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

by Juliette Cross

“Do you have something against blondes?” I prepared myself for a dumb blonde joke or something else equally offensive. What I wasn’t prepared for was his sultry reply. “Not at all, darling. I’m a lover of all women.” His gaze caressed my face, shimmering with silver in the dark interior of his car. “I don’t discriminate.”

His name sparked a frantic, fluttery sensation in my stomach. I’d sensed he was powerful, but I hadn’t suspected he was one of the Stygorn. A vampire born of one of the ancients whose level of intuition, gift of glamour, strength, and speed was unparalleled by any other supernatural.

Unfortunately, men weren’t as easy to read or as easy to please as Archie. And why was I thinking of men anyway? I’d decided I was perfectly happy without them. Nothing they could do for me I couldn’t do myself.

I glanced up the street and couldn’t help looking in the direction Isadora had gone. I wondered where she was headed this morning. All chipper and smiling. That is, until she’d seen me and I’d called her name. Why was she so offended by my presence? I was a likeable guy, dammit.

“You have it?” I demanded, clearing the breathiness out of my voice. He nodded, his Adam’s apple bobbing when he swallowed. “Have dinner with me.” I blew out a sigh. “No. Give me back my package.” “You seem kind of desperate for it.” The wickedness was back in his eyes. Ten-fold. “You can’t keep it hostage.” “Can’t I?” Hands on both my hips, I argued, “I paid for it. Are you seriously going to steal my vibrator? I’d say you’re the desperate one if that’s the case.” He let out a bark of laughter, his white teeth

“I’ll come by after work and pick it up.” “What time do you get off?” “I’ll finish about four o’clock today. Clara usually closes unless she needs me to.” “Good. Four o’clock.” He smiled. “It’s a date.” “Devraj.” I snorted a laugh, unable to suppress it. “Me knocking on your door and standing on your porch is not a date.” He backed away, holding my gaze. “I look forward to seeing you soon.” “You’re ridiculous.” “I think you mean marvelous.”

something rather uncharacteristic in my short acquaintance with her. She smiled at me. And my heart nearly plummeted into my stomach. Christ. One smile, and I was devastated. Lost. Swimming in an ocean of what-the-fuck.

We stood there in a silent hug for what might have been one minute. Maybe two. But that small moment filled me with dizzying bliss. Her slender body pressed to mine felt like holding home in my arms. I knew then that there wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do for Isadora Savoie.

“Are you upset?” he asked softly. Sweetly. “No.” His tender tone made something ache beneath my ribcage. “You seem so.” “And you’re an expert on my moods now?” “I’m an observant man.” His hand slipped from mine to wrap around my neck. “And observing what makes you laugh or frown, what makes your heart beat faster.” His thumb brushed my pulse. “It’s one of my favorite pastimes.”

“Thank you,” she added timidly. “Especially for the wheel reflectors.” “Safety first,” I said with a wink and sipped my Bloody Mary. She had no idea but I’d ordered the biggest, brightest, safest reflectors possible to go on her bike. In addition, I’d made sure to replace her tires with wide-rimmed ones for easier balance and durability. The thought of something happening to Isadora, of her getting hurt again, had my protective instincts on high alert. It was in that moment at the bike shop where I’d interrogated the guy behind the counter over every detail of the new safety features that I realized I’d never been this insanely protective over a woman before. Without any attempt on her part, I was completely entranced.

I realized that my shy girl only opened up like this for people she trusted. A fact that had warmth blooming in the center of my chest.

“So you admit you do enjoy my company. Love it, in fact, right?” She laughed. “You really are incorrigible.” “So I’m told. Repeatedly. By a very pretty witch.”

“I was right.” “Right?” I barely managed to ask. A sharp nick of my shoulder before he licked the spot. “I wanted to see how amazing you’d look naked on this rug.” His voice dropped deeper, more dangerous. “You look like a fucking queen.”

He grinned, staring at my mouth for a few seconds before meeting my eyes again. “I could get addicted to the expression on your face when you come.”

I loved sex. I’d had numerous partners over the centuries. Numerous. So why had sex with Isadora undone me so completely? Why had this coupling with her shredded all my previous sexual experiences into what amounted to a waste of time? I felt adrift. Unmoored. Lost to any other purpose but the one that mattered. Her.

She rose up on her knees so I could align us, then she sank down onto me on a long exhale. Fucking hell. This woman. Her body. Her soul. I wanted it all.

Dearest Isadora, Since I’m aware of your affinity for charts and graphs and everything spelled out in black and white, I’m sending you the results of my testing as of today. Though I knew already, I wanted you to have all the chartly and grapherly evidence that I’m one hundred percent clean. (Yes, I made up those two words especially for you.) That being said, with you on the pill and with your assurance that you’re also in the clear, I formally ask if we can dispense with the condoms from here on out while we explore this “thing.” If that’s not clear enough, Isadora, know this. I want you, to be inside you, skin to skin. I want you all the time. You invade my thoughts every minute of the day. I crave you like I’ve never craved another woman. So yes, this is my plea, a vampire on his knees, begging you to let him come inside you with nothing between us. No boundaries. Think on it. Yours, Devraj

I was breathing heavily, panic running amok. “I can’t do this.” “You can.” “I might wreck your car.” “It’s insured.” “I’m scared.” “I’m here for you.” I half-laughed, half-whined at that. “You’re insane.” “I want you to trust me. I’d never let any harm come to you. You’ll be safe.”

“Press your left foot down on the clutch, your right on the brake.” I did. “Okay.” “Now, start the engine. And put your hand on the stick.” I arched a brow at him. “Is that code for something?” “My, oh my, Miss Savoie. What a dirty mind you have. Get your head out of the gutter and focus. And wrap your hand around my stick.”

“Oh, hell!” I had the clutch and the brake down to the floor. “I can’t do this.” “Yes, you can.” “Stop laughing at me, Devraj!” “I’m not laughing.” He was so laughing. Hard.

Damn, this man. If someone had told me I’d let a guy teach me to drive after he’d once hit me with his car, I’d have told them they’d lost their damn mind.

I leaned closer, pressed a long kiss to her forehead, and then stood and marched for the door. Violet grabbed my arm as I passed her. “Where are you going, Stygorn?” I glanced back, recognizing that sting in my sternum for what it was. The clenching of my heart. The longing to be with this woman for all time. I huffed out a breath and turned back to Violet. “Need to take care of some things.” Then I gave Violet a wink. “So she knows I’m all in.” Her eyes gleamed, sparkling with her Seer magic, as she smirked. “It’s about fucking time.”

“Not yet. Adam is still recovering.” “Recovering?” Jules smiled wickedly. “Devraj beat him pretty badly. They needed to wire his jaw shut, and Ruben wouldn’t let him have a healer. And since he’s getting no blood to strengthen his own magic for healing, we’re waiting for the swelling to go down. And his ribs to mend, so he can at least sit up in trial before the Guild Court.”