Cupcakes, Trinkets, and Other Deadly Magic (Dowser Series) Read Online Free PDF
Author: Meghan Ciana Doidge
he moved away where he’d been leaning forward before. “Just to see you outside the wards, witch.”
“So you tracked me here?”
“You’re not difficult to follow. You move like a human” — this was not a compliment — “and you … feel … odd.”
Well, that was terribly flattering news. I’d always wanted to feel odd.
He released my neck and took a half-step back. It was all the room the stall would allow him. I was hyperaware of all the other women in the bathroom with me. All the other very human and vulnerable women. I curled my hand around my knife; he’d released that as well.
He raised an eyebrow. “That won’t hurt me.”
“You might be surprised.”
“I never am.”
“Never is a sort of long-term word, even for a vampire.”
He was touching my necklace before I’d even realized he’d moved. He seemed enamored with it, weaving his fingers through the wedding ring charms until they resembled brass knuckles. His fingers were slim. He’d plucked the chain off my left breast; I tried to not squirm.
“This is remarkable.”
“I’ll make you one and we’ll be twins.”
“A fine gift,” he said, somewhat surprised as he lifted his eyes to mine. Obviously ignoring my sarcasm.
“I aim to please.”
“Do you?” He seemed suddenly thrown, off kilter.
“You know, this isn’t normal behavior, accosting me on my balcony and in the bathroom stall at a club. People will think we’re having sex in here.”
He looked aghast, dropping his fingers from my necklace. “I just wanted to see you out from the wards.”
“Well, now you have.” I opened my arms in a ‘here I am’ gesture. I would have done a twirl if there’d been more room and I thought my shaky legs would hold.
“Half-witch, and what’s the other half?” he asked.
I dropped my arms. The scary conversation was going to continue … “Human. Half-witch, half-human.”
The vampire shook his head. “Don’t lie to me, witch. I’ll know all anyway, once I get my blood truth release. Of course, you could save me the trouble of waiting and give me permission yourself. Get all this sorted out quickly.”
“Get what sorted out?” His attention was on my neck again. I felt like snapping my fingers to pull his eyes to mine, except I wasn’t sure what scared me more — looking into his cold, emotionless gaze or watching him watch my blood flow.
“The murders, of course,” he murmured, sounding more mesmerized than was healthy for me.
“What murders?” I snapped. That caught his attention. I decided it was actually way scarier to look him in the eye. “You didn’t mention any murders.”
“I didn’t?”
“No.”
“The evidence obviously points to you, but you don’t seem right … you are very … blond.”
“Being blond makes me less capable of murder?” What the hell was I arguing that point for? He mixed me up, scared me, and then attempted an almost normal conversation.
He grinned and suddenly looked good. Human good. Sexy. Available.
“I’m blond,” he whispered.
“And more than capable of murder.”
His smile widened. It wasn’t comforting, and it didn’t inspire me to return the gesture as it usually would. He scared me, more than I liked to admit, and no matter what rules supposedly governed his behavior.
“Jade? What the hell are you doing in here?” The bang of the outer bathroom door and the shrillness of her voice announced Sienna’s entrance.
“Jade?” the vampire said, suddenly too close to me again, though he didn’t touch me.
“Yes,” I replied, as steady as I could be around a predator.
“You’re not half-human, Jade. I can tell you that even without tasting you.” His whisper breezed across the skin of my neck and ear. My breath caught in my throat … just for one awkward, oddly arousing moment. “Anyone with an ounce of ability could tell you that.”
I shook my head, just once, but I wasn’t sure if I was denying his assessment of my
“So you tracked me here?”
“You’re not difficult to follow. You move like a human” — this was not a compliment — “and you … feel … odd.”
Well, that was terribly flattering news. I’d always wanted to feel odd.
He released my neck and took a half-step back. It was all the room the stall would allow him. I was hyperaware of all the other women in the bathroom with me. All the other very human and vulnerable women. I curled my hand around my knife; he’d released that as well.
He raised an eyebrow. “That won’t hurt me.”
“You might be surprised.”
“I never am.”
“Never is a sort of long-term word, even for a vampire.”
He was touching my necklace before I’d even realized he’d moved. He seemed enamored with it, weaving his fingers through the wedding ring charms until they resembled brass knuckles. His fingers were slim. He’d plucked the chain off my left breast; I tried to not squirm.
“This is remarkable.”
“I’ll make you one and we’ll be twins.”
“A fine gift,” he said, somewhat surprised as he lifted his eyes to mine. Obviously ignoring my sarcasm.
“I aim to please.”
“Do you?” He seemed suddenly thrown, off kilter.
“You know, this isn’t normal behavior, accosting me on my balcony and in the bathroom stall at a club. People will think we’re having sex in here.”
He looked aghast, dropping his fingers from my necklace. “I just wanted to see you out from the wards.”
“Well, now you have.” I opened my arms in a ‘here I am’ gesture. I would have done a twirl if there’d been more room and I thought my shaky legs would hold.
“Half-witch, and what’s the other half?” he asked.
I dropped my arms. The scary conversation was going to continue … “Human. Half-witch, half-human.”
The vampire shook his head. “Don’t lie to me, witch. I’ll know all anyway, once I get my blood truth release. Of course, you could save me the trouble of waiting and give me permission yourself. Get all this sorted out quickly.”
“Get what sorted out?” His attention was on my neck again. I felt like snapping my fingers to pull his eyes to mine, except I wasn’t sure what scared me more — looking into his cold, emotionless gaze or watching him watch my blood flow.
“The murders, of course,” he murmured, sounding more mesmerized than was healthy for me.
“What murders?” I snapped. That caught his attention. I decided it was actually way scarier to look him in the eye. “You didn’t mention any murders.”
“I didn’t?”
“No.”
“The evidence obviously points to you, but you don’t seem right … you are very … blond.”
“Being blond makes me less capable of murder?” What the hell was I arguing that point for? He mixed me up, scared me, and then attempted an almost normal conversation.
He grinned and suddenly looked good. Human good. Sexy. Available.
“I’m blond,” he whispered.
“And more than capable of murder.”
His smile widened. It wasn’t comforting, and it didn’t inspire me to return the gesture as it usually would. He scared me, more than I liked to admit, and no matter what rules supposedly governed his behavior.
“Jade? What the hell are you doing in here?” The bang of the outer bathroom door and the shrillness of her voice announced Sienna’s entrance.
“Jade?” the vampire said, suddenly too close to me again, though he didn’t touch me.
“Yes,” I replied, as steady as I could be around a predator.
“You’re not half-human, Jade. I can tell you that even without tasting you.” His whisper breezed across the skin of my neck and ear. My breath caught in my throat … just for one awkward, oddly arousing moment. “Anyone with an ounce of ability could tell you that.”
I shook my head, just once, but I wasn’t sure if I was denying his assessment of my