Cole was so conflicted, he wanted to scream. One part of him wanted to strangle the stubborn, yet sexy woman walking in front of him, and the other part of him wanted to take her in his arms and kiss those pouty, luscious lips of hers until she gave in to all of his demands. He was frustrated, hard, and a little out-of-control if he were being honest. It had definitely been too damn long since he’d been with a woman.
I bet she could give the devil blue balls, he thought, as he admired the sway of her hips.
“Cole, did you hear what I said?” Fabio asked.
“Huh?” was his only reply.
“It’s obvious you need to relax and I have just the thing. When we get back to Zoe’s, I’ll explain more.”
Cole wasn’t sure what was going on with Zara’s father, but the glee in his eyes told him he was in trouble. Unfortunately, he didn’t have time to worry about that right now. He had to figure out a way to convince Sarah to stay with him. He wasn’t sure why, but the feeling in his gut told him there was a lot more to this mysterious woman than meets the eye. Nor could he explain his desire to… No… need to protect her. Never in his life had a woman frustrated him so much, not even Zara which was saying volumes.
Zara joined him at the back of the group and they walked in silence for a moment. When Cole glanced at her from the corner of his eye, she looked as though she was trying to gather her thoughts. He knew it had to be serious because she was biting her lip, a habit she’d picked up when they were kids.
“Cole, I know we’ve been through a lot over the last couple of months, but I want you to know that nothing has changed between us.”
“I know, Zara.”
“Please. Let me finish,” she pleaded with sorrowful eyes.
“Okay,” he said, as they continued walking.
“The first thought that ran through my mind when you didn’t show up tonight was that you were feeling left out. The second thought was that you were in trouble, especially when you didn’t answer me through our bond.”
“Aw, Zara.”
“Don’t. I need to get this out. Just because I’ve found my sisters doesn’t mean that we’re not still family. You will always be my family. Do you understand?”
Wrapping his arm around his best friend and sister, Cole said, “I know squirt. I’m happy that you’ve found your family and for the record, I wasn’t feeling left out. I just wanted to make sure we didn’t leave Sin City without Betsy Lou. I know how much you love that car, even if it makes me feel like a sardine every time I sit in the damn contraption.”
“You haven’t called me squirt since we were kids,” Zara said as she snuggled into him.
“You’re right. I haven’t. I’m hoping after tonight, things are going to change for us for the better. Goddess knows we’re overdue for some happy times.”
“I couldn’t agree more. And for the record, I know that you secretly love Betsy Lou as much as I do.”
“Do not,” Cole said with a sly smile.
“Do too!” Zara retorted. “Now, let’s talk about the bigger elephant in the room. What’s going on with you and Sarah? We could feel the tension emanating between you two a mile away.”
“Other than she drives me crazy, nothing.”
“This is me you’re talking to, Colrath. I’ve seen the way you look at her.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Zara.”
“Yes, you do. It’s the same way Stefano was looking at me the first time we met. She’s your mate and you’re in denial about it.”
“I think you drank too much champagne at Big Bertha and Skinny Mo’s wedding.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. But I know when my best friend has the hots for a woman and if the way you were arguing with her earlier is any indication, when you two finally give in to all of those feelings, you’re going to set a whole lot of shit on fire. Just try and give me a heads up so I can make sure no one gets burned,” Zara laughed.
“Oh, stop it!” Cole said, nudging her shoulder.
“Okay. But can I give you a little piece of advice?”
Rolling his eyes, Cole said, “You’re going to whether I like it or not, so go for it.”
“You’ll attract more bees with honey than vinegar.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean? I was only trying to help. She didn’t have to be so stubborn about it.”
“See, this is exactly what I’m talking about. If you keep acting like a Neanderthal around Sarah, you’re never going to get laid. You’re going to be the only red dragon on the playground with blue balls, which is not only pathetic, but also sounds a bit painful in my opinion.”
“There is nothing going on between us. It’s obvious she needs our help and since that’s what we do, I took charge.”
“Has it ever occurred to you that Sarah is an independent, strong, capable woman who doesn’t need you to take charge? Besides, she’s been hiding from this dark warlock for a while without our help. Just saying!”
“Hey, whose side are you on?”
“Yours. Always yours, which means when you’re wrong, it’s my job to point it out. You’ve done the same for me over the years. Just think of it as me finally returning the favor,” Zara said as she kissed him on the cheek and walked back to Stefano.
“I liked it better when I was the one being the voice of reason,” he said through their bond.
“I’m sure you did, but I have a feeling when it comes to Sarah, all reason will be thrown out the window for you my dear friend. Face it, you’ve finally met your match. Not only is she going to give you a run for your money, but you’re going to love every minute of it,” Zara countered before closing their connection.
Damn, she’s probably right, Cole thought, as he shook away the vivid images of him and Sarah wrapped in each other’s arms doing the horizontal mambo. If she felt as good in reality as she did in his fantasies, he was a goner.
* * *
Sarah had been alone and on the run for a long time. Although she wanted to jump at the chance to let the brooding, stubborn, sexy man walking behind her help, she kept hearing the words her mother had whispered to her on her death bed.
“Don’t trust anyone, especially your father. You’re special my child and when the time is right, your true destiny will be revealed. Until then, keep your secret power hidden,” her mother had said vehemently.
It had been fifteen years since her mother’s death and nothing. No sign. No revelation. In fact, there had been nothing on the destiny front for some time now. Yet, she was still on the run from her father and the farther she ran, the more vicious his goons had pursued her. She couldn’t believe he would turn Max and Jax into humans using Dark Magic. It had become glaringly obvious tonight that nothing was sacred to that man.
“How long have you had Max and Jax, Sarah?” Zoe asked as she nuzzled Jax who had the most soulful eyes anyone had ever seen.
“They appeared after my mother passed away, so I’ve had them a little over fifteen years. Normally, they growl at anyone who comes near me, but they seem rather drawn to you for some reason.”
Without revealing they were witches, Zoe kissed Jax on the top of the head and simply said, “My sisters and I have always had a way with animals.”
“I’ve changed my mind, I want breakfast,” Zelda said, interrupting the conversation.
Sarah watched the beautiful redhead swing open the door of the IHOP with such glee, one would have thought she had just hit the lottery.
She watched in fascination as Zelda placed her order. “I’ll have two stacks of buttermilk pancakes, a T-Bone Steak with Scrambled Eggs, a side of crisp bacon, a side of toast, a Blue Cheese and Bacon Burger, a side of whipped cream, a side of salsa, two large glasses of orange juice, a chocolate milk and an ice water. What are the rest of you having?”
“How does she eat so much and stay so thin?” Sarah thought as she watched the guy in the Elvis costume shake his head in defeat. She had to admit they made an interesting pair. She was in a witch costume and he was dressed as Elvis. They were the only two odd balls sitting at the table. How her life had turned to shit in a handbasket so fast was beyond her.
“What’s up with the witch costume?” Zelda asked, as she covered one stack of pancakes with whipped cream and hot sauce. The other stack was covered in salsa, whipped cream and Milky Ways. And if that wasn’t disgusting enough, the side of toast had been drowned in mustard, ketchup and snickers.
“Nothing really. It’s All Hallows Eve, so I thought I’d dress up this year,” Sarah replied, trying not to gag as Zelda vigorously stuffed the pancakes in her mouth and chased it with a sip of orange juice. “What about Elvis over there? What’s his excuse?” she asked, continuing to watch Zelda devour the most disgusting meal she’d ever seen in her life. When she pulled out a chocolate covered dill pickle, Sarah suddenly lost her appetite.
“Oh, he dresses like that on a daily basis,” Cole laughed.
“It could be worse,” Stefano whispered under his breath right before Zoe punched him in the arm.
Sighing, Fabio ignored their comments about his outfit and said, “I remember when All Hallows Eve was about women wearing slutty outfits, humans abandoning their inhibitions, and men partaking in masquerade orgies. Lots and lots of masquerade orgies. Oh, the good ole’ days. I do miss them from time to time.”
“Okay,” Sarah said, not quite sure how to respond. “Why are you in Vegas?”
“We were here for the World Series of Poker Championship and afterwards, we attended our friends’ wedding,” Zara replied.
“Did you win?”
“Unfortunately, no. Let’s just say we got a little sidetracked and had to take care of some unexpected business.”
“What about your brooding friend over there? Is he in the habit of rescuing strange women in parking lots?”
“No, he’s not. Only those who don’t have enough common sense to realize that she needs help,” Cole countered.
“Time out you two. We’re going to have a nice, civilized meal, pick up Betsy Lou and Daddy-O’s Love Machine, and get the hell out of dodge,” Zelda ordered, as she took another bite of her crispy bacon that had somehow been wrapped around the chocolate covered dill pickle. “Once we’re on the road, Sarah will tell us her sordid affair while Colrath will be on his best behavior. Isn’t that right, Colrath?” she asked, glaring at Cole to get her point across.
Although he was excited Zelda wasn’t given Sarah a choice as to whether or not she came with them, he had to play it cool and not show all of his cards. Therefore, he acted indifferent to the news and continued eating his scrambled eggs, as if it didn’t matter to him one way or another. Besides, even he knew not to upset a pregnant woman when she was eating.
“Look, I’m sure you mean well, but I don’t feel comfortable dragging you into my mess. I just need to grab my things, pick up the emergency cash I’ve stashed, and be on my way,” Sarah said.
“Honey, if you have someone after you whose dabbling in Dark Magic, you need our help more than you realize. Consider us a gift from the Goddess,” Zelda said, as she waived her hand to grab the waitress’ attention.
“She has a point, Sarah. Don’t let your pride or Cole’s bad temperament, prevent you from letting us help. He’s all smoke and no fire, anyway. Trust me,” Zara said.
Realizing she was outnumbered, Sarah reluctantly agreed to go with Cole and his friends. Maybe tonight, she’d be able to sleep with both eyes closed. Being on the run was wearing down her defenses. She no longer knew who was friend and who was foe. She just prayed to the Goddess and her mother that she was making the right decision because she had no clue what her next move would be. Sin City was her last chance to get lost in a sea of people and a city that never slept. She was still stunned that her father had found her so quickly.
Lost in thought, Sarah hadn’t realized they were waiting for her answer until everyone at the table was silent. “Fine. I’ll go with you.”
“Excellent,” Zelda exclaimed. “Now, let’s get some desert for the road. I don’t know about the rest of you, but the ice cream sundae and fruit crepe are calling my name. I wonder if they have any barbeque chips or Munchos?”
“Given Sarah’s situation, maybe we should get desert to go, sweetheart?” Fabio said, hoping Zelda wouldn’t ask the waitress whether or not they carried Sushi flavored ice cream.
“Good idea, Daddy-O. I have Munchos in the Love Machine,” Zelda said with glee.
“Of course you do,” Fabio sighed in frustration.