“How do we use it?” Tamsyn asked.
“Simple, throw the potion on him the second he changes back. It should knock out his memory for the last few days.” She glanced at the dog. “It’s pretty strong, so I don’t advise using it on him in this form. I doubt poodles and memory potions mix well.”
Mikayla eyed the potion. “I wish we didn’t have to use it,” she said. “I’ve already hurt him enough.”
Wyn reached out to touch her shoulder. “You know demons, sis. He won’t forgive you for this.”
Mikayla lifted Ciar up and rested her brow against his little head. “I know,” she whispered as the dog licked her nose. “Look, guys, we’ve been working all day. I need a break.”
“Sure,” Tamsyn agreed. “Leave Ciar here and we’ll keep working on him.”
The dog whined.
“Nuh-uh,” Mikayla said. “I’m not leaving him unsupervised with you two again. Who knows what you’ll turn him into this time. Come on, Ciar.” She set him on the ground before rising to her feet. The dog trailed after her as she left the room.
Mikayla headed back to her bedroom. She set the small vial of blue potion on her nightstand before collapsing onto the wide bed. Ciar leapt onto the comforter beside her.
“What could I have cursed you with?” she asked him, twisting her head. “I shouldn’t have been able to perform a spell this powerful.”
The dog crept closer, crawling on his belly to her side.
Mikayla reached out to run a hand over his soft fur. “What a mess this is and I know it’s my fault but you’re not exactly blameless, buddy. I don’t know what you found so defective about me, but you know what? It’s your damage. As soon as we reverse this I’m not wasting any more time on you.” She rolled over to stare up at the ceiling. “I really need to find a lover.”
The quiet growl from the dog at her side startled her. Mikayla sat up, watching as the poodle bared his teeth and growled louder.
“Ciar?” she asked, reaching out a hand to him.
Before her fingers could touch his fur, black smoke twisted from the bedspread and surrounded him.
Mikayla watched in horror as the smoke grew in size. She was about to run for the door when a solid figure burst through the blackness.
Ciar sat before her looking as shocked as she felt. He looked exactly as he had at the bar, dressed all in black and wickedly handsome. Slowly, he lifted a hand to his face, running his fingers over his furless skin.
“I’m back,” he whispered.
Mikayla swore. Throwing herself away from the transformed demon, she clawed at the nightstand for the forgetting potion.
“Oh no you don’t,” Ciar snarled, grabbing her arms and pinning them above her head with one strong hand. “You are not taking my memories, witch.”
Mikayla froze beneath his hard body, staring up at him in horror. “Memories? How do you know what the potion does?”
Ciar narrowed his eyes. “Woof, woof.”
He knew, she realized. He’d been conscious the whole time. He knew she’d cast a spell on him and he knew he’d been held here by her sisters. It wasn’t just her he’d exact his vengeance on. They were all in danger.
“Let me go!” she cried, fighting in earnest to free herself.
Ciar growled, throwing a leg over her flailing limbs to stop her writhing. As hard as Mikayla struggled, she was no match for his strength. A fact that couldn’t have pissed her off more. But what she lacked in physical strength she made up for in magic.
“Free of thee I wish to be,” she snapped, weaving a spell to win her freedom. “By the time I count to thr—”
Ciar’s lips silenced her, cutting off the magic she had summoned. Mikayla lay frozen beneath him as his mouth claimed hers. All the times she’d spent fantasizing kissing him paled in comparison to reality. He kissed her like he wanted to dominate her, possess her. Mikayla knew she could fight him off but her body refused to do anything but writhe under his. How long had she dreamed of him touching her just like this? She had no intention of stopping now. Instead she parted her lips under his, tasting him for the first time.
He held her firmly in place as he drew his lips over hers. Mikayla wanted to touch him but she couldn’t break free from the hand that trapped her wrists. Instead she arched under him, pressing their bodies together. Ciar hissed at the contact but didn’t pull away. He kissed her harder, sliding a knee between her legs.
Mikayla knew how foolish she was acting. Any demon who’d been treated the way he had would want revenge. She should be preparing for battle, not enjoying her enemy. But even if he’d released her, she wouldn’t have been able to pull herself away from his arms. She’d always known it would feel like this. With him.