Intoxicating Magic (2 page)

Laughter rippled through the audience, followed by a rustling of clothing. My eyes had finally adjusted, and they widened as I realized a large number of women were stripping their bras off and dangling them from their fingertips.

Purple Leotard laughed. “That’s it, my pretties. You’re well trained, aren’t you? I’m sure Miss Victoria will reward you for your obedience.”

He snapped his fingers. The monkey climbed down his leg and scrambled up the red silk curtains covering the wall behind the stage. He swung back and forth, a huge grin on his adorable monkey face.

“Remember,” the emcee said, waving to the monkey. “Chester sees all. If anyone gets out of line, your punishment is waiting.”

The monkey reached behind a mirror dangling from a cable and produced a hose. With one flick of his finger, misty fog filtered out into the audience, winding its way through the club until it was so thick it was impossible to see the wooden floor.

I scooted my chair back, shivering in the air-conditioning. Link let out a low growl, but the patrons and staff were too busy cheering and eating up the emcee’s words to even notice my Shih Tzu start to glow with his shift. I reached out to soothe Link, to delay him, but the vampire energy thickened and I yanked my hand back. My heart sped up. A thin sheen of sweat coated my brow. Panic took over, and I wanted nothing more than to bolt from the room.

“I know you’re all squirming in your seats,” Purple Leotard drawled as I frantically scanned the room.

The vamp energy intensified, pressing in on me from my left. In the next moment it shifted, coming at me from the right. He or she was on the move.

“But sit tight, because once you’re under her spell, you’re going to be so wet you’ll need a change of drawers.” His eyes glinted under the light as he stretched his arm out and pointed in my general direction. “Without further ado, I present the fabulous and incredibly sexy Miss Victooooria!”

The spotlight winked out once more. A new light flashed brighter than ever, blinding me. Squinting, I covered my eyes with one hand as I felt rather than saw Link shift. He landed with a soft thump and pressed his body against my thigh.

“Link,” I whispered, automatically placing my hand on his back, keeping him from lunging. He was vibrating under my touch but wasn’t growling. That was something at least.

“What do we have here?” The sultry voice of Miss Victoria filled the room. “A fae? In New Orleans? How positively delicious.”

I stared up into the heart-shaped face of the most gorgeous woman I’d ever seen. Her vibrant eyes were sapphire blue, accented by her chestnut hair piled high on her head and the open, inviting expression on her face. She looked like a woman whom every girl wanted as her best friend and every man dreamed of taming. I was no exception. For some reason, when she smiled at me, it was like a drug. I wanted her attention. Wanted to be part of her inner circle.

And when she held her hand out, I took it and let her pull me out of my chair. I could barely feel the weight of the vampire’s energy anymore and vaguely wondered where he’d gone. Every other thought vanished from my mind as Miss Victoria ran her delicate fingers down my neck. Tingles of something close to desire shivered through me.

Whoa. I tried to step back, but her hold on my wrist tightened just enough to keep me in place. My movements stilled as I gazed at her jeweled eyes. They were kind, indulgent.

“Where are you going, darling?” she asked into her microphone. “Don’t you want me to dance for you?”

Before I could answer, she was tugging me over to the stage. My feet glided along with her, my mind clouded in a haze of excitement. And when my wings twitched with anticipation, a cheer of encouragement grew from the captivated crowd.

Victoria paused and turned back to her audience. “It’s a special occasion, my lovelies. I had no idea when the night started that we’d be lucky enough to experience such a wonderful treat.” She ran her fingertips through my long auburn hair. Her voice turned husky as she leaned in. “We could be twins if only I had wings.”

With the mention of twins, my body stiffened and whatever spell had overtaken me shattered. The magic lifted, leaving me staring at an enraptured audience. Even Link seemed to be tamed by Miss Victoria’s presence. He sat near our table, his puppy-dog eyes full of adoration for the seductress. In full wolf form, however. It was weird. I shook my head and scanned the room for Phoebe. Nowhere in sight.

“What’s wrong, love?” Victoria whispered in my ear. “Did you get cold feet?”

She reached out to touch me again, but I backed away. Whatever she’d done to me and to the audience wasn’t right. We were all pawns in her game of seduction. And this time the shiver that ran down my spine had nothing to do with desire.

Foreboding overtook me. Something was very wrong.

“No,” I said, my voice chilly with judgment. “I don’t appreciate being compelled to do something against my will.”

Her eyes crinkled in amusement. “Feisty. Roberto said to watch out for you. I just didn’t think it would happen so soon.” She spun and opened her arms wide. “Welcome to
The Carnevale
, a place where the absurd becomes normal and the normal becomes absurd.”

She snapped her fingers and the lights shifted, cascading across the room in a filtered red haze. More of the misty fog materialized along the floor, but this time it morphed into tendrils and clung to the patrons with a sinister vibe that made my skin crawl. I backed up, trying to fade into the shadows, determined to find Phoebe. Everything about this was wrong. Maybe even evil.

But Victoria crooked her finger and magic spilled over me, forcing me forward. I moved in slow motion, my eyes locked on hers.

Her lips curved up in a self-satisfied smile. “That’s it, sweet Willow. Come to me.”

Willow.

She knew my name. This wasn’t a random, chance meeting. She’d known I’d be here. Every bone in my body screamed to walk away. To call Link to attention and to leave this place. I couldn’t concentrate. Couldn’t do anything but obey her command.

Teetering on my red suede pumps, I stepped forward, another tingle of pleasure winding its way through me. It wasn’t sexual in nature but was intoxicating all the same. Euphoric even. My hand slipped into hers and together we glided our way to the stage.

With careful, deliberate steps, we climbed the stairs, stopping only when we were midstage, facing the rapt audience. Their faces were turned up in lustful anticipation as the lights dimmed, casting us in a soft glow.

The soulful sound of a sax filled the room as Victoria moved slowly around me, her heels showing off the sexy lines of her toned legs. She eyed me like a sleek panther, her hips swaying. A man dressed in all black materialized and let out a low, seductive whistle before taking his place at the piano.

She leaned in, her breath tickling my ear. “Where would you like me to touch you first, Ms. Rhoswen?”

My wings fluttered, and I could almost hear the soft chuckle of my friend Harrison when he’d insisted that was a sign I was turned on. Tucking my wings against my back, I tried to scowl, tried to get a hold of myself. I shouldn’t be on this stage attracting attention. But I couldn’t move. Didn’t even really want to.

“Here?” she asked and ran a hot-pink fingernail down the side of my neck.

An uncontrollable shiver visibly shook my body. My eyes closed involuntarily, and I swayed as she ran her hands lightly down my back and over the tips of my wings.

“Yes,” Victoria whispered.

Her voice was so low I barely heard her. I was too busy concentrating on the feathery kisses she was trailing along my collarbone. Equal parts horror and pleasure filled my muddled brain.

“Your scent is so sweet, so alluring. And to have you like this, in front of everyone. It’s almost too much to take.” Her right hand splayed over my stomach as she explored at will.

My focus was riveted on the tingling coming from her fingers digging into my hip and the soft murmur of encouragement reverberating from the crowd. They wanted us both. And Goddess above, if I didn’t want to give them exactly what they craved.

I was ready. Ready to partake in whatever Victoria had in store for us both.

That is, until I felt the sharp prick of fangs press against my neck as Victoria said, “Asher will be so pleased.”

Chapter 2

The spell instantly shattered as my blood turned to ice.
Vampire!

Holy shit!
How was that possible? I hadn’t sensed her and her touch wasn’t draining me like other vamps did. Just like David and Eadric, two vampires I’d turned into daywalkers.

But I hadn’t turned her. How was she doing this? The question flew out of my head as she wrapped her stonelike arms around me. I jerked, trying to pry myself out of her embrace, but she was too strong.

Her grip tightened, pinning my arms to my sides. Her tongue darted out, lapping at my pulse. “Fighting me will only heighten my desire to taste you.”

I shivered in disgust, and a second, more horrifying realization slammed into me. She’d said Asher—the vampire who’d killed my brother and was after my nephew and me.

Asher had sent her. She was here to kill me.

My heart thundered in my chest. I frantically scanned the crowd for Link or Phoebe. The room was bathed in darkness past the first few rows, and one quick glance told me the spell hadn’t broken for anyone else, only me.

I was truly on my own.

“I can feel your pulse quickening.” The vamp let out a low growl. “I’d enjoy the hell out of this if it weren’t for your dirty, tainted blood.”

Dirty, tainted blood.
She was referring to the Sunshine potion I drank as a precaution to keep vampires from using my blood as a meal. To them it tasted horrendous. Anger squashed the fear consuming me and my fight reflex kicked in. “Victoria,” I said, my voice laced with steel. “Allcot will kill you for this.”

Her laughter rang clear as a bell through the club as she tilted her head back. I gritted my teeth and rammed my elbow into her marbled gut and ineffectively stomped down on her instep.
Son of a
… that had to have hurt me infinitely worse than it did her. Adrenaline surged through my veins, and I flared my wings with such force she actually stumbled backward, freeing me from her clutches. Relief warred with my panic as I turned in midair, afraid that if I left, she’d attack an innocent bystander.

The crowd gasped, but no one seemed to realize our actions weren’t part of the show. Or they didn’t care.

Victoria righted herself and gave me an amused smile. As she prowled forward, her eyes sparkled with challenge. “Oh, good, a fighter. And here I was worried the audience might be bored.”

“You’re crazy,” I said, spitting the words out. “Is that what this is all about? Putting on a show? Why does Asher want all these witnesses?”

“So naïve.” She shook her head. “For the congregation, of course. How else is he going to gain his followers?”

My mouth dropped open in shock and I was unable to form words. Asher wanted to be the savior of humans, and with my death he was going to form a religion. It was genius. Humans would follow him unconditionally. It would be a full-on vamp–human war. And what better way than by starting with killing the faery who could turn vampires into daywalkers?

Shaking myself, I stared into the cold, uncaring eyes of the vamp. “You tell Asher to go fuck himself.”

Then with one pump of my wings, I sailed upward, angling for the last place I’d seen Link. But before I could clear the stage, she leaped and her iron grip clasped around my ankle, pulling me back to her.

“You bitch,” I cried, unable to free myself or keep control of my flight.

The pair of us crashed to the stage floor, rolling around like hysterical mud wrestlers, me trying to break her hold. It was by pure luck that she landed on one arm, preventing her from pinning me the second we toppled to the stage.

A moment of clarity seized me, and I knew without a doubt I’d never be able to just flee from her. She was too strong, too fast. There was only one thing that would keep me alive… if I survived it. Closing down my mind, I reached out, my fingers clawing at her throat.

She growled, bucking to try to roll me over, but I clamped my hand around her neck and squeezed, using my magic to suck her life force from her vampire body. Instantly my hand began to burn, but I swallowed the urge to recoil and forced myself to hold on.

“Get. Off. Me!”

Her entire body convulsed beneath my touch. I pulled harder on her vampire energy. Scalding fire burned through my veins, making my eyes water from the intensity of it. My head swam, and I knew I was moments from passing out. If I took too much, I’d only end up killing myself. Talisen’s face suddenly swam in my vision. Deep sadness took up residence in my heart. If I didn’t survive this, I’d die never knowing what had really happened between us. I’d never get a chance to yell at him. Or hug him. Or tell him I loved him.

Would he even care?

That thought nearly broke me. Of course he’d care. He’d probably hate himself for the way we’d left things between us. Just like I did for letting him walk out of my life without demanding answers.