s chuckles followed him down the front walk.

“Ella!” Jacob snapped out the witch’s name, more than a little irritated with himself. He hadn’t wanted to call for help, but dammit, there was something about Noelle, something that had gotten into his blood. And now, here he was calling to the very witch who’d screwed with more lives than the devil himself. “Ella, I know you’re up there and you can hear me. So, goddammit, get your ass down here!”

“You have to hear him calling me.” Ella addressed her stoic aunts with her hands on her hips. “We hear him.” Heart kept her attention on the harp she was polishing. “And you know why he’s calling.” Emmie took another swig from her glass of tequila and glared at their niece. “Well, of course we know. He’s in love with Noelle.”

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Ella smacked her hands against her silk-covered hips and marched around behind the settee, where Jazz sat with her hands folded in her lap like an innocent angel. “Then you have to let me go.” This took Emmie’s attention away from her libations. “We don’t have to do anything, Ella. We’re the ones in charge here, remember?” Dammit. They were right, but Ella wasn’t above wheedling. “So you really want him to suffer because of something I did?” “If we let you go down there, what good will our rules be?” Heart snapped. “But if we don’t,” Jazz finally interrupted, “how much longer will Noelle be miserable?” Heart and Emmie seemed to consider Jazz’s input before they finally relented. “Okay, fine. Ten minutes. That’s all you have, but do not, under any circumstances, let him know we allowed this. The last thing we want is for a mortal to think he can control us.” Heart shivered at the prospect. “And we mean ten minutes, Ella. Don’t make us have to haul your ass back up here ourselves. You won’t like the additional punishment.” Ella mumbled something below her breath, but nodded complacently. “I will be back within the allotted time.” “Be gone, then,” Emmie announced with a wave of her hand.

“Ella, this isn’t funny!” As Jacob finished speaking, the air began to shimmer, and like a curtain falling open, clouds parted. Ella dropped to the ground, whirling around like a ballerina before she came closer. Wearing a scarlet dress and wickedly high heels, she sashayed toward him. “Well, well, well, Mr. Sanders. We meet again.” She tapped a lengthy fingernail against her chin and slid a gaze up and down his body in a lurid manner. Jacob tensed and wondered at his own lack of sense for calling her. “I need to talk to Noelle.”

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Ella feigned a horrified expression. “And you want me to help you? Do you have any idea how much trouble I’ve been in the last two weeks? I just now got back my magic, and if Aunt Heart knew I was down here right now, I’d lose it again.” “Look. You started this. The least you can do is finish it.” Her eyes narrowed to slits, Ella took a threatening step forward. “And what makes you so sure Noelle will want to talk to you?” “I’ll take my chances.” She smirked at him before sweeping around him in a swirl of vibrant perfume. “Do you fancy yourself in love with her?” Jacob gritted his teeth, tightening his hands to keep from clenching them around the woman’s neck. He had no doubt she’d make good on her threat to turn him into a reptile of some sort, but he wasn’t about to discuss his feelings with her. “I don’t want to talk to you about Noelle. I want to talk to her. And I’m asking you if you’ll make it happen.” She came back around to face him, and her expression was one of curiosity. “I can make the effort, but I’m not sure it’ll do any good. The coven is really cracking down on witches leaving the ...” “Then don’t go through the proper channels.” Ella’s eyes widened and her mouth fell open before she gave him a wicked grin. “Mr. Sanders, are you asking me to --” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “-- break the rules?” Jacob clasped his hands tightly behind his back. “Yes.” She purred. “And what do I get out of the deal?” Jacob had had enough. His temper snapping, he came within an inch of the witch’s face. “You get my silence.” Her eyebrows lifted. “And why would I require that?”

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“As much trouble as you’re in now, how do you think the coven would like knowing you slept with a mortal, too?” Ella looked decidedly uncomfortable and, for a brief moment, was speechless. Then she found her voice and said, with a haughty toss of her chin, “You would dare threaten me?” Jacob didn’t back down from the fire in the witch’s eyes. “Absolutely.” She rubbed her chin. “Well, the coven wouldn’t like it; that’s for sure. But how did you find out?” “You’re not the only one with an ace or two up his sleeve.” The way Jacob looked at it, he couldn’t be too far off the mark. After all, the witch had to have been amusing herself some way besides just watching Noelle. He knew his bluff had worked when Ella glared at him. “Yeah, I get the feeling the coven would be pissed.” Ella folded her arms. “Not any more than they were at Noelle for hitting the sack with a mortal.” An unladylike snorted sounded. “Whatever, though. I’ll arrange a meeting with Noelle, but then this is the last time you can use this trump card.” “Done,” Jacob readily agreed. Hopefully, after his meeting with Noelle, he wouldn’t need another way to blackmail Ella. In fact, he wouldn’t need a reason to see that witch at all.

***** Ella knew before she returned that she was in a shitload of trouble. The aunts hadn’t known about the extracurricular activities she’d engaged in on Earth, and the last thing she’d expected from the mortal was that trump card. Perfect. Sweet, innocent Noelle gets her man, and Ella, more than likely, would get another kick in the ass. She approached the trio silently. “I’m sure you heard his request.”

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Emmie set the glass of tequila down on the table next to her and adjusted the blue robe she wore. “Indeed, we did.” Hoping to divert their attention from the information he’d imparted, she quickly asked, “Well, are you going to let Noelle go?” The three sisters exchanged glances. “But, of course,” Emmie finally responded. “She’s not the one in trouble.” Ella winced. “About what Jacob said, I can explain.” Heart held up one hand. “Ella, Ella, Ella. Do you really think we didn’t know about your dalliances below?” Her heart thudding, Ella placed a hand over her breast in an effort to calm it. “You knew?” Emmie tsked. “My, you must really think us idiots.” She leaned forward and clasped her hands in her lap. “We know everything that goes on with our witches, Ella. Everything.” She emphasized the last word. “Which is precisely why we intend to keep your magic for a bit longer. By the way,” Heart added with a twinkle in her eye, “nice acting job you did down there.” “Thanks,” Ella grumbled. “Anything to help my dear, sweet cousin.” Stomping toward the door of the sitting room, she paused to add over her shoulder, “I hope that one day, the three of you will find a man so you’ll have something else to occupy your time besides keeping an eye on me.” Emmie grinned. “Oh, honey, we’ll always have time to keep an eye on you. How stupid do you think we are?”

***** Noelle woke next to a warm body, her head pillowed on a soft, feather pillow, and decided this had the makings of an excellent Saturday.

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Observing her surroundings, she traced the line of the ceiling, the walls painted a soft cream, and the heavy oak dresser squatting next to the door. She peeked over the edge of the bed and saw fluffy champagne-colored carpet. She smiled. Jacob’s room. It wasn’t a dream. She’d had plenty of those since they’d gone their separate ways, but this was real. She sat up in the bed and poked Jacob. He made a mumbling noise and rolled to his side. She tried again, this time using her teeth to lightly nip his ear. “Jacob, wake up.” He stretched and yawned, coming awake as slowly as the sun rises in the east. He blinked, black eyes settling on her face. “Noelle?” She knew the exact moment when all thoughts of sleep left. He shot up next to her as she grinned at him. “What are you doing here?” He ran his hands up and down her arms as if to assure himself she was really here. “Ella sent me.” She continued to grin at him, feeling deliciously goofy. Jacob returned her grin. “She did, did she?” His hand swept over her thigh, rubbing the skin sensually. “Well, that’s one good mark in her favor.” “She said you wanted to talk to me, but I didn’t think she was going to arrange the meeting so dramatically.” Noelle turned to face him, running her palms over his face, his wide, naked shoulders. “I must say, I approve of her methods this time around.” His eyes darkened. “Oh, you do, do you?” He leaned up and lightly sucked on her lower lip. “Well, remind me to thank her later.” He cupped the back of her neck and drew her in for a lingering kiss. Noelle fell into the marvelous feeling, sinking her hands into his thick, silky hair, needing more, craving the feel of his tongue, his touch, taste, scent. She’d thought about him night and day since she’d left, and the aunts had commented more than once on her morose expressions and heavy sighs. Even Jazz had paid enough

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attention to agree with her sisters that Noelle needed to “find a man and get out more.” The trouble was, Noelle hadn’t wanted to find a man. She’d found one, and though it wasn’t love yet, it was a hell of a case of fabulous lust. And that was a start. Jacob lifted his head, his eyes smoky. “What are you thinking about?” Smiling, Noelle grabbed his ass and wiggled closer to him. “What do you think I’m thinking?” “Could I get any luckier?” She squirmed until she lay beneath him. “If you play your cards right.” “Perfect. Did I mention I stacked the deck?” “Hey, wait a second.” Noelle pushed against his chest to still his seeking lips. “You haven’t said why you wanted to see me. I mean, it wasn’t just for sex ... was it?” “Of course not. Although, that was definitely a fringe benefit.” She couldn’t take offense at his words, not when she’d spent an inordinate amount of time thinking the exact same thing. Hurray for fringe benefits. His lips found their way to that little spot behind her ear that made her nipples jab against his chest. “So, um, why did you want to see me, then?” He shifted on the bed, dropping his head between her breasts. “Noelle?” “Yes?” “Do you think we could talk later?” “You mean after we fuck?” she breathed. “Oh, yeah. Much later.” “That’ll work.” His hands were everywhere, moving, gliding, pinching, and rubbing while Noelle squirmed in absolute bliss. “Remind me to thank Ella later for forgetting my clothes.”

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Jacob laughed against her stomach, his lips causing vibrations against her skin. “I believe that was supposed to be my line.” The cool air kissed her skin, but Noelle barely felt it. She was burning, enveloped in a steamy bath of wild passion. Her legs splayed, she held her breath as Jacob hovered over her. She felt his breath, his heat, and moaned, arching up off the bed. “I’ve dreamed about this,” Jacob admitted. His tongue flicked against the small hood hiding her clitoris. “For two long weeks.” Another long lick. “I felt you.” His mouth covered her pussy, lips to lips. And he breathed. A wave of explosive fire whipped from the top of her head to the soles of her feet. The muscles in Noelle’s thighs quivered, and her abdomen clenched. She waited, her hands digging into the comforter, her heels pushing against the mattress. Jacob’s tongue stroked the walls of her sheath, gentle, like a lover’s caress. Then he nipped, his teeth creating tiny shocks up and down her spine. Forming a funnel with his tongue, he captured her clit, drawing it in and rasping the smooth head. Noelle gasped aloud. Dear God! The man had a master’s degree in cunnilingus. Sheer perfection and the orgasm several seconds later served as solid evidence. The rhythm hit her hard and fast, like the pounding beat of a hard-rock tune, building to a crescendo before quieting to a gentle refrain. Her arms flung wide, Noelle inhaled deeply, lost in the bliss. She felt Jacob slide up beside her, and she turned toward him, gliding into his embrace. His hands swept up and down her spine. “Did you like that?” “Mmmm.” It was the only response she could summon. He pressed his face against her hair. “I don’t want you to go back to Betony, Noelle.” Her head popped up, almost smacking his chin. “What? What are you talking about?” She flung his hand aside and sat up. “I can’t stay here. The coven will never allow it.”

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Jacob sat up beside her. “So, what about us?” She gnawed on her lower lip. “I’m not sure, but the coven will never agree with our being involved, much less my staying here on Earth.” “And the coven controls your life?” Noelle considered his question for a long moment. She’d never looked at it that way. In her world, witches simply followed the dictates of the coven. Only one witch broke the rules -- Ella. And she was the witch having the most fun. Her eyes lit up, and she began to grin. “Not anymore.” Even as she spoke, she ducked, preparing for the coven’s wrath. Jacob’s arm went around her waist, and he dragged her back down to the mattress. “We’ll fight them together.” She glared up into his face. “You’re a mortal. You don’t have much to fight with.” He gave her a wicked smile. “Oh, you might be surprised. I have some weapons you haven’t seen.” Curiosity spiked. “Really? And when am I going to get to see these weapons?” “Later. Much later. For now ...” He rolled on top of her, his cock hard and ready. “... we need to finish what we started.” “I never thought I’d say this, but I’m glad Ella has a mean streak.” He growled low in his throat. “Yeah, remind me to thank her. Of course, that’ll be later, too.”

Rachel Carrington Rachel Carrington is a multi-published author of fantasy and paranormal romance and currently writes for four publishers, including Loose Id. A freelance editor as well as writer, Rachel can be found on the web at www.dawnrachel.com or on her blog at www.rachelcarrington.blogspot.com.