Hexed by Fire Read online

  “I don’t believe she was really attacked in the park, do you?” His stare was disconcerting.

  “No.” A wary discomfort frayed the edges of her nerves. She raised the Styrofoam cup to her lips, averting her eyes, careful to keep her features neutral.

  “She probably broke up with Shawn again and is trying to get his attention.”

  “Exactly what I told Paige this morning.” Alex was curious why Trevor continued interviewing Annabeth if he suspected it was a ploy. Maybe it was because the antics of the two popular students made the news on a regular basis and increased his followers.

  As if on cue, the oversize football player stormed past them and headed straight for his ex-girlfriend. Shawn was a tall, broad, muscular guy, and the techies scattered to get out of his way. Annabeth didn’t budge. Her eyes narrowed to angry slits, and she slapped her hands on her hips. At least Shawn had enough sense not to shout so everyone who was eagerly watching their interaction couldn’t hear their conversation. Whatever he’d said to Annabeth must have soothed her because within minutes, she smiled and flew into his arms and into a get-a-room kind of kiss.

  “Sorry about your interview.” Alex gave Trevor an empathetic look. “Looks like your crew set up for nothing.”

  “It’s not a big deal.” He waved his hand dismissively. “It won’t be long before something else happens.” He shifted toward her and propped an arm on the back of the bench. “Speaking of which, how is Drake’s investigation going? Any new leads?”

  Unease slithered along her spine, and she tightened her grip on the cup. “You know I can’t talk about his cases.”

  “You’re right. I’m sorry.” He tucked his chin and absently plucked the fabric of his sweater. “Did you make it to class on time last night?”

  She shifted uncomfortably on her seat. Had he been following her? “No.” She pinned him with a suspicious glare. “How did you know I was late?”

  His round cheeks flushed, and he pushed his wire-rimmed glasses up on the bridge of his nose. “I was working late. When I was on my way off campus, I saw you take the shortcut into the park. Since you were running, I assumed…”

  And like an idiot, she’d confirmed his assumption.

  “Did anything strange happen?”

  Did he know something, or was he fishing for information? “Why would you think something strange happened?” Alex asked, tamping down her building anxiety.

  He leaned closer and spoke a little above a whisper. “I saw a burst of blue in the sky and thought maybe…you saw something.”

  Alex gave him one of her no-comment scowls, something she’d found herself doing frequently during their conversations.

  He held up his hands, trying to appear less invasive. “Off the record. I promise.”

  “Sorry, Trevor. I didn’t see anything.” She made a production of pushing her jacket sleeve back and glancing at the time. “Besides, I have to go. I need to talk to Professor Reynard.”

  “He’s not in his office if that was where you were going.”

  Disappointed, she asked, “How do you know?”

  “He passed through here about twenty minutes before you arrived. I think he was headed toward the parking lot.” Trevor paused before adding, “And he didn’t look happy.”

  “You mean he seemed grouchier than normal?” Age-wise, the magically inclined man had to nearing one hundred. Throughout her entire course, Alex couldn’t remember ever seeing him smile.

  “Yeah, it appeared that way.”

  Unless she wanted to go with the calling option to resolve the missed test issue, which she didn’t, she’d have to endure two more stressful days and wait until Monday. She downed the last of her coffee as she got to her feet, then tossed the cup at a nearby trash can. It hit the rim, bounced, and landed on the ground near Trevor’s feet.

  He leaned forward and grabbed the cup, then got off the bench and threw it in the trash.

  “Thanks.” She snagged her backpack and hooked it over her shoulder.

  “Since you won’t be meeting with your instructor now, what do you think about grabbing a late breakfast”—he tucked his hands in his pockets—“or maybe an early lunch?”

  Alex didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but she had no interest in spending any more time with him either. She took a step in the direction of the parking lot. “Maybe some other time. I’ve got some other errands I need to take care of.”

  “Sure, no problem.” The pleasant twist to his lips didn’t mask the irritated glint in his eyes.

  Chapter Five

  The St. Claire Investigations’ business hours didn’t extend to the weekend. When Alex pulled her car into the parking lot next to the dark reddish-brown brick building, she was surprised to find vehicles belonging to the entire staff, along with a jeep she didn’t recognize. Something must have happened for all of them to be here on a Saturday.

  She’d originally planned to return the items she’d borrowed from her brother and Chance. And, if she had time, review the files from the coven’s database. Neither of which was going to happen now.

  She tapped the steering wheel, contemplating what she should do next. One of the windows of Drake’s corner office faced the lot. If he’d seen her arrive, then watched her suddenly leave, he’d be suspicious and she’d be getting a phone call later.

  It was better to go inside, pretend she’d forgotten something in her desk or some other fake excuse, then leave before anyone could ask her any questions. With a groan, she exited her vehicle and headed into the building. Aidan and Chance were standing next to the receptionist’s desk—her desk—hovering over an open file full of documents. They didn’t notice her enter until the door clicked behind her.

  Aidan jerked his head in her direction, widening his chestnut eyes. “Hey, sis. How did you find out so quickly?”

  Excitement raced through her. She’d been right. Something had happened. “I have my ways.” She pretended to know what he was talking about in hopes he might share more information.

  Chance narrowed his dark eyes, frowned, then smacked Aidan’s arm with the back of his hand.

  Aidan rubbed his arm and glowered at Chance. “What the hell was that for?”

  Chance quickly snapped the folder shut and tucked it next to his chest before Alex could see what was in it. He propped his rear on the edge of her desk with his legs crossed at the ankles. “For a detective, your sleuthing skills suck. She doesn’t know anything. She’s here for a different reason, aren’t you?” He followed up his question with a quirk of his brow.

  When she didn’t answer right away Aidan crossed his arms expectantly and asked, “Alex, why are you here?”

  Straightening her shoulders, she adjusted the grip on her backpack. “What are you, my father?”

  “No, that would be my role.” She heard the familiar parental tone in Drake’s voice and cringed. Not only were they related, but he’d been her and her brother’s legal guardian since they were teenagers.

  She’d been so focused on dealing with Aidan and Chance that she hadn’t heard Drake’s office door open. So much for her plan to avoid her uncle until she’d had time to clear up the mess with her instructor.

  There’d been numerous times over the last fifteen years when the man demonstrated his overprotectiveness. Alex was certain today was going to be another one of those times.

  Aidan mouthed the word busted. Most of the time, he was a great big brother, but on rare occasions, like now, he could be a childish jerk.

  She pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes, wishing they’d been alone so she could wipe the smart-assed smirk off his face. Another item she was tempted to add to her to-do list for later.

  Alex pasted on an innocent smile and turned around to face the man who could be a loving role model one minute and a dangerous force of nature the next. Drake towered over six feet, and at age forty, which was young for a witch, the energy from his powers radiated through the room.

  There was no mistaking the look of i
mpending trouble in the deeply furrowed brow and tensely clenched jaw. Her smile faltered, and any of a hundred well-rehearsed excuses vanished from her thoughts when she glanced past Drake’s shoulder and spotted Mason standing in the doorway of her uncle’s office.

  “Alex?” Shock flickered across his face.

  “What’s he doing here?” She asked Drake first, then turned to Mason and asked him the same question.

  “I work here.” He moved across the room, stopping when he reached Drake’s side.

  “What?” Alex wasn’t sure if she should be happy to see him or annoyed that he’d lied to her.

  Drake turned sideways, his inquisitive dark eyes studying Mason, then her. He shifted his full attention to Mason. “I take it you’ve already met my niece, Alexandra St. Claire?”

  “Alex,” she insisted, more for Mason’s benefit than Drake’s. Her uncle knew she hated being addressed by her full name, and her annoyance bordered on defiant.

  Mason ran his hand along the side of his head. “Yes, this is the woman I was telling you about. The one I met in the park.”

  Alex didn’t like the direction the conversation was headed and transferred her glare to Mason, narrowing it even further. At least she’d been right about one thing. He wasn’t the innocent new student he’d led her to believe, though being employed by her uncle wasn’t something she’d expected.

  “Interesting.” Drake stepped backward and pointed toward his office. “Alex, why don’t you enlighten us about last night’s activities?”

  Refusing her uncle’s request wasn’t an option. She glanced at Mason, wondering how much of what had transpired between them he’d told her uncle.

  Aidan snickered, then leaned closer and whispered in her ear, “I’m glad it’s you and not me.” She could feel the heat rising on her cheeks and wished just once that she could control her magic. She would have enjoyed tossing a fireball at her brother, but the elbow to his ribs gave just as much satisfaction.

  Alex straightened her shoulders and followed Mason and Drake into his office. Once inside, she set her backpack on the floor and took a seat in one of the two wingback leather chairs facing her uncle’s mahogany desk.

  Drake closed the door and sat in the chair behind his desk. “Alex, why don’t you start by explaining what you were doing in the park instead of attending class?” He laid his arms on the desk, fingers intertwined. His intense gaze hammered away at her defenses. “Especially since you have firsthand information about the disappearances and were informed about the dangers associated with that area of the campus.”

  Alex clasped her hands together in her lap to keep from squirming in her seat. She’d learned quickly through past experiences that keeping explanations simple while telling as much of the truth as possible was always best. “I was running late, so I took the shortcut through the park.”

  “Why were you running late?” Drake asked, his gaze never wavering.

  “I was doing some research and lost track of time.” It wasn’t exactly a lie. It just wasn’t the kind of research Drake would expect her to be doing.

  He tapped his fingertips on the desk. “And you were carrying a dagger because…”

  It seemed Mason had divulged quite a few details about how they’d met and had earned the glare she shot at him.

  “Because I knew it wasn’t safe.” And some overly large and scary creatures were chasing me. Before Drake could continue his interrogation, Alex shifted sideways to face Mason. “What exactly did you mean when you said you worked here? And what were you doing in the park?”

  If he felt guilty about getting her into trouble with Drake, he hid it well behind his smile and the amusement twinkling in his eyes. “Drake hired me, and I was investigating the disappearances at the college.”

  Besides being irritated, she was also confused. She didn’t understand why they needed another investigator or why he was smiling at her. A smile that warmed her from the inside out. “The story about being a new transfer student was a—”

  “Fabrication. Yes. I’m supposed to be working undercover, but if I’d known who you were, I never…”

  Drake cleared his throat. “Alex, now that you’ve had a chance to ask your questions, can we get back to the matter of the dagger and the park?” He’d lowered his voice, and the fatherly tone was back. “We’ll save the discussion about why you missed class for another time. Right now, we need to know what you saw in the park last night.

  “Did something else happen?”

  “I’m afraid Mason found Gwen Montgomery’s body,” Drake said.

  She gasped, pressing her palm against her chest. She knew Gwen. Paige had introduced them at a coven event and was going to be devastated when she learned about the woman’s death.

  “Does anyone else know?” she asked.

  “No, and you can’t tell anyone, not even Paige.” Drake’s serious tone left no room for argument. “The coven has agreed to keep the news quiet and gave us two more days to find the other women.”

  “I understand, but can you at least tell me where you found her?”

  Mason looked to Drake for approval, and after receiving a nod, he said, “I found her in the trees north of the main clearing.”

  It was the same place where she’d first seen the creatures, and she could only imagine what Gwen’s body looked like if they’d gotten a hold of her. “I was there and…” Alex gripped the armrest of her chair and took a deep breath. She thought her heart was going to explode from her chest.

  Drake reclined in his chair. “Which is why we need to know what happened in the park, what you saw.”

  She’d been lucky, but Gwen hadn’t. She couldn’t do anything to help the other woman, but maybe she could still do something to help the two missing witches.

  She crossed her arms and exchanged determined stares with her uncle. “I’ll tell you what happened, everything…on one condition.”

  “And your condition would be?” Mason seemed willing to hear what she had to say.

  “That I’m allowed to work on this case.”

  Drake crossed his arms. “Alex, this is not a negotiation.”

  She nervously tapped her right foot. “Those are my terms.” She tossed back the same words he’d used on her hundreds of times over the years. “Do you want the information or not?” She wasn’t backing down. Whether or not he agreed, she’d find a way to continue the investigation.

  The sternness in Drake’s gaze wavered. Alex held her breath, finding it hard to believe he might actually consider her offer.

  Finally, after what seemed like an hour but was only a few minutes, he said, “I accept your terms.”

  The air whooshed from her lungs.

  “But”—Drake raised his index finger—“with one stipulation.”

  “Which is?” She should have known it wasn’t going to be easy.

  “You will work with Mason, and you will follow his lead.”

  #

  Mason didn’t say anything as he watched Alex grab her backpack and storm out of the office, slamming the heavy wooden door behind her. She might have agreed to her uncle’s stipulation, but she wasn’t happy with the terms. Not that he could blame her. It was obvious being able to investigate meant a lot to her, and she’d just been told she wouldn’t be allowed to do it without a babysitter, namely him.

  Mason and his wolf weren’t happy about it either. After hearing about Alex’s experience in the park, then seeing what had been done to Gwen Montgomery, neither of them wanted Alex anywhere near this case. Brow furrowed, he scrutinized Drake. “What were you thinking? I told you she might be a target.”

  Whatever had happened to the missing witches involved magical energy, which meant someone with intelligence and power was behind it. Over the years, he’d encountered many different supernatural beings but he’d never come across any animal-type creatures who could wield magic.

  He’d known Drake a long time and didn’t believe he would purposely put his niece’s life in danger
. And after what happened to Mason in Miami, he was certain his friend wouldn’t expect him to be responsible for another life. “You can’t let her—”

  “I know what you’re going to say.” Drake held up his hand. “But I know my niece. She’s stubborn and won’t let go of this case until she solves it, even if she has to go around me to do it. At least if she’s working with you, I won’t need to worry about her safety.” He rubbed his chin. “She needs a mentor, and I’m confident you can keep her out of trouble while you continue the investigation.”

  Mason wished he had the same level of self-assurance. He had a feeling there wasn’t anyone on the planet who could keep Alex out of trouble. He suspected chaos followed her around like a lost puppy. “How do you expect me to protect her if she can’t control her powers?”

  “You’ll figure it out.” Drake reclined in his chair and smiled. “I have no doubt you can handle my niece.”

  Mason swallowed the growl building in his chest and choked back the urge to throttle his friend or, rather, boss. When he’d first met Alex, he’d planned to keep an eye on her from a distance. Right now, he lacked the self-confidence to deal with his own problems, let alone keep anyone safe.

  There was also the issue of dealing with Alex as a woman. He couldn’t get within ten feet of her without his wolf trying to take control, to stake a claim. Hell, it wasn’t just his wolf. He wanted to stake a claim.

  Alex was off-limits. How could he tell Drake his niece made him crazy, called to his mating instincts, and all he’d done since he met her was fantasize about getting her into his bed? She wasn’t even in the room, and her lingering sweet scent was playing havoc with his senses and tempting his libido.

  Mason knew Drake well, understood there was no way he’d change his mind. With an acquiescent nod, he got up to leave, wondering how his life had gone from difficult to extremely complicated.