Don't Hex and Drive (Stay a Spell, #2)

by Juliette Cross

I’d have to feed soon, but right now there was only one thing I wanted. One woman.

I wanted it all.

“Isadora.” I was begging her, but I didn’t know what for. For more of this? To put me out of my misery? To kill me now so I’d die the happiest of men?

No smiles. Because whatever that was, it wasn’t playful. It felt like danger and providence and a shocking dose of destiny. Whereas I was perfectly ready to discuss and explore what that could mean, it was quite obvious that Isadora wasn’t.

I crossed my arms over my chest. I couldn’t help but feel defensive as she pretended she hadn’t experienced what I had.

she was trying to figure out what was going on in my head. Too bad. I wasn’t going to tell her. Because it would scare the living fuck out of her.

“I’m sure we’ll be seeing each other around,” she said as she stepped out into the back courtyard. Oh, she better fucking believe we would.

Her emerald eyes glittered under the lamplight of my porch, still searching for some sign that I might say something else. No way. It wasn’t happening. “Goodnight, Isadora.”

This test can last months until the prey is found and caught. And we always got our prey. Always.

What Isadora Savoie didn’t know or understand was that one drop of her blood had set my body on fire. Perhaps my soul, too. Infecting me with a drive I couldn’t suppress even if I wanted to. And I didn’t want to. There was something about her.

She’d had me prowling and circling from the moment we met, and that fateful nick on her tongue sealed the deal....

Devraj was waiting outside my front gate, looking perfect and totally unruffled. Exhaling a deep breath, I pretended I wasn’t either. But then it became exponentially hard to do so when his heated gaze turned molten as he swept down my body and back up with a predatory glint. Ready or not, I was headed out on a non-date with the hottest vampire alive.

I suddenly shivered, remembering the potent pleasure that sung through my veins when I’d nicked my tongue on Devraj’s canine. When I turned my head to look at him, his heated gaze was fixed on me. Like he knew exactly what I’d been thinking.

“Never?” My voice had dropped so low I could barely hear myself. But he certainly did, his eyes locking on mine again. “I would only desire and allow this kind of intimacy with someone very dear to me. I would only take that step with someone I—”

He pulled me so close our bodies brushed together with our slow sway to the music. I had no words at the moment, sudden flashes of our night together penetrating my thoughts. Possessive hands, roving mouth, talented tongue, him moving inside me. Gah, stop! I squeezed my eyes shut for a second.

His obvious concern for me made me want to press closer. I could easily fall for this man.

And what a mistake that would be. To fall for a world-traveling Stygorn who would be leaving New Orleans as soon as the Bellingrath case was solved.

He was considering something when he eased me closer till our bodies pressed together, the contact making my breath falter.

That painful pang of disappointment was unexpected. It already hurt more than I imagined it would. He wanted to play. But I realized my heart wanted more.

I’d done plenty of playtime with men. But now, having seen what my sister Evie had with Mateo, I realized I wanted more than a fun affair.

If anything, my experience with Devraj reminded me that I could feel deeply for another man. But I couldn’t let myself play with a man who already had his hooks in me. Not knowing those three little words—whi...

Okay, didn’t need to hear all that. I caught Devraj’s gaze again, hotter and harder. And inviting. Nope.

“That’s easy,” said Charlie, tossing his blond bangs to the side. “Use a dating app. That’s how I find new dates all the time. Like my new guy, Patrick.” “What?” snapped JJ, crossing his arms over his muscular chest. “Since when?” Charlie raised his brows. “I told you I was dating.” “Yeah, but…” JJ didn’t finish his sentence.

Violet lifted the other bowls, grinning with mischief in her bright blue eyes. I shook my head at her, but she apparently didn’t see me or was completely ignoring me. “Isadora is finally getting back on the dating horse. It’s been like fucking eons.” “She is?” he asked, voice rumbling low. I started walking away before he could shoot an accusing look my way.

Devraj hovered close, seeming to want to talk to me, but I kept my gaze purposely averted. I didn’t want to see a look of disappointment or hurt in his eyes. It was for our own good. Or at least mine.

I knew myself enough to understand that I couldn’t go further with him without wanting more than he was ready to give me. Or could give me.

“Nico is now my cousin-in-law.” “Y’all aren’t married,” she accused, scowling at her. Mateo stood and spread a hand on Evie’s hip from behind her. “Not yet,” he said evenly.

“Sorry if my presence bothers you,” crooned Nico. His voice was the stuff of fantasies. His smoldering grin tipped his mouth up wickedly. “No, you’re not,” Violet said, scowling. “Not one bit.” He bit his bottom lip, seeming to enjoy her displeasure and staring at Violet like she was the main course.

What I also couldn’t help caring about was the way Devraj had gone uncharacteristically quiet. He didn’t try to talk to me the rest of the night, and I tried not to stare at him and worry about that pensive look of pain marking his beautiful face. And the fact that I was fairly positive I’d put it there.

I sat in my car in the hospital parking lot obsessing over the picture of Isadora on her profile on the fucking dating app, Zapp.

Her sister, who’d taken her picture, had captured her so perfectly I felt a pinch in my chest when I looked at it.

The piercing sting of this profile pic proved she wanted to date. Just not me.

Even at The Green Light, her pulse raced when I pulled her into my arms on the dancefloor. She couldn’t fake her body’s reaction, the subtle nuances I was so sensitive to as an experienced vampire. The tripping of her pulse, the labored breathing, the dilation of her pretty green eyes. And yet, here was proof she wasn’t interested in my company.

We did move in different circles, lived in different worlds. But I wanted her in mine. Or maybe I’d give up mine to be in hers. I don’t know. All I knew was that after three hundred years, I’d never felt this sort of obsessive attraction toward a woman.

And what she didn’t know was that I could be patient. And tenacious.

I growled, staring down at her profile. She’d checked off every box for the supernaturals she was interested in dating. No, Isadora wouldn’t discriminate. That should make me proud that she was so open-minded, but all I could think of was the giant goddamn ...

Ah. There it was. That last line explained so much. New Orleans wasn’t my home. She knew that Stygorn moved often. Knew that I rarely stayed in one place, too.

“She’s here?” I didn’t even try to deny the fact I was stalking her online.

My witch. When had I begun to think of her that way? How could I make it a reality?

But unlike Ruben, I wasn’t going to wait a decade to go for my woman.

That pinching feeling was back again, twisting hard in the middle of my chest. She glanced at me then away, tapping her hands against her sides nervously.

Now his cutesy smile was irritating. Was he playing games with me? Or was this really what he was like?

Is this guy for real? How could I date someone who refused to tell me about himself? I enjoyed a good intellectual debate as much as the next woman, but I didn’t want to play mind games just to find out where the hell this dude earned his paycheck.

“Don’t worry.” He sat back in the chair and gave me a wistful smile and a wink. “I won’t ruin your date.” He already had. Just by being here, he’d shown in glaring contrast the difference in my date and who I really wanted.

I couldn’t do anything but glare at him as he stood and brushed his fingers along the curve of my neck exposed above my cardigan sweater. He gave me a friendly squeeze that I felt zing all the way to my toes.

I was bored. And annoyed. Perhaps even a little sad. Since Devraj had strolled up, I couldn’t think of anything else but him. It was all his fault!

His sincerity cooled me off. Some of the steam had blown out of me.

His smile disappeared. He took a step toward me into my personal bubble, forcing me to tip up my chin. I didn’t back down, though. I wouldn’t let any vampire intimidate me. If that’s what he was doing. But the flash of heat in his eyes told me that might not be what was on his mind.

I would say he was a contradiction, but that wasn’t really true. He was exactly who he showed to the world. A brilliant, charming, and stealthy vampire who lived life fiercely. Too fiercely perhaps. His light shone too brightly. It burned.

“I think you can guess,” I added flippantly. “Okay. I’ll play,” he said, his hand drifting under my hair to wrap loosely around the base of my throat. “You enjoyed it when you nicked your tongue on my fang. You enjoyed it so much you’ve wondered what it would feel like if you went all the way.”