Forbidden Magic Read Online Free PDF Page B

would do whatever she had to, both for him and for her brother.
    “You can lead him to the witches as long as you don’t reveal that you are a Halfling.” Then he vanished, leaving her alone.
    Heavy regret made her normally graceful steps leaden as she went to the landline and called Ram.

    ***
    Ram strode into the nightclub and stopped at the sight before him.
    Ginny .
    She’d called, said she needed him in a voice that was too grave.
    He’d dropped everything and come to her. Just the sight of her triggered his memory of the kiss. Sexual heat surged to slam his brain and nearly melted his bones and muscles.
    He steeled himself against the effect.
    Ginny threatened him, his willpower, in a way nothing else had since he was a teenager. She was too special, too extraordinary for a cursed hunter battling everyday to keep his dark side locked down.
    Or so fucked up, he didn’t dare go after his coward of a soul mirror for fear he’d lose control and kill her.
    Shoving away useless thoughts, he watched the way she sat at the bar, staring into a bottle of water. Her long brown hair spilled over her hunched shoulders. She had her feet braced on the rung of the barstool, one leg bouncing with pent up tension. She didn’t know he was in there yet, didn’t realize he was watching her as she sat in the gloom of just the bar lights.
    He knew she was unaware because there was an aura of soft light surrounding her, so faint he doubted a mortal would see it. It looked like she had a tiny candle burning in her center, and the gentle radiance flowed out to encase her in its cozy glow.
    Her aura made all other light look dull and dirty in comparison.
    Ram sucked in a silent breath, fighting the need to reach into that light and touch her. Touch the very essence of Ginny. She was something more than mortal. But that wasn’t why she had called him.
    What had happened to create the sadness that bowed her shoulders even as the light bathed her in sweet beauty? Time to find out. “Ginny?” he called softly.
    She jerked upright, spinning around on the stool. For a second, he saw a bright green flash in her eyes. Then as the light around her pulled inward, her eyes flattened to their normal hazel. “I didn’t hear you come in.”
    “Few people do.” He strode to where she sat, clenching his fingers tight into his palms to keep from reaching out and rubbing the obvious tension from her shoulders. “Why did you call me?”
    She eased slightly. “Shane.”
    A whip of electric tension shot through his system. “Did he hurt you?” Damn. Had Shane done something to her that Ram hadn’t seen?
    “No, he only grabbed my wrist.” She lifted her right arm to indicate the wrist. “That’s not—” Needing to see for himself, he caught her hand in his fingers.
    Sparks shot from his fingers and zapped her. Jerking his hand away, he took a step back.
    Damn bird. It was one thing for the creature to shock him, but he would not allow it to hurt a woman.
    Especially Ginny.
    “Ram, that little pop didn’t hurt me. Nor did Shane. I just need you to listen.” Her voice melted some of his tension, much as it tried to melt his vigilant self-control.
    Standing straight, he folded his arms over his chest. “Shane is dead, Ginny. He can’t hurt you, if that’s what you’re worried about.” Although Ram thought she would have called her brother if that had been her concern.
    Why had she called him?
    She lifted her head, staring up at him. “Who killed him?”
    “I did. I followed him. He attacked a witch in a convenience store.” Ram was still pissed that he hadn’t caught Shane before he cut the witch, but at least she was alive.
    “I should have told someone sooner. That witch could have died.” Ram could see the misery clouding her eyes. “Told someone what? What happened between you and Shane?”
    She slid off the stool and stood, bringing her closer to him.
    Too close.
    Ram couldn’t look away from her. Her long legs were encased