In the Witching Hour Read online

  Give up Halloween? This was seriously insane. Spooky. Thrilling.

  Lightning flashed and thunder rocked her very being as brilliant white light exploded in her. Needing all of him, she ground her hips against him, milking every last ounce of his precious seed.

  When they were sated, he cradled her against him and she pillowed her cheek against his warm chest. His strong, steady heartbeat lulled her as his arms wrapped securely about her. “Stay.”

  “I’ll find a way. I think I have….”

  His puzzling words echoed in her mind until she could think no more.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Jason signed his name on the contract at the Adopt-A-Demon center, promising to let a human adopt him for Halloween. It was quite harmless on his end and it was a long shot, but it provided a possible escape from his demonic plane where he’d been trapped for centuries. The closest, before the Internet, he’d come to escape was on the dream realm which was simultaneously invigorating and more frustrating than hell.

  He could visit his reincarnated love, Meghan, in her dreams, just to have her evaporate in his arms upon her wakefulness. And she was surprisingly lucid on the dream realm, doubting his existence even as she gave him a taste of heaven.

  He snorted. Heaven. What business did a half-demon, half-human have wanting a slice of heaven? His demon side damned him to hell, much as he longed otherwise. His hell was being separated from his soul mate, getting a taste of her, wetting his appetite, just to have her yanked from him time and again.

  Was it asking so much to be with his soul mate? Didn’t his human side promise him some happiness?

  The beast within raged while the human indomitable spirit sought a solution. As long as Meghan lived and breathed there was hope. If only he could control the raging beast. The dichotomy of his two halves forever battled for supremacy and it was only with sheer determination that he kept the beast caged. But the locks were weakening and the beast grew in strength. If he wasn’t careful, it could devour their love—again. It was the beast which had sent her to her death before….

  He hated the beast and he couldn’t blame her if she did. But the beast wasn’t the whole summation of him. He was so very much more. Foremost, a man deeply in love and longing for his soul mate.

  The proprietor of the site looked him up and down. “You seem awfully sedate to be a demon. You sure you can live up to your part of the bargain?”

  The bargain called for him to cause mischief and mayhem for the season of Halloween, which worried him that the man had a larger plot brewing. If he was 100 percent demon that prospect would faze him, would probably tantalize and delight. As it was, it concerned him. But he was desperate to escape his prison bonds, to be with Meghan again. He snarled fiercely. “Let me at them.”

  Seemingly reassured, a slimy smile spread across the master’s face.

  Jason unleashed the demon, taking a chance of forever losing control. The demonic rage boiled up inside him, shooting out in a ferocious roar. “You dare question me, human? You play with fire.” Steam hissed from his ears and his eyes tingled, a sure sign they glowed a fierce red.

  “You’ll do.” The slime tore off a copy of the contract and handed it to him. “This is binding.”

  Jason snatched it and stuffed it in his pocket, gulping in several ragged breaths, trying to tame the beast, losing the battle. “How soon will I appear on the site?” Eager to find his mate, he wanted to hear “yesterday”.

  “No later than October 3rd. Don’t want to fritter the best month away.” The guy laughed demonically making Jason wonder about his lineage. Somehow he doubted it boasted any angels.

  “Good. I’ll be expecting a call soon.” With that, Jason marched off, burning up with an ancient fever. Now to put the rest of his plan in motion, to lure Meghan outside the dream realm….

  Meg was in a mood to cut loose and get into the full-blown Halloween spirit. Today she wore her floppy bunny ears and slippers around the house earning an arched brow from the vampire-caped Lucy. “This isn’t Mardis Gras, it’s Halloween. You look like you jumped out of a Saturday morning kiddy cartoon.”

  Meg wriggled her nose at the Mrs. Dracula wanna be. “You have your way of celebrating and I have mine.”

  “Maybe your mom was adopted.” Lucy dangled a black licorice spider over her mouth and dropped it in. Closing her eyes, she licked her lips ghoulishly. “We have to mix with demons and ghouls so they won’t come after us. Frankly, my dear, they’ll devour you if you insist on such a get up.”

  Her cousin sounded as if she actually believed the silly blather. Being in such close, constant proximity to all those Elvis impersonators must have addled Lucy’s brain. “Lighten up, cuz. It’s all about having fun.”

  Lucy eyed her quizzically and an ominous note rang in her voice. “Don’t be so sure.”

  Surprise flickered in Meg. Lucy was superstitious. “Don’t tell me you take this junk seriously?”

  Lucy paused, staring at Meg. “I’ve seen some weird shit. Let’s just say there’s a lot of inexplicable things in this world and I don’t totally discount anything.”

  Pop-ups littered the computer screen, the uppermost window blinking like mad. Fascinated by the flash of light, Meg read it aloud. “Get a load of this. ‘Want to immerse yourself in spectacular Halloween fun? Adopt your very own demon for Halloween’.”

  Lucy unfolded herself from the couch and wandered over to Meg, peering over her shoulder. Trembling, she ordered, “Close it out.”

  Meg’s perverse streak reared itself. What? The Mistress of Darkness was scared of a pretend demon? After the way she had ridden her back about ignoring the darker side of Halloween pleasures? “Don’t tell me you believe in this nonsense? It’s pure fun.” Not that she really believed so, but she was tired of Lucy being on her back. It would look pretty cool on her Halloween website so she opened the site and began viewing the different demons up for “adoption.”

  Chills crawled up her spine as the devilish creatures grinned evilly back at her, but she was damned if she’d let Lucy know. She’d prove she wasn’t all fluff and nauseatingly cute. Besides, the site was extremely compelling, mesmerizing in fact. She couldn’t leave it if she wanted to. Subliminal messages must be enchanting her, telling her to buy some expensive car or time share.

  “I mean it, Meg. Get out of there. It’s strife with bad vibes.”

  Meg didn’t know what to call the vibes she was getting. Scrolling down the page, she let off the mouse when she spied one named “Incubus.” It blinked furiously and she couldn’t tear her gaze away. Dread and elation warring deep inside, she whispered the oddly familiar name.

  “Really, Meg. Don’t do it.” Lucy covered Meg’s hand with hers. “This gives me the creeps.”

  Hypnotized, as if something else commanded her hands, Meg clicked the link and then filled out the application. Ghosts floated across the screen, bouncing off the sides, fascinating her. She’d have to peek at the code to install them on her Halloween page.

  “I can’t believe you did that.” Lucy started backing away from her as if she was contagious.

  Scowling, Meg swiveled around in her computer chair and leveled a glare at the traitor. “And I can’t believe you of all people are taking this seriously. You, who make fun of my cute bunny outfit and my cuddly black cats.”

  The room began glowing and the air grew heavy and moist. Ghouls, demons, and curses made her too fanciful. She told her pulse to stop leaping about like a bull frog on steroids.

  Then to Meg’s shock, the computer flickered and an ephemeral being flew out of it, spreading its wings wide, enveloping the room. At first faceless, it swooped down, making her duck. Gasping, she blinked, unable to believe the vision before her.

  “Yikes! You’ve done it now. You’ve summoned an honest to goodness demon.” Lucy screamed and threw her shoes at the spirit.

  The missiles sailed through the spirit, shattering Meg’s lamp, putting out the light. Glass tinkled to the floor am
idst a shower of angry sparks. “Get out of here now.” Meg skirted the dark room, gingerly feeling her way along the wall.

  Just exactly was she supposed to do now? Hire an exorcist? Find the Charmed ones? Order the demon back to its realm? This couldn’t be real. She was definitely in the throes of the worst nightmare of her life.

  Warm flesh greeted her fingers and she sighed in relief. Human contact felt comfortingly reassuring. “Lucy.”

  But then the door swung wide across the room, flooding the room with light from the hallway, silhouetting Lucy’s fleeing form. That meant she was touching someone … something … else.

  Incubus….

  Meg’s heart froze in her chest and her voice choked in her throat as she tried to yell, “Lucy, wait!” It came out a hoarse, wobbly whisper instead.

  Meg’s gaze pivoted to the creature under her hand and she jerked back. A giant of a man stood before her, not a demon, at least not to the naked eye. Tall enough to be a basketball pro, he towered over her. She only caught a glimpse of a rugged face and compelling eyes before he raised his hand and the door swooshed shut across the room. The deadbolt rammed into place with the rage of a shotgun firing, making her jump.

  Backing away stealthily, she held her fingers in the sign of the cross, hoping the crucifix worked on demons as it supposedly worked on vampires. “What are you doing here?”

  A deep husky baritone washed over her, stirring unnamed emotions. “You called for me. We have a bargain.”

  Bargain? As in she owed him something contractually? Oh man, she should have read the fine print. What had she signed? “I didn’t sign my soul away to the devil, did I?”

  Could this suave-tongued demon be Lucifer himself? Surely one couldn’t just sign their soul away, could they? She hadn’t precisely signed her signature. She had typed her name so surely that wouldn’t hold in court. Not in any Earthly court, but was she dealing in an Earthly realm?

  She bit down so hard on her lip she drew blood. Great Einstein! If the creature was like a vampire, fresh blood would drive him to attack her.

  Like he wasn’t here for that purpose? Hello! Demons were called demons and not angels for a reason.

  “But who … what are you really? And don’t try to tell me you’re a demon. I—I don’t believe in that junk.”

  Light flooded the room with another flick of the man’s wrist. Okay, she was officially way beyond spooked, swiftly bypassing terrified. Although she loved these theatrics in the movies, they didn’t amuse her in real life. If a paranormal being had to invade her home, let it be an angel.

  “I’m Jason Althorp, half-demon, half-human.” He paused for half a heartbeat, then lowered his voice several notches, “Your long-lost soul mate.”

  Jason! Lord have mercy on her soul.

  Recognition hit her like an avalanche. Jason—her dream lover. It couldn’t be….

  For a breathless eternity, she gaped at the handsome devil, her blood pressure rocketing, her knees going weak. Finally, when her mind grasped the import, she consoled herself. So it was just a dream, albeit far more realistic than any other. “Wake up, girlfriend. It’s all a figment of your imagination,” she murmured under her breath.

  Irritation lit Jason’s obsidian eyes, to be quickly chased away by mirth. “Sorry to disappoint you, Meghan, but I’m very much alive and very much real. You’re not dreaming this time. I’m really here.” He backed her into a corner and leaned against the wall trapping her.

  So now she was supposed to believe the figment?

  Uh huh.

  She had it! She would command herself to wake up and Jason would evaporate. The room wouldn’t be in a shambles and she wouldn’t be in danger.

  Jason’s intense but unfathomable gaze held her captive, making her feverish. When he reached out to caress her cheek, she trembled. He frowned. “Don’t be scared of me. Remember how very much we meant to each other. How deeply we loved one another.”

  He was referring to the dreams, ergo he was from her dreams, henceforth she had to be dreaming. Only she seemed to be trapped in the dream, unable to awaken. It wouldn’t be the first time she hadn’t wanted to give up a troubling dream, that the spider webbing wouldn’t release the shadowy world spun by the moonlight.

  She swallowed hard, her throat raw. Clammy, her palms itched, and she wiped them down her pants leg. “All I remember are flashes of dreams. If you are real and I’m not hallucinating, you have one minute to leave before I call the cops.”

  Jason had to suppress a hearty chuckle. What did she think the cops could do against a demon? Even to a half-human one?

  She was darned lucky she wasn’t threatening a full-blooded demon or she’d be ash by now. As it was, his beast raged to teach her a lesson.

  So did the man. And the man was sorely tempted by the pouty lips and fluttering pulse at the base of her exquisite throat. So exquisite. So very alluring. How he’d missed her!

  Unable to deny himself, he leaned closer for a taste of her lips.

  She froze when his lips brushed across hers and then the wild cat in her awoke and she shoved him with all her might, catching him off-guard so that he lost his balance and fell backwards, crashing to the floor.

  The beast raged, demanding supremacy. Growling, his face contorting, Jason fought valiantly to keep the tight reign on his demon half, but he was losing. Rather than chance hurting Meghan, he told her, “I’ll be back. I’m not a dream.” He orbed out of Meghan’s apartment to a safe spot far away where he could cool off and collect himself. He had to make a plan to win her heart before midnight on Halloween, lest she be lost to him again and he be imprisoned in the demon realm for another eternity and she’d be at the mercy of their enemies.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Breathless and flushed, Lucy rushed back into Meg’s apartment about an hour later followed closely by two men, one in a black frock and wide-brimmed hat, the other in a policeman’s uniform. “Where is the creep? Thank God you’re alive.”

  Meg’s heart about leapt out of her chest and the blood rushed out of her head, making her dizzy for the second time that evening. Shakily, her hand grasped her throat. Two intrusions in one night didn’t bode well for her heart. “Lord, you about scared the life out of me.”

  Lucy stayed by the door beside the holy man and pointed toward the back of the apartment. “Make sure he’s vacated.”

  Meg dragged in a deep breath before stopping her cousin. “Jason left right after you.”

  “You mean Incubus?” Lucy’s jaw dropped a few notches. “You exchanged names with a demon?”

  Having him force his name on her wasn’t exactly a friendly exchange. She gulped and linked her hands together in her lap. “He told me that we’re soul mates.”

  Lucy gasped and gaped at her. “As in reincarnation?”

  Jason had made it sound so. Scared out of her wits she hadn’t exactly thought to push the source of her fright for details. That would be sort of like asking the boogie man to chit chat. Meg just shrugged. “I suppose.”

  The policeman rejoined them, raking a pudgy hand through his thinning salt and peppery hair. His bushy brows drawn together in a scowl, he announced, “The predator seems to have departed. No one else is on the premises.”

  “He might be inside her,” the priest whispered into Lucy’s ear loudly enough so Meg could hear him. His coal black gaze devoured her, making her squirm.

  “Can you perform an exorcism?” Lucy hissed, her complexion completely draining of color.

  To Meg’s escalating horror, he extracted a vial from his cloak pocket and held it up to the light. “I always keep it on me.”

  Meg wasn’t Catholic and didn’t trust this so-called holy man any more than she trusted Incubus. For that matter, when had Lucy converted? They were reared United Methodist. “You’re not Catholic,” Meg said, sounding inane. Did Catholic rituals work for non-Catholics? That was saying if they even worked at all and she wasn’t so sure she believed in exorcisms any more than she believe
d in demons.

  Meg shook herself. The point was moot. There were no demons inside her to exorcise. Wouldn’t she know?

  “Protestant pastors don’t perform exorcisms.” A gigantic duh hung in the air.

  Meg wasn’t letting this bozo chant over her and possibly cause more trouble. She made a shooing motion to her uninvited guests. “Well thank you for your concern, but I’m demon-free so I’m not in need of your services. Good night.”

  “But Meg….” Lucy squared her shoulders, a sure sign she was gearing up for a fight.

  But nothing. This was her house. Her rules. No whackos allowed.

  Meg beckoned Lucy to join her in the kitchen, in private. “I want them out of my house now.”

  “The demon….” Storms chased across Lucy’s normally jovial eyes. “Maybe it’s the demon talking to me, not Meg.”

  Meg blinked. “Do I sound like a demon? Am I growling? Foaming at the mouth? Are my eyes glowing?” Nor was her head spinning around or was she vomiting. She was plain ordinary Meg. Lucy was the wild one, with an even wilder imagination.

  “Cole in “Charmed” seems very normal most of the time.” Lucy crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes as if that proved her point.

  Meg sighed. Hello! “That’s a TV show. Not that I believe in demons.” Well almost. “But if I’m wrong and they do exist, do you really think a TV show is the definitive authority on demons?”

  “Neither of us knows enough to be an expert. That’s why I brought one with me. What can a little holy water hurt? If there’s no demon in you it won’t do anything. No harm, no foul.”

  Lucy’s logic seemed really warped although Meg couldn’t quite pinpoint at which part it went astray. “No means no. Please take the bishop back to whichever monastery you found him. I hope you didn’t have to pay much for his services.”

  The clergyman marched into the room, his chest puffed out, his chin lifted high. “I’m a reverend, not a bishop. And I do not accept earthly rewards for performing my sacred duties.”