Lust (8 page)

went on ahead and disappeared

inside the building. “How is eating

breakfast going to help anything?

The thought of food makes my

stomach churn. I need to see

Mayanne. We have to find out what

the heck Energo is.”

“I know.” I was tempted to fly

off with her myself, but Georgina

usually had her reasons. If she was

insisting we stop for breakfast, she

probably had a purpose. Besides, it

was broad daylight. Flying would be

risky. “Let’s eat something to make

her happy. After that we can leave

ourselves if we have to.”

She kissed my cheek. “Thank

you.”

I pulled her close and kissed her

lightly on the lips. “I’m here with

you. Don’t forget that.”

“I won’t.” She gripped my arm.

We walked into the diner where

Levi and Georgina had already

disappeared. I glanced around.

There wasn’t an empty table in the

place.

“Great,” Daisy mumbled. I didn’t

bother replying. She had every right

to be annoyed.

“Excuse me miss, may I help

you with anything?” A grinning

waiter walked over. It was the

bellboy all over again.

“We’re waiting for a table.”

“For two?” He ignored me, and

let his eyes rake over her. If I

hadn’t known about the magical

rationale for his response, the guy

would have been in trouble.

“For four.” Daisy glanced

around. “We have two more with

us.”

“I can serve you at the bar if

you’re hungry. You don’t have to

wait.” He licked his lips.

Magic or not, I was ready to

pounce.

“I’m sure you could serve all of

us.” Daisy smiled back. “Wouldn’t

you like that? To make me happy?”

“Uh sure. Of course. I would love

to make you happy. There is room

at the bar for four.” The guy

gestured to the completely full bar.

His vacant expression and glassy

eyes said it all.

I touched Daisy’s arm. “You

don’t want to do this.”

She shook me off. “Thank you.

We’d prefer a table. I’m sure you’d

like to find one for me? A booth

maybe? It would make me really

happy.”

“I’ll take care of that right

away.” He walked away.

I took both of Daisy’s hands in

mine and looked into her eyes.

“Daisy, stop.”

She said nothing at first, but

then she blinked as a look of horror

and fear spread across her face.

“Oh my god. I manipulated.” She

leaned forward and hugged her

knees. “Where’s Georgina? We have

to go. I can’t handle this.” She

blinked back a few tears.

I helped her up to standing.

“You’re crying, and that’s a good

thing. You’re feeling guilty.”

“I manipulated that guy.”

“Not on purpose.” I glanced

around. Where the hell were Levi

and Georgina?

“Your table is ready.” The waiter

returned with a huge smile. “It’s a

booth by the window.” A family

rushed toward the entrance angrily.

“Did you kick those people out?”

She asked, horrified.

“Yes.” The waiter appeared

confused. “I did.”

“Daisy, Owen!” Georgina called

from a table tucked to the side of

the bar. “We’re over here.”

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered to

the waiter before hurrying over to

where Georgina and Levi sat with

an older couple.

“What took you so long?” Levi

pulled two chairs over to the small

table.

“We were talking,” I answered

quickly. Telling Levi about the

manipulation wouldn’t be smart. I

wanted his help, which made it

worth keeping him in the dark.

“Daisy, how nice to meet you.”

The older woman seated across

from Georgina smiled. “Very pretty

name.”

“Thank you.”

“Are you all ready to order?” The

same waiter approached us.

Daisy looked down at the table.

I waited as everyone else ordered

before taking a guess and ordering

her what I was ordering myself—

pancakes.

She nodded, but still refused to

look up.

The waiter stared at her way

longer than necessary.

“Is there something else you

need?” I tried to subtly get him to

walk away.

“Do you want anything else?”

He looked at her, as though that

would make her turn. He still

looked confused, although his eyes

had returned to normal.

She shook her head. “No

thanks.”

He ducked down and peered

around to see her face. “Are you

sure?”

“She said no.” Levi turned his

finger around in a circle by his face.

He was wrong, the guy wasn’t

crazy. He was enchanted.

“Please put in our orders.” Daisy

finally looked up. “Thank you.”

The waiter nodded and hurried

away.

The other woman at the table

smiled. “I haven’t seen that in

years.”

“Seen what?” I asked.

“A woman affect a man that

way. I had an old friend. A lovely

girl. She had a flower name too.

Violet.” She rubbed her forehead. “I

always wondered what happened to

her.”

Daisy and I exchanged looks.

There was no way this was a

coincidence.

Georgina smiled. “My friend

Myrtle here worked with me when I

was queen. She often stood in for

me at affairs when I couldn’t make

it.”

Myrtle laughed. “She means she

took pity on me and let me have

some excitement in my life. It’s how

I met Bob.” She touched the arm of

the man next to her.

“That’s great.” I looked at

Georgina. What was the end game?

What did Myrtle know?

“Is Violet the same girl you told

me about? The one who

disappeared into thin air one

night?”

“Yes. She’s the one.” Myrtle’s

face fell.

Bob patted her back. “It’s all

right, Myrtle. You tried everything

you could to help her.”

“Help her with what?” Daisy

asked.

“She was looking for a man. It’s

why I invited her to the Applerose

Gala. I’d found him and knew he

was coming.”

“Did they meet? She and that

man?”

Myrtle shook her head. “No.

That was what I’ll never

understand. Violet spent the night

watching him but never

approached.” Myrtle turned to us.

“And if you knew Violet you’d

understand she wasn’t shy. There

was something else holding her

back. She seemed so sad and

vulnerable in a way I’d never seen

her look before. Usually she was

the happiest girl in the room.”

“What happened next?” Daisy

pressed.

“She was there one moment and

gone the next. She never said

goodbye, and when I went by to

see her at her home, she had left.

Vanished really. We filed a police

report, but that was that.”

“I remember the disappearance.

They must have interrogated half-a-

dozen men afterward.” Georgina

seemed lost in thought.

The table fell into an

uncomfortable silence. What was

the significance of this story?

Georgina must have known Violet

was an Allure.

Before I could ask any

questions, our food was brought to

the table. Daisy only picked at her

plate, and I knew it had nothing to

do with what I’d ordered.

7

OWEN

Levi turned down another side

road, and I knew we were getting

close. I braced myself. I hoped

Mayanne would know how to stall

the effects, but there was a chance

she couldn’t. Was there also a

chance she could make it worse?

I couldn’t think that way. We

needed all the help we could get,

and so far Mayanne was our best

bet.

Levi turned off onto a dirt road,

and I knew we were almost there.

Mayanne lived miles from anyone

else. I wasn’t sure how much of it

came from her being a witch, and

how much came from her

personality.

We turned up the dirt drive, and

I kissed Daisy on the forehead.

“You ready for this?”

“As ready as I’m going to be.”

She’d been quiet since breakfast. I

knew that she was probably beating

herself up about manipulating the

waiter. I understood why it upset

her. It freaked me out too.

“Either Mayanne got a new car,

or she has company.” Georgina

pointed to an SUV parked by the

front door of the rambling home.

“Stay here.” Levi parked.

“I’ll come with you.”

“No. Stay with them.” Levi’s

eyes gave me all the warning I

needed. I knew he was right. One

of us needed to stay with Georgina

and Daisy. They were human after

all.

Before Levi could make it a few

steps the front door opened, and

Mayanne stepped out.

I got right out of the car, and

Daisy followed. I opened Georgina’s

door and helped her out.

“I need you to all stay calm.”

Mayanne walked out onto the

rickety front porch.

“Stay calm?” I looked at the tall

and willowy woman. “Why would

you tell us that?”

“Who’s visiting you, Mayanne?”

Georgina walked over to her friend.

“They aren’t here for me, but

stay calm. They may be of help.”

I didn’t need to hear the names

to know who the visitors were. “Are

they inside?”

Mayanne nodded. “Stay calm,

Owen.”

“I’ll try.”

Daisy slipped her hand into

mine. “Stay calm for my sake.”

“I’ll try,” I repeated my words.

Mayanne, Georgina, and Levi

walked in first, and Levi held open

the door for us to walk inside.

“Hello, old friends.” Hugh

smirked.

Any thoughts of staying calm

disappeared. “What the hell are you

doing here?” I didn’t think about the

company I was in, I said exactly

what was on my mind.

“We’re here for the same reason

you are. We want to help Daisy.”

Violet smiled.

“Help her? You mean take away

any chance she has to stay

human?”

“If we wanted that we’d have

left you guys to your own devices,

but we do care.” Violet caught my

eye.

“Where’s Roland?” Daisy spoke

for the first time since walking in.

“He’s not here.” Hugh shrugged.

“We thought it best if he stayed

away.”

“Why?”

“Because his interests are too

complicated.”

“His interests?” Levi asked. He

stepped toward the Allures. “What

kind of interests does he have

beyond the ones you do?”

“She has his maker’s essence.

He is drawn to her, and he doesn’t

mind the new packaging.” Hugh

smirked.

I was in his face in a blur. “The

packaging? Don’t you ever talk

about Daisy that way.”

“I thought you’d prefer it to me

saying he’s attracted to her.”

“Shut up!” Daisy wrung her

hands. “Shut up all of you.”

Georgina cleared her throat.

“Sorry.” Daisy looked at her.

“But I’m not going to stand here

and listen to this. You say you want

to help me? Then help me.

Mayanne thinks she can buy me

time. Let’s see what she can do.”

Mayanne nodded. “I can’t do

anything with a crowd.”

“That’s fine. Daisy and I will go

with you. Everyone else can wait.”

That was the only logical solution.

“Not a chance.” Violet shook her

head. “We have a vested interest in

this too.”

“Because of the essence and not

Daisy. She’s the important part.”

“They are both important.”

Violet pressed her lips into a firm

line.

“Daisy is more important. I don’t

care what you say, that’s the truth.”

I stood my ground.

“I’ll go with Mayanne by myself.

Everyone else can stay out here.”

Daisy avoided my eyes when she

spoke.

“You don’t have to do that. I

promised I’d stay with you.”

“And I can’t handle more of this

arguing. I am nervous and freaking

out already. I don’t need anyone

making it worse.”

“She’ll be fine, Owen. We’ll only

be upstairs.” Mayanne touched my

arm reassuringly. “You know I’d

never hurt her.”

“I know…”

Georgina repeated Mayanne’s

words. “She will be fine.”

Before Levi could join in and

agree with the two women, I cut

him off. “I know she will be fine, but

that doesn’t mean I want to leave

her.”

“It’s not leaving me if I’m asking

you to wait here.” Daisy’s face

softened. “And I expect you to be

waiting when we’re done.”

“Of course.” I smiled. She was

the one going through the most

physically. I owed it to her to hold

myself together. I needed to be