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NO SECRET STAY HIDDEN FOREVER
Ever since her magics manifested, Avery Hawk was taught to hide her abilities from the Witch and Warlock world. After all, turning into a cat isn’t exactly a typical magic. But when her brother is kidnapped following a black magic attack, she risks everything to find him, including turning to a man in the heart of the world she’s always shunned.
Mike Rosslyn epitomizes everything her mother warned her about. He’s a warlock, he’s powerful, and he’s the head of the Dark Guards—a new and mysterious task force. And worse yet, he is sexy as all hell and way too tempting.
And when her brother’s attacker targets Avery, Mike is her only hope… even if his help comes at the cost of her secrets and her heart…
Contains: a surprising amount of fur, hissing, purring and growling for a book about witches and warlocks; a kidnapping or two; crashing into someone else’s dreams (yes, those kinds of dreams); a mysterious warlock prince; sexy times; and a whole lot of chocolate (aka ambrosia).
EXCERPT
Mike tracked her—or it was more like he couldn’t take his eyes off her—as she bolted for the door with her brother in tow.
What had he done to make her run?
Unbidden, his gaze travelled over her. She was beautiful when she moved. He’d thought so earlier, but he hadn’t allowed himself to look at her for too long. But she wasn’t facing him now and he let his gaze glide down her body. Her colorful flowing dress billowed around her curvy body and her long blonde hair bounced with each step.
Soft. Feminine. Just the kind of woman I’ve been waiting for…
Where had that thought come from? The last thing he needed was a timid rabbit.
But still… she shouldn’t have run from him. The desire to chase burned through his blood. It was all he could do to stay still. If she wanted his attention, which he doubted, she had definitely done the right thing to get it.
Her scent still lingered in the air. Stronger than it should have been. He scanned the area. The bit of material she’d been wearing around her shoulders earlier lay on the small cocktail table. He grabbed it impulsively.
As soon as his fingers sank into the soft fabric, it released more of her sweet scent. Enticing him. Teasing him. He struggled against the sudden desire to lift it to his nose and inhale. For a moment he imagined draping this around her body, using it to caress her. He shook his head to dislodge the wayward impulse.
Had one of Aphrodite’s Chosen cast a spell tonight?
He clenched the wrap in his hand and walked toward the doors. He’d return it to Avery and that would be the end of it. The heels of his dress shoes clipped over the hardwood floor with a purposeful rhythm. He nodded toward the guards at the door, but didn’t pause. He didn’t have time to stop to chat. He was in pursuit.
He paused as the door shut behind him. No guards were positioned on the outside, but there were at least a dozen hexes and charms coating the carved oak doors. Even if he hadn’t been privy to the security measures, he’d have known. The sickly sweet stench of the crushed herbs and flowers clogged the air. He tilted his head up to pull her essence more deeply into his lungs, ignoring all the other scents. Her trail hung in the cool crisp evening air. He narrowed his eyes and studied the shadows in the parking lot. Stalking her. Plotting the best route to ambush her. Eager to catch his prey.
His other self pushed forward, not enough to claim him, but heightening his senses. His mouth watered as the aroma of her essence crystalized into something even more desirable than before.
Footsteps crunched through the gravel. He pivoted and faced the sound. A faint gasp. Avery. His pulse quickened.
“What?” Her brother’s question snapped through the quiet, his anger evident.
“I forgot my wrap in there.”
Mike tracked their conversation and found them amid the cars. Avery gestured toward the building.
“So?” Jaret shrugged.
“Can you go back and get it for me?” A rather desperate edge tinged her plea.
Mike still didn’t understand how he’d scared her so much.
“No.” Her brother spun on his heel.
“But—” She reached for her brother to stay him, but he stalked to his Jeep.
“No, Avery,” he said over his shoulder. “You wanted to leave, so we’re leaving.”
She glanced around, as if worried about who might hear their argument. She didn’t seem to see Mike in the shadow of the building. Nothing else moved. No one else would consider departing a royal assembly this early. Gods, the prince hadn’t even made an appearance yet.
“You want it,” Jaret shouted back to her, “you can go and get it.”
A curl slipped over Mike’s mouth. Jaret was sending his sister back to him. In the quiet, he could hear her deep inhale and exhale. She was bracing herself.
To face him?
As she wove through the parked cars back toward the hall, he waited, anticipating the moment when she spied him again. How often did prey come straight to the predator?
When she looked up and saw him, she inhaled sharply. She froze on the bottom step. With his heightened senses, the thunder of her heartbeat drummed to him like a call to action. Her gaze flitted from his face to his hand, where he still held the soft ball of her wrap.
She stepped back, off the step. Retreating. Again. Then she stopped herself.
Good. He grinned. As much as he loved to chase, some part of him wanted more from her. He didn’t understand it, he just knew instinctively it was true.
He prowled down the steps at a determined but unhurried pace until he stood before her. His eyes never left hers. It was the same way he’d approach his prey once they caught sight of him but hadn’t decided if he was a danger yet. Her pulse raced faster as he drew nearer.
“You shouldn’t leave personal items unguarded,” he reprimanded.
“Of course.” A blush stole over her cheeks. “I guess I forgot one of the first rules of WaW society: Anything can be used in black magic.”
A strange protectiveness surged through him at the thought of someone casting such a spell over her. A soft growl rumbled along the back of his throat. She shivered under the intensity of his gaze. Without looking from her eyes, he untangled the cashmere shawl and slowly drew it around her. The delicate garment slid over her exposed shoulders like a caress. When he’d finished dragging the wrap into place, he lifted his fingers to her face, needing to touch her again. Needing to add a little more of his scent to hers. His touch skimmed the satiny smoothness of her cheek.
“It’s as I thought,” he said. “Your skin is softer.”
Her lips opened at his remark and he had the most extraordinary desire to kiss her, but luckily some measure of logic still ruled his actions and he refrained. This woman wasn’t for him. No matter how much she intrigued him. He needed someone who could stand at his side, not be intimidated by him at every turn.
He studied her upturned face, taking in the seemingly guileless way her gaze dropped to his mouth and then flitted away. Yes. She was too timid for the likes of him. The beast in him demanded strength, a partner who was his equal.
But he still needed to uncover her secret.
Yes. That was it. This unexpected attraction was just his natural curiosity to unravel the puzzle she’d become. He was drawn to the mystery. He wanted to know her secrets.
“I will see you again, Ms. Hawk,” he promised. “And I won’t let you run away so easily next time.”
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