Strange Magic (The Witches of Cleopatra Hill Book 9) Read online

  He must have noticed where she was looking, because he said, “Are you okay, Zoe?”

  “Yes,” she replied. The last thing she wanted him to think was that she might be hesitant. To prove she was the exact opposite, she took him in her hand, stroking gently. At once he let out a low, sighing moan, eyes shutting halfway so all she could see was his thick dark lashes.

  “Goddess, Zoe,” he managed, then slumped back against the pillows.

  She knew he was only swearing by the goddess the McAllister clan followed, but still, the juxtaposition of her name and the word “goddess” made Zoe smile slightly. Anyway, even though she didn’t have any real-world experience, she knew well enough what she should try next. Bending down, she took him into her mouth, tasting the heat of his flesh, feeling the softness of his skin against her lips. She loved the feel of him, and loved the way he groaned, his back arching with pleasure.

  Good, then she must be doing this right. She kept going, sliding him in and out of her mouth, sometimes speeding up, sometimes slowing to a drawn-out, tantalizing motion that teased him to end of his cock before moving languorously back down his shaft.

  “Zoe,” he whispered. “You need to stop.”

  “Why?” she asked, although she could guess at the answer.

  “Because you’re going to make me come, and I want to do that in you.”

  Well, who could argue with that? She raised her head from him, and in the next instant he’d pulled her to him, was kissing her roughly as his hand moved between her legs. Then it was her turn to moan as he caressed her, fingers skillfully moving over her, eliciting waves of pleasure so intense that she had to keep herself from crying out. If this had happened in the privacy of a house, she might not have worried, but she really didn’t want the hotel guests on the other side of the wall to hear everything she and Evan were doing.

  So she had to settle for little sighs and moans as he bent his head to take her nipple into his mouth, his tongue and his fingers working together to bring her closer, ever closer….

  The orgasm burst through her with roughly the same heat level as a supernova. This time she had to cram her fist into her mouth to keep from screaming, the shockwaves flowing through her body in ripples of almost cramping pleasure. When they’d finally subsided somewhat, she fell back against the pillows, gasping.

  Evan nuzzled against her neck, kissing her throat and making more exquisite little shivers go through her. She moaned again, even as he shifted so he was on top of her, those misty hazel eyes meeting hers, seeming to penetrate to her very soul.

  She could feel his erection touching her, but he didn’t move again, waiting there at her entrance. “It’s okay, Evan,” she said. “I want to. Please — be with me.”

  A breath escaped his lips, and he nodded. And then he was pushing into her, the heavy shaft of his cock filling her. Yes, it hurt a little, but not too badly. She concentrated on how good he had made her feel just a minute ago, how ready she was for him, and the pain subsided as he began to move slowly in and out, with each stroke going a little deeper, each passing moment bring them closer and closer together.

  This was the soul bond. Every inch of her body responding to every inch of his, the empty places in her spirit filled and soothed. She’d understood this was how it was supposed to be, but until she’d experienced it for herself, she’d had no idea how complete this kind of contact would be, consort and prima coming together.

  She’d heard that the McAllister witches had some sort of charm to prevent pregnancy, and there were spells the witches in her own clan had devised for that same purpose, but Zoe wouldn’t use any of them now. This was only natural, Evan and her. The prima was supposed to have a family, and start young, so the clan would have more strong witches and warlocks, and very possibly the next prima-in-waiting. If God decided to bless them from the very beginning, she wouldn’t deny her destiny.

  At last Evan’s breaths began to grow ragged, and his movements speeded up. Zoe could feel her own body responding, knew that the climax was approaching for her as well. She wrapped her legs around him and pulled him even deeper into her, tangled her fingers in his thick hair the way she’d wanted to ever since she first saw him.

  When he came, it was hard, rocking into her with an intensity that made her suck in a surprised breath, even as the second orgasm of the night swept through her. She hung on to him until he slowed, then stilled. Without speaking, his mouth found hers, kissing her again with an intensity that took her breath away.

  At last, though, he lifted himself from her, and leaned back against the pillows, his breathing still heavy, strained. Only a second later, though, he reached over to pull her next to him so her head was pillowed on his chest. She could hear the beating of his heart, hear how it gradually began to slow.

  Neither one of them said anything for a long while. Zoe was still trying to gather herself, to realize that she truly was bonded to Evan McAllister, that the universe had decided to bless her with her perfect consort. His hand ran over her tumbled hair, the caress unexpectedly gentle after the intensity of their love-making.

  When he spoke, though, he sounded almost amused. “You want to tell me where you learned how to do that?”

  “‘That’?” she repeated, then chuckled as she realized he was referring to the oral sex. She gazed up at him guilelessly. “Come on, Evan — you know the internet is for porn.”

  His eyebrows lifted. “Zoe Sandoval, you’re telling me your parents let you watch internet porn?”

  “Like they knew.” She gave him a sly grin. “Private browsing history, you know? Anyway, I told myself that I wasn’t going to be a complete innocent when the time came. I couldn’t date or have a boyfriend, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t learn what I needed to ahead of time.”

  “You’re amazing, you know that?”

  “So are you.”

  He didn’t reply, but just a second or two after she’d spoken, he was pulling her to him again, kissing her as she felt him begin to harden once more. It appeared he was ready to seal their bond all over again.

  And she was just fine with that.

  18

  Evan’s eyes opened slowly. In his immediate field of view was a pile of pillows, covered by a scatter of long dark hair. For just a minute, he couldn’t figure out where the hell he was. Then the events of the night before came back to him in a rush — going to Zoe’s room. A kiss that wiped out the memory of every other kiss he’d ever had.

  The two of them making love over and over, until at last they’d passed out around four-thirty in the morning.

  He directed his bleary gaze toward the clock. Eight fifty-two. Could be worse, although normally he didn’t sleep that late. Then he froze. The promise she’d made to her creature. Breakfast at ten o’clock. That didn’t give them a whole hell of a lot of time.

  “Zoe.”

  A muffled groan was her only response. Apparently she wasn’t much of a morning person.

  Evan sat up, then reached out and touched her shoulder. “Zoe, it’s almost nine. Didn’t you say that breakfast with your — with him — was at ten?”

  That question made her push herself up to a sitting position. “Shit.” Her eyes met his, wide and dark. Her full mouth looked swollen from their kisses, and he could make out a few marks on her neck as well.

  Hope she bought some concealer yesterday, Evan thought. Because I doubt her creature is going to be too thrilled to see those…if he even knows what they mean, that is.

  “What are we going to tell him?” she asked.

  “The truth. What else can we do? For all I know, he’ll be able to sense what we did without you telling him anything.”

  She nodded, although she still looked worried. “I don’t — I don’t know how he’s going to take it.”

  Neither did Evan. Not well, he assumed. Maybe they could convince him to take a walk on the grounds before breakfast. At least that way if the worst happened and the creature exploded in some kind of supernatur
al rage, it wouldn’t be in the middle of the restaurant at the CopperWynd resort.

  “Only one way to find out.” He pushed himself out of bed and began to pull on his discarded clothes, which were strewn all over the floor. “I’ll go back to my room and take a shower. You do the same. Can you be ready in an hour?”

  “Of course,” Zoe replied, looking somewhat indignant. Underneath the indignation, though, appeared to be a trace of worry.

  Well, not much Evan could do about that. He’d gotten the impression Zoe was a little high-maintenance, but he found he didn’t mind too much. However long it took her to get ready, she’d be worth the wait.

  So he came around to the side of the bed where she sat, and bent down and kissed her. The sensation of her warm mouth touching his was enough to make him want to push her down onto the bed and go for round four — or would it be five? — but they really didn’t have time for that.

  “I’ll come back over when I’m done,” he said, and she nodded.

  “Love you, Evan,” she said swiftly.

  Of course he had to kiss her again after that. “I love you, Zoe. But we have got to get moving.”

  She smiled, then nodded, and he went ahead and let himself out. Luckily, no one seemed to be around, although he noticed a few empty room service trays on the floor outside several of the rooms.

  He went to his room and climbed out of his clothes, then headed into the bathroom and turned on the shower. It seemed a shame to wash Zoe’s warm scent from his skin, but he reassured himself that there was always tonight.

  Or this afternoon, he thought with a grin.

  First things first, though. They had to get through this meeting with the creature. Although Evan was doing his best to understand her opposition to just banishing the thing to whatever plane it had come from, he still couldn’t quite agree with her reasoning. Did she think the creature would just calmly accept that she’d chosen a real human man as her consort, rather than the being she’d summoned to take that role in the first place?

  Hard to say. After all, she’d spoken with it — with him — more than he had, so quite possibly she’d had more opportunity to take his measure. But even if her creation didn’t completely flip out about being passed over, what in the world did she think his eventual fate would be? To simply stay here and make some kind of life for himself?

  Well, he supposed they’d all find out soon enough.

  He went back out to the main part of the room and got some underwear from his duffel bag, along with a fresh shirt and a pair of jeans. Unfortunately, he hadn’t brought anything remotely resembling “dress-up” clothes with him, but at least everything was clean and not too wrinkled.

  Getting dressed didn’t take very long. He didn’t need to shave because he tended to go around stubbly half the time anyway, letting his beard grow out for a week or so until it started to drive him crazy, then shaving it back down so he could start the process all over again. Some goop in his hair to keep it from falling in his face, and he was about done.

  He went to the nightstand and got his watch, then strapped it on his wrist. Nine thirty-five. Probably a little too early to head back over to Zoe’s room. Instead, he pulled out his phone and checked it for messages. Nothing, which didn’t surprise him too much. The elders wouldn’t want to interrupt him while he was in the middle of helping the de la Paz clan with their little “problem,” and his parents would have gotten the word from the elders to leave him alone, too.

  Everything had changed last night, though. Now he was Zoe’s consort. Which meant he’d have to say goodbye to his life in Jerome and Cottonwood. He’d be expected to live down here in Phoenix — or, more likely, in Fountain Hills or Scottsdale. A small sacrifice, when in exchange it meant he’d be spending his life with Zoe, but even so, there were a lot of adjustments that would have to be made. And plans. They’d need to get married, and probably quickly. He doubted the de la Pazes, who seemed pretty old-fashioned, would be okay with him and Zoe shacking up for any extended length of time.

  Evan shook his head. If anyone had asked him even two days ago whether he planned to ever marry again, he would have looked at them like they were high on crack. After Kelly, he certainly hadn’t been eager to jump back onto the matrimony train. But now he was calmly contemplating the notion as if it were a foregone conclusion.

  Because of Zoe. He wouldn’t have done this for anyone but her.

  So he looked at his phone, and thought for a long moment, then slowly put it in his jeans pocket. The first people who needed to know that she’d found her consort were Zoe’s parents, and then Luz. After that, the news would spread like wildfire among their clan. Only then would Evan feel comfortable contacting his own family.

  And sometime before all that, they’d have to meet the monster she’d created.

  A little Sunday brunch with a creature, Evan thought, mouth twisting. Only in a witch clan.

  By then it was almost a quarter to ten, so he figured enough time had passed that he could head over to Zoe’s room. She did take a while to answer when he knocked, and when she answered the door, he could see why. Her hair was dry but not styled, and she held a tube of mascara in one hand and the wand in the other. As far as he could tell, the rest of her makeup was done.

  “Come in,” she said. “I’ve been rushing as fast as I can, but — ”

  “It’s okay,” he reassured her. “We’ve still got about fifteen minutes.”

  “Fifteen minutes,” she repeated. “I can do that.” And she disappeared back into the bathroom.

  Since he figured he might as well make himself useful, Evan headed farther into the room and began to make up the bed, fluffing the pillows and smoothing out the sheets and the duvet. Sure, the maids would probably be along to do over his work, but at least it wouldn’t be such a mess when they did arrive.

  He was just finishing up when Zoe came out of the bathroom. It looked like she’d completed her makeup application, but her hair still hung straight down, rather than falling in the long, loose curls she’d worn the day before.

  “No time for my hair,” she said. “That usually takes me at last half an hour. Does it look like complete ass?”

  “No,” he replied. “I like it.” And he did. Something about it lying so sleek and straight seemed to accent the exotic beauty of her features, her high cheekbones and almond-shaped eyes, as if maybe the de la Pazes had some Native American blood a few generations back, just like the Wilcoxes did.

  “Good.” She went to the dresser and pulled out a little fabric bag with flowers woven into the material, then started digging around in it. Jewelry, he supposed, since she pulled out one dangly earring, then another, and put them on. Bangles, and a turquoise ring on her right hand, although he noticed she didn’t bother with a necklace or a watch. She turned back toward him. “Do I look okay?”

  Evan almost wanted to ask her why she cared what she looked like for this meeting, but he decided that would be rude. She probably wanted to appear as if she cared, to do what she could to ensure that the being she’d summoned understood she wanted to treat him with respect.

  “You look great,” he said. “I like that color on you.”

  Her top was almost the same deep sky-blue as the ring, a sort of peasant style that was quietly sexy when paired with those snug-fitting skinny jeans and a pair of silvery thong-style sandals. The color of her blouse brought out the warm tones in her skin, and her hair looked shimmering black against it.

  “Thanks, Evan,” she said, as she pushed her hair back over her shoulders. Then she shot a worried glance up at him. “I guess we need to do this.”

  “We do,” he agreed calmly, although inside he felt just about as nervous as she looked. This whole thing had so much potential to go wrong. But he knew they couldn’t blow off the meeting; Zoe’s creature had amply demonstrated that he was just fine with seeking her out and appearing out of nowhere. Evan went to her and took her hand in his, pressed it to his lips. She shot him a grateful
smile, even as he said, “Let’s do this.”

  The hotel seemed so normal. How could it look so unchanged, so happy-Sunday-busy, when her whole world had tilted on its axis the night before?

  Evan had held her hand in the elevator during the ride down. The middle-aged couple who shared the car with them had greeted them pleasantly and wished them a good morning, and Zoe was glad of that. Some people could get downright bent about seeing a white guy with a Mexican girl, and she didn’t feel like dealing with that sort of ugliness on such a bright, friendly-looking morning.

  But nothing like that had happened, although Evan had let go of her hand as soon as they emerged into the lobby. He probably didn’t want to tip off Levi that things had changed with her and Evan, and she couldn’t blame him for that.

  As they approached the restaurant, she spotted Levi waiting outside. Evan went tense, and she could practically feel the shock radiating through him. Not surprising; she’d seen Levi’s final transformation, but Evan was probably still picturing him as the distorted monster they’d banished back in Scottsdale, rather than the model-handsome man standing in the lobby. Zoe couldn’t help but notice the admiring glances Levi had just attracted from a group of girls around her age who were passing by on the way to the pool. He, on the other hand, appeared completely oblivious to their stares.

  Also, he seemed to have taken her advice about his attire to heart, because he was wearing clean, new-looking clothes, jeans and a polo shirt and loafers. In fact, he appeared far more at home with the preppy, well-dressed people around them than Evan did in his faded jeans and henley shirt with the sleeves pushed up.

  Levi spotted them, and Zoe watched as a frown marred his perfect forehead when he realized she wasn’t alone. Putting on a smile, she went up to him and said, “Hi, Levi. Evan and I thought we should talk to you before we eat. Why don’t we go outside for a little walk first?”