Hot Magic (37 page)

“Ah, irony.” He paused. “The humor is still escaping me.”
 

She pushed at his chest, needing some distance. He didn’t let her go.
 

“This is only ironic if now that I can have my heart’s desire, I don’t want it,” he said calmly.
 

For a moment, she couldn’t breathe. His gaze held her more securely than his arms.

“You both survive an attack by an immortal, and you’re talking about irony?” Bas crouched down beside them. “Glad to see everyone is feeling okay.”

Julie jerked and turned her head, meeting Bascule’s amused gaze. How did Harrison make her forget that they weren’t the only people in the room? Marguerite lay only inches away from them, strangely silent after all her moaning. Luc knelt beside his sister, holding her hand.
 

“Go away, Bas,” Harrison ordered.

“Not yet, friend. You’ve both been through a major ordeal. I want to check you out.”

Harry’s arms dropped reluctantly from her, and Julie rolled off his chest. She took the hand Bas held out, pulling on it more than she would have expected as she stood. She smoothed her dress neatly over her thighs and reached down to adjust an ankle strap. Harry rose slowly, grimacing as if his joints pained him.

“What of the Moonflower?” He turned to Marguerite.

Bas shook his head. “She lives. I don’t know what her fate will be. She’ll need time to regain her energy and heal.”

“I’m taking her back to Le Quatre Horizons.” Luc stood and lifted Marguerite in his arms as if she weighed nothing. “I’ll find a way to rid her of Ashakarin’s taint.

Bas nodded. “I’ll visit when I can.”

Luc looked at Harrison. “I apologize for my sister.”

Harrison put a hand on Luc’s shoulder. “She’s a strong woman who fell prey to evil. I’ll help in her recovery any way I can.” His jaw firmed. “However, she’s broken Triad law and will be held accountable when she has healed.”

Luc held his sister closer. “I know.”

Harry briefly touched Marguerite’s hair. “Ashakarin has been working on her for many years. Her road back won’t be easy.” He didn’t add it might not be possible, but the words hung in the room. “Luc, she saved me twice. Once in Gehenna she kept me from falling into Abigor’s trap. Today she added her power to Julie’s to help break the curse.”

Luc took a deep breath. “Thank you for telling me that.” He turned to Julie. “I have a message for your daughter. Tell Tasha that time is too slow for those who wait. For me, time is eternity.”

Julie nodded, confused.

Luc’s lips curved in a small smile. “She’ll recognize the quotation. I’ll contact her when I can.”

Julie nodded again, relieved this dazzling man was going back to France. She’d had enough of Walkers for a while. She didn’t want her daughter dating one.

When Luc and Marguerite left, only Bas, Harry and Julie remained in the room.

“Where is Ashakarin, Bas?” Julie rubbed her hands up and down her arms.
 

“In Lobolo, raising hell, no doubt.”

At Julie’s steady glare, he grinned. “You demons are excellent targets for bad jokes. I can’t help it.”

“You owls are just a hoot,” she shot back.

Bas stared at her blankly and then started laughing. Julie had a feeling that he laughed more than the joke called for. He’d been under tension, too.

Harry didn’t laugh. “Bas, leave.”

Bas controlled himself. “Okay. But this isn’t over yet, Harrison. There are still issues to settle.”

“Later.” The word left no room for negotiation.
 

Bas didn’t say another word. He walked to the office door, opened it and walked through. When he closed the door, the lock snicked into place.

Harry turned to her with a look that made her nervous and excited. His eyes travelled from the top of her head down the length of her body to her shiny, red shoes. “Let’s discuss irony.”

“I’m sorry that I bonded with you against your will. Bas said it was the only way and….” The flow of words dribbled to a stop when Harry moved closer to her.

“You risked your soul for me.” He watched her closely. “Why?”

“I had to.” The words whispered past her closed throat.

“Why? Because I’m important to the Triad? Because you wouldn’t have let anyone lose their soul to Ashakarin?”

The vulnerability behind the words pierced her. She reached out and touched his cheek. “Those sound like noble reasons and are probably true.”

“But?”

“If Ashakarin took your soul, I would have spent my life finding a way to get it back.” She didn’t need blood to bond her to this man. He’d already seeped into her system and become a part of her.

“Say it straight out, Julie.”

“I thought I did. I love you, Harrison Chevalier. You’re mine, to cherish and to protect.”

He grabbed her upper arms, pulling her tight against him. His head buried in her neck. “Julie,” he whispered, his breath warm against her skin. Then his lips moved, finding the curve between her neck and shoulder. She stretched her neck, shivers of fire igniting her blood stream.

He lifted his head and stared at her, his possessive gaze roaming her face like a touch. He reached out and threaded the strands of her hair through his fingers. “I love your hair.”

She smiled, feeling a little wobbly. “You’re crazy.”

“Yes.” His lips took hers, thrilling her with their intensity. Her head arched back, only to be cradled in his large palm. Their clothes were gone, and she had no idea who had gotten rid of them. She didn’t care. She felt his strength, his firm muscles, flexing beneath her touch.
 

Then she was on the floor, the smooth wood cool against her back. Before she had time to shiver, a soft, furry rug cushioned her.
 

“You’re getting good at that,” Harry murmured against her lips.

“Practice makes perfect,” she gasped as his hand slid up her side and framed her breast.

“You’re perfect without practice.”
 

The words were so awfully corny, and he said them with such sincerity that her heart melted. “Harry.”

She spread her legs and pulled him more firmly against her. Every inch of him touched her, skin to skin. His penis, a hot, hard length, slid against her lower belly. She closed her eyes, lost in pleasure and sensation.

He groaned. “Open your mind to me.”

She slowly raised her eyelids. “It is.”
 

With the next breath, she felt his familiar presence in her head. Then, his eyes steady on hers, he brushed his palm firmly over her nipple. She drew in her breath, feeling the pleasure of his touch. Feeling his pleasure in the touch.

“Harry.” He moved against her, a slow, rhythmic rock. His mouth replaced his hand, and his teeth played with her, tugging gently. Her fingers curled into the soft rug. On the surface of her skin, running beneath her skin, warm bubbles of sensation tumbled and caressed her.

He lifted his head. “Your breast is amazing.” He bent to her other breast, his tongue circling her nipple while his hand began exploring the curve of her bottom. “I dream about touching you, tasting you.”

She laughed, really more of a moan, then arched her pelvis and sucked in her breath at the burst of pleasure as he rubbed against her. Her hands slid down his back, cupping his firm behind. “I was so scared I’d lost you.”

“Shhh,” he commanded, then took her nipple firmly into his mouth. She moaned and moved her hand around to grasp him. As she touched him, she felt the biting edge of his passion, the aftertaste of the fear he’d felt for her, the savage need to drive himself into her, to take her, own her.

“Condom.” He ground the word out.

Condom? She tried to concentrate. Suddenly the thin sheath formed beneath her hand. Okay, that was seriously cool. No pausing, no fumbling. Safe sex with minimal hassles. Then she didn’t think any more. He raised himself, arms firmly planted on either side of her shoulders, and with one smooth thrust of his hips, slid inside her.

She felt filled, utterly possessed. Hot bolts of lightning ripped through her, and she thought sparks might be coming from her fingertips. She caught the faint scent of burning fur but ignored it. She couldn’t separate what she felt from what he felt. Pulsing, pounding, she spiraled, twirling into a circle tighter and tighter, until she thought she’d explode.
 

“You’re mine.” The thought roared through her head, a triumphant shout. Then she screamed as she splintered into a thousand shards of intense pleasure.

S
he couldn’t open her eyes. Her lids were too heavy to lift. “How come it’s raining inside your office?”

“Don’t know,” Harry mumbled. He rolled off her onto his back. “Oh, bloody hell. It’s the sprinkler system. We set the carpet on fire.”

“That would explain the irritating beeping noise.” She pushed herself up on one elbow, finally opening her eyes. “The fire alarm.”

Harry waved a hand, and the fire alarm and water stopped. Which allowed them to hear the loud banging on his office door.

“Mom! Are you okay? Mom! Let me in.” Tasha’s voice.

Julie’s muscles suddenly sprang into action, and she jumped to her feet. “Tell me I didn’t just scream at the top of my lungs during love-making while my daughter was in the next room.”

“Julie, calm down.”

“Tell me I’m not standing naked in the middle of your office!”

“I rather like it,” Harry offered.

“Tell me there’s not a body outline singed into the white carpet.” She took a closer look. “I’m not really that fat, am I?”

Harry actually laughed, his hair hanging in wet strands around his face, his chest glistening with water. She’d never seen him look so carefree and happy.

She grinned, until the banging on the door started again. Clothes, clothes, clothes. Julie turned her back on Harrison, which really wasn’t a better position because she’d never gotten around to doing those glute-tightening exercises Dorie had told her about. She thought jeans and a sweatshirt and relaxed slightly as she felt the cloth slide over her body.

“Mom!” Tash’s voice held a note of panic.

Julie glanced backward only long enough to see that Harry wore black pants and a white shirt and then ran toward the door. She unlocked it and swung it open. Tash halted with her fist in the air.

“Mom. What’s wrong? You were screaming. Is there a fire? We heard the alarm but couldn’t get in.” She shot Bas an accusing look. “Bas wouldn’t help.”

Julie felt her cheeks redden. “No, no. I’m fine. I just got—frustrated—with Harry and…screamed. What are you doing here?”

Harry stepped behind her and wrapped a hand around the back of her neck. Julie shivered at his touch, every nerve still attuned to him.
 

“We hopped on the first plane we could when Linda told Grandma you were under arrest in London. We called Linda when we arrived at Heathrow, and she told us to take a taxi here.” Tasha paused. “Why was the fire alarm going off?”

“A small fire started in Harry’s office. The reason I got so frustrated with him—you know, when I screamed—was that he wouldn’t help put it out,” Julie improvised. Okay. She lied.

“The fire was not small, and I did a lot to help put it out.” There was definitely laughter in Harry’s voice.

Dorie and her mother stood slightly behind Tash, both giving her a curious look. They each held long sticks with cardboard attached to the ends. The cardboard rested against the floor.

Linda leaned against one wall, shocked amazement on her face. Obviously she had a good idea of what had been happening in Harry’s office. Heidi sat at her desk oblivious to everyone but Bas, who lounged on top of it, idly swinging one leg. He winked at Julie. “Fire department’s on their way up.”

Julie glared at him. “Stop them.”

Bas got slowly to his feet, a resigned look on his face. The elevator doors opened at that moment, and five firefighters in full regalia with hatchets and helmets rushed out.

Bas held up a hand and the group halted. “There is no fire,” he said.

“There is no fire,” repeated the lead fire fighter.

“Go back and reset the alarm. It was set off by accident.” Bas waved his hand, in the exact way Obi Wan Kenobi did when he was redirecting Empire soldiers in the first—which was really the fourth—
Star Wars
movie.

Everyone watched in silence as the firefighters crowded back into the elevator and headed down to the lobby. Julie made a mental note to ask Bas if he knew George Lucas.

Jean broke the silence. “So what exactly has been going on here?”

“We’ve broken the curse.” Julie didn’t feel the need to talk about what had happened after that. “Harry is free of Marguerite.”

Some of the confusion left Tash’s face to be replaced with relief. “That’s great! Does that mean this jail thing is all cleared up, too?”

The jail thing. She’d forgotten all about that, what with fighting Ashakarin and having wild sex. Harry’s sudden stillness told her that it wasn’t all cleared up.