Under His Spell - MINK Page 0,3

a witch who’s cast a spell on him. A love spell. My heart skips a beat at that, but it’s dumb.

“I’m Royce.” He holds a hand out. “I’m sorry about the gargoyle, but I swear to you right now, you have nothing to fear. Not from me or anything else in this house. You’re safe.”

I shouldn’t take him at face value, but his words go a long way to putting me at ease. “Sienna.” I juggle Lucifer to my shoulder and take Royce’s hand right when a crack of thunder shakes me down to my boots.

Looking up, I watch the sky darken, as if it’s happening rapidly, and then the pitter patter of fat rain drops starts hitting the stained glass windows.

“Storm’s rolling in, and I’m afraid your car is in no state to take you anywhere.” He keeps hold of my hand as a streak of lightning catches my eye.

“That gargoyle owes me a car,” I mutter and scoot closer to him right before the loud boom. I don’t like storms. Never have. When I was a child, a tornado hit my neighborhood. I remember opening the door and looking out to see the swirling winds, beautiful and terrifying. Two days later, I saw my first ghost—my neighbor, Mrs. Winnie, her smile so familiar, but the blue pallor of her lips and the strange twist in her neck equally frightening.

“It’s all right.”

I snap out of my memory and realize I’m in Royce’s arms. Lucifer perches on his shoulder as he holds me.

“Just a storm, little lady. Nothing to worry about.”

I give in and just lean into him, feeling his warmth and the strength that seems to emanate through this strange man in this even stranger place. The storm continues raging, but I take a deep breath and step back. “Sorry about that. I just don’t like storms.”

“That’s okay. I don’t like vegetables.” That sparkle is back in his eyes.

I snort a laugh. “Noted.” I chew my lip, then say, “Since you’re here, and I don’t see any ghosts, would you mind taking me to town? Or I could use your phone?”

Lucifer jumps down from Royce’s back and takes off up the wide stairs.

“Hey!” I call after him, but he disappears.

Royce casts a glance over his shoulder. “Sorry, but I don’t have a landline, and my cell service is terrible out here.”

“Oh.” I nibble my lip at little more. “Can you take Lucifer and me to town then?” I want to stay, to investigate—and not just the ghost. “And why are you up here all alone when everything I read said the house was abandoned?”

“It’s my family home. I’ve been fixing it up.”

“To sell?” I’d hate to see this piece of history sold to a developer.

“No, to live in.”

“Oh.” I nod appreciatively. “It’s a beauty. Victorian and gorgeous, though plenty of people write these sorts of houses off as creepy. You know after that old movie ‘Psycho’ these places get a bad rap.”

“I agree. That’s why I’m restoring it. Modernizing what needs to be modernized but maintaining everything original I can. I treat the old girl like a family heirloom, and I want to see her shine again.”

My heart swells at the thought of this old place restored to its prime. What a beauty it could be.

I hate to leave, hate to give up on this mystery, but I can’t exactly go bumping around in a stranger’s house on a ghost hunt. “Okay, so, about that ride into town?”

He rubs the stubble along his jaw, and something about the movement sends a tingle down my spine and up my thighs. “I’d be happy to take you. Problem is, when it rains like this, the little stream at the bottom of the drive washes out. I’m afraid it won’t be passable for at least a day, maybe more depending on the weather.”

“So I’m stuck?” Somehow, I don’t feel worried about it. In fact, maybe this is a stroke of good fortune. Maybe I can still do my investigation right under his nose. It doesn’t hurt that he’s absolutely gorgeous. Dark hair and eyes, tall and lanky. I lick my lips. He follows the movement.

“Seems so.”

Another crash of thunder sets my teeth on edge, and when a heavy door beside the stairs swings open with a bang, I jump into Royce’s arms with a cry as something moves in the shadowy doorway.

4

Royce

I should tell her the truth. I should be honest and let her know that I’m absolutely capable of driving her