Tegan's Return (The Ultimate Power Series #2) (15 page)

 Ethan frowns. “Don't avoid it Tegan, you love me. I can smell it when you look at me. Your problem is accepting it.”

 “I'm twenty-three. I really don't know what I feel.” Perhaps reminding him how young I am will get him to back off. Unfortunately, it doesn't work.

 He lifts my hips up onto the window ledge and pulls my legs around his waist. “Age is of little consequence. You are a women and I am a man, and if I can't convince you with words how right it is for us to be together then maybe I will simply demonstrate it with actions.”

 He lifts me again, and this time carries me over to his bed, where he lays me down on the cool, soft sheets. He towers over me, eyes roaming over my bared skin where the cardigan pools open. He slides his hand over one of my shoulders and pushes the top of the cardigan away, tilts his head to the side, as though admiring my skin, and then does the same on the other shoulder before lifting me up and tugging the whole garment off me.

 I reach up to pull his shirt down his arms and then throw it onto the floor. He leans down and begins to kiss me slow and attentively, the skin of our chests touching, pressing against one another. Our tongues mingle languorously and I sigh into his mouth. His hands run over my hips and then move past my stomach and ribs to rest feather light on my breasts. He's barely touching me and yet it feels like so much more. This vampire really knows how to mess with my head. I open my eyes and I'm not surprised to find him grinning as he's kissing me. “Something wrong, Tegan?” he asks against my mouth.

 I try to scowl at him, but I like him too much right now to be angry. “I know what you're doing,” I breathe.

 “Forgive me,” he replies sincerely. “I don't normally take things so slowly, but with you I can't seem to help myself. I want to savour every moment of this.”

 Brilliant. I haven't slept with a man in more than two and a half years and he wants to take it slowly. I'm going to have a heart attack if he doesn't touch me harder.

 He seems to read what I'm thinking simply from the expression on my face, because he smiles and whispers, “Open your legs for me,
fata frumoasa
.”

 I swallow down a massive gulp of saliva and my knees fall helplessly to the sides. He trails a hand up my inner thigh, slips it under the fabric of my pants and makes contact with my skin. When he reaches the place I'm yearning for him to be, I grab onto him as his fingers tease me.

 He applies more pressure and suddenly he's running his fangs over my neck and whispering, “Die for me,” in my ear.

 At this very moment I don't think I could stop him if he tried to bite me even if I wanted to. His fingers ease inside of me and moments later explosions of pleasure burst through my body. Ethan has removed the remainder of both of our clothing within milliseconds, and then there is no material separating us any longer. He grips both of my hands in his, our fingers intertwining, and lifts my arms up, pressing them down into the pillows above my head. His naked body is pressed flush against mine now.

 “You are so soft,” he says in a gentle voice. He hovers just above me, holding me down, my legs around his waist. The last thing I remember is him whispering “
TE iubesc
”
into my ear over and over again, but I'm too preoccupied to wonder about the meaning of the phrase, as he transports us to a world where there is nothing but our two bodies and unending pleasure.

Come With Your Arms Raised High

I wake up to complete and utter darkness. It feels like morning but I can't see anything resembling daylight. Ethan's naked body is wrapped around mine, and I recall all of the many things we did through the night. Is it possible to be happy and completely disgusted with oneself at the same time? I don't regret having sex with Ethan, what I regret is that I did it now, at a time when I have other reasons for getting close to him. God, if he ever finds out he's going to hate me. Pain stabs me somewhere in the location of my heart.

 It takes me a moment to realise it's dark because Ethan has these strange mechanical black out blinds that must roll down automatically once it gets bright out. I pull away from him and sit up. He remains sleeping soundly, obviously resting during the day is the norm for him. I turn to look at him. His dark blond hair hangs over his face and his lips are slightly parted as his breathing rises and falls.

 I kiss his forehead and gently pull the blanket over him, before shrugging into the leggings and cardigan Delilah gave me to wear. I search around for a pen and paper and eventually find some over by his bookshelves. I scribble down my new number and leave it by the bed, so that Ethan will have a way of contacting me later when he wakes up. As tempting as it would be to spend the day wrapped up in bed with him, I have a few things that I need to get done while I have the time.

 Downstairs I locate Ethan's washer and dryer, where I find my clothes from last night, fresh and clean. I quickly change into them and quietly leave the house. There's nothing worse than doing the walk of shame on a cold frosty morning, but I don't have any other choice. At least there aren't any neighbours hanging around.

 My body is still tingling all over from Ethan's touch. It scares me how good he can make me feel, and all so effortlessly. I walk in the direction of the city centre and go to the bank. I'd managed to drop in the other day while I'd been out shopping with Finn and Gabriel to deposit the money Pamphrock is paying me. I just wasn't comfortable with all of that cash on me. I get the lady to deposit one thousand into Nicky's account. I may have drifted away from her since becoming acquainted with the world of the supernatural, but I haven't forgotten how well she took care of me while I'd been grieving for Matthew.

 I think the money might make up for the crap she had to deal with. At least I hope it does. I send her a text letting her know and she immediately writes back telling me to stopping being ridiculous. I tell her it's done now and her silence seems to indicate she's accepted it. I also withdraw some cash and go shopping, before taking a taxi back to Finn's house.

 I'm laden down with shopping bags when I step in the door. Finn comes out into the hallway and eyes me up and down with a grin.

 “Well would you look who it is, the dirty stop out herself,” he chuckles, laughing at my expense.

 I walk straight past him, scowling all the while, and step into the kitchen where Rita and Alvie are sitting and chatting. I unceremoniously drop the bags onto the table and Rita's eyes go wide and interested when she takes note of the shop logos.

 “I thought I'd get you some new stuff,” I tell her, “what with the fire and all. I kind of owe you anyway for all the favours you did for me before I left. Oh and I got you those red Doc Martens you asked for once upon a time,” I finish with a wink.

 Rita's entire face lights up in glee and she jumps up from her seat to give me the tightest hug ever. “How did you know my favourite shops?” she asks, eyeing the bags with a grin.

 I smile. “Intuition I suppose.”

 “This is so thoughtful of you,” she replies, taking a peek into each of the bags. I think I did well in interpreting her style and sizes, because she looks happy with what I've bought. Alvie goes to have a look in one of them, but Rita slaps his hand away. He folds his arms across his chest with a scowl.

 Finn is leaning back against the kitchen counter, watching me silently. I shrug out of my coat and sit down on the stool beside him.

 “I had a bit of an eventful night,” I tell him, and I'm not referring to what I did with Ethan when we'd gone back to his house.

 He quirks an eyebrow. “Oh yeah, what happened?”

 “A few things, but I think the most important piece of information you need to know is that Whitfield seems convinced that his victory is already secured. According to the vampires, Pamphrock's only a day or two away from surrendering.”

 Finn sputters a laugh. “They fucking wish.”

 “What's all this about?” Alvie puts in.

 I look to Finn for permission, and when he nods his acquiescence I quickly fill Rita and Alvie in on what I've been doing for the DOH, and about how I've been trying to find my missing father too. They both appear shocked for a few moments, before accepting the usual drama that normally follows me around like a plague.

 I turn back to Finn. “Oh and apparently I'm going to be Ethan's date to some big party celebrating Whitfield's accession of the North side of the city.”

 Finn stands up straight now. “When is this happening?”

 “Not sure, in about two days I'd guess.”

 “Did they say anything else about what they're planning?”

 “Nope, but you lot are definitely going to have to up your game. You need to get Rebecca away from Whitfield before he initiates whatever plans he's got in that old head of his.”

 Finn half smiles. “I'm going to call Pamphrock and let him know,” he says, pulling his phone from his pocket and leaving the room.

 I drop down into one of the chairs beside Rita, who's currently looking at me with shrewd, interested eyes. She sniffs ever so slightly, then asks, “Have you been talking to some other witch?”

 “Why do you ask that?”

 “I can smell magic on you, strong magic too. But it's not your own, it belongs to somebody else.”

 “Perhaps that's because I held a dying witch in my arms last night.”

 Rita's dark, almost black eyes go wide. I explain about the one eyed witch who'd come to me last night in the club, telling me she had information about my dad. Then I go on to describe the drama that ensued with the vampires and the car chase that ended with me almost drowning at the bottom of a lake.

 “I don't recognise any of those people by your description, but Gabriel might. He's had more experience with the magical families than I have.” Rita tells me, after she and Alvie have exclaimed shock and surprise at my account of last night.

 “I need to know who they were. They knew who took my dad, and they said some group was trying to use him for a ritual.”

 “Sounds a lot like human sacrifice to me,” says Alvie in a quiet voice. “And that kind of magic never accomplishes anything good. We need to get your dad back before they get the chance to perform the ritual.”

 Rita nods, and I can see a million different theories as to what these people might be up to flit across her face. “With rituals, normally you need to perform them at a particular time in a particular place. Which is good, because perhaps the time isn't upon us yet. That gives us the chance to try and stop them from killing your father. The closest big event on the magical calendar is very near though; tomorrow night is the winter solstice. It's highly probable that's when they'll be performing it.”

 A brick settles itself at the pit of my stomach at the thoughts of it. I'm going to have to work fast. “What exactly
is
the winter solstice?” I ask.

 “It's the shortest day and the longest night of the year. It's often a symbol of new beginnings and rebirth for magical folk.” Rita answers before continuing, “Tegan, do you happen to have anything on you that belonged to your dad?”

 I rub my forehead, too much information swirling within my brain. Then I remember. “Yes, I've got an old broken watch of his. He gave it to me to play with when I was a kid.”

 “That's perfect,” she exclaims. “I think I might be able to perform a locator spell with it.”

 “Are you sure about this, Reet?” asks Alvie warily. “You've been under so much stress since the fire. Perhaps you should rest for another while before you try any difficult spells.”

 Rita scoffs. “I'll be fine, have I not been taking clients since then anyway? And I healed Finn's wound perfectly. Besides, the solstice is tomorrow, we don't have the time to be waiting around.”

 “Yeah, but a locator spell takes a lot of juice. I'm just worried about you overdoing it Reet.”

 “I can do this,” says Rita, her voice hard and determined.

 “Fine,” Alvie responds. “But don't come crying to me if it all goes belly up.”

 “Don't worry I won't. Besides, you're going to help us do it, Alvie.”

 Alvie lets out a heavy sigh. “Of course I am,” his tone indicating his surrender.

 “So, is my dad's old broken watch all you need for this spell?” I ask, hopefully.

 “Not nearly,” Rita replies. “But don't worry, I can get most of the ingredients for it this afternoon.”

 I smile my thanks, grateful that Rita is going to take care of all that. Then she adds, “Oh, there's one other thing we might require.”

 “What's that?”

 “Somebody with a talent for breaking and entering.”

 Her answer intrigues me. All the same I roll my eyes. “I'll go get Finn then so.”

 I knock tentatively on the living room door once I hear Finn hang up on his phone conversation with Pamphrock. He calls for me to come in, his voice a little tired. Wolf is sitting up on the couch with him, his big head resting on Finn's lap.

 Finn runs a hand through his short, light brown hair. “What's up Tegan?” he asks.

 I sit down in one of the armchairs. “I need a favour, but first, what did Pamphrock say when you told him the news?”

 Finn smiles darkly. “He wasn't exactly jumping around in glee, if that's what you're asking. He was
pissed
. He's putting plans into motion to raid Whitfield's mansion tomorrow night.” He stops and looks at me then. “Oh, and he told me to thank you for the heads up. He said you'll still get your final payment even though you aren't going to be the one to rescue Rebecca yourself. You helped us determine where exactly they've been keeping her all this time. Even though the location might have seemed obvious, we needed you to pin it down and give us information all the same.”

 God, so much is going to be happening tomorrow night. Rebecca's rescue mission. The possible ritual with my dad. It's all a little bit overwhelming.

 “I'm just glad I could help,” I reply quietly.

 Finn glances at me. “So what's this favour you wanted to ask of me? It wouldn't happen to be based in the bedroom would it? Because I could use a little something like that to take the edge off right now.”

 “Ha ha, very funny. No, sadly not. Rita, Alvie and I are going to be performing a spell to try and locate my dad. She told me we needed someone who's good at breaking and entering and I immediately thought of you.”

 Finn puts his hand on his chest, like a damsel receiving a compliment from a cowboy in an old Western movie. “Well, my my, I really am flattered, Tegan.” But there's a glint in his blue eyes, a glint that tells me he's all up for a bit of illegal excitement. At least that's one less thing I need to worry about.

 Later on I shower and get dressed. I put on my black t-shirt printed with the demented smiling face of that piece of work, Charlie Sheen. Beneath the face is one word: winning. The half demented sentiment makes me feel at ease with my own confused mental state at the moment. My head is literally all over the place, filled with worry for my dad, fear of being caught spying on the vampires, lust for Ethan.

 I hurry downstairs where Rita glances at my t-shirt and gives me wry smile, before filling me in on what exactly we're going to be doing. Apparently, when performing a spell to find something that you've lost, you need to do it in a place in the very centre of the area where you have lost the thing you want to find. And so, because my dad is more than likely being kept somewhere in the vicinity of Tribane, we are going to perform the spell at the top of one of the most centrally located buildings in the city.

 It also happens to the tallest building in the city. It's called the Gregory David complex and is home to various high end corporations. It's also about seventy stories high. A good thing I'm not afraid of heights.

 Performing the spell at the top of the building is necessary, because it gives us a view of the entire city, and somehow the spell is going to point us in the direction of where my dad is being held. All of this Rita tells me as we fly through the streets in the back of Finn's DOH van. Alvie is sitting with him in the front, but Gabriel's been gone all day so we didn't have the chance to recruit him into helping us. Although, needing only three people for the circle, he would probably have been surplus to our requirements anyway.

 I couldn't resist bringing Wolf along with us though. Perhaps if we run into any trouble the dog will help to give us an intimidating air. It's just gone seven when we drive down the street toward the looming skyscraper. It's dark out, but the place should be fairly empty since most office workers finish up at five. That also means there will be less people around to catch us in the act of trying to get to the roof.