That Old Black Magic

  Ben took all this in. “She knows about . . . Darrak? Do you know about Darrak?”

  “I can’t directly help you, but I can give you some advice if you want to hear it.”

  “What do you want in return?”

  “Nothing. Not from you, anyway.”

  “Who the hell are you?” Ben demanded again.

  The man’s expression didn’t change. He didn’t move closer. He just sat against the car’s hood and looked up at the building. “Like I said, a friend.”

  “Whose friend?”

  Finally the man cast a glance in his direction. “Do you want the advice I have to give you or not?”

  Ben didn’t like not being in control. He didn’t like not having his questions answered. But at the end of the day he’d come here for one reason—to help Eden. And he currently had no damn idea how to go about that.

  “Yes,” he said. “I want the advice.”

  The man’s smile grew. “Somehow I just knew you were going to say that.”

  A sense of foreboding followed Eden when she and Darrak left the apartment and headed toward her car. It passed, but it was unpleasant, like walking through a thatch of spiderwebs.

  Darrak was trying to act like everything was fine, but she knew it wasn’t. She’d broken something between them—something she didn’t know was breakable.

  Why did he have to go and ask her to marry him? Why now when there were a million other things to concern themselves with?

  “So, did you buy a leash for our new puppy?” He was trying to make a joke as he got into the passenger side of her car, but his lips were tight as he smiled.

  She put the key in the ignition and pulled out of her parking spot. “Didn’t get around to it. It’s on the list.”

  “You don’t have to worry. Even if he’s a mindless, vicious werewolf, it’s only one night a month. We can contain him with that spell. Andy’s just lucky he has you looking out for him.”

  She had Maksim’s containment spell tucked safety into her coat pocket. He said even a human could do it, so she didn’t think it would require her tapping into her black magic. She’d just have to read the incantation aloud when the time came and the office would be sealed up nice and tight until she decided to remove it again.

  And according to the wizard it would also work as a cloaking spell, so no one who wandered past would see anything weird going on.

  “Tomorrow I’m going to track Maksim down and we’ll see him again,” Darrak said. “There has to be some other options for us.”

  “You really think so?”

  “Sure. In the beginning, we thought it was only Selina that could help us, but now we know for sure that you share her magic. Just because the curse removal didn’t work the first time doesn’t mean that something else can’t be done to help us.”

  “You sound so positive today.”

  “That’s me. Sunshine to go.” A bitter smile stretched over his face. “It’s probably the angel half.”

  She didn’t want to broach the subject, but it was still five minutes till they arrived at the office. She returned her attention to the road. “Lucas said that other demons would come after you if they found out. Maybe we can find a way to cloak you from them.”

  As soon as the words left her mouth she regretted it.

  “Oh?” Darrak said. “And when exactly did Lucas tell you this?”

  She remembered her recent promise to tell Darrak the truth and not to keep anything back. Time to hold true to that. “When I touched the marble earlier, I saw him, but he sent me back so fast you never realized I was gone.”

  There was silence in the car for a moment.

  “Well, that was convenient, wasn’t it?” His gaze fell to her amulet. “Same color as before. Guess there wasn’t any tonsil hockey going on this time, was there?”

  She looked at him sharply. “Sorry to disappoint.”

  “What do you think would happen if you slept with him? Might suck the evil completely out of you.”

  “Darrak, don’t go there.” Her tone held an edge of warning.

  “I guess I understand the ‘let’s wait’ reply to my question now. Got to keep your options open in case a better offer comes in.”

  “I swear to God, Darrak, stop it.”

  He eyed her. “You swear to God? Why? Are you dating him, too?”

  Anger rose in her throat, but she swallowed it down. “I know I hurt you—”

  “You didn’t hurt me.” He waved a hand flippantly. “Just helped to put things back into perspective. I should thank you. Lesson learned.”

  “Oh, what lesson is that?”

  He hissed out a breath. “I don’t want to talk about this.” “That makes two of us.”

  He turned his attention to the roadside swiftly moving past them. “Maybe if I wasn’t so connected to you, I’d be able to gather my balls back together and be less of an emotional basket case.” He snorted. “It’s funny, actually. I keep blaming myself for everything I’ve done to you—made you part evil, ruined your life, destroyed your immortal soul . . . I keep forgetting just how much you’ve messed me up in return.”

  That hurt, but she couldn’t say he was wrong. Tears burned in her eyes, and she gave him a sideways glance as they pulled into the parking lot.

  “Then I guess we’re even, aren’t we?”

  He didn’t look directly at her. “Guess so.”

  “So you hate me now, is that it?”

  Darrak was silent for a moment before he laughed out loud. “I don’t hate you, Eden. I love you. But I get that that emotion isn’t returned in full. Let’s just forget about it and go deal with werewolf boy.”

  He got out of the car, slammed the door behind him, and started walking to the front door of Triple-A.

  Damn it. She so didn’t need this right now. Any of it.

  If she had one wish at this very moment, she’d wish that she wasn’t bound to Darrak. At all. She needed her freedom, her space, her privacy.

  She’d never asked for any of this to begin with. Who the hell would?

  Darrak had given her unwanted black magic that put her soul at risk. He’d taken away any possibility for privacy. He was frustrating and vain and self-involved.

  He was also funny and sexy and fiercely protective of her. She enjoyed his company. He challenged her, made her laugh, drove her crazy with desire. He was truly the best man she’d ever known. One she knew she could trust her secrets to.

  And maybe her heart, too.

  Something continued to hold her back. There were too many problems, obstacles, and challenges. How could she possibly allow herself to fall for him completely when they had so many issues to deal with on a daily basis?

  She honestly had no idea. But right now she had to deal with Andy.

  Eden marched into the office. Andy sat behind his desk looking oddly serene.

  “Everything okay?” she asked.

  Andy eyed the clock. “You know, the last time I checked, you still worked here. I know you’re not my employee, but we’re partners, right?”

  “Right. Of course.”

  “And I bought you that BlackBerry so we could stay in touch. I’ve been texting you all afternoon and I haven’t heard back from you once.”

  “Oh, right. The BlackBerry.” She bit her bottom lip.

  “Eden destroyed that,” Darrak said. He leaned against the wall right next to the glass door surveying the small office space. “Her black magic made it go boom.”

  “When was this?” Andy’s voice went a bit pitchy.

  “Yesterday morning. Didn’t she mention that to you? Not surprised about that. She likes to keep things to herself.”

  Andy’s brows knitted together. “I sense that you two aren’t exactly in a good mood. What’s the problem?”

  “We’re fine,” Eden said, with a pointed look at Darrak. “Aren’t we?”

  “Stellar.” He shrugged and focused on Andy, his expression now turning concerned. “Forget about us. How are you f
eeling right now?”

  “Me?” Andy pointed at himself. “I’m fine. I feel fantastic, actually.”

  “You would. Lycanthropy usually brings with it a renewed life force, kind of like a sip from the fountain of youth.”

  Andy’s jaw tensed. “I hope this evening will prove to the two of you once and for all that you’re wrong about me.”

  Even though his words were firm, there was now a sharp edge of worry that slid behind his eyes. They were close now. That had to be scary when he didn’t know what to expect.

  “It’s going to be okay, really. The moment I sense that you’re changing”—Eden held up her hands at his immediate bristle—“if that happens, of course, Darrak and I will leave, and I’ll read the spell from out in the parking lot.” She glanced over her shoulder at the sunset. “We don’t have too long to wait.”

  “Great.” Andy stood up and began to pace. “This just . . . it feels wrong. It’s not going to happen. I can make the choice not to be a werewolf.”

  Darrak shrugged. “You can try.”

  Andy walked to the glass door and then back to his desk. Twice. “I’ll be fine.”

  He was keeping up a good front, but Eden knew him well enough by now to see it was all fake. He was scared. He hadn’t mentioned much about the attack, but it had been bad. He’d been bloody, torn up, and if he’d been attacked by a regular wolf, there was no doubt that he would have died from his horrible injuries. As it was, they healed up quickly, leaving him with no scars.

  There was no doubt in Eden’s mind what was going to happen after the sun went down. All she could do was try to be here for him and contain the situation.

  Control it.

  She smiled wryly as that word flitted through her head. Everything could be controlled with the right amount of will. And a little bit of magic didn’t hurt.

  After all, she’d controlled the Malleus situation. Last time she’d been face-to-face with Ben, his boss Oliver Gale, and his new witchy girlfriend Sandy, Eden had unleashed her black magic as self-protection. It had practically killed them, and at the time, she hadn’t cared if she had.

  It was as disturbing as it was empowering. She might still look like a nice girl, but underneath . . . she knew she wasn’t. Not anymore. Eden didn’t want to hurt anyone, but if they tried to hurt her first, what choice did she have?

  Just the thought scared her. She pressed her hand over her amulet, feeling the cold stone surface like ice over her heart.

  She sensed Darrak watching her and she looked at him, surprised to see the concern in his gaze.

  “You okay?”

  She nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

  Other than the flu still circling her like a vulture waiting to swoop in, and a tendency to latch onto black magic at the drop of a hat, she was fine. Sure she was.

  She held his gaze. “I’m sorry about . . . well, I—I’m sorry, Darrak.”

  He nodded. “Me, too.”

  Well, that was a start. Just because they argued, or disagreed, or got angry with each other, didn’t mean much in the grand scheme of things. It wasn’t like they could break up—not like normal couples could, anyway. They were bound together whether they were romantically involved or not.

  She really would prefer to have a choice about that. But, much like who her mother was, fate hadn’t given Eden much of a choice in anything in her life.

  So be it. She’d deal.

  There was a jingle as the door opened, and Eden glanced over her shoulder.

  Great, she thought. Speak of the devil.

  Caroline Riley peeked her head in. “Hey there.”

  “Hello,” Andy greeted her cheerily. “Come in. We’re about to close, but we have a couple minutes left.”

  Caroline grinned. “Andy McCoy.” Her gaze slid down the front of him. “You’re still looking rather delicious, even after all this time.”

  His eyebrows went up. “Why, thank you. I have to say that the feeling is utterly mutual.” He held out his hand. “And you are?”

  She smiled and took his hand to squeeze it in hers. “Let me give you a clue. Vegas. New Year’s Eve, five years ago. Strip poker. You lost.”

  He blinked. “But, I—uh. That was . . . I mean, I remember . . . vividly . . . but . . .”

  Eden wanted to move this along. “Yeah, that’s my mother, Andy. She’s back from the grave and renting the body of a lingerie model.”

  Caroline looked at her sharply. “Aspiring actress, actually.”

  “Whatever you say.”

  Andy gaped at her. “You’re kidding me. Caroline? Is that really you?”

  “In the flesh.” She turned in a slow circle.

  “Christ on a cracker!” Andy exclaimed. “You’re alive!”

  Caroline grimaced. “Sort of. My original body is gone for good. I’m stuck on earth until I redeem myself. It’s proving to be a challenge. Apparently, I was more of a bad girl than I ever gave myself credit for.”

  “But . . . but this is wonderful. Just wonderful!”

  “I’m glad someone finally thinks so.”

  Andy always had a thing for her mother. It had never really been discussed between them, but Eden was fairly certain there had been more than just a poker game during the fateful night when Andy had lost 49 percent of Triple-A to her, which she’d left in her will to Eden.

  But strip poker? There were some things she really didn’t need to know.

  For Andy it might have been love. For her mother—it had been yet another fling with a man who paid her some attention.

  Frankly, Eden wanted better for Andy than that.

  “Mom, what are you doing here?”

  “I want to talk to you,” Caroline said, then flicked a disapproving glance at Darrak. “In private. Can you do that for me, honey? Five minutes of your time is all I’m asking for. Please.”

  Eden looked at Darrak, who nodded.

  “It’s okay,” he said. “Let her give you an earful about why you should have me exorcised at your earliest convenience. I’ll keep Andy company.”

  “Five minutes,” she assured him. “Then I’ll be back and we’ll . . . you know . . . do what we have to do.”

  “Sounds good.”

  There was still a lot left unsaid between them. Later that night they would have a serious conversation and Eden would force herself to get into it. She’d tell Darrak why she wasn’t able to give her heart to him completely. He’d understand. He’d give her time to get comfortable with everything. After all, time together was one thing they could count on.

  She looked at her mother. “I’ll buy you a quick coffee. Have your say. And then I’m really sorry but I have other important business to deal with.”

  Caroline shook her head. “My daughter, always so serious. Must come from her father’s side.” At Eden’s sharp look, she huffed out, “What? It’s true. I’m way more laid-back than you are. Always have been.”

  “Too laid-back, if you ask me,” Eden mumbled as she did her coat up.

  “Bye, now. Have fun with mommy dearest,” Darrak said dryly.

  She met his gaze. “I’ll be back.”

  “I don’t doubt it.”

  She reluctantly left the office, leading her mother right next door to Hot Stuff. Nancy quickly prepared their coffees, and they sat down at a booth.

  Eden looked across at her mother’s borrowed face. “Okay, we’re here. You have the floor.”

  “You know how much I love you, Eden,” Caroline began.

  Eden sighed. “I know. And I know you mean well, but you don’t know Darrak like I do.”

  “He’s a demon from Hell.”

  “This is an argument that is going to go in circles, so let me stop you right there. He’s great. He’s wonderful. If he was a human guy I’d just met on the street I’d be damn lucky if he’d even look in my direction.”

  “But you’re not happy, are you?”

  “My current level of happiness actually has very little to do with Darrak himself. It’s
complicated. I know you’re trying to help, but you have to give me space to deal with this.” She glanced at her watch. “I don’t have much time. What’s your plan? Are you going to stay here in Toronto?”

  “I haven’t decided yet.” Caroline took a sip from her coffee, black with two sweeteners, just like Eden remembered.

  Her mother had always been on a diet to keep her figure as fat-free as possible. She’d saved up money when Eden was just a little girl to buy herself breast implants. She’d looked exactly like a Vegas showgirl, blonde and glamorous—everything that Eden knew she herself wasn’t.

  Not that she ever wanted breast implants. And Eden never had a great desire to be a size zero. She was a six. Sometimes an eight. She didn’t overeat, but she didn’t really pay too much attention to it. She figured if she did pay too much attention she might become like Caroline, concerned with every calorie. Finding her pleasure with a diet of cocktails instead of a good meal.

  It wasn’t exactly a surprise that Caroline had chosen the svelte, beautiful, young body she had. Eden would have been able to call that particular decision from a mile away.

  Caroline had always valued beauty and her outward appearance because it bought her what she needed—men to take care of her when the tables didn’t pay out right. Beauty was a commodity, and she’d had it in spades. Eden knew, at the time of Caroline’s death when she’d been pushing fifty, that her fading beauty was an issue for her.

  “So now what?” Eden asked when Caroline didn’t say anything for a moment. “Do you need money?”

  Caroline laughed. “I can take care of myself.”

  “Half of Triple-A is yours. Maybe you want it back.”

  “No, I don’t want anything from you, Eden.” Her expression shadowed. “I know I was a lousy mother. It’s time for me to make up for that. I’m here for you in your greatest time of need.”

  Eden reached across the table and took Caroline’s hand. “Things weren’t always the best between us, but I know you meant well. And I was really sorry to lose you like that, especially after we hadn’t spoken in a while.”

  “That was totally my fault.” Caroline shook her head and took another sip of her coffee. “I should have stayed in touch. I got mixed up with an acrobat from Cirque du Soleil. Half my age. He was very . . . flexible.”