Bound by Magick 4-in-1 Box Set (Pentacles of Magick) by Eliza Gayle Page A

his own helmet,
revealing dark, wavy hair that curled around his head at the edges. His face
looked like he hadn't shaved in a few days, and when he turned his killer eyes
back towards her she felt the full effect of his good looks. He was devastating
in that dark bad boy way she managed to fall for every damn time. But this time
dark took on a whole new meaning as the flames leapt higher and he rushed
forward to pull her free.
    “Stop!” She motioned for him to stay away. “Give me a few
minutes and I’ll get this shit under control.” She closed her eyes, not
doubting that he would listen to her. As the darkness crept through her system
she fought the pain and anger that came with it. The rage transferring from him
to her stormed inside her. Pooling all her energy against the darkness, she
pushed it up and out, directing it away from them.
    “Holy fuck! Not my bike!” She opened her eyes to see his
Harley on fire across the clearing from them. She watched in horror as he ran
to it, and the bike exploded before them, knocking them both on their asses.
    Her skin instantly began to cool as all the emotions behind
the episode were directed outward. She hadn't intended to blow up his damn
bike, but at least hers had not been close and they wouldn't be stranded
here—together. For some reason that one word had her whole body tingling.
Something about him compelled her. Crazy,
that's what that is.
    She scrambled off the ground with a quick glance around to
ensure all the flames had extinguished, and ran over to the sexy stranger. “Are
you okay?”
    He lay there on the ground staring into the night sky
scrubbing his hands over his face. “That was a vintage bike, you know.”
    “Yeah, I do know.” She watched his bike burn, wondering what
the hell had just happened. How had she lost control of her power? That hadn't
happened since she was an angry teenager. Suspicion curled in her mind,
threading through her and filling her with doubt. “Who are you? And why the
hell were you so pissed when you touched me?”
    “Who am I? Are you freaking kidding me? Who the hell are
you? And what just happened here?” He sat up, motioning to his now charred and
smoking bike.
    “The name is Selene, and I'm sorry about your bike. I’d buy
you a new one if I could.”
    He stood, unfolding his tall muscular body, at least, from
what she could tell under the leather he wore. The dark look he threw her sent
a tiny shiver down her spine.
    “Well, Selene, I don't think that'll be necessary, but you
can, however, start with an explanation of what happened.” He watched and
waited as she thought about how to explain it. Not many believed the truth so
she often lied.
    “Pretty simple, really. I rode a little too fast, lost
control, and you came along and saved me from becoming roadkill.” She doubted
he would understand that a force of dark power slammed into her and nearly
incapacitated her. Unless, of course, he was the one responsible. He had to be.
The source had radiated from him in an angry wave.
    “That simple, huh? His voice vibrated in anger as he waited
for the rest of the story. But he would be waiting till hell froze over before
she told her secrets to a stranger who obviously had some pretty big secrets
himself. ”No explanation for the fire that surrounded you or the fact that my
bike just got blown to bits?"
    She bristled at his tone. Damn smartass.
    “What about you? How did you stop my fall and then pull me
and my bike back up, all at a high speed?” She looked him straight in the eye.
“Don't get me wrong. I'm extremely grateful, but I can't even begin to
understand what happened out there.” Well, that wasn't exactly true. At the
institute she had seen some pretty freaky shit. Nothing surprised her these
days.
    He stared at her for several long moments as they squared
off with each other like two rivals over the same prize.
    “Well, Selene, it seems we have a bit of a standoff here.
How about a truce for now?