“Where were you planning to stick that, by the way?” I asked.

  The doll only smiled.

  Lorcan emerged a few minutes later, hair mussed, skin ashy pale. The blood concoction didn’t seem to have done him much good. He fidgeted with his clothes, arranging things this way and that as he stared forward, not seeming to notice much at all.

  His eyes were distant when he slid into the driver’s seat and turned the key in the ignition. As soon as he did, Acmonides whipped out its nail with a high-pitched squeak of glee. I wasn’t even aware it could make sound.

  Lorcan reacted like he’d been hit with a cattle prod, jerking as far away from Acmonides as he could manage. His lips pulled away from his teeth in a purely defensive gesture.

  “What the hell is that thing doing in my car?” he hissed, jabbing a finger at Acmonides’ face.

  Acmonides jabbed the nail at the tip of Lorcan’s finger, drawing a bead of blood. Lorcan withdrew the nail hastily, fighting with the doll for a half-second or so.

  “Waiting to stick you with a rusty nail, I expect.”

  “On your orders,” Lorcan grumbled.

  I shrugged. “I only ordered him to scare you, but I think he may have taken some liberty with my meaning. I was pretty pissed off when I made him.”

  Lorcan’s eyes were a little wild. “For the last week, I’ve felt like I’ve been living my own horror movie! I haven’t had a moment’s peace. I see it moving in my periphery, but when I look, it’s not there. I hear it muttering, hear the pitter-patter of its tiny feet, I hear it scratching to get into my coffin, and it ambushes me in the shower! You haven’t known true fear until an animated doll tries to stick a needle in your todger!”

  The laugh bubbled up from my throat and I couldn’t seem to stop it once I’d started. “S-sorry about your todger,” I managed after a few minutes, wiping the backs of my hands across my streaming eyes.

  “Rather than apologizing, get the bloody thing out of my house!”

  I shook my head. “I told him he lives with you.”

  “Well, tell him to move in with you!”

  “I can’t because I have no access to my magic in my side of the house,” I said and then realized what I’d just admitted. I wasn’t sure if Lorcan was the reason I had no magic in my side of the duplex, but was fairly sure he was. But, on the very small off-chance he wasn’t the reason, I’d just admitted that I was basically a sitting duck who couldn’t defend herself.

  “You what?”

  “You heard me,” I grumbled. “And don’t look so surprised.”

  “Why shouldn’t I look surprised?”

  “Because I’m sure you’re the reason my magic won’t work when I’m home!”

  “Just like the disappearance of your fabrics, I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he muttered, squinting at the rearview mirror as he guided us out of the parking spot. “Why isn’t your magic working?”

  “I don’t know. Like I said, I thought you had something to do with it.”

  “Well, I don’t.”

  “Then I don’t know what’s going on. All I do know is I can only come up with sparks when I’m in my half of the duplex.”

  “That’s very strange,” he said as I eyed him narrowly.

  “It is. But, since we don’t have an answer for it, we should talk about something else or not talk at all.”

  “True,” he said and nodded, glancing over at me. “So, going back to that hideous creature who terrorizes me day and night, can’t you just unmake him?”

  I was happy to change the subject, because it left me with the uncomfortable thought of why in the world my magic wasn’t working if Lorcan wasn’t the one responsible. Maybe it had something to do with the proximity of the cemetery? But, no, my magic worked well enough on Lorcan’s side of the property. Then what was the reason?

  “Of course I can’t unmake him! He’s got an animating spark now. I can’t just kill him. That would be tantamount to murder!”

  Lorcan grumbled something incoherent, and then lapsed into moody silence, occasionally turning a glare on Acmonides. He seemed to relax when I coaxed my abomination into my purse. His fingers flexed around the wheel and he let his breath out slowly.

  “We need to talk.”

  “About what?”

  He turned to look at me and frowned. “What do you think?”

  “I don’t know!” I threw my hands into the air. “About Acmonides? About my magic that won’t work? About global warming? You tell me!”

  “This entire fecking thing is awful, Wanda,” he snapped. “You tell me there’s a real chance I could… could kill you, and now you’re cracking jokes?”

  “What do you want me to do? Scream any time you come near me? I’m not a mewling little coward, Rowe. Sometimes the easiest way to deal with things is to joke about them.”

  “I believe we need to develop a plan…” he said suddenly, and there was something in the stubborn set of his jaw I didn’t like.

  “A plan?”

  He nodded. “You aren’t safe in the duplex since you apparently don’t have access to your magic. And, because I own the damn place, I can come and go as I please—I don’t need to be invited in.”

  “Then maybe you should just buy me a place,” I said flippantly and sarcastically.

  “And then you’d invoke Sanctum and push Poppy out of town. I can’t allow that to happen.”

  I wasn’t sure why, but a tight feeling settled in my chest. I didn’t like the way he said her name, and I wasn’t sure what hold the nosy woman had on him. Had they slept together, I wondered.

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “Why does the little gypsy matter so much to you, anyway?”

  “She provides me with potions I use in my practice—calming potions that help the children and those who are generally nervous about dental work,” he answered, waving away my question as though it were an errant fly.

  “You could get potions from her no matter where she lived. There’s such a thing called the postal service, you know?”

  He looked at me and frowned. “She helps everyone in town. And she’s a good person.”

  “Since when do you concern yourself with good people?” I took a deep breath. “Do I need to remind you she’s dating a sasquatch who seems to be looking for any excuse to pound you into the asphalt?”

  “I’m not interested in Poppy that way.”

  “Then?”

  “Poppy… she represents the life I used to have… the person I used to be. She’s not like us, Wanda… she’s genuinely… good.”

  I wasn’t sure why that stung, but it did. “I’m a good person…” I started.

  He looked over at me with a frown, his eyebrows drawn. “You are many things, my dear sweetling, but ‘good’ isn’t one of them.”

  “Fine,” I grumbled, glaring up at him, but he was watching the road.

  “There is just something about that gypsy that makes me want to help her. She’s so optimistic, naïve and trusting, it’s painful to watch. From what I gather, it’s gotten her into trouble in the past. But, now she has friends in Haven Hollow who look out for her, me included.” He looked over at me. “If I could be assured you’d allow her to stay here, I’d simply give you one of my properties. But no matter what you say to the contrary, I know all it would take is one disagreement and you’d send her packing. And, Wanda, I cannot and will not let that happen.”

  I pursed my lips. I’d been about to promise him all those things and more. Anything to get out from under his thumb. But, he was right, I couldn’t promise that I wouldn’t boot the annoying gypsy eventually, even if she was kind. In my experience, kindness was weakness. And the weak don’t survive.

  “So what are you proposing?” I snapped.

  “The obsession seems to get worse with more geographical distance between us. I was pretty much useless during the time we were apart, so I can’t move away from Haven Hollow and expect to have any sort of life.” He cocked his head to the side. “But my continuing to live in such close proximity to you is not safe for you either. Especially now that your magic is misfiring.” He paused to look at me. “A mystery we will need to get to the bottom of, eventually.”

  “Agreed. So?”

  “So my solution is this: I’m going to sleep at a different property in Haven Hollow and rent my side of the duplex to Fifi. That way, I will be far enough away that perhaps I can talk myself out of these all-encompassing thoughts.”

  “Fifi the succubus?” I asked, my heart dropping even though I wasn’t sure why. I just… I didn’t want a new duplexmate. And succubae were notorious for… having lots of sex. “Should I remind you that you and I share a wall?”

  “What’s that have to do with anything?”

  “Fifi’s a succubus,” I said, giving him the expression of: figure it out.

  He chuckled. “Fifi is not like other succubae.”

  I didn’t know what that meant, but I also didn’t really care. “I’m not sure living next to a succubus would be an improvement over you.”

  “She’s a nice kid, Wanda. Unlucky in love, but there you have it.”

  I frowned at him. “She’s a succubus. She’s not meant to love.”

  “Precisely. If nothing else, you won’t lack for entertainment.”

  “And you really think you moving a few miles away is going to do anything to help with this issue between us?”

  He shrugged. “If I do not have instant access to you, perhaps I can soothe my trigger finger, as it were.”

  “Bad comparison,” I said and frowned up at him. I knew his plan wouldn’t amount to much. The longer we went like this, the more his need for me would grow, along with his obsession. And soon the compulsion to have me would be the only thing he could think about. It wouldn’t matter where he lived.

  I was quiet for a few seconds as I thought back to Betanya’s journals and the part I hadn’t shared with him. “I think I might have a solution to our problem.”

  “What solution is that?”

  I took a deep breath. “I think… I’d rather show you than tell you.” It was humiliating enough that I was even considering it, but talking about it? I wasn’t sure I could handle that. Best to just do it, get it over with, and see if it worked. Hopefully it would.

  He gave me a hard look. “And I suppose you want something in return?”

  His presumption pissed me off. “I’m not going to extort you,” I snapped. “If anything, I’m the one getting the raw deal if things go sour.” I took another deep breath as I thought about what this… solution would entail. But, I was determined. “I want this bond gone, and then I’m going to save up enough money to buy a damn house. Despite what anyone thinks, I’m not some spoiled rich girl. If I wanted things to be easy, I’d have taken the cottage in Tacoma Mother offered me.”

  Lorcan was silent for a few miles. The trees closed, butting up next to the road, their leaves tearing loose from the gnarled branches as a violent gust shook them free. The moon was just a silver crescent, but I could still see almost a mile ahead without difficulty. Would my senses dull if we managed to break the bond? That was one vampire trait I wouldn’t mind keeping.

  “Why?”

  “Why what?” I muttered, a little distracted by the barn owl that flitted from tree to tree, seeming to follow us as we drove. It looked almost exactly like the one I’d seen on the way to the Half Moon Bar and Grill.

  “Why not take the Tacoma house?”

  I dared a peek at his face, but he wasn’t looking at me now. He was watching the road, his expression earnest, like my answer mattered.

  “If you knew anything about me at all, you wouldn’t have even asked that question.” I took a deep breath. “Do you think I’d be happy being shoved in a broom closet?”

  “No.”

  “Exactly! And that’s what Mother wants to do to me. Tuck me away like an embarrassing secret, track my every move, make me beg for every cent. If she had her way, I’d never cast again. I’ve already been cut off from the coven. I don’t have friends, I barely have contact with my family, and if I couldn’t even cast... no. A witch without magic is no witch at all. I can’t live like that. It’s as good as a death sentence. My body might stick around for another hundred years, but I’d be gone. So if this is what it takes, I’ll do it.”

  Lorcan lapsed into silence again, and I thought he’d come back with something outlandish or offensive. So what he said next caught me completely off guard.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “For what?”

  “For everything you’ve gone through. But... you aren’t alone, you know? I meant and mean what I said. I don’t abandon those I’m responsible for. And even if this solution of yours works, I’ll still be here, and I’d like to help you any way I can. If you plan to stick around Haven Hollow, that is.”

  An immediate ‘no’ sprang to my tongue, but I managed to nix it before it rolled out of my mouth. Even if I managed to achieve the nigh-impossible and return Lorcan’s Kiss to him so I could return to being a normal witch again, what then? I’d still remember what the coven had done—that they’d all turned their backs on me. I wasn’t sure I could forgive any of them for it, with the exception of Astrid, of course, because she hadn’t had a say in anything that happened to me. And... there was a great deal still left to do in the Hollow. Mysteries to unravel, and a few scrumptious men to try on for size.

  “I think I just might stick around. At least… for a little while.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  “Stop staring at my breasts.”

  “You just whipped off your top and you expect me not to take a gander?” Lorcan asked, staring at me incredulously. I did succeed in raising his gaze from my breasts... for a split second. And I wasn’t completely naked up top—I’d left my black satin bra on.

  “I told you the spell would require skin-to-skin contact, didn’t I?” I demanded.

  “You did, but you did not say where we were to make this contact.”

  “You are such a penis.”

  He chuckled. “Sometimes I cannot help but think with mine.”

  We were standing on the rug in front of Lorcan’s fireplace. Of course, the spell hadn’t worked in my living room. We’d tried it—just to be sure. All I’d been able to do was produce sparks. And owing to Lorcan’s surprised response, as well as his barrage of questions, I was fairly sure he wasn’t responsible for my failed magic. I was beginning to believe my side of the house was cursed. Maybe Mother had hired someone to sabotage me?

  Regardless, here we were, standing across from one another in Lorcan’s living room, setting up for one of the trickiest bits of magic I’d ever attempted.

  “Take your shirt off,” I grumbled.

  “I thought you’d never ask,” he answered and undid each button as he stared down at me and I swallowed hard, looking anywhere but his eyes. I made the mistake of taking a quick peek at his unclothed chest and swallowed even harder. He was all muscle and he was broad and…

  Oh, Goddess, stop looking! I chided myself.

  “Now that your blouse is removed and my shirt, I’m curious as to why.”

  I sighed. “It’s… complicated.”

  “And I’m not a simpleton. Explain.”

  “Sometimes witches have a particular energy that resonates with our magic. Mine is fire. And fire represents passion projected outward. You can honor that fire of passion by honoring the body. Dance, vigorous exercise, and...”

  “Sex?” he guessed. His smirk was so damn insufferable, I wanted to hex it off. He looked like the cat who’d been into the cream.

  “Not sex,” I spat the words out and his grin immediately dropped. “Sensuality.”

  “Oh.”

  “Right. Oh.”

  I had to make some modifications to the spell. From her journal entries, Betanya had struck me as the sort of witch with an affinity for water, so our processes would be slightly different. Hopefully, those differences wouldn’t mean a dead spell.

  “Okay, you have to sit,” I said.

  Lorcan nodded and dropped down to his rump in front of the fireplace, propping an elbow on one knee, splaying casually in his trousers. I’d seen him in less, but somehow the vampire looked less decent with more clothing on. I was struggling to keep my eyes on his face, rather than his belt buckle. Truth be told, I was itching to unlatch it, tug him to me, and see where things went.

  He gave me a strange expression.

  “What’s that look for?” I demanded.

  “You appear so peaceful when you talk about magic. It’s sort of... cute.”

  “I am not cute.”

  “That you are not,” Hellcat sniffed as he walked between us. Unfortunately, I’d had to bring him over in order to do the spell properly. “You didn’t inherit even half your mother’s looks or charm.”

  “Oh, bugger off,” Lorcan grumbled, just as I muttered;

  “Kiss-ass.”

  Our eyes met and, for the briefest of moments, the resentment slid away and we sat there, grinning at each other like fools. It was good to know I wasn’t the only one who found my familiar less than agreeable.

  Then sanity reasserted itself with a vengeance, and I dropped my eyes back to Betanya’s journals, cursing myself. What the spell was I thinking? The bond at work again, no doubt. Yes, the sooner we got through this, the better. And hopefully the spell would take. Hopefully, this would be the last time I had to deal with Lorcan Rowe.

  So, why did that thought make me feel a little… sad?

  “Sit in lotus position while I draw the circle of protection,” I said, indicating the spot next to Hellcat.

  Lorcan shifted dutifully and watched as I made a circuit around the work area with the salt Poppy had left in my kitchen. She’d gifted me with quite a few items and so, of course, had Henner. If my store took off, I’d need to find a way to pay them both back, well everyone, really. I didn’t like feeling like I was indebted to anyone… Perhaps I’d give Poppy a free pass in town until her son was grown. That had to be a good seven years, didn’t it? That was more than enough time to find a new place. I might even put in a good word for her in another Hollow. One without a witch.