Seductively
Spellbound
A Spells That Bind novel by
Cassandra Lawson
Copyright ©2017 Cassandra Lawson
All Rights Reserved
Cover designed by J.N. Sheats
Proofreading by Kendra’s Editing and Book Services
This book is a work of fiction. All characters and events are creations of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual people or events is purely coincidental.
The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of a copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement is investigated by federal law enforcement agencies and is punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Also by Cassandra Lawson
Acknowledgments
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Chapter 75
Chapter 76
Chapter 77
Chapter 78
Chapter 79
Chapter 80
Chapter 81
Chapter 82
Chapter 83
Epilogue
Author’s Note
About The Author
Also by Cassandra Lawson
Love Without Batteries Series
Dirty at 30
Naughty at 30
Sultry at 30
Moon Virus Series
Raven’s Blood
Embrace the Heat
Seducing Death
Shattered Restraint
Impulsive Destiny
Untamed Winter
Psy-Vamp Series
Vampires and Vixens
Safe Hex With a Vampire
Vampires Prefer Blondes
The Vampire Will See You Now
Wanton with a Vampire
Vampire in Geek’s Clothing
Wicked Crazy Vampire Love
Spells That Bind Series
Sinfully Spellbound
Shamelessly Spellbound
Acknowledgments
Thank you Kari, Levenia, and Ria for sticking by me from book one. I truly value your insights. I also want to thank my readers. I am constantly awed by your love and support.
Prologue
The Gentleman Warlock
With red hair falling across her flawless porcelain skin and vivid blue eyes watching me with something close to terror, Tatiana was truly beautiful. Her beauty hadn’t been what first drew me to her. I’d have pursued Tatiana even if she’d had a horn growing out of the center of her forehead.
“Please, let me go,” she whimpered.
“Let you go?” I asked with a laugh. “After all the effort I put into our relationship, you think I should simply let you go?”
Tatiana tugged at her restraints and mouthed the words to a spell while I simply waited with a smirk. It was impossible to hide my amusement as the stupid witch tried to cast a spell in a room that suppressed her magic.
“Are you having a problem with that spell?” I finally asked.
“You’ll never get away with this,” she told me. “My parents will have the police looking everywhere for me.”
“I wouldn’t count on it,” was my response. “Your parents are going to think you ran off with me.”
“They would never believe that!” she insisted.
“Why did you end things with me?” I demanded.
Her eyes flashed with anger. “Our magic isn’t compatible. We were never going to pass an affinity test.”
Her response came as a surprise. I’d never planned to take an affinity test with Tatiana. For months, I’d worked to convince her we should run off together. It hadn’t been difficult to find a warlock who would bind our magic for the right price. As part of my plan, I’d convinced Tatiana that her parents would use their influence to get the council to prevent us from being together. A hopeless romantic, Tatiana had believed me. Each day, her distrust of her parents had grown. Every time they told her I wasn’t good enough for her, it cemented her belief that we were star-crossed lovers. Someone had put doubts in her mind, and I had every intention of making that person pay. “Who told you we weren’t compatible?”
“What difference does it make?” she asked with a sniffle. “You were sleeping with that shade, anyway. Why should I stay with you when our magic is incompatible and you’re cheating on me?”
My rage shifted in a different direction. There was only one way Tatiana could have learned about Katya. It was Katya who’d betrayed me.
“I should have listened to my parents,” she said with a pitiful whimper. “They were right about us being wrong for each other. Julia saw we weren’t a good match.”
Now, I knew who to blame for ruining my perfect plan. Those two bitches would pay. “I’ll kill them,” I muttered.
“No!” Tatiana cried out. “Katya was just jealous because she loves you. Julia didn’t even want to answer any of my questions.”
That gave me pause. Katya had to die, but Julia Dupree was another matter. I’d have to consider her punishment carefully. If there was one thing I prided myself on, it was my sense of justice.
“I’d better have a word with Katya,” I murmured as I grabbed the large knife from the table. “I’m afraid I’ll have to cut our visit short.”
“Please, don’t kill me,” Tatiana sobbed out. “I won’t tell anyone what happened if you let me go.”
“Poor, frightened Tatiana,” I crooned as I moved behind her to cut the ropes securing her hands.
Moving to stand in front of her once again, I regarded her while tapping the side of the knife against my thigh. With her hands still behind her back, her gaze remained on the knife.
I was disappointed. I’d expected her to make a run for the door. It wouldn’t have done her any good; my cottage was well-hidden.
“There’s food and water,” I told her as I backed away from her. “There are several spells protecting this place, so don’t bother trying to escape.”
“You’re not going to kill me?” she asked softly, bringing her hands forward to rub her wrists.
“I haven’t decided how to deal with you yet,” I admitted with a shrug. “Killing you would be a shame after all the effort I put into preparing you to be my witch.”
I laughed at her lie. She really thought I was stupid enough to believe her. “Enjoy your time here.”
I locked her in the room and then headed out of the little cottage. Once outside, I took several deep breaths as I finally allowed the gravity of Katya’s betrayal to wash over me. I walked back to my car and stored my knife before calling the deceitful bitch.
“Hello.” Her voice carried over the line in a sexy purr. Despite my anger, that voice always had an immediate effect on my body. Katya was a very sexual creature who knew what I liked. It’s why I forgave her for acting shrewish at times. There was more to it, but I refused to think about those rare moments when I actually felt some sliver of emotion for Katya.
“I need to see you, Kat,” I told her.
Her laughter was a soft, sultry sound. “How much of me do you need to see?”
I wasn’t in the mood for flirtation, but I also didn’t want to tip her off to my anger. Kat could be oddly sensitive, and she was likely to avoid me if she knew I was mad at her. “Where can we meet?” I asked.
“Why don’t you come over to my place?” she suggested. “I’ll slip into a different form before you get here. Do you have any requests?”
I’d always liked that Katya could take the form of any woman I desired. It was almost like having a harem.
“I like the blonde you used last time,” I told her. Personally, I didn’t care what she looked like. One thing I’d learned from being involved with a shade was how to kill them. If you killed a shade while they possessed the body of another, only the possessed person died. To kill a shade, they had to be using a form they’d created. Katya had told me she’d created the blonde just for me.
“This is going to be an unforgettable night,” Katya promised.
“Yes, it will,” I agreed before ending the call.
Seated in my car, I considered the other bitch in need of punishment. Katya’s betrayal was easy to deal with. With Julia Dupree, I wasn’t certain what would be a fit punishment. I wanted to hunt her down and kill her now, but I had to think first. At least, I’d get to enjoy one kill tonight.
Chapter 1
Julia
I hated him!
Gryph was by far the most infuriating man I’d ever known, and he’d been getting on my last nerve since the day we’d met. At first, I was irritated with him and his bossy, arrogant attitude. I’ve mostly dated women and never really understood the appeal of alpha males. What woman wants a guy trying to run her life? Not me. With my natural disdain for dominant men, it was no wonder I’d clashed with Gryph the moment we met. I’d planned to do my best to avoid him. He’d been determined to thwart my plan to avoid him.
At some point, my feelings morphed to something other than irritation—something that left me feeling achy and empty. Being pushed up against a wall and kissed stupid was apparently all it took to make me want him in every way imaginable. Sadly, those kisses had been as far as Gryph would allow things to go between us. It should have been simple. I wanted him, and I knew he wanted me. Just when I’d thought he was going to fill that need, Gryph had acted like a barbarian, talking about me like I was his property.
Now, all I had were dreams of the sexy werewolf touching me and taking me in ways I knew would make me scream his name. It had been my vibrator and dreams of Gryph for far too long. I needed to get that werewolf out of my system.
The soft knock on my office door reminded me I was at work and had clients coming in soon. I might not be able to make my own fantasies a reality, but I’d be able to help others with theirs. As co-owner of Bliss, I got to work with couples to plan fantasy dates and getaways that met their every sexual desire. It was a great job for a witch who’d always excelled at spells involving sex.
“Come in,” I called out, and my business partner, Allie, walked into my office. I loved working with Allie. We were a great team. It was no exaggeration to say our business venture was a success. After being in business less than a year, we had a four-month waitlist. Bliss was also perfect for Allie, who was half-succubus. Her heritage meant she needed to feed on sexual energy, but even before her marriage, she’d had no interest in casual encounters. She was an unusual sex demon.
Allie’s brown hair was secured in a complex braid that I’d never be able to manage. Her purple tank dress did nothing to hide her generous curves. I was, not-so-secretly, a little jealous of her figure.
“Hi, Julia,” Allie greeted, her whiskey brown eyes clearly conveying her stress and worry. “We have a problem.”
“What is it?” I asked. “Did one of our clients have a bad experience? Did we get a bad review? I’m assuming we aren’t being sued since Dylan and Trevor aren’t here.” My older brother and Allie’s husband were both lawyers; one or both would have come immediately if we were having legal troubles.
“This is worse,” she began.
“Is it worse than legal problems, or worse than a bad review?” I asked.
“Both,” she replied before adding, “There is a possibility this isn’t a real problem, but I think we should call the police.”
The fact that Allie was considering involving the police made me nervous. “Tell me what’s going on.”
“There was a disturbing email sent to the main Bliss account,” she began. “It was directed at you, and it definitely sounds like a threat,” she explained.
“I’ll read the email, and then we can decide what to do about it,” I stated. Allie’s nerves were starting to get to me.
“I moved it to the follow up folder,” she told me. “The sender made it look like the email came from Bliss.”
I logged into the Bliss email account. The email was definitely directed at me since I was the only one working at Bliss who could be described as a Blonde Bitch. After reading it, I wasn’t entirely certain it was a threat. Clearly, I’d angered someone, but I wasn’t convinced they were planning to act on their anger. It was always possible insulting me was all they had planned. In fact, that seemed likely. I didn’t have enemies.
“Do you want me to call the police now?” Allie asked.
“I’m not sure it’s that big of a deal,” I argued. If we called the police, my brother would hear about it. I love my brother. Honest, I do. He’s just one of those annoying alpha males who get on my nerves. He’s worse than most annoying alpha males, because he’s also an overprotective older brother. “Trevor will lose it if the police are involved, even if they say there’s no threat to me.”
“Worrying Trevor is really the excuse you plan to use to avoid talking to the police about a potential threat to you?” Allie asked slowly.
“There will be nothing the police can say to stop him from acting crazy,” I began. “He’ll wonder if they missed something and try to talk me into staying with him and Mel.”
Allie put her hands on her hips and glared at me until I put my hands up in surrender. “Fine,” I relented. “We’ll let the police look at the email and tell us there’s nothing to worry about.”
She nodded. “You’re not at all worried about this, are you?”
“Not really,” I replied as an idea came to me—an idea that would get me what I wanted most.
“Why are you grinning?” Allie asked.
“What are your thoughts on hiring security?” I asked. “Som
eone to make sure I’m safe, just in case there really is a threat to me.”
Allie nodded, looking thoughtful. “That’s not a bad idea. It will make me feel better. I’m sure it will make you happier, too, since it should keep Trevor from panicking too much. We can call the local pack and hire someone to guard you while you’re at work. We should also find someone to watch your house at night.”
“Or we could call Gryph,” I said with a sweet smile. “Maybe he should even stay with me until we know it’s safe.”
Allie eyed me suspiciously. “Are you trying to seduce Gryph?”
“That’s my plan,” I admitted. I figured it wouldn’t take long to convince Gryph to help me with all those fantasies I’d been having. If his reaction in the past was anything to go by, he wanted me as much as I wanted him. All he needed was a not-so-subtle seduction.
Chapter 2
Gryph
The ringing of my phone still came as a surprise. I’d gone without one for many years. There hadn’t been much need for a phone since my only visitor had been a stubborn succubus by the name of Alana Talbot. Her warlock husband had talked me into rejoining the world and acting as a bodyguard a while back. Now, I was getting requests to do the occasional odd job. I’d even taken some high-profile security work. It was nice being useful again, even if it meant admitting that I’d acted like a pup about my injury for all those years.
After being cast out by my pack, I’d been angry, bitter, and even suicidal at one point. Having lost my arm saving the life of the pack leader, it seemed beyond fucked up that they’d turned their backs on me. My reaction was ridiculous, and I knew it. This was how life was among werewolves. If you were viewed as defective, you were cast out. A century ago, a defective werewolf would have been killed. Much to the dismay of many older werewolves, we now had to live by the rules of the preternatural community. Other species believed casting out defective wolves was somehow kinder than killing them. Many of us who’ve been kicked out of our packs would disagree. We live our entire lives believing we can’t survive without our pack. It’s not easy, and I still haven’t totally adjusted to the changes in my life, but the ringing cell phone was a testament to the fact that I was getting there.