Stolen: World of Rebellion

By Bailie Hantam

As a magical being known for his sexual prowess, Josh Salinger has no problem with women. It's a useful weapon for a cat-burglar who specialises in gaining access to the most secure places in the city. The Lockhart Mansion is no different. Hidden in one of the most prestigious homes in Cape Town is the key to finding a magical species that's been lost for decades. The witches are the biggest piece in the arsenal in the fight against evil, and Josh is tasked with the first step in finding them. It's a simple job. Until he meets Clara, the youngest of the Lockhart clan.

Clara Lockhart has been hiding who she is her entire life. As a harpy, her family has only one job in the magical world: Make trouble, cause distractions. Her volatile temper and jealous streak are as much a part of her powers as her ability to detect undercurrents. The wings and claws are just an added bonus when things get out of control. She has worked hard to keep that part of herself hidden. Avoiding situations that bring out her harpie tendencies. Which probably explains why she's still a virgin. She's quite happy to live a life of spinsterhood, as long as she can stay away from her gorgeous new boss, Josh.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bailie Hantam
• Release date: Jan 6, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201703011

Book preview

Chapter 1

Every eye in the room turned as Josh Salinger  stepped inside Forbidden, the hottest beachside nightclub in Cape Town. If asked, they’d say they were curious why someone would be wearing sunglasses at night. Maybe they’d question why he was wearing a leather jacket in the middle of summer. Each one of them would make up some reason as to why they were staring to the point of being rude. And yet, none of them would admit the real reason. Sexual attraction.

The human brain was incredibly narrow-minded when it came to such matters. It was unfortunate, really. When they let go of their inhibitions, human beings were capable of  having so much fun. As an incubus, not only did Josh feed off sexual tension, he could raise the sexual heat of his surroundings, allowing those around to lower their inhibitions. A handy skill when one’s job was less than scrupulous. A job that had nothing to do with being an incubus.

Commonly, he was described as a male sex demon. While Josh was no saint, only in a world where sex was still a dirty word, could an incubus be considered evil.

Josh tightened his control on his powers as made his way to the back of the club. The bouncer lifted the blue faux velvet rope, allowing Josh entrance to the VIP section of the club. The loud music was more docile than what the club usually played. Cherry flavoured smoke filled his nose. Inhaling the rich fragrance, he relaxed his shoulders. Josh smiled. The flavoured tobacco did a good job of masking the smell of weed. It wasn’t that Josh necessarily approved of drugs, but anything that lowered a human’s inhibitions couldn’t really be a bad thing.

The white leather and neon lights were only marginally more tasteful than the regular part of the club. Only one booth in the VIP section was occupied.

Mark and Luke were both scowling, sitting in silence. Yeah, it had been that kind of day. Every magical being had felt the shift. He was sure that all of them also felt a certain level of uneasiness. Maybe some more than others. Josh had a niggling feeling that he was forgetting something. Not something important, but possibly relevant.

Knowing what was causing that feeling, did little to ease him.

He slid into the booth alongside Mark, the older of the Walsh brothers. They’d been friends since Mark started working at Bell Financial consultants a few years back. Of course, at the time Luke was still in high school and—His thought was interrupted by that niggling feeling again. As he looked at the brothers, he only had one question. You remember anything?

Mark ran a hand through his blonde hair. No. I know that I’m supposed to. It’s right on the edge of my mind, but the memory is not there. I hate this feeling.

Earlier that day, for just a brief moment, the world had frozen as the magical community experienced... well, the best way to describe it would be a shift in their subconcious. Memories that were long buried, were starting, ever so slowly, to be unveiled.

Dragging his hand over his face, feeling the scruff on his jaw, Josh leaned back in his seat. Any idea what caused it?

Luke rolled his eyes and glared at Josh. Best guess is that the witches were uncloaked.

Well, yes, that was the common consensus. They would never really know until all the uneasiness settled and everyone started remembering. But that was not what Josh was asking. What was the trigger? What started the shift?

Luke shook his head. He looked a little worse for wear. I was with a patient when it happened. And immediately I knew what was happening. I know that I know a witch, but who it is seems to be just out of reach. I don’t think there was a trigger.

There was always a trigger. Josh narrowed his eyes. The fact that Luke was feeling the shift that strongly, probably meant he was close to a witch before the cloaking. He would’ve been very young at the time. Again, a memory tried to take form but he couldn’t quite grab onto it. He raised an eyebrow, scanning Luke’s face. The shift wouldn’t account for the circles around his friend’s eyes or the tension in his shoulders. You just get off work or something?

Luke was a doctor. A resident at