Bound by Magick 4-in-1 Box Set (Pentacles of Magick) (24 page)

As soon as they left this section of the Quarter the veil of
voodoo they’d been hiding under would dissipate. Denn would be doing his
best to aid them with his own spells, but whatever new source his uncle had
harvested was some pretty powerful shit. That worried him the
most. If his uncle had gained some additional power he either had a coven
working for him or something far worse. Demons.

Fucking demons
.

His brothers were currently looking into what factions were
brewing in this region, which was a good thing, but Denn had been hiding
something from him this morning. That had him worried. He’d thought about
pushing him on it, but hadn’t had time. He and Jessie needed to get out of
New Orleans, and fast. He doubted either of them was ready to take on an
army.

Crossing the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, they quickly left
the city limits of New Orleans, headed for the middle of nowhere. They drove in
silence as the empty road and occasional car went by them until he heard a
stomach growl that had to have come from Jessie.

“Are you hungry again?”

She nodded her head. “A little, but I’m fine. I’ve
gotten used to living on very little.”

His stomach heaved at that thought. If he wasn’t
careful his imagination would run wild with possibilities of just what she’d
endured. “Once we get settled in a safe place, you’re going to have to tell me
exactly what happened to you back there.”

“It’s over, Noah, we need to just let it go.”

“Uh-uh,
cherie
, it’s far from over. In fact, we
likely have a long, tough road in front of us.”

“What do you mean?” She looked confused.

“According to my brothers, Uncle Scott has quite a plan
brewing. Something else we are going to have to discuss soon enough.”

She shifted closer to him in her seat. “Why not tell me now?
I think we have time.”

“Not yet, Jessie, for now I have to stay alert and focus on
getting us away from here safely.”

She crossed her arms against her chest, pushing her breasts
up and against the already tight fabric. His mouth watered when he saw her
peaked nipples poke against the shirt. The pouty look on her face only inflamed
him further, challenging him to take her over his knee and teach her a lesson
or two. He loved the lure of a woman with an independent streak and Jessie was
just his type—it’s what had drawn him to her in the first place.

For years he’d pursued meek and submissive women for his
darker tastes, but Jessie had taught him the sweeter pleasure of submission
with spirit. Despite her lack of enthusiasm toward his lifestyle, she’d
responded immediately and with such intensity he’d thought his heat would
combust them both. As it turned out they’d both been surprised with each
other’s response. Their time together had been hot and brief, and her ultimate
disappearance had driven him mad for a while. His pride prevented him from
searching for her, so instead he’d indulged himself in every vice he could to
forget about her. Work, sex, tequila and eventually he’d moved on. Until he
answered his brother’s call. 

He was so tired of hearing about the family prophecy
bullshit. He’d never bought into the drivel their uncle force-fed them as
boys, and now that the missing pieces had conveniently been located he wasn’t
surprised that the bastard had been lying to them all along. He believed
in his brothers, though, but he knew from experience that the right woman could
completely impair any man’s judgment.

His turn was coming up. Noah swiveled his head to make sure
no one was in his blind spot or anywhere at all. The dirt road he sought
was partially covered by vegetation and couldn’t be spotted by most people, so
he didn’t want any witnesses seeing them go off the main road. With no sign of
people, he turned toward the bushes and waved his hand in front of them. From
the corner of his eye he watched Jessie’s eyes get big as the overgrown bushes
raised enough to reveal the road in front of them and allow his truck to pass
through.

“What the hell?”

“Don’t look so surprised. You’ve known I was a witch for a
long time.”

“I know, but I’ve only seen you manipulate heat and fire.
Not move objects at will.”

“Not really a big deal to use the heat in the air to push
some things around.”

* * *

She sat silently for a moment as he maneuvered the truck
through the uneven terrain to the smooth dirt road beyond and considered
him. She, like most people in their part of the world, had heard plenty of
rumors about the Scott brothers. But even with their brief love affair he’d
kept his magick use to a minimum around her. Oh, she knew how closely he
held onto the dark power inside him, she’d touched it many times, she just
hadn’t realized how much he probably used it.

That kind of magick couldn’t be wielded by humans without some
serious repercussions or after effects, not even born witches. Unlike her,
their magick could come from two different sources: the good or the bad. She
didn’t really like using the terms
light
or
dark
—that just
sounded so Hollywood. 
Let’s face it, it’s either good or evil,
she
thought. Trying to walk a path using both, or what many witches referred to as
grey magick, was often a little like killing someone for their own
good. In the end you’re just kidding yourself about doing the right thing.

Lost in her thoughts, Jessie jerked forward in her seat when
the SUV came to a quick and sudden stop. She glanced out the window to see
they’d parked in front of a small, dilapidated wooden shack. What the hell? The
place looked like it should be condemned. Surely this wasn’t where they’d
be staying.

“Where are we?”

“The middle of nowhere. Which is exactly where we need to
be.”

He stomach sank. “We’re staying here?” He must have read the
sheer horror of that in her face because he laughed. Not a quick snort or
momentary chuckle. He outright started to laugh his ass off as he opened
his door and got out. She opened her own door and joined him in front of the
truck.

“What’s wrong, Jessie, you aren’t impressed with my place?”

“You live here?”

“Sometimes. Stay here for a second, I’ve got to get the
truck stashed.”

As Noah jumped back in his truck and headed around the bend
in the road, she stood and took in the rundown fishing shack and the dirty
swamp on which it sat. The damn thing was actually on stilts in the water
and looked like it would crumble any second. One good wind and the place was
toast.
Dear Lord, there has to be a better place to hide than here.

Ignoring his request to stay put, Jessie walked toward the
small dock that wrapped around the side of the building and set her bag down on
the dirt in front of it. No point in getting her things wet if the dock
didn’t hold up under her weight. She placed her shoe on the wood and gave it a
little shove to see what happened. Nothing did. Maybe it turn out sturdier than
it looked after all.

With a deep breath and a what-the-hell shrug, she walked
toward the water. The wood creaked underneath her feet, but held strong
and steady with no swaying, always a good sign. A smile curved at the edges of
her mouth, releasing some of the tension she’d held. She could do this,
she was certain. Hell, whatever it took not to end up back in that dungeon
cell or in the sacrificial ceremony she’d been heading to was fine by her.

Halfway down the length of the dock, she could see a boat sitting
at the end just behind the miserable outhouse. At least, that’s what she
would call it because even shack was too good a name for this crumbling
building. She wondered if Noah had a tent she could use, ‘cause right now
that sounded more secure than his oddball shack.

She turned her attention away from the building and back to
the boat. Not just any boat, though. She was looking at an airboat, the
airplane engine on the back side was a dead giveaway. Not that it surprised her
to find one here. They were fast and the vehicle of choice for swamplands in
the bayous known for their harsh terrain of either shallow water, dry land, or
tall reeds.  Her daddy had always told her there weren’t too many places
an airboat couldn’t go.

Fingers touched lightly on her shoulders, sliding underneath
her hair to her neck. Her stomach jolted in surprise, a reaction she barely
kept contained. With the initial contact of Noah’s heated skin against her
flesh, her body buzzed with the familiar connection. Desire curled in her
belly, spreading to her pussy and breasts, readying her body for hot, sweaty
sex with the one man she wanted more than anything else. Talk about bad timing.

“Ready to go for a ride?” His breath tickled the shell
of her ear and she let her head fall back against the hard wall of his chest.
She imagined him lying naked and hard in the hot sunshine as she straddled his
body, lowering herself until his entire length was sheathed deep inside
her. Liquid trickled between her thighs at the image of their sweat slickened
bodies taking what they needed from each other. Sex with Noah always changed
everything.

Denying the tension between them was hard enough, but she
was already tired of fighting her attraction to him. Her body needed and he had
the cure. Unfortunately her tender heart and will to survive always got in the
way.

He lifted her hair, baring her neck where he rained kisses
and small bites all along the skin. For every sharp bite he followed with
a swipe of his tongue until she moaned from the painful pleasure of
it. His free hand slid under the hem of her shirt and traveled upwards
toward her bare breasts. The magick emanating from his hand permeated through
her skin, heating her from the inside out. She sucked in a shocked breath.
Too hot. Can’t resist.
Her nipples
tingled, clit pulsed, and her heart raced. The darkness that was the very
essence of Noah turned her on and made her hot. 
More. More.

The magick flooded her body, filling the emptiness Scott’s
damage had left behind. When the scar on her shoulder began to heat and
burn, fear rose up thick and dark, forcing her to…

“No!” She pushed away from Noah, afraid of what she’d do to
the both of them if her beast still lurked inside. A lot of rage and
hatred now lingered there, waiting to be unleashed, and she had no idea what
would happen when or if it broke free.

She couldn’t turn and look at him. She was afraid of the
recrimination she would see. She gulped in the sticky, humid air,
desperate to get her body back under her own control. Giving in to Noah was
no longer an option. She started to walk off until he stopped her by grabbing
her arm.

“You can’t run from me this time. I’ll give you some
more time considering your ordeal, but Jessie…” She looked into his determined
gaze. “No more running. Now get in the boat.”

“The—the boat?” she stuttered.

“Yeah, you didn’t think we were going to stay here, did
you?” He flashed her a wry grin, allowing her to let go of some of the tension
coiled tight in her body. She looked around and could have kicked herself. She
should have known that this place wouldn’t be the final destination.

“We’re a good distance away from the city at this point, but
this area isn’t nearly as secure as where we’re going. It’s still going to
take a while, so if you need to go to the bathroom I would recommend doing so
now. I did pack some food in my bag there so we don’t have to worry about
that. Bathroom’s in the building there.” He pointed to the crumbling shack.

“It’s okay I’m good.”

His raised his eyebrow. “Good, then let’s get going. I
don’t like us being out here any longer than we have to. No telling for
certain if they can track us here.”

Jessie stepped aboard the boat and took one of the seats in
the lower front as far away from the pilot’s seat as she could get. She
needed some space even if it was only about eight feet. 

“There’s some goggles and earplugs in that box up there if
you want them.” He indicated the box at her feet. “It’s a long, noisy ride so I
would suggest it.”

Perfect
. She would have some time to think about what
had happened and what she needed to do next to prevent something bad from
happening without worrying about small talk.

Chapter Three

Hours passed, and Jessie had barely moved from her
seat. She’d eaten some food, which she really needed, and once when they
were traversing slowly through some tree-crowded areas, she’d stood up and
stretched her arms and legs. He’d watched the denim shorts tighten across
her ass when she’d bent down, which took his breath away as he’d entertained a
fleeting thought of taking her just like that, maybe even with her wrists tied
to her ankles.

Dangerous thoughts.

His cock pulsed and ached in his pants even now as he
shifted for the tenth time, trying to find a comfortable spot. Hell, he’d
been hard and ready since yesterday, and back at the docks he’d come damn close
to taking her right then and there with no finesse, no preparation, just heat
and lust on his brain. Something had stopped her, something his magick had
felt for a fleeting second. Something familiar.

They needed to talk, but it would have to wait since the
boat engine drowned out everything around them. Not much farther and they
would be at his place, his only sanctuary that no one else visited. Ever. He
looked forward to sharing it with her despite their past. He wanted to see
her reaction to his surroundings, see if she was the woman he thought she was.

He slowed the boat to a crawl before finally cutting the
engine and letting the craft flow along with the current. 

“Why are we stopping here? Is everything okay?” She had
turned in her seat, her gaze soft and questioning.

“We are getting close to our destination, I want to listen
to the river for a while, make sure nothing is amiss.”

She nodded in understanding. His Jessie understood magick
more than a normal human did. Not understanding why that was troubled him.

Noah let his eyes close, concentrating on his other senses,
especially sound. All of his thoughts about Jessie were pushed from his
mind. Instead he focused on the sounds of the swamp, the water moving, the
occasional bird…even the unseen wildlife like the snakes and gators hiding in
the reeds could be heard if you listened hard enough. Once he had a handle
on the familiar he tuned them out one by one, allowing him to listen for the
unusual, for what didn’t belong in his swamp. 

Hearing nothing out of the ordinary, he pushed on,
concentrating inward and called his magick, letting it build in his chest
before releasing it one small strand at a time, seeking the unknown. Even
with his eyes closed he saw Jessie, her aura wrapped with his magick. Not even
his most spiritual self could stay away from her. Maybe he shouldn’t have
been so quick to discredit his brother’s words regarding the prophecy and the
women they were destined for.

He pushed those thoughts away. There would be time for
that later once they were secure, for now his responsibility was to her
safety. He continued past her, following that wisp of power that now
traversed the full range of his habitat. This path gave him brighter colors and
sharper sounds, but nothing unexpected. Pulling back, he opened his eyes
to see Jessie watching him, longing clear on her face. Noah fought the
sudden and overwhelming need to drag her close to him, instead he forced his
focus on the simple task of restarting the engine and getting them on their way
again.

* * *

The strange moment broken, Jessie turned back around in her
seat and watched the water in front of them. The dark swirl of the swamp
pulled at her thoughts.
What the hell just happened?

The connection between them was not only constant, but she
found it unnerving as hell. Not knowing whether her own brand of magick
would return, and what that meant, plagued her. Maybe if she could talk to
her mother she might have an idea of what could happen to her, especially when
it came to Noah. Although, trusting her mother not to mislead her was a
dangerous proposition. She dabbled with dark magick all the time and Jessie saw
where that got her. A half-demon child with more power than the average
witch. It was a real bitch.

Now here she was with the one man she should fear the most,
pulling at her entire being despite the truth. When Jessie had found out
Noah wasn’t just an ordinary mercenary-hunting bad guy, but instead a demon
hunter fueled by hatred, she’d run as far and as fast as she could. Not
far enough, obviously.

In front of the boat, a wall of trees too close together to
pass through loomed. She turned to look at Noah and ask him what now, when the
boat made a hard ninety-degree turn to the left. Her stomach lurched as
she grabbed the edge of her seat and waited for the boat to right
itself. When she looked behind her again he was laughing. 
Bastard.
But she bit at her bottom lip
to prevent her own grin from spreading across her face. She would so not
give him that satisfaction.

His laughter rumbled louder behind her as he traveled along
the edge of trees to a small unseen opening. Another hard turn to the right and
they were through the trees in what could only be described as a sort of cove.
And there on the land in front of them sat a gorgeous, dark wood log cabin, so
pretty it took her breath away.

Noah steered the boat right onto the grass before killing
the engine. He hopped down from his perch and jumped out of the boat
landing on the soft grass right next to her. He held out his hand to help
her. “Welcome to my home.”

“Your home? You live here?” She grabbed his hand, letting
him assist her and her meager bag out of the boat.

“Don’t sound so surprised. Even I like having a place to
call home.”

“I—I just—” she stammered.

“I know. Nobody knows about this place so I guess
anyone would be surprised, but even I need a place of refuge on occasion and
this is it.”

“It’s breathtaking.” She meant it, too. The cabin was
exquisite, but just as stunning was the location. He had carved out the
most beautiful section of swamp she could have imagined and made it his own.
She couldn’t wait to see the inside.

He led her up and onto the wraparound porch before dropping
her hand to open the front door. Instead of simply unlocking the place
with a key, he started unhooking hidden wires from the doorframe and entering
codes into three tiny keypads she hadn’t even noticed.

“Booby traps. Guy in my line of business can’t be too
careful.”

“I thought it was safe out here?”

“It is. So far no one has learned about it, but it always
pays to cover all the bases.” He opened the door. “After you.” He motioned her
inside.

Just inside the door, she found herself in a large yet cozy
living room with leather furnishings and enough electronics to make any teenage
boy green with envy. The walls inside had the same rough-hewn texture as the
outside, giving it a warm and masculine appeal. She loved it.

“Wow, nice place. I’m definitely impressed.”

He shrugged his broad shoulders. “Figured if I was going to
do it, might as well do it up right. I might retire here some day.”

“Aren’t you a little young to be talking about retirement
already?”

“Jessie, if you had seen the things I have seen in this job,
you would be feeling the same way babe. It’s a gut wrenching business.”

“Then why do it?”

He looked at her thoughtfully. “It’s what I was made for.”

With that, he picked up her bag and headed to the back of
the cabin. Presumably expecting her to follow or not. She followed.

“You really think you were made for demon hunting? Isn’t
that a tad arrogant, even for you?” They passed by the kitchen that a quick
glance showed to be large and functional with stainless steel appliances and
custom built cabinets. 

“It’s better than sitting on my ass doing nothing,” he
replied.

Across from the kitchen was a heavy metal door with two
blinking lights, one at the top and one at the bottom.  “What’s in there?”

“My office.”

“Top secret room, I guess.”

“Something like that.”

She pulled her gaze from the blinking lights and her dying
curiosity to see Noah disappear into a room at the end of the hall. A bedroom,
she presumed. Jessie wasn’t sure being in a bedroom with Noah right now was a
very good idea. Her body had buzzed with sexual energy since she’d first
laid eyes on him, and then he’d added magick to that every time he touched her.
She was certain she was close to combustion. With doubts, she passed through
the same doorway and stopped at the sight of the lake-sized bed. It would
probably fit several people quite comfortably. Beside the bed stood a
small chest with a lamp and a clock on top. The rest of the room was
empty.

“Guess you haven’t gotten around to doing much with this
room.”

He poked his head out of the closet. “It’s got a
bed. That’s all it really needs.” His husky answer provoked her, and a
chill rolled over her as her body pulsed with need. 

She wanted to say something quick and playful back, try to
keep the mood light, but instead her desire made her light headed and
mute. She walked over to the bed and sat down, leaning her head towards
her knees. She needed to think of something else, anything else besides the
gorgeous man coming towards her.

“Jessie, are you all right?”

The concern in his voice tore at her heart, and she knew
that she couldn’t fight it anymore. She belonged to him as surely as if
he’d put a ring on her finger. Even if he wanted nothing more from her
than sex, she would take it. One more night.

He squatted down in front of her and when her head tilted
up, his body was mere inches from her face. “I’m fine,” she whispered.

“No, babe, you’re not. You’re shaking. You’ve been through
an unbearable ordeal and I pushed you harder today than you could take. For
that I’m sorry.”

“Please, Noah, don’t—you don’t have to
apologize. You have no idea how grateful I am that you came for me. I
wouldn’t have made it through another night if you hadn’t.”

“Yes you would have. You aren’t giving yourself enough
credit—”

“No, you’re wrong. It’s not about my strength or lack
thereof. There was to be a ceremony last night. A sacrifice had to be
made.”

Anger clouded Noah’s face as the implications of her words
sank in. “I’m going to kill that bastard. I swear I am.” He started to pull
away.

Jessie grabbed his arms. “Please, Noah, I need you.” Her
voice cracked, tears welling in her eyes. “Stay with me…please.”

His hand touched lightly against her jaw tilting her head,
forcing her to look at him. “I’m not going anywhere, Jessie. We’re together and
we’re safe.” His handsome face was rugged with laugh lines around his eyes and
mouth, lips so full and sensual she couldn’t resist pressing her own against
them. The flash of heat ignited them both as Noah growled into her
mouth. His tongue plunged through her parted lips, seeking her inner
warmth with a force she welcomed.

Without breaking contact, Noah pushed her back onto the
bed. Her heart jolted and her pulse pounded as his movement grew as urgent
and needy as hers. She reached for his shirt, quickly slipping underneath
it to touch warm, smooth skin stretched over bulging muscles. As the kiss
deepened to a near violent level, her hands gripped and scratched at his back.
Desperate for more skin-to-skin contact, she wrestled with the waistband of his
jeans. Her moans of frustration at her lack of success were met with a sudden
separation of their bodies. 

She shivered from the cool blast of air over her heated
skin. 

“Clothes. Off. Now.”

He didn’t need to tell her twice. Jessie ripped the t-shirt
over her head and forced the shorts down her hips while watching Noah do the
same. She thought his body looked even more spectacular than she
remembered. Tanned skin with ripped muscles made her mouth water, but when
he freed his stiff cock and it bounced once against his muscled abs, her pussy
clenched with the desire to be taken, hard. 

They leapt at each other in unison, bodies touching and
sizzling everywhere. Jessie wrapped her legs around Noah’s hips as they fell
backwards to the bed. Power surged in the room, keeping pace with the desire.
With Noah’s teeth nipping at her neck and shoulder, Jessie swept her arms
around his waist and brushed her fingers across the firm globes of his
ass. His hardness pressed tight against her belly, reminding her of its
shape and girth. As if she would have ever forgotten the way he filled her
during the best sex of her life. Her hips bucked forward of their own free
will, her pussy wet and aching to be filled. He shifted his body lower, rubbing
his swollen tip through the liquid fire at her slit.

Noah’s head lifted, his steady gaze giving her one last
chance to say no as surely as if he’d said the words, but Jessie was filled
with a sense of urgency that could not be denied. She struggled in his arms,
arching her back and pushing her hips forward, anything to get him inside
her. But he was in control here and she knew it. From experience she knew
he wouldn’t give her what she so desperately wanted unless she at least asked
for it. 

“Please, Noah.”

The wicked smile he gave her sent a delicious shudder
through her entire body as he pushed his length inside her. 

“Oh Goddess. So tight.” His hands clenched the cheeks of her
bottom as her body adjusted around him.

“It’s so good, Noah,” she panted. He surged fully inside her
and she lost control. A scream tore from her throat as a hard shudder worked
over her. A savage snarl sounded from Noah as he began to pound in and out of
her, sensations flooding her system with each thrust and release. Lingering
anger mixed with lust flashed through them both as Noah released a surge of
magick into her body, igniting a fuse straight to her clit.