Love Charms (101 page)

“Home sweet home, my little cougar.”

And so it was. During her musings, when
she’d not paid any attention – a good way to get killed – they’d
arrived at her newly repaired door.

Whirling, she forced herself to look him
in the eye and say, “Thank you. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Don’t you mean later today?” The lazy
smile he tossed her did strange things to her insides, and when his eyes
darkened, an intensity filling them as he continued to stare, the tingling left
her belly and travelled lower.

Did she lean toward him in invitation, or
did he plan it all along? Did it matter when the result was him sweeping her
into his arms and crushing her mouth with his?

This was one time where reality
outstripped fantasy. She’d not exaggerated her recollection, she realized as
the inferno only he could cause swept through, leaving her aching and needing
more.

At the insistent probing of his tongue,
she opened her mouth, let him sweep in and plunder, unable to stop the shudders
of her body or her escaping moans. His hands roamed her back, sliding up and
down her shirt before moving lower to cup her buttocks. He squeezed – she
gasped, a sound he caught with a chuckle.

Madness. Pure insanity. What else could
explain why she necked with him in the hall? Especially with a bed not far
away.

The degree of her wantonness finally
shocked her back to reality and she pulled away from Remy, lips swollen and her
body screaming for her to go on.

Grasping the knob to her door, she took a
steadying breath before saying, “Good night.”

“Don’t you mean come in? And by
in
,
I’m talking about that sweet spot between your legs.”

And with his crude come-on line, the
remainder of the seductive spell shattered. She pursed her lips. “Not
necessary. I’ve got Big D for that, but thanks for getting me warmed up. I’d
run out of lube, so the natural honey will come in handy.” And with that tart
rejoinder, she slammed the door in Remy’s astonished face.

Safe in the haven of her home –
unless he chose to batter down the door again – she waited. Listened. Not
a sound came through the thick barrier. Not a knock or shudder. No splinters
flying.

He left.

No, she wasn’t disappointed, she thought
as her shoulders slumped. Just relieved she wouldn’t have to put up with him.
Yeah. Right.

Feet dragging, she stripped as she headed
to her bedroom, the air kissing her skin, not cooling the fever still coursing
through her veins at all.

Why didn’t I invite him in?
He would have accepted. He would have
fucked her until she went cross-eyed with pleasure. She knew that for a fact.
Would have enjoyed it too. And even better, he wasn’t the type to want a
relationship. With him she’d get exactly what he promised. No strings sex.

And it was long overdue.

However, and herein lay the problem
– could she get that close to someone without getting attached? Despite
her brave taunts and boasts, and general dislike of demons, she couldn’t say,
not anymore at any rate, that she hated Remy. On the contrary, the more time
they spent together, the more she actually liked him. Liked him, liked him.
Which
is so fucking wrong.
Remy was not boyfriend material.
And I don’t want a
boyfriend.

Or at least not one whose number was
scrawled in every public women’s washroom in Hell.
For a great fuck call…

She sighed as she sank onto her mattress.
Had loneliness finally driven her over the edge? Was she at last desperate
enough for a man in her life that she imagined feelings for the worst possible
candidate?

Or maybe I’m just really horny.

That was something she could fix.
Grabbing Big D from her nightstand drawer, she tried to not compare his cold,
plastic size to the hard bulge she recalled Remy sporting. As she slid it
between her thighs, she tried not to pretend it was Remy sinking into her
instead. Remy thrusting into her, fucking her, caressing her.
Loving me…

When she cried out in climax, it was his
face she saw, his name she uttered.

Lying there, her body calming, she cursed
the way he’d completely captivated her mind and body. How to erase the spell?
How to erase him?

The phone on her nightstand rang.
Grabbing it, she snarled, “What?”

“I just wanted to ask how I was? Because
you were superb,” he purred.

How did he…? What did he…? Arousal came
blasting back at his words, pissing her off. “Felipe was awesome.”

“Who?” he growled.

“Felipe, my fuck buddy. Haven’t I
mentioned him before? Well, he was waiting for me inside, and mmmm.” She paused
for effect. “Let’s just say it was screaming, creaming fun. And if you don’t
mind, I’ve got to go. It’s time for round two.”

The hellish buzz as he slammed the
receiver down didn’t please her as much as expected. And despite the fact she
stayed awake for a while, the door never got busted down. Remy never arrived in
a jealous rage to kick her invisible lover’s ass.

The jerk.

* * *

Lucifer bit into his foot long dog
– a daschund/collie mix with a touch of mustard and hot sauce. Mmm,
nothing like it. And to think, the mortals used ground pork and beef sausages
in their version. Taking another mouthful he couldn’t immediately answer when
Remy plopped onto the kitchen stool beside him with a growled, “She’s got a
boyfriend!”

Swallowing, he tried to make sense of his
soldier’s words. “Who does?”

“The witch. Ysabel. I just called her to
wish goodnight and she hung up on me so she could go round two with Felipe.”
Remy’s lip and tone curled in disgust.

Nope, he couldn’t help himself. Lucifer
snorted, then chuckled.

“What’s so funny, boss?”

“You, believing her. Ysabel hasn’t been
with a man since her one and only lover fucked her over.” Not that Lucifer
cared. Francisco’s mistake earned him a five hundred year contract and a soul.

“Are you saying she made it up?”

“Felipe is the name of her cat. And last
I heard, she wasn’t into animals. Besides, who cares if she did have a
boyfriend? It’s not like you’re interested?” Lucifer took another bite of his
dog while slyly watching his conflicted minion. It really entertained him to no
end to watch Remy fighting his emotions.

“Of course I’m not interested. She’s just
an assignment.”

Lucifer snorted, and a flame shot out,
singeing his pickle. “While I appreciate the lying, even I’m not that stupid.
You like the girl.”

“Maybe. But she hates me.”

“And when has that ever stopped you?”

“She’s different.”

“Really? Funny, she looks like a woman to
me. Two legs. A pair of tits. A hole instead of a rod. Slap her with some of
your famous sex mojo, fuck her good and clean her out of your system.”

Features tight, Remy faced him. “She’s
more than a hole to fuck. She’s smart, and mouthy. Brave too.”

“Hmm, them sounds like the words of a man
looking for more than a quick screw.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.”

“Excuse me? A soldier of Hell scared of
an itty bitty woman.”

Remy’s arched brow made Lucifer laugh.

“Okay, she is a force to be reckoned
with, but still, it sounds to me like it’s the idea of commitment scaring you,
boy.”

“Not exactly. As tearful as this will
make the female population, as shocking and unexpected as it is to me, I think
I’m ready to settle down with one lucky lady. And I’m pretty sure it’s the
witch.”

“So what’s the problem?”

“Um, the fact she’ll probably try to kill
me. Actually, she promised to. It’s not exactly what I’d call a good start.”

“So change her mind. Show her a different
side of yourself.  The one that isn’t sniffing after everything with a pussy.
Introduce her to the soldier with dozens of commendations. Let her meet your
family.” At Remy’s dropped jaw, Lucifer wryly amended. “On second thought, skip
that part.”

“You make it sound easy.”

“Sometimes it is.”

“How did you win over Mother Earth? You
guys are complete opposites and yet you seem to make it work.”

Lucifer scowled. “Damnable woman. Don’t
speak her name. She’s liable to show up and ruin my snack. I shouldn’t be
eating spicy foods before bedtime,” he mimed in a high pitched voice. “That’s
what a bottle full of antacids is for.”

“But I got the impression you liked her?”

Lucifer rolled his eyes. “Of course I do.
But it doesn’t mean we don’t have our differences, boy. It’s part of what makes
our relationship fresh and exciting. I disobey her. She punishes me. I get all
bad ass with her, and then chase her around the castle while she giggles and
strips.”

“Um, too much information, boss.”

“No, too much info would be me inviting
you to see the home video I made. But, we’re getting off topic. Forget about my
fabulous sex life, hard I know since I am so wonderful, and let’s focus on you,
which again goes against the grain, considering Hell revolves around me. Stop
acting like a pussy with the witch, and get on with it. You want her. She wants
you or she would have turned you into a bug and squashed you. Everything else
will work itself out as you go along.”

Remy straightened. “You’re right. I am a
soldier in Hell’s army. Nothing defeats me. I shall take an example from the
greatest womanizer Hell has known and –”

“Shhh! Are you trying to get me kicked
out of bed again? Gaia hates it when people remind her of my reputation.”

“You mean that of a man-whore?” The
petite form of Mother Earth appeared suddenly, and Lucifer just about fell off
his stool.

“Would you knock first?” he exclaimed.

“But then I wouldn’t hear you basking in
the admiration of all the times you cheated on me,” she snapped, green eyes
glowing.

“For the millionth time, I didn’t even
know we were a couple. How convenient of you to forget the spell you used on
me. Remember the one that wiped all my memories of you?”

She sniffed. “A man who truly loved me
would have still known and not strayed.”

“We were on a break!” Lucifer yelled.

“That excuse didn’t work for Ross, and it
won’t work for you,” she sassed back.

“Um, I think I should leave.” Remy eased
off his stool and backed away. Gaia turned her fierce gaze on him, and eyes
wide, his demon turned tail and fled.

Laughing Gaia bounced into Lucifer’s lap.
“That was fun, even if I don’t know who that was.”

“He’s my first attempt at an experiment.”

“An experiment in what?” she asked.

“Who cares about work, when I’ve got
something more interesting to show you,” he replied with a leer, not ready to
divulge his master plan. Lucky for him, she found his hard problem intriguing.
And no, he didn’t mean his dick. Sick perverts. Although, he did give it to her
when he bent her over the newest rock he’d added to the garden as a present for
her. Shaped like a penis, it seemed only fitting, especially when she commented
on its spectacular size.

Chapter
Eight

The knock at the door made her drop the
armful of ice in the tub with a loud clatter. She planned to use the polar bath
as a way of soothing her body after the flames died down. It cost her several
potions and a curse to get this much ice at one time, given Hell’s climate
wasn’t exactly conducive to ice-making.

Basic mortal things, like refrigerators,
tended to work only sporadically or not at all. Some of the blame resided on
the power generators for each circle. It took a lot of damned souls to pedal
the bikes that spun the turbines to create electricity. If a pandemic took a
section out – Hell not being immune to sickness, unfortunately –
then brown outs occurred. Less in the Lord’s palace of course, given he got
prime pick of pedal pushers, but still, a person couldn’t always rely on their
electronics.

Not that Ysabel minded. She’d grown up in
far more primitive conditions. As a matter of fact, she still refused to cave
to the modern trend of owning a hellphone or posting a profile on Hellbook. She
left that kind of easy accessibility and openness to the younger witches.

Tub full, she stood back to regard the
mound of ice. Already the heat of her home fought to melt it. A rap came again
at the entrance, more like an impatient pounding, and she cursed. The clock
showed her only a few minutes away from her torture.

I need whoever it is to go away.

She ran to the door and slid open the
peek-a-boo slot. Familiar turquoise eyes peered back.

“Little witch, little witch, let me come
in,” he chanted in a gruff voice.

A smile curled her lips. “Not by the wart
on my chinny chin chin,” she replied. “And before you try huffing and puffing,
Nefertiti herself spelled this door. So forget blowing it down.”

“So open it then. I’ve got a lead I think
on escapee number three.”

A glance at the clock showed one minute
left. “Um, I’m kind of in the middle of something. Can you come back in like
half an hour?”

“Why not just let me in and I’ll wait
while you do your thing? I promise not to watch, unless you like an audience.”

“I can’t. Please. Just go away. I promise
I’ll let you in when you come back.”

His eyes narrowed. “Open this door,
Ysabel.”

“No. Now go away. I’ll talk to you in
half an hour.” She slammed the slot shut and only allowed herself a moment to
lean against the door which shuddered as he hit it with a fist. She didn’t have
time to deal with his frustration.

 The tickle in her toes started and she
ran to the bathroom, dropping her robe as she moved. The fire erupted, and
standing on the lava tile in her bathroom, she concentrated on breathing
against the spiraling pain and flames.

I mustn’t scream. Remy might still be
there, listening.
Why
that mattered, she couldn’t have said, but it did help her focus for a short
moment. But the punishment would not allow her respite. Flames licked up her
frame, demolishing her thin underpants and she couldn’t help but scream as the
agony tore through her body.

Make it stop. Make it stop.
Wishing, praying, pleading didn’t stop the
torture.

As the inferno consumed her, her ears
roared with the snap of the fire and a glance in her mirror horrified her, for
there she stood – a living pyre of fire. She closed her eyes against the
brilliant heat, but that just seemed to amplify the pain.

Her knees buckled, but she didn’t fall.
Something clasped her and she moaned as she sensed more than saw Remy’s arms
wrap around her waist. It had to be him. Who else was crazy enough to break
down her door and interrupt?

Forcing open her eyes, eyes that wanted
to water but couldn’t as the heat dried up all moisture, she saw the flames,
not picky about their choice of combustion material, as they danced upon his
skin. Even caught in her own nightmare, she knew enough to try and push him
away with hands that glowed inferno bright.

He wouldn’t budge, and he didn’t scream
– just held her as the curse ran its course.

Without being told, once the flames
disappeared, he placed her in the ice bath, the shocking cold a welcome relief.
Gasping from the pain, she couldn’t speak but remained aware of how he stroked
her hair back from her face and how his arm rested around her shoulders,
cradling her.

“Oh, my poor little witch,” he murmured.
“No wonder you’ve been hiding.”

Teeth chattering as the cold penetrated
her feverish limbs, she tried to reply. “Wh-what c-c-can I say? I’m h-h-hot.”

He didn’t laugh and she opened her eyes
to see him staring at her with a tight expression. “How long has this been
happening? And why?”

“S-s-since the souls es-escaped. And it
won’t stop until I get them back.” As the chill seeped into her body, numbing
her enflamed, yet undamaged nerves, she relaxed. “According to my contract, I
will suffer the method of my death daily, the time of burning increasing with
each day they are loose.”

“You burned alive!” It was less a
question and more a shocked statement.

“It’s what they did to witches back in
the day,” she said lightly. She shifted in her ice bath, clarity returning
quickly now the curse had run its course for the day. It occurred to her at
that moment she was naked. Not that Remy seemed to notice. He seemed too intent
on her method of death. For some reason it miffed her.

“These souls, they had a hand in your
burning?”

“Very much so. Pedro, Emmanuelle, and
Alvaro were avid participants.”

“And the woman, Luysa and her son,
Francisco?”

A sigh escaped her. How much of the truth
should she relay? “Luysa was the one who headed the mob and the decision to
burn me as a witch. I was involved with her son, and she couldn’t handle it.
Thought I wasn’t good enough for her precious, baby boy.”

“You loved him?”

“I did. And I thought he loved me back.”

“But?”

Her words emerged low and steely. “He
arrived in time to save me. To do something. But he never loved me. It was all
lies. He watched me burn.” He proved that love didn’t matter. That no matter
how well she knew a person, she could never truly trust them. People only ever
looked out for themselves.

Remy jumped to his feet and paced the
small amount of floor in the bathroom. “Fucking son of a bitch. I am going to
rip his arm off and beat him with it. I am going to shove hot coals up his
–”

“Why are you so mad?” she asked,
distracting him with words as she stood from the tub. With her back to him, she
reached for her robe. Her fingers never managed to clasp the fabric, as he spun
her around and yanked her close. Damp, chilled flesh met the heat of his chest.
It sent a shock through her, a pleasurable one. It was then she noticed that
while his skin survived the fire, his shirt hadn’t. His pants, obviously a more
flame retardant material, at least still covered him – how unfortunate.
I’ll
bet he’s a sight to see fully naked.

Where that surprising idea came from, she
didn’t know, but once thought, she couldn’t deny a curiosity. Just how
well-endowed was he?

“Why am I mad?” He seemed surprised by
her question. “I’m pissed because this Francisco fellow is a grade A asshole
who let his psycho mother torch you to death.”

“I still don’t get why you care. You
didn’t know me back then and I’ve pretty much gotten over it.”

“Liar. What he did haunts you still so
much that you won’t let another man get close to you. You fear commitment.”

How did he guess? Or was he fishing?
“What are you talking about? I had Felipe over just last night.”

“I know that’s the name of your cat, just
like I know you’ve not been with a man since your death.”

“Lucifer,” she growled. Stupid boss,
getting involved in her business as usual. “If you give me any frigid or
lesbian jokes I’m going to hurt you.”

“No jokes. I’m glad you’ve sworn off
men.”

Puzzle, her brow creased. “You are. Why?”

“Because five hundred years of celibacy
makes you practically a virgin. Untouched and so tempting. It makes the fact
you kissed me and want me special.”

“I don’t want you.”

“Such a fibber.” He pressed her tighter
to him, his hands, big and warm, rubbing over the bare skin of her back.

Despite her adamant stance, he was right.
She lied. Her burgeoning arousal, evident by the rock hard nipples digging into
his chest, all the proof he needed. But she couldn’t let her hormones rule her
again. The last time it cost her life.

“I feel nothing for you.”

His hands dipped lower and cupped her ass
cheeks, hoisting her body until her face was almost level with his.

“What are you doing?” she asked, more
breathless than she liked.

“Proving you wrong,” he growled, dipping
his head. He kissed her and Ysabel completely forgot why getting this close to
Remy was a bad idea. Forgot everything except her need for more.

Her arms twined around his neck, her
mouth opened for his tongue and a fire of a different sort, a pleasurable one
that burned hotter than her nightmare, swept her body. He kissed her like he
wanted to eat her alive. She kissed and nibbled at him, just as hungry.

The cold tile of her vanity distracted
her when he seated her on the cool, polished surface. She ignored it as he
pushed his thick body between her thighs. The leathery material of his pants
provided a soft friction that impeded her from touching him skin to skin.
Digging her fingers into the waist band, she tugged him closer, wrapped her
legs around his torso and wantonly pressed herself against the hard bulge in
his front.

Fingers tangled in her hair, he tilted
her back, kissing her with a passion that left her breathless. Sucked at her
tongue until she panted and mewled with need. When he pulled back, she keened
in loss only to cry out in pleasure as his mouth travelled down the column of
her neck and pressed scorching kisses in the deep valley of her breasts.

“So fucking beautiful,” he murmured
against her skin, rubbing his bristle against her flesh, a teasing touch that
made her arch. Her nipples, pointed and aching caught his attention. He plucked
one with his lips, teasing the bud, sending coils of heat and desire to her
cleft.

Raised in a time where sex was done, but
not spoken of, she didn’t know what to say, what to beg for other than more.
She needed him to ease the tightness inside her. To…

Lips still latched around her nipple, he
plunged two fingers into her channel, and she screamed – a primal sound of
pleasure as her body exploded so quick she couldn’t catch her breath.

And still he didn’t relent, stroking her
with his fingers, sucking at her tender flesh until she writhed beneath him
again, tilted her hips hard against his hand, begging silently for more.

She heard the sound of a zipper lowering.
Felt the hard thickness of him as he slapped his shaft against her wetness. Too
far gone to stop things or even coherently remember why she’d thought bedding
Remy a bad idea, she waited for him to bring her to climax again.

A roar split through the sounds of their
pants.

“What the fuck?” he cried, letting her go
to turn and face the beast at her bathroom door.

Sighing, more in disappointment than
anything else, Ysabel sat up and peered over his shoulder. She stared down the
snarling creature in the doorway. “Meet my cat, Felipe. I should probably
mention, he doesn’t like strangers.

* * *

Understatement of the year. The gigantic,
furry, striped monster with saber teeth and red glowing eyes was her cat? “Holy
fuck, woman. He’s the size of a bloody car.”

“Shhh,” she hissed as she hopped off the
vanity and made her way around him to pet the head of the scary beast. “You’ll
hurt his feelings.”

Hurt his fucking feelings? Was she
loonier than his mother?
No,
but she did keep surprising him at every turn.

While she crooned nonsense to the giant
hellcat, Remy did his best to buckle his pants, all the while aware of the
feline’s big bright – not really friendly – eyes watching.

Miffed he’d gotten interrupted, and after
she’d come apart so gloriously in his arms, his remark emerged a bit scathing.
“Where do you keep the giant furball’s litter box? Or have you trained him to
use the toilet?”

“Felipe is an outdoor cat who comes and
goes as he pleases. Mostly goes when the lady kitties are in heat, don’t you,
my big furry baby.”

Remy rolled his eyes as the creature
craned its head for a scratch and began to purr, the sound on par with a
lawnmower – missing a muffler, twenty years out of tune. And he could
have sworn the damned thing smirked at him as his witch, still naked, rubbed
against his fur.

Looking closer, Remy itched to grab his
sword, especially as he recognized the intelligence in the hellcat’s eyes. This
was no ordinary kitty she played with.