Page 14 of Untraced Magic (Cutters Cove Witches #1)

Morgan

A nerve pushed from Tyler’s jaw as he searched mine for answers I couldn’t provide.

He towered over me by at least a foot, and backed into the wall, I had no way to escape. His eyes burned into mine, unwilling to give an inch, my efforts to push him away utterly useless against his strength.

He knew I was different; knew the secret I’d been keeping for years. So why was he not running a mile in the other direction?

Our eyes locked in a duel, our breaths becoming one, swirling between us in smoke-like clouds, shards of rain slicing them open like a fresh wound. Every second I counted another breath. Another twitch. Another blink.

Air scattered in my lungs, and it released shakily, like he’d ruptured my facade, the only thing keeping me sane over the last few years.

“I said I’m not here to cause trouble,” I evened with him.

Charcoal irises nailed me in place. “Swear it.”

How could I make him believe it? That the last thing I wanted to do was cause any trouble .

He splayed his palm against the wall beside my ear, then bunched it into a fist, his dominance both scaring and turning me on at once. I wasn’t used to guys taking control like this, completely invading my personal space.

His voice dipped low, his fist slamming into the wall behind me. “Swear to me you’re here for the right reasons, dammit.”

Given the chance, I would run, but my strength would be no match against his.

My voice came out barely above a whisper. “I swear on my life. I promise I’m not here to cause trouble.”

I counted more breaths, and silence favored the space between us.

His gaze softened. Pooling to a liquid silver, they held me in place as if releasing mine would sink me to the ground.

Staring down at me, he seemed to accept my words as my promise and gazed at me as if for the first time. Like Tyler got me, and I couldn’t understand it. His nostrils flared, and he lifted his fist from the wall, unclenched it, then ran his thumb along my jaw.

His touch threatened to split any reason I had for this not to happen into a million pieces, and it scared me. A lot.

I’d never craved the touch of a man more in my life.

I wanted this. I wanted him.

He shook his head, cursing. “Morgan, I’ve been…” His eyes clung to mine for what felt like an eternity.

And then his mouth crashed into mine, devouring my lips with his.

So confident. So sure .

A sigh escaped from somewhere within me, and my hand grazed the stubble on his jaw, a hint of sandalwood wrapping itself around my senses.

His lips eased over mine with passion, teasing my tongue with a hunger that ignited a current deep within me, and when he closed the space between us, my heart pounded in my ears to the beat of a thousand drums. So loud, I was certain he could hear it.

My hands found his hair, then fisted his shirt, skimming underneath to where naked skin warmed my palms. He jarred his hips to mine, his arousal firm against my stomach as he kissed me fiercely, like a man maddened by lust. Two beating hearts tasting each other’s souls for the first time, a moment we would never get back.

He pulled away, resting his forehead against mine.

“This thing between us…” Tyler shook his head, his voice trailing off, his eyes falling to my lips once more before returning to find mine. He cupped my cheeks in his hands, staring at me from underneath thick lashes.

He looked at me like I wasn’t real. Like this could only ever be a dream to be woken from.

Finally, he whispered, “It’s been driving me insane.”

“I… I don’t understand,” I stammered, ripping my eyes from his, instead plastering them to the wall at my side. How could he look at me this way? I was a freak. He’d just witnessed it himself. How did I let this happen?

His index finger turned my chin to him, his thumb grazing my bottom lip .

A blanket of goosebumps stamped my skin, a tenderness in his fingertips as they grazed my cheek.

He moved his lips over mine again, coaxing my mouth open until our tongues met in a torturously slow dance of their own. Only, there was no orchestra playing a beautiful waltz here, and this dance held a string of information he should never have been exposed to.

I needed to stop this.

With one hand on the wall behind me, his other traveled up my side until he cupped my breast, and I inhaled a sharp breath as his thumb delicately circled a peaked nipple through the soft fabric.

“Tyler…” I breathed.

A groan rumbled through him, and my self-control ripped to pieces, a thousand tiny threads floating on a breeze.

I kissed him with everything I had, with every inch of my soul, and he returned the kiss with a passion spreading warmth over my body, nestling right between my thighs.

Tyler kissed me like he’d waited his entire life for this moment and would not dare waste it.

“Ahem.” Somewhere nearby, a voice registered, but lost in our own world, I couldn’t think straight.

Tyler’s arms wrapped around my hips, pulling me hard against him, his mouth taking mine like I was his drug of choice, his secret addiction.

“Ahem,” the voice sounded again, and our lips hesitantly separated.

“Leave,” Tyler growled. “Go somewhere else.” He rested his forehead against mine, two dark coals melting holes into my soul .

“She likes that. Her heart is racing.”

Tyler stiffened, his demeanor changing from lust to loathing in a manner of moments.

He grabbed my wrist. “He thinks you’re not of our kind. Stay behind me and don’t move,” he ordered.

Our kind? What the hell…?

Tyler turned toward the voice in the alley, where a figure stood hidden within the shadows. Under a black hooded coat, his cheekbones cut sharp angles into his features, his face unknown to me.

“You,” the word dripped off Tyler’s lips like bile.

“Did you not learn your lesson, young Tyler?” the man cautioned. He clasped his hands in front of him in a weirdly traditional way.

Lesson? Who the hell was this guy?

Tyler stiffened. “You know the rules, leave her alone. Besides, she is of our kind. I’ve seen it.” Tyler growled.

The stranger pondered this for a moment, daring to take a few steps closer. “I’m intrigued. You say she is not human, yet I cannot sense her?”

Tyler extended to his full height in front of me, and I had to crane my neck to see past him.

Out of the darkness sauntered another guy, this one taller but not by much, shadows hiding half his face. He wore black jeans and a leather jacket. I sucked in a breath, noting the same jet-black hair I recognized from earlier, only now, droplets of rain sat like diamonds on each strand.

I stepped out from behind Tyler. “Jett?” I exclaimed, as a gust of wind whipped a sheet of rain at us .

Tyler’s grip tightened on my wrist, holding me in place.

Jett’s eyes darted between Tyler and me. “I thought you were saving the last drink of the night for me, young Morgan?”

What’s with this young shit? We were all grown adults. They obviously knew each other, but I didn’t recall seeing them together in the bar.

The stranger’s attention slid between us and Jett. “You know her?”

Jett’s gaze never left mine, a prickle crawling over my skin as if giving a warning. “I believe we have met, yes.”

Danger licked the air, his ice blues glistening. He cocked his head to the side, a sly smile twisting his lips.

“Tyler, let’s go,” I said, squeezing his shoulder.

His hand inched me backwards until I stood directly behind him again. “Don’t move,” he ordered, his stare locked in front of him. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll leave,” Tyler cautioned.

Jett’s irises flickered with amusement.

Tyler’s voice came louder this time, in a way I could only describe as a growl. “Now,” he warned. He released his grip on me, his hands bunching into fists on either side of him.

Jett moved to join the curious stranger, grazing his lips with his thumb. “As much as I love this chat, I’m done with the pleasantries, and the lovely Morgan here looks absolutely delicious,”

My blood ran cold, chilling my bones.

Jett made out a fake yawn, then sprung toward us. So fast I questioned what I saw .

Suddenly, an inferno of fire sent him flying in the air, back to where his friend stood, shaking his head. My legs gave way, connecting me with the ground, my hands covering my head, my knees, clawing at air.

Somewhere in the distance, I heard screaming. I couldn’t think, couldn’t move. Pinned to the doorstep, the cold seeped through my pants, water leaking from my hair, dripping down my back.

Tyler’s voice came from somewhere. “Next time, it won’t just be your pretty little jacket that melts.”

I squeezed my eyes shut, fearing for my life. This was all too much. My thoughts were lost somewhere between the reality I knew and what I’d just seen.

Strong arms hoisted me to my feet, tucking underneath my shoulders. Tyler’s face appeared in my vision, his hands grabbing my chin, as if waking me from a deep slumber. Forcing reality back on me.

“We need to go now ,” he urged.

I didn’t feel my legs move, but the back entrance to Jinxed came closer with each second that passed, the bar becoming a blur before Reid appeared at my side, hoisting me into a van.

I glanced at my hands, finding them shaking.

Reid leaned over, buckling my seatbelt for me. “You’re okay. Everything’s okay,” he assured me, his hands landing on my shoulders.

I nodded, unable to speak, my words paralyzed by both shock and fear .

Tyler jumped into the driver’s side, and the two of them exchanged a look I couldn’t decipher. Nothing made sense anymore.

Reid nodded. “Get her out of here.”

I barely recognized his voice, his usual carefree demeaner now a deeper tone. Controlled and laced with urgency.

Tyler hurriedly turned the key to the ignition, and the engine came to life. He floored it out of the parking lot and down the road.

“What’s going on? I… I don’t understand?” I stammered, my teeth chattering as sodden clothes hung from my limbs.

Tyler’s attention focused on the road ahead. “Let’s just get you home.” Reaching behind him, he passed me a jacket. “Here, put this on. You’re cold.”

I accepted it, slipping it on and tucking my knees to my chest.

A silence hung between us as we made the quick trip home through the downpour, coming to a stop in Tyler’s driveway. He cut the motor, gripping the steering wheel so tight his knuckles turned white.

I didn’t have words, didn’t know where to start. If someone had told me how tonight would play out, I would never in a million years have believed them.

Cutting the silence, he finally spoke, his hands pushing into his thighs. “I don’t think you should be on your own tonight. You can stay at our place and have my bed. I’ll sleep on the couch.”

Our eyes collided, unspoken words pressing his lips tight.

I nodded, unsure of what to say.

“Let’s get you inside. You need to warm up. ”

He appeared at my passenger door moments later, opening it for me with an outstretched hand. Jumping down, gravel crunched under our shoes, and I felt pressure at the small of my back, guiding us to his front door.

My mind spun as it replayed the evening’s events.

I think I’d just witnessed Tyler turn into a total pyro to save my life. But worse… now he knew about my freakshow of a secret.

I sure as hell couldn’t handle any more surprises tonight.