Sex Spells

By Pelaam

Sex spells... Sometimes what they conjure can be deadly.

After being dumped by his latest boyfriend, Aiden lets a friend talk him into visiting a sex spells shop to get a spell or charm for good luck in love. The charm appears to work when he meets Lyall, the man of his dreams.

Garen, a special investigator of paranormal activity, is called in when a victim is found burned to death in his bed. With the help of his husband Luke, he looks for the link between subsequent victims to discover how to stop the demonic power that's killing them.

When they find the link is Aiden, who is being used by a practitioner of the dark arts to conjure a demon of fire, it becomes a race against time to save him from becoming the final victim and thereby unleashing one of the most powerful fire demons ever known.

While Luke must try to protect Aiden and Lyall from a demonic force, Garen must face the demon's summoner.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pride Publishing
• Release date: Jan 21, 2020
• ISBN: 9781839430015

Book preview

Author

Pride Publishing books by Pelaam

Single Books

Dragon’s Lair

French Lessons

Firebird

The Devil’s in the Details

SEX SPELLS

PELAAM

Sex Spells

ISBN # 978-1-83943-001-5

©Copyright Pelaam 2020

Cover Art by Holly Johnson ©Copyright January 2020

Interior text design by Claire Siemaszkiewicz

Pride Publishing

This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Pride Publishing.

Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Pride Publishing. Unauthorised or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.

The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.

Published in 2020 by Pride Publishing, United Kingdom.

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the authors’ rights. Purchase only authorised copies.

Pride Publishing is an imprint of Totally Entwined Group Limited.

If you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as unsold and destroyed to the publisher and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this stripped book.

Book one in

The Devil’s in the Details series

Sex spells… Sometimes what they conjure can be deadly.

After being dumped by his latest boyfriend, Aiden lets a friend talk him into visiting a sex spells shop to get a spell or charm for good luck in love. The charm appears to work when he meets Lyall, the man of his dreams.

Garen, a special investigator of paranormal activity, is called in when a victim is found burned to death in his bed. With the help of his husband Luke, he looks for the link between subsequent victims to discover how to stop the demonic power that’s killing them.

When they find the link is Aiden, who is being used by a practitioner of the dark arts to conjure a demon of fire, it becomes a race against time to save him from becoming the final victim and thereby unleashing one of the most powerful fire demons ever known.

While Luke must try to protect Aiden and Lyall from a demonic force, Garen must face the demon’s summoner.

Dedication

To my partner, who’s always there for me.

Trademark Acknowledgements

The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:

Cinderella: Disney Enterprises Inc.

Coke: Coca-Cola Company

Versace: Gianni Versace S.P.A.

Starbucks: Starbucks Coffee Company Corporation

Prince Charming: Disney Enterprises Inc.

The Stepford Wives: Ira Levin

iPod: Apple Inc.

Google Maps: Google Inc.

Macbeth: William Shakespeare

Chapter One

The morning was dragging with interminable slowness, and Aiden looked at his watch for what seemed like the thousandth time. He groaned softly. The minute hand had only dragged itself another measly ten minutes farther on.

Only nine-fifteen. Are we sure the clock’s not slow? I’d have bet my lunch it was closer to ten than that.

Sorry, Aiden. Clock’s all good. It’s just one of those really slow mornings. Amanda looked up and grinned at him. We haven’t even had the food trolley come around yet. That should have given the game away.

I wasn’t listening for that. Aiden stuck out his bottom lip. Fuck it all. I’d swear time’s moving backward.

Head down, bum up, mate. Jacqui laughed out loud. You’re not going to tell me you haven’t got things to do?

No, of course not. Aiden shook his head. It’s just… I want my break, a coffee and something sugary.

Here. Have this. Amanda handed Aiden a couple of pieces of chocolate and Aiden smiled. Amanda, like he, preferred dark chocolate, and she always had a bar or box of the good stuff stashed away. Aiden preferred a few squares of superior chocolate over a bar of lesser quality every time.

Thanks. That’ll keep me going. Aiden broke off a square and bit it in half, letting it melt on his tongue. There were advantages to being the only guy in the department. The older women tended to mother him and those closer his own age treated him as an equal.

Normally his job as a scheduler for hospital bookings kept him busy. But his boyfriend had been away for a couple of weeks. Dolan was due back on the weekend and, for Aiden, time was dragging by, second after painful second. 

By the time morning tea break arrived, Aiden was ready to climb the walls. Sometimes he took his break with other schedulers in the nearest tearoom, but today, Aiden hurried to the canteen to meet up with Farrah, who worked in the hospital’s finance department.

The coffee there wasn’t bad, and Aiden decided to indulge in a muffin to celebrate his boyfriend’s imminent return. With Farrah close behind him, he found a table at the far end of the canteen to sit and talk.

How many hours now? Farrah winked at Aiden. You’ll be counting the minutes next.

That’ll be tomorrow night. Aiden hugged his cup to his chest. The plane gets in from Auckland early Saturday morning and I said I’d pick him up. Fuck, it’s only been two weeks, not like it was any real length of time.

Must be twue lurve. Farrah snickered.

Piss off. Aiden’s tone remained good-natured. He and Farrah had been friends forever, but Farrah had a long-term boyfriend. They were even discussing marriage. By comparison, Aiden felt like a distinct Cinderella. He’d only had a handful of long-term boyfriends and no luck with any of them. Dolan will be different. I’m sure of it.

Got anything planned? Farrah asked.

Yep. I booked a nice intimate meal for two for Saturday night, then I don’t plan on leaving the house at all on Sunday.

Ooh, kinky.

Nah, I just thought he’d like a quiet night. More than once, Aiden had been dubbed ‘vanilla’, and it had never been said as a compliment.

I’ll be honest. I really didn’t think you were his type. I was wrong. Farrah shrugged. I thought he was only due to be away for a few days. When did it become two weeks?

Oh, he went on a seminar for the hearing-aid company he works for. Then he decided to extend it into a visit with family and take a few days’ holiday while he was there.

Couldn’t you have gone as well? You haven’t taken time off in an age.

Well, I’m saving my leave for a big holiday. I want to take a month off, maybe go to Australia for a few weeks. Plus, Dolan isn’t out and proud. He won’t deny it if asked, but he said it was too much of an invasion of his privacy if he were to turn up with a boyfriend in tow.

Mmm…okay. Farrah pursed his lips thoughtfully.

We’ve only been seeing each other a couple of months or so, but I’m sure there’s a good connection between us.

Less the time he’s been away. Farrah held up his hand as Aiden went to protest. You’ve been hurt in the past. I don’t want you hurt again. If he makes you happy, then that’s all that matters.

Thanks, Farrah. Aiden was glad he had such a genuine, caring friend. Farrah had always been there for him. I’m really looking forward to having him back this weekend. Feels like forever since I last saw him.

You’ll be jumping his bones the moment he walks in the door. Farrah sniggered as Aiden adopted his most indignant expression.

As if. Aiden sniffed loudly, then chuckled. He wasn’t one for doing things spontaneously, or being particularly adventurous, but he was hoping Dolan would jump him.

* * * *

Back in his office, Aiden passed the rest of the day booking the usual flurry of patients in for surgery and into clinics, as well as finding new appointments for those who’d had to cancel. But as much paperwork as Aiden finished, there seemed to be just as much still to do.

Finally, the day was over. By the time Aiden got home, he was more than ready to strip, shower and spend an evening relaxing in front of the TV.

A couple of hours later, Aiden heard a buzz from his cell phone. The sound was one he’d set for Dolan’s name, so as not to miss a message, and Aiden grabbed his phone to see it. Then he stared, his stomach knotting.

It was a reply to a dick pic—and the dick wasn’t Dolan’s. The message from its owner was clear enough.

Thought I’d send you a reminder of what you’re missing. See you soon.

But it was Dolan’s reply, which had been forwarded to him, obviously in error, that crushed Aiden’s heart.

You have the best dick ever. Can’t wait to get my lips around it again.

Time passed as Aiden stared at his phone. Dolan was cheating on him, just like his last boyfriend had done.

"What is it with me? Why do I attract all the wrong kind of guys? Why can’t I attract someone who’d love me for who and what I am?"

A sudden rage swept through him and Aiden rammed his fingers against the keys, ignoring the pain as he typed a reply.

I hope it fucking chokes you. Aiden snarled the words aloud as he hit Send.

A few seconds passed and, to Aiden’s surprise, Dolan replied.

Sorry. I was going to tell you at the weekend. I’m moving back to Auckland. Rural life isn’t for me. Too tame and boring. Have a good weekend. I’ll spend mine packing.

The anger drained from Aiden as quickly as it had erupted, leaving him numb. An hour passed by with no further messages from Dolan. After switching off his TV, Aiden shuffled into his bedroom and collapsed, fully-dressed, onto the bed.

Chapter Two

Although Aiden had gone to work as usual on Friday, he’d looked and acted like a zombie, according to his friends, and had claimed a migraine was the cause when pressed by his concerned colleagues.

On several occasions he’d even been encouraged to go home, but despite being tired and stiff from falling asleep on his bed the way he had the previous night, Aiden had preferred to stay at work.

At least with the company of his work friends, he’d had the distraction of the job and their banter on which to focus, which was far better than staying home alone and moping. Nor did Aiden have any intention of allowing the weekend to be an entire wash-out. He was still going to the meal he’d booked, but he was taking Farrah with him instead of Dolan.

Getting ready on the Saturday evening, Aiden stared balefully at his ashen-faced reflection. He’d hated misleading his colleagues, but there had been no way he could have told them the truth.

Their sympathy for his failed relationship would have been impossible for Aiden to cope with. At least the migraine wasn’t too far removed from the truth. With the upset and sleeping so badly, Aiden had gone to work with a headache, so it hadn’t been entirely a fabrication.

Now, dressed in black pants and a plain white shirt, Aiden waited for the cab to take him to the restaurant. Opting against sitting up front with the driver, Aiden sat in the back, not wanting to have to deal with small talk. I don’t seem to have any luck with my love life. Just once I’d like to meet a guy who’ll not only sweep me off my feet, but not dump me just as spectacularly a few months later.

When Aiden got out of the cab, he plastered his best smile in place. Inside the restaurant, he sighed heavily. The mix of wooden walls and tables, black leather seating and large potted