Chapter 7

After the intense fun of the restaurant, Mandy was gone; Charles had whisked his wife away on a business trip. Considering how horny the little woman was, he probably had her tied down and was fucking her every night after his meetings.

That’s what I would have done with her.

Or perhaps Mandy had chosen to accompany her husband to do the same thing I was doing—taking stock of what had happened. As I looked at their dark home from the hot tub, I couldn’t help but wonder. Gods know, I was grateful. In less than six months, I had been with her gorgeous daughter, and now her. However, a beautiful young woman like Susan had merely been pining for attention; probably between boyfriends. And I seriously doubted she would be returning to me anytime soon. Most likely, she had been bored and horny after playing with her friend ... that’s all. Hell, she had left me in the pool once she had gotten off.

But her mother...? Married as long as Mandy was ... Why me? Why now? Okay, I had toyed with her and given her a show, but the desperate way she had ridden me in the hot tub? And afterwards, she had chosen to come into my house to spend the night. Then lying to her husband—the man she pronounced she would not leave.

Oh, and then there was her little show in the restaurant. No panties. The little noises she’d made as I snapped her garter straps ... Was the Baron right? Was I using some magical gift to take advantage of her? And her daughter? Over the centuries, others said I was good-looking, but I was not an idiot. Yeh, the Baron was correct; as much as I didn’t want to admit it, I had the same weird magnetism as them.

But then I cocked my head as the warm hot tub jets pounded my aching frame. The look on Susan’s face. Her friend’s expression as she squirmed atop the raft. And Mandy’s clear, hungry eyes. Perhaps not. No, whatever “gift” I had was more subtle and ... No matter what, I didn’t own anyone ... nor control them. Anymore. Yet the nagging question remained: was Mandy drawn to me or just some mystical bullshit aura?

As I sipped my aged scotch, I lay back to stare up at the starry night sky. No, there must have been something else driving her to me. But, after a growl left my throat and I gulped down another swig, I sighed. In the end, none of the trepidation mattered; I had lived enough to know what I needed. And I needed Mandy in my life.

While Lucy was an incredibly talented woman and an absolutely amazing fuck, she was Gary’s wife. And, as much as we joked about it, I would never for a second dream of taking her from him. They were two peas in a pod. It was simply that I was the only one either entrusted with her. And Lucy was also the one who permitted me six months after Debbie’s death before hounding me to find another woman. Or ten, as she joked; I tended to ride Lucy pretty hard.

Since Debbie, I hadn’t done anything, seen anyone, or much bothered looking. Even Lucy had grown exasperated and fallen silent, which is saying something. Until Mandy arrived in my neighborhood and my life. Could I deal with the pain of losing another lover? Because even the best, healthiest ones all died long before I ever would. A gift and a bane, though immortality looked more and more like a curse every day.

With a sigh, I gave the stars a one-fingered salute and chugged my drink. It had been far too long; Lucy was right.

Now Mandy was my focus. Though her daughter was beautiful, a younger version of her in some ways, my mind was on Mandy. It was her tight little—everything I missed as I refilled my glass and took another sip. Alone. In the dark.

Fuck my luck.

Because she also happened to be married. And I liked Charles. Sure, he gave me strange looks every once in a while, but he meant well and was always friendly. Yet I was sleeping with his wife. Or had been. As I swallowed another mouthful, I winced. Who knew what Mandy would decide while traveling?

No matter what she decided, I would abide by her decision. The thing is, it wasn’t only my life that would be affected. Just as had happened numerous times before, after losing Debbie, darkness had taken me, driven me down into isolation and self-doubt. When you’ve seen what I had and watched so many pass on before you, you change. And I had changed once more.

Now that I had ... What would Lucy call it? Been reignited? Yeh, that’s it. Anyway, since meeting Mandy, the world ... It just seemed warmer. As I traveled, I noticed smiles, furtive glances my way, the curves of women, the glistening of their tightening lips as they watched me move. So, at the very least, I had received that from Mandy. And that would impact others; it always did.

My passions ... were deep and many. With another lengthy groan, I rose from the tub, dried off, and wandered inside. Those passions had a way of flaring up once I let them free. Perhaps that’s why I kept them hidden most of the time.

With a sigh, I stared at the ancient blade, still polished though its edge was battered and dulled beyond repair, over my mantlepiece. If I received nothing else from her ... ever again, I would live on. I would find another now ... more likely, several others. No more could I wallow after Debbie. As usual, Lucy had been right. No matter what, it was time to feel something. Anything more than what I had muted these past months.

When I turned away, a flicker on the sword caught my eye and I gazed at it with a tight smile.

“There is more to life than just fighting ... Iakovos. Much more.” With a slow nod at the memory of Metrakyenes’ kind words, I padded upstairs to bed.

The gods would decide. They always did.

As I wandered around all week trying to work—struggling not to think about Mandy’s little whimpers at the snap of her garter, I sported an aching hard-on. Thankfully, perhaps, they called me away to support a last-minute mission the following week. And all thoughts of Mandy and the “normal” world flicked from my brain.

At least this time, it was only a wandering Fae. The cutest little thing ... Okay, new Jim thought Mi was pretty “hot” in her red sequined minidress with her long blonde hair piled atop her head. The little nymph had been using her “gifts” to cause trouble, but not in a murderous way. Unlike the bloodsuckers. Just off the reservation, she tried to influence the locals and build her own micro-court. Oh, and flirted enough to give the local government fits.

Frankly, after the Baron, it was a nice change of pace. All I had to do was provide advice, drink coffee, and keep the negotiators from getting pinned in one of her logic games. After centuries of encountering magic like hers, by the time the talks had ended, Mi was more than frustrated with me and chose to depart.

Although she did get in a good kiss and deep stare into my eyes, I only chuckled at the crinkled brows on her almost angelic face when I tugged her away. Mi was so upset her last ditch seduction play had floundered. What left my brows furled was the unexpected appearance of Kali’s image as Mi sashayed to the waiting vehicle. That was different; why was the look in her pale eyes so haunting?

Once we finished the paperwork, I returned in time to run into Charles, who was heading out for his next travel. As we chatted in his garage, I wished him safe travels. This time, he was headed overseas for a week and explained Mandy had chosen to remain and take care of the house.

“Jim, I know it’s asking a lot, but she seems—distracted.” His voice low, Charles glanced at his house before adding. “Could you...” He swallowed and then, eyes dulled, turned to me. “Could you just check in from time to time?”

“Yeh, no worries. I am in town for a while now. I think.”

As I returned to my house, something niggled at the back of my brain about his voice. I didn’t know if he suspected anything, but ... He wasn’t the same old Charles. He had spoken with some resignation. After waving goodbye when he drove away, I shrugged, glanced at their home, and trudged into my garage. Truthfully, with wandering Fae and ... Kali, I had enough mysteries to ponder already.

The next day, I got back into my routine, except I went on an extra-long run, with a couple of ball-breaking hills added in as penance for skipping out while away. As I recalled the almost abandoned look on Mi’s face, Kail’s pale countenance reappeared once more. Would the Baron hurt her for failing to entice me? And why the fuck did I care? With a grumble under my breath, I sped up. No, I didn’t care. Not at all. About either.

Once at home, I stripped as I moved, dove into the cold pool and swam more than my normal number of laps, finishing up just after sunrise. After slipping into the hot tub to relax, I gulped my water and sports drink mix. With a smile on my face, I clambered out to do some weights on the deck, making sure to face Mandy’s, and sneaky, naughty Susan’s, house. Finally, once inside, I ate a light breakfast before showering.

After stepping from the shower, I glanced out of my open bathroom window. My heart seized up, and I jerked to a halt. Mandy, her bright blue eyes glittering in the morning sunshine, was staring up at me. Naked, she winked at me with an inscrutable grin across her beautiful face. Then her smile broadened as she made a show of slipping into a bandeau top, two-piece swimsuit.

As I raised my eyebrows and gave her a soft golf clap, she twirled and then, eyes on mine, bent slowly over to give me a complete view of her taut, petite frame. All I could do was swallow as my heart hammered and my shaft lurched upwards. With a seductive wink and one more shake of her firm ass, she nonchalantly turned away, ran her long fingernails through her thick hair, and disappeared inside her house.

Wow! The little tease had out-performed me. Whatever had happened on their trip, it hadn’t changed her. With my rod at half-staff, a long sigh left me as I grinned before turning away to prepare for the day.

The little tease. Gods, I wanted her.

All morning, I struggled between my desire to march next door and take her and the need to complete the seemingly endless paperwork after the mission. Mi would resurface. Of that, I was sure. Once I filed the report on last week’s adventure, I sighed, pushed from my desk and stepped onto the rear deck, sipping a fresh cup of coffee. Breath snagged in my throat; Mandy was stretched out on a lounger. As a tremor rippled along my spine, I inspected her taut, oil-covered body glistening under the warm sunlight.

“Well, there’s one way to find out what’s going on,” I murmured before taking another gulp. “And to discover if she is truly attracted to me or ... am I no better than the Baron.”

After returning indoors, I stripped and grabbed a towel. Several long fluttering breaths left me as I strode outside. When I marched towards Mandy, I had every intention of determining why she was reacting the way she was. Why had she chosen to ride me in the tub? Stay the night? What about Charles? Had she told him? Did he know anyway? And her daughter?

However, with each step deep into the prickly turf, I lost more and more resolve. With her sleek, little body glinting in the sun ... I wanted her. Did anything or anyone else matter? Muting the sounds of the birds, blood rushed in my ears. Though I knew she could hear the grass crunching beneath my steady footfalls, she did not look my way. Instead, she sucked in her shiny lips and her chest seized when I stepped onto her deck.

Once alongside Mandy’s lounger, I tossed my towel over her to the next lounge chair. She could have run. Or screamed. But she played possum; eyes closed and fingers clamped tight to the sides of the lounge chair.

For another brief second, I halted; my mind absorbing the petite frame stretched out before me. An offering. A gift from the gods? Should I question her? Why was she so drawn to me? Hell, why, apart from the obvious, was I so drawn to her? It was foolish. Reckless. Dangerous even. If Charles discovered us ... They-the ones who always watched for a weakness in me-could find out if he raised a stink. And for a woman as fine as Mandy, he damned well should raise a stink.

But I was a fool. Debbie had proven that point. Oh and then there was that ever-present nagging fear—would Mandy turn out to be another Debbie?

And then that brief second ended. Once more heated blood burned my cheeks and pounded in my head.

“Fuck it,” I murmured. A sharp gasp fled her and her body arched upward when I drove my hands under her tight swimsuit top. My fingers found her hardening spikes. “I missed you, you horny little tease.”

A tight grin slipped onto her face. Her eyes remained screwed shut until I removed her top and tossed it onto my towel. A long moan tore from her as my fingers played with the rubbery little stems atop her pale jutting globes. When I stepped astride her lounger, grasping my semi-erect cock, her wide blue eyes flashed open as she swallowed; a tremor raced through her. Was she afraid? Was she terrified of falling under my weird super-power charismatic blah, blah...?

There was no sign of fear in her. No, her eyes were lust-filled, gleaming as she stared up at me and then at the shiny bulb before her. With a sigh, I leaned in until my swelling helmet nudged her glistening lips. So she wanted to play ... with me. Not some magical being. Just Jim. Only me-the man next door.

“Jim...” She inhaled sharply. “Uh ... I ... Have uh ... never ... um...”

“Never?”

As Mandy shook her head, her blazing hot breath poured over my dribbling knob; it surged for her as it grew, touching the flicking tongue just inside her parting lips. Eyes crossed as she gazed down the shaft; she looked so adorable. So ... sexy.