Magical Sex: Magical Sisters, Book 1 Read online

  “I bet I got enough life force from Jim and Mitch to last the night.” Almost too much. But she couldn’t let the guilt of what she’d done shake her determination. Thanks to them, she could see the sexy man at the club without worrying.

  Her resolve faded a little, a different type of guilt washing it away. What would he think about what she’d done? Had he seen them leaving the club with Mitch and Jim? She hugged her knees to her chest. What she’d done with them couldn’t be considered cheating, could it? After all, the man at the club—sheesh, why didn’t I ask him his name?—wasn’t her boyfriend or anything. Still, she felt guilty. And if she felt that way now, how would she feel if they did become a couple and she needed to feed on another man?

  She groaned and flopped on the bed. Why did her life have to be so complicated? Sex was simple. At least for others, for her sisters. But for a succubus? Not so much. She rethought her idea, forming the basis of a plan.

  Step One: Feed on someone other than her potential boyfriend. Hilly and Meg could help her with that. In fact, she could do as she’d done tonight, although she’d have to learn to control her urges and cut the connection before she’d drained her source. Or before Meg had to light a magical fuse under her butt—literally—to get her to stop.

  Step Two: See the prospective boyfriend only while full of energy. She had no way of knowing for certain, but she had a feeling that her urges wouldn’t lead her astray if she’d already satisfied them with someone else.

  Step Three: Get away from her boyfriend when the urge strikes again. She couldn’t risk staying close to him while she needed energy. Of course, that meant she’d have to come up with various excuses she could use to abruptly leave.

  And Step Four? She bounced out of the bed, threw off her nightgown and pulled on a red dress. Forget Step Four. She knew what she had to do. She was full of Jim’s and Mitch’s energies—thank you, guys—which meant now was the best time to see the hunk at the club. Without her sisters around to drag her home. Hilly was already suspicious of her feelings for the mystery man. If she knew she wanted to get emotionally involved, she’d never let her out of her sight.

  Allie sat up, focusing her attention on the voices drifting in from the living room. She could hear Meg compelling Mitch and Jim to get dressed—which meant Mitch was all right now—and knew her time was limited. Tiptoeing to the door, she cracked it open to better hear their conversation.

  “Well, that didn’t turn out so great.” Meg’s sarcastic tone floated on the air.

  “We did the best we could.”

  “Get moving, Jim.”

  “Take it easy, Meg. Besides, Mitch’s legs are still buckling. I can barely keep him upright.”

  “Then do as I suggested, big sis. Make like a wheelbarrow.”

  Hilly groaned. “Urgh. I’m not sure I want to.”

  The shadows of Meg and Hilly helping the men around the corner had Allie pushing the door quietly shut. She flicked off the light and held her breath, waiting for them to pass.

  “I guess Allie went to bed early, Hilly.”

  “Hmm. That’s odd. With the energy she received tonight, I’d think she’d be wide awake.”

  “Yeah, but who knows? Maybe that’s how it works. Maybe she needs to rest and store the energy before reaping its benefits.”

  “Reaping is right. She just about sent poor Mitch to the Grim Reaper. Next time we’ll have to stay out of the fun. Both of us.”

  “Oh, stars and moon, don’t be such a killjoy, Hilly. Besides, someone had to stay in the room with her. If I hadn’t glanced over at her, Mitch would be toast right now.”

  “I know, but—”

  “No buts about it. Maybe if you had a man once in a while you wouldn’t be so squeamish about sex. Once we help Allie transition into a full-fledged succubus, you need to start thinking about yourself and find a man of your own. After all, we’re all grown up now.”

  Hilly’s chuckle was rueful and sad. “You’re grown up? Then why am I hauling two knocked-out men outside?”

  “Come on, Hilly. Can’t you see how much easier this would be with you as a wheelbarrow? So change, sister, before this big lug breaks my back.”

  Allie heard Hilly groan, a sure sign she’d given in to Meg’s suggestion and was already getting the men loaded onto her new form.

  “That-a-girl, Hilly. But you still need to do your part. Turn those wheels of yours.”

  The door slammed behind them as they hurried toward the dark street behind the house. Allie turned on the radio she always listened to while sleeping and pushed pillows under the bedspread. Although she had a nagging feeling that she was forgetting something important, she grabbed her purse, then peeked through the window. Meg and a back-to-human Hilly were gently positioning the men against the fence on the other side of the street, propping them up as though they’d fallen and passed out. Making certain her sisters were too far from the house to see her, she shoved open her bedroom window and crawled out.

  Chapter Five

  Allie paid the overly attentive cab driver, rebuking his thousandth advance and, for just as many times, chided herself for not bringing the anti-appeal potion. Without the potion, her appeal attracted too many men and she could barely move around in public without constantly getting hit on. She sighed. Tonight, she’d just have to deal with the fallout of her succubus allure. Besides, if that fallout happened to bring the hot mystery man back to her, then the other advances would be worth it.

  The excitement of the crowd washed over her as she entered the club, filling her with a delight she’d rarely experienced. She paused, checking around her to see if the spell Meg had used earlier to counteract her allure still held. No one noticed her, adding to her happiness.

  “This is awesome.” Tossing her hair over her shoulder, she marched up to the bar. People closed in around her, yet instead of making her feel trapped, it gave her the feeling of welcomed acceptance. She grinned at her reflection in the mirror behind the bar. Was it always like this? Did these people have fun every night?

  She nodded at a young woman tending bar and ordered a beer. The bottle was cool against her palm and she longed to hold it to her cheek. Hoping to appear nonchalant, although she was anything but, she scanned the throng and tried not to look too obvious.

  Where was he? She took a sip. Had he gone home? Her heart dropped at the thought, but she pushed it aside, unwilling to admit defeat. Instead, she concentrated on watching a couple dancing a few feet away from her. Their bodies bumped together as they thrust in enticing sexual movements. Would someone ask her to dance? And if he did, would she be able to dance with such abandon?

  “Hi.”

  Allie broke her gaze away from the dirty dancing couple to a very tall man tearing off her clothes with his eyes. “Oh. Hi.”

  Catching the disappointment in her tone, he frowned, then wiped the frown away with a leer. The man’s frank perusal raked over her again and Allie had to resist the urge to see if she was stilling wearing any clothing.

  “Wanna dance?”

  With this guy? Allie looked behind him. Where was he?

  “So? Did the cat get your tongue?”

  “Oh. Uh, no. I mean, why would a cat want my tongue?”

  The man laughed, then took her beer and set it on the counter. “Come on, sweet cheeks. Let’s hit the dance floor.” Grabbing her hand, he tugged her along with him.

  When it became all too apparent that he was intent on being her dance partner, she fought the impulse to yank her hand away and instead let him lead her to the middle of the dance floor. Allie copied the other women’s movements and, although not thrilled with her partner, started to enjoy the music. She closed her eyes and swayed with the beat.

  The hand on her breast jolted her out of her reverie and she stumbled.

  “Hey!” Losing her balance, she fell backward, her arms flailing outward as she reached for anything to stop her fall. Strong arms slipped under hers, saving her. Green eyes locked on to hers and s
he sucked in a breath.

  The mystery man she’d searched for stared at her, a concerned expression hardening his face. “Are you all right?”

  She blinked, unable to find her voice. Instead, she reached out and ran her palm over his cheek.

  “She’s fine, dude. Now back off and leave my woman alone.”

  His woman? Mystery Man placed her on her feet and, after a momentary wobble, she set the tall, annoying man straight. “I am not your woman.”

  “Yeah, you are. I figured we’d end up between the sheets later on which means you’re my woman for the night. And this dude better back off.”

  “Hey, I’m not getting in the middle. I’m just glad I was here to help.”

  His wonderful green eyes captured her and she grabbed his arm and held on. “No, no. Seriously. We’re not together. I was just dancing until I found—” She clamped her mouth closed on the “you” that had almost popped out.

  “Until you found what?” Her dance partner moved in closer, putting his face inches from the hot man of her desire even as he spoke to her. “Until you found someone better? And you think this guy’s better than me?”

  Allie snorted out a scoff. “Well, duh.” She slapped a hand over her mouth. The man was an annoyance, but she didn’t need to be rude. “I’m sorry. That wasn’t nice.”

  “Like I said, I’m just happy to be in the right spot at the right time.” Mystery Man turned away from Mr. Annoying to study her. “Unless you want me to do something else? Like maybe save you again?”

  “Save her from what? Me?” Mr. Annoying’s voice rose, his bloodshot eyes narrowing as he scowled at them. “I’d like to see you try it, asshole. The bitch is mine, so back off.”

  “Okay, that does it.” Mystery Man grabbed Mr. Annoying’s arm and twisted it behind his back in one smooth move. The big guy howled in pain and struggled to get free, but it was no use.

  Allie’s mouth dropped open, then she rolled her lips under to keep from laughing. If Mr. Annoying’s face got any darker, he could double as a big red balloon.

  Her hero, however, simply shook his head at her. “Since my friend here doesn’t have the manners to do so, I’ll apologize for him.” Two large men, obviously bouncers, strode over and took the complaining Mr. Annoying off his hands. “Okay, folks, the fun’s over. Go on back to having fun.”

  Two dimples made their appearance as Mystery Man held out his hand and took hers. “Hi, I didn’t get around to introducing myself earlier. I’m Tom Halloran.”

  “Allie Tristan.”

  “Yeah, I know.”

  She couldn’t repress the shiver of delight running through her. “You do?”

  “The other two women who pulled you away from me said your name. And I never forget a pretty girl’s name.”

  Was she blushing? She sure felt like she was.

  “Come with me, okay?” He nodded toward the left side of the club and took her with him.

  He settled her into the booth with a Reserved sign on the table, and she held her breath as he scooted onto the seat beside her.

  “Still, I’m surprised you remember my name.”

  “How could I forget it?” His chuckle was warm and made her want to press her hand to his chest. He scanned the club a moment before focusing on her again. “They were your sisters, right? Did they come back, too?”

  She giggled at the slight cringe he tried to cover up. “Yes and no. Yes, they’re my sisters, Hilly and Meg. And no, I’m by myself.”

  “Good.” His huge smile brought his delicious dimples out to play again. “No offense. I mean, I’m sure your sisters are very nice, but I like having you all to myself.”

  Her pulse quickened at his declaration. “Me, too.” He chuckled and she widened her eyes as she’d realized what she’d said. “Uh, thank you for saving me from that man.”

  “No problem. Besides, I don’t want guys like him in my club.”

  “Your club? So you’re the one who bought the place and fixed it up?” She dared to lean closer so that their shoulders touched. The heat from his body seared into hers. She bit her lip, letting the urge wash over her. Fortunately, she no longer needed the energy. Instead, her desire was all pleasure without the hunger.

  “I am. Actually, it was my uncle who owned the bar before me. When he decided to put it up for sale, I jumped on it. With a family discount, of course.” He laughed at her incredulous expression. “I know. No one thought I could ever make any money, but I did. I go on my gut feelings even when it doesn’t make a lot of sense, and my gut’s always right.” Another laugh brought out the dimples in his cheeks again. “Call it my special power. Anyway, my gut told me this was a diamond in the rough. Besides, I couldn’t resist the challenge.” His intense look sent shivers down her spine. “I love challenges of all kinds.”

  She batted her eyes, an action that normally had men falling to their knees and begging her for a kiss. Sure enough, Tom’s jaw dropped, his eyes glazed over and he leaned closer, placing his lips an inch from hers. Yet instead of following her desire, she pressed her fingers to his mouth and shook her head.

  “I like you, Tom.”

  He jolted out of the trance. “Uh, I like you, too. In fact, I’d really like to get to know you.”

  Allie couldn’t be sure if he’d been affected by Meg’s earlier spell or not, but it didn’t matter. This was no ordinary man. She didn’t know how she knew he was special, but she did.

  He zeroed in again, and again she declined the kiss. “Let’s talk, okay?”

  Although he was visibly confused, he acquiesced and waved a waitress over to take their drink orders. “Would you like another beer?” She nodded and he gave the girl their orders.

  “It must be nice to be the boss. I guess you get faster service, huh?”

  “Yeah, being the boss has its perks. Like getting to meet a beautiful woman.”

  She’d been called beautiful thousands of times, but the flattery had never meant anything. Until now. “And the cons?”

  “Trust me. There’s a lot of cons. Like having to toss out unwelcomed dance partners like yours.”

  “Hey, I’m not claiming him.”

  His laugh, so infectious, made her giggle along with him. “I don’t blame you.”

  He stilled, studying her as though she’d suddenly changed. Was her succubus glow showing? She dipped her head, avoiding his intense look.

  “Allie?”

  “Yes?”

  “I don’t know what it is about you, but I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone like you before.” He took a drink. “Wow. Did that sound as lame to you as it did to me?”

  Allie lifted her gaze to his, then took his hand. “That wasn’t lame at all. And I know what you mean.”

  Tom glanced at her hand on top of his, then looked at her, a strange gleam in his eyes. “I don’t know if you need to get home or anything, but I’d really like it if you’d stick around. I want to get to know you, and once I get my assistant manager, Rob, to take over for me, we can spend the rest of the night together. Would that be okay?”

  If she grinned any bigger, he’d probably think she was a lunatic. But she couldn’t help it. The joy bubbled inside her, taking over. “More than okay.”

  The waitress returned with their drinks and, after a quick exchange, he relayed the message to Rob. Turning back to Allie, he twisted, placing one arm over the back of the booth and the other on the table so he could look directly into her face. “So tell me about yourself.”

  She squirmed, lowering her gaze to her drink. Although she was used to men staring at her, having this particular man study her made her suddenly shy. Besides, what could she tell him? That she was a succubus with a witch and a shape-shifter for sisters? That she could drain him of every ounce of his life source? Yeah, right. Instead, she stuck to the things she could reveal.

  “Well, there’s nothing extraordinary to tell you.” Oh, how you lie! “My sisters and I own a bakery called Sweet Nothings.” She glanced up to see his lip
s slightly parted and yearned to kiss them. Instead, she yanked her attention back to her cold drink.

  “Is that the bakery on Patterson Street?”

  “Yes, that’s right.”

  “I’ve always wanted to stop in but haven’t gotten around to it. But now that I know you’re there, I’ll put it at the top of my to-do list.”

  She’d like that. Unless Meg and Hilly caused a problem. Would they remember him from the club?

  “Other than working at the store, I stick to home most of the time.” Except when I’m sneaking out my window to see a sexy guy.

  “A homebody, huh? Funny, I wouldn’t have pegged you as one. But then again, if I had someone at home who looked like you, I’d stay home, too.”

  Was his flattery sincere? She hoped so. Oh, how she hoped so.

  “So we’re both business owners. Go on. Do you live with anyone?”

  She dared to look up, wanting to see his reaction. “Not like you mean. I live with my sisters.” To his credit, he only blinked when she half expected him to hurriedly excuse himself and make a dash for safety. “They’re really not as bad as you might think. They’re just very protective of me.”

  He tightened his arm around her, drawing her closer. “That just shows how much they care about you. And who can blame them?”

  She liked his answer and knew it came from the heart. In fact, everything about Tom seemed genuine. “What about you? Any family?”

  “You mean other than my late uncle? No.”

  A cloud darkened his features and Allie regretted the question. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to pry.”

  His dimples and smile returned in full force. “Don’t worry about it. It’s not a big deal. I lost my parents when I was very young. Then I lived with an aunt until I went to college. When she passed on, that left my uncle and me, and now it’s just me.”

  She touched his hand, wanting to touch his heart more. “I know how hard it is to lose parents. Both of mine died when I was younger. But it’s been more difficult for my sisters, Meg and Hilly. Especially Hilly, since she basically raised Meg and me.”