Some Like it Wicked

A piercing scream snapped his head up and there was the innocent witch being dragged by her arms, her feet bound with rope. He might hunger to devour that innocence to feed his power, but Zeke didn’t need power, he only needed her. “Release her,” he spat. “Now.”

Spinning around, Layton dropped Bryanna and she banged her head against the road. “Don’t interfere, demon,” he sneered. “You have no right to her.”

Zeke drew in a harsh breath as Bryanna cringed in pain, rubbing the side of her head in tears, then he lifted his head and arched an eyebrow. “I would argue that point with you.” He approached, not hesitant, but ready to suck Layton’s soul out of his body. “Remove the magic from her. Immediately.”

“Back off.” Layton’s magic caused the wind to kick up a notch as energy flowed around Zeke.

He chuckled. “Your wind might move it, warlock.” His voice had deepened with the evil unleashed inside of him and power rushed through his veins. “But you cannot harm me.”

Layton’s eyes narrowed into slits as a self-righteous grin spread over his face. Blue flickers of light surrounded his hands before the wind swirling around Zeke sucked away and a long, tan-colored rope came rushing toward him.

Zeke held his ground, watching as the rope flew through the air, and he groaned when the rope smacked into his chest before dropping to the gravel road. He stared down at the rope on the ground, drawing in a long, controlled breath, then he jerked his gaze up. “That was mistake number two.”

He rocked back on his heels to take demonic form and kill this warlock when Bryanna screamed, “No.” Freezing in place, he glanced at her. Her eyes were wide, frantic, and she shook her head slowly. “Don’t. It’ll change you back.”

The evil inside of Zeke demanded he make Layton suffer until he writhed in pain, but one peek at Bryanna’s beautiful face reminded him he didn’t desire a violent life. His natural state hungered to steal and cause mayhem, but the stronger part of him had walked away from that life long ago.

No matter that even the good part of him thought Layton deserved death for hurting Bryanna, if he took a life, he’d never come back. Bryanna didn’t know how right she was—the moment he once again accepted the darkness, the Devil would end his punishment and he’d return to hell. Those had been the Devil’s conditions—do my bidding and I will set you free.

Zeke was already free.

He turned his attention to the warlock, who backed away from him toward his car. “Leave.”

Layton continued to retreat, never taking his eyes off Zeke as he neared the driver’s-side door. “You’ve ruined her life. Her coven will now reject her. I’ll tell them she sided with a demon.”

Zeke took a giant step forward, but Bryanna interjected, “Tell them that my home is now in Charmstone.”

Layton stared at her, incredulous, as if he didn’t know the witch sitting on the ground anymore—and well, Zeke thought that accurate. He had never known her. Never cared to understand her, only cared for his greed.

As Layton opened the car door, Zeke smiled, knowing Layton would eventually pay for his evil ways. “One word of advice—shed that greed from your soul, warlock. If not, the Devil will command your soul at death.”

Fear raged in the warlock’s eyes before he jumped in his car. In a split second, his tires spit up some of the gravel rocks and he tore away down the road, exactly as Zeke had expected—cowardly.

A little groan caught his attention and he turned to Bryanna, who had tears streaking her face. “Let me help.” He hurried to her side, knelt next to her and hastily removed the ropes.

Once she was free, he helped her to her feet, gazing into her watery eyes, and couldn’t help but smirk at her appearance. “I believe you looked exactly like this when I first met you—covered in dirt and hair in complete disarray.” Beautiful.

Bryanna laughed quietly, then she raised her hands to his face, tracing under his eyes. “I see flickers of fire here.”

“I’m sorry.” He shut his eyes, avoiding her. “I don’t want to scare you.” He took a long breath to settle the wrath coursing through his veins, demanding the evil inside of him to settle, as he’d done for so long now.

At her soft touch, he opened his eyes and another tear slid down her cheek. “I’m not afraid.” She stared so intently, giving him her warm smile. “I’ll never be afraid of you, Zeke.”

With her sweet caresses came the control of his dark side and the burn fled his veins, the fire extinguished in his body. “You came back.”

Her smile widened, indicating to him she only saw dark eyes now. “In the car…I couldn’t figure it out…I didn’t know what I wanted…but then, it all made sense. I finally understood why you didn’t stop me from leaving.”

Bringing his hands up around her cheeks, he cleared the tears off her face with his thumbs. “You did?”

She nodded, leaning into his touch. “You were doing the one thing no one ever did for me—you gave me the choice to decide my own life.” She rubbed her soft cheek against his palm. “I choose Charmstone. I choose you, Zeke.”

He didn’t need to hear anything more. He lowered his head, bringing his mouth to hers, and swept her away in his kiss. This witch, in most senses, was entirely wrong for him. Her kind heart was easy picking for any demon and if he had met her years ago, he wouldn’t have been able to be around her. It would’ve been too tempting and tested him too much. Now as his lips brushed against hers, he realized he might have been damned by birthright, but he had defied the odds and completely rejected his demonic heritage.

Her fingers pressed over top of his hands cupping her cheeks and an undeniable truth filled him. Bryanna searched to be loved and so did Zeke. He’d not only saved her. She saved him too.

After a final press of his lips against hers, he backed away, gazing at his stunning witch. Her eyelids were lowered, lips parted and her cheeks were a deep-rose color. She looked ruffled and aroused.

He liked her that way.