Witch Hunter Olivia (18 page)

“Yeah, but first I have a question, and I want you to be upfront with me, okay?” I move inside the house and wait for her reply. My eyes pan over and notice that Tara’s still lying on the couch like she hasn’t moved since we left. “She hasn’t woken up yet?”

“No. Her energy is very low right now. It’s almost as if she’s in a magical coma, as odd as that sounds,” Jack answers. “What’s this question you have for me?”

“What is this ring? And why do you want it so badly?”

Her eyes become heavy with emotion. She excuses herself before walking through an open door off to the side of the living room. The room fills with light when I hear her flip a switch, and within moments, she returns with a picture frame clutched in her hands.

“This is why I wanted the ring back,” she says, handing me the frame.

Turning it over to look at the picture, my eyes immediately hone in on the ring on the man’s hand in the photograph. I can tell the ring’s the same one I have in my pocket based on the distinct bright red ruby. As I study the rest of the photo, I see the man’s holding a young girl in his arms. Her hair is long and wavy, and she’s wearing a cute little dress that looks to be made from heavy fabric with a lacey trim along the hem.

“Is this you and your father?” I ask.

Jack shakes her head. “That was my husband. In all of my six hundred years on this Earth, I’ve never loved anyone more than I loved him. The little girl was our daughter. They were both killed … I’d rather not talk about it, if you don’t mind. All you need to know is that the ring is all I have left of my husband, and the greatest reminder of my family.”

“Why did the High Priestess have it?” I inquire, feeling a tad suspicious, though her story is compelling.

“I’m not the only one who trades items for information. In my search to find who did this to my family, I made a deal with a fellow Jinn and lost my ring in the process. I only recently tracked it down to the High Priestess. I’m sorry I had to use you to get it back, but a trade is a trade.”

I put my hand into my pocket and feel the cool metal band graze my fingertips. My concerned eyes meet Heath’s and he nods in agreement, even though I didn’t verbally ask him a question. Removing the ring, I present it to Jack, and her eyes light up as a relieved smile appears. A solitary tear rolls down her cheek at the sight of the small piece of jewelry I hold in my hand, and I can’t help but feel she was telling the truth this whole time.

“May I?” She reaches out, and then hesitates.

“It’s yours, right? Go ahead,” I reply, and another smile spreads across her face as she takes hold of the ring and brings it toward her chest.

She raises it to her lips and places a kiss firmly onto the large ruby. She slides the ring onto her finger before holding up her hand to admire it some more.

“Thank you,” she chokes out. “You’ve brought back something to me that I thought I’d never see again. And since you’ve held up your end of the deal, I’ll let you in on what I know based on what I’ve seen through your eyes.” She pauses and turns her gaze from the ring to me before speaking again. “Your brother’s being controlled by dark magic. The chain around his neck is attached to a pendant of possession, used primarily by dark witches to control someone to do their bidding. You’re dealing with a powerful witch, and a ballsy one at that, since this one went after a Hunter.”

“Do you think Angelica is still alive?” I ask, trying to absorb all of the info she’s throwing at me.

“Yes. This witch wants you now too. You interfered with their ritual and now they’ll use Angelica to lure you out to kill two birds with one stone,” Jack replies.

“How do I destroy the possession thingy around my brother’s neck?”

“You first have to remove the necklace and break the bond it has on him. Then you must burn it.”

“Is there anything else I need to know?”

“Yes,” she replies in a whisper.

“Well, what is it?”

She grins. “You should really consider letting someone in,” she says, nodding her head toward Heath, who’s sitting in the chair next to the couch watching over Tara. He looks over at us and smiles, almost like he knows Jack’s talking about him, but I know he can’t hear us. “It’s not every day you find someone like that. Trust me, I should know.” She holds up the hand she put the ring on and motions to it.

“Thank you for everything, Jack. You’ve been a real help,” I say, returning my gaze to her. “What about Tara? Is there anything I can do to help her?”

“If you trust me, you can leave her here until she wakes up. She’ll be in good hands,” she replies. “I have plenty of room, and can make her comfortable until she awakens.”

“Are you sure it’ll be okay? I’d hate to put you out like this, but it will only be until she wakes up or I put an end to this whole issue, whichever comes first.”

“She’ll be safe here, don’t worry.”

“Thank you.”

I look over at Tara and my heart sinks. To think if I would’ve just made her return to the dorm room, she wouldn’t be lying there unconscious. This all started with an arrow being shot at me during a sorority party I didn’t even want to go to. Now I can feel the pieces sliding into place, and sense that the end to this whole mess is in sight.

Heath glances over at me again, and when I see his gorgeous smile beaming, I don’t feel alone. Jack’s words are starting to settle into my mind, and I fear that she’s right … Heath’s worth taking a chance on. I wish this opportunity had presented itself at a better time, but I guess life just doesn’t work that way.

“She’ll be okay. You know that, right?” Heath says on the drive back to the university.

It takes a moment for me to register what he said, since I’m so focused on the mess I’ve gotten myself and everyone else into. “I hope you’re right,” I eventually respond, releasing a sigh and relaxing back against my seat to stare out the window.

This is the third time Heath’s tried to start a conversation since we left Jack’s. The last two resulted in long periods of silence after my quick responses. I guess he can sense I’m not in the talking mood.

“Do you think the best thing for you now is to be alone in your dorm?” He sounds concerned.

“Do you have any better ideas? Wait, never mind. Forget I even asked,” I reply when I realize what his answer is most likely going to be.

“You need sleep, Liv. You can stay at my place, and I’ll take the couch,” he says, glancing over at me.

“No, because you know damn well what will happen if I sleep over. We both do,” I argue. “I mean, every time we’re alone, we have problems keeping our hands off each other.”

“Is that such a bad thing? You act like I’m tainted or something. Like you don’t trust yourself when you’re around me.”

“Maybe I don’t. And you’re not tainted, just complicated. Everything in my life right now is complicated. And the last thing I need is something else mucking it up.”

“Fine. I promise that if you stay at my place, I will not make any moves whatsoever, and you can just sleep. Sound good?”

I hesitate since it’s not Heath I’m worried about making a move. “It would be nice to actually sleep in a bed that didn’t feel like it was made of nails,” I say. “No funny business, promise?”

“Scout’s honor,” he replies.

*****

“I’m gonna hop into the shower real quick, but feel free to relax for once,” Heath says.

“Sounds good.” I plop down onto his California king mattress that feels like heaven. I let it engulf me in comfort.

I turn on my side and watch Heath stroll to the bathroom door. He enters and slides it closed, but it gets stuck with about a half a foot left to go. He fights with it, but it doesn’t budge past that point.

He chuckles. “Damn thing. Been meaning to get it fixed,” he says. “All right, no peeking.”

I smile before turning over to face the other way. I find myself staring into the large mirror attached to his dresser that looks directly into the bathroom. It’s a small bathroom that’s streamlined straight back leading to the shower, so there’s no way he can move out of view from the opening in the door.

Heath inches up his shirt, revealing his tight, firm abs. His pants are resting low on his hips, showcasing the highly toned and defined groin area peeking out over the top of the waistband. Blush starts working its way up my cheeks when I realize I’m watching Heath like some kind of voyeur.

With his shirt off, it’s hard not to admire the tattoos that wrap from the top of his hips all the way up his side and then across his chest before cascading down his arm in a fluid motion. Warmth begins coursing through my body at the thought of my hands tracing the edges of his beautiful artwork. I shake out of it when I notice he’s unbuttoning his pants. He clearly has no issue with his body since he so freely strips off his clothes without hesitation.

I avert my eyes when he begins to slide off his underwear. When I hear the glass shower door slide open, I glance up when my curiosity gets the best of me, and see his highly defined and gorgeous body reflected in the mirror. The deep black tattoos spread across his back as well, and only add to the fact his entire body looks like a piece of art standing there. Once he disappears behind the door, I can relax somewhat, but dangerous thoughts begin to pound at my brain and a yearning develops between my legs.

“This was so not a good idea,” I whisper to myself, trying to keep my feelings at bay, but failing miserably.

The glass shower door is opaque, but I can still see the contours of his body through it. Even his outline is a work of perfection. My heart begins to beat faster in my chest the longer I stare at him. The throbbing between my legs starts to overtake my whole being, and I feel myself compelled toward the open bathroom door. I fight it back and flip onto my back to be face up on the bed so I can’t stare into the bathroom anymore.

Studying the minor cracks in the ceiling to distract myself, I try not to focus on my current obsession. The bed begins to feel like it’s on fire as heat assaults my backside in waves. This must be the exact place Heath sleeps. I can feel his residual energy while resting against his pillow and sheets. The light scent of his cologne clings to the fabric and is now swirling around me after I disturbed the bed by moving about.

I spring up in a sitting position when I can’t take the feeling anymore. The shower’s still running, and I can hear the sound of the water being redirected as it hits against Heath’s body, causing an irregularity in the sound. I’m so worked up right now, I have no idea what to do.

Throwing my legs over the side of the bed, I slide off and touch down on the cool wooden floor. The coldness against my feet sends a much-needed chill through my body to combat my current state of overheating. The moment I’m almost freed from this yearning, I feel myself being pulled toward the bathroom once more, only this time I can’t seem to fight it.

Standing, I pull my blouse over my head before tossing it onto the chair situated next to the bed. The next thing to go is my jeans. I loosen the button and pull down the zipper before I shimmy them off toward the ground with a little assistance and tugging along the way. Unhooking my bra, I fling it onto the chair and follow suit with my panties.

Here I am, standing naked in Heath’s bedroom, about to attempt the one thing I know I shouldn’t do. This has been brewing for a while now, and there’s no stopping it.

Placing my hand on the bathroom door, I slide it back until there’s enough room for me to squeeze through. “Liv?” Heath asks, his voice muffled by the water flowing over his face.

I grab the handle of the shower door and pull it open before stepping through. Heath’s body is even more impeccable up close, and I take it all in, inch by amazing inch.

He spins around to face me. “What are you doing?” he asks with a laugh and some surprise in his voice.

“What we should’ve done already,” I reply.

Moving closer to him, I drape my arms around his neck, resting my upper arms on his shoulders, and bring my face in front of his. Our chests press up against one another and heat surges through my body in a wavelike fashion. He stares into my eyes with an intensity I’ve never seen in them before as he wraps his arms around my waist, drawing my hips into his. His mouth wraps around mine and his tongue sweeps its way in with a smooth and powerful motion. My lips burst into flames, and I can’t seem to get enough of his kiss. His hands begin working their way up my back in slow, gentle strokes before he tugs me closer with confidence.

Heath eases me up against the wall. The instant my bare skin touches the cold tiles, I moan into his mouth, causing a grin to sprout on his lips. His dick rubs up against me as our embrace deepens. He trails kisses down my neck, making me squirm in satisfaction. I grab onto his back, hoping not to cause any permanent damage with my nails. I can no longer feel the sting of the cold tiles against my skin since my body is firing on all cylinders, almost to the point of feeling numb and overworked from all the attention Heath is giving to it.

“Is this okay?” he asks breathily while pulling back to look into my eyes.

I don’t respond, I just cup his face and draw it toward mine, securing our lips together. His firm dick moves between my legs, sending a tingling sensation throughout my body. I release a heavy breath near his mouth as the tip brushes past my inner thighs, just shy of sliding in. He pulls away and looks at me, his lips breaking into a smirk.

I begin searching his body with my hands, finally fulfilling my fantasy of stroking his tattoos. I start at the ends of his broad shoulders before sliding my hands down the sides of his arms, following the dark black Gothic ink pattern drawn onto his skin. He seems to be enjoying every second of my admiration, since he’s letting me do whatever I want to his body with a smile on his face.

“They’re beautiful,” I say softly, tracing the tattoo that begins on the left side of his rock-hard abs and continues around to his back.

“Not as beautiful as you though,” he replies, moving his hands to either side of my waist and gently sliding them up to just below my breasts. His fingertips feel like small hotplates as they graze over my body until finding a resting place at the small of my back.
 

Heath pulls me toward him and enters me with one solid movement of his hips. It burns inside me at first, but then simmers. I grab a fistful of his hair as a cry of pleasure erupts from me. He continues to penetrate me over and over again with smooth and powerful motions. His muscles flex and relax with each thrust of his hips. My nipples harden as he begins to massage my left breast gently with one hand while his other hand is busy holding me in place. He moves his hand to the inside of my leg and lifts it slightly to the side in order to pin it against the wall and allow him to thrust deeper. I moan against his cheek because his mouth is occupied with the side of my neck.

We get into a rhythm and I’m able to match the intensity of his movements with my own. I want him deeper inside of me still. Even though I know we’ve both wanted this to happen for a while, Heath’s being so gentle, and he’s not acting like a man who’s been pent up. He’s taking his time and being as tender as possible without being too forceful. He pulls back every once in a while to gaze at me. I hope that means he doesn’t think this is only a one-time thing. It doesn’t seem that way by the look in his eyes. He’s putting feeling and emotion behind every push into me. His arms are warm and secure, more secure than I’ve felt in some time.

Our lips find each other again. Our pace has slowed, but our bodies remain connected. This is the point when most guys I’ve been with would’ve released, but not Heath. I can tell he has stamina.

He picks up the pace again and I can’t help but moan after feeling his girth fill me more than any of my previous partners. I’ve never felt this way during sex, and it helps that Heath’s being so attentive and passionate. He’s making me feel like the only girl in the world he wants to be making love to. His hands are constantly searching my body as he continues to push between my legs, like he can’t get enough of touching my skin. Like it’s his drug.

His body vibrates against mine with a sense of intensity just before he lifts my other leg and supports my entire weight on his thighs, pressing me softly against the wall again. The first push after is the deepest yet and it causes me to yell out. I can’t control it. I try to bite back every other moan, but they escape my teeth with a force I’m not able to stop.

“You drive me fucking insane,” he breathes next to my ear. His speed has reduced again, but I can tell he hasn’t finished yet. “I’ve been wanting to do this ever since I first kissed you. Ever since I first held you in my arms.” His voice is heavy, deep, and full of emotion. “This was so worth the wait.”

He arches back to look into my eyes again, but keeps inside of me, holding me against his hips. I place my hand on his cheek and feel a rush of warmth through my palm as a smile grows on his mouth.

“It was,” I reply with a smile of my own.

Heath moves in closer and plants his lips on mine in a passionate embrace that sets my mouth ablaze. He draws me into him and we slowly move our hips back and forth with our mouths still firmly locked.

“Not yet,” he whispers when it feels like both of our bodies are going to release. “We’re only getting started.”

Heath slips out from between my legs and proceeds to lead me from the shower to cradle me onto the bed with my wet body on top of his. Our moist bodies cling to the sheets as he rolls me over and thrusts inside with one strong, fluid motion. My head becomes fuzzy with a sense of euphoria, mainly because Heath’s touch makes me feel like I’m going to combust at any moment.

His mouth begins dancing around my breast. The warm sensation feels almost surreal. The light squeak that escapes my lips seems to turn him on even more, because he begins to push into me harder and faster. He brings his mouth up in search of mine. I take his face in my hands just before our lips caress in a passionate kiss. He smiles against my mouth and slows the movements of his hips, allowing me to catch my breath.