Eliza Gayle Witch Bundle (paranormal romance) by Eliza Gayle (the reader ebook txt) 📕

“Hey, everyone has to make a living.”

“Oh, please, don’t give me that bullshit. What kind of living includes killing someone?”

“A lucrative one.” Her voice sounded as icy as her eyes had looked staring him down earlier. “So are you going to untie me or not?”

She has balls that’s for sure. Rubbing his throat, he responded. “I’m thinking not. I’ll wait for Denn to get here and see what he thinks we should do with you.”

“Ohhh, I get it. You’re Denn Scott’s new flunkie.” She looked at him then, a measure of spark and sarcasm shining from her face.

What the hell was with this woman?

Unable to stop, a low chuckle sounded from his throat. “Flunkie, now there’s a thought. I’m going to have to remember that one. Should be good for a laugh later tonight.”

Raven rolled her eyes. “So, what are you going to do with me then? My legs are hurting and I really need to pee. Surely you’re not afraid of little ole me.”

“You really do have a smart mouth on you. Keep it up and I’m sure to find something creative for you to do with it.” He smiled again.

“What the hell is going on?” They both jerked at Denn’s voice from the open doorway.

“Your witch woke up and tried to choke the life out of me. And she has quite an attitude.” Once again he gently rubbed his throat with his fingers, remembering the inhumanly strong grip she had managed.

“Oh, as if you wouldn’t have an attitude if you woke up tied to a strange bed,” she spat.

“See what I mean?”

“Well, I guess this proves once and for all that your theory was right, Jake. This is going to be one hell of a situation and I doubt she is going to like it.”

“Hey, I’m right here.” She waved her free hand in front of her face. “Someone care to tell me what is going on and when exactly you are planning to let me go?”

Denn walked over to the bed and began untying the rope from around her bound wrist. Jake noticed he took extra care to not touch her skin. Although, despite that lack of skin-to-skin connection, the energy in the room changed, thickened. He backed away from the bed, letting Raven reach for her ankles and untie them herself.

“We only tied you up to keep you safe.”

“Yeah, yeah, your boy over there already told me that.”

Denn choked on her words. “My boy?” He turned toward Jake with an odd look of confusion.

“Yes, Raven and I had been having a rather surreal conversation before you arrived, and needless to say she has some rather strange opinions. Apparently I am your flunkie.” Denn had moved away from the bed and Jake watched cautiously as Raven finished untying the last knot holding her to the bed. She no sooner got free than she bolted to the door. “Shit.” He saw her slip out the door just as he started after her.

“Wait.” Denn’s voice boomed through the room.

“But she’s—”

Denn held up his hand, cutting off his statement. “Going nowhere. I told you I spelled the house. That includes a lockdown for her. In fact… “Denn headed for the door. “ This ought to be amusing.”

“You’re dark, Denn, real dark.”

A crash from across the house reminded them that they had a wild, angry witch loose in the house. “Maybe we should go make sure she doesn’t hurt herself or destroy the house.”

“Good idea.”

Jake followed Denn through the house, searching room by room for Raven, for once cursing the size and three levels of the townhouse. Eventually they wandered into the courtyard and found Raven alternately yanking on the door, trying to open it, and pounding on it as hard as she could while screaming for help.

“Raven, enough. The entire property is protected from the inside out and your magick is not only too weak to break it, but it's actually completely useless as long as you’re here. You have been bound, sweetheart.”

She turned and looked at him. She panted from the exertion of running and fighting against his wards. Sweat covered her brow and she looked even paler than before. “I. Am. Not. Your. Sweetheart.”

“Don’t I know that.”

Jake watched the compelling dynamic between the two people in front of him. They stood only inches apart and their gazes were locked on one another, tension sizzling in the air. He needed to break this up before Denn lost control of his restraint and reached for her. As fun as that sounded, watching the two of them combust together, he wasn’t sure her health could take it yet. He strode forward and stepped between them.

“Raven, you are barely awake from a weeks long coma, I don’t think this is such a great idea.” He grabbed her arm with the intention of leading her back to bed and away from Denn. She wrenched her arm from his grip, twisting and turning.

“Let me go. I’m fine, I just need to get the hell away from here. Away from the two of you.” She pressed her palm against his chest and the heat of it nearly burned him. Her magick may be ineffective here, but her attempt at using it had really ramped her up. She definitely needed to cool down.

“You are not fine, you’re burning up.”

“What? Let me see.” Denn tried to elbow Jake aside.

“No Denn, you know you can’t touch her. Not yet.”

He growled at him. “This is getting really old, Jake. She’s awake. I need to help her.”

“Didn’t we—”

“Oh, dear Goddess, would the two of you shut up already? I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself. Been doing it a long time.” She lifted her chin and straightened her spine. “Now point me to a shower and bring me some damn clothes to wear.” They both looked down at her dressed in just one of Denn’s soft gray t-shirts that came to mid thigh on her. Jake swallowed. Both he and Denn knew from experience