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With a wolfish grin that widened more with each passing second, Gabriel agreed and picked up an apple. I thought he would cut into it, but instead, he took a huge bite, the juice trickling down his chin. The look in his eyes betrayed hunger, but not for food.
Goddess!
I would never make it through to the end of this festival. My vow of chastity during the holiday month was filled with holes like a slice of Swiss cheese. Damn both those handsome immortals for showing up right now. I didn’t need complications. I hated feeling out of control. One thing about being a witch–we liked everything doneourway. I blamed my mother and aunt since I’d been raised as a free-thinking independent woman. I could admit I was spoiled.
Sighing loudly, I spun on my heel and left the hunky werewolf on his own.
“Cas!” Gypsy greeted with her usual enthusiasm as I entered the living room. The foyer ahead spread out into various rooms and the stairs that led to the upper levels.
She quickly enveloped me in one of her signature stranglehold hugs, and I couldn’t help but laugh. “Gyps, you’re going to suffocate me one of these days.”
She quickly released me as her blonde ponytail swung back and forth in youthful exuberance. “I told you I missed you.”
“We hung out last night,” I reminded her but smiled affectionately.
Aunt Gwen joined us, ticking her head toward the kitchen. “We have a few guests in the house for Samhain. Gabriel is already here, but I expect Kayde within the next few days. Willow is helping me with a new spell, so you’ll see her often.”
Willow Parker was a fellow witch and one of my aunt’s best friends. Her daughter Autumn was Gypsy’s best friend as well. A fellow senior at Mystic Hallows High.
“Who’s Kayde?” Gypsy asked before I had a chance. “And the big hunky guy in the kitchen. Is that Gabriel?”
She sniffed the air.
“A Lycan?” Her surprise indicated my aunt hadn’t warned Gypsy about our guests either.
“Yes. I figured we could use the extra company this Samhain.”
I still didn’t understandwhyany of these strangers were staying in the manor. The house was big enough–exactly thirteen bedrooms–but that explained nothing.
Aunt Gwen met my gaze, and then I understood. Gypsy didn’t need to know the truth. I wasn’t the only protective one in the family. My nod of acknowledgment escaped Gypsy’s notice, but I frowned at my aunt.
“Gypsy, love, why don’t you check in on Gabriel and make sure he’s not hurting himself in there,” Aunt Gwen suggested.
“Sure!” She jumped up and sashayed into the kitchen like a beauty queen. That girl was a handful, but she was a fun one. Just wait until her full powers developed. She’d be a force to reckon with.
Gabriel’s deep voice greeted Gypsy, and I was sure she’d be head over heels in love within the next thirty minutes.
Hard not to be impressed with all those muscles and his deep, gravelly tone.
I cleared my throat. “Out with it. How do you know Gabriel, and why is he here? And why are we expecting more immortals?”
Aunt Gwen sighed. “I’m sorry, honey. Things are a bit more complicated than I first realized.” I arched a brow but waited for her to continue. “Gabriel is an old friend of the family. He helped our ancestors escape Salem.”
Gabriel mentioned he remembered we left Salem but didn’t act like he wasthere.
“He’s always welcome in this house. The ancestors adore him.” She gave me a sheepish smile. “Your mother was especially close to Gabriel.”
My jaw dropped as my stomach flipped. So, it wasn’t my aunt who Gabriel was interested in, but my mother? “What? Like how close?” If he slept with my mom, I was seriously going to be creeped out. No lie.
My aunt shifted uncomfortably in her seat for a few seconds. “Listen, he thought your mom was the one, but he was wrong. They dated briefly. That’s it. Afterward, he became a close and loyal friend tobothof your parents. However, his relationship with Liz was special.”
The one? And what did she mean? Special like fuck buddies or what? “I don’t understand. Did they sleep together? Because I need to know that, especially after he just came onto me in the kitchen.” What was up with this wolf? Was he using my family in some way?
The blush on her cheeks gave me the answer before her voice. “Yes, but they didn’t know the truth. Once they did, all intimacy ended. It happened a long time ago, Cas. You should–”
I held up a hand, not ready for her to go into detail about my mother sleeping with the shifter.
“I get the basic gist. He should know better than to hit on me after dating my mom. That’s just gross, Aunt Gwen.”
