Spookily Yours A Halloween Rom - Jennifer Chipman
Spookily Yours A Halloween Rom - Jennifer Chipman
Acknowledgments
Also by Jennifer Chipman
About the Author
ONE
willow
I ’d always been taught that black cats were a sign of good luck. Maybe
that just came with the territory as the daughter of a witch, but every
time I’d seen one, life seemed to look up.
A flash of black caught my eye as I winded through the quiet, shady
street towards town.
This one was perched on the edge of the brick wall that bordered the
path, his flicking tail garnering my attention as he licked his paw, like he
didn’t have a care in the world.
Though I supposed he didn’t. I sighed to myself. The life of a cat.
“If only we could all be so lucky to laze around all day like you,” I said
with a snort.
The little beast didn’t have a collar, so I assumed he didn’t have an
owner. Shaking my head at myself, I adjusted the tote bag on my arm and
continued on my way down the path.
Crunchy leaves littered the ground, giving a satisfying crunch anytime I
stepped on one with my boots. The entire world was lit up with color, all
the trees turning the magnificent hues of autumn.
Turning around, I looked back at the brick wall, but the cat was already
gone.
I loved every bit of this season—when the air turned crisp and you
could pull all the warm sweaters out of the back of your closet. It felt like
the equivalent of wrapping yourself up in a warm, cozy blanket with a cup
of hot apple cider in your hands.
But there was something extra special about the fall in Pleasant Grove.
This town had always been a secret haven for witches, a cozy little town
full of covens, where magic was ordinary. Long ago, the founding witches
had shielded this place from the outside world, putting up protective
barriers with magic. Giving us the freedom to be ourselves, not having to
hide who we were.
I smiled as I saw a cobweb covered front porch; the lawn decorated with
a giant spider. Families had begun putting out their Halloween decorations
weeks ago. In our community, it was like a huge competition. We took it as
seriously as the humans did their Christmas lights.
It was my favorite month of the year. Ever since I was small, I’d looked
forward to my family attending the town’s festivities together. There was
nothing better than the days where we’d decorate our house for All
Hallows’ Eve, especially when there was a pot of pumpkin juice brewing.
I missed that.
The tantalizing aroma of sugar and baked goods hit me before I’d even
reached for the door handle of the bakery and coffee shop in town—The
Witches’ Brew. My sister and I had opened it several years ago, and it was
still crazy to me how popular we were each morning.
But right now, it was quiet, the morning dew still settled across the town
as the world only just began to wake up.
The bell rang as I entered the shop, my mouth watering from whatever
was currently baking in the back. The sugar cookies were my sister’s
specialty, iced with such precision. Everything she made was amazing, but I
eagerly awaited fall each year, knowing that it meant pumpkin-flavored
treats.
Heading into the kitchen, I dropped my bag onto the chair and went to
grab my apron, smoothing my light brown hair into a ponytail.
“Wil!” Luna’s blonde curls popped into view. “Good morning!” Her
cheery voice instantly smoothed over my unsettled mood. She’d always
done that for me.
We were almost perfect mirrors of each other, my sister and I, except for
our hair. We had the same little nose, the same bright green eyes, the same
slant to our nose. And while she’d inherited my mom’s beautiful honey-
blonde hair, I’d gotten the caramel shade from our dad.
“Morning,” I replied, tying the apron behind my back, inhaling deeply
as if I could absorb the scent in the air. “How was your morning?”
Her dedication to the bakery side of our shop was the reason we had a
line out the door most mornings. What skills I had with brewing potions,
Luna had gained in her efficiency with breads, muffins, and all things
sweet.
“It’s been good.” Luna’s face split into a grin. “I made your favorite.”
Mmm. I thought I had scented them in the air. “Are those chocolate chip
pumpkin scones?”
“You got it.” She flicked her finger, levitating one over to me.
When we were young, our parents had encouraged us not to rely on our
magic. Not all witches in our town, or even in our coven, had telekinetic
abilities, but we were both lucky. Our powers had gotten us out of quite a
few situations in a pinch.
The scone—still warm from the oven—landed into my hand, and I bit
into it happily. “Oh. So good,” I moaned. “I needed that. This morning has
been, well…”
I’d barely been able to drag myself out of bed this morning. And then
there was the cat. I blinked.
“I saw a cat,” I said, the words slipping out.
Luna raised an eyebrow. “Babe. There are almost as many cats in
Pleasant Grove as there are Witches. It’s the most common familiar, after
all.”
Familiars were no secret in this town, and most people bonded for life
with theirs. They weren’t just pets—they were part of the family.
The special bond you developed went beyond just pets and owners.
I’d had that once before—with my first cat, Binx—a big fluffy gray
thing. The moment they had placed him in my arms at six years old, it was
like I knew. He understood me, down to my soul. We had a connection that
couldn’t be replicated. He’d been my familiar, my lifelong companion, and
the creature of my heart.
But twenty-two years was a long time for any cat to live.
This summer, we’d dug a tiny grave in our backyard, Luna etching the
little stone by hand.
Now my house was empty—quiet.
But it wasn’t just that. “This was… different.” I shrugged.
“Willow.” Her voice was soft—quiet. “I know you miss Binx. But
maybe it’s time.”
To move on.
To accept that I’d have to find a new animal to fill my heart. My potions
lacked a certain luster lately. Like something was missing.
Luckily, I could still make a mean mocha, since I ran the coffee shop
side of our business.
I took a deep breath. “I know.”
Binx had a good life. It was time to let his soul go into the afterworld, to
the beyond. He’d earned that right.
But it didn’t solve my loneliness. My sister had moved out of our
parent’s home, the one we grew up in, six months ago, leaving me alone in
the creaky old Victorian manor. I kept saying I needed to update it, but I
hadn’t worked up the courage to go see the twins about renovations. If we
weren’t witches, I would have sworn ghosts haunted it. Maybe it was.
“I was thinking about going to the shelter. Just to see.”
If there was a connection. If one called out to me. I’d been avoiding
going for months. What was I scared of? That none of them would bond to
me—or that one would?
I sighed, shaking my head. “I just need to get out of this funk.”
Luna dipped her finger in her icing bowl. “You know, it’s a good thing
that the Pumpkin Festival is right around the corner. And Halloween! That
always cheers you up.” She plopped that finger in her mouth, licking the
icing off. “Needs more vanilla,” she said, crinkling up her nose.
“Yeah, but…”
I didn’t have a good excuse, so I just busied myself by getting the coffee
ready.
My sister crossed her arms over her chest, staring at me. “Isn’t Eryne
working the counter today? Why don’t you take the day off? Go look. And
maybe go do something fun. You’re acting like your soulmate died, or
something.”
“Hey!” I frowned. No, that aspect of my life had long been dead. When
was the last man I’d even dated? Probably before my parent’s death.
There was a reason I was twenty-eight and still single. The last few
years, I’d hidden away, only leaving my parent’s home for work, errands
and to see my coven. I was a homebody, I’d admit. I preferred curling up on
my couch with a blanket and a bowl of popcorn to going out.
“There’s always The Enchanted Cauldron too,” she said, a sly smile on
her face. “Who knows, Mr. Perfect might just waltz in and sweep you off
your broom.”
I snorted. “As if.”
But my brain couldn’t help conjuring an image of a man—tall, dark, and
handsome—swooping in to give me the most romantic night of my life. A
girl could dream, right?
I shook my head. That wasn’t happening. Besides, I’d tried it before. I’d
sworn off men, especially human men, for a reason.
“Maybe mom was right,” she mused. “When she said we should look
into our futures. See who we’d end up with.”
I shook my head. “You know better than to meddle in our own lives.”
Some witches made a business of it. Even within our community, there
were only a few blessed with the sight, putting them in high demand for
their skills.
Luna didn’t like to call herself a Seer, but she had strong precognition
skills. Instead of opening her own fortune telling shop, or moving to the
human world to offer her services there, she’d chosen to pursue her passion.
Baking.
On the other hand, I hadn’t figured out my true, genuine passion yet. I
was good at running our business, managing both sides and running the
coffee shop, but it had never truly fulfilled me. Not like it did Luna. She was
only three years younger than me, but she already seemed to have so much
more figured out.
Maybe that was why I said what I did. Why I decided I’d stop living my
sad little witch life, the one where I practically floated in stasis. Like my
hands were holding me up, but not moving. I wanted to move—to fly.
To live.
“You know what… Let’s do it.”
Her mouth dropped open as she stared at me over the bowl of icing.
“What?”
“Let’s go to the bar. We deserve a night out. You can wear one of those
dresses I know you have stashed in the back of your closet, just waiting for
the occasion.”
She squealed, throwing her arms around me. “Oh, Wil! We’re going to
have so much fun!”
Her eyes dragged over my outfit, from the knee length orange corduroy
skirt to the black body suit I’d tucked into it, topping it off with my favorite
hat. Sure, it wasn’t sexy, but it was me. Comfortable. And the skirt had
pockets.
Luna frowned. “You’re not wearing that, though.”
I sighed. “Promise you’ll go easy on me?”
Her face lit up. Trust my sister to be the one pastel-loving witch in this
town. “I know just the thing.” She looked around before making a shooing
motion with her hands. “Now go! Get out of here! I’ll come over once
we’re all closed up.”
Thankfully, running a coffee shop and bakery in a small town meant
having set hours, since no one really needed anything after about 4pm.
After that, there was the diner, and the bar, and we were all too happy to
close up early.
“Fine, fine,” I huffed, snagging another scone and levitating it over
towards me. “But I’m taking this as collateral.”
Luna winked before ushering me out of the kitchen. I had a few things
to finish up before I could actually leave, getting things ready to open for
the day. Brewing the coffee, I steamed a cup of milk, sighing in satisfaction
as the smells mixed.
I might not have had everything figured out, but at least I had coffee.
If nothing else, it kept me going.
Leaving the shop, I ate one last bite of my second scone, sipping on the
coffee I’d made myself before Eryne had arrived. She was my favorite hire
of the last year, down from her redheaded bob to the cute witchy earrings
she wore to work every day. It was hard not to be festive when you worked
in a store like The Witches’ Brew. Today’s were a pair of brooms.
It wasn’t even seven am yet. The morning was still young. I supposed I
could go to the library, or maybe pop into my favorite apothecary shop. No
doubt my reserves on herbs and supplies were running low at home, though
I had plenty of time to restock before the next coven night.
I could go to the pet shop, but… I didn’t know if I was ready yet. It
might have been months, but I still felt like I needed time.
Rubbing at the back of my neck, I sat on a bench on main street, taking
in a deep drink of my pumpkin spice latte. This spot gave me the perfect
view of our town, Main Street just beginning to come alive as people began
to scurry about town, heading to their jobs and lives. Most of the shops
didn’t open until nine, so even though the roads were busy, the sidewalks
were still quiet.
It was the perfect way to enjoy the morning. Pulling a book out of my
tote bag, I opened to the page I’d left off, letting the silence of the morning
draw me into the world.
There was nothing quite as magical as getting lost in the pages of a
good book. I’d always loved that feeling—looking up, and realizing I’d just
spent the last three straight hours reading without a break.
When I finally put my bookmark back in, I checked the time. I’d agreed
to meet Luna tonight, but what did I do with my free day? Sure, I’d done
my job this morning—prep, but I didn’t need to balance the books. I’d
already placed the orders for the next two weeks.
That meant… I really was free to do whatever I wanted.
Should I go to the pet shelter like Luna suggested?
I thought about the black cat from this morning, the one with no collar
around his neck. No home. Was there a cat there, as lonely and desperate
for companionship as I was?
That was what made me pause—the idea that someone else out there
needed me too.
I shoved my book back into my bag, turning to go the other way on
Main Street.
Towards the animal shelter.
“If you see anyone who you feel a connection with, or just want to take a
closer look at, just call me over. I’m happy to let you visit with them, so you
can see if you have a bond.” The young witch gave me a smile before
leaving me in the room of cages.
It was hard to describe how deep the bond went between a witch and
her familiar, but it was the reason I hadn’t been ready to replace Binx yet.
But… It was time. I knew it.
I wanted someone to come home to.
Even if that someone was, well… my cat.
Staring at the cages, I walked back and forth. The sweet brown cat
stretched out her back, but despite the adorable twitch to her nose, I felt…
nothing. Same with the tabby in the kennel next to her, and every one after
that. Dozens of cats passed by, and there was no tug, no pull. No
connection.
And yet… the black cat in front of me flicked his tail. Locked his bright
yellow eyes onto mine, and then licked his paw.
He looked just like the cat from this morning. But that was impossible,
wasn’t it?
Even familiars weren’t actually magic.
Lucifer, his little name tag read. He looked like a young cat, though
certainly nothing like the little kitten I’d gotten all those years ago. There
was something about him, though. Something that screamed, ‘Take me
home. I’m yours.’
That was the bond I’d been looking for. He tilted his head at me and
blinked.
Who was I to argue with destiny? Hopefully, we would have many
years together.
“Excuse me?” I asked the girl working at the shelter. “Can I… hold
him?” I gestured to his cage.
Gods, I wanted to get him out of here. He seemed almost… irritated to
be stuck in this over glorified glass box.
He deserved a big house to run around where he could chase mice and
be petted to his heart’s content. And I could give him that. The biggest perk
of inheriting the Clarke manor was I had plenty of space for the little
beastie.
“Oh, him?” She asked me, wrinkling her nose. “He’s not very friendly.
Are you sure?”
I nodded my head. “Yes, please.”
She shrugged, bringing me into a back room before she returned with
the cat.
My cat.
Once the worker left, he padded over to me almost tentatively, cocking
his head in an un-catlike manner as he watched me.
Another flick of his tail.
“Hey, kitty,” I cooed, holding out a hand towards him as he sat in front
of me.
I tilted my head to the side, staring at him. “What’s your name, hm?”
The cat seemed to snort, as if the name the humans had given him
annoyed him. He didn’t look like a Lucifer, even though when the light hit
his eyes in a certain way they appeared almost… red.
But that couldn’t be possible.
I held out my hand, and he brushed against it. “They said you’re not
friendly, but you’re like a little sweetheart, aren’t you?” I cooed.
And then he nudged my hand with his head, letting me pet him as he
rubbed all over me, before climbing into my lap and laying down.
The purring all but confirmed that this was the one.
“Want to come home with me, huh, little beastie?” I scratched the top of
his head.
He meowed, looking up at me.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
Scooping him up in my arms, I knocked on the door, summoning back
the witch.
“I’ll take him,” I said, giving an affirmative nod. And if in agreement,
the cat cuddled lazily into my arms, not a care in the world to me holding
him.
Even my sister’s cat didn’t let me hold her.
The young witch peered at me skeptically. “You want the demon cat?”
I held him against my chest, frowning. “Yes. And he’s not a demon.” I
scratched between his ears, and he looked up at me. “Are you, beastie?”
If only I had known.
TWO
damien
She was back, with a bag of cat toys and treats at her side.
“Here, kitty,” the brunette girl cooed, shaking a bag of treats. I sat on
the floor in front of her as she held the bag.
Internally, I rolled my eyes, flicking my tail to show my irritation.
“Come on,” she said, sighing. “They’re good. At least, I think.” Willow
looked in the bag, as if questioning it now.
Sniffing it, I scrunched up my nose. It was bad enough that I’d had to
eat whatever the shelter gave me for the last few weeks. I’d barely survived
on the scraps except for when I dared to sneak out.
But this? No. I couldn’t bring myself so low.
I wasn’t a cat, dammit.
Willow frowned. “Do you not like treats?” The expression gave her
worry lines on her brows, and I instantly wanted to smooth them out.
Why, Damien? Why was that the thought that had popped into my
mind?
I jumped to my feet, padding over in search of real food. Something
palatable that I’d actually be able to stomach. Not dry kibble or whatever
they put in those cat treats everyone tried to feed me.
“Where are you going, little beastie?” The witch murmured, following
me as I sauntered through the living room into the kitchen.
Planting myself in front of the fridge, I meowed.
Opening the doors, she looked at the contents. “What do you want, hm?
Tuna?” She pulled out a can.
I flicked my ears back in disgust. No, thank you. I’d never been a huge
fan.
“Hmm.” She diverted her attention back to the drawer, bringing out a
fresh cut of salmon. “What about this?”
Meow. I brushed up against her legs in approval.
She chuckled to herself. “Picky cat, huh?”
My little witch had no idea.
Willow sighed. “Guess I’m making you dinner, then. I don’t think raw
salmon is good for cats.”
I gave her a chirp of confirmation before curling up in the corner, letting
my head rest on my front paws as I watched her cook. She was a natural in
the kitchen, which made me wonder about the potions room I’d seen.
Despite how easy it would be for disarray, the entire room was meticulous,
organized—like everything had its place.
I had a feeling she was equally skilled with whatever concoction she
was brewing.
And now I had to brew my plan—one to get her to help me.
How not to startle her when I revealed my true identity.
There was something nagging in my gut—what was it? The feeling
settled within me, though I couldn’t identify it.
“Here you go, beastie,” she said, placing a plate at my paws.
My nose twitched as she stared at me, her eyes darting between the
cooked salmon and me. Are you going to watch me eat, little witch?
Apparently she was. I sniffed the cooked fish, and after deeming it
smelled good—she’d grilled it perfectly. I took a bite.
Oh, Hell. I gobbled up the entire piece of fish, tearing through the entire
fillet faster than I could blink.
Willow scratched under my chin. “You were hungry. Poor little guy,
huh? I still have to figure out what to call you.”
Demon Cat is fine, I thought, sitting up to stare at her.
She snorted, not breaking eye contact. “I still can’t believe they called
you a demon cat. You’re such a sweet little boy, aren’t you?” My witch
scratched under my chin, and I let out an involuntary purr.
Damien, I thought, hoping whatever bond she seemed to feel between
us would communicate that. My name is Damien.
I’d never willingly given my name to a human before, but… I didn’t
think I minded her knowing it.
Didn’t mind being here, even if they’d trapped me in this feline body.
Willow’s lips tilted up into a smile. “Damien?”
Yes! I meowed excitedly, brushing back and forth against her legs,
nuzzling my head against her skin.
“Damien. I like it, too.” She scooped me up into her arms, cradling me
like a baby. “What do you say we go sit on the couch and watch a movie,
huh, beastie? There’s so many good ones for the Halloween season.”
Meow.
Yes.
Domesticity was never a part of my life before. I’d never really had the
chance to just sit and be. There had always been something else for me to
do, something my brother needed from me. I was never my own person.
But maybe here, in this town, at this witch’s house, everything would be
different.
So I let her carry me to the couch. Curled up on her lap, and watched a
couple fall in love while they rebuilt an old bed-and-breakfast. Snorted
when they were clearly too stupid to admit their own feelings. Watched
with rapt attention, until the warmth of the little witch’s lap lulled me to
sleep. I’d never felt so comforted, so at peace.
Maybe life as a cat wasn’t so bad. That was the thought that startled me
awake.
I couldn’t afford to think like this. I didn’t know what was wrong with
me, but I had to get out of this body—before the change was permanent. If
there was even a chance I had to remain as a cat forever, I needed to do
everything I could to fix it.
Willow stood up and yawned, stretching out her arms before turning
back to me.
I tried to push the nagging feeling aside and remind myself that it could
wait until tomorrow.
Curiously, I angled my head and perked my ear up towards her. Did she
expect me to sleep in her room? That felt like a line I shouldn’t cross.
Especially considering I wasn’t actually a cat.
And I’d have to break the news to her, eventually. That I wouldn’t be
her cat. That I wasn’t a cat at all.
But when she looked at me, tucking her hair behind her ear as I peered
at her from the couch, I could sense how vulnerable she was. How alone
this little witch was.
And I didn’t want her to feel like that.
“Should we go to bed now, Damien?”
Meow. I got up, stretching my back, and hopped off the couch,
following her loyally.
Witch’s best friend, I thought with a smirk.
Despite my upbringing not to consort with witches, this woman had
done everything she could to make me happy. Comfortable.
Even if I was just her cat.
I curled up at the witch’s feet, and for the first night in weeks, I slept.
THREE
willow
G ood morning, beastie,” I murmured to the black ball of fur, who was
currently sitting up, licking his front paws as he lounged on my bed.
I’d put on my orange buffalo plaid comforter when I’d decorated
the house inside for fall, and he almost looked like the perfect little stuffed
animal laying on it. Especially when my decorative pumpkin pillow was
against the pillow shams.
Meow. It was crazy to me how even though he was a fairly quiet cat, I
almost felt like I could tell what he was thinking. What he was saying, even
with a simple meow. Good morning, human.
I’d slept better than I had in weeks last night. Was it because I’d known
there was another being in the house? This old, creaky house could get
lonely.
“I have to work today,” I said, petting him slowly. “But I won’t be gone
all day—just for the morning rush—because Luna, my sister, she’ll need
me. I don’t enjoy leaving her alone, you know?”
He chirped in agreement.
“I feel bad leaving you alone too, little beastie. But I’ll pick up more
salmon on the way home, and then maybe we can watch another movie?
Snuggle on the couch?”
Why was I narrating my entire day to the cat I’d just adopted yesterday?
I couldn’t explain it, but the way he looked up at me with those gigantic
eyes told me he understood, too.
Damien brushed up against my hand. Instantly, the contact centered me.
Calmed me down. I’d never felt anything that gave me such an immediate
sense of rightness, but I guessed that was a sign of good synastry between
us.
I sighed. Time to get going. I didn’t want to leave my warm, cozy bed.
Damien was basically a bed warmer with his cozy warmth keeping my feet
nice and toasty.
Picking him up, I scratched under his chin before nuzzling at his face.
“Who’s a cute little boy, huh?” He squirmed as I rubbed my nose against his
cheek.
I laughed as he jumped out of my arms, moving to the other side of the
bed to lick his paws.
Rejected from any further love, I finally forced myself out of bed.
Shucking my shirt off, I whisked it into my dirty clothes hamper, the rest of
my clothes following behind, and I headed to the bathroom.
Maybe after I’d had a solid few hours of work in the bakery, this strange
feeling in my gut would go away.
I could only hope.
Luna’s hands were kneading a ball of cookie dough when I came into the
kitchen area, unwrapping my scarf from around my neck and hanging it up
on a hook.
“How was your night?” She narrowed her eyes on me.
I winced. “I’m sorry for canceling our plans. It’s just… I took your
advice.”
“Looking into your future?” Luna perked up.
“No.” Snorting, I went to pull my hair back so I could help her with
prep. “I went to the shelter.”
“Oh. And?”
“And… I got a cat.”
She blinked. “That soon?”
“Uh-huh.” I whipped around from the fridge, where I’d been grabbing
the heavy cream to make some fresh whipped toppings for drinks. “What do
you mean, that soon? You’re the one who told me to go.”
“Yeah, but I figured you’d avoid it for another few months. That’s what
you always do.”
Always? I cleared my throat, dropping my eyes to the floor. “I do not.”
Luna’s voice grew quiet. “Willow. You don’t have to pretend with me. I
know you didn’t pick this, either.” She indicated around us at the shop.
“But I love—”
“I know.” She shook her head. “But that doesn’t change the way you’ve
always avoided decisions: What to do after college? Selling mom and dad’s
house? Building your own life?” She smiled sadly at me.
“I...” But I couldn’t exactly deny most of it. “I’m not selling the house.”
Crossing my arms over my chest, I frowned. “There’s no reason to. I told
you that. It’s my house now.” Our house, until she’d chosen to move out.
When did my little sister get so introspective?
“There are other houses,” she mumbled.
“I don’t want other houses, Lu. We’ve gone over this.”
“I just worry about you, all alone in that creaky old house.”
“So move back in.” I shrugged, like we hadn’t had this discussion
multiple times since she’d brought up moving out and into the studio
apartment above the bakery. “Besides, I’m not alone now. I have Damien.”
“Damien?” She raised an eyebrow.
“My cat.”
“Right.”
“Luna…”
She shook her head, her bandana that was holding her hair back
swishing with the movement. “I’m sorry. I overstepped.”
“No. You’re right.” Luna’s eyes shot to mine, the surprise as clear in her
eyes as I figured it was on my face. “I need to figure out my life. What I
want. If…” I didn’t want to say it. I loved working with my sister. “If this is
it.” Maybe it wasn’t?
She nodded. “It’s okay, you know. To make your own decisions. Even if
it’s not this.”
I dumped the heavy cream into the blender, along with the flavoring,
busying myself so I didn’t have to meet her eyes again.
All morning, I pondered that very thought.
Because it felt like there was something out there waiting for me, and I
didn’t know what it was yet.
But I wanted to find out.
The entire morning and afternoon passed by in a blur. Saturdays during
October were always a hustle and bustle of activity. The crisp autumn air
was filled with the sounds of laughter and chatter as most of the town was
out enjoying the perfect fall weather. Practically everyone in town had
made a pit stop for Luna's famous pumpkin cookies.
I couldn’t blame them. I’d snuck three over the course of the day.
Early afternoon, I took off, leaving Luna to close up. I never considered
myself a morning person, but I loved getting off early. It was the one perk
of going in before the sun rose.
And now, I was probably wearing my footprints into the kitchen floor,
walking back and forth as I nibbled on another cookie. Luna’s words from
earlier were still bouncing around my mind.
Was I always avoiding making the big decisions? Waiting for someone
else to make them for me?
Damien was sitting on top of my kitchen table, staring at me, but I
didn’t have the mental energy to make him get down.
“Are you going to pace like that all day?”
I blinked.
Stared at the black cat as he flicked his tail.
“What? You’ve never seen a talking cat before?”
“Willow, you’re losing your mind,” I muttered to myself. “That cat is
not talking to you.”
“No, I am.” He jumped off the table, coming to sit at my feet. “But I’m
not technically a cat.” He tilted his head to the side, those ears pointing up
adorably.
I raised my eyebrow. “You have whiskers. And a tail.”
And now I’m talking to my cat.
“Well, I’m certainly aware that I look like a cat.” He licked one of his
paws. “But I’m not. I’m just stuck.”
“Stuck?” Did he just narrow his cat-eyes at me?
I’m going crazy. That was the only logical answer to this. I’d lost it.
“Yes. I can’t shift back to my normal form.”
“And your normal form is?”
“A man. Mostly.”
“Mostly? What the hell does that mean?”
“I’m not sure you’re ready for that.” His eyes flickered red, and I could
have sworn the room darkened.
Oh. “Well…” I bit my lip. “How do we get you, um… de-catted? De-
catified?” I pondered the term, and then shook my head. “Has this happened
before?”
“No.” He heaved a dramatic sigh. “I was cursed. By a witch.”
Oh my gods. “A cursed talking cat? What is this, Sabrina the Teenage
Witch?”
He blinked his eyes at me. “What?”
“You know… Salem? He’s cursed to be a…” I looked at his blank face.
Clearly, he’d never watched human television. “Never mind.” I crossed my
arms over my chest. “How do we fix it?”
“Hmm?” His voice came out scratchy, almost a purr. Which made
sense. Since I was talking to a cat.
My legs wobbled, and I lowered myself to the ground, sitting on the
hardwood floor. I wasn’t sure I could keep myself upright if I stayed
standing. Not with the events currently unfolding in front of me.
I blinked. What was the proper response in this situation? I’d never
dealt with a person-turned-cat before. Of all the weird magical things that
had happened in Pleasant Grove, this topped the list.
“How do we turn you back to your proper form, then?”
“Now, now, little witch.” His little pink nose wiggled. “What’s so wrong
with our little arrangement?”
My nostrils flared. “Our little arrangement? You mean the one where
you bamboozled your way into my home, got me to feed you, and slept on
my bed? That one?”
He licked his paw nonchalantly. “Yes.”
“Oh my—” Goddess be.
Slept on my bed.
“Did you see me naked?”
Damien the cat froze. “What?”
“This morning. When I changed. You were in my room, and I—” I
paled, glad I was sitting on the ground. “I’m going to be sick.”
“Little witch.” He placed a paw on my arm. “I promise, I did not look.”
Much, the little grin on his face seemed to say.
I rolled my eyes. “Willow.”
“What?”
“My name. It’s Willow.”
He flicked his tail. “I know.”
“Then why do you keep calling me little witch?” I was five-six, a
perfectly average height, thank you very much.
“Well, you are, aren’t you? A witch?” Damien tilted his head to the side.
“Which is why you can help.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Sure, but I’m not little. I’m twenty-
eight, and I’m a business owner. Even this house is mine.”
“You called me your little baby boy three times this morning.”
I cleared my throat. “I thought you were a cat.”
“As normal people do.” He purred.
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Damien.” It felt weird addressing
him like that—with his name. When it had popped into my head, I’d
thought nothing of it, but now—
“Ah, see, you already know my name, witch.” His nose twitched.
Goddess help me. You’ve truly lost your marbles, Willow.
“You’re not insane.”
“What? Did you just read my mind?” I rubbed at my temples.
“No. I can’t access my full powers in this form, unfortunately.”
“Full powers?” I raised an eyebrow.
Damien stretched his back before sitting up, like he was drawing up his
full cat-height. His eyes flickered red again, and I shivered, even though
there wasn’t normally a draft in here.
“What are you…?” The words came out barely above a whisper.
His black tail flicked against the floor. “I’m sorry I didn’t properly
introduce myself before. I didn’t want to startle you.”
Well, you did a pretty good job of that, anyway.
“My name is Damien, though I suppose Demon Cat is also appropriate.”
His ear twitched. I didn’t think I was imagining the chuckle in his voice.
“I’m the bastard prince of the Demon King, and that makes me—”
“A demon.” I paled. My mom had always warned me about demons and
their trickster ways. How they’d steal your soul and condemn you to an
eternity in their realm. Hell.
Which meant this cat—my cat—was from hell.
‘And never, ever, make a deal with the devil.’ She’d always warned me
of that, ever since I was a little girl. I sucked in a breath. I had a feeling I’d
done something a lot worse by inviting this being into my home.
“You look like you’re finally getting it now,” Damien the demon—the
cat, currently sitting next to me—said. “Now, can we get back to the
important part?”
I ignored his question, still reeling in my surprise. “How did this happen
to you if you’re the son of the Demon King? Aren’t you like… super
powerful?” What little I knew about demons wasn’t helping me here.
He narrowed his eyes, and the temperature dropped a few more degrees.
“Say that again when I'm not in this form, and you’ll see just how powerful
I am.”
But this black cat glaring at me with red eyes made me burst out
laughing. “I’m sorry. I just can’t take you seriously. You’re so cute.” I
booped his nose in demonstration, watching as he wiggled his whiskers.
“Willow.” His eyes narrowed into slits. “I’m serious.”
“So—” I couldn’t stop giggling. “—am I.”
He climbed up, putting one paw in the center of my chest so he could
put the other one over my mouth.
“Listen to me, little witch. I need your help to reverse this damn curse
so I can go back to my proper form. My life.”
I moved his paw off my face, dangling his cat-self out in front of me.
“And you expect me to do this out of the goodness of my heart?”
“Well, a little, yes. But also… You have heard of making a deal with a
demon, haven’t you?”
I narrowed my eyes. “Enough to know I shouldn’t make one.”
Damien sighed, flicking his tail again in annoyance. “I can give you
anything you want in return for helping me. Whatever your heart desires.”
“But I—” I blinked. There wasn’t anything I needed, but what did my
heart desire? It was something I’d been thinking about. Not that I was going
to tell him that.
“Everybody wants something, Willow.” He licked his paw. “Even good
little witches like you.”
Ignoring his comment, and how it made me feel, I frowned. “So, how
do I turn you back? Is it some spell, or potion I need to make, or…”
His eyes focused on mine. Unblinking. “I don’t know. If I did, don’t you
think I would have undone it myself by now?”
Oh. Well. I guessed that would make sense.
“Yeah.” I muttered under my breath. “But I have little experience with
curses. None of the witches here would ever use them. They’re banned in
the community. Our coven hardly even discusses them, even though I think
Cait would love to hex her ex-boyfriend for good measure. Although…”
My thoughts wandered to the library my parents had spent years
amassing. I’d read so many of them, but maybe there was something in
there that would tell me how I could break this curse.
“Maybe I have an idea.”
I didn’t need anything from him, but the sooner I could get him out of
my house, out of my life, the better. Because Demons were not to be trifled
with.
FOUR
damien
H e’d spent the night sleeping at my feet again, and even though I
knew now that he wasn’t really a cat, the action still comforted me.
It was a small thing, really, to know I wasn’t alone, but it made me
feel better.
Damien had disappeared during the afternoon, leaving me to work in
the study, making sure I had just the right balance of herbs and ingredients
for the spell. It was a relatively simple task, but it still required my
undivided attention.
He returned, holding something in between his teeth. After hopping up
on the table, he unceremoniously dropped it onto the workstation in front of
me.
“This is it?” I asked, holding up a small silver ring, the purple amethyst
sparkling in the light. The setting was gorgeous—the entire piece was,
really.
He cleared his throat. “It was my mother’s. It’s the only thing I could
think of. She gave it to me before she passed away.”
So he’d lost a parent, too. I knew firsthand how heartbreaking that was,
and I wondered who had been by his side. Who’d helped him through the
grief? How long had it been?
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, brushing my finger over the stone.
Damien’s big yellow cat eyes connected with mine, and I wondered
what he would look like if we were successful. What color his eyes would
be. If his hair was as dark as his fur. Would he have a strong jaw? His voice
was deep, and I imagined—
“Little witch,” he murmured, breaking me from my trance. “Shall we
prepare?”
“Right.” I nodded, setting the ring back down. “We still have a few
hours till the sun goes down. I want to have everything ready so I can
perform the spell when the moon is at its highest. That way, it’s the most
powerful moon magic possible. And hopefully…” I snapped my fingers.
“What are these?” Damien said, nudging a bundle of herbs with his
nose.
I looked at my chosen selection. We’d talked about doing the spell, but
in reality, I was trying everything.
“I’m going to burn it,” I explained. I’d burn incense—a blend of rue,
hyssop, salt, sage, and frankincense. “The smoke should hopefully help to
cleanse away the curse from your body.”
If it worked. Some of the herbs served specific purposes: hyssop was
good for magical self-defense, while frankincense was used to cleanse and
purify. Both of them would take part in my spell.
I explained all of that as I worked. Whenever he had a question, that
little cat nose of his sniffing at my workstation, I did my best to answer it.
It was weird, because I always worked alone, except for my coven and
Luna. But I didn’t mind him being there. His presence, while also the cause
of my current distress, seemed to soothe some of the jittery feelings running
through me.
I couldn’t decide if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
“And what about the object you asked me to bring?” He asked, peering
at me curiously.
The ring was sitting in the middle of the desk, untouched.
“I’m going to use it as a talisman. Hopefully, it will protect you and
keep this from happening again.” I swallowed roughly. If it worked. “You
can wear it around your neck, I suppose.”
I eyed his cat collar, the one with the bell. “How’d they get that on you,
anyway?” Reaching over, I took it off of him, setting it on the table next to
me. I should have taken it off sooner. The thought hadn’t even occurred to
me.
“Around the twelfth time of me chewing it off, I realized it was useless.
They just kept putting a new one on me. So I just gave up.” He peered
down at the orange thing. “Strange, to think I might go back to normal
soon.” He licked a paw.
“Hopefully,” I said, giving what I hoped was an optimistic smile. Even
though I had no idea if it would work. If any of it would.
Was I strong enough? Powerful enough?
Maybe I was going overboard, but this was all to get the demon out of
my house—out of my life. Wasn’t it?
“It will,” he said, his voice strong with conviction. “I believe in you.”
I turned away, not wanting him to see the warmth on my face.
Damien sat in the middle of the magic circle I’d drawn, each tip of the five-
pointed star marked with a white candle. The entire thing was ringed in a
thick line of black salt, and the bundles of herbs were burning, wafting over
the area.
His little cat nose twitched. “Ready?”
Everything was set. The moon was high in the sky.
All that was left was, well… me.
I nodded, stepping up to the circle. I’d donned a more traditional outfit
for this, complete with my mother’s favorite hat and the black cloak that
covered the billowing layers of fabric of my dress.
The words ran through my mind, and I visualized what I was attempting
to do before I started. Find the curse, break the chains, set the magic free.
Nothing like performing a ceremony on the full moon to add pressure to
you.
This had to work.
Why was it so important to me? I didn’t know the reason, but I could
feel it in my soul, the same way I recognized Luna as my twin flame.
Maybe Damien was an evil being, a demon who didn’t belong here in
our world, but there was an underlying sadness there that I wanted to
understand. That I resonated with myself.
Beginning to chant the spell, I closed my eyes as I visualized my magic
pouring out of me. It wasn’t often that I used it like this, undoing what had
been done. Hexes and simple spells wore off. But this curse was different.
It was strong.
I squeezed my palm tight around his mother’s ring, grounding me to
him, to our connection. I’d already blessed it, placing a protection spell on
it and adding a chain so he could wear it around his neck, but it wouldn’t be
enough. That was obvious now.
In my mind’s eye, I could see his spirit, trapped inside the form of the
cat, staring up at me. Begging to be freed. The curse was complex. Ropes of
magic spun around him, keeping him contained, and I slowly worked to
untangle them. To free him from the thing that plagued him.
This witch had been powerful, that much I knew.
But, I thought with a smirk, I was more powerful. I could outsmart her.
“Reverse the curse. Break the ties. Let what has come unbidden, be
unbound.” I said in a voice that wasn’t quite my own, and when I opened
my eyes, I could see the magic flowing freely from my hands, wrapping
around Damien’s body.
And when the magic ran out, when I finally put my hands down,
everything faded into black.
I closed my eyes.
Just a minute, I thought to myself.
Before I passed out.
I was floating on clouds, nestled into a soft, fluffy bed. Warm, comfortable.
The feeling of contentment rolled over me. Like everything was peaceful.
Happy.
“Willow?” The voice speaking to me sounded so concerned, so…
rough. At odds with my current senses.
Whimpering, I shook my head. I wanted to stay in this beautiful place.
But the voice pulled me in. I peeled my eyes open, blinking back at the dark
head of hair looking down at me.
“Damien?” I squeaked out, looking up into a pair of blood-red eyes.
“It… worked?”
“Thank fuck.”
Of course, he’s relieved that it worked.
I sat up, glancing at the bed. Someone had expertly tucked me into the
sheets, my favorite fuzzy blanket from the couch wrapped all around me.
Oh. I’d—“What happened?” I asked, rubbing my forehead.
The last thing I remembered was unweaving the other witches’
curse. Darkness still flooded in through the window, giving me no
indication how long I’d been asleep.
He frowned. “You passed out, Willow. I…” A hand rubbed over his
face. “You scared me half to death.”
I looked at my hands. “I… did?” Maybe I’d channeled more power than
I realized last night, because I’d never passed out from using my magic
before. It had always come to me with ease. “I didn’t know…” I turned my
head to the curtains, using a flick of my hand to close them.
Even that movement was straining. My innate magic was clearly
temporarily exhausted. I’d never run so ragged before. Never had a reason
to.
Damien made an indistinct sound in his throat, guiding my attention
back to him.
“Little witch,” he murmured, cupping my jaw with his hand. His voice
was rough, like with disuse.
Goddess, help me. I couldn’t stop staring at his face. At that jawline,
practically sculpted from granite. I’d never imagined my demon cat would
look like this. But holy hell, anything I could have imagined paled
compared to the actual man sitting in front of me.
My lips tilted up in a small smile.
“I’ve got you,” he promised. “Nothing will happen to you as long as I’m
here, Willow. I vow it.”
His words sank into my skin.
As long as he was here. But how long would that be?
And why did I not want to see him go?
SIX
damien
F uck. That was the first thought that had sprung to mind as Willow
released me from the cursed prison I’d been in.
I’d barely been able to make it to her as her body fell to the
ground, practically lifeless. If it hadn’t been for my demon abilities—that
superhuman speed—I would have lost my shit. Maybe I still was.
Because my heart was racing, even as she gave me a small smile from
her bed. I couldn’t help myself. That was the only explanation for what
slipped out of my mouth.
I’ve got you. Nothing will happen to you as long as I’m here, Willow. I
vow it.
Why had I said those words? Maybe I’d been thinking them, but they
slipped out before I could stop myself.
The second I’d gotten my form back, when all of my powers had drawn
back into my body, the truth had clicked in place.
Her scent hit me like a lightning bolt to my system. Mine.
She was—mine.
How did I not see it sooner? How had that curse clouded my thoughts
so fully?
Especially when I knew what it was like to find your—
“You’re really fine?” Willow’s question interrupted my thoughts. Her
eyes were wide, the green hue so bright.
“For fuck’s sake,” I muttered, thrusting my head into my hands. Willow
was concerned about me? Even though I’d been the one to carry her weak
body to this room? “You’re the one that was hurt, and you’re asking me?”
A small smile curled upon her lips. “You’re not a cat.”
“I told you I wasn’t.” My lip twitched. It was hard not to give her the
same expression back.
“Still, I couldn’t be sure. Who would believe a talking cat?”
I chuckled. “Nothing gets past you, little witch, hm?”
Willow yawned, stretching her arms out. “What time is it?”
I glanced at the clock that sat on her bedside table. “Three AM.”
“I was out for that long? Gods.”
“Yes.” My head tipped down in a brief nod.
I’d sat by her bedside for hours, terrified that her breaking my curse had
caused some irreparable damage to my witch. What I would do if it had, I
didn’t know, but… I didn’t leave. Even though her scent was intoxicating to
my system. I wondered if I was already addicted to it. If the way I craved
her, down to my being, was normal.
I needed to keep my distance. To stay away. To not let my primal
instincts take over.
I cleared my throat. “Now that I know you’re awake, I should let you
sleep. We can talk more in the morning.”
“Mmm.” Willow’s eyes drifted closed once more, the ghost of a smile
still carved onto her lips.
Stay. The voice crept into my mind, soft and sweet. Hers.
Rolling my head back, I let out a sigh of relief. Willow was okay. It
would be fine.
And… it was good to be back in my proper form. I flexed my hands,
staring at my fingers.
Touching her was bad. I knew it as soon as I had picked her up into my
arms, carrying her limp body back to her bedroom, laying her under her
comforter and making sure she was comfortable.
Because touching her… was going to make me want more.
And I couldn’t give her that. I wasn’t worthy of it.
What business did I have coming in here, messing up her life, anyway?
She’d adopted a cat, expecting a lifelong feline friend.
Instead, she’d gotten me.
A tricky, conniving asshole who wasn’t even honest with his purpose
here. And yet—I couldn’t look away. Couldn’t force myself to part from
her. Fuck, but I didn’t want to.
Maybe I didn’t need to come to terms with the truths I’d realized today,
but I’d think about those later. About what they meant.
Instead, I’d stay here, just like this—watching her sleep.
“Good morning,” Willow said with a yawn, tightening the robe around her
waist.
When she saw me standing at her fridge, looking at its contents, she
raised an eyebrow. “What are you doing?”
“Making breakfast?” I answered. “What does it look like I’m doing?”
“You… you can cook?”
“Of course I can cook. There’s a lot you don’t know about me, after
all.” I smirked.
“Huh.” She blinked, as if taking in my form for the first time. Taking in
me.
I’d never been insecure about my appearance. From a young age, even
in the demon realm, they had praised me for my looks. My dark hair and
pale skin. But to have Willow’s eyes on me, tracing over every inch of my
six-foot-six frame, was something completely different.
When I’d shifted back into my form, I’d had half a thought to conjure
clothes before scooping her up. I was still wearing that same tight black t-
shirt and pants. In all the heyday with making sure she was okay, I hadn’t
changed this morning. But watching the way her eyes trailed appreciatively
down my body, I was almost glad I didn’t.
No one had ever looked at me like that before. It was a curious stare,
like she couldn’t believe who stood in her kitchen.
Closing the refrigerator doors so the food wouldn’t spoil, I moved to
stand in front of her.
“You did it,” I confirmed, willing myself not to touch her. To take a step
back. I couldn’t think straight with her this close to me. Not with her scent
invading all of my senses.
How had I not noticed before just how lovely she was? Even with her
hair tousled from sleep and in hardly more than pajamas, she was beautiful.
I towered over her, and it struck me how much smaller she was than me
when I was in this form. Little was fitting. In every sense of the word. I had
to be at least a foot taller than her.
Maybe it was because it had been so long, but for the first time in my
life, I felt like having access to my full powers had completely
overwhelmed my senses. Or maybe they were just flooded with her.
Especially when she was so close to me and looking at me like that.
She hummed in response. “I guess I did.” Her eyes focused on my face.
“How do you feel?”
Even now, Willow was more concerned about me than herself. I didn’t
know how to feel about that.
“Normal.” My powers thrummed through my body again, my access no
longer limited. I let a sliver of darkness weave through my fingers before
turning my attention back to her. “What about you?”
Her cheeks turned an adorable shade of pink. “I’m okay. Really. I didn’t
know using that much magic would overwhelm me. But I feel fine this
morning. Thank you.” She bobbed her head. Shook it. “You didn’t have to
stay, you know?”
“What do you mean?” I murmured, my hand moving to cup her jaw.
How could I not?
“Damien…” Her voice was quiet, but—sweet.
I removed my hand from her face. Fuck. I couldn’t keep touching her
like this.
Distance. I needed distance from her. Clearing my throat, I changed the
subject. “What do you want to do today, little witch?”
She looked surprised. “Today…?”
I quirked an eyebrow. “Well, after feeding you, I was thinking maybe
you could show me around town.”
“But… I thought… Don’t you have to leave?” She trailed off. There
was a hint of sadness in her eyes that I didn’t think that I’d imagined. Like
maybe she didn’t want me to leave, either.
So I’d stay. Of course I’d stay. How could I leave her?
“Not right away.”
My body thrummed with the decision. With the rightness.
Maybe I was supposed to be here. There was obviously a reason I’d
ended up here, in this town. I’d been tracking signatures of magic, looking
for her. So maybe it was okay that I stayed.
She perked up. “Really?”
“I was thinking about staying for a month or so.” Clearing my throat, I
finally moved away from her. “There’s still some… unfinished business I
have here, actually.”
Something that started with a W.
Now that I was back in my form, I needed to focus on my mission. Not
on the witch in front of me. But fuck if she wasn’t alluring. I didn’t want to
part from her.
Willow raised an eyebrow. “Really? Here in Pleasant Grove?”
I nodded. “Yes. So, I’ll just stay with you. Lay low while I fi—.”
“What? No.” Willow interrupted, suddenly flabbergasted. “You can’t
stay here.”
But she hadn’t wanted me to go before, had she? Yet, she looked
flustered; her face an even brighter shade of pink than before.
“It was fine before.”
“Yeah, well, before, you were a cat.”
Smirking, I leaned in closer towards her. “I can go back to being a cat if
you want.” I didn’t want that, but I knew there wasn’t a chance I was
leaving her. Not like this. Not after last night. “And I still owe you a favor.”
For helping me. Freeing me from being stuck in that form.
“That’s not how this works. We didn’t make a deal. You don’t owe me
anything.”
“Willow.” I sighed. She was so stubborn, and damn it, I liked that. It
was joining my ever-growing list of things I liked about my little witch. “I
just…” I looked around her house. What was it about this place that made
me feel so at home? “Just for a few weeks, and then I’ll be out of your hair.
We can be… roommates.”
“Roommates?” She raised an eyebrow. “What’s the magic word?”
I grit my teeth. You’ve got to be kidding me. What was I, a five-year-
old? “Please.”
Her light brown locks framed her face, somehow making that little
scowl she was wearing look endearing. I liked it. More than I wanted to
admit.
“Okay. You can sleep on the couch,” she finally agreed, crossing her
arms over her chest, doing her best to look menacing. It failed, because no
matter what she did, the little witch managed to look adorable.
The couch. I snorted. “Fine.”
Willow’s lips widened, her teeth peeking out as she gave me a dazzling
grin. “That was easier than I thought.”
“What?”
“To have you begging me.”
You’d like that, would you? Me on my knees for you.
“All you have to do is ask, witch.”
“Mm. You’d like that, would you, demon?”
My hand curled around her bicep. “Be careful what you ask for.”
Something passed between us. Her eyes flickered from my hand on her
arm, up to my face, and down to my lips. I didn’t think I missed the heat
there, but as much as I wanted to… No.
It was too soon for that.
Prying my fingers from her skin, I turned back to her kitchen. “So…
What do you want for breakfast? I’ve fried up a mean egg or two. As long
as it’s not seafood. I don’t have much of a stomach for that. Not after so
long as a cat.”
When I looked at her again, she was still standing frozen in the same
place, her eyes wide. “You’re really staying?” Her words were quiet, barely
more than a whisper.
“Do you want me to?”
Maybe that was the more important question.
Her eyes met mine, and she gave me a small, single nod. The movement
was almost too slight to catch, but I couldn’t miss it. Not when I was so
focused on her.
“Okay. It’s settled then.” I crossed my arms over my shoulder. “I’m
staying in Pleasant Grove.” With you, I didn’t say.
Clearly unfazed by my statement, Willow just gave me another dip of
her head to acknowledge my response before turning around. “I’m going to
shower.”
“What about breakfast?” I shouted after her, willing my feet to stay put.
Not to follow her into her bathroom. Not to think about Willow in the
shower. Fuck me.
“We’ll eat in town!” She hollered back. “I have to go to the bakery,
anyway!”
A moment later, I heard the shower water turn on, and I sank into the
chair.
What the hell was I doing?
I had a mission to think about. Except any time I was near her, every
thought of that slipped my mind, and it was just her.
Long, brown hair tumbling down her back. Bright green eyes staring
into mine. There was a lightness in them I’d never felt before. I wanted to
experience it, too.
Groaning, I looked down at my rumpled clothes. If we were going into
town, I’d probably need more than this. Human temperatures didn’t affect
me much, but people often looked at you strangely if you didn’t match the
locals. Although in a town of witches, I wondered if anything would be odd
to wear around them.
Was I really doing this? Sauntering into town on the arm of a witch,
knowing I absolutely shouldn’t? Her kind hated me. And yet… I couldn’t
imagine letting her out of my sight.
So if she was going to work, I’d follow her. Make sure she was safe.
Protect her from anyone who looked her way.
It wasn’t the first time she was taking me into town, and yet this time, it
was different.
Maybe because I wasn’t a cat—I was back on my own two legs, with
my wits about me. Or maybe it was the way something had happened,
changed between us.
Did she feel it too?
I exited that line of thought as quickly as I’d entered it. I couldn’t afford
to be distracted from my mission. Not when so much was at stake.
Leave no rock unturned, brother, he’d instructed me.
I’d trekked through dozens of witch towns, but the identity of her
remained elusive to me.
I snorted with the thought of how mad he’d be when he found out I’d
wasted a month stuck in feline form. My brother didn’t share the trait,
though he had other powers. His mother wasn’t a shifter like mine had
been.
So deep in thought, it was her scent that startled me out of my stupor
instead of the sight of her, her long brown hair down in a loose braid.
“You ready? I’m starving.” She asked, still tugging on the bottom of her
boot. When her eyes landed on me, she froze. “You changed.”
I cleared my throat. “Yes.”
“Huh.” She peered up at me, a curious expression having settled over
her face.
“What, Willow?”
“Do you… know how to glamor yourself?”
SEVEN
willow
T here was something about Damien like this that I had a hard time
keeping my eyes off of. Where he’d gotten his clothes from, I had no
idea. Somehow he looked perfectly natural here in his pair of denim
jeans, tight black shirt, and black leather jacket. It was effortlessly hot.
When was the last time I’d been this attracted to another person? Years.
Tugging on the bottom of my forest-green sweater dress—one of my
favorites, because it made my eyes pop—I attempted to pull it further down
my thighs. I’d pulled on a pair of fleece-lined tights with it and my favorite
heeled booties, but suddenly I felt completely out of sorts.
Maybe it was his demon magic. There had to be a reason they warned
witches to stay away from them, right? That was what was making me feel
like this.
Like I was seconds from coming out of my skin.
“What’s on your mind, little witch?” Damien asked, catching me
staring.
“Oh.” My cheeks practically flushed pink. “Nothing.”
Except I could smell his cologne from where I stood by his side,
wafting into my nostrils like the most intoxicating smell on the planet. I
couldn’t even pin down the scent: some mixture of pine, musk, and smoke,
but it seemed to envelop my entire being.
There was a part of me that wanted to pretend that everything was as
usual—I came this way every day to go to the bakery, after all.
Except today was anything but ordinary. And Damien was a constant
reminder of that.
His soothing voice shook me from my inane thoughts. “So, you
normally walk into town?”
“Huh?” I wasn’t expecting the question. Or, rather, I wasn’t expecting
small talk at all. Once I’d processed his question, I nodded. “When the
weather's nice. It’s not very far, and I always love walking this path.”
It was one perk of living in such a small community—being able to
walk almost everywhere. I had a car, but I didn’t use it unless I had to drive
all the way to the other end of town. Mainly, I drove when I needed to go
into the closest human city for something, like getting our coffee machines
repaired.
Today, the air was crisp and clear, just a hint of rain that clung around,
and it relaxed me. That and the crunch of the leaves littered on the ground
made for the perfect fall day.
“I see.” Damien shoved his hands in his pockets, and I turned away, not
wanting to look like I was still staring at his face. Even if I was obsessed
with it.
I hummed in response, thinking about what I was going to say to Luna
when I stopped at the bakery. ‘I’m sorry’ didn’t quite cut it, but I owed my
sister an apology after I’d ditched her so much these past few days.
Besides, I still owed her that trip to the bar.
“So you like it here, living in this town?” He looked around, surveying
the houses that sat right at the edge of downtown. Main Street, full of small
businesses and cornerstone witchy establishments, was only a block away.
Nodding, I tried to look at the town through the eyes of a stranger.
Wondering what this place might look like to someone new. “I’ve lived here
all my life. My coven and I grew up together. Most of us only left for
college, and even then, we moved back. It’s hard being a witch and not
living in the community.”
There was too much at stake. And no one would understand—except I
thought Damien might. Not being able to practice magic, for fear of
someone seeing you—that was the true curse of the outside world. Maybe a
higher education wasn’t necessary—several of the witches I’d grown up
with had simply learned their family’s trade and never left town.
But I’d appreciated the world-view I’d gained by going into the human
world for those years. It was before my parents had died, so I hadn’t felt as
bad about leaving Luna. But now… I couldn’t imagine not being by her
side.
“All my best friends are in the coven,” I continued. “There’s thirteen of
us, and they’re practically family.”
It was a perfect number: thirteen. My mom and her friends had all
belonged to a smaller coven, and all ended up having kids during the same
few years. There had never been another idea when it came time to form
ours.
The humans had Girl Scout Troops, and we had our coven. We learned
magic together, practiced together, discovered what our innate gifts were
together. I’d never once taken them for granted. And I’d always had my
sister—even with the three years between us, she was still my best friend—
by my side.
“What about your parents? Where are they at?”
I cast my gaze to my feet, my voice growing smaller. “They’re gone.”
Sometimes, I wished I could imagine that they were just off on vacation.
Seeing the world. Enjoying themselves. That was easier than the reality.
“Oh. I’m sorry to hear that.”
Shaking my head, I willed myself not to look at him. If I did, I’d
probably cry. And I didn’t want to mourn my parents. Not today. I just
wanted to enjoy myself for once.
Pasting a somber smile on my face, I watched as my town came into full
view. And I let the jack-o’-lanterns, paper ghosts, and string lights distract
me from the rest of the thoughts rattling around in my mind.
Like the subject of my once-cat-turned-demon, followed by the man
himself. The stranger, I tried to remind myself—who was currently walking
beside me.
I kept my eyes pinned to the ground, trying to force myself not to keep
from staring at his face. At the eyes I knew he’d changed to a deep-
chocolate brown, which somehow seemed endless. Like if I stared into
them long enough, I could find answers to questions I hadn’t even thought
to ask yet.
At least he didn’t look like a demon, even if he still stood taller than any
human man I’d ever seen, and the physique his body sported was unreal.
He was a foot taller than me, and even with my heeled boots, I still felt
impossibly short.
Something I was trying very hard not to focus on. There was no reason
for me to think about it—how good he looked, simply strolling down the
street beside me.
But even as I crunched over leaves in my heeled booties—I knew there
was no way to ignore the way I could feel him next to me.
How was it possible that I could find his very nearness so comforting
after only a few days? He was a stranger to me, in every way, and yet it felt
like there was nowhere else I would rather be.
I cleared my throat. “After I help out at the bakery for a bit, I was
thinking I could show you around town. And then tonight, if you wanted to
go… there’s the Pumpkin Festival.” I looked up at him under my lashes.
“The Pumpkin Festival?” Damien raised an eyebrow, shaking his head
in amusement.
“Mhm. We normally have a booth, serving pumpkin hot chocolate,
pumpkin coffee, and Luna’s famous cookies.”
“Let me guess, they’re pumpkin too?”
I couldn’t help the giggle that slipped out. “Yes. But also, she makes
regular sugar cookies too—those are just pumpkin shaped.” I was almost
drooling, just thinking about her cookies. Not a single person in town could
bake like my sister. “There’s also a pumpkin patch, hayrides, a pie-eating
contest, and at the end of the night there’s a…”
Looking over, I expected to find Damien watching our surroundings,
but I found him hanging on my every word. “There’s a what?”
He brushed a piece of hair back behind my ear, and I suddenly wished
I’d worn my hat, if only so I could hide my face behind the brim. I wasn’t
used to this much scrutiny or attention from… anyone. Let alone from a
handsome man.
“A dance. Old Mrs. Whittle lets the town use her barn, and The
Enchanted Cauldron sets up a bar, and… What?”
Damien’s lips curled up into a smile. “Has anyone ever told you how
your face lights up when you’re excited about something?”
“Oh.” Was my whole face on fire? It had to be.
Oh my god. I felt like I had bats fluttering around in my stomach. When
was the last time a gorgeous stranger flirted with me?
Never. The answer was never.
“Anyway, I, uh… Do you want to go?”
He frowned. “To the dance?”
“Mhm. And the festival.”
“I don’t really…” Was it me, or did he look almost… embarrassed? “Do
stuff like that.”
“Dance?” I asked.
Damien shook his head. “I, uh…” Oh, he was definitely embarrassed. It
made me feel strangely at ease. Maybe because he felt as out of his element
as I did with him. “I’m not very good at socializing. I’ve never been around
that many humans before.”
“I can teach you.” I peeked over my shoulder at him, wanting to gauge
his reaction. “If you want.” It surprised me how easily the offer slipped out
of my mouth, but even more so how easily he agreed.
“Okay. Show me around your town, and then to this pumpkin festival.
You just have to promise me something.”
“Anything.” There was no part of me that didn’t beam at his agreement.
About getting to show someone else this place that I loved so much.
He leaned in close, his mouth inches away from my ear. “Don’t leave
me alone.”
“I won’t.” I gave him a shy nod as the bakery came into view.
It suddenly occurred to me that I still had no idea what to tell my sister.
Or anyone else.
What would people think when they saw the two of us together? It was
a small town, and people talked. Gossip would spread, especially when I
hadn’t been with anyone since college. And even then—I’d never brought a
boyfriend home. Even when my parents were alive.
I cleared my throat. “So, what’s the story here?”
“What story?” Damien raised an eyebrow at me as I gestured between
us.
“How we met. Why I’m wandering around town with a handsome
stranger that no one’s ever seen before.”
His voice popped into my mind. You think I’m handsome?
“Stop doing that.”
Damien shrugged. “I wasn’t aware we needed a cover story. We can’t
just be two people strolling down Main Street, looking at the decor?”
“My sister will ask questions.” Everyone would ask questions.
Questions I didn’t have answers to yet.
“Mmm.”
“Damien.” I rubbed my temples. “This is serious.”
“You worry too much, little witch.”
Yeah, well, maybe you don’t worry enough.
Nonsense. I just worry about the important things.
I stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, and Damien turned around to
face me, raising an eyebrow. “What?”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “I… thought you said you couldn’t
read my mind.”
“I can’t.” He looked confused for a moment. “What do you mean?”
“You’re joking, right?” I didn’t say that out loud. “And you answered
me.”
He searched my face, and I wondered if he found whatever answer he
was looking for there.
How come we can communicate with our minds? Silence was my only
answer.
“Why did I think you were actually going to answer me?” I grumbled to
myself. There were some witches who had… abilities, but nothing like this.
It certainly wasn’t anything I’d experienced before. Even with Luna,
sometimes it felt like I could anticipate what she was going to say before
she said it. But she was my sister—my Twin Flame. Of course, I was in tune
with her feelings.
None of that explained this.
I started moving again, my demon-cat-turned-human matching my pace,
stride for stride.
“No one’s ever come with me to the festival before,” I admitted, my
voice low. “I don’t know what they’ll think.”
“Your friends?”
I nodded. “And my coven.”
“Right.” He winced, as if it was a sudden reminder of our standings in
this town. That I was a witch, and he was a demon. “And why can’t we tell
them the truth?”
My jaw fell open in shock. “No one’s going to believe that.” Watching
to make sure I didn’t step on any cracks on the pavement—definitely not
because I was avoiding watching his face—I continued on. “Besides. One
witch already cursed you. My kind… they don’t trust demons. I’m not sure
I’ll be able to fix it if it happens again. Do you really want to advertise who
you are?”
“You’re not going to tell your sister?”
“No.”
“But aren’t you… close? She even came over to check on you
yesterday.” He frowned.
She normally came over a few times throughout the week. It was her
old house too, after all. And we worked together.
What would I say when she inevitably asked me why Damien the cat
was gone and Damien the not-human was strolling around our town with
me?
“We can be close and still keep secrets from each other. Important
secrets. Don’t you have them with your siblings?”
His voice was quiet, withdrawn. “I’ve never really had anything to hide.
My brother…” Damien shook his head. “It’s not like that. My life’s never
really been my own.” When I looked over at him, he’d focused his eyes on a
distant spot in the background.
“Oh.” That sounded… sad. And lonely. Suddenly, a lot of things made
sense to me about him. Why he didn’t seem to want to leave my side, and
why he was in no rush to go back to the demon realm. He said he had
unfinished business here, didn’t he? Was it presumptuous of me to hope that
it was just me?
Was I the first friend he’d ever had? It seemed strange to call him that,
since I’d known him less than a week, but it felt right. Better than
strangers.
A thought occurred to me, and I let it slip out before thinking better of
it. “How old are you?”
“Two hundred and eighty-seven.”
“What?” I hadn’t expected that.
“Aging works differently in the demon realm.” He shrugged. “In human
terms, I’m not even close to middle-aged yet.”
“Wow. I can’t even imagine living that long.”
What kind of existence had he been living for the past almost three
centuries? I hardly knew anything about him as a being, but I got the idea
his years weren’t full of happiness, love, laughter—life. And for whatever
reason, I wanted to show him what that was like. What it was like to grow
up here in Pleasant Grove.
I let the quiet blanket over us, save for the leaves crunching under our
feet and the wind blowing through the trees. At least I could appreciate the
decorations this way. It was the reason I still enjoyed walking into town,
even when the air was nippy. Most of the residents had decorated their
houses, lights and fake cobwebs and carved pumpkins that sat on their
stoops. I still needed to get my own—Luna and I normally went to the
pumpkin patch the first day it opened, but we hadn’t yet this year.
Luna. I let loose a long sigh.
“Never mind,” I mumbled. “How we met doesn’t matter, anyway.”
“Why not?”
“Because my sister… She’s a seer. And is incredibly perceptive. I can’t
get anything past her.”
There really was no point in trying to hide who he was to her. Maybe
for the rest of the town’s sake, I could pretend he was just a friend, but my
sister wouldn’t buy that. My coven would know that I hadn’t met him at a
bar—though I wasn’t sure I wanted the implication of that, anyway.
Even if he was handsome. I peeked at him again, catching a wistful look
on his face.
I was trying to imagine what my life would have looked like if he’d
always been here. A part of this town. If we’d spent the last few
Halloweens carving pumpkins together and sipping hot apple cider as we
walked through the corn maze.
My heart ached, and that was what startled me out of those thoughts. I
had no business thinking about Damien like that.
Like he was mine.
He wasn’t even my cat anymore, after all.
That left a sour taste in my mouth. I ran my arms over my shoulders.
“Willow.” His voice was low, soothing, as his hand wrapped around my
wrist. “Where’d you go?”
“What?” I looked up into his eyes, full of concern. For me? Or for
himself?
The warmth of his grip flowed through me, grounding me in the
moment. I hated that I liked it so much. I wasn’t supposed to like him. He
was a demon, after all.
Every witch’s mortal enemy. What did I think was going to happen,
bringing him into town?
“This is a mistake.” I pulled away, loosening his grip from my arm.
“You should go. That way you don’t put yourself in danger again just to…”
I froze, looking up at him. All six and a half feet of him. He was looking
at me with an emotion I couldn’t read in his eyes. And for the first time, I so
badly wanted to hear his thoughts. To know what he was thinking.
Maybe it didn’t work that way, but I couldn’t help wanting more of
him.
“No.” He moved startlingly fast, and then his hands were on my face.
Cupping my cheeks. Holding me, so reverently. I wasn’t sure I’d ever been
touched like that before. “I’m not leaving. Not yet.”
“Okay.” The breath I released was quiet, almost inconsequential.
Except…
My lips parted as I stared up at Damien. There was no way I could stop
my gaze from dropping to his lips. Full and pouty and begging for attention.
They looked soft, and I wondered what they’d feel like on mine.
Why was I lusting after this man who was practically a stranger to me? I
moved to step back, and his hands slipped from my face, severing whatever
connection we’d shared.
“Come on. Luna’s expecting me.” I’d been a shitty co-owner this week.
I needed to make it up to her somehow.
And I needed to distance myself from the demon at my side before I got
attached. Or worse.
Because he’d be leaving eventually.
The bell jingled as I pulled open the door to the shop, the scent of cookies
baking instantly hitting my nose.
“Willow!” My little sister’s face lit up in a bright smile when she saw
me, making me feel even guiltier for the past few days.
“Hi, Luna.”
She had a little dusting of flour on her cheek, and more covering the
pink pastel apron she was wearing covered in little cartoon ghosts. Her
honey blonde hair, a trait inherited from our mom, was pulled up into a
messy bun with one of her signature printed bandanas, but her smile quickly
faded when she noticed the dark shadow that was still glued to my side.
Damien was frozen, his face drained of all color as he stared at my
sister.
I frowned. What was wrong with both of them? “Damien, this is my
sister, Luna.” I elbowed him in the stomach, hoping he would resemble
more of a human, settling my face into a small smile as I turned back to
Luna. “Luna, this is Damien. My… friend.”
Stepping closer to us, she held out her hand over the counter, schooling
her expression into a smile. “It’s very nice to meet you, Damien.”
He stiffened, only staring at her hand and making no move to offer his
own. After a moment of silence, he looked away.
“I have to go,” he muttered, turning around.
Walking out without another word to me. Luna’s hand was still in the
air.
“But…” I frowned, the bell chiming once more.
Leaving the two of us standing in silence.
“What was that about?” Luna asked, turning her head.
“I don’t…” I shook my head. “I don’t know. He’s…”
We were supposed to spend the day together. And now he was just…
gone?
Maybe he didn’t want to be here with me, after all. Maybe I was just a
means to an end, and whatever. All those questions earlier…
I shook my head, dislodging the thoughts. At least I had my sister by
my side.
“Come on,” Luna said, pulling me into the back. She filled a bowl with
ingredients for frosting as I hopped up on a counter. I needed to start
working, and I hadn’t even eaten breakfast yet, but I was too confused to
focus on any of that.
Instead, I watched her work.
“So, did it work?”
“Hm?”
“Your spell.” She raised an eyebrow. “From last night?”
“Oh.” I was glad I couldn’t see out the window, because I knew I’d just
be looking for him. “Yeah.”
“Can’t help but notice your new... friend has the same name as your new
cat.” She smirked, starting up the stand mixer to beat the bowl of frosting.
I busied myself by tying my apron and ignoring her question.
I didn’t have an answer for her anyway.
Because how on earth was I going to explain to her that I was spending
time with a demon?
EIGHT
damien
I let the shadows cloak around me, hiding me from view as I watched her
flit around the shop Willow and her sister owned. This time, I could fully
take in the front of their shop. The sign above the door read The Witches’
Brew and featured an intricately carved cauldron of bubbling coffee.
One of them had taped little bats to the inside of the windows, with the
entire storefront fully decked out in Halloween decor. Fake cobwebs, little
orange lights that lined the door frame, and even the sandwich board out
front read ‘stop by for a brew!’
It was clear they didn’t need the advertising. Downtown Pleasant Grove
was small and bustling, and it felt like half of the town must have popped
inside since we’d first arrived this morning.
Letting my darkness dissipate, I opened the door, shoving my hands in
my pockets as I stood, watching them talk behind the counter.
“Olivia, I have your pumpkin scone and Witch’s Cold Brew!” Willow
called out as she handed a small paper bag and a cup of coffee to a customer
at the counter with a smile. Tucking a brown lock of hair behind her ear, she
turned to the next person in line.
She hadn’t noticed me yet, and I liked that I could study her like this.
Unabashedly, without worrying about what anyone else thought.
There was a pull to her I couldn’t explain, a kind of magnetism that
drew me in.
I rubbed a hand over my face. This was crazy. There was no way.
Even from here, her sweet scent wafted into my nostrils, and it was all I
could do to resist burying my face in her hair and inhaling it.
I wanted her. With every fiber of my being.
But I didn’t deserve her. How could I ever deserve someone as perfect,
as untouched by hatred and destruction?
She was mine, and I knew that down to the depths of my soul—
whatever part of it still existed—but she didn’t need me.
Fuck.
Willow’s gaze connected with mine, and I could feel my face softening
as she walked over to me, the irritation clear on her face.
I had to fix this. I had to make her understand I hadn’t wanted to go.
Even if I couldn’t tell her the truth yet. No matter how badly I wanted to.
“I’m sorry.”
NINE
willow
T hrowing myself into the bakery was my best course of action after
Damien’s sudden disappearance. Once the morning rush was over, I
took the time to sweep the entire storefront, leaving no corner
untouched. Not only had I finished all the dishes, but I had also wiped down
all the tables.
I’d given up on pretending that I wasn’t staring out the window for him
to come back.
The worst part was I felt like a lovesick fool, consumed by emotions I
couldn’t control. His vow to stay echoed in my mind, but a small voice
inside me wondered if it was true.
Sighing, I turned back to the counter, brewing a fresh pot of coffee
while I made an apple cider latte for one of our regulars.
“Is everything ready for tonight?” I asked Luna, who was sliding
another tray of freshly baked cookies into the rack to cool. I checked the
time. It was almost noon, which meant more than half of our day was
already over.
She wiped her hands on her apron. “That’s the last of the cookies I had
to make. Everything else should be ready to go. You’re still going to make
the hot chocolate, right?”
The bell on the door chimed, as I called out another customer’s order,
handing them their drink and pastry.
I nodded. “Of course. And I’m sorry for bailing so much this last
week.” I’d already prepped everything I’d need for tonight, so when
everything was set up, it would just need to be stirred and heated up.
Luna rested her head against my shoulder. “It’s okay. I know you’ve had
your hands full with that one.”
That one? I looked over at her, and she raised her eyebrows, tilting her
head towards the door.
Damien was standing there, looking sheepish and a little guilty.
Walking over to him, I crossed my arms over my chest, ready to tell him
off for ditching me, but his expression was full of so much pain that it
stopped me in my tracks.
“I’m sorry.”
I blinked, not expecting that. “For what?”
“Disappearing.” He shook his head. “I had to go… back.”
Even though I’d told him so much about my life, and my love for this
town, I didn’t know the first thing about his home. The demon realm. If
he’d had to go back, that must have meant something was seriously wrong.
“Is everything okay?”
Damien’s eyes drifted over to Luna in the background, before he turned
his attention back to me. “It will be. I’ll explain everything later, I promise.”
He wove our fingers together. “But first, I owe you a date.”
“A date?” My cheeks pinked. “I mean, breakfast, yes, but…”
He nodded, kissing my knuckles. “Yes. A date.”
Oh. “Oh.” I turned back to look at Luna, but she just shook her head
with a smile, turning back to her tray of cookies. A silent permission.
“Okay. Let me just…”
I looked down at my apron, thanking the Goddess that I hadn’t covered
it in coffee or flour. Quickly pulling it off over my head, I returned it to my
hook, stopping to let Eryne know I’d be heading out before waving
goodbye to Luna.
“Shall we?” Damien offered me his hand once again. I ignored the rush
of warmth to my face at taking it.
“Where to?”
“How about we finally get to that tour now?”
I nodded, happily pulling him out of the store—our hands still
intertwined.
And for whatever reason, even knowing it would probably lead to
disappointment, I didn’t want to let go.
We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering through all of downtown. I
showed Damien some of my favorite shops, including my favorite
bookshop—Broomsticks and Books. It had mostly stopped carrying the
former, leaving the shop full of magical tombs and regular books alike.
Luna loved the romance section, while I loved looking for new recipes
tucked amongst the cookbooks here.
Hardly anyone needed broomsticks for transportation anymore. Most of
us witches had one sitting in our house, regardless. You never knew when
you might need a magical flying broom, after all.
Damien had given me a snort when I told him that.
Next was the ever-changing Magical Curiosities: a shop that sold just
that, though I’d found quite my share of trinkets there over the years. It was
like a thrift store for magical artifacts and witchy goods. My trusty hat had
come from there, as well as my black boots with little buttons up the side.
As we walked down Main, we passed by a few more shops: Dark Moon
Fashions, where I got all my favorite dresses; Pleasant Grove Realty, where
any witch could find a perfect home; and Hexed Home Renos—newly
opened and run by two twin witches, Tammy and Talley. They’d been
toying with the idea for years, and finally opened it after the rest of our
coven told them they’d stop speaking to them if they didn’t.
Tough love worked.
My demon companion scratched his head, standing in front of the last
one on the street. “What’s with the name?”
It’d been Grey’s Supermarket for as long as I’d been alive—run by the
Grey's, now an older couple whose kids had grown and moved away.
“It’s so… normal.”
“What?” I laughed. “It’s just a supermarket. Do you think we come up
with puns for every business here?”
Sure—most of the businesses downtown had cute, kitschy names, but
they also catered to the witches that came to visit. We were only an hour
outside of Salem, after all. Even if horrible things had happened there, the
legacy was strong. Still, there were plenty of normally named
establishments in town.
Damien shrugged. “Witches are weird.” And wasn’t that the
understatement of the century?
“This is my favorite spot down here,” I murmured, staring at the town
gazebo, complete with its own decorations.
His eyes swept across the view before settling back on me. “It’s nice.”
“When I was younger, I used to come out here and just people watch. It
was nice, even when things got busy, to come here and just… slow down.
Appreciate life.”
Tilting my head, I watched him. I wondered what sort of life he’d led. If
he’d ever experienced any moments like that. Blissful peace—quiet
happiness. It was a strange thing to ponder, but the tortured look in his eye
made me think maybe he hadn’t.
Maybe that was one reason he talked little about himself or his life.
“Are you hungry?” I finally asked, breaking the silence.
That was how we ended up sitting at the bar of The Enchanted Cauldron for
lunch. We’d both ordered burgers, and if I was being honest… it surprised
me at how normal it felt with him by my side. Even in college, I’d never
felt this comfortable with another person besides Luna or the other
members of my coven.
Maybe it was because of the way he’d watched over me all night when
I’d passed out. He could have just left. Instead, he didn’t leave my side.
I happily chowed down on my burger, noting the look of satisfaction on
Damien’s face as I ate.
He finished his before mine, though that was partially due to how many
people came over to say hi to me. I’d always been a chatty person, and
knowing almost everyone in this town didn’t help with that.
They were all curious about the man seated by my side, even if they
hadn’t said it straight out.
“Do you want me to scare them all away so you can eat?” He grunted,
taking a sip of his drink.
“No, it’s okay. They’ll stop eventually. They’re just curious about you.”
My cheeks warmed at the thought that he cared enough to do that. That
he seemed to want to take care of me.
I was starving, though, even though I’d definitely eaten a muffin and a
few scones while I’d been at the bakery. Even I had to admit that Damien’s
glares at the other patrons helped to stave them off.
“Thanks,” I finally said after I’d finished the last bite of my burger,
sucking the extra ketchup that had spilled onto my fingers. “That hit the
spot.”
Damien looked at his empty tray. I still had a bunch of fries left, but
he’d already eaten it all.
“That was… surprisingly good.”
I scrunched up my nose. “Were you doubting it would be?”
He chuckled. “No. It’s just… the other communities I’ve been in
weren’t like this. And they didn’t have food nearly this good.”
“That’s Pleasant Grove for you,” I beamed. “It might not be much,
but… It’s home.”
I looked around the bar. The Enchanted Cauldron had been around for
generations. Despite the foot traffic this place saw—on account of it being
one of the few restaurants in our little community, let alone our only bar—it
was still in good shape.
They’d hung all sorts of witchy paraphernalia in here over the years,
some as gags, and some that dated back to the Salem Witch Trials
themselves. The low lighting from the various lanterns created a cozy
atmosphere, and the old-timey portraits on the back walls added a touch of
history to the room. There were candles on the shelves that looked like
they’d burned and had melted into place—like no one had ever bothered to
clean up the wax. But my favorite part was the Morgans, who’d bought the
bar last year and spruced it up, had even added little cauldrons filled with
succulents to each table.
“I can see why you love it.” His words brought a smile to my face, and I
couldn’t stop myself from beaming. “Thank you for showing it to me
today.” Damien said it like he knew what it meant to me.
“It was my pleasure,” I said, blushing. “So, what do you think? Still
want to stick around?” I nudged him with my shoulder, scooting my
barstool closer to his.
Part of me was hoping he’d say yes. That he didn’t want to leave, either.
That for the first time I could go to the festival with someone at my side.
Maybe it was too soon to be thinking that way, but when he slipped his
hand into mine, squeezing it slightly, I knew I wasn’t imagining things.
“Yes, Willow,” he said, a slight chuckle accompanying his words. “I
still want to stay here.” With you. He didn’t say it, but I liked to think I
could hear it in the tone of his voice. In the depth of his eyes. Even if he’d
glamored them at my insistence.
“Okay.” I turned my attention back to my fries, shoving a few in my
mouth to hide my smile. “Just making sure,” I mumbled under my breath.
We had some time to kill before we headed out to the farm for the
festival. I needed to help Luna set up our table, but I already couldn’t wait
for everything.
There was no way I was holding back at the festival tonight. After all,
pumpkin pie was my favorite. Luna was an amazing baker, but she’d never
quite nailed pie, and Wendy—another member of our coven—made the best
I’d ever tasted. Plus, topped with homemade whipped cream? I was in
heaven. I practically moaned at the thought.
Damien gave me a strange look, and I flushed. “Sorry. Just thinking
about pie.” I gave a dreamy sigh.
“Pie?” His face scrunched up.
“You have had pie before, right?”
“Willow. I’m a demon. I wasn’t born yesterday.” He narrowed his eyes,
stealing a fry from my basket.
“Mhm. Just wait until you taste it. It’s the best pumpkin pie I’ve ever
had.” Popping another fry in my mouth, I couldn’t resist it. “So good.”
The idea of introducing all of my favorite foods to the man sitting
beside me warmed my insides. Showing him my town, my home—my life
—it felt good.
He gave me a stare, his jaw tight as he stopped chewing.
Tilting my head back, I smiled up at the ceiling as I finished the rest of
my fries. I hadn’t considered how fun it might be to tease him. Sure, he had
limited knowledge of human things—probably because he’d lived in the
demon realm for over two hundred years—but his reaction was the fun part.
“So… where to next?”
TEN
damien
“Come on, try it!” Willow said, offering me up a forkful of pie. “I promise,
it’s to die for.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Really?”
She pouted. “Just try it. Please? For me?”
“Okay,” I agreed, bending down to her level. I couldn’t say no when she
looked at me with that face, anyway. “Feed it to me.”
Willow’s cheeks pinked as she held up the fork to my mouth, and I held
her eye contact as I slowly took the bite off the fork.
“Mmm.” I licked my lips. I hadn’t known quite what to expect, but the
texture was incredible, and the whipped topping must have been
homemade, because it was rich and delicious.
It could rival a feast in the Demon King’s palace.
“You have a bit of—” She giggled, pointing at my upper lip.
“What?”
“—Whipped cream. Right there.”
Her thumb brushed over the top of my lip, capturing the bit of cream.
“Oh.” I looked away, clearing my throat. “Thank you.”
She was staring at her thumb, and I bent down, licking it off with my
tongue.
“Damien!” Willow turned pink. “You can’t just do that here. What if
someone sees us?”
And what if they do, little witch?
A little scowl formed on her face. Do you want people to know who you
are? What if something happens to you again?
Then it’s a good thing I have a fearsome witch on my side this time, isn’t
it? I wove my fingers back through hers, kissing her knuckles. Besides, look
around. Everyone is enjoying themselves, too.
No one was paying any attention to us. All around us, there were
families laughing, the parents holding their kids’ hands with blissful smiles
on their faces as they ate bucketfuls of sugar. Older couples quietly strolled
along as they likely reminisced about the past. Even the teens looked like
they were enjoying themselves, playing the carnival games, determined to
win.
I could see the Witches’ Brew booth from here. Luna was flitting
around, helping customers as she handed out bags of cookies and cups of
hot chocolate. Frowning, I turned to Willow, about to ask if we should help,
when—
“Willow?” A voice called, and a female, dressed in all black, rushed to
catch up with us. “Who’s your friend?”
“Oh.” My witch peeked over at me. “This is Damien. My…” she trailed
off, looking at me. I hated how she didn’t have a label for me.
But what was I? I’d known her for a week and a half, and most of that,
I’d been stuck as a cat for. A fact that never failed to raise my hackles.
Roommate? Friend? Something more? I desperately wanted to know how
she was going to answer it.
I caught her eye, answering it when she failed to. “Friend,” I confirmed.
I liked when she’d called me that before.
“Damien, this is Cait. She’s my cousin.”
The orange-haired witch stuck out her hand for me to shake it. “It’s nice
to meet you,” she beamed. I’d never met a witch quite like her before. She
had a nose ring and beautiful tattoos that went up the sides of her arms, and
her tights looked like snakes.
“Cousins, huh?” If I looked really closely between the two of them, I
could see the similarities. They had the same shape of their nose and
structure to their jaw. But her cousin had dyed her hair, and her eyes were
nothing like the bright green of Willow’s—that reminded me of Granny
Smith apples.
“Yup. Our moms were sisters.” Cait gave me a warm smile.
“We’re in the same coven,” Willow added as her cousin threw an arm
around her shoulder, hugging Willow tight.
“Ah,” I said, nodding. “Of course.”
It was a sobering reminder—these people would be in Willow’s life
forever.
And me? Maybe we’d have a month. One good month. I wanted to
make sure it counted.
“Come on,” Willow said, tugging my hand. “Let’s go find pumpkins.”
We said our goodbyes to her cousin, and I completely forgot about
mentioning helping Luna as she pulled me toward the pumpkin patch.
I frowned, looking at a sea of endless pumpkins. “What exactly am I
looking for? I’ve never exactly done this before.”
She looked surprised for a moment before smoothing her expression
out, bending down to look at the orange squash at her feet. “You want one
that’s a good shape, medium to large size, and a smooth surface.” Willow
pointed out a few examples on the ground. “Though I suppose it all depends
on what you want to carve into it, anyway.” She bit her lip, and I couldn’t
help but stare at her teeth digging into those sweet, pink lips.
I blinked away the thought of what it would be like to do that to her.
“Was I supposed to think of something before this?” Because I
definitely hadn’t.
“Oh. Well. I suppose not.” Willow brushed her hands on the skirt of her
dress before standing up, leaning against me. “But you will… carve one
with me, right?” Her eyes were pleading, practically begging. But she didn’t
have to ask.
“Of course,” I chuckled. “Anything you want, Wil.” Wrapping an arm
around her waist, I pulled her in tighter to me, inhaling the smell of her
sweetness. I couldn’t get enough of it.
“Oh!” she squealed, pulling away from me. “I found them!” She rushed
farther down the row, where two pumpkins were sitting side by side. They
were almost equal in color and shape, despite one being slightly smaller
than the other. “What do you think?” She looked up at me, and I nodded.
“Perfect.” But I wasn’t talking about the pumpkins.
Hefting them into my arms, I took them over to the weigh station so
Willow could pay for them before depositing them in the car.
On our way back, Willow stopped at a few food booths, continuing to
feed me different sweets. I’d lost how many forms of pumpkin I’d tried.
Fudge, bread, muffins, scones…
“How are you still eating?” I asked her, watching her plop another bite
of pumpkin spice cake in her mouth.
She stopped chewing to stare at me. “I have a bottomless stomach for
sweets.” Willow’s voice was so matter-of-fact. “Obviously.”
I wiped a smudge of frosting from the corner of her lip before she
handed me a small bag of candy.
“What is this?”
Picking one out, I held up the strange multicolored candy—yellow,
orange, and white in a triangle shape.
She giggled. “It’s candy corn. Try it. It’s one of my favorites.” Corn? I
made a skeptical face before popping it into my mouth.
Sweet. I made a face. It tasted like frosting and sugar, all rolled into
one.
“What?” She laughed. “You don’t like it?”
“It’s too sweet. Are you sure you aren’t just eating pure sugar?”
Willow stuck her tongue out at me, grabbing a few pieces from my bag.
“More for me, thank you.”
I didn’t mind at all as she finished it, entranced by watching her happily
munch on the candy.
“Should we go through the maze now?” She asked, looking towards the
stacks of straw bales stacked on top of each other.
We promptly deposited our food wrappers in the trash before she
dragged me over to it.
The witch working the front handed us a map of the maze, so we could
apparently find our way out of it. I stared at the diagram, showing the view
from above. They’d made the damn thing the shape of a jack-o’-lantern,
complete with the eyes and mouth in the middle.
“One year, they made it so hard that old Granny Crowley couldn’t
figure out how to get out of it. They had to send in a search party,” she
giggled.
“It’s a pumpkin,” I stated plainly.
“Last year it was a ghost.” She pretended to look contemplative.
“Should I see if next year they’ll make it a cat?”
I rolled my eyes, pulling her into the opening of the maze. “Let’s do
this.”
But when I turned around, she couldn’t see the ghost of a smile that
spread over my lips.
How much straw could be in one fucking place? Hell. This place was
actual hell. We’d been going through it for fifteen minutes already, but it
felt like hours. The tall walls of straw made me feel trapped, like I couldn’t
get out—even though I knew it would only take a moment, one use of my
power to get out.
Letting my shadows curl through my fingers, I breathed out, calming
down slightly.
I turned around to ask my witch a question, but she wasn’t behind me.
“Willow?” I spun around. Where’d she go? “Willow!” I shouted,
backtracking slightly, checking the other branches of the path before going
back to where we hadn’t walked yet.
“Fuck,” I cursed, rubbing my forehead.
How had I managed to lose her?
This place was claustrophobic, and despite the map, I still felt
completely turned around.
“Got you!” She said, popping up behind me.
“Willow. For fuck’s sake. Don’t do that.” I rubbed my forehead.
“What?” She frowned.
“I thought—” You were lost. That something had happened to you.
“Never mind.” I shook my head.
“I was just—” Willow started, moving towards me, but there was a
patch of mud on the ground in between us, and her foot slipped, launching
her forward.
As she stumbled, I quickly reached out and wrapped my arms around
her waist to prevent her from falling.
“Oh.” Willow breathed, and I was vividly aware of the fact that the hay
bales hid us from view, secluded in the maze.
She smelled so sweet; I had to stop myself from leaning over to find the
source of the scent. Was it her shampoo? Or just something uniquely her?
Fuck.
“Little witch…” I groaned.
I was losing control.
If I wasn’t careful, I was going to take her.
ELEVEN
willow
M y lips parted, and the slightest breath of air escaped them as I stared
at his face. Into those dark eyes, which I never failed to get lost in.
No matter if they were red or deep chocolate brown, there was
something so captivating about them. About him, really.
I let my gaze linger down to his lips.
There was no mistaking the way he did the same.
We were so close together, barely an inch left between our bodies, and I
was struck with the sudden realization that I wanted him. More than I ever
could have imagined.
Maybe I shouldn’t have—he was a demon, after all, and my whole life
I’d been taught to stay away from them—but I couldn’t help it anymore.
Not when I’d spent the entire day in his presence, and he’d let me drag
him wherever I’d wanted to go. When we’d been sitting together on the
hayride, our thighs touching, sharing the same blanket… I wondered, was
he feeling the same way?
“Willow,” his voice rasped out. “Don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?” Mine was hardly a whisper against the wind, but I hadn’t
needed to say it at all.
My tongue ran over my lips, moistening them as we stared at each other.
If we moved just a fraction of an inch, we’d be kissing. All I had to do was
lean up, and—
“Like you want me to kiss you.”
His hand tightened on my waist, keeping me pinned firmly to him. The
other spread across my back, and the heat from his palm was practically
burning me, but I didn’t want it to stop.
“But…” I looked up at him through my eyelashes. “What if I do?”
“Little witch…” He warned, a pained expression forming over his
features, even as I gripped his jacket tighter. “I don’t think you know what
you’re getting yourself into.”
I did. But… I don’t care. The realization struck me, hard and fast. I
didn’t care what I got into with this man, this demon, as long as he kissed
me.
“Kiss me,” I whispered. “Please.”
He exhaled roughly before that hand holding my back threaded through
my hair, and he bent down and—Damien’s lips were on mine.
Soft, like he was gauging my response. Making sure I was okay with it.
Wrapping my hands around his neck, I curled my fingers into his hair,
tugging him down more forcefully against my mouth.
The first stroke of his tongue against mine had me gasping. The sudden
surety—the rightness I felt—I’d never felt like this kissing anyone before.
Magic, my brain wanted to say. But I knew magic, and this was nothing
like my powers.
Not when every movement of his tongue in my mouth, every press of
his lips against mine had me dizzy, my mind blurring.
I wanted more.
I wanted him to kiss me like this forever.
Sighing into his mouth, I wrapped my arms around his neck.
That was all the invitation he needed to pick me up, spinning me around
to pin me against the straw bales as he explored my mouth with his tongue,
not letting go.
“Fuck, Willow,” he murmured, awe in his voice as his eyes traced over
every inch of my face. Lingering, memorizing. I tugged on the back of his
hair, pulling his mouth back to mine.
Bringing our lips together. Now that I’d felt it, I didn’t want to stop.
By the time we made it out of the maze, the sun was gone from the sky.
“Look!” They’d fully decked the barn out for the festival, the string of
lights on the ceiling illuminating the dance floor. “It’s beautiful.” I emitted a
dreamy sigh.
I’d always dreamed of having a wedding like this one day. If I met the
right person. Lately, that had seemed less and less likely. Except…
The man by my side was making me think of things like that again.
Which I couldn’t afford to do. He’d only said he’d stay for a month. I
couldn’t expect a lifetime from a demon, of all people.
He wasn’t from here. Didn’t belong in Pleasant Grove. I let loose a deep
sigh.
Damien rubbed his thumb over the crease in between my brows. “What
are you thinking, little witch?”
I shook my head. “Nothing.” Forcing a smile on my face, I refocused
my attention on the barn. “It doesn’t matter.”
He looked skeptical, but I ignored that. “Do you want to get a drink?
They have pumpkin beer.”
Damien groaned. “You and pumpkin. Is there anything in the flavor that
you don’t like?”
“Nope!” I beamed. “I even have pumpkin cupcake scented body wash.”
Grumbling under his breath, he said something that I was pretty sure
sounded like, Of course you do. But I couldn’t be sure.
Still, I pulled him over to the bar, ordering a beer for him and a
pumpkin hard cider for me.
Damien’s eyes trailed over the room as he sipped his drink. He made a
face after swallowing. “That is… truly something.”
I laughed. “It’s okay if you don’t like it. I won’t be offended if you don’t
finish it.”
He grunted, taking another sip.
My eyes tracked the movement as his tongue slid over his bottom lip,
catching the extra drops of liquid. I could practically feel my body heating
as I thought about that kiss earlier—feeling his tongue against mine.
Wondering what else it could do.
You’re losing it, Willow, I told myself, awkwardly avoiding eye contact
as I chugged my cider. I should have picked something with a higher
alcohol content—maybe it would have given me the courage to be more
bold.
Instead, I was standing and watching the couples on the dance floor
twirling their partners in their arms. They were doing some sort of upbeat,
country two-step dance I ought to have known by now. I wasn’t much for
dancing, though. Maybe I just hadn’t found the right partner.
“Come here,” Damien whispered, holding his hand out to me.
I took it, surprised when he spun me into his arms.
“Oh, you have moves, do you?” Maybe part of me was just surprised he
knew how to dance. Especially as he spun me around, his feet moving faster
than my eyes could seem to keep up with.
“It’s the demon realm, not hell,” he said, his deep voice rough against
my ear. “I learned how to dance when I was young.” Why did that make
him even more endearing?
He shut his eyes, a warm smile curling on his lips. “My mother loved to
dance.”
“Damien…” I murmured. That was the sweetest thing he’d ever said.
“What happened to her?” I’d lost my own parents, but hearing him talk
about her in the past tense made my heart ache.
He shook his head. “My father… the palace… even with all the guards,
it wasn’t the safest place for her.” A distant look filled his eyes, like he was
thinking about the past. “She died protecting me.”
I knew what it was like—losing a parent—but not like that. “Mine
passed in a boating accident,” I said in a whisper. “I’m sorry you had to go
through that alone.”
His eyes connected with mine, and the pain evident in them… It made
me want to kiss him again, just to take it away for a little while. Or maybe
give him a hug. I wasn’t sure which one. But given that we were in the
middle of a crowded dance floor, I just kept letting him lead me.
“It’s been a long time.” His grip on my back tightened. “It doesn’t hurt
as much anymore.”
I rested my head on his shoulder. “That pain… It never really leaves
you, though.”
“No,” he agreed. “It doesn’t.”
We were quiet for awhile after that, just losing ourselves in the music’s
flow.
“Can I ask what happened to them?” Damien’s voice was quiet,
resigned. Like he thought I wouldn’t answer.
“I don’t talk about it much,” I said, honestly. “Most people in town
know what happened, and my coven, well… You’re the first person who’s
asked about them in a long time.” I fiddled with his shirt with my hand that
wasn’t still holding onto his. “They’ve been gone for years. I still miss
them, of course, but I stopped crying ages ago. I had to be strong for Luna.
Keep it together for her.”
“How old were you?” He murmured.
“21. I was in college when I got a call. There was a freak accident. And
Luna, she… She’d barely graduated high school.”
He rubbed my back. “So you came back?”
I nodded. “So I came back. Finished a semester early, got my degree,
and then kept our house from falling apart as Luna went to pastry school.
She knew what she wanted and I…” Didn’t. Hadn’t had a dream.
“Did everything for your sister.”
“Yup.”
He made a noise of agreement. “I know what that’s like. To feel you’ve
given up your life for your sibling.”
“It’s not that I don’t think it was worth it. I love Luna. I love working
together, the business we’ve grown. The Witches' Brew is my baby as much
as it is hers. It’s just…”
“Not your dream.”
I looked up at him. “Yeah,” I whispered. “It’s not my dream.”
He cleared his throat. “So what is?”
“You know, I think I’m still figuring it out.”
“Me too.”
I laughed. “What, two hundred and eighty-seven years wasn’t enough to
figure out what you wanted to do with your life?”
Damien brushed a hair behind my ear. “It didn’t feel like much of a life
until I met you.”
Our eyes connected again, and this time—I held his gaze. Drank it in.
Reveled in it.
Knew that something about it was going to change my life.
Maybe in all the ways I’d always dreamed it would.
TWELVE
damien
I was in more trouble than I’d thought. I was letting myself get
distracted with pumpkin patches and dances and the intoxicating
presence of Willow. Thinking that maybe this could last. That there
was some way I could make it work.
Like I wasn’t a demon with responsibilities that didn’t involve getting
entangled with a witch.
But that kiss.
I hadn’t been planning on kissing her. I was trying so fucking hard to be
good. To not tarnish her sunshine with my darkness. But I couldn’t help it.
When she’d looked up at me with those big green eyes—I’d lost any
semblance of self control.
Looking over at the passenger seat, I watched Willow sleep, her head
turned towards me even with her eyes closed.
I wanted this. Wanted her. But I couldn’t have her.
“Fuck,” I muttered, turning back to stare at the house. It was a miracle
she’d let me drive home. I’d had to prove to her that I did, in fact, have a
driver’s license—even though it had been faked by the demon realm, since I
wasn’t exactly a human with real ID—and that I could drive her car before
she relented.
But she’d been exhausted. After hours of swaying on the dance floor,
her eyes had been closing on their own.
And now, I couldn’t bring myself to wake her up. So instead I was
staring at her, tracing the lines of her face with my eyes.
But I couldn’t help myself, and I reached out, brushing over her
cheekbone with my thumb.
“Hmm?” Willow gave a small groan as she stirred from her nap.
“We’re here,” I said, looking up at her house.
“Oh.” My witch yawned, stretching out her arms. “Thanks again for
driving.”
“No problem.” I cleared my throat, avoiding looking at her dress, or the
way it had ridden up, exposing more of her thighs.
My mouth went dry.
“We should go inside,” I whispered.
“Yeah.” Her voice was quiet, low. “We should.”
Padding into her guest bathroom, I looked at myself in the mirror.
You need to get it together, Damien, I scolded myself. She’s not yours to
touch.
But our kiss was replaying in my mind.
The way her soft, smooth lips moved over mine. The way she’d sighed
so sweetly into my mouth. How she tasted so fucking good. I wanted more.
But—no.
Stripping off my clothes, I stayed in my boxers, leaving the rest folded
neatly on the counter.
When I’d come out, Willow had left a pillow and blanket on the couch.
It was strange to think that this was only our first night sleeping under the
same roof with me in this form. That every other night, I’d slept on her
feet.
I chuckled, looking at the pile of bedding. The couch.
Because even if she’d kissed me back—I was still a stranger. This
wasn’t serious. It wasn’t like she was going to invite me to her bed.
Not again. Not yet, at least.
But…
Turning back into my cat form, I waited until she’d turned her lights off
and gone to sleep, and then I slipped into her room, curling up at her feet.
Where I could protect her—my small, little witch—from harm.
THIRTEEN
willow
“Where are you going?” Damien asked, leaning against the doorframe as I
attempted to zip up my dress. It was Friday night, Luna and I’s big night out
at The Enchanted Cauldron.
I turned to look at him, and my mouth dropped open.
Abs. Muscles. Towel around his waist.
Oh, Goddess.
My mouth went dry. I’d seen him shirtless before, even if it was in the
cover of darkness and mostly just an outline of the ridges to his body. But
this was… I shut my eyes.
“Did I adopt a demon, or a damn God?” I muttered under my breath,
eyes still focused on his muscles. Those abs I wanted to trace my tongue
over—multiple times, if I had my way. Especially after that kiss last week.
It wasn’t enough—I wanted more.
No being should be allowed to look like that. Especially when I was
trying so hard to be good. There was a part of me that felt like a sex-crazed
beast every time I saw him. One look from him was all it took, and I was
wet. Dripping. It was unfair, really.
But he was basically my roommate, my friend, and he was leaving.
He’d only promised me a month, and how much of that did I even have
left?
But I couldn’t ask him to stay.
Sure, we’d settled into some sort of normal routine over the last week.
I’d go to work, stay at the bakery until the late afternoon before coming
home and making dinner.
Damien—well, who knew what Damien did during the day.
But at night, we’d sit on the couch, a cushion between us, watching
whatever Halloween movie was on the TV.
I still wasn’t sure what to make out of my unexpected houseguest in a
lot of ways, after all. Especially after he’d kissed me.
But nothing else had happened.
Damien hadn’t kissed me again. We’d barely even touched since
coming home from the festival. He hadn’t made another move.
Sometimes, when he was looking at me, I’d catch his gaze dropping to
my lips. Or the heat in his eyes.
Yet the complete rest of this week we just… hadn’t talked about it. I
was tired of dancing around the subject. Pretending there wasn’t some heat
between us that I couldn’t explain.
“Out,” I said with a huff, giving up on the zipper. It might have been a
themed night, but I still wanted to look good. Feel good. For no one else but
myself. Definitely not for the man who currently stood behind me.
“Here,” he murmured, coming up behind me. “Let me.”
Our eyes connected in the mirror as he slowly zipped up my dress, his
breath ghosting on the back of my neck. The whole encounter probably
took only seconds, but it felt private—intimate—and I didn’t know what to
make of that.
“Um.” I smoothed my hands over the tight black dress. “Thank you.”
His voice was rough. “Of course.”
Looping my dangly ghost earrings through my ears, I looked over my
appearance. It was casually spooky for sure, but I felt cute. I’d add my
favorite hat and a pair of heels and call it good.
Damien leaned against the door frame. “Should I be worried about
where you’re going dressed like that?”
My eyes lifted in the mirror to his. “The bar. Luna wanted to go out.” I
bit my lip. “Why? Worried someone else is going to sweep me off my
feet?”
The way his eyes lit up… Maybe that was exactly what he’d been
worried about. And for some reason, I liked that I’d riled him up with just
the one comment.
“I’m going with you,” he said, his tone offering no room for argument.
I raised an eyebrow at his still naked body.
Maybe some clothes first?
He dressed in a flash—literally, with one snap of his fingers, and he was
in a button-up shirt and a pair of slacks. One day, I needed to ask him how
he did that. Where he stored his belongings that he could just retrieve them
without blinking an eye.
I pondered that for a while, trying to ignore the truth bouncing around in
my brain.
Somehow, he was even more handsome in dress clothes than just in the
towel.
My eyes flickered over to Damien, who was sitting at the bar as my sister
and I danced.
Maybe it was a little too on the nose to play The Monster Mash during
Ghoul’s Night, but it was fitting.
“You know… He’s hot!” Luna shouted over the music. “Why don’t you
see where that goes?”
I shook my head. “He’s not here forever. We’re just friends!
Roommates!” I hated that thought. It’s just temporary. “And I… don’t want
to start something that will end.” I hadn’t realized that was how I felt until I
uttered the words, but maybe that was why I’d let the wall form between us
this last week. Sure, he had stayed, but for how long?
Distancing myself was safe.
Kissing him again… That was not.
“Okay, but the way he’s watching you? Damn.” She fanned herself.
I was pretty sure she had some inkling of who he was, especially after
her comment earlier this week at the coffee shop, but I wondered if she
knew the full story. That he was the cat she’d let brush up against her legs
just a few days ago. That he was living under my roof.
Sleeping curled up on the edge of my bed every night, even though I’d
find him back on the couch every morning. Like he didn’t want me to find
out.
“Luna, I should probably tell you—” I started, getting interrupted by the
music changing. The crowd cheered around us.
“You just need to let loose, Willow! Get laid!” My sister said the last
word with a singsong voice, and my body flushed.
“I… Luna.” I groaned, even as we moved to the beat.
“What?” She frowned, giving me a little shrug as she shimmied on the
floor. “I can’t have my older sister trying to take care of me forever. You
have to live your own life, too, Wil.”
My own life… My eyes wandered up, connecting with Damien’s, who
was still sitting at the bar, sipping his drink. Watching me dance.
But the heat in his eyes… I wasn’t mistaking it this time. Definitely not.
“Do you want to dance?”
The words were ones I wanted to hear—but they weren’t from the right
person.
I turned around, and there was Simon from the library, his auburn hair
combed back, and a bowtie that looked like a bat tied around his neck.
“Oh, I…” I looked back to the bar, but Damien was gone, his empty
drink sitting on the counter. “I actually came here with someone. Sorry.” I
winced involuntarily.
“Yeah,” my demon agreed, pulling my back flush against his chest.
“With me.”
I turned my head to look up at him, my cheeks heating at the
determination I saw there.
FOURTEEN
damien
Y ou’re beautiful. The words I should have said to Willow earlier, when
I saw her standing in her bathroom, the black dress showing off the
creamy smooth skin of her back. Instead, I’d practically forced her to
bring me along tonight.
Dammit. How hard was it to say the words?
All week, I’d had them on the tip of my tongue.
But everything faded away whenever she was around.
The light brown strands of her hair caught the light as she danced with
Luna, and I scowled at the thought of someone else touching her. I
shouldn’t have been this possessive, but watching her sway her hips,
thinking about anyone else having what was mine…
It was enough to make my lips curl over my teeth.
“Fuck,” I muttered to myself as I watched the two of them dance.
“Can I get you another one, sir?” The bartender asked me, and I shook
my head.
I’d been nursing the same one all night, and I had no plans of getting
drunk. There was no way I’d risk something happening to Willow—or her
sister.
I took another sip as the two girls danced. They’d been playing popular
Halloween songs all night. Some I recognized, and others I had never heard
before. While I wasn’t well versed in a lot of human culture—especially
with their holidays—I’d spent my fair share of time while on this mission in
bars. That, at least, wasn’t all that different from the demon realm.
And it was the reason I didn’t take my eyes off of them. Not for a
second.
Part of me had hoped to find the girl I was looking for in one, but that
had only led to me being cursed. The damn witch who took one look at me,
talking to her sister, and decided I was bad news. Well, I deserved that.
Especially when the girl I’d been searching for was currently by
Willow’s side. She’d been here all along, like destiny was just waiting for
me to find both of them.
Gods. Her sister.
How was I going to explain everything to her? I rubbed my thumb over
the top of my glass. I’d been doing so good all week, trying to build a
relationship with her. Getting to know her.
I watched her human movies and then she told me about her past. What
growing up here was like. About her relationship with her coven and her
sister. How she’d thought about moving somewhere else after college. I
couldn’t listen to her talk about the human boys she’d been with, not
without my veins filling with rage. The jealousy was almost suffocating, the
way it hit me out of nowhere.
There was no prying my eyes away from her.
The redheaded boy from the library was moving closer to my witch,
making my hair practically stand up on my arms. My body sang for me to
defend her, to claim her publicly.
To make it known that she was mine.
I was out of my chair before I knew what I was doing, pulling Willow’s
body into mine. Covering her in my scent.
Her head tilted back to look at me, and I watched as her cheeks pinked.
Fuck, I liked that. How had I gone this whole week without touching her?
Without taking her lips in mine again?
“She’s here with me,” I repeated, as the young wizard looked between
the two of us.
“I’m sorry, Willow.” He looked embarrassed. “I didn’t know you were
seeing anyone.”
“We’re just…” My witch looked up at me as she said, “It’s still new.”
She offered him a small shrug.
“Hey, no worries.” He gave a sad smile before turning around, going to
the other side of the packed dance floor.
“Do you want to get a drink?” I murmured into her ear, my lips
brushing against her neck as I pulled away.
She nodded, mumbling, “Mhm,” in response. Even the tips of her ears
were a little pink as she slipped her hand into mine and led me back across
the room.
Willow slid onto a barstool, her hand staying intertwined in mine even
as I took the one next to her. Watching her, my eyes traced her flushed
cheeks, her eyes twinkling as she ordered another drink. If only I could
commit it to memory, so I’d never have to forget this moment. Or her.
Once she had the cocktail in her hands, she spun around to look at me,
her eyes bright. “Hi.”
“Hey,” I practically grunted back.
I was still struggling with the possession I’d felt earlier, the need to
claim her as mine in front of everyone. Her smell was in my nostrils, and I
wanted it deeper. In my lungs, maybe. Burrowed underneath my skin. My
innate nature was hard to deny.
“Sorry if this is boring for you,” my witch frowned.
It wasn’t. Not when I’d been unable to take my eyes off of her all
fucking night.
“You could never bore me,” I said. Fuck it all. I didn’t like the distance
we’d had in the past week, so maybe it was time for honesty. “Besides, this
is... enlightening.”
Watching her. Seeing how she let loose.
“Hm? Can demons get drunk, anyway?” Willow wondered out loud,
sucking on the straw of her drink, her eyes wide as she watched me.
“Of course we can.” I looked around the room. Luckily, no one was
paying attention to us or her words, or else we could be in trouble.
Not because I was worried about something happening to me. The last
thing I wanted was for someone to confront Willow about me. The idea that
I could make problems for her just because of who I was… I didn’t like
that. But I was already here, being a selfish bastard, all because I couldn’t
seem to walk away from her—but I didn’t want to affect her reputation.
Because it was clear, any time she was around other people, whether it
was flitting around the bar or in her coffee shop, just how beloved she was.
I’d experienced nothing like this town in the demon realm. Not that
there weren’t communities or towns of our own—demons, living in their
true forms, free to live their lives—but my life had been cold. Emotionless.
Sometimes it felt almost meaningless. I’d lost my mom at a young age. My
father… Well, the Demon King had his own set of worries, and it wasn’t
about me. No, that distinction went to my older brother. The Heir.
I scrubbed a hand over my face. She’d lost her parents, but she was still
so kind, caring, and generous. In all my years, I’d never met a woman who
enchanted me the way Willow did. I couldn’t stop. Couldn’t keep my eyes
off of her, or my body from wanting to touch her. Wrap her soft brown curls
around my fist and—
Willow’s hand landed on my thigh, causing me to startle out of my
thoughts.
“What?” My eyes flickered to the counter, to her finished drink. Mine
was gone now too, meaning I had no more excuse to be a grumpy asshole
tonight.
“Should we dance?” She held out her hand to me. The music had
slowed—no longer one of those poppy hits she had been moving her hips
to.
I thought about how good it had felt the other day—holding her in my
arms, dancing with her. Even though I knew it was dangerous, that nothing
good would come out of it, I couldn’t say no. Couldn’t bring myself to turn
her down.
“Of course,” I murmured, giving her my hand. It always amazed me
how much smaller hers were than mine. How I could wrap my entire hand
around hers. And yet, when she laced her fingers through mine, nothing had
ever fit so perfectly.
Yes, my body screamed as my hand wrapped around her waist, pulling
her in closer to me.
“You look beautiful tonight,” I murmured against her ear, finally saying
what I’d been dying to for hours.
“Thank you.” She bobbed her head, a pretty blush spreading over her
cheeks. “You clean up pretty nicely yourself.”
I’d hardly noticed what I’d thrown on when she told me about her plans.
I’d just focused on her bare back as I zipped up her dress, and the way it
hugged her curves. So fucking perfect.
Begging to have my hands all over them.
A dark shadow caught my eye in the back of the bar. Some alarm bell
went off inside my mind, that I should investigate—to see what was going
on.
But then Willow wrapped her arms around me, and nothing else
mattered.
Unlike at the festival, when I twirled and spun her around the room, in a
dance of intricate steps, we just held each other, swaying to the music. I
liked it too much.
Which was why I needed to come clean.
“Willow…” I sighed, opting for honesty. “I’m sorry for this week.”
She looked confused. “Why? I thought we were having a good time.”
She tilted her head to the side. “Getting to know each other. You know.”
“We were. And I liked it. Watching your human movies. Listening to
your stories.” Too much. I liked it way too much. “But I’ve been
avoiding… this, and it’s not fair to you.” I swallowed roughly, fingers
itching to dig into her skin. “To either of us.”
“No,” she agreed, “it’s not.”
“But…” I tightened my grip on her hip. Held her closer to my body. Let
my breath brush against her ear, and watched the way she shuddered from
it.
Her eyes were closed as she murmured a quiet, “But?”
“But I’m tired of holding back. Pretending I don’t want you. Pretending
I don’t know what your mouth tastes like. Pretending I don’t want to do it
again.”
Willow’s eyes flew open, her hand on my shoulder moving to grip my
jacket instead. “You do?”
My lips ghosted against her neck, the faintest press of a kiss to her
perfect skin. “I do.”
When I stared back down at her, there was a spellbound look in her
eyes. “Oh, good.” She let loose a giggle. “Because I do as well.”
I looked into her eyes. They were big, but not overly dilated. And she
didn’t seem drunk to me. Which meant…
She wanted me as badly as I wanted her.
“Should we go home?” Willow whispered, her eyes bright. “Because I
really want to kiss you right now.”
“Yes.” And fuck, I liked the sound of that. Home. Her place felt more
like home than anywhere I’d ever been before.
I was so close to losing control. To giving in to every thought, every
desire.
What the hell were we still doing here?
“Will Luna be okay?” I asked, looking at her sister, currently chatting
with another witch at the bar.
Willow nodded. “She’s a big girl. She can take care of herself.”
And before either of us could utter another word, her hand was in mine,
and I was pulling her towards the door.
FIFTEEN
willow
“I need more time.” I hated bringing myself this low, begging him for this,
but I had no other choice. I needed more time with Willow. I couldn’t let
her go yet.
And that was why I was here, on my knees, bringing myself to a
position I’d sworn never to be for my brother.
Zain crossed his arms over his chest, raising an eyebrow. “Why? What
exactly are you afraid of, little brother?”
I grit my teeth. “You know exactly what I’m afraid of.”
“I need her.” He sighed. “You can’t keep me away forever.”
“Just… give me until Halloween, at least. Please. Willow needs her
sister.”
“Very well.” My brother waved his hand, dismissing me. “You have
until then.”
I closed my eyes, letting the shadows take me home.
To Willow.
The only place I wanted to be.
SEVENTEEN
willow
“Damien!” I shouted, tossing my keys on the front table and my tote bag
onto my designated stuff chair. “I’m home!”
Part of me liked being able to say that to someone. Sure, I used to say it
to my sister—and to my cat—but now, knowing that the being in this house
was mine, even if it was just for now, made me giddy.
“I brought home some of the extra scones Luna made today,” I added,
carrying the box into the kitchen. “They’re pumpkin and chocolate chip.” I
was watering just thinking about the contents. As if I hadn’t had two this
morning.
“What are we doing tonight?” His arms wrapped around my shoulders
as he placed a kiss on my temple. “Does this town have any other fun
festivities I should know about?”
“Have you ever gone bobbing for apples before?”
Damien looked horrified. “Willow. What?”
I laughed, unable to keep a straight face. “I’m kidding. Though you
wouldn’t believe what some of the kids here can do. They’re champs.” I
brushed a hair back from my face, grabbing the other bag of supplies I’d
brought home with me. “I thought maybe we could make caramel apples
and then just watch a movie. There’s a new one on tonight.”
Slowly, I was going to convert him to like my silly Halloween romance
movies. I had no idea what he watched before meeting me, but I’d watch
them all year long if people let me. We’d already watched Halloweentown
and Hocus Pocus, two of my favorites, but I had an entire cabinet full of
options.
“Mmm. Sounds good. But I have an idea before that.”
“You do?”
He nodded, taking my hand and guiding me outside to the back patio.
“Is this…” I looked back at him. “Did you do all of this?”
Damien gave me another nod. Not only had he strung a canopy of lights
over the backyard, but he’d laid out a blanket—laid out with a complete
picnic and a glass of wine. The last rays of sunset showed through the trees,
lighting up their orange and yellow leaves. I loved New England in the fall.
Truly, even though I could have moved anywhere, I couldn’t imagine being
anywhere but here.
“It’s probably not as good as the one at the festival, but…” He pulled
the lid off of a dish, exposing a freshly made pumpkin pie.
“Damien…” My eyes watered. “You made me my favorite pie?”
“Of course.” He kissed my forehead as we both settled onto the blanket.
“Anything for my little witch.”
“You gotta stop spoiling me,” I murmured, staring up at his chiseled jaw
as I settled against him. “Or I’m never going to let you go.”
My admission was too close to the truth, and I promptly shut my mouth.
I didn’t want to ruin this moment with that conversation. It could wait.
He gave me a lopsided grin before starting to unveil the rest of the
dishes. It must have taken him all day to do this. Damien placed a glass of
wine in my hands, and I took a sip, enjoying the flavors as they blossomed
on my tongue.
The lighting, the ambiance, it was all simply perfect. He was perfect.
How could he be anything but? He’d come into my life in the most
unexpected of ways, but he fit so perfectly.
Fit with me so perfectly.
I gave a happy sigh, leaning my head against his shoulder. The aroma of
the food wafted towards my nose, and I was suddenly starving. I couldn’t
wait to try everything he’d made for us.
“Oh. And one more thing.” He pressed a button, and a low, soothing
melody started playing. “Now it really is perfect.”
I shook my head in disbelief. He’d really thought of everything, hadn’t
he?
Which led me to the question I’d been asking myself for the last
week…
How was I going to let him go?
“I’m so full,” I bemoaned, talking to the black cat who laid at my feet.
I didn’t know why he still insisted on sleeping in cat form some nights,
but part of me didn’t want to complain, either. As much as I preferred
falling asleep wrapped in his arms, I enjoyed having his little bundle of
weight at my feet.
His little vampire teeth were visible as he laid on his back, all sprawled
out in cat form on my bed. One paw was dangling over the edge. Damien in
cat form was simply adorable.
Moving my hand to scratch his head, he nuzzled against my palm. I
stifled a giggle. “You’re pretty cute like this, you know?”
Damien shifted in a flash, lying on his arm on top of my comforter, his
fangs still poking out over his bottom lip. “And what about now, little
witch?”
Much like that first night where I’d kicked him off the bed, he’d shifted
completely naked. I was wearing my favorite nightgown, which wasn’t
particularly sexy. And with him draped on top of my bed like that…
“Damien!” I flushed red, throwing my arm over my face. “You can’t
just—”
Nuzzling his face into my neck, he ran his sharp canines over the
sensitive skin of my throat. “Can’t what?”
I wondered what it would feel like if he were to bite me. He didn’t need
to drink blood, as far as I was aware. At least, I’d never seen him do it—but
did those sharp teeth serve another purpose? Every time they touched my
skin, they sent sensations straight to my clit. Like I could explode with one
touch.
“Do that.” Not looking, I gestured at his body.
Not that I needed to look at him to know what his body looked like. I’d
memorized every line, traced every one of his abs with my tongue. I’d
gotten more comfortable with him than I had with any human who I’d ever
slept with in the past.
They all paled compared to Damien, anyway. My passionate, caring,
thorough lover, who knew exactly how to use his tongue and fingers.
And don’t get me started on when he used his magic on me.
In a flash, he’d moved, pinning me to the bed, his muscular arms
positioned over me. “What about now?”
“Please,” I moaned, not sure what I was begging for. Him to stop, or
him to keep going?
He kissed at my throat, his talented tongue making me squirm within a
matter of minutes.
More. I needed him brushing his shadows over my nipples and my clit.
I wondered to what extent he could use his powers—how else he might
use those tendrils of darkness on me. Inside of me—
Damien’s nostrils flared, like he could smell my growing arousal. Sense
how wet I was getting, just from his teeth and my lewd thoughts. “What are
you thinking about, little witch?”
“Nothing.” I blushed, shaking my head.
He raised an eyebrow. “Willow.” He pressed his hips into mine, and I let
out a small moan. “Tell me, baby.”
I shook my head as he started working my nightgown up my hips,
exposing my purple underwear covered in ghosts.
He rocked into me, pressing up against that thin fabric, as his lips
connected with the pulse point on my neck. Damien’s fangs dragged over
the sensitive skin—not enough to pierce it, but to send shudders of pleasure
through me. “Tell me,” he murmured, “and I’ll give you what you want.”
“I-I was thinking about how else you could use your shadows.” I knew
my cheeks were as pink as ever. “Besides just… you know.”
He chuckled roughly, nibbling on my ear. “Do you want me to fill you
up, baby? Stuff you so full of me you can barely breathe?”
“Yes,” I choked out. “I want that.”
Who was this girl, and what had she done with Willow? I’d never had
the courage to ask for what I wanted before. Even if I was still embarrassed.
Even if he had to encourage the words.
It was like I’d come to life completely from just his one touch.
And I wanted more, and more, and more.
The question was… would I ever stop wanting him?
EIGHTEEN
damien
I tugged at the collar of my costume for the town’s Halloween party. The
damn thing itched my neck, and I still couldn’t figure out how I’d let
Willow convince me to dress up like this.
The truth was, all it took was one flash of those green eyes, and I’d cave
every time.
So she’d dressed us up—in Victorian-style costumes, as a Vampire and
a Witch.
“You can put those pointy teeth to use,” my witch teased me, her thumb
running over a sharp canine.
“I think you just want to find out what it feels like when I bite you,” I
teased her back.
Her cheeks pinked. “Maybe.”
I purred in response. I wanted to claim her. To see my mark on her
neck.
Everything felt so right. I knew I could no longer keep denying the
truth. How much I loved her. Why we fit together so perfectly. Why
everything with her was more.
But it also terrified me to admit it. To say the words. What if she didn’t
want that? Every time I’d tried to bring up what we were, she’d brushed me
off. Had she only ever been looking for this? Something casual?
My deadline was looming. I’d asked my brother for an extra month. Not
even being the son of the Demon King could deny what was next.
The fates had foretold that the next demon king would marry a great
witch. I was sent here to do just that. To find Zain’s consort—his fated mate
—not a woman to call my own. Perks of being the illegitimate son of the
current Demon King, I supposed. I was forced to serve Zain’s bidding. Like
finding him a wife in this accursed place was anything short of easy. But of
all the demons, I had the easiest time blending in. Being unnoticed.
Passing as human. Four months had passed since my brother had sent
me to the human realm searching for his bride.
Despite my little roadblock—I’d found her, to my worst horror.
Because the witch who was fated to sit by my brother’s side… was none
other than Willow’s sister. Luna.
Time was running out.
The worst part was I knew Willow didn’t belong with me, anyway. She
was too bright and beautiful to go back to my world of darkness. This place
—this town of witches—it was where she belonged. I could feel it. Though
that didn’t stop me from wanting her.
I couldn’t believe that she’d been here for twenty-eight years and I
hadn’t known that she was here. That she existed at all. But… in all my
years of life, I’d hardly come to the human realm. I’d never expected to find
my mate here.
“There’s my handsome demon,” my girl beamed, coming to stand by
my side and sliding her arm around my waist.
“Hi, Wil,” I murmured before dropping a kiss on the top of her head.
“Hi.” Her eyes lit up. She’d curled her hair, letting it fall down around
her in waves, and an old-fashioned witch hat sat on top. My witch looked
perfect, down to the little star earrings and her striped stockings.
I was obsessed. I couldn’t wait to take them off of her later.
“You look beautiful. I love this.” I fiddled with the cape that was tied
around her neck.
She giggled. “It’s not too much?”
I groaned. “That would be impossible. Nothing you do could ever be
too much.”
“Oh.” Her cheeks pinked.
How did I get her to understand I meant every word? I brushed a hair
away from her face before playing with her earring. “You look stunning. It’s
so you. I can’t imagine you being anything less than that.” I dragged a
finger down her throat. “I almost don’t want anyone else to see you like
this.”
She kissed my cheek. “You’re the sweetest demon I’ve ever met.”
“I’m the only demon you’ve ever met,” I grunted.
“That you know of.”
“And we’re going to keep it that way,” I growled, pinning her in my
arms as she laughed.
Kissing her, because if this was all the time we had left, I wanted to
savor every bit of it.
Especially if it was all we’d have left.
NINETEEN
willow
“This is… nothing like what I expected.” Willow’s eyes trailed over the
outside of the palace, catching on all the ornate details. The polished stone
shone, even with the moon high in the sky.
“What did you expect?”
“Hm. Darker. More black and red.” She looked up at the sky. “An
endless darkness. Blood. I don’t know. Stuff like that.”
“Ah.” I couldn’t exactly fault her for that.
I’d grown up here, so the gray palace walls didn’t phase me, but I could
see how they might have differed from what she expected.
The palace itself rivaled any in the human world, that much I knew. It
was lavish—unrivaled in its magnificence.
“What do I call him?”
“Him?”
“Your brother.”
“Ah. Well, Zain would prefer Your Majesty or Your Highness, I’m sure.
But you can just call him his given name. That’s what I do.” I flashed her a
grin. “You’re not his citizen. He can’t touch you.”
“I’ve never met royalty before,” she said, tugging down her dress.
I couldn’t help but laugh when I realized we were still wearing our
Halloween costumes. She really looked like a witch in her garb. Thankfully,
we didn’t stand out very much in them around here. The demon realm
fashions hadn’t changed too much over the last few centuries.
“What?” she asked, tilting her head at my chuckle.
“You realize I’m a prince as well, right?”
“Oh.” Willow flushed. “Well…” She looked at me out of the corner of
her eye. “You’re different.”
“Why?” I paused, tugging on her arm to bring her face to face with me.
“What if I wanted you to call me Your Majesty?”
“Damien,” she groaned, her cheeks growing even pinker. “That’s not
who you are to me. You’re just…”
“Just what?”
My Damien.
I kissed her cheek before I guided her in through the palace doors,
nodding to the guards standing at attention. I like that even better, little
witch.
I thought you might, came her response.
The throne room’s just ahead. I could feel her trembling, so I tightened
my grip on her hand to reassure her. I’ve got you.
She tried to force her face into a smile, but even that couldn’t mask the
worry I felt pulsing through her body. I know.
Zain sat on his throne. Cool, calm—too calm.
“Ah, Damien. How nice to see you! I see you brought your witch.”
I bared my teeth. “Where is she?”
“Who?” He cocked his head.
“My sister,” Willow said, narrowing her eyes.
“Ah.” Zain gave a lazy smile. “She’s right here. Come on out,
moonbeam.” Luna walked out next to my brother, dressed in a white
gossamer gown—looking pale, but not in anguish like I might have
expected.
Willow choked out a sob. “Oh, thank god.”
My brother whispered something into Luna’s ear, and then she was
down the stairs—colliding into Willow’s arms for a hug.
“Are you okay?” Willow tightened her arms around her sister, like if she
held tight enough, she could pretend this never happened. But it had. And it
was my fault. I could have prevented all of it.
“Brother.” I turned to him, face stone cold as I stepped up in front of
him. “We had an agreement.”
He rolled his eyes, somehow managing to look both annoyed and
amused. “We had no such thing.”
“I said—”
Zain shook his head. “Damien. I don’t want to fight. I…” His eyes slid
over to Luna, and for the first time, there seemed to be a sparkle there.
“She’s her sister, Zain.” I spat the words.
A sliver of remorse showed on his face, only for a moment. “And
you’re…” He looked between my witch and I.
“Yes. Willow’s my mate.” I chuckled. “Funny that you sent me to find
your Queen, and it led to me finding mine as well.”
He raised his eyebrows and said, “You’re not planning on returning, are
you?”
My muscles tensed. I wanted to stay with Willow, but I still had a vow
to my brother. And yet…
“No. I want to stay with her.”
“You love her.”
I nodded. “Yes.” With everything I was. Even if I hadn’t told her that
yet. I hadn’t earned hearing the words from her lips. Not yet.
“Will you be staying, brother? I’d love to get to know your mate.”
“I don’t—”
We cut our conversation short as Willow came back to my side, sliding
her arm around my waist. I wanted to bury my head in her hair, inhaling her
scent. She looked up at me, and then back to her sister.
Should we go? I asked her.
Not without Luna, she replied, her voice sweet in my mind.
Of course. I nodded at my mate.
“Let’s go home, Luna,” Willow said, offering a hand to her sister.
But Luna shook her head, looking over at my brother. “I…” She walked
back to Zain’s side, standing next to him in front of the throne.
Let my brother take her hand in his.
“I know it’s crazy, Wil,” Luna told her sister. “But… I feel like I have to
do this. To see where it goes.”
“Are you sure?”
Luna nodded, the action loosening her blonde curls, bringing them
down over the silky white dress. All she needed was a tiara, and she would
look like a princess. “I want to do this. We made a deal.”
Willow’s gasp echoed through the hall. What had they bargained for?
I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.
“We’re having a ball tonight,” my brother announced. “You two are
welcome to attend if you want to stay. I’ll be announcing my betrothal to
my fiancee.”
That was when I noticed the gemstone that sat on Luna’s ring finger.
Willow’s eyes darted to her sister.
She’s really going to do it, Willow thought bitterly. She said yes.
It’s her choice, little witch.
I know, it’s just—
“Well?”
Willow’s face smoothed out into a pleasant smile. Anything to hide the
thoughts I felt warring in her mind. “We’d love to attend your ball, Prince
Zain.”
His face flattened out into a smooth smile. “Brother?”
“My witch’s will is my command,” I promised. I’d stay by her side, no
matter what. Wherever she wanted to be; wherever she wanted to go—I’d
be there. "I live to fulfill her every wish.”
Zain’s face curled up into a knowing smirk. Whipped already, brother?
His face seemed to say.
If only he knew the half of it. How far gone I was for her. How much I
loved her.
“We’ll see you tonight then,” he said.
What had we just gotten ourselves into? And what the hell had I been
thinking, bringing her here? I hadn’t.
It was just that she’d been so concerned about Luna, and I wanted to
make sure she was okay. That Luna wasn’t being kept against her will.
And now, I’d roped us into a party where hundreds, if not thousands, of
demons would be present.
Instead of being safe and comfortable in Willow’s house, enjoying the
rest of her favorite holiday.
“Let’s go to my rooms, little witch,” I murmured into her ear.
At least we’d be safe there.
TWENTY-ONE
willow
T here was a first time for everything, and mine was attending a
freaking ball in Hell. Okay, the demon realm might not have exactly
been what I imagined, but I’d never pictured this.
Especially not the plush giant bed with the softest pillows I’d ever laid
my head on.
“I’m never leaving this bed ever again,” I groaned, laying out like a
starfish and closing my eyes as I sunk into the mattress. It still smelled
faintly of my demon, even if he’d been occupying my bed for the last few
weeks instead of his own. I inhaled that spicy smell, loving the way it
invaded my senses.
When I opened them, it was to a pair of red eyes looking down into
mine. Damien had perched himself over top of me, his lips curled up into a
smirk. “I’d be okay with that,” he purred.
“Hm?”
“You never leaving my bed.” He leaned down, pressing a kiss to my
forehead.
I stretched my arms out, moving my hands in a grabby motion. “Come
here.”
He climbed on top of me, pinning me in place with his powerful arms.
“Are you still mad at me?”
“A little.” I sighed, running my hands over the slight stubble on his jaw.
I wondered what it would be like if he let it grow out. He’d kept his face
and neck shaved so far, but… what about the future? “Mostly that you
didn’t tell me.”
“I should have. But I didn’t know how to tell you without telling you
that you were my mate, and that was why I couldn’t let you go. Couldn’t
leave you.”
I leaned up to press a soft kiss against his lips. “I understand.”
“You do?”
Nodding, I closed my eyes for a moment. “I was scared, too. That if I
tell you how I felt, you’d still leave.”
“Never.” He kissed my cheek. “You know that now, right?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
The heat was pooling in my veins from the way he held his body over
top of me, a desire for him to pin me down, to feel that delicious weight
over mine.
“Damien,” I mumbled. “What are you doing?”
“Earning my forgiveness.” Kissing my neck, he worked his way up till
he found my lips. “While I’d love to take my time with you—” he paused to
kiss the side of my lips, “I’d need all night—” another kiss to the other side.
“And we have to get ready for the party.”
“Mmm.” I pouted as he interlocked our lips once more before pulling
away. “Not fair.”
Damien gave me a little smirk before getting off the bed, pulling me up
into a sitting position. “Tonight,” he promised. And I knew in my heart that
I’d already forgiven him. Luna was safe. He’d brought me here to give me
that peace of mine. And I loved him. So much.
I heaved a sigh. “Fine.”
“Besides, don’t you want to see your dress?”
Perking up, I repeated, “My dress?”
He nodded. “Mhm.”
Quirking an eyebrow, I clambered off the bed. “When did you have time
to get me a dress?”
Damien’s lips curled into a small smile as he took my hand. “I have my
ways.”
He tugged me into the giant dressing rooms that adjoined his room, and
the sound of the door closing behind us echoed off the walls.
My jaw dropped as I saw what was hanging on the rack.
They’d detailed the dress with hundreds of tiny diamonds, which made
it sparkle like the stars in the night sky. The midnight blue color blended
into a deep purple as it rippled to the floor. Even more crystals detailed the
sweetheart neckline of the silky gown.
“Oh. Damien.” I gasped. “It’s beautiful.” Spinning around, I threw my
arms around his neck, bringing my lips to his. “Thank you. I love it.”
Giggling, I kissed him again.
I love you. The words were on the tip of my tongue. But I swallowed
them down. Even if he said he wouldn’t leave, that he’d stay with me…
Admitting how I felt still scared me.
What if it was still too soon? I swallowed it down, refocusing on my
demon’s handsome face. I traced his jaw with my hand.
He nuzzled his nose against mine. “Do you want to take a bath before
we get ready?”
My eyes lit up. “Together?”
Damien laughed. “Little witch. You’re going to kill me.” He kissed the
side of my cheek. Whispered in my ear. “If we get in there together, we’re
not getting out. Not until you’re covered in my scent and look freshly
fucked, so everyone knows exactly whose you are.”
“Yours,” I said, burying my face in his throat. Inhaling his smell like he
always did mine. “I’m yours.”
He kissed me one more time, his tongue slipping into my mouth as I let
out a contented sigh. I didn’t want to let go, but Damien set me down,
guiding me into the lavish bathroom.
After two lesser demons who appeared from nowhere had cleaned and
pampered me, my hair was curled and they tied me into my gown.
The soft silky fabric was smooth against my fingers, slipping through
like liquid metal.
“Wow.” Damien’s voice brought me out of my trance. When I looked
up, I was struck by the sight of him in a stunning tuxedo. “Just… Wow.”
I blushed.
“You look incredible, Willow.” His voice choked up, speechless.
“You look pretty great yourself, demon.” I tugged on his lapel.
He pulled away before I could kiss him, his thumb rubbing over the
sparkles they’d brushed onto my cheeks. Like he knew what I wanted.
“Shall we?” He offered me an arm, and I slid mine into his.
“Yes.”
And my mate took me to the first ball of my life.
I glanced back and forth, trying to get a glimpse of my sister.
“Relax,” Damien murmured into my ear, running his hand down my
spine. “I’m sure she’s okay.”
“I know, but…”
We didn’t get to talk properly earlier. Away from prying eyes and ears.
I was sure I could trust Damien, but his brother?
There were waiters making their way through the crowded ballroom,
dressed in simple black suits, distracting from their innate demon-ness.
Some of them had horns, or solid black eyes that felt like they could stare
right through you. There were even beings with dark black feathered wings
and some with barbed tails.
“They’ll want to make a grand entrance, most likely,” he said as he
handed me a glass of a shimmering gold liquid.
“What is this?” I asked, swirling it around.
“Demon wine.”
I blinked at him. What?
“Just try it,” he encouraged, picking up a flute of his own. “You’ll like
it. It’s sweet.”
I took a sip, and—woah. I’d never tasted anything like it. All the regular
wine paled in comparison to the smooth liquid sliding down my throat.
“Oh.”
“Don’t drink too much of it. Gives you a bitch of a hangover.” He
chuckled.
I giggled, taking another drink. “It’s good.” My head was already
feeling light after just a few sips of the drink. It would be too easy to get
drunk off of it.
Another waiter passed by us, this time with a tray of food, multiple pairs
of horns curling away from his forehead. A thought popped into my head.
I looked up at Damien. “What do you really look like?”
“What do you mean?” He raised a dark eyebrow.
I squinted my eyes. “Isn’t this form of yours some sort of glamor? To
look like a human?” If so, he’d accomplished it. The only feature on him
that wasn’t human-like were those piercing red eyes.
“What are you expecting?” He scoffed. “Cat ears? A tail?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. You don’t have horns?” I poked at his
forehead, where his dark black hair rested.
He laughed. “No. My dad does, but my mom was a regular shifter. I got
her features.” Damien wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling our bodies
against each other’s. “Why? Do you like the horns, baby?”
I shook my head, sliding a hand against the side of his face. “I like you
just the way you are.”
But I’m not saying no to the cat ears, either.
He laughed, brushing his lips over my pulse point, the tip of his tooth
brushing over my skin. “You’re cute.”
Taking another sip of my wine, I couldn’t help my smile.
“Look!” I exclaimed suddenly, catching a blur of white in the corner of
my eye. “They’re here.”
The ballroom practically came to a standstill as Zain came to the top of
the stairs, my sister standing at his side. The demon holding my sister’s
hand was not what I expected when I thought of Damien’s brother.
Damien and him looked almost identical with their jet black hair, sharp
nose, and chiseled jawline, but there was a distinct difference in his
presence.
Zain was less rugged, and more… Princely. His whole demeanor
screamed royalty. He was handsome, perfectly polished, and just as tall as
my demon, but in the place of Damien’s blood-red eyes sat two golden
ones. They were almost piercing, and though I’d always thought of gold as
a warm color, his gaze felt cold.
Until it fell upon my sister, and I saw some of that cold facade melting
away.
Huh.
“Now presenting, the Crown Prince and his fiancée, our Princess-to-be.
Prince Zain and Lady Luna!” The room erupted into cheers as the demon
finished his proclamation, stepping back into the shadows.
Luna, at his side, was wearing a ballgown that looked like hundreds of
tiny stars interwoven together, and every time she caught the light, she
sparkled. It was gorgeous—she was impossible to take your eyes off of.
When you combined it with the tiara of crystals sitting on her head, she
looked every bit the title she was about to undertake.
Princess of the Demons. I shook my head. I still had no idea what she
was thinking.
They glided down the stairs, heading towards the front of the ballroom
together.
Finishing my flute of wine, I turned to Damien, ready to go talk to
Luna, but a voice interrupted me.
“Who’s this pretty little thing you have with you, Damien?”
My demon stiffened, his arm coming around my front. Guarding me
against whatever danger he thought this male posed.
Could other demons sense a mating bond? Ours was still so new—
precious, precariously settled between us. And how had I not realized it
sooner? Now that I knew, it was so obvious.
With my magic, I could see the gold threads that intertwined between
us. There was no doubt in my mind that they’d grow stronger—thicker—
with time.
The demon gave him an evil grin, one that instantly made my stomach
drop. “Did you bring us a new plaything, Prince?” He said the last word
with a sneer. Unlike Damien, who appeared mostly human, this demon
wore his true form—horns curving up his forehead, and a sickly gray pallor
to his skin.
My jaw dropped. Even though Damien had told me about how he did
Zain’s bidding, I couldn’t believe people talked about him like this.
“How dare you—” I started, but my demon tugged me tighter against
him. This demon should have been terrifying, and yet—I felt perfectly safe.
Because I knew he would protect me.
Damien growled, practically guarding me with his body. “She’s mine.”
His lips curled up over his teeth, and I could see the exposed fangs there.
“No one else will ever touch her except me.” You could hear the snarl in his
voice. “And if anyone tries, they’ll find out exactly how it feels to really be
in Hell.” His red eyes were smoldering, like fire inside his irises as he
turned back to me.
The other demon backed away slightly, holding up his hands in
surrender.
I frowned, tugging at his jacket to bring his face into view. “Why do
they talk to you like that? You’re a prince too.”
He sighed. “I’m the bastard son of the King. They’ve never let me
forget it.”
“Oh.” I ran my fingers through his hair. “Do you really think they’d try
to hurt me?”
He shook his head. “I would never risk finding out.” I felt weightless as
he scooped me up into his arms and carried me away.
“Damien,” I murmured, rubbing my hand over his jaw. “You don’t have
to do this.”
“What?” He spoke through clenched teeth.
“Try to protect me.” I leaned in, nibbling on his ear. “I’m a big girl. I
can protect myself.” I wiggled my fingers. “Witch, remember?” A few
sparks emitted from my fingertips.
“You’re so little,” he muttered. “Fragile. I don’t… I can’t… My
instincts are going crazy right now.” He sighed in frustration, setting me
down in a dark corner before rubbing his face against my throat.
“What are you doing?” I laughed.
“Trying to make you smell like me.”
I raised an eyebrow. “What?”
“If you smell like me, the other demons will leave you alone. Know that
you’re mine.”
“And…” I swallowed. “That’s the best way to do it?”
His eyes connected with mine, and he gave a slow shake of his head as
his fangs popped out of his lips. “No.”
Heat flared in his eyes, his voice like gravel, rasping out. “There’s
another way. But I don’t want to hurt you, Wil.” His thumb brushed over
my cheek.
“You can’t.” I shook my head. “You won’t.” I believed in him fully. I
knew that no matter what happened, he would protect me.
“You don’t understand. If I claim you, I could lose control. My demon
senses would take over.”
He cupped my face, and I closed my eyes, leaning into his warm palm.
“It’s okay, Damien. I trust you. I… want you to claim me.” My cheeks
flushed with warmth. “Please.” My voice was a whisper in the night.
Shadows had fallen all around us, like a comfortable blanket, but I
didn’t mind. I knew they were his doing. That they were keeping us
wrapped up in each other, even in the middle of the busy ballroom.
“Willow, I…” His lips crashed against mine. “Fuck.”
I was lost in the moment as he kissed me, his breath mingling with
mine. The kiss was rough, but I couldn't get enough as he claimed my
mouth again and again.
His fangs brushed against my bottom lip, and I moaned from the
sensation, even as his tongue explored every inch of my mouth.
My body was on fire, alight from every little touch. I whimpered softly
as the sensation washed over me.
It was too much. It wasn’t enough.
“Gonna take you here, so they all know that you’re mine.” His lips
connected with my neck, kissing a line down to my chest. “Claim my pretty
mate in public, hm?”
I whimpered. “Damien…”
I knew the dark surrounded us, but even the idea that someone could see
us—even in a place like this, full of demons—shouldn’t have turned me on
more, but somehow, it did. When his fingers trailed over my slit, I knew
exactly what he’d find. I was soaking wet. Thank the Goddess there was a
slit in my ballgown, giving him access.
“My little witch. So good for me,” he murmured against my neck as he
pushed my lace panties aside. “So wet.”
I moaned, baring my neck to him further.
He sank his teeth into me, those fangs piercing the skin of my throat. I’d
expected pain, but pure pleasure exploded across the bite, and I moaned
deeply from the sensation.
“Fuck, Willow,” he groaned. “You taste so good.” He didn’t drink from
me, but the claiming bite tingled, ripples of ecstasy flowing through my
body.
“Damien. Please.” I mewled, needing more. “I need—”
He dipped his fingers inside of me, working me higher while his tongue
gently brushed against my bite. With each stroke of his tongue over the
teeth marks, my body trembled with pleasure.
“I’ve got you, baby,” he soothed. “My mate. My beautiful mate.”
The moment his thumb connected with my clit, I slumped against him,
my knees going weak.
“You need to come, hm?”
“Y-yes.” I buried my face in his neck, inhaling his spicy scent.
“What do you want?” He asked, crooking his fingers inside of me. “My
fingers or my cock?”
Inside me, I begged, hardly coherent enough to know if I’d said the
words out loud or not. I didn’t care that we were up against a wall, with the
only thing keeping anyone from seeing us being Damien’s shadows.
I longed for him, knowing that only his presence could ease the burning
sensation inside of me. Damien’s playful fingers kept teasing me while my
dress remained bunched up around my waist, and I clung to him.
“You’re going to have to be quiet, little witch.” He rumbled against my
ear, his breath tickling my skin. “My shadows will keep anyone from seeing
us, but I can’t say the same thing about them hearing us.”
Were we about to fuck in the middle of the crowded ballroom? Yes.
I nodded in agreement as Damien unzipped his pants, pulling himself
out, revealing his hardening length to me. If we were somewhere else, I
would have dropped to my knees right there and begged to taste him.
But this fire in me, this burning, maddening emptiness, wasn’t going
away without help. Only his touch could soothe it. Was that the mating
bond? Did demons feel this too?
Fisting his cock, he roughly tugged on it a few times before bringing his
tip to my entrance, running it through my wetness.
Teasing me, over and over, without letting the tip slip inside.
Please.
Are you gonna be quiet, baby?
Yes. I nodded into his jacket. Now fuck me.
I didn’t care about anything else as he finally pushed inside of me,
burying himself to the hilt. Neither of us said a word as he braced us against
a wall, giving it to me with everything he had. Damien wrapped his free
hand—the one not currently holding me in place against him—over my
mouth, keeping me from making a sound.
We both lost ourselves in the sensation as he drove us higher and higher.
His shadows joined in, a cool press against my skin, and I was gone.
Exploding, just like that.
He wasn’t far behind me, and I squeezed my insides around him, feeling
him growing even harder inside.
“Willow,” he groaned as he came, spilling rope after rope of cum inside
of me.
Every warring emotion inside me calmed as the warmth spread through
my insides, leaving me feeling peaceful and content. It was like a balm to
my soul, and I felt the beast within me finally relax and let go. Damien
placed a kiss on my lips before pulling out, re-situating my underwear in
place before letting my dress fall back down to the ground.
“Damien,” I whispered as I took a step, fully aware of the way the
shadows were dissipating from around us.
“What, baby?”
Grabbing my hand, he interlaced our fingers, giving me a guilty smile.
“Your cum is dripping out of me.”
He flashed me a devilish smile as his shadows danced up my thighs
before pushing it back inside of me. “I know.” Leaning into my ear, he said
to me, “At least you smell like me now.”
I hummed in response, still not having enough words for what we’d just
done.
And how much I’d liked it.
Loved it, even.
Like I loved him.
TWENTY-TWO
willow
Stretching my arms, I sat up, clutching the sheet around my naked body.
Damien was sprawled out at my side, one arm possessively over my
stomach.
I’d passed out in his arms the night before as he carried me. He roused
me from my half-sleep to help me out of my dress before we took a brief
shower together. The day had left me feeling completely depleted.
I watched him sleep, curling my fingers through his dark hair.
“I’m so glad I adopted you,” I murmured. “Thanks for being my not-cat,
Demon.”
He stirred at my touch, grabbing my hand and kissing my knuckles as
he woke.
“Good morning, Willow,” he said, voice groggy from sleep. But he
didn’t give me my arm back—no, he placed gentle kisses all the way up my
arm before pausing at the mark he’d left yesterday on my neck.
“I like my mark on you.” The sound of his voice was like a deep,
rumbling growl. “Fuck. What it does to me…” He kissed the mark before
tracing his tongue over it.
“Damien.” I ran my fingers through his hair once more. “I need to tell
you something—”
“I still owe you a favor, you know.”
I kissed him to shut him up. “You are my favor, demon.”
He laughed against my mouth.
I sat up, not caring about bringing the sheet with me. “I mean it. You…
I never could have imagined this. You. Us. And I l—”
He shook his head. “Don’t say it. Not yet.” The fangs popped out from
his upper lip. I want to say it first.
I shook my head, even though I loved his possessiveness. “Why did you
stay?” I let the words slip out. I’d asked him something similar before, but
this time, it was different. “Besides me being your mate.”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
“Maybe I need to hear it. The words.”
“Willow.” Damien’s forehead rested against mine. “I stayed for you,
little witch. Because I couldn’t bear to be apart from you. Because you’re
mine.” The corner of his lip tilted up, exposing a canine tooth. “I’ve never
had somebody of my own. Somebody to…” His voice choked up. “Love.”
“You…?” My eyes filled with tears. Maybe I’d thought it was too soon
to say the words myself. Even then, I’d been seconds away admitting the
same thing to him. How could I not, after letting him claim me yesterday?
My fingers fluttered up to the bite, tracing the puncture wounds.
“I love you.” He took my hands in his, intertwining our fingers together.
I marveled at how perfectly we fit, just like always. “I think I’ve loved you
since I first laid eyes on you, Willow.”
“But you…” My eyes widened. You were a cat.
Damien sucked in a breath. Nodded. I didn’t need to say the words,
because he knew what I was thinking. Our bond gave us that, always.
“Even then, I think I knew what you were to me. But it wasn’t until you
helped me get back into this form that I knew. But it’s more than that.”
I blinked. “It is?”
“You’re mine, but that’s not why I fell in love with you, little witch.” He
brushed his fingers over my chin. “I fell in love with you because you’re
clever, and kind, and you never give up on people.” Damien gave me a
small smile. “Especially not on me. And I’ve never had anything that was
mine before. Really, truly mine. Never had somewhere that felt like home
before you. But fuck, Willow. I’d give up anything for you. Do anything for
you. Burn down hell just for a chance—just for a moment with you.”
“I love you too,” I said, unable to contain all of the emotions flowing
through me. “I have for a while. I wanted to tell you, but I was just…
scared.”
“Of what?” Tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, gently, he looked
more vulnerable than I’d ever seen him before. More open, too. “I’d never
leave you.”
“I know that now.” I sighed, burying my head against his pecs. “But
before… I thought you’d have to go back here. That you wouldn’t be able
to stay.”
“You were something I never expected, never hoped for, but… I’d never
trade you for the world, Willow. My mate,” he murmured. “My beautiful
mate.”
“Damien…” My eyes filled with tears. “I love you. So much.” I
wrapped my arms around him, letting our lips connect.
Kissing the man I loved.
Kissing the man who loved me.
“Do you want to go home?” He tilted his head up to look at me, pausing
all of the little touches I loved. I wanted them—craved him, but there were
more important things right now.
“You don’t want to… stay?” I asked, surprised. We had each other, but I
hadn’t known what our plans were. If he’d have to stay here, because of his
brother. “This is your home.” I would have hated every minute of it, even if
he’d asked me to stay with him. But I would have understood. Even more
so after Luna had decided to marry his brother.
He shook his head. “This isn’t my home.”
“What?” I laughed. “Isn’t it?” I gestured to the room around us. These
giant suites we’d occupied for only a night.
He cocked his head to the side. “That’s not what I meant.”
“Oh.”
“I do though. Have my own house, away from the palace.” He laid his
head on my lap. “I’ll take you there sometime.”
I traced a finger over his jaw. “I’d love that.”
“You’re my home, Willow,” he said, taking my hands in his. “I told you
that. And wherever you want to be… I want to be there, too.”
“Okay.” I liked the sound of that.
“Home?” He asked again, his voice quiet.
“Home,” I agreed.
After we’d finally extracted ourselves from the bed, washing up in the giant
bathtub once again, we’d put on fresh clothes. I didn’t ask where he’d
gotten my clothes from. How his magic worked, exactly.
“I’m sorry,” he offered as we walked back outside of the palace. Despite
my initial reservations of the place, I was surprised how beautiful it was.
Damien and I had talked about Luna earlier while we were getting
ready. My conversation with her.
“It’s hard to rescue someone who doesn’t want to be rescued.” But if
she wanted to be here—if she would be happy—then I’d let her go.
“No.” He took my hand. “I mean, for not telling you. I should have told
you that Luna was destined. That my brother would come for her. I’d spent
weeks trying to figure out how to get around it. But…”
“I know.” I cupped his cheek with my palm. “But as long as she wants
to be there, then… It's her choice. She’s an adult. If she wants to be with
her…” My voice choked on the words. “Fated mate, then who am I to say
anything? After all, I found you.”
“Willow…”
My body tensed. “He won’t hurt her, right?”
“No. Fuck. No, never.” He took my hands in his. “He might be the heir
to the demon throne, but he’d… He’d never harm your sister. Or force her
to do anything she didn’t want to do.”
“Okay.” I paused, looking back at the glittering tops of the palace. “We
can come back, right?”
“Any time you want.”
Still holding hands, I watched as Damien opened a portal back to my
world with his magic. He used the darkness to walk between realms, and it
was mesmerizing, almost. How beautiful it was. His magic might have
frightened people—but not me. Never me.
“Home,” he murmured, the sound low under his breath.
I love you. I almost missed it, but I knew in my heart that he said it.
Could feel the way he felt it, too.
The shadows wrapped around us, taking us back.
Taking us home.
I love you too, I sent back through our tether.
I felt defeated, like I’d lost something today. It hurt to think about Luna not
being here whenever I needed her. She was my little sister, my twin flame—
but more than that, she was my best friend. The one who knew me better
than anyone else. The sister I’d do anything for.
But looking up at Damien as we stood in front of the old Victorian
manor I called home, I realized I hadn’t lost everything at all.
Because he was still here.
And we were home.
And… he loved me. I loved him.
I stared at the pumpkins sitting on the front porch. They’d lasted
through the end of Halloween, the tree he’d carved for me and the cat I’d
carved for him.
I didn’t know what would happen next, what was coming for us in the
future, but at least we’d be together.
Where we belonged.
TWENTY-THREE
damien
T wo years later…
A little tiny hand tugged at a black tail. Because, for whatever
reason, my husband thought it was absolutely adorable to continue
shifting into his cat form even when we had things to do.
“Damien.” I narrowed my eyes at him.
Meow. He wiggled his butt, tail swishing back and forth as he prevented
the chubby little fingers from grabbing it.
“Opal.” I sighed, scooping our nine-month-old daughter into my arms.
“We don’t play with Daddy.”
I heard a chuckling sound and the padding of feet coming from our
room.
“What—” I looked at Damien, and then at the black cat at our
daughter’s feet. “If you’re not… Then…”
Opal giggled as the cat brushed against her legs, her dark curls bouncing
from the motion. She’d gotten his hair, long and thick and black as night.
But she had my bright green eyes, and of course—my fondness for cats.
I’d never gotten around to getting another familiar after Damien turned
out to not be a cat, but I didn’t mind. The two-for-one special I’d gotten
with my feline companion also being my mate, had worked out pretty well.
And when our little bundle of joy had come, I’d knew our family was
perfect.
The spring after we’d met, I’d spent a week unable to keep anything
down, and when Luna had come for a visit, she’d taken one look at me and
she knew. Even before I did. A fact that never ceased to irritate me.
Leveling a glare at my husband, I crossed my arms over my chest. I
might have loved him, but I was also peeved at him. “Why, exactly, is there
a strange cat in my house?”
He leaned down, kissing me on the lips gently. “Hello to you too, Wil.”
I ran my fingers over the wedding band on his left hand. We’d gotten
married a year ago, in a small ceremony held in the town’s gazebo. I’d been
six months pregnant at the time, but we hadn’t wanted to wait.
After Opal had been born, we’d had a second ceremony—this time in
the demon realm, but with a lot more fanfare.
All I’d cared about was the man at the end of the aisle and the tiny baby
who’d slept in her aunt’s arms. The rest of it didn’t matter.
“Are we just… ignoring that?” I waved at the strange cat.
“Oh, Zain just wanted to drop in and say hello,” he said, grinning. “He
brought Opal a friend.”
“Zain’s here?” My eyes lit up. “Did he bring Luna with him?”
Damien brushed his nose against mine. “Of course he did.”
But before I could let myself relax into the gesture, I raised an eyebrow,
looking back at the cat.
“Relax.” He placed a kiss on my forehead. “She’s just a cat, I promise.”
Better be, I sent the thought through our bond. Or you’re on the couch
tonight. I didn’t need any more demons masquerading as cats in our lives.
Damien was enough. He was more than enough. He was everything.
He smirked, holding out a hand. “Shall we?”
“What do you think, Opal? Want to go visit Auntie Luna?”
My baby girl gave me a big, toothy grin, and I happily scooped her up
into my arms, placing kisses all over her soft skin.
I didn’t get to see my sister as much these days—mostly on account of
her marriage to the literal Demon King. Another advancement of the last
two years, after the death of Damien’s father.
We’d both stepped back from the bakery, hiring on a new head baker
and a manager.
I hadn’t realized that while I was wondering what my path was in life,
so was Luna. But she seemed happy, and I couldn’t judge. Not when I’d
fallen in love with a demon myself.
I hadn’t quite decided what was next in life. I’d planned on getting
another job after stepping back from the bakery, but then I’d gotten
pregnant with Opal. And I decided I liked the role of Mom better than
anything else I could have ever dreamed of.
I still dabbled in potions, and these days, I had a whole slew of witches
requesting different cures for their ailments. It felt like they had a newfound
awe for me after they’d found out about me breaking my demon’s curse.
He’d settled into his role as a resident of Pleasant Grove, but more
importantly, into being a father. Even though he sometimes still
shapeshifted into cat form and let our toddler play with him.
Damien still rolled his eyes when I called it Hell—but after visiting
quite a few times, I had to admit it had its own charms.
Like the giant bathtub that took up almost an entire room, or the king
sized bed that was so decadent I never wanted to get out of it. Damien’s
suites were lavish and lush and the perfect escape from life.
And then there was his house—the one that barely deserved to be called
that. It was basically a mansion, built onto a large piece of property outside
of the demon capital.
When you live a long time, you have a lot of money saved up. He’d
shrugged. I figured it would be an excellent investment.
And one day, it would be our home. After we’d raised Opal with the
witches, let her choose her path—then we’d retire to the demon realm for
the rest of our eternity.
I liked the sound of it more and more every day.
Forever with the man—the demon—that I loved.
And the baby girl who’d brought so much joy into my life.
With the sister I’d given up everything for, who’d found her own path.
My family was complete. Mine. Perfect.
My demon smiled up at me, taking Opal from my arms. “Come to
daddy, baby girl.” He brushed a hand over her little black curls.
Part of me—part of him. She’d gotten my eyes. And a tiny splattering of
freckles on her cheeks. The rest, though, was all Damien. His complexion,
the onyx hue of her hair.
We could always make another one, you know, he said, watching me
watch them. It might be fun.
She’s not even a year old yet. What’s the rush?
He gave me a little smirk. What? I like seeing you pregnant.
“Mommy and Daddy need to give you a little sister, huh, Opal?” He
grinned, bouncing our little girl up in the air.
“How are you so sure it won’t be a boy?” I crossed my arms over my
chest.
He laughed. “I just have this feeling.”
I rubbed over my wedding ring—the ring that used to be his mother’s—
thinking about our family. Not yet, but… I liked the idea of adding another
member to our family soon.
After Halloween was over, maybe we could start thinking about it. But I
wanted to enjoy my baby girl’s first Halloween. I’d already bought the
cutest costume, and we were all going to match.
Besides, what were the odds he’d knock me up on the first try, anyway?
I adjusted her little jumper.
“Shall we?” He asked.
But I know he didn’t just mean going to see Luna and Zain.
“Yes,” I agreed.
To the future. To our life. To our family.
To every blissfully perfect moment that would come, and every single
one in between.
I’d never expected to find my perfect man, let alone a demon. Never
imagined that the cat I’d adopted would have been the male the fates picked
for me. My mate.
And yet, here I was. Living my perfect life. It was everything I’d ever
wanted, and everything I’d never known how to wish for.
“I love you,” I murmured, pressing a soft kiss to his lips, before leaning
in to kiss our daughter’s cheek.
“I love you, too, little witch,” he agreed, returning one back. “Both of
you.”
The End.
coming next halloween…
Wickedly Yours
Fall 2024
Luna & Zain’s Story
Tropes: Fated Mates, Marriage of Convenience, Witch x Demon, Royalty
G houl’s Night
I’d never believed in the tall, dark, and handsome stranger
stereotype before. And yet, the man standing at the edge of the bar
was equally all three.
There was a part of me that wanted to do a one-eighty and run. That saw
the beautiful man and thought, turn around, Luna. Look the other way and
don’t go over there.
But I’d never been good at listening to my intuition. No matter how
good it was.
I’d always been the kind of girl who kept looking forward. What was
next? That was the question I’d been asking myself for the last year.
I loved my life in Pleasant Grove, the bakery I ran with my sister and
having all of my coven at my side.
But something was missing.
My older sister, Willow, was on the dance floor, dancing with her new
man, Damien. She was trying to play it off that there was nothing between
them, but the way they looked at each other… it was obvious what was
growing between them.
I was happy for her. If anyone deserved love and a happy ending, it was
Willow. After our parents had died in an accident, she’d graduated college
and come back to town, forsaking her own dream to help me start mine.
The Witches' Brew wouldn’t have existed without both of us. Willow
had always been skilled at brewing potions, and she translated that to
brewing the best coffee drinks in our entire town. I wasn’t biased, either.
Everyone came in the mornings to get a drink from her.
Her recipes were magical. I’d loved our time being in business together,
even if it was coming to a close. I could feel it.
Willow liked to say that I was a seer, but I’d never
The man sipped from a glass of whiskey and I slid off my stool, my feet
hitting the floor before I’d even made my decision yet.
That was the funny thing about fate. It hit you when you were least
expecting it.
Maybe I’d never see him again. But maybe…
“Hi,” I said, adjusting my lavender colored dress. The skirt was sewn to
look like a spiderweb, with each seam coming to a point.
What was the point of coming to a themed night at The Enchanted
Cauldron and not dressing to theme?
Ghoul’s Night was the quintessential spooky night at the bar, but I’d
never been a witch who loved the color black or jewel tones. Pastels were
more my speed.
The dark-haired man raised his eyebrow as he looked at me, like he was
appraising me. Just one look, and a shiver ran through me.
“Hello.” His voice was deep—a baritone I didn’t hear often on the men
in this town.
It was hot. Sexy, even. I bit my lip as I slid onto the stool next to him,
setting my drink down on the counter.
“Come here often?” I asked, taking a sip of my Poison Apple Martini.
He chuckled, the deep sound reverberating through me. “No. This is a
first.”
“Ah.” I wasn’t even trying to hide the fact that I was staring at him.
“Are you just passing through?”
Pleasant Grove was a well-warded community. Since normal humans
had no clue that magic or witches even existed, most patrons here were
magical themselves.
“You could say that.”
“What else could you say?”
“That I’m looking for something.”
“And did you find it?”
He looked directly at me, those dark eyes—almost black, practically
peering into my soul. “I think I did.”
“Oh.” I took another drink, bobbing my head. “That’s good.”
The handsome stranger set his empty drink glass down on the bar. “Yes.
Yes, it is.” He flashed me a dazzling smile, offering his hand to me. “Hi.
I’m Zain.”
“Luna,” I answered, putting my hand in his to shake it.
“It’s nice to meet you, Luna,” Zain murmured, kissing my knuckles.
The alcohol must have been affecting my system more than I thought,
because I giggled. I actually giggled.
Was I drunk? I peered at my empty glass.
Looking back up at the Zain—my handsome stranger—I found myself
getting lost in his eyes.
“Do you want to get out of here?” I murmured, placing the glass back
down on the bar.
I’d never been so bold before, but there was something about him…
Something that intrigued me.
Something that I wanted to get to know.
And when he slipped his hand in mine, everything just felt… right.
Castleton University
A Not-So Prince Charming - Ella & Cameron (TBD)
Holiday Standalones
Spookily Yours - Willow & Damien
Wickedly Yours - Luna & Zain (coming Fall 2024)
about the author
Originally from the Portland area, Jennifer now lives in Orlando with her dog, Walter and cat, Max.
She always has her nose in a book and loves going to the Disney Parks in her free time.
Website: www.jennchipman.com