Her Black Magic (The Dark Amulet Series Book 4) Page 2

  “Going in?”

  “Yep.” Joelle didn’t wait for them to lower the velvet rope, he stepped over the barrier. Once inside, he saw a horde of drunk people gathered around the bar and on the dance floor. He scanned the upper floor balcony, searching for Freya. She wasn’t up there. Glass surrounded the VIP section on the second floor, and he saw no sign of her. He had spotted someone with long blonde hair and thought for a second it was her until the woman turned around. The black lights made her blonde hair glow purple.

  Another woman sidled up next to him, grabbing one of his long, loose braids. “Not many men can pull off a look like this,” she said, fingering the ends.

  Suppressing an eyeroll he said, “Good thing I’m not many men.” He wasn’t any man for that matter.

  “Can I buy you drink?” she asked, running her hand down her front seductively, puffing her chest. Her nails were painted a deep red to match her lipstick.

  “I don’t drink.” He drank. Plenty. But he wanted to get rid of her. Joelle folded his arms across his chest. He glanced at the hand she put on his shoulder. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Freya twirling on the dance floor by herself. She quickly disappeared into the crowd.

  The woman accosting him said something he ignored.

  “Excuse me a moment,” he said, walking away even though he had no intention of returning a moment later or ever. He worked his way through the throngs of dancing clubbers and found Freya leaving the dance floor all the way on the other side. Although tempted, he didn’t call out her name. He was a stranger to her. How would he explain knowing her name? Hi, I’m an angel. You don’t know this yet, but you’re in danger of spending an eternity in Netherworld. Yeah, okay. That would work. Not.

  Freya leaned against the wall under the upper balcony next to a couple of other women and took her cell out of her pocket. The screen lit her face. What was she doing? On her right, the other women moved around the corner into the hallway where the bathrooms…oh, right, Freya was in line for the ladies’ room. Idiot much? While taking a few steps, she kept her eyes on her phone.

  Look at me, he willed her, as if he had that ability.

  She glanced up in his direction. Wait, that worked? Couldn’t be. Their eyes didn’t meet like he’d hoped. Instead her line of vision traveled down to his clothes. Joelle wasn’t insecure, but for some reason her opinion of him mattered more than anyone’s ever had. He dressed the way he wanted. Period. Yet his choice of red jeans, checkered Vans, and a short-sleeved button-down may have been a mistake tonight. Plus, he wore his long hair in two loose braids, both of which hung down over his chest.

  Before she could look away, he waved. What the Netherworld had he done that for? Real smooth. Quit being a buffoon. It was bad enough he’d dressed like one. Her eyebrows lifted. Was she surprised at the depth of his awkwardness? She smirked. Yep. She was laughing at him.

  Freya disappeared around the corner and into the bathroom. He followed her as far as the mouth of the hallway and leaned against the wall, waiting for her to come out. Remembering the Peppermint Patty in his shirt pocket, he peeled the wrapper off and bit into it. His upper lip curled. This wasn’t his candy of choice, but it was the only thing with chocolate he found while raiding his best friend’s kitchen cupboards, and he needed to feed his addiction. He shoved the rest of the candy into his mouth when she emerged from the bathroom.

  She shook water from her hands. Joelle manifested a paper towel behind his back. He stepped to her, handing it to her. “Here. I take it the restroom is out of towels.”

  Her eyes widened briefly then her expression darkened, and she walked around him.

  “Okay. Never mind.” He crumpled the towel and tossed it over his shoulder. Following her back to the dance floor, he moved his body to the beat, trying his best to blend in. A woman got behind him, grabbing his waist. Good thing for her that in the presence of humans, his wings virtually didn’t exist, otherwise she’d be choking on a mouthful of feathers. Removing her hands from his waist, he wound through the gyrating crowd, searching for Freya. She swayed to the music with her eyes closed. Amazingly enough, no one bumped into her. A red-haired woman who appeared about the same age as her tugged on Freya’s arm.

  Freya led the redhead off the dance floor.

  The same woman who trapped him before wrapped both arms around his middle. “I was wondering where you went. Are you trying to escape?” Even though the music was blasting from the speakers, angels had the ability to tune out certain frequencies, so he heard what she said clearly.

  “Yes. Couldn’t you tell?” he said.

  She screamed, “What?”

  He extracted himself from her grasp.

  “Aw, what a pity. Your loss.”

  Yep. All mine.

  By the time Joelle found Freya again, she and the redhead were holding an animated discussion near the bar. He tuned in. Freya sounded upset about something someone said to her. He hadn’t heard who yet.

  “I told him not to contact me anymore,” Freya said.

  “He loves you,” the redhead said.

  “If he loved me so much, he’d stop messing with my head.”

  Joelle’s hand curled into a fist. Who was bothering her? Did he need to have a talk with this human? Without realizing he’d moved, he now stood a few feet from the women. Freya’s back was to him.

  “He’s not messing with your head. Can’t you see he wants to be in your life?”

  Freya put her fists up to her head. “Hard to be in someone’s life when they’re in prison.”

  “He’s only in prison because you testified against him.”

  Abruptly, Freya spun and ran into Joelle.

  Chapter Two

  FREYA

  “Uh, shit, excu—” Freya looked directly at a man’s chest. The clean scent of sandalwood and musk filled her nose. And marshmallows?

  Is that him?

  “Whoa, sorry.” He grasped her elbows and her chest tightened. She pushed on his chest with her hands, looking up at his face. It was the same guy who offered her a paper towel outside the bathroom. Her breath caught, and she stopped struggling, strangely comforted by his presence. Odd, since she never felt safe with anyone. He was so beautiful he didn’t look real, but photoshopped to remove all blemishes. As strange as it sounded, his eyes startled her the most. Across the club when he’d waved, she couldn’t see their color. They were kelly-green with golden brown flecks and deep set. She wasn’t usually one to notice things like this, but something about his stare made her pay attention. Her stomach fluttered. Her pulse quickened.

  No. This wasn’t happening. Attraction? For this guy?

  “Where are you rushing off to?” he asked.

  “Let go of me.”

  He released her elbows and raised his palms in surrender. “Sorry, didn’t realize, yeah, sorry.”

  Even though he’d let her go, she stayed glued to the floor in front of him. What was wrong with her? Freya took a deep breath and willed herself to move. Nope. Her feet wouldn’t budge. She wasn’t done staring at him. He had a square jaw, cleft chin, and perfect lips, the bottom one fuller than the top.

  “Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine.” But I can’t make my legs work.

  He smirked. “Well, as long as you’re going to stand there, I’m Joelle.”

  “That’s an unusual name. How do you spell that?” What the hell did she ask him that for? Had she lost her mind in the last thirty seconds? She wanted to crawl inside him. But why? Because he was hot? Despite her usual tastes leaning toward men with short hair, she found his long hair attractive. She pictured taking out his braids and running her hands through his shiny brown hair. Gawd. Nope. This wasn’t happening. She avoided all relationships with men. Especially, those she met in a bar. Her protection spell must be wearing off. Possibly if she sprinkled black salt on the guy he’d go away. Although, since he seemed to exude nothing except positive energy that probably wouldn’t work.

  “J-o-e-l-l
-e.” He rattled off the letters so fast they barely registered in her mind.

  “Does everyone call you that?”

  Confusion washed over his face. “Call me what? By my name?”

  “Oh…no, I mean, do people call you Joe?”

  What’s wrong with me?

  “Ah, no.” He chuckled. “Not to my face.”

  Joelle said something else then shrugged. She didn’t have any clue what. A small white feather landed on his shoulder. Where had that come from? She glanced around the club. Her focus ended on his shoulder. He followed her line of vision, plucked the feather off his shoulder, and put it in his pocket.

  Odd.

  “You’re wondering why I put that in my pocket, aren’t you?”

  Freya relaxed her expression. “What makes you ask that?”

  “I dunno. Your expression? I like feathers. You know what they say about them.”

  “No.”

  “It means an angel is near.”

  Great. Whatever good vibes she’d gotten from him soured. Hottest guy in this place, and he turned out to be a religious nut. Next thing she knew, he’d try to convert her to whatever he believed that she didn’t.

  “I’m not what you need,” she said and spun away from him. Where was April when she needed her? Heading toward the ladies’ room, she sent a text to her cousin. ‘Where R U?’

  April didn’t answer. Keeping her eyes on her screen, she reached the hallway where the bathrooms were located. Thankfully, there wasn’t a line.

  “Did I say something to offend you?”

  She ran right into Joelle’s solid chest. Her phone slipped from her hands. He gazed down at her. Breathing deeply, she inhaled his scent. Must be cologne. Except she was allergic to most fragrances and this one didn’t make her sneeze or her eyes water.

  Squatting, he picked up her cell and handed it to her. “I could’ve gotten…” Another white tufted feather floated to the floor beside him. Would he put that one in his pocket too? He eyed the plume before standing to his full height. “Why am I not what you need?” he asked.

  “I’m not the religious type.”

  His forehead crinkled. “And you think I am? Based on—”

  “An angel is near because you saw a feather. It probably fell off someone’s clothing.”

  “Whose clothing?”

  Freya crossed her arms over her chest. “I think I saw someone earlier with a feather outfit on.”

  Joelle smirked. “Really? That’s what you’re going with? A feather outfit? Is it so hard to believe that angels live among humans?”

  “Well, have you ever seen one?” Why was she having this argument?

  April, where are you?

  She checked her phone for messages. Dammit. She tapped out another Hail Mary in hopes her cousin would save her, because clearly she wasn’t able to get away from this man. Her spell casting abilities had waned significantly since she put her father’s amulet in a safe deposit box. Every time she visited him in prison, he asked her about the damn thing. Was she still using its powers? Could she bring it to him during her next visit? Ridiculous. As if the prison would allow that. Even if they did, she wasn’t going to bring the pendant to him.

  “Yes.”

  Yes. What? Oh, right, angels. Freya shook thoughts of her father from her mind. “All right. Cool. Next time you see one, point them out, will ya?”

  He pointed to his chest with both thumbs. “This guy.”

  Freya laughed in a short burst. What a pick-up line. She stifled an eyeroll. “Oh okay, so you’re going to tell me you’re my guardian angel, is that right? Gimme a—”

  “Something like that, but I’m not a—”

  “Have a nice life.” She meant to walk away. He was making it so easy. However, her body betrayed her. Again. That was it, she must have done an attraction spell on herself by mistake. This was the last time she trusted the internet for spell recipes.

  He raised his brows expectantly. “Uh, usually a person takes off after saying that.” He stepped closer. “But I don’t see your legs moving.”

  Because someone cemented my feet to the floor. A rush of blood flushed her cheeks. She parted her lips as it became difficult to breathe. “I know.” She couldn’t fully inhale. What was happening? She took another breath. Her chest constricted. An asthma attack? Now? Dammit. Freya had left her inhaler at home. Having a cigarette on the way downtown probably hadn’t been a great idea. The room spun, and she put her hands out to steady herself. The back of her dress dampened. She tried sucking in a long breath but couldn’t quite get enough air into her lungs. A prickling fear crept over her.

  “Are you all right?” Joelle grasped her hands. “Look at me.” She lifted her eyes to his chin. “Take easy breaths. Concentrate on the rhythm of them. In. Out. In. Out.”

  She did what he told her until the panic subsided. Finally, she took a deep breath. Wait a minute, she was sitting on a padded bench in the hallway. When had that happened? Funny how she never noticed the thing before. The velvet covered seat cushion was black. Perhaps she had overlooked it until now?

  Joelle was kneeling in front of her with his eyes on her face. “How long have you been having these attacks?”

  Since I put my father in prison.

  “I’m fine. It’s just asthma.”

  He nodded, although by his expression, she couldn’t tell if he believed her or not. This wouldn’t be surprising since she didn’t believe it herself. She never had an issue until five years ago. Now she had limp lungs all of a sudden?

  * * *

  JOELLE

  Asthma, my ass.

  She had experienced a full-on panic attack. Anxiety was like that. One minute you’re smiling, the next you’re unable to breathe, ready to jump off a cliff or rip your skin off and stomp on it. Joelle understood anxiety well. Ever since he had been responsible for Ra’zael’s fall, he’d experienced some level of stress all the time. Although the male had forgiven him, he had not forgiven himself.

  Gah! Now he was doing it too. He jumped to his feet and rubbed the place over his heart.

  Freya sat quietly, her attention rapt on him. On the floor near her feet was another one of his feathers. However, this time it was a full ten-inch long one, not the under fluff like the others. He prayed she wouldn’t notice.

  “There you are,” her friend said behind him.

  Thank, Deus.

  Freya leaned around him. “April, I’ve been texting—”

  “You mind if I take off?” April gave Freya a sheepish look.

  “I thought we were hanging tonight?”

  “Yeah, but I met this guy...”

  Freya held up her hand. “I get it. Go.”

  “Are you mad?”

  “Would you still leave even if I am?”

  “Fre-ya,” the woman said, stomping her feet like a bratty child. “Don’t be mad. Looks like you’re hooking up too.”

  “With this guy?” She pointed at him with her head, and suddenly they acted as if he wasn’t in the room.

  “I dunno, he’s kinda cute.” April twisted a lock of hair around her finger. “I’d do him.”

  Joelle smirked.

  “I guess. He’s religious though.” Freya gripped the edge of the bench he’d manifested. He made sure the cushion was so soft she would be reluctant to get up.

  “I’m not religious.”

  “That’s too bad, maybe you can corrupt him,” April giggled.

  Joelle snorted. “Too late for that.”

  The women frowned at him like he was interrupting some private conversation.

  “Are you two done talking about me like I can’t hear you?”

  “Yes, you two have fun.” April winked to Freya as she walked away.

  “Sorry about that, she can be a little…” Freya waved dismissively.

  “Bitch.”

  “Yeah that too. She’s my cousin.”

  “So she gets a free pass because she’s family? What were you two arguing about earli
er?” Shit. He shouldn’t’ve mentioned that.

  “Arguing? I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She stood and brushed past him, her hands clenched into fists.

  Yep. He’d gone too far, but he needed her attention. Needed her pissed off enough to want change in her life. It wasn’t enough to recover Abaddon’s amulet. He learned over the years to listen closely when Deus gave him a task. When the Creator of All Life said, “Stay away from Hazel Stevens, you can’t help her now,” he meant help Freya, Amalya’s niece was now on a different path. He couldn’t help Freya unless she confronted her problems though. “Right before you ran into me, you were obviously in a heated discussion.”

  She stopped and spun toward him. Her pupils flared. “You were eavesdropping on my conversation?”

  “No.” He gritted his teeth against his lie. “You seemed upset.”

  “I wasn’t. That’s just how April and I relate sometimes.”

  Joelle crossed his arms then unfolded them. “By arguing?”

  “We weren’t arguing, okay?” She ran her fingers through her hair.

  “Sorry, it’s none of my business.” Man, I need to shut up.

  Something caught Freya’s attention and she strode past him.

  Shit.

  The feather.

  Bending at the waist, she snatched the pure white feather from the floor and examined it. “Huh, another feather. Weird.”

  A corner of his mouth lifted. “Isn’t that something? Wonder what that means.”

  Freya rolled her eyes. “Funny. Bible thumper.”

  “What in the world makes you think I’m religious?”

  “What church do you go to?”

  “I’ve never been to church.” Another lie, but he hadn’t been there to worship. There was only one place he went for that and it was located in another realm.