Sharon Karaa The Last Challenge (Northern Witches Series #1) Read online

  I pulled the dress down a little at the front to reveal more cleavage then turned and observed my reflection.

  “Check out that ass!” I said to Cat, grinning. He purred as if to agree with me.

  Steven and Andrew were designated drivers for the evening. I’d met them at a design conference a year ago when we’d banded together, the only Northerners there. We’d all gotten very drunk and had almost been thrown out of the hotel. They both worked as graphics designers for our biggest competitor, Design Worx, and they were my secret weapon. John had been desperately trying to get then to come to the dark side and work for him, so at least that guaranteed his focus would be somewhere in my vicinity. Lucinda would have her work cut out getting his attention tonight.

  I spritzed with Vera Wang and downed the last of the second glass of wine I had allowed myself during the ordeal of getting ready. Just in time, I heard the car horn indicating the arrival of my friends. I grabbed my black Louis Vuitton clutch, sashayed sexily towards the door, and promptly tripped over Cat.

  We arrived at The Copthorne Hotel on the Quayside fashionably late, given that Stephen made Andrew drive round the town four times before we got there.

  “It’s your own fault, Lauren,” Stephen snapped. “We just weren’t expecting you to actually be ready on time!”

  I poked my tongue at him as he huffed and got out of the car.

  I climbed out of the rear passenger seat just in time to see John being greeted at the door by Lucinda. She looked stunning in a short, blue silk dress with matching shoes. I felt the acid build up in my stomach. John looked absolutely amazing in a dark suit that simultaneously showed off his broad shoulders and tapered waist and left me salivating. That feeling disappeared when I looked at Lucinda’s hand touching his left arm as she leaned in to kiss him on the cheek.

  “Stop fussing!”

  I turned around to see Andrew slap Stephen’s hand as he attempted to fix his tie.

  “For God’s sake girls, can you behave for five minutes!” Selina said as she pulled the wedgie out of her rear. She straightened her dress as she took a few teetering steps then looked up at the hotel, marvelling at its grandeur, then grabbed me by the arm so we could prop each other up as we tiptoed across the cobbles in our death-defying heels.

  We made it in one piece just as John made his way in. As we reached the doorway, Lucinda zeroed in on my chest, her lips curving up in a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. I prayed that the chicken fillets hadn’t decided to make an appearance and scowled at her.

  “Well hello darlings,” she said, grabbing Stephen’s hand and air kissing him before turning to Andrew. I wanted to push my fingers down my throat.

  “Lucinda, darling, long time no see! How are you and Emerson these days?” Andrew inquired as Stephen elbowed him in the side sharply. He was needling her. They both knew she’d dumped Emerson as soon as he’d left his wife and she’d got the promotion. Lucinda turned purple. Score one for my team!

  “We’ve broken up,” she replied, tersely. “We decided it would be best, working together and everything.”

  “Ahh, very sensible. It’s never a good idea to shit where you eat,” Selina replied. I almost swallowed my tongue.

  “We’ll see you inside when you’re finished,” I said hastily, grabbing Andrew and Selina and dragging them through the door. I wanted to laugh but I settled for a wide smile and nipped Selina’s arm in glee. She snorted.

  Reaching the bar, Stephen pulled out his wallet and ordered two bottles of Shiraz while I scanned the room to see who had turned up. I felt a hand touch my elbow and looked up to see John smiling down at me. Oh, be still my heart!

  “Lauren, you’re looking lovely. I see you’ve brought some fine talents with you tonight,” he said, offering Andrew his hand.

  Andrew shook it in both of his and gushed. “John what a pleasure to see you again! It’s so nice of you to invite us and congrats on the award!”

  John’s face flushed an endearing pink. “Comes of having a great team behind you, Andrew,” he said, smiling at me again. I think I swooned but it may have just been the heels.

  At that moment, Stephen finished paying for our drinks and turned around to see John and Andrew’s hands still clasped together. He scowled, pulling Andrew back by the sleeve and pushing his own hand forward. “John. Nice to see you again.”

  It took a full three seconds for John to realise that Stephen was talking to him and drop Andrew’s hand, a fact not missed by Stephen, judging by the colour now rising up his neck.

  Selina came to the rescue and pushed herself forward, grabbing John by the arm and leaning in to kiss him on the cheek. “Hi, I’m Selina, it’s nice to finally meet you.”

  John kissed her briefly then turned back to Andrew, his eyes devouring him. In that fateful moment, I saw my dreams of rampant sex with John the Love God float out the window. He was gay and he had the hots for Andrew. No wonder he wanted me to bring them!

  Bad Luck leaned against the bar, slapping the counter with his hand as he cried tears of laughter.

  True to form, Lucinda put the cherry on the cake by rushing over and grabbing the glass of Shiraz Stephen was holding out to me. “Thank you darling, I so need this!” she said as she took a petite sip and batted her eyelids at John. “You’re a popular man, John. It feels like the world and his mother have turned up tonight. Playing hostess is so exhausting!” she tossed her blonde hair suggestively and thrust out her breasts.

  At that point, I decided I’d had enough. I grabbed the second bottle of Shiraz and two glasses.

  “I’m off to mingle. Selina, are you coming?” I waved the wine in her face. She dutifully followed me across the room to the only remaining available table and we sat to pour the wine.

  “Oh my God,” she giggled behind her hand. “I can’t believe you’ve been lusting over him all this time and he’s gay!”

  I looked at her sternly before losing myself as well, snorting some of the Shiraz up my nose. Par for the bloody course. Bad Luck had better be wearing some serious protection around his gonads, because if I ever actually met him, there was going to be war.

  “Just how far do you think Lucinda would go? You reckon she’d go as far as a sex change?” Selina asked as we watched Lucinda trying to attract John’s attention to her cleavage. We both fell about laughing.

  I decided to cut my losses and scanned the room to see if my team had arrived. Jack, another developer, was busy seducing a dark haired woman at a table not far from us. Typical Jack. I kept scanning and noticed the graphics team were sitting demurely three tables away. I wasn’t inclined to go over and chat with them, so I kept looking around for anyone interesting.

  “Hot talent at twelve o’clock,” Selina said, nudging me as I took a sip of my wine. Good job the dress was black, I thought, inspecting myself for spills.

  I looked up to see a very tall, dark haired man with his back to me at the bar. Hmmm. I wondered if the front view was a nice as the back. Dark, slightly curled hair reached the top of his collar and he stood at least six inches taller than anyone else at the bar. Jolene was purring.

  Then he turned and our eyes met.

  It was none other than sexy stranger from the coffee shop. I gasped in surprise. What were the chances?

  I couldn’t drag my eyes away from him and he appeared equally shocked to see me.

  “Do you know him?” Selina asked.

  “Find your own bloody way home!” Stephen shouted. I turned sharply to see him slam out of the bar. By the time I turned back to my sexy stranger, he had once again disappeared.

  “Damn it!” I cursed, scanning the room to see where he’d gone. I couldn’t spot him but duty called anyway and I had a situation to deal with.

  “It’s your turn,” said Selina, settling herself adamantly into the chair and folding her arms. It was getting to be a semi-regular occurrence. Andrew was a big flirt and it tended to make Stephen a little insecure.

  Sighing, I jumped up and made
my way as fast as my high heels would carry me back through the reception and out of the main door. By some minor miracle, I managed to get there without falling over. I looked at the cobbles and groaned, reaching down to pull my shoes off then taking off again, slipping on the cold stones but managing to stay upright. By this time, Stephen had reached the car and was climbing into the driver’s seat.

  I picked up the pace, still convinced I could reach him in time, but it was too late. The engine started and the car sped out of the exit as I stared after it, hoping he’d eventually realise he needed to turn on the lights.

  I turned to make my way back to the party when, all at once, the strangest feeling came over me. I felt as though I was being watched.

  All the sounds of the party seemed suddenly muted and I realised how dark and secluded the car park actually was. Cold chills ran up my back and the hairs on my neck stood to attention. I turned in a slow circle, trying to see if anyone was out there.

  The last thing I remember clearly was the stench of decay burning into my nostrils.

  That’s when the first punch landed in my stomach.

  2 - A Spark of madness

  I flew backwards across the car park and landed in the bushes, gasping for breath. Something grabbed me by the ankles and started dragging me back out as I kicked wildly, trying to free myself. Letting go of the shoes, I tried to grab onto the branches to stop myself but they snapped off in my hand. Twigs and gravel scraped my skin as I cleared the bushes and twisted around to see my attacker.

  But there was no one there to see.

  I froze in manic fear and confusion, gasping for breath, before picking myself up and taking off back towards the hotel. I had only taken two steps when cold fingers closed around my throat, lifting me clear off the ground. I clawed at whatever was wrapping itself around my windpipe, unable to breathe or even scream, but whatever it was, it was too strong.

  That’s when sexy stranger came running towards me with both hands raised.

  A strange, blue light arced over my head and I screamed in fear. Suddenly, I wasn’t in the air anymore. I landed sharply on my rear, inhaling great lungfuls of cold air. Sexy stranger rushed across and picked me up as though I weighed nothing, throwing me over his shoulder as I gasped for breath. I struggled for freedom but he was having none of it as he sprinted towards a motorbike.

  A bloody motorbike? He was going to kidnap me on a motorbike?

  He pushed me to a standing position and looked at me with those sexy brown eyes. I stared back in a daze. This man was gorgeous! Absolutely drop your knickers gorgeous. Full, red lips, sexy jawline, and an intoxicating scent of almonds and citrus. He. Was. Sex. On. Legs. Then I came to my senses and kicked him in the nuts.

  Unfortunately, he had excellent reflexes and managed to protect his jewels from the worst of the blow while at the same time pulling me closer in to him.

  “Calm down, I’m the good guy,” he snapped as he wrapped his arms tightly around me. I kept struggling and managed to kick him in the leg with my bare foot.

  “Aliquam meae” he whispered in my ear and darkness engulfed me.

  I came to in a darkened room, confused and disorientated. My head was pounding and I leaned up on one elbow as I tried to take in my surroundings. I was lying on a sofa with a fur blanket draped over me. I ripped off the blanket, relieved to see I was still wearing my dress, albeit slightly torn and muddy. My feet, however, were sans shoes and I wondered dizzily where they had gone.

  A fire blazed merrily in the hearth to the left of me and the gentle ticking of the clock on the mantle showed me it was coming up on two. I assumed that meant morning as there was no light, save for the flames, but this could have been misleading given the heavy brocade curtains hanging the full length of the wall opposite.

  I sat up gingerly and spotted an open door with a faint light bleeding through the darkness. As I got to my feet, a wave of nausea swept over me and I stopped, holding on to the arm of the sofa to steady myself.

  There was a sound of clattering dishes. Someone was in the next room. I crept cautiously to the door and paused when I heard voices.

  “What the hell else was I supposed to do? The bastard all but had her, I had no choice,” came the deep-voiced whisper. Whoever it was had an upper class English accent so he obviously wasn’t from the North of England.

  There was another faint murmur which sounded female, but I couldn’t discern the words.

  “She ran out of there like a bat out of hell; I couldn’t have stopped her if I’d tried.”

  More muttering.

  “I couldn’t stay close, she saw me. That’s the second time today! She’s not supposed to see me when I’m cloaked. I just don’t understand it!”

  Another muttered response followed.

  I peeked through the partially open door to see sexy stranger pouring hot water from a kettle into two cups.

  “I have no intention of seducing her so behave!”

  Well that was… a relief?

  I must be mad. The man abducts me and I’m worried he doesn’t want to play tonsil tennis? I needed my head examined! I had no idea what was going on and no intention of sticking around to find out.

  I edged back down the hall and into the room I had come from. As quietly as possible, I tiptoed across to the curtains, pulling them back to find two sliding patio doors. I spotted the handle and was about to make my escape when a pale face appeared in the window, shouting “Boo!”

  I screamed and ran back out of the room, straight into the arms of sexy stranger. He grabbed me and pulled me into his chest.

  “Stop! Stop struggling, you’re safe,” he said, holding me tight to him until I calmed down.

  His chest was like steel and his fingers dug into my arms. I turned my head towards the window in time to see a pale-faced woman in a grey flannelette dress floating towards me.

  That was when I blacked out.

  I opened my eyes to find myself back on the sofa with sexy stranger leaning over me and his hands around my throat. I gasped in fright but he shushed me as his eyes examined my face. His fingers moved from my neck up to my hairline, gently probing a lump on my forehead that I had no recollection of acquiring. I felt a strange sensation, not entirely unpleasant, wherever his fingers touched me.

  “Who are you?” I asked, pulling myself up to a sitting position and moving my face as far away from him as I could. His eyes met mine and I was mesmerised. Those eyes would be the death of me, I thought, as everything south of the border went hot and moist.

  “My name is Daniel Hunter and I’m not going to hurt you,” he said, staring into my eyes as if willing me to believe him. His fingers were now gripping my arms, gently burning my skin. My inner angel, Abigail, put Jolene in an arm lock and I pulled myself away from him.

  “So would you mind telling me how I got here and who the hell attacked me?” I demanded with a glare. I didn’t even want to think about the grey lady, but hopefully I could put that down to the knock on my head.

  “There’s a lot to tell you, but first, let me take a look at you. You took quite a beating out there” he said gently. His hand came back up and he touched the knot on my head. I felt heat where his fingers explored before his hand moved back to my arm. When I moved my fingers up to examine the injury, it was gone.

  “What the hell! What are you?” I pushed away from him, trying to put as much distance as possible between us.

  “Desino!” he commanded, and amazingly, I found I couldn’t move. What was it with this guy? How the hell did he do that?

  “Forgive me for controlling you but there’s too much to explain and I need to be sure you’ll listen to everything I have to say before you run out of the house screaming.” He spoke calmly and rationally. I tried desperately to make my body respond but the only things I could move were my eyes.

  “Now, I’m about to tell you a lot of things that you might find a little difficult to believe but you need to be still and listen. I give you my word, if y
ou do that I will let you go home”.

  God his eyes were beautiful. I looked down to his mouth as he phrased the next words, his lips full and soft. At that moment, I was glad I couldn’t move as I found myself wanting to taste those lips, despite my predicament!

  He chuckled at me, his lips turning up into a slight smile. Shit, could he read my mind?

  “Your name is Lauren Rutherford, you are the last descendant of Agnes Rutherford of Northumberland, and your life is in danger,” he said, still staring at me.

  He knows my name? Then one word triggered something in my brain. Did he say danger?

  “Agnes Rutherford was born in 1610 in Prestwick Village. She was a witch and she was your sixteenth great-grandmother. I guess in today’s language, you would call her a midwife. Agnes was widowed at a young age when her husband, Cuthbert Rutherford, died of the plague in 1636. Four years later, she fell in love with Matthew Bulmer, a witch, and despite your surname, your great grandfather.”

  When he finished speaking, he looked at me seriously. Trying to determine, perhaps, if I actually believed what he was telling me. I stared back, trying to match his expression, but I found I was having trouble concentrating on anything he was telling me.

  This man was beyond sexy, but he was also a fruit loop short of a breakfast!

  Daniel stifled a smile. Bloody hell, he could read my mind! I decided to test my theory and thought about what it would feel like to wrap my legs around his waist and run my fingers through his hair, pushing his face into my breasts. I looked at him out of the corner of my eye but didn’t seem to be getting any response. Maybe it was just a lucky guess.

  Of course it was, I reminded myself with exasperation. People can’t read minds!

  “Well I certainly can, you hussy!” came a sound from behind my head. I stiffened, but I couldn’t look round. Oh God! Was the grey lady back? I felt a current of air pass to my left and then followed Daniel’s eyes as the old lady from the bus stop came in to view, laughing softly.