Fighting the Flames (Firefighter Romance #1)(58)
The Box of Souls
Power surged like a volcano through Jacqueline. Every nerve in her body vibrated with the delicious tingle of energy as she held open the Box of Souls. While a part of her knew what she was doing was wrong, a larger part didn't care. Too delicious were the sensations.
“What the hell is going on?” The gruff voice was familiar. She turned and found the astonished older woman standing in the kitchen doorway. Oh, but she was giving off such a pretty glow. Jacqueline saw the bright light emanating from her—the life essence. An urge to raise her hands and tug at the light overtook Jacqueline. Could she yank the light free? Licking her lips, she could almost taste the essence.
Before she could follow through on her desires, the woman crossed the kitchen and slammed the lid to the silver box shut.
“No,” Jacqueline gasped as the delicious light cut off, leaving her shivering and defenseless.
“Jackie, what do you think you're doing?” The woman's voice trembled, but she stepped toward Jacqueline, hands outstretched. “Do you even know who I am?”
Jacqueline blinked and stared at the woman. Yes. She knew her. Her name was…
… was…
A blinding headache overwhelmed her, and the edges of her vision turned gray. She staggered and fell to the floor.
Matilda. The old lady from the bar.
The thought had barely come to her before she blacked out.
****
Derek Spark observed the action from the comfort of his hotel room suite. He'd known that sooner or later, Jacqueline would find a way to open the Box of Souls, and when she did, the released power would be easy to spot.
The intense energy overrode protection spells and perimeter chants, giving him the opportunity to peek into Jacqueline's world. After assuming Toby's identity earlier that day, Derek hadn't been sure if he could punch a hole in the magical barrier the other wizard had erected. But the risk of discovery had been worth it. What fun it was to pretend to be Toby Williams.
Sorry only that the facade had ended before he’d a chance to get to know the lovely Jacqueline Huston. She would have enjoyed the things he wanted to do with her.
Ah, well, he'd known there would be other moments. Sure enough, the opening of the Box of Souls had released such a powerful signature that he'd felt its vibrations. The blast lowered all the magical defenses he had, serving as another reason he was glad to be in the safety of his well-appointed hotel room and not around other supernaturals that might not be inclined to overlook his past… indiscretions. No sense in putting himself in a vulnerable position.
Taking advantage of the increased power, he used a simple looking-glass spell on his room mirror, morphing it into a portal and allowing him to glimpse into the banshee's house. As the spell completed, he saw Jacqueline rip Toby's soul from his body, and the triumph surged through Derek like nothing he'd felt before.
“It's true.” He laughed. “The old ones were right.”
Killing another supernatural was difficult, and unfortunately, wizard magic always left a residual imprint of its owner. But a banshee—well, that was a different matter. She collected souls and left no mark behind.
“I can't wait to take you under my wing,” Derek whispered watching Jacqueline's eyes swirl with a deep green. The connection died and Derek frowned. Someone silenced the box’s magic.
“Damn.” He paced the room, thinking. Who else had been in that room? His brows furrowed. He needed to speak with Jacqueline, and now that Toby was out of the way, doing so would no longer be hazardous to his health. But how could he go about setting up a proper introduction?
The sound of movement in the suite's bedroom startled him from his thoughts. Staring at the closed door, he contemplated how best use the woman on the other side of it. A slow grin tiled his lips. She could help him get close to Jacqueline. They were best friends. After weeks of honing his relationship with her, this woman would finally prove to be useful in other ways besides the bedroom.
“Derek?” she called, and his grin faltered. “Have you seen my bra?”
With a forged smile, he plucked it from off the lamp where he'd hastily thrown it before their hasty and passionate afternoon rendezvous, just the way she liked it. No lingering emotional embraces for her or sweet words of love, only heat and lust. Angela Tatum was always ready for a quick tryst.
That made her perfect for his purposes.
“It's in here, Angela.” The door creaked, and she peered at him with a smile as he swung the bra. “Come and get it.”
She pushed the door, revealing that she only wore a pair of black lace panties. Unashamed, Angela walked toward him, her long red hair resting over the tops of her breasts. Her pale perfect skin had him catching his breath as his groin stirred in response.
“Hand it over,” she said, holding out her hand.
“I said come and get it.” Deliberately, he held the bra out of her reach.
“You aren't going to win this game,” she said. “I know all kinds of tricks.”
“Do you? Show me one.”
Angela smiled and pressed herself to him. One hand cupped him gently as her tongue teased his neck. A slow rush of heat coursed through his groin.
He took a deep breath and lowered the hand holding the bra. Derek sensed her free hand reaching toward it, ready to snap the garment away from him. He made his move. Grabbing her hands and using a touch of magic, he bound her on the couch of the suite in under five seconds.