Chapter 25
Maya strolled down the street, her lips curving into a smile at the sight of the neon sign that glowed brightly against the night sky. The Witch’s Brew would soon reopen after weeks of renovations that had transformed the basement into an elegant lair that now consumed the entire block. Ravyr had insisted that it was necessary to buy the surrounding buildings, not only to make sure that their privacy was fully protected, but to give her room to expand the business in the future.
She hadn’t argued.
With Peri’s assistance she’d hired a full staff to run the coffee shop and bookstore, leaving her ample opportunity to concentrate on her magic-for-hire business, which had now been expanded to include temporary bodyguard services, with Ravyr providing the muscle and her magic offering an additional layer of protection.
After tonight, she was considering another expansion for her business, but that would have to wait until she discovered if the seeds she’d just planted actually pr oduced results.
Coming to a halt in front of her shop, Maya removed the protective spells as she glanced around the empty sidewalk. It felt strange not to see Joe slumped against the lamppost. He’d become a familiar landmark. Like the fire hydrant. And potholes. But while she occasionally—very occasionally—missed his snarky presence, she’d been adamant that he find someone e lse to pester.
She had a new Benefactor, and he came with all sorts of perks.
Need stirred through her at the thought of the glorious male. Ravyr had been gone less than a week, but she already ached to have him back. It felt like she was missing a pa rt of herself.
Shoving open the door, Maya stepped into the shadowed coffee shop and immediately released a bolt of magic as a dark form rose from a nearby chair. Wrapping strands of power around the intruder, she shoved him against the wall even as she slammed the door s hut behind her.
She heard a grunt, but a second later her magic was being absorbed by the male, who was wrapping his arms ar ound her waist.
“Hello, Maya.”
She chuckled. She’d already known who was waiting for her. Not only from the chill in the air, but also because no other creature could have gotten through the layers of magic she’d plac ed on the door.
Leaning against his rock-hard chest, Maya wrapped her arms around his neck. “You’re home earlier th an I expected.”
The glow from the streetlights angled through the window, silhouetting the stark lines of his profile.
“Home,” he murmured softly. “I like the sound of that.”
“Me too.” She paused. They’d spent the past weeks recovering from their battles with Batu and his demented disciples, and creating a lair that would be comfortable for both of them. But in the back of her mind had been a gnawing fear that Ravyr would be forced to return to his previous duties. Finally, Ravyr had judged her recovered enough to leave for a few days and made the journey to speak with his master, face-to-face. “Does that mean Sinjon agreed to you r resignation?”
Ravyr no dded. “He did.”
“No late-night calls that will send you dashing aro und the world?”
“Nope, no dashing.” He bent his head to brush his lips over her forehead. “I am officially retired. Just like you retired from your duties to t he Benefactor.”
She shivered, pleasure racing through her. When both Peri and Skye had assured her that sex with a vampire was the best thing EVER, she’d refused to believe them. How could sex be good with a frigid creature who was stabbing his fangs into your neck? Now she couldn’t believe that she’d ever been content sleeping alone in her big bed. All she wanted was Ravyr lying next to her, his hands roaming her body as he drank greedily from her vein.
“Good.” Her voice was suddenly husky with desire. “I need you here.”
His hands drifted down her back to cup her backside. “I’m not sure I can bake any muffins or brew coffee, but I’m incredibly talented with a mop. And you should see me with a sink f ull of dishes.”
“Mopping floors and washing dishes aren’t why I need you here,” she assured him, rubbing against his thick ening erection.
“Ah. Luckily for you, I am a vampire with numerous skills.” He kissed a path down the length of her nose before teasing her with soft kisse s. “But first.”
Maya blinked as he lifted his head to gaze down at her with a searchi ng gaze. “Yes?”
“Did you take care of your witch problem?”
Maya nodded. It’d taken days to finally hunt down Lottie Howard, but tonight she’d finally cornered her hiding in a dingy motel in Queens. The older woman had been too defeated by Alison’s conquest of her coven and the necromancers who’d invaded her territory to put up any fight. Any plans to punish the older woman for festering such hatred toward her had died the second she’d seen the witch’s slumped shoulders and dull eyes.
Instead, she’d offered the woman a reason to c ontinue living.
“Lottie has decided to disband what was left of her coven,” she assured Ravyr, knowing he wasn’t going to be entirely pleased that she hadn’t locked the woman in a cell and thrown away the key. “But I requested she remai n in the area.”
“Because it’s easier to keep an eye on her?”
“In part.”
Ravyr studied her with a sharp intensity. “And t he other part?”
“She has a remarkable talent for detecting mages before they come into their powers. If her senses can find them early enough for me to take in and train, I could help ease their way into their powers.” She pressed her fingers against his lips before he could protest. “We have an empty building next door. It would be the perfect place to bring in mages from around the world to s tudy together.”
His jaw was clenched, suggesting that he wasn’t entirely pleased with her explanation, but he was wise enough not to argue. Vampire business was his to deal with and mage business was hers . End of story.
“And Alison?” he instead asked.
Maya grimaced. “She’s currently staying in Colo rado with Tia.”
Ravyr arched a brow. “Staying with?”
“What else?”
“Hmm.” He grimaced. “I d on’t envy her.”
“Neither do I.” Maya didn’t doubt the young mage was howling in regret for having used her powers to tamper with the dead. “Tia make s a bad enemy.”
His tension eased as he stroked his hands up the curve of her back. “Not for you.”
“No, that feud has been burie d in the past.”
“Al ong with Batu.”
She nodded. The nightmares weren’t entirely gone, but they no longer bothered her. Not when she had this male lying next to her. “Exactly whe re he belongs.”
“The one thing left is to concentrate on our future.”
Holding his gaze, she reached out to grasp the hem of his black T-shirt, yanking it over his head and tos sing it aside.
“I prefer to savor the moment,” she confessed, leaning forward to explore the rigid muscles of his chest with open- mouthed kisses.
“Ah.” He shuddered as she licked his nipple. “I like h ow you savor.”
She scored her fingernails down his bare back, hard enough to leave marks. “I could savor bett er in our bed.”
With an elegant ease, Ravyr was sweeping her off her feet and heading toward the ba ck of the shop.
“Your wish is my command.”
Excitement scalded through Maya. She’d missed this male more than she’d dreamed possible. And now she had the promise that he would always b e at her side.
It was all she need ed to be happy.
“Not only gorgeous and sexy, but wise as well, ” she murmured.
“And hungry,” he growled, pulling open the steel door and heading down the flight of stairs to the remodeled basement, now filled with luxurious furnishings and top-of-the-line tech gadgets that Ravyr was collecting after years of ignoring anything modern. He headed directly to the bedroom and lowered her onto the center of the massive bed covered in a soft ivory comforter. “You forgot hungry. My beautiful mage. I was away too long.”
“I’ve been waiting for you,” she assured him, lifting her a rms in welcome.
With quick movements, Ravyr stripped off his clothes before joining her on the bed. “Just like you promised.”
“Forever,” she whispered, her hand moving down to gras p his erection.
* * * *
Pacing the elegant gold-and-crimson carpet she’d personally chosen for her private study, Tia ignored the leatherbound first editions that lined the bookshelves and the expensive wine that her servant had decanted and placed on the sidebar.
She felt...restless. Yes, that was the word. As if she had an itch she co uldn’t scratch.
The trouble was, she didn’t know what the itch was, or how to scratch it.
Hoping to squash the sense that she was standing at the edge of a brewing thunderstorm, she’d abruptly decided to release the cantankerous Alison from her cell in the dungeon a few hours ago and requested that Lynch drive her to town. She’d made sure the mage understood the dangers of toying with powers that were beyond her pay grade, as painfully as possible. She’d also taken the precaution of placing a curse on the younger woman that would make her very sorry if she ever decid ed to go rogue.
It woul dn’t be pretty.
Turning to retrace her steps, Tia’s musings were interrupted as Lynch stepped into the room and offe red a deep bow.
“It’s done, ” he announced.
Tia halted, studying the large male with a narrowed gaze. “Did you stay and make sure that she go t on the bus?”
He shrugged. “She was the first one on. I don’t think you have to worry about her coming back anytime soon.”
“Good.” Tia pursed her lips. “If she learned her lesson, she might make a decent mage one day.”
“And if she didn’t?”
A hard smile curved her lips. “Then I’ll give her another lesson. One she won’t forget.”
Lynch nodded. “Is there anything else?”
Tia glanced toward the heavy, old-fashioned clock set on her desk. Midnight. It was later than she realized.
“Not tonight.”
With another bow, Lynch turned to disappear from the office, closing the d oor behind him.
Once alone, Tia glanced toward the wine waiting for her, along with one of her favorite books. Everything was settled. Batu was dead. The surviving disciples rounded up by Valen to be properly punished. Alison had been released from her cell, and Maya was happily settled with her leech.
There was nothing to do but e njoy the peace.
So why wasn’t s he enjoying it?
With a click of her tongue, Tia headed across the room to lay her hand on top of the heavy globe. Maybe a relaxing dip in the pool would settle her nerves. Or, if nothing else, it might give her some insight into why she couldn’t shake the edginess hummi ng through her.
Magic tingled in the air, along with the scent of dirt and moss as the hole in the floor slid open and Tia climbed down the steep stairs, her silk caftan brushing the stone floor as she crossed toward the natural spring in the center of the cavern.
Only it wasn’t just moss that perfumed the air, she abruptly realized, her steps slowing as she neared the edge of the pool. There was a distinct scent of copper that teased at her nose. Along with a power that suddenly thundered beneath her feet like an earthquake.
Dammit. Magic hummed through her veins as the water bubbled and churned before a tall, broad-shouldered male with long, burnished hair abruptly appeared in the center of the pool. Narrowing her gaze, she glared at the sculpted features that were impossibly perfect before lowering to take in the wide, naked chest that tapered to a narrow waist.
Thankfully, his lower half was hidden beneath the waters, she silently acknowledged, as desire blasted through her. It’d been a very long time since she’d been with...anyone. And the raw intensity of her awareness was as shocking as it was unwelcome.
“Joe.” His name came out as a hiss. “How did yo u get in here?”
He smiled, his gaze taking a slow survey of her rigid posture and tightly c lenched hands.
“You think there’s any place I can’t enter?”
“That’s not the point,” she snapped. “It’s rude to intrude into someone’s home witho ut permission.”
His brows arched, as if he was offended by her accusation. “But it wasn’t without permission. You called me.”
“Bullshit. I don’t know who you are or even what you are,” she protested, pretending she hadn’t grilled Maya on everything she knew about this creature before she’d left New York. At the time, she’d told herself it was necessary to be prepared in case Joe proved to be a threat. Now that he was standing in her home...well, there might have been a bit more to her interest, she reluctantly conceded. “How cou ld I call you?”
“You called me i n your dreams.”
Heat crawled beneath her skin as Tia flushed for the first time in centuries. “You mean my nightmares,” she muttered.
The emerald eyes glowed with a sudden fire as he took a step forward. “It didn’t feel like a night mare. In fact—”
“Stop.” The command came out as a squeak. “Don’t you dare take another step.”
He chuckled. “Afraid what you’ll do if you see me in my full glory?”
Yes, absolutely. He was right when he claimed he’d been in her dreams. She’d fantasized about him over and over, but she’d be damned if she admitted her fascination. Not even to herself. When it came to lovers, she was careful to choose partners who could never be a threat. Not in or out of bed.
This male...he was completely and tota lly off limits.
“You should be afraid of what I’ll do.” She lifted her hand, magic dancing over her fingers with fiery sparks. “Wha t do you want?”
The emerald eyes darkened. “S o many things.”
“Tell me ,” she snapped.
He paused, as if realizing she’d reached the end of her patience. “I need yo ur assistance.”
She frowned before she abruptly realized what assistance he meant. “Ah. Of course, Maya kicked you to the cur b, didn’t she?”
Joe shrugged. “It was a mu tual decision.”
Tia shook her head, her chin tilted to a stubborn angle. “I’ve already been a pet mage to an arrogant male . Never again.”
“What about a temporar y partnership?”
About to insist that he leave her in peace, Tia abruptly hesitated. She hadn’t reached her level of success by being hasty. In truth, her greatest asset was her cold logic and willingness to make hard decisions.
She didn’t know much about Joe, or what the role of a Watcher entailed, but she did know he was the most powerful creature she’d ever known. It would be beyond stupid not to discover what he c ould offer her.
“What do I get out of it? ” she demanded.
He blew her a kiss . “Besides me?”
Tia rolled her eyes. “Yeah , besides you.”
“I’m open to negotiation.” He folded his arms over his bare chest. “Na me your price.”
A slow smile curved Tia’s lips. “Oh, this is go ing to be fun.”