Chapter 12
Chapter
Twelve
Magnus let go of her hand and opened the sliding door to the dining room.
She gasped when she saw the beautiful setup.
She’d been in the dining room before, cleaning it, but it was something different with the beautiful china on the linen table cloths, candles burning in silver candlesticks.
The dark wood walls and the fireplace with a crackling fire added ambiance to the room.
Everything shone and sparkled under the crystal chandelier.
“Well?” he asked.
“It’s beautiful.”
“I wanted to outdo Finbar’s first date with Margaid,” Magnus said smugly. “And I wanted to make up for our bad first date.”
“I think this does it.”
Magnus smiled. “Good.”
He led her to the table and pulled out a chair, and she sat down. Then he turned to the wine bucket and withdrew a bottle of white. “Would you like a glass?”
“Please.”
He poured her a glass of wine, then one for himself, and then took a seat at the head of the table, right next to her. “The first course will be ready soon.”
“Too bad you don’t have a waiter.”
“I don’t want anyone interrupting this date,” he said, reaching out and taking her hand in his.
Her stomach fluttered and as she opened her mouth to say something, a ghost came rocketing out of the far wall, totally naked, screaming at the top of his lungs.
Her spine stiffened as she watched the ectoplasmic streaker run through the dining room and then disappear in a burst of energy into the kitchen.
Magnus looked over his shoulder. “What did you just see?”
Mercedes blinked a couple of times. “I’m not sure you would believe me if I told you.”
“Try me. I mean, you are talking to someone who has seen a lot of nonsense in ten centuries and was cursed into immortality. Maybe I can believe in the absurd.”
“I forget that.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “You forget I’m a ghoul? I mean, the red eyes do unnerve some people.”
“Not me.” And she squeezed his hand. “You really want to know about the haunts in this house?”
“You’ve told me a couple.”
“This one is new to me.” She laughed nervously. “A nude streaker, apparently.”
Magnus’ eyes widened and then he laughed loudly. “Okay, well now I’ve heard everything.”
“Sorry. Maybe it’s a good thing you can’t see them.”
A timer went off and Magnus let go of her hand. “First course is ready. Sit tight and I’ll be right back.”
Magnus excused himself from the table and disappeared through the wall the nude streaker had gone through.
Mercedes tried to relax, resting her head in her hands, when Sal came floating into the room. She peered at the gangster ghost through her fingers.
“Doll, have you seen a nude guy run through here?”
“Is the nude guy your fault?”
Sal shrugged. “Sort of. He was asleep with the fishes in the pond out back, and I guess all the work that lizard guy was doing released him.”
“You killed someone, Sal?”
“No. No. Not someone. A snitch.”
Mercedes sighed. “He’s dead, maybe you can let him be. He obviously has some issues to work through before he crosses over.”
The shrieking started again, distant, and then a naked man bust through the wall, screaming, and then came to a stop when he spotted Sal. “You!”
“Listen, Mario,” Sal stated.
“No. I was no snitch,” Mario the naked ghost asserted.
“Guys!” Mercedes shouted. They both turned and looked at her in shock. “Can you take your disagreement about snitches outside?”
“There’s smoke coming out of that dame’s fingers,” Mario said through the side of his mouth.
“Yeah, she’s a witch. We better scram. Come on, Mario.” Sal escorted the now quiet, nude Mario out of the dining room, and Mercedes took a deep, calming breath. Just at that moment, the door opened and Magnus came in carrying a tray.
“Whoa, you’re smoking,” he said, setting the covered tray down on a little table.
“The nude ghost returned and he started arguing…you know what, never mind. I don’t want to think about the ghosts tonight.”
The fact that she’d already started smoking because of their intrusion was bad. The last thing she needed was to cause an explosion.
“Deal.” Magnus removed the cover and set a small salad in front of her. “It’s not fancy, but the dressing is a citrus one of my invention, and the bread is fresh out of the oven.”
“I can’t wait to try.” The bread smelled divine.
Magnus set down his plate and then cut her a slice of the fresh bread. It was still steaming hot. Then he pulled out a seasoned oil to dip the bread in. As she tried a bit, she moaned slightly because it was melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
“You are an amazing cook, Magnus,” she said, licking her lips.
“You’re so sexy when you lick your lips like that.”
“Oh?” Her heart was full-on hammering, her body completely reacting to the thought of him licking her. She’d pictured it one or two times and dreamt about it several more.
He grinned and then leaned in. Her eyes closed as he kissed her gently, his tongue outlining her lips, but she didn’t want these light butterfly kisses from him. She wanted something more.
“Hussy!” Lottie screeched.
Mercedes pulled away and glared at Lottie, who had just floated in. Lottie’s eyes widened before she disappeared.
“Ghost?” he asked, still close to her.
“Yes.”
“Maybe it was a bad idea for us to have our first date here.”
“Ghosts are everywhere. At least I’m used to these ones.” She nibbled on his lips. “Now, where were we?”
And this time, she let him know exactly what she was feeling. What she wanted from him. Yes, his food was delicious, but not what she wanted in this moment. They could eat later. Right now, all she wanted was him.
Mercedes wanted him naked, and all she could think about was lying down on the table and spreading her legs for him. The thought of Magnus’ lips on her body, his fangs brushing her skin and other places made her quiver with heat.
“Mercedes,” he murmured, his hand slipping into the hair at the nape of her neck. “I want you. All of you.”
“Do you want to taste more than my lips?”
He growled ferally and then pushed out her chair, kneeling in front of her, his hand sliding up her bare leg and under the dress. Mercedes’ nipples tightened and she moaned as his fingers traveled farther, her legs spreading, wanting more of his touch while he kissed her.
His hand slipped under her lace panties.
“Can I get rid of these?” he asked, breathing hotly against her neck.
“Yes,” she murmured.
Magnus tugged off her underwear. She hiked up her tight dress, freeing her legs and range of motion. He licked his fingers before stroking her folds. Her eyes rolled back in her head as he touched her, making her wet. He gently circled her clit with his thumb.
“I want to taste you,” he said huskily.
“God yes.”
He placed his hands on her hips, scooting her closer to the edge of the seat before kissing her thighs, his fangs grazing her sensitive skin, and then his tongue parted her, licking her, and she arched her back, digging her fingers into the sides of the chair as he devoured her.
All she wanted to do was come, but not like this. She wanted his cock buried inside her. She wanted to come while wrapped around him.
“Please,” she moaned.
“What?” he asked, kissing her quivering thigh. “What do you want?”
“I want you, Magnus,” she said breathlessly. “I want you inside me.”
He chuckled and scooped her up into his arms. He carried her to the elevator, kissing her as her body trembled, wanting more.
Her pulse thrumming with need. The elevator ride down to his apartment in the basement was short.
He kicked open the door and then floated to the bed, setting her down.
She removed her dress and bra, her body aching for him.
His red eyes focused on her intensely, making her body react with anticipation of what was to come. She leaned forward and helped him undress because there was no way she was going to be the only one naked.
“Do you want me to get protection?” he asked, kissing her softly on the lips as she undid his shirt buttons.
“No need. I just need you,” she moaned against his lips as she peeled the shirt off his shoulders, reveling in touching all his muscles.
He pulled down his pants. His large cock was hard, and she wrapped her hand around it, stroking him.
“By Odin, Mercedes,” he groaned.
“As much as I want to taste you, I’m burning with need.” In fact, she could see the smoke rising from her skin.
He chuckled. “You are, and I am too.”
Magnus grabbed a bottle of lube, and she laid back as he rubbed the cool liquid into her folds.
Just that simple touch made her smolder, and she couldn’t recall wanting someone so badly before.
Of course, at the moment she couldn’t even really remember her name as she arched her back, pressing her core against his hand.
He leaned over her, his cock at her entrance and his thick forearms braced on either side of her head. He eased into her slowly. It was sensual torture as he filled her. The tight, tingling need for pressure drew her fingers to her clit, her eyelids fluttering closed as she circled and rubbed it.
He growled. “Fuck, that’s so hot.”
“What?” she whispered.
“Touching yourself.”
She grinned and he sank deeper, making her moan as she bucked her hips, urging him to take her, to fuck her, but he was slow with his thrusts.
“You’re so wet,” he grunted.
“Is this how you get your revenge on me?” she teased. “Torturing me.”
He laughed softly. “You want more?”
“Oh yes.”
Magnus gripped her hips and quickened his pace, pumping in and out of her. His thumb replaced her fingers, stroking her clit as he rode her hard, just like she wanted.
Her orgasm bloomed deep inside her. Intense, like nothing she’d ever experienced before. The lights in his room hummed and flickered as she came, squeezing him. The lights zapped, and then all burnt out.
“Ah, fuck,” he cried out, his thrusts shallow, his body tight against her as he came. Magnus let go of her hips and the bed dipped as he landed beside her. She curled up against him.
“So much for dinner,” she teased. “We can’t seem to get through a meal.”
“No, but this was definitely better.”
She laughed softly. “Sorry about the lights. I think that I might’ve blown them up.”
“I don’t give a shit about the lights.” He ran his hands along her back. “I don’t need the lights on to be with you. I like feeling my way in the dark.”
“Well, since you like to feel things in the dark, it’s now my turn to make it up to you for wrecking your dinner and your lights.”
“Oh?”
Mercedes straddled his knees, tracing her tongue over his hardening cock. “Yes. Think of this as my apology.”
And he didn’t argue with her.
Magnus couldn’t believe he was waking up in Mercedes’ arms. It was still dark out, but he had to start breakfast. He needed to get used to these early mornings before the first guests arrived tomorrow. Gently, he moved Mercedes’ arm from where it lay draped across his chest and slipped out of bed.
He yawned and stretched, heading to the bathroom.
He didn’t need to turn on a light because he knew his way through the walls.
Last night’s electric surge seemed to have burned out all the lights in his room.
Not that he minded this kind of explosion from her.
So he made his way over to the bathroom and tried to step through.
Pain shot through him as he fell on his ass on the floor with a resounding thud.
“Magnus?” Mercedes asked groggily.
“I’m okay.” He reached out and touched his head. It hurt and, as he touched his scalp, wincing from the pain, his fingertips connected with damp stickiness. “Hey, Mercedes, turn on my phone’s flashlight for me.”
“Sure,” she mumbled into a pillow.
The light came on, and when he looked down at his white fingers, there was blood.
What in Odin’s name?
He touched his forehead again. More blood. He stood and looked in the mirror. There was a cut on his head. Not only was he bleeding, which should be impossible, his hair was no longer white. It had turned back to the ruddy-brown color from his mortal life.
His mouth dropped open and then he reached up and touched his chest. There was a faint thump beneath his fingers.
His heart.
Beating.
“Magnus, is everything okay?” Mercedes asked, sitting up. Then he heard her gasp as he turned around. “You’re bleeding. Do you usually bleed?”
“No,” he said, stunned, his hand still on his chest.
“Your hair is…not white.”
“I know. I think…I think I’m alive again. I think the curse is broken.”