Vampire Enchanted: Real Men of Othercross

By Celia Kyle and Marina Maddix

She wants help catching a thief. He just wants to catch...her.

 

The life of an Enchantress isn't all love potions and seduction spells. For Kiki Beelze, it also involves assuring suspicious women that she won't steal their men, ordering the exact right brand of Eye of Newt for her witchcraft supply shop, and trying to catch a pesky thief. Thankfully, her bestie offers a solution to the latter that just might work.

 

As a devoted member of his vampire clan, Thayne Nicolaides eagerly agrees when the Master's Beloved asks him to help her friend catch a criminal. When he learns the friend is an Enchantress, it's too late to change his mind. Thayne had a bad experience with one in his youth, and that's all he's going to say about that.

 

The moment they lock eyes in Kiki's shop, Thayne's soul aches for her. As far as he's concerned, it's proof she's cast a spell on him, despite her objections. But that doesn't stop him from shoving his tongue down her throat...or other things into other places. Can the sexy vamp accept his tie to the enchanting Enchantress or will his past dictate his future?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Summerhouse Publishing
• Release date: Mar 28, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215577707

Celia Kyle

Ex-dance teacher, former accountant and erstwhile collectible doll salesperson, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Celia Kyle now writes paranormal romances for readers who: 1) Like super hunky heroes (they generally get furry) 2) Dig beautiful women (who have a few more curves than the average lady) 3) Love laughing in (and out of) bed. It goes without saying that there’s always a happily-ever-after for her characters, even if there are a few road bumps along the way. Today she lives in central Florida and writes full-time with the support of her loving husband and two finicky cats.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

So help her, the key was going to work or Kiki would cast a spell on the tiny hunk of metal. Oh yes she would. An evil one. A spell that would teach the dumb key who was boss.

Come on, Kiki mumbled through gritted teeth.

She knew from painful experience that if she wasn’t careful, she’d snap the key off trying to lock up her store, the Witch Way Supply Co. Yet, in that moment, she really didn’t give a shit. Pulling on the knob, she leaned back and used her body weight to hold the door closed as she twisted the key until her knuckles turned white. I’m already late. Just give up, you son of a bitch!

Who are you talking to? The voice came from right by her left ear, the mint-scented breath wafting across her face because the speaker was so close.

Kiki yelped and started, losing her grip on the doorknob as she scrambled to remain upright. "Holy crap, you scared me."

Yeah, Sara gave that bemused half-smile of hers, eyes sparkling. I can see that.

Sara Wilcox was one of Kiki’s closest friends, and she loved her to bits when Sara wasn’t scaring her half to death. But they hadn’t seen much of each other since Sara had moved out of the house they’d shared until very recently. Marriage seemed to do that—pull friends apart a little bit. Even in that moment, Kiki had to remind herself that her friend wasn’t Sara Wilcox anymore. Nope, she was Sara Nicolaides now, and wasn’t that going to take some getting used to?

Here, Sara sidled past Kiki, her mid-pregnancy belly brushing against Kiki. Let me.

Stepping to the door, she pulled it closed and lifted up on the knob at the same time. Under Sara’s steady hand, that bastard key slid in and turned, smooth as anything. Whipping out the soon-to-be-cursed hunk of metal, she tossed the jumble of keys to Kiki, who fumbled to catch them.

Kiki had a lot of things going for her, beauty being the one most recognized her for, but grace was not one of her strong suits.

So, what are you late for today? Sara grinned and Kiki frowned. Okay, just because Kiki was late ninety percent of the time didn’t mean her friend should assume she was always late.

But who was she kidding? She was totes late.

"We’re interviewing a potential roommate tonight because somebody just had to find her Resonate, get married and move out."

It was gentle ribbing but with a kernel of truth because Kiki hated losing her friend—especially to the vampires.

"I wonder who that horrible person could be, Sara drawled. Come on. I’ll walk you back to the house." Nearly every ten feet, Kiki looked over her shoulder to see the Witch Way Supply Co. sign under the streetlight, reassuring herself with every step that the door was locked. Sara had seen to it.

What are you looking at? Sara nudged her with an elbow.

Just looking, she murmured. When they rounded the corner, Kiki opened up a bit. After all, why hide things? Especially from Sara. There have been a couple of thefts at the shop, and I feel really stupid about it all.

Wait, what? Someone has been breaking into Witch Way?

I guess so, but it’s hard to figure out how they’ve been getting in and out with the merchandise. That’s actually why I’m running late tonight. After everyone left, I closed up, and gave the place a thorough looking over. Kiki huffed with lingering annoyance. Just to see if I could figure anything out.

And?

No dice. Kiki shrugged as if it was no big deal, but it really chapped her ass. The funny thing is, whoever it is, they’re taking stupid stuff. All the low-priced crap we stock just in case some clueless human wanders in to buy a gag gift.

So, none of the thunder stones or dead man’s hair?

Kiki snorted. "More like Yes, Margaret, Witches Are Real and You Are One. Crap like that."

I always hated that book.

It’s a bestseller among humans who think they can develop powers. She shrugged again. There’s no telling what people are going to buy. Mostly, it just frustrates me that someone is getting in. And, it’s not just one time—that would be bad enough. It’s happened multiple times in the last week.

Why haven’t you put a spell on the shop? Frustrated, Kiki just huffed and walked faster. Sara wasn’t letting it go that easy. "You’re an Enchantress, girl! Just put a vetiti ingressum on the place when you leave at night, and cast it off again in the morning."

I tried that after the first time things went missing. She had actually tried it the first two times. The second time she even pulled out the book to make sure she had cast it correctly.

So, the spell didn’t work? Sara was more than a little surprised and Kiki could understand her friend’s reaction. She was a very experienced caster.

That’s what I’m saying. The whole thing is crazy. If someone has the ability to get through one of my spells, why would they waste their time stealing all the crappy stuff?

"Are you saying you’d rather them steal the big-ticket