“Man, you are something else. What century are you from? Wait—don’t answer that. And don’t turn around.”
She watched the tension is his shoulders as he complied, dropping the covers and rising up onto her knees to reach the dress. Prince took the opportunity to lick her stomach, making her chuckle in frustration. “I’m glad he didn’t leave you behind too, big guy, but you have to stop licking me or I won’t be able to get this dress on.”
“Enough.”
Harrison dropped the dress and covered her ears, the echoing power of Jacob’s voice like a physical blow. She watched in horror as the sound flung Prince from the bed and up against the wall.
“You horrible, horrible man! How could you do that to an innocent—”
Jacob wasn’t listening to her. He was too busy glaring at the dog. “Good idea or not, it’s over now. I will not be treated like the villain while you get your cheap thrill. Show yourself. Now, Ric.”
Harrison scrambled to the other side of the bed, her stomach churning with nausea as she watched the adorable mutt transform into Jacob’s partner in crime. His silky black hair fell rakishly over one eye as he stood with shoulders back, a wicked grin on his full lips, mirrored in those laughing hazel eyes. “It was worth it.”
Her anger was a living thing inside her. Through a red haze she watched as the beautiful bronze Ric chuckled softly, and Jacob eyed her the way she imagined one would a cobra. Smart man.
She slipped the sundress over her head, running one steady hand through her tangled hair, and walked toward the breakfast table. She saw the eggs benedict, the crepes, some wildly exotic looking fruit. But she wasn’t hungry.
They may have bound her magic, but they hadn’t bound her hands. With two fists she grabbed a food laden plate and a pitcher full of orange juice and threw them both in the men’s direction. A handful of eggs landed on Ric’s smooth chest, his shocked expression so perfect that it almost made her smile. Almost.
Glass broke and food flew across the elegant bedroom, and still they weren’t getting the message. “Get. Out.”
Ric opened his mouth as if to argue, but Jacob grabbed his arm when he saw her pick up the sharp, carving knife. “We’ll come back later.”
The door closed, and they were gone in a heartbeat. Harrison heard the lock turn, and Ric’s whispered, “I like her,” before watching with satisfaction as the tip of the knife imbedded itself in the wood.
It hadn’t gone through their hearts, but it was enough.
For now.
Chapter Four
Harrison was loathe to admit it, but a part of her was relieved to be in a magical household again. And there could be no doubt that she was. Not when, five minutes after her tantrum, the room began to clean itself. The chilling food and shards of china and glass disappeared, and she decided clean sounded good. She needed a shower.
From the view out the bathroom window, she knew she wasn’t in Massachusetts anymore. The plant life was too exotic, the air too balmy. She must be at his family’s home. Argentina. Great. It would be no quick bridge across the river to get home now. No way she could let any of her new friends know she was okay.
The room began to change when she started to take off her clothes, turning into a rainforest, complete with waterfall. Lush green vines twined down the stone wall.
“Nice charm.” Harrison curled her toes in the soft, fragrant grass. The illusion was perfect, there were even birds singing. She held out her hand and tested the water. It was the perfect temperature. She stepped beneath it and sighed. Exactly the right pressure for her tense muscles. Each drop was like an enchanted massage. Or a kiss.
Damn, she’d missed this. Her apartment shower spit at her in alternating hot and cold, when the plumbing worked at all.
Magic had its uses.
Yet the luxury around her made her all too aware that she was trapped without her own magic. Jacob Gryffin had seen to that. She looked down at her hands, trying to focus her energy. Nothing. What was she going to do? What were they going to do to her? The only way to ensure that the Proxenos could not nullify the match would be consummation. Would they force her?
She stuck her head beneath the warm spray and closed her eyes, seeing them both in her mind. The real question was, would they have to use force? She couldn’t deny, in spite of her indignation, in spite of all they’d done, she still wanted them. How would she survive in close proximity to two stunning and undoubtedly sexual Magians whose magic was so compatible to hers? A perfect match to hers, despite their differing skills.
Ric was obviously a morph. Like Jenner. Unusual. Other than her sweet, if meddling housekeeper, what she knew of that sort of Magian was that it loved to play games with people’s heads. They were born mischief-makers. Harrison wanted to kick herself for not being more suspicious about the intelligent stray she’d called Prince.