Spark of Magic (10 page)

“Honey,” Tonya began. “You have to trust your own feelings more.”

Rebecca snorted. “Look who’s talking.”

“I know. I’m just as bad. But in my case I’m considering becoming a vampire. You on the other hand…”

“I, on the other hand, am falling in love with two men who are everything I ever wanted. But how do I know they feel the same way about me? How do I know it’s real and not magic? How do I know they’re not just fulfilling a duty for their father by protecting me from Sebastian? My god, Tonya. When this is all over I’ll be a member of the Witches Council. I’ll be a part of the ruling body that governs this…” she waved her hand, “other world. I don’t have a clue what I’m doing. I can’t even perform magic beyond the parlor tricks we did as kids. I’m nowhere near Darien’s and Nicholas’

capabilities and we only have a few days left to get me there. What if I fail?”

This time it was Tonya’s turn to learn forward and offer comfort. “You may not have any but I have faith in you. I know you can do this.”

* * * * *

Rebecca stood back, concentrating hard on the bird flying toward her. Raising her hand, she spoke softly. “
Vilat
.”

The bird stopped, hovering in mid-air, its wings frozen in flight. Slowly, she walked around it, amazement making her smile. She’d frozen the bird in time.

“You did it,” Tonya squealed and the bird’s wings flapped, returning it to the world of movement. Raising her hands, she covered her mouth. “I’m sorry,” she murmured.

Nicholas laughed from his spot on the log behind them. “It’s okay, Tonya. It wasn’t you. The spell is only temporary.”

Rebecca smiled. Her confidence in her magic was growing but she still had so much to learn. Her gaze wandered down Nicholas’ muscular form as he walked toward her.

Just looking at him made her body tingle. Her physical reaction was part of the reason she felt so insecure in her feelings toward them.

Darien came out of nowhere, his appearance preceded by a dim flash of blue light, and leaned against the side of the large oak tree centered in the middle of the garden.

The breeze whipped at his hair, blowing it around his wide shoulders. His arms crossed over his hard chest, his lips spread into a charming smile and her stomach flipped wildly.

“How’s it coming?” he asked.

“Slow,” Rebecca sighed. “But I did stop the bird.”

75

“You have to remember concentration is the key. Even if you’re scared or confused, concentration is the most important element,” Nicholas offered and Darien nodded, agreeing with him.

“He’s right.”

“So what’s next on the agenda?” Rebecca asked.

“Lunch,” Marcus shouted, making them laugh. “Then it’s a shopping trip.”

“Shopping?” Rebecca said in surprise. “I didn’t think we were able to leave the castle.”

“Who said anything about leaving the castle?” Nicholas drawled with a mischievous grin.

“What do you plan on doing? Bringing the shops here?” Tonya asked.

Marcus chuckled and leaned down to kiss her cheek. “And you say you don’t have any magic in you.”

“You can’t be serious,” Rebecca cried in shock.

“In a way that’s exactly what we’re doing. All you and Tonya will have to do is picture in your mind the dress you want and it will appear.”

“Every woman’s dream shopping spree,” Darien teased with a wink.

Rebecca spread her arms out and frowned. “But how do I know what kind of dress to imagine?”

“We can show you images from last year so you have an idea. Of course the color of the clothes is strictly black,” Darien said.

“Naturally,” Rebecca drawled, making Tonya giggle.

* * * * *

Sebastian paced, glaring angrily at Vlad. “I told you to watch him, Vlad. He’s a fucking warlock.”

“I know what the hell he is,” Vlad hissed. “Does Jullian have any idea what you’re up to?”

“Of course not,” Sebastian snapped. “He doesn’t hold a seat but he supports the council. He wants there to be peace between vampires and witches. If you can imagine it, he likes things the way they are with the mortal world. Vampires live in relative peace and mortals live in ignorance, believing our existence to be a fairytale. Right now I just need his protection. He’s a powerful son of a bitch. Both in bed and out,”

Sebastian added as he picked at his teeth with a toothpick.

Vlad snarled, his eyes narrowing into disgusted slits. “Spare me.”

“Like you haven’t dabbled in homosexuality,” Sebastian sneered.

“Most vampires have, Sebastian. Comes from being bored, but I would prefer to not hear about it, thank you.”

76

Sebastian snorted. “Did you bring me a piece of the circle?”

“Yes.” Leaning forward, he dropped the small vial of dust on the desk. “Will this tell you where he went?”

Picking it up, Sebastian studied the vial. “It should.”

“Are you going after her yourself?” Vlad asked.

“Of course not. I can’t risk going in there.” His lips lifted in a sadistic grin. “I’m sending the demons. They’re the only ones who can break through the protection spell surrounding her.”

“Her who, Sebastian?”

Sebastian glanced up in surprise at Jullian. He reclined in the doorway, his relaxed demeanor a front. Sebastian knew him well enough to know something had pissed him off.

“Jullian. I didn’t know you were back.”

“Obviously,” he drawled, nodding his head toward Vlad but never taking his gaze off Sebastian. “Vlad. Do you mind leaving Sebastian and me alone?”

“Of course not.”

Jullian moved to the side but as Vlad passed snarled menacingly, “I would suggest you not go far. You’re next.”

Vlad visibly swallowed as he left the room. Jullian shut the door with a slam, turning to glare angrily at Sebastian. “What are you up to, Sebastian?” he snarled.

“I’m not up to any more than I’ve been up to. Just taking care of a little problem that’s been plaguing me for a while now. Nothing to concern yourself with.”

“Demons are certainly something to concern myself with. You will not have them in my house, Sebastian.”

“Of course not,” Sebastian drawled.

Standing, Sebastian walked toward him. Jullian dominated the small room, his anger obvious in his tension-filled shoulders, his creased brow and glowing eyes.

Sebastian needed to distract him, needed to get his mind off the demons and the conversation he’d overheard.

Sebastian moved behind him and gently ran his fingers through his long black hair.

Jullian immediately tensed and Sebastian stilled, instinctively knowing his friend wouldn’t be placated so easily.

“Get your hands off me, Sebastian.”

With a nod Sebastian stepped aside, studying Jullian’s profile as he stared out the window toward the night sky. “Stay away from my son.”

Sebastian’s eyes widened slightly. “Excuse me?”

“I know Vlad attacked him.”

“How do you—?”

77

Jullian rounded on him, making Sebastian take a step back in apprehension. “It doesn’t matter how!”

“He’s a half-breed, Jullian. The son of a witch. What does it matter to you?”

“Make no mistake, it matters. He’s Kayla’s son. My son. I don’t know what you’re up to and to be honest I don’t really care but you will not harm my son, is that clear?”

Sebastian raised his chin, narrowing his eyes in anger toward the dominant vampire.

“Is that clear, Sebastian?” he snapped.

“Crystal, Jullian,” Sebastian snarled, glaring at his friend as he left the room, leaving him alone in the dark.

78

“What is this?” Rebecca asked as she studied the small circle in the middle of the floor.

“I wanted you to learn how to do this,” Nicholas said as he handed her a jar full of gray dust. “This is what they call a capture circle. You say the name of the person you want to go to and it will capture where they are, then send you there.”

“Like a portal?”

“Sort of. It’s a booster of sorts. It works off your own abilities. The more powerful you are the further you can transport.”

She shook her head with a frown. “But I won’t always have this with me,” she said, indicating the jar in her hand.

“It’s not what the circle is made of but the spell.”

“Oh,” she replied, intrigued. “So I can make it out of anything.”

“Yes,” Nicholas said, smiling softly.

“So how do I do this? Just make a circle?”

Taking her hand in his, he pulled her further into the center of the dark lab. Moving behind her, he grasped the hand holding the jar.

“First,” he whispered in her ear, sending tingles down her spine. “You sprinkle it around you in a circle. Like this.” The two of them moved slowly, sprinkling the dust around them. “As you do, you recite the word,
borlasie
.”

“
Borlasie
,” she repeated breathlessly, her mind more on the heat rising in her flesh than the circle.

“Concentrate,” he purred, his tone full of amusement.

His lips touched the side of her neck, making her gasp softly. How the hell was she supposed to concentrate with him doing that? “Do I…um…say it more than once?” she asked, trying to ignore his tongue as it flicked out to lick the sensitive spot behind her ear.

“You recite it repeatedly until the circle is closed,” he whispered, his fingers moving under her shirt to skim along her flesh.

With a sigh she laid her head back against his chest, enjoying the tenderness of his touch. “I thought we were supposed to be working on magic.”

“We are,” he murmured. “I’m trying to teach you how to concentrate amid distraction.”

“You’re definitely distracting.”

He chuckled and softly bit her earlobe, making her yelp.

79

“Magic lessons mixed with sex, hmmm. Wish I’d thought of that,” Vincent purred as he jumped onto the counter, his collar sparkling under the soft lights.

Nicholas sighed, his body going tense. “Don’t you have a mouse or something you need to catch? I’m sure the castle is full of them.”

Vincent licked his lips. “Not anymore.”

“Oh that’s so gross,” Rebecca grumbled.

“Besides, Darien, Marcus and Tonya are waiting for you in the second level salon.

Dress shopping, remember?”

“I completely forgot,” Rebecca sighed and smiled coyly at Nicholas. “We can always resume this later.”

Nicholas tipped up her chin with his finger. “We’ll definitely resume this later.”

His lips brushed across hers, sending small shivers down her spine, and warmth spread through her belly. Grasping her hand, he scowled over his shoulder toward Vincent. “Come on, cat.”

Vincent hissed as he jumped to the floor, his tail flicking at their legs as he passed to run ahead of them. Rebecca giggled at his disdainful attitude. “Has Vincent always been so…?”

“Haughty? Arrogant?” Nicholas asked, glancing down at the cat as he strolled before them, his tale swishing in the air. “He was that way
before
his sentence.”

Vincent glanced back, his eyes narrowing into tiny slits. “Careful, warlock, or you’ll find your clothes shredded come morning.”

Rebecca snickered then slapped her hand over her mouth. Once she’d gotten used to the idea of a talking cat he was actually kind of fun. “What’s the first thing you’ll do when you’re human again, Vincent?”

Vincent sighed. “Drive a car. I’ve never driven one. I was enspelled before they were invented.”

“Don’t Nicholas and Darien take you for drives?”

“It’s not the same thing. Besides, the last time I went driving with them I almost fell out of the car.”

Nicholas almost choked on a chuckle. She turned to him, raising an eyebrow.

“Almost fell out of the car?”

He shrugged, a delightfully mischievous grin pulling at his lips. “The top was down, the curve was sharp. I can’t help it if he can’t hold on.” Nicholas swept past Vincent, opening the door that lead to the main level of the castle. “Maybe if you had curbed your tongue you would have been paying more attention and been better prepared.”

Rebecca followed, moving close so she could whisper. “You deliberately tried to throw him from the car?”

80

“He may be a cat but he still has his magical powers. He could’ve gotten home with little difficulty.”

“That’s cold, Nicholas,” she chastised.

“What happened to Nikki?” he teased. “And besides, spend a little time with him, you’ll change your tune.”

“Nikki?” she asked.

He smiled, sending chills of desire across her flesh. “You called me Nikki when you were smashed.” He shrugged. “I liked it.”

“Well if I call you Nikki what do I call Darien?”

Nicholas pursed his lips for a second. “A cab back to the mortal world?”

“If anyone is going back to the mortal world,
Nikki
,” Darien snarled from the bottom of the main staircase. “It’s you in the belly of a gornin.”

“All right you two,” Rebecca said with a sigh, admiring Darien in his jeans and turtleneck. God he looked good. The way the material of his shirt stretched across his chest, outlining all those glorious muscles, made her heart flutter. “What’s a gornin?”

Vincent slinked past them, jumping up several stairs before coming to a stop. “A gornin is a small beast that resides in the protected dimension—similar to an oversized troll. They’re carnivores, so they’re kept from the mortal world.”

Rebecca shuddered. “That is probably something I could have gone my whole life and not known existed.”

Darien’s deep chuckle washed over her flesh like a soft wave of cashmere. “Come on. Tonya and Marcus are waiting for us upstairs. If we leave them alone for too long we’re liable to walk in on them having sex. They were all over each other a few moments ago like I wasn’t even in the room.”

With a smile Rebecca slipped her arm around Darien’s elbow. Marcus was crazy about Tonya. She could see his love for her every time he looked at her friend. And Rebecca could certainly understand her total loss of control when it came to Marcus.

She had the same feeling of helplessness when it came to her own men. They could do anything they wanted to her and she would go along more than willingly.

Slowly pushing open the heavy oak salon door, Rebecca scanned the room for her friend. A fire burned in the fireplace, casting soft flickering shadows around the room.

Next to it stood Marcus and Tonya—her arms around his waist, her eyes sparkling with happiness as she smiled up at him. Marcus cupped her cheeks and leaned forward to gently kiss the tip of her nose. Rebecca’s heart warmed for the two of them. Whether Tonya could see it yet or not they were perfect for each other.

Rebecca cleared her throat, getting their attention. “Are we shopping for dresses or having an orgy?” she asked with a cheeky grin.

“I vote for orgy,” Darien replied with a grin and Rebecca slapped her hand across his hard stomach.

“Behave yourself.”

81

Darien gasped playfully. “But where’s the fun in that?”

“Exactly,” Marcus drawled. Bending Tonya backward over his arm, he nibbled at the side of her neck with a growl. “I vote orgy too.”

With a laugh, Tonya shoved at his shoulder, forcing him back up. “Dresses now.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Making love later.”

“Promise?” Marcus drawled, his lips spreading into a smile against Tonya’s.

Rebecca smiled. “So, gentleman. What exactly are we looking for?”

Nicholas waved his hand, making an image appear in front of them. “Something black and elegant.”

Rebecca studied the images. Men and women in their best formal outfits, a beautiful ballroom full of flickering candles and elegant white roses. The decorating was like something out of another era but the clothes were much more modern—black tuxedos for men and long black evening gowns for women. Diamonds of all shapes and sizes adorned their necks and wrists, glistening in the glow of the candles.

A man in one picture caught her attention. Long black hair surrounded an almost angelic face—perfectly sculpted with eyes the color of a clear summer sky that stared back at her, surrounded by long black lashes. He looked young, maybe early thirties.

But also familiar.

“Who’s that man?” Rebecca asked.

Marcus’ lips thinned slightly. “That’s my father, Jullian.”

Rebecca studied Marcus, imagining him with longer hair. “I see the resemblance.”

“Physically. That’s about it.”

Marcus moved to a small table in the corner and poured himself a drink from one of the crystal decanters. Tonya met her stare, concern etched on her face at Marcus’

sudden withdrawal at the mention of his father. With a shrug, she indicated they should probably change the subject. Apparently Marcus didn’t like talking about his father.

Turning back to the image, she noticed the sadness clouding Jullian’s eyes and wondered what had caused it. Did Marcus know?

“Do you have an idea of what you want now?” Darien asked.

Rebecca shook her head with a sigh. “Maybe. What about you, Tonya?”

“I was thinking something off the shoulder.”

“With a diamond choker,” Marcus offered.

Tonya grinned. “You won’t get any argument from me about diamonds.”

Marcus strolled slowly around Tonya, eyeing her figure thoughtfully. “Let’s see.

You’re about a size six, correct?”

Tonya’s devilish gaze met Rebecca’s. “Correct.”

“How about this?”

82

Marcus waved his hand from Tonya’s shoulder down to her calves. A black dress appeared on her tan body, off the shoulder, with a fitted waist and long narrow skirt, a diamond choker glistening around her neck. Tonya gasped. Placing her hands flat against her stomach, she stared down at the dress in awe.

“Oh. My. God. It’s gorgeous.”

“And it looks gorgeous on you,” Rebecca said. She rushed to her friend’s side and lifted her hair off her neck. “If you wear your hair up it will show off your neck and that amazing necklace.”

Tonya lifted her hand to her throat. Turning, she admired herself in the mirror above the fireplace. “Are these real?”

“Of course,” Nicholas replied.

Tonya’s gaze met hers in the mirror. “You know what I think would look good on your figure?”

“What?”

With a grin, Tonya strolled over and whispered softly into Nicholas’ and Darien’s ears. Both men nodded, their eyes sparkling. Tilting her head, Rebecca studied them, smiling coyly and waiting for what her friend had in mind. Nicholas strolled over, letting his gaze wander down her body. Tingles worked their way along her spine, heating her flesh.

God, he looked so sexy when his eyes crinkled at the corners like that.

He brushed his hair back from his face with a swipe of his hand. “I think that will work,” he murmured.

“What?” she asked, curious.

Nicholas winked and she started as the cool air of the room hit her bare arms.

Glancing down, she noticed her clothes had changed. She no longer wore the jeans and t-shirt. Now she wore a beautiful long gown, its skirt full and flowing around her legs like a cloud. The waist was fitted, her back bare and the straps circled her neck, making a vee to dip low between her breasts. Sewn into the fabric of the skirt were diamonds that sparkled as she moved and swayed.

Around each wrist was a wide diamond bracelet and she lifted her hands, twirling her arms beneath the lights. “This is amazing,” she said with a giggle. “How did you do that?”

“With a wink,” Nicholas said, his lips twitching.

Darien stepped forward and grasped her hand, holding it up to kiss the backs of her fingers. Heat traveled up her arm as his full lips brushed across her skin. Desire flared in his gaze and her heart fluttered as she imagined all the things the three of them could do later.

“So where is the ball? In the protected dimension or in the mortal world?” she asked, forcing air past the sudden dryness in her throat.

83

“Mortal world,” Nicholas replied as he brushed her hair over her shoulder. His fingers skimmed gently down her back, giving her goose bumps. “These dresses should go in your closet until then.”

“What about the jewels?”

Darien leaned forward, his breath blowing enticingly against her ear as he spoke. “I think you should leave those on.”

“Naked except for diamonds?” she mused. “Sounds intriguing.”

Tonya giggled. As she strolled past with Marcus she placed her hand gently against Rebecca’s arm. “Have fun.”

Rebecca turned and stared at her friend with surprise. Oh my god. She’d completely forgotten Tonya was in the room. It amazed her what these two warlocks could do to her common sense.

“Are you leaving?” Rebecca asked.

“Just going to my room.” She winked and slid her hand around Marcus’ elbow. “I’ll see you for breakfast? Usual place?”

With a nod, Rebecca smiled. “Usual time.”

Wiggling her fingers, Tonya left with Marcus. Vincent, unusually quiet, jumped onto the sofa table and meowed. Darien sighed and turned to glare at the black cat watching them from his perch just behind the sofa. Vincent blinked, his stare unconcerned and downright haughty. Rebecca bit down on her lower lip to keep from smiling.

“Why don’t you go raid the fishpond?” Darien snarled.

“Don’t bother yelling if you fall in either,” Nicholas added.