Page 9 of Trickery

Willow didn’t respond, other than to fight at her bonds, the invisible shackles holding her in place. She realized, quite quickly, it was pointless. She continued to struggle nonetheless.

He watched, a smug expression on his face, and then he tsked. “Don’t waste your energy, Willow.” He rose and padded to the armchair, where he sat, curling his legs beneath him. “You’ll need that later. I have plans for you.”

“Who are you?” It was all she could manage, and a sputter at that. She didn’t like this. She didn’t like it at all. She yanked at an arm, a foot. Thrust her hips in a vain attempt to release herself. Nothing worked.

“You look amazing, you know, writhing. Naked.”

“Who are you? What have you done to me?”

He tipped his head to the side. “Didn’t the Sisters warn you?” His voice was slick, smooth. He watched her struggling, twisting and turning against her bonds, as though it entertained him. She flicked a glance to his cock. Oh. Clearly, it entertained him a great deal. “Didn’t they warn you about the predator? The unworthy man who might try to seduce you? Capture you?”

Willow stilled. Realization dawned. It dawned slowly, filtering past her confusion and her frustration and her lust, but it finally percolated through. “You’re a warlock.”

His lips twisted. “One of the worst, I’m told.”

She yanked at the bonds holding her arms high over her head. “One of the worst?”

He laughed. “I’m one of the best when it comes to spells—especially spells for dominating sexy little witches and making them come. I’m the worst when it comes to following the rules. My favorite hobby is pursuing the forbidden fruit.”

Willow flinched. That was her. She was the forbidden fruit—novitiates were supposed to remain untouched by a warlock until after their Circle.

Her mind sputtered. How could this have happened? How could she have let this happen? How pissed would Skylar be? Willow paled. And Midea? How would she take this? What would she do?

“B-but how can you be a warlock? I didn’t sense your magic.”

“Foolish girl. The first thing a true predator does is disguise his own scent.”

Comprehension suddenly dawned, and with it, a hard ball blossomed in her belly. She’d really done it now. Not only had she broken the rules to use her magic to seduce a dazzling creature, that creature was none other than the very threat she’d been warned about oh-so-many times.

She looked down at her body as the ramifications hit home. She was ruined. Utterly ruined.

There were no visible signs she’d been claimed by a warlock. Her skin was still as flawless, as creamy and pink. But another warlock would sense it, smell it. Another warlock would see it as if it were painted across her forehead.

And none of them would want her.

At least not this cycle. And that meant…that meant she wouldn’t be able to participate in the ceremony. Wouldn’t become a true witch for…hell, for a very long time.

She lifted her head and glared at him. “Bastard.”

He inspected his fingernails. His aura dimmed, just a little. “Not according to my father.”

“Ooh!” She yanked and yanked again. Damn it, his spell was strong. He gave her a little wiggle room but not much. She hated being confined. Hated it. “Let me go.”

“I beg your pardon? That sounded suspiciously like an order.”

“Damn it, Austin, let me go. You’ve had your fun—”

“If I remember correctly, we both had fun—”

“You’ve ruined me. Absolutely ruined me.”

“You begged me to.”

“You…bastard!”

He snorted. “Did I completely misread the cues? Wasn’t it you who seduced me? Using magical means? Well in advance of your confirmation?” He stood and prowled toward her. Her skin tingled at his approach. “Seems to me you’re the one who broke the rules first.”

There was no response to that. He was right. She looked away, put out a lip.