Читать книгу Ceremony Of Seduction - Cassie Ryan - Страница 6

Alyssa Moss floated into her recurring erotic dream with a sense of keen anticipation. “Stone?” The vibrations of her words echoed as if she were in a long tunnel. Misty fog drifted around her ankles, as she searched for the man who came to her each night.

Even though she knew he would appear, she was startled when strong hands captured each of her arms from behind. She inhaled the wild scent of sandalwood, woodsy and natural, with a masculine essence completely Stone. With just his touch, her body came alive. Her breasts grew heavy and moisture dampened the inside of her thighs. “Touch me,” she whispered, leaning back against him, waiting for the moment his large hands would caress her full breasts. Anticipation in the form of white-hot electricity stung her nipples. “I thought you wouldn’t come tonight. I’ve waited—”

He spun her around and silenced her with a kiss. His hands were everywhere, his tongue mating with hers, dipping and tasting her lips, her teeth, every part of her mouth. Her T-shirt swept along her skin, up over her head. He smiled that sinfully wicked grin that always made her toes curl as he flung the discarded shirt aside. His eyes darkened with desire and a feral growl rumbled deep inside his throat. Before claiming her mouth again, he laid her back on the feather bed. Her senses swirled and the bed dipped as he followed her down, anchoring his fully clothed weight on top of her.

“I’ll always come for you, Princess. One of these days I’ll find you and we can be together.” His lavender eyes smoldered with lust as he stared down at her. “Will you tell me where you are, Alyssandra?”

She threaded her fingers through his silky mahogany hair and sighed. “I tell you every night. I’m in Phoenix, waiting for you.” His hard cock dug into her stomach. She arched, wrapping her legs around his narrow hips, pressing against him, enjoying the way his rough jeans stroked and teased her wet pussy.

He shook his head. “I know not of this ‘Phoenix’, but I shall find it and when I do, we will be together at last.” He stole her senses in a soul-searing kiss that hardened her nipples to taut beads beneath the touch of his callused hands.

She arched against him, offering herself, begging for his touch. He chuckled and she captured the sound in her mouth. “My greedy princess.” His hips thrust against her hot core, mimicking what she wished he would do in reality. She moved with him, each movement rubbing against her aching clit just the way she liked. He gently rolled her nipple between his thumb and forefinger and she gasped. When his mouth replaced his hand, she released a moan. Moist heat closed over her sensitive peak and lava burned from the tip of her breast straight to her pussy, liquid heat pooling between her legs.

Stone turned his attention to her other breast. She ran a hand over his hard cock and he shuddered and groaned. She cupped the hot length of him, stroking him through his jeans as he suckled her breast harder, teeth scraping over her nipple until she thought she would explode. She traced her fingers along the waistband of his pants and slowly dipped her fingers inside to feel the silky head of his cock, already moistened with pre come.

Stone’s breath hissed out as he captured her hands in his, stretching her arms high over her head, her breasts thrusting upward. “You know I cannot let you touch me like that, Alyssandra. Not yet. You are not strong enough to give sustenance, only take. But soon, very soon.”

As it happened every night, her hands were magically bound. She could neither see nor feel her bindings, which only served to heighten her arousal. Another rush of excitement dampened the juncture between her thighs and she squirmed against her restraints.

“I want to feel your naked skin against me, Stone. I want to take your cock deep into my mouth before you bury yourself inside my pussy, your balls slapping against my ass while we fuck.” She smiled as Stone’s features suddenly appeared strained. She hoped someday, she would break his control and he’d do all of the things she longed for.

“You are a witch.” He smiled down at her, his features softening, obvious affection in his gaze. “And someday I will fuck you until you can no longer stand for teasing me so wickedly.” His tongue traced a slow path down to her aching mound and she bucked against him, wanting him to taste her, to suck her clit until her world shattered.

Maddeningly, he took his time, tracing her thighs, calves and feet with his rough fingers and then following with open-mouthed kisses, nips and well-placed licks. Then, he pushed her thighs wide and settled between them, placing a pillow under her ass, opening her fully to him.

“You have the most beautiful pussy, Princess.” He gently separated her folds and pressed a single finger inside her slit. “Slick and wet, as always.” His moistened finger traced a path downward to tease around her tight rosebud and her breath caught in her throat at the forbidden sensation. When he slowly inserted one blunt finger, a long moan ripped from her throat. “One day, I will stretch this beautiful tight ass with my cock.” Before she could reply, he dropped his head and laved her clit with his tongue, erasing all her thoughts.

“Stone, yes,” she managed as he began to finger-fuck her ass hard while he caressed the sensitive underside of her clit with his tongue. Her inner walls tightened, ever tighter until she teetered on the precipice, and then he pulled back. “No,” she screamed in frustration. “Please, Stone. Make me come. Don’t leave me like this again. I can’t stand it.”

He only smiled and shook his head. “You need sustenance not completion. However, I will stay with you a little longer tonight. Not to worry, Alyssandra, we will not be apart much longer. I can’t stand it either.”

She thrashed on the bed against her invisible bonds. She couldn’t go through another night of this frustration. Every day she spent with her entire body buzzing and ready, her breasts sensitive to every movement against even her softest bras and her clit and pussy lips so swollen with need, she could only wear skirts and not pants that rubbed against her sensitive flesh. Not to mention her daydreaming about the next time she could feel Stone’s touch. “Please…” she begged. “You can’t keep leaving me like this.”

“Shhh…” he said before dipping his head to trace the swollen folds of her pussy. She willingly gave herself up to the waves of pleasure that coursed through her body at every swipe of his talented tongue. Then Stone did something he’d never done before, surprising her. He continued to lave her slit, plunging his tongue deep inside then carrying her moisture on his tongue to stroke her clit. Then he gently probed into her ass with two fingers, stretching her slowly.

Her eyes widened and she gasped as the new sensation zinged through her body, her nipples tightening painfully. She took a moment to allow her body to adjust to this new invasion, but then she bucked against him wanting more. He only continued the slow torture on both fronts. Each time she neared the edge, he would stop and whisper soothing words to her until the feeling would recede, just enough to keep her from coming.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, using his other hand, he inserted two fingers into her aching slit, filling her equally from both sides. She loved the sensations, but wished he would replace one of them with his hard cock. Sounds of his hands slapping against her flesh as he pumped his fingers into her filled the air, causing her breath to catch and come in choppy pants.

Suddenly, he removed his fingers, leaving her bereft and empty. Then he sucked her clit between his lips in long pulls, scraping it lightly with his teeth. Her arousal wound tighter and tighter and just before she found her peak, he dissolved away.

Her alarm clock began its relentless drone.

Alyssa opened her eyes to see her own room. “Damn him!” He had left her once again unfulfilled. She pounded the covers in frustration. Stripping off her T-shirt, the soft cloth scraping across her engorged nipples like sandpaper, she hissed against the sensation and headed to the shower. “Another wonderful morning, with a nice hard shower spray to get me off,” she grumbled. “Whoever invented the handheld showerhead should receive sainthood.”

Stepping under the hot spray, she wet her hair and reached for the soap. The scent of honeysuckle filled her nostrils when the soap lathered between her fingers. As steam drifted around her, she imagined Stone’s large hands touching her body, caressing her as he had in her dream. She closed her eyes and spread the lather onto her sensitive breasts. She’d dreamed the touch of his calloused fingers on her body so many times, she knew how each caress would affect her. Tossing the soap back into the dish, she propped her left leg up on the side of the tub and took down the showerhead, adjusting the water to high pulse—her favorite.

She took a deep breath and in her mind’s eye saw Stone’s dark head between her thighs, his tongue buried deep, his thick fingers fucking her ass. Then she aimed the spray toward her aching clit. As arousal arrowed through her, she pictured his golden body naked and glistening with water. His massive cock driving deep inside her until she screamed his name. The thought sent her spiraling into an orgasm, which seemed to last forever. Energy zinged through her body, and then drained away as if it flowed down the drain with the water.

When the spasms finally eased, she sat down hard on the edge of the tub, exhausted, the showerhead still hanging limply from her hand. The sound of someone banging on the bathroom door startled her. She braced a hand against the wall as she lost her balance and fell forward in the tub. She caught herself just before tumbling headfirst.

“Alyssa! If you want a ride to work, then move your ass and quit masturbating in there. You’re screaming loud enough to wake the dead!”

Her cheeks burned. “How fucking embarrassing. If Debbie keeps catching me masturbating, she’s going to start checking my vision. Maybe I shouldn’t have listened to my father when he said I wasn’t smart enough for the driving test. If I studied hard enough and passed, I wouldn’t be dependent on rides from Debbie anymore.”

Chiding herself, Alyssa quickly finished her shower and dressed in her usual baggy oversized shirt, long jeans skirt, her favorite cowboy boots and a ponytail. She looked into the mirror and sighed at the sight of her pale freckles and plain face. “As usual, this is as good as it’s going to get.”

When she entered the kitchen twenty minutes later, Debbie was eating corn flakes and reading the morning paper. Alyssa studied her roommate and wished for the millionth time she could look more like her.

Debbie’s silvery blond hair hung in a satin waterfall to her shoulders, her wispy bangs giving her a trendy look. Her perfect makeup, designer jeans and sandals showcased a tight athletic body, which would look equally at home on the pages of Playboy or in a modeling session.

Alyssa shook her head. She was pudgy instead of sleek and no matter how much weight she lost, she’d never look like Debbie. She had hips and breasts where Debbie had a tight trim body. That was probably why Debbie’s room was a revolving door for all of the hottest guys in Phoenix. Alyssa had joked about installing a take-a-number machine on her roomie’s bedroom door. Surely, she could steal one from the post office. But Debbie would just grin and say it would cost too much to keep replacing the numbers.

“Hey, you gonna eat before we go?” Debbie looked up from her cereal. “I’m sure all that whacking off helped work up an appetite.” Her perfectly lined lips curved up in a smirk.

Alyssa ignored her and sighed. “I’ll grab something at the bar. I’m training a new bartender this morning, so I have to be there early.” She opened the side cabinet, which held all her medicine and took out the appropriate doses for the day. Ever since she’d turned sixteen, she’d been sickly and the doctors could find no cause. Instead, they treated her symptoms with no less than twenty different meds she had to take at various times throughout the day. Her adoptive parents often remarked that her real parents must not have been very healthy to pass on so many problems to their daughter. A familiar wave of pain spiked through her as she wished for parents who looked like her, acted like her, and understood her.

“Earth to Lyssa.” Debbie waved a hand in front of Alyssa’s face, breaking her out of her thoughts. “Do you have your fucking pharmacy ready? We’re going to be late.”

Alyssa snapped her purse closed and stifled a yawn. It didn’t feel like she’d slept at all last night. Damned erotic dreams. “Yeah, I’m ready. You’re going to be able to pick me up at closing, right? I don’t want to have to walk home that late.”

“No sweat. I don’t have a date tonight, so I’ll cut out of work early and come get you. We can grab drive-through on the way home or something.”

“Or something.” She sighed. Debbie knew she wasn’t supposed to have take-out. The doctors had kept her on a strict diet to try to minimize her symptoms. And even though nothing had helped, she did feel better when she didn’t eat a constant stream of grease and french fries.

Alyssa looked up as a sly look crossed Debbie’s face before she hid it. Uh-oh, here it comes. “What is it, Deb? You only get that look when you want something.”

Debbie shrugged, trying and failing for nonchalant. “How ’bout you leave work early on Friday? I have someone you should meet.”

Her mouth dropped open in shock and she turned to stare at her roommate. “You mean a guy?” Debbie always told Alyssa she wasn’t attractive enough to have a relationship. And when guys did look at her, they were just staring because she looked like she needed a mercy fuck. So, why was Debbie suddenly trying to fix her up?

“Not a guy, a man,” Debbie clarified. “Your twenty-fourth birthday is coming up, and I know this guy who is perfect for you.” She stopped and looked Alyssa up and down. “He doesn’t mind body types like yours. And since he has dark hair too, he probably won’t mind your muddy brown.”

Disappointment and hurt arrowed through her, tears burned at the back of her eyes and she blinked rapidly to clear them. She’d known her entire life she wasn’t very attractive. If her family and best friend didn’t even think so, then there was no use thinking anyone else would. The only time I feel attractive is with Stone. I just don’t fit in anywhere else. She suddenly longed to call in sick and return to bed and to the comfort of Stone’s arms—even if they were only in her dreams.

“About eight o’clock, okay?” Debbie continued, either not noticing Alyssa’s reaction or not caring. She bet it was the latter. “And try to wear something that hides your weight. I want him to like you.”

Alyssa swallowed her embarrassment and slid into the passenger’s seat. Maybe I can get sick before Friday.

“If I’m raped and murdered tonight, so help me, I’m going to haunt Debbie until her dying day!” Alyssa quickened her steps as the shadowed stranger behind her loomed closer. She searched the darkened street and closed shops in front of her for some sign of life, to no avail. The stifling Phoenix night closed around her like a shroud, heat still radiated off the cement and her footsteps clicked in time to her beating heart. The smell of stale grease from the Chinese restaurant permeated the air. Why the hell can’t something still be open?

“Damn you, Debbie!” she growled under her breath, and glanced over her shoulder to see the menacing shape of the man who still followed her. Debbie was probably off fucking some pretty-boy and forgot all about her promise to pick her up after work. If I live through tonight, I’m taking that fucking driver’s test. Even if I have to study for the rest of my life to pass it, it will be worth not having to wait on Debbie.

Quickening her steps, she rummaged in her purse for her switchblade. Luckily, an extremely drunk Hell’s Angel had run short on money and made a tip of the switchblade a few months ago. Now if she could just figure out how to use it.

A strong hand gripped her shoulder, startling her and causing her to drop the knife, which skittered away over the hot cement. Time slowed and her self-defense training took over. Thank God I didn’t listen to my family and took the class anyway! She stomped down hard on his instep, the heel of her cowboy boot hopefully leaving a permanent imprint. Then she drove her elbow back into the attacker’s midsection. A surprised “oof” of pain sounded behind her and she bolted forward out of his reach.

Before she’d taken two steps, he grabbed her around the waist, and all her air whooshed out in a painful rush. When she recovered, she realized he hadn’t even broken stride and she hung over his arm like a sack of dog food. If she weren’t so scared, she’d have to admire the man’s muscle and strength. She screamed, but no sound came out. She took a breath and tried again, but it was as if she screamed inside a soundproof room.

“Calm down, witch,” he said and slapped her on the bottom. “I haven’t searched for you for ten years to have you feed me my own bollocks.” The voice, which held a note of amusement, was so deep she felt the rumbling through his arms wrapped beneath her ass. There was something familiar about it she couldn’t quite place.

“Put me down, you bastard!” Alyssa was surprised to hear her voice this time, although muted. She kicked and flailed to no avail. She started to bite him, but some deep internal instinct warned her not to push her luck. She could sense the aura of power that surrounded him without ever seeing his face. And she’d learned long ago not to ignore her gut.

“In good time, witch. You’re almost home.” He punctuated his remarks with another slap on her ass.

He knows where I live? Oh, God, I’m going to raped and murdered in my own shabby apartment!

She raised her head and was shocked to see her apartment steps come into view. Metallic panic rose in the back of her throat, and she renewed her struggles. As a single woman, she knew better than to let her attacker get her inside the apartment. Better to take a stand outside where someone could happen along or she had a hope of escape. But just as she took a breath to scream, he set her down in front of her apartment door, sliding her down his firm body until her feet touched the concrete. She startled when something about the sensation tickled her memory.

The scream died in her throat as she looked into the face of a familiar stranger.

Stone.

She’d know him anywhere since she’d dreamt of him so often over the past ten years, she hadn’t ever bothered to find a flesh-and-blood man. To find him here now, standing in front of her, sent an erotic thrill racing through her body.

She shook her head, convinced she was dreaming again, but none of her dreams of him had ever taken place anywhere but in an ethereal bedroom. She took a moment to study him and compare him to her dream memory. He towered over her five-nine frame so much he would have to duck to walk through her apartment door. Broad shoulders stretched his black T-shirt taut across a well-defined chest, and his face resembled chiseled granite. When he smiled, the small dimple next to his mouth softened him, making him seem approachable. Unruly mahogany hair gave him a rakish air and liquid lavender eyes, the same color as her own, stared back at her.

His deep rumbling chuckle shook her from her reverie and she realized she’d been staring. “Do you see anything you like, witch?” His tone held a teasing warmth as he gestured to himself from head to toe. Following his hand all the way down, she noticed an extremely large bulge that tightened the front of his jeans.

She swallowed hard as she recalled her dream with him last night and liquid heat pooled between her legs and dampened her panties. Then fear and the remaining adrenaline brought her back to reality. How could a flesh and blood man invade her dreams? Could this man really be Stone?

“Who are you?” she demanded, ignoring his question.

“You already know who I am. The more appropriate question is who are you and why have I come to find you.” He crossed muscular arms over his chest and grinned while he waited for her to ask.

An overwhelming curiosity had her inviting him in before she could think better of it. Her intuition was blissfully silent and she took that as a good sign. But her pussy screamed to be introduced more intimately.

Thankfully, her roommate wasn’t fucking an entire football team in the living room, like she was last time Alyssa came home. She tossed her purse on the counter and grabbed two bottled waters from the fridge. She handed one to Stone who had already made himself comfortable on her couch. “So who am I?” she asked, as her fingers itched to trace the strong lines of his body. “Why did you come to find me? And who the hell are you?” Alyssa settled herself on the opposite end of the couch where she could watch him, and waited for him to dissolve at any instant.

He took his time studying her as she had him. Finally, he twisted the cap off the bottle of water and swallowed half in two large gulps. “You,” he pointed toward her, “are Alyssandra de Klatch, First Princess of the Klatch. And I’ve told you for years, one day I’d find you and we could finally be together.”

Shock traveled all the way to her gut. When she dreamed of him, he’d always called her Alyssandra or Princess. That was one of the reasons she’d always assumed he was purely a product of her overactive imagination. All of this was crazy, but something inside her knew he wasn’t lying. But a princess? Not likely.

“Stone,” she whispered. I might be losing my mind, but if I get to be insane with him for the rest of my life, I’ll take that over what I’ve lived for the past twenty-three years.

He nodded, his lopsided smile making his dimple more pronounced. “Yes, you remember me.” He looked pleased. “If you’d taken better care of yourself, witch, then you wouldn’t have had to subsist on dreams. Since I’m here now, we can rectify that situation.”

She blushed as she realized exactly what his definition of “rectify” was. “Stop calling me witch and just answer the rest of my questions!” Or throw me on the floor now, and we can talk later…

He shook his head. “Your heritage is very strong.” He rubbed his stomach and chuckled. “As well as the rest of you. But you are a witch. A Klatch witch.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “You said my name was Alyssandra de Klatch. But that still doesn’t make me a witch. And I was born Alyssa Moss.”

“No, actually you were stolen from your true family by Cunts.”

“Excuse me?” she demanded, shocked he would use the offensive term in front of her. “I’m far from prudish, but I hate that word.”

“As you should.” He laughed, the warm sexy sound, which had melted her in her dreams, even now caused her nipples to tighten against her thin cotton top. His eyes zeroed in on her shirt as if he knew. She blushed and looked away. “My apologies. You have lived among the humans for far too long to understand my reference. Long ago, the Klatch had a civil war and split into two factions, the original Klatch and a new faction who called themselves Cunts.”

Alyssa snorted in disbelief. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

“As much as I’d like to fuck you…no. I do not joke about our history.” He took another long pull of the water and she was fascinated by the way his throat worked as he swallowed. She resisted a sudden urge to run her tongue over the dip in his throat where his Adam’s apple bobbed. His eyes glinted with mirth and she was afraid he knew what she’d been thinking.

Mercifully, he continued without mentioning it. In one fluid movement, he stood and pulled her to him, pressing her against the long line of his body. Her breath caught in her throat and every inch of her body screamed for her to rub herself shamelessly against him—or maybe just throw him on the floor and impale herself on his cock.

The sudden urge slapped her back to reality and she bolted from his grasp, putting the couch between them. He merely chuckled and continued. “The word ‘cunt’ is used as a slur because witches interact with humans and they pick up on our language. ‘Cunt’ has become synonymous with ‘traitor’ and ‘outcast’ to any witch. Although the humans use it in a slightly different way. Now come and kiss me, Alyssandra, I want to finally feel your lips in the physical world.”

When he started around the couch after her, she held up a hand. “Wait.” She gave her traitorous body a firm talking to, this can’t be real so work with me here, and pierced him with her most skeptical stare. “What do witches have to do with this? You mean like Wiccans?”

He leaned forward resting his forearms on the back of the couch, causing the already tight black T-shirt to mold over the best shoulders she’d ever seen. Shoulders she knew she’d seen before—and felt before. She licked her lips at the sudden urge to trace each inch of his muscular shoulders with her tongue.

He continued, breaking her out of her thoughts. “Wiccans are humans who choose to practice a set of beliefs. Being Klatch is what you are.” He shook his head and sighed. “I can see the Cunts withheld from you your heritage. This must be remedied.” His hand snaked out to grab her arm and he pulled her to him across the back of the couch. When he cradled her in his lap on the couch, his strong arms bracketed around her, a sexual thrill zinged straight to her pussy. The fact that a very large bulge swelled against her hip only served to scramble her thoughts further.

He smiled, his eyes darkened dangerously. But a dangerous she knew from ten years of dreams that meant wonderful sexual things, not anything to harm her. Every erogenous zone in her body rejoiced, drowning her in a sea of sexual energy.

She put her fingers against his lips when he lowered his face to hers. “Please, tell me about the Klatch.” Anything to keep him talking until she could figure out how he evoked these feelings inside her.

“A Klatch witch is a being who needs sexual energy to survive. We also eat and drink, but in order to thrive, we must imbibe sexual energy.” He kissed the fingers still resting lightly against his lips and then pulled one into his mouth. He sucked on the tip and swirled his tongue in a familiar pattern she remembered him using on the soft underside of her clit—which throbbed in response. She pulled her finger away, her breathing coming in short gasps.

His voice was a low rumble when he spoke. “Intercourse is the best and easiest, but any kind of sexual energy will do: masturbation, voyeurism, or even sexual dreams.”

Alyssa found herself laughing despite the sexually charged atmosphere. “You’re trying to tell me I’m some kind of sexual vampire?”

“Good God, no.” He looked horrified at the suggestion. “You are no succubus, Princess. You are my betrothed and a full-blooded Princess of Klatch.”

“Betrothed?” She gasped, and her mouth fell open. “As in engaged to be married?”

He nodded. “Yes, most Klatch never marry. They will either have half-breed children with humans or just feed from humans sexually their whole lives. But the full-blooded Klatch are betrothed at birth to another of full blood to retain the line and our heritage.” He lowered his mouth to hers, but at the first jolting and very familiar touch of his lips, she squirmed out of his grasp and put half the room’s distance between them.

Alyssa’s mind whirled. When he was near her, it felt like all her circuits were on overload. She looked up into his darkened lavender eyes. The hunk of testosterone who sat across from her thought he was her fiancé? How lucky could she get? Her body immediately wanted to claim its conjugal rights. But then her overly logical mind weighed in and ruined everything.

“Look, I don’t even know you. You follow me home from work, scare me half to death and now you’re trying to tell me I’m some sort of witch who feeds off sex?” She paced back and forth in front of the coffee table. A large ball of lead settled in her gut and she knew at least some of what Stone said was true. She could feel it deep inside her. “Why did you wait until now to find me?”

“Alyssandra, I have searched for you for ten years. You were well hidden among the humans. When the civil war ended, they stole you as a bargaining tool so the king and queen would not hunt down the remaining Cunts. Then they slithered away to the human world to hide.” He stood and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. “I know you believe and I also know you don’t want to. But tell me this. Did you fit in growing up? Are you like your parents or your siblings or even your friends?”

The awful truth hit her like a sledgehammer. She squeezed her eyes shut as tears burned at the back of her eyes. He was right. She’d never fit in and she never had any true friends. Her mother and father had fair hair and she had dark. Her pale lavender eyes had always been a topic of fascination or outright teasing and her early development of full hips and breasts had set her apart from her model-thin mother and sisters. She figured that’s why she’d dreamt of a handsome man who made her feel as if she belonged. But now, with him standing so close she could smell the woodsy musk of pure man, she knew better. “Are my adoptive parents…” She struggled with the word, “Cunts?”

He nodded and gestured to a family picture hanging on her wall. “The civil war came partially because of physical differences. The offspring of Klatch and humans who called themselves Cunts are fair of hair and skin and usually have thin bodies. The remaining faction of Klatch are dark haired, olive skinned and blessed with curves.” He stared down at her body as if he could see through the baggy clothes. She thought he would devour her whole.

“The Cunts thought themselves more attractive, superior and better breeding stock, so they tried to overthrow the king…and failed.”

Alyssa thought back over her life. Her family had always treated her more as a pet who wasn’t very smart than a part of the family. College was never an option. Her father convinced her she just couldn’t handle the higher learning and it wouldn’t be worth wasting the money. The same thing happened when she wanted to get a driver’s license.

So, she’d gone to bartending school. The pay was decent and she enjoyed interacting with the customers—most of the time. As for her personal life, her sisters still teased her about being fat and her long dark hair was always downplayed as less attractive than their lighter tresses. If everything Stone said was true, it made a lot of things more clear. Go with your gut!

“What exactly do you want me to do?” Her mind whirled.

“Your twenty-fourth birthday grows near and you will be coming of age. Because of your heritage, you’ll be an extremely powerful witch in her own right. Come with me and meet your real parents and then you can decide.”

She closed her eyes and searched inside herself for answers. Should she trust Stone? This entire situation was too crazy for words. She went with her gut. “Prove to me you are who you say you are, and I’ll go.”