The group danced together until the band decided to take a ten-minute break. Zach took Emily by the hand and led her over to where they had the refreshments set out. "Having fun?" he asked as he handed her a cup of the fruit punch one of the chaperones was distributing.
Emily took a big drink and nodded yes to Zach's question, which earned a big smile from him. She was having a fantastic time with everyone. Well, one boy in particular. His eyes never left her, like he was totally mesmerized by her presence. She felt the same way about him. It was such a natural feeling of always wanting to watch, be beside, or touch the other in any sort of way.
"How about you?" Emily questioned him after she got down the last swallow of punch.
He nodded in agreement and was about to say something when the band broke out into another song. This time it was by the girl singer.
Madison grabbed Emily's hand and pulled her to the dance floor. All three girls turned and starte
Madison slowly turned around and found gawking expressions on her friends' faces."What the hell just happened?" Alex's voice reached over the sound of the band playing their next song.Madison shrugged. She had no explanation or reasoning to give them. All she knew is she had to search for Jacob and find out the answer to the question Alex just asked her. She quickly turned the way Jacob had gone and ignored Alex's questions, the dirty stares she was receiving from kids she bumped into on her way to get out of the room, and the killer looks she received as she passed Brindle and her cronies.As soon as Madison made it out to the sidewalk, she saw Jacob walking at a hurried pace farther down by the parking lot. "Jacob," she yelled out, hoping he would stop. She had no clue what she was going to say to him, but something deep inside of her said there was more to this whole charade he put on than what he let others believe.Jacob heard her voice ring out in
Madison made it back to the dance but didn't feel the same enthusiasm as when she first arrived. She couldn't believe all that had happened between them. Not much went on, but still, he kissed her, she kissed him, and there was a pull to him that she couldn't deny."Hey, where'd you go?" Alex snuck up behind Madison, who was in deep thought.Madison jumped. "I. Uh. I had to get out of here for a little bit. I needed some air." She didn't want to go into the whole explanation of what occurred after she and Jacob left the school."After that little escapade on the dance floor with Jacob, yep, you definitely needed some fresh air." Alex had a smug little grin on her face."That was nothing. It shouldn't have happened, and it will never happen again." Madison went over to the table where they had laid their purses and grabbed hers off the pile. A chaperone started to come toward them, but she held up her car keys. "It's mine. I'm leaving.""Where's my
Zach's face dipped lower to Em's. She wasn't backing away, so that was a good thing. The softness of her lips overwhelmed him as he tasted her for the first time. His inner wolf pushed him to go further, but Zach knew if he did, it would scare her off permanently. He slowly opened his mouth to see what kind of response he would get and was surprised when she did the same. His tongue danced around with hers in a display of seduction. He groaned as she slowly let her arms fall from around his neck down the length of his chest and abdomen. It was kind of exciting to see she had a little experience in this department, but it angered his wolf to know someone else had put their mouth and hands on what he claimed to be his.Zach slowly pulled back and leaned his forehead against hers. He felt like his heart was going to beat out of his chest, and he could hear her breathing was as labored as his from the wild moment they just had. "I better get going." He'd finally caught his breath
Madison woke up to her cell phone ringing in Alex's tone. She was going to let it go to voicemail but decided just because she was pissed off at Jacob she couldn't take it out on her friends. "Hey, what's up?""I was checking up on you to make sure you were doing a little better than last night." Alex was always the comforter of the group and strived to make sure everyone was happy. "So, are you ever going to tell me what went on with you and Jacob after you went outside? Don't say nothing because I know that would be total bull."Madison was trying hard to forget about last night. It was time to forget about Jacob. Not that she like-liked him in the first place, but the way he was last night when he kissed her was like something she'd never experienced before. It was like a flame inside her had sprung to life and was at a critical burning level.Time to forget and move on."I'm good," was the only thing Madison could mutter out to Alex about how
The weekend went by quickly with Zach spending as much time with Emily as possible. As per request by her aunt, Danny and Alex were with them with whatever they did. They all spent most of their time outdoors, so they weren't stuck in each other's homes. The park had become their second home over the weekend. Madison was a no-show on both days, and Jacob was rarely around the house when Zach did go home. The pack was still on patrol even though no sightings had occurred. Their father was supposedly calling for another meeting, which signified more members at the house and hopefully another way to bring down the vampire and clan that had ruined his whole family.Weeks passed without any incident. The pack meeting went by with no new information or leads available to or from the younger members who were always on watch. Zach could tell his father was becoming more irate with the whole Orfeo and dhampir drama, for which they never got any headway. A trail by their best tracker w
Alex's demeanor was still withdrawn over the following week. No matter what anyone tried or said, it seemed she forced or faked every smile or laugh. Danny was worried, as was his wolf. It wasn't good for either of them to have their mate this miserable. He wasn't able to concentrate on school, and his wolf couldn't focus on tracking. He needed to get Alex out of this downward spiral she was on and show her she had him and all her friends. It didn't matter whom she came from. It was who she was now that mattered."We all still on for the Saturday night bash at the Lovell house?" Danny asked Zach as the group sat around eating lunch. They'd planned to have their group over for a movie night, but somehow it ended up with Jacob inviting his crew over for the gettogether also.Zach nodded it was all still a go as he crammed his fourth piece of pizza in his mouth. There were a ton of horror films on the pay-per-view channels, the ones where they'd laugh, and the girls would
"So, did you get any with all your fancy attire last night?" Jacob was helping Zach set up for everyone coming over for the movie fest tonight."Wasn't looking to." Zach's mind wandered back to the previous night after he and Emily had left for ice cream. Yeah, there was ice cream involved, but there was also a lot of other sweet non-food stuff happening. He found out she wasn't ready to go any further than they'd done previously, which was cool with him. She came straight out and told him she was a virgin, and of course, that made him and his wolf even more excited. Not because she was a virgin, but because it meant no one else, as in a wolf, had laid claim to her. If, no, when it got to that point in their relationship, Zach wanted her to be sure she was ready to commit with body, mind, and soul. It was the way of the wolf, and when they found their mate, like Zach had done, there was no other."Bullshit." Jacob threw the pillow at him. "We're all looking to get some
The lights were turned back on after two gory stalker scary movies played. Jacob stood and stretched his arms over his head. He saw Madison quickly look away when he glanced over at her and caught her staring at him. "I think I've had enough horror and porn for the night." He glanced over at Emily and Zach concerning the little show they thought no one else could see or hear.Emily's face reddened from embarrassment, and she buried it against Zach's chest. Zach shook his head at his brother and let out a low growl for his ignorance of embarrassing his mate."Jacob." Brindle's whiny voice brought both boys out of their staredown. The beer cooler was empty. Jacob, Will, and Anthony had drunk most of it, but Brindle and the other two had a few, and it showed in their slurred words and erratic movements. "I thought we could go for a late-night swim." She stumbled toward Jacob and ran her hands up and down his body while kissing his neck.After listening to Zach and
The following morning, Lucas delayed opening the store as he took Cecelia home to get a set of her own clean clothes for the day. She’d put up a struggle having him follow her, but eventually caved in after he kept persistent about the matter for over twenty minutes.“Does everything look normal? Untouched?” Lucas glanced around at the sparsely furnished and decorated pile dwelling that Cecelia called home for the moment. The stilted home sat far back in the swamplands where alligators would be her nearest neighbor.“For the most part, yes. But we all know Rayne can put a glam spell on anything to make it seem untouched.” Cecelia rummaged through several drawers grabbing the necessities for a quick shower.“That is true. Rayne will do anything to cover her tracks. I’ll keep an eye and ear open while you take your shower.” Lucas stood by the front door and stared out into the vast land and water.“Alrig
Cecelia slightly waggled her head back and forth as she tried to figure out how to tell him what he wanted to know. “Are you connected to Rayne in any way?” She looked over at him so that she could interpret if he was telling the truth by his expression.“I was at one point in my life, but I learned that Rayne wasn’t the person who I thought she was.” Lucas didn’t want to divulge too much information until he found out what Cecelia’s association was to her.Cecelia nodded her head. It was a brief and basic answer. She wanted more as to how much he knew about their kind.Lucas saw the looks of conflicting emotions cross over Cecelia’s face. It seemed she was torn between telling him the truth or making up some outlandish lie. “I know all about the enchantresses of both black and white magic if that makes this all any better.” He hoped he just didn’t open up a whole new box if she had no clue what h
The electricity of their first kiss ripped through Cecelia. She had kissed men before, but this was one that no other could compare to. Lucas played with her by only allowing soft kisses until she wrapped her arms around his neck and forced them to be closer. His tongue lightly traced her lips asking for entrance, which she did without reservation. His hands that were once on her hips had moved around to fit perfectly on her ass. Cecelia softly moaned as his hips began to gently sway back and forth causing her to become wet in her panties.“Is this the type of business you are now offering, Lucas?”The sound of someone speaking halted both Cecelia and Lucas’s actions. They both knew who the voice belonged to, but neither knew that the other also knew Rayne.Lucas turned around keeping Cecelia behind him. “Rayne, it’s always a pleasure to see you.” He said this with as much sarcasm as he could put out right now. The past little
The smell, lights, music, and ambiance of the chosen restaurant caught Cecelia’s attention as soon as Lucas pulled the car into the parking lot. “How did you know I liked Cajun food?” She looked at the many people that were seated at the outside patio tables and then back to the long line forming by the front door. “Looks like we’ll have a long wait.”Lucas chuckled. “I doubt that. I have good connections that will probably allow us to bypass that line.” He took hold of Cecelia’s hand and led her in the opposite direction of the front entrance.“Where are we going?” As soon as Lucas led her back into the darkness behind the restaurant and away from the hustle and bustle that was going on in the front, Cecelia started to get a little anxious.“Right here.” Lucas knocked on the back door and waited for someone to open it.The back door swung open and a petite, beautiful woma
It had been two days since Cecelia went to the small store along the main street. She’d kept her presence in the Bayou hidden since venturing out the last time, never knowing when Rayne and her coven of black magic witches were going to poke their ugly heads up. Not that they were really ugly, quite opposite in fact. They were the most beautiful coven of enchantresses that she’d or anyone had ever seen, it was just their practices that were ugly.Cecelia’s cell phone buzzed to life with an incoming call. Only one person had the number and she’d given it to him as a gamble, which could have been deadly if he’d been a pawn of Rayne’s.“Hello,” Cecelia answered the call cautiously.“May I speak with Ms. Towne?” Lucas knew it was her as the sound of her voice had been floating in his thoughts for the past two days and nights. But he wanted this call to sound formal so she wasn’t so easily scared off b
Cecelia opened the back door of the small, wooden shack that was hidden amongst the cypress trees and swamp grass of the deep south. The heat, humidity, and musky smell rising up from the Bayou filled her senses as she walked across the pier that linked her small home on stilts to the mainland. She’d been in hiding since leaving West Lakes and knew this place would serve as a great cover. She'd left her home, her sister, and most importantly her niece, Madison, all alone at a time when she needed the protection of everyone in the coven.The dark ones, the enchantresses of black magic, would find her no matter where she took refuge. But, the seclusion and shadows of the Bayou would serve as protection for the time being. Cecelia had encountered those who practiced black magic when she was sixteen years old. Being of a rebellious nature and not wanting to follow in the steps of her older sister, she experimented in the dark, mystical essence that always seem
Madison opened her eyes. Wherever she was it was still pitch black and she couldn’t see anything in front of her. She still had some kind of rope binding her hands together and her ankles were crisscrossed and wrapped with some sort of material. Her whole body ached and she felt like she’d been in this prone position for years. She heard a door unlock and soft footsteps coming closer to her. She closed her eyes and pretended to be back asleep. The darkness that was once in front of her now had a soft hint of light. Whoever had come in obviously was lighting some sort of candles as she smelled a hint of burning wax in the air. Madison kept her eyes closed, but opened them enough that she could somewhat see. It took a few seconds for her eyes to adjust, then she could make out several details of where she was at. The walls were bare and seemed as if they were made of dirt. There were three candles in a smallholder that was placed to the side of her. A couple of empty IV fluid
“I’m here.” Zach burst through the door, still pulling the shirt over his head. Danny, Adam, Derek, Dr. Scott, and Jacob followed close behind. He rushed over to Emily’s bedside and picked up her other hand. “It’s going to be okay.” He saw the pain she was in as her face scrunched up as another wave of discomfort took over. “Just breathe and try to calm down.” He stroked her hand with his.“Fuck you,” Emily hissed out as the pain kept getting stronger. She let out a loud piercing scream that made everyone hold their ears.“I don’t think we have enough time to make it to the clinic.” Dr. Scott was observing the scene and then motioned for both Zach and Maureen to step away from the bed. “Can you all give us a minute or two? I need to check how Emily is progressing.” Derek motioned for the group to follow him out into the hallway. Once they were alone, Dr. Scott addressed Emil
“Has anyone talked to Jacob lately?” It had been over a week since they all had last seen Madison and Jacob. Alex hadn’t had any more visions, even with concentrating and focusing as the elder had suggested, she just couldn’t get any read on what was happening with either of the two.“He’s still looking for Brindle, who has also gone AWOL since all of this went down.” Danny had picked up Jacob on a few of their tracking runs, but he still hadn’t come back home yet. “Have you talked to him?” He looked over at Zach, who seemed completely exhausted with all that had been going on.“Um, I saw him once like two days ago, but he wouldn’t or couldn’t shift back to talk. It looked like this whole Madison being missing is making him go insane.” Zach had only had the chance to track both Madison and Jacob twice this week. Emily, who was now confined to bed rest, had him up day and night.&