Cloudburst Ice Magic (12 page)

Sabrina snorted. “I thought I’m the only
witch in Cloudburst who could correctly perform the rituals. It
doesn’t sound like selection so much as desperation. I’m the only
one you know of here, so I’ll have to do. Right?”

His patronizing smile never slipped. “They
would not have chosen Cloudburst were it not for you.”

“Baloney!” She grimaced and flicked one
hand. “Got oceanfront property to sell me in Arizona, right? Nice
try. Tell them to visit Sedona, then. I’m sure the Vortices are in
need of a good realigning.”

Darius’s smile began to fade and he took a
breath to say something as the waitress appeared beside him, her
gaze fixed on his handsome visage. Sabrina smiled, grateful for the
interruption, and ordered hot coffee and a blueberry scone.
Gather your wits, because this guy will run all over you if you
let him.
Darius’s ridiculous demands to host the Summer Court
of the Fae ranked up there with cleaning out the sediment trap in
her shower.
Yeah, not going to happen
.

Darius turned his brilliant smile on the
waitress and she fluttered and simpered, twirling one lock of hair
around her pencil with a giddy smile. Sabrina sighed, hoping the
girl wouldn't forget her order. Darius played up the charming,
handsome, and virile male. She suspected women fell all over
themselves to attract his sparkling gaze.

At last, the girl flounced away, her hips
swinging in invitation, and Darius watched her retreat with a
satisfied smile on his face. Sabrina shook her head in bemusement.
You’re just mad because he doesn’t look at you like
that.

Why the hell would she want him to look at
her favorably? She wanted nothing to do with men.
Selfish,
manipulating, responsibility-avoiding bastards
. Darius fit in
just right. She bet he’d slept with more women than the flakes of
snow falling outside the coffee shop windows.

Yeah, but think of how experienced he’d
be.

She stifled a groan.

Darius’s gaze fastened on her like a magnet
and he cocked his head in inquiry.

Crap, he can’t read thoughts, can he?

“Where were we?” His question accompanied a
smug smile.

“You were just getting ready to suggest the
Court should go to Sedona for Beltane.”

The warmth in his smile dimmed and she
countered his hard look with lifting her chin. He spread his hands
with mock regret, but his eyes remained chips of jade stone. “Would
that I could, my lady, but once the Court has determined the place
for the rituals, it cannot be changed. I’m afraid it’s Cloudburst,
or nowhere.”

“Nowhere, then.”

He sighed. “Listen to me, Lady—”

“No, you listen to
me
, Mr.
Winterbourne.” She used her best mommy-voice. “I have a family,
school obligations, and a job right now. I don’t have time to
entertain the Summer Court for Beltane. I have to bake brownies for
my daughter’s kindergarten class, for goodness sake. I have no
place for the Court, in my life
or
in my house, and besides,
I haven’t done the High Beltane rituals in four years.”

“I’m sure it will only take a little
brushing up—”

“I don’t
want
to ‘brush up’ on the
rituals. You’re not hearing me. I. Am. Not. Doing. The.
Rituals.”

Darius’s expression solidified into
impassiveness and Sabrina crossed her arms over her chest in mute
challenge. She wouldn’t be pressured into having sex for the Fae.
She’d given up on the complex rituals after her ex Tommy left, and
it suited her just fine. No male of any race, particularly one
claiming to be from the Sidhe, would convince her to open up the
hideous box of memories associated with Beltane.
Not to mention
threatening pregnancy.

Goddess, it’d be like running straight into
the past.

Suddenly, Darius’s face softened and
calculated compassion slid into his eyes. Sabrina had seen such a
look on Tommy’s face enough times to know what would come. He’d
play on her compassionate side just to get what he wanted.

Here we go.

“I understand your frustrations and life’s
complications.” He smiled sympathetically. “It won’t take any extra
time. These rituals are ingrained in you. They’ll fit within your
schedule seamlessly. I’m sure we can work something out.”

Sabrina seethed.
How typical. Doesn’t
listen to a thing I say. Doesn’t care about my needs or my
priorities. Just figures a little charm and he’ll get his way.
Bastard.

Fighting to keep her anger under control,
Sabrina clenched her hands into fists and stood. Spinning to leave,
Sabrina collided with the waitress holding her order. The girl
squeaked as she dumped the hot coffee down Sabrina’s belly. Searing
pain accompanied the deep brown stain and Sabrina gasped, jerking
back. She lost her footing and toppled over the chair she’d just
risen from.

Oh glory!
Her head slammed into the
edge of a nearby table and brilliant points of light shot across
her vision as pandemonium erupted around her.

“Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry!” The waitress set
down her tray and reached for Sabrina.

Sabrina hissed as agony flooded her
awareness. She yanked her sweater away from her skin and tried to
focus through the ringing in her head. Tears blurred her eyes as
she struggled to breathe, her ability to inhale momentarily
curtailed. The waitress tried to mop up the coffee on Sabrina’s
belly with her bar towel, but she succeeded in only irritating the
reddened skin.

Sabrina moaned and writhed away, batting
futilely at the other woman’s hands as her head swam from the lack
of oxygen. A shadow loomed over her, darkening her fading
sight.

“Breathe, Lady Foxglove.” The rich voice
penetrated her addled brain and she looked up into teal green eyes
filled with concern.

What did he say?
She frowned and
shook her head in confusion.

“I said breathe. Remember to inhale.”

I can’t…
Sabrina’s mind raised the
white flag and surrendered to the darkness.

Excerpt 2

Read on for an Excerpt of
Second Chance Succubus
, a paranormal romantic suspense
with BDSM elements coming soon from Siobhan Muir…

“Come on, let’s get this over with,” Chayse
grumbled. He didn’t want to return to the strip club again, but his
brother insisted it was the only way they’d get any real
answers.

Nik pushed past him and stood for a moment
to let his eyes adjust after the searing brightness of the Las
Vegas summer outside. Chayse scented the succubus’ approach as the
sounds of slender heels ripping at the carpeted floor reached his
ears.

Just like she’ll rip your heart out and
bleed you dry.

“Welcome, gentlemen.” Her voice spread a
balm over every hurt in his soul, promising comfort and
understanding, and he felt his brother’s tension relax.
Fool.

Chayse kept his eyes on her boobs to keep
from being snared by her seductive gaze.

“What can I do for one of Metro’s
finest?”

“We have a few more questions about the
crime committed in your establishment.”

Chayse had never heard Nik speak so
graciously. He glanced at his “rougher” brother and grimaced. The
ignorant idiot was a goner already, wearing a dreamy
expression.

“Of course. I want to help in any way I can.
Why don’t you come to my office so we don’t disturb the staff.”

Nik followed after the sultry woman like a
dog on a leash. Chayse just hoped the succubus wouldn’t make a play
for his brother. Because estranged or not, he’d protect Nik from
her, even if it meant murder.

They followed her through a door beside the
bar leading to a remarkably austere office overlooking the club.
While the décor remained feminine, the room had been arranged with
comfort and practicality in mind. An elegantly, but simply
constructed antique desk stood before a well-worn and comfortable
leather armchair without wheels. The wall across from the bank of
windows supported a plush couch with chenille throws on either arm
where visitors could sit.

“Please, have a seat,” the succubus offered
as she retreated behind the desk.

Chayse sat in one of the straight-backed
wooden chairs before the desk, studiously ignoring the female
demon’s eyes.

“Now, what would you like to know that
hasn’t already been asked?”

“Can you tell us where the body was found?”
Nik asked. He leaned his elbows on his knees and Chayse scented his
interest in the undoubtedly beautiful woman.

“We found the body in the lap dance room.”
She delivered her answer with ease, but Chayse scented something
off about it. “We don’t know how he died. We assume it was a heart
attack.”

Damn, she sounds so fucking reasonable.

Chayse snorted.

“Is there something funny, Mr…” She trailed
off, waiting for him to supply his name.

Not bloody likely, bitch.

“CSI Wolffe, ma’am. And no, I don’t find
anything funny when people lie to me.”

“Easy,” Nik muttered, but Chayse ignored
him.

“What makes you assume I’m lying to you, CSI
Wolffe?”

“Three things, actually, Lady Aislynn.” He
tried to keep the growl out of his voice, but his animosity for her
kind coupled with the lying stretched his patience thin. He raised
his gaze to her chin. “First, he had fresh bruising all over his
body that couldn’t have come from one of the dancers with the whole
“no touch” rule. Second, his genitals were severely mutilated by
some sort of knife or weapon not usually kept in a strip club. And
third, he’d been completely drained of blood from a puncture of his
left femoral artery, but there was no blood on his clothes or the
chair where he was found. That means he was moved.”

Chayse crossed his arms over his chest. “So,
do you want to change your statement,
Lady
Aislynn?”

Lady Aislynn regarded him silently for
several heartbeats with a serene expression.
Damn, she’d make an
awesome poker player.
He almost snorted.
I bet that’s how
she got the money to pay for her little
Paradise.

“You make the assumption that I would know
anything about the body’s condition. As I told the detectives, my
assistant found the body, and when I heard about it, it was dressed
and left where you found it.”

“Did you know the victim?”

“Personally? No. But I’d seen him here
before. He was a regular bi-annual visitor.”

“You didn’t know the victim, but you knew he
was a regular?” Chayse scowled. “I find that hard to believe.”

“What you believe or not isn’t something I
can control, CSI Wolffe. Even here in my demesne.” Lady Aislynn
wove her fingers together and rested her hands on her desk. “What I
can tell you is he attended the club with another man on Friday
night and that’s the last I saw of either of them.”

“Another man? Who was this?” Nik leaned
forward with interest.

“I don’t know him. He’s not a member of the
Club, Mr. Wolffe. This was the first time I’d seen him on the
premises.” She gave his brother an earnest stare.

Something in her voice around the word
‘club’ made him glance at Nik. Chayse scented concern and unease
from his brother, and suspicion grew in his gut.

“Do you have surveillance video of the
public areas from that night?”

“Of course.”

“We’ll need to see any security footage from
the last week.”

“I’m afraid that’s impossible, CSI
Wolffe.”

Chayse shivered with her voice sliding over
him.
Get out of my head, bitch!
“Why is that, Lady
Aislynn?”

“Because this is a private establishment and
several of the parties pay good money to be anonymous. I’m afraid
you’ll need a warrant.”

Chayse’s stomach curdled. “This is a murder
investigation—”

“For which you have no crime scene and until
you can prove it was here, I will not have my patrons exposed to
slander and ridicule.” Her face remained serene. “Come back when
you have a warrant.”

Nik grunted thoughtfully while Chayse
seethed.
Secretive, evil wench.
“I can do this, but it will
take time and your club will remain closed until you agree. So you
could make this easier by just giving us the footage.”

“That’s an empty threat, CSI Wolffe, and we
both know it.” She gave him a disappointed look. “You have no crime
scene on my premises and no legal reason to shut me down. Go get
your warrant and you shall have your footage.”

Chayse stared her down, trying to find a way
to get around her logic, but his brother stood and extended his
hand Lady Aislynn.

“Thanks for seeing us. We’ll be back with
that warrant.”

A lovely smile creased her lips and she
gently squeezed Nik’s hand. “I’ll be here.”

“We know he was here, Lady Aislynn. You
could be charged with obstructing justice.”

“You know he was here, but it only means he
enjoyed a show. Everything else is assumption and circumstantial.
And you deal in facts, yes?”

Her unruffled demeanor set his blood on fire
and he wanted to tear her throat out. Or lick the hell out of her.
Damn the succubus addiction. Chayse nodded sharply.

“We’ll be back with that warrant.”

“Looking forward to it, CSI Wolffe.”

Yeah, I just bet you are.
Chayse
followed his brother out of Aislynn’s office, swearing he’d get the
best of her one day.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Blurb

Copyright

Dedication

Acknowledgements

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five