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Natural Magic 1

Bewitched

Ciel is a witch. Neither expression or attitude, he was born into a
family of casters with a long list of traditions that gives Ciel little

choice in his life's path. While he's never been thrilled following
someone else's rules, he hasn't had a good reason to fight them.
Until now.

Hisoka has always felt different but didn’t know why until he falls
into bed with his boss. Finding out he's the human version of a

witch's black cat should be alarming, but the process is exciting,
especially when Ciel demonstrates that he isn't crazy by busting

every light bulb in the building with a snap of his oh-so-talented
fingers.

Familiars may be good luck to witches in the movies, but Ciel's
family doesn't watch TV. Faced with the prospect of being
blackballed from the music industry, with worse consequences for

Ciel if the witches' governing body finds out, they must decide if
being together is worth the potential consequences.

Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: 35,724 words

BEWITCHED

Natural Magic 1

Jana Downs

EROTIC ROMANCE

MANLOVE

Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com

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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Erotic Romance ManLove

BEWITCHED
Copyright © 2014 by Jana Downs
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62741-974-1

First E-book Publication: July 2014

Cover design by Sloan Winters
All art and logo copyright © 2014 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including
electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without
express written permission.

All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance
to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com

Letter to Readers

Dear Readers,

If you have purchased this copy of Bewitched by Jana Downs from
BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank
you for not sharing your copy of this book.

Regarding E-book Piracy

This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or
group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing
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This is Jana Downs’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect
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Amanda Hilton, Publisher

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BEWITCHED

Natural Magic 1

JANA DOWNS

Chapter One

New York had something new on every corner. Office buildings

towered above most structures, but one in particular towered above
them all, seemingly endless in its attempt to reach the heavens. The
steel-reinforced and mirrored-glass building was the largest business
in the music industry. The company sought out only the most talented
artists and musicians to add to their empire, and every wannabe
singer, songwriter, and band wanted desperately to get in on the
action. Express Music Corporation was the only label people paid
attention to. Without their name, without their advertising skills, it
was almost impossible to become famous, which was all anyone
really wanted anyway.

Of course if they knew the entire business was run by magick

casters, they might not have been so keen on handing over their talent
and fortunes to a bunch of powerful witches.

Past the unfriendly exterior of the building, on the ninth floor in a

large corridor, sat a conference room the size of a hotel ballroom. It
was decorated with silver, white, and black ribbons, balloons, lights,
streamers, and a crap ton of other items meant to emphasize the grand
occasion they were celebrating. Record-high sales and a band that
would make everyone who worked on the project very wealthy was

Bewitched 9

cause for infinite hangovers come morning, but that was more than all
right. Everyone needed a little break.

Many women were dressed in long, flowing silver or black gowns

while the gentlemen schmoozed in suits or tuxes. Hisoka Henderson
stood toward the back of the room, brushing his short black hair
behind his pierced ear while he shifted nervously in the crowd. He
hated crowds. While the fact may have been humorous considering he
was around them as an occupational hazard, it didn’t make him any
happier to know that the swell of people surrounded him.

He adjusted his black suit as it hung uncomfortably on his body

and took a nervous sip of his drink in an attempt to calm his nerves. A
passing waiter accidently bumped him, and his night went from
tolerable to highly annoying in two seconds flat.

“God dammit, I hate these gatherings,” he mumbled to himself as

his glass of champagne spilled down his front. He frantically rubbed
at it with his hands, making it worse, his originally white shirt turning
tan.

“Isn’t that just the breaks?” a rough voice rumbled from behind

him. A silk crimson handkerchief was shoved into Hisoka’s face,
obscuring his view of his would-be savior. “Try not to spill anything
else while you’re playing with the big boys. They don’t take kindly to
having to pay additional cleaning bills when underlings ruin
conference room floors with wine stains on the carpet.”

It was on the tip of his tongue to correct the jerk and tell him

politely that champagne wouldn’t stain the damn carpet. Hisoka
looked up.

Holy shit. The guy was gorgeous. His scowl didn’t even mar the

beauty of his mug. His crimson-red hair, just a bit longer than
regulation, and insane honey-colored eyes topped off a six-foot-two
frame with muscles for days. The sheer allure beckoned him closer.
However, the expression on his face made Hisoka take a step back.
The last thing he wanted was to gain the attention of one of the

Jana Downs

executive types floating around. He just wanted to do his time and get
out of here.

Why does this crap always happen to me?

* * * *

Ciel St. Germaine looked the smaller man up and down. He didn’t

understand why anyone but the board of executives was invited to
these things. Some people couldn’t handle the pressure of a
sophisticated setting. He knew it was snobby, but he really didn’t give
a shit. He had to be here, had to make sure everything ran smoothly,
and it was the people who weren’t used to the big parties that were the
reason behind his splitting headache at present. The fact that he’d had
to kick out three grown-ass men because they were falling-down
drunk at a work function was utterly ridiculous.

On closer inspection, he realized the man before him wasn’t

drunk, which eased his temper somewhat. Not an idiot, just clumsy. It
was a far better circumstance than the conclusion he’d jumped to. He
deliberately softened his expression before he brought his champagne
glass to his lips and sipped.

“So I’m guessing you work in advertising. Which one of my new

colleagues are you?” Ciel asked. Having been recently moved to the
advertising section of Express from his former position in the
production department, he wasn’t familiar with any of the other
people who he was expected to work with. The company president
didn’t even know of his transfer yet and he wasn’t sure how the man
would handle it, but the vice president had insisted on his transfer to
make room for his son. He wasn’t surprised that none of his new
coworkers hadn’t gotten the memo.

“Um, Hisoka. Henderson.” The way he tripped over his own name

was rather charming. Hisoka’s eyes danced up and down Ciel’s body,
and when he realized Ciel caught the expression, an instant blush
followed. Ciel almost chuckled. He was used to being checked out so

Bewitched 11

that wasn’t a problem. Of course, he normally only paid attention
when ladies did it because there was always some dancing around the
fact that he was absolutely unavailable. But plenty of men did it, too.
However, he’d never seen someone so unnerved from doing it.

“I–I’m—” Hisoka stuttered as their gazes locked. “—Sorry.”
“Hisoka! My man! Hey, this is where you’ve been hiding, huh?

Tsk tsk, your date’s been looking for you!” A clearly intoxicated man
about a head shorter than Ciel stumbled up to the pair of them and
draped his arm lazily around Hisoka’s neck.

“Nick, ugh, get the fuck off me!” He shoved his “friend” into a

standing position.

It seemed the drunk blond finally noticed Ciel because he did a

double-take. “Heeeeyyy, you’re that transfer guy or something right?”
He laughed, nearly falling backward as he did so.

Ciel pursed his lips as his annoyance returned in full force. What

if one of the competitors they’d invited saw the display? The
company president had asked him one thing at this party, which was
to keep everyone in line until eleven when the next supervisor
relieved him. Why was that so fucking hard with this bunch?

“Oh my gawd,” the drunk shouted suddenly, making the pair of

them jump. “That’s Tony Ramirez from Two’s Company!” He did a
great imitation of a galloping stumble before he disappeared through
the crowd again. Ciel sighed, resisting the urge to raise his hand and
knead his aching temples.

“Sorry about him,” Hisoka said, drawing his attention back. “He’s

normally not such an obnoxious ass.” He bowed slightly as he
apologized. Ciel had worked with enough Asian businessmen to
recognize the gesture.

He returned the bow. “Ciel St. Germaine,” he answered

automatically, staring into the face of the blushing beauty.

Beauty? Now that was a strange thought. He almost shook his

head to clear the word. What a strange thought to have about a

Jana Downs

coworker. It was his policy to never mix business and pleasure. It
never turned out well for either party.

“You have interesting friends.” He tried very hard to keep the

disdain from his voice. Logically he understood that people did
incredibly stupid things while intoxicated, but that was beside the
point.

Hisoka stepped discreetly behind a nearby potted palm tree as an

auburn-haired woman passed, and Ciel couldn’t help but raise his
eyebrows at the action.

“Uh, ex?” he asked. The guy was weird. There was no other

explanation for his behavior.

The other man shook his head ruefully. “Um, no. Blind date.”

More’s a pity. “The other people in my division wanted everyone to
come with one, and well, she’s, erm, awful.”

Ciel tracked the woman as she made another turn around the

room. He glanced back at Hisoka. Why any man would be running
from a beautiful woman like that was beyond him. Most men in this
industry would have her simpering away at their elbows for the
remainder of the evening but not this guy. He must have been
extraordinarily shy. Or gay. The idea piqued his interest, but he
banished it just as quickly. The notion didn’t mean anything to him.
The woman was probably just a Grade-A bitch. Ciel would be
ducking, too, if that was the case. Of course, most of his dates began
and ended in bars or cheap hotels and more often than not, it was a
man who came with him. Ciel just didn’t do the dating thing, even
casually. He worked too much and wasn’t interested in the love stuff.
Coupled with the fact that Ciel had been promised to someone before
he’d even been born, love was a moot point.

He extended his hand as Hisoka stepped back out of the bushes.

There had to be some logical social interaction between them. The
smaller man shook it gently, and Ciel couldn’t help but marvel over
the soft texture of Hisoka’s skin. Whatever lotion the guy used was
obviously effective.

Bewitched 13

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Ciel managed to mete out despite

the tingle of awareness that threatened to rob him of polite speech.
Good breeding always prevailed though. Why the hell am I interested
in this guy? He was in no way his type. Hisoka was short, thin, and
delicate. Ciel liked men big, muscular, and in-your-face. Of course his
taste in women ran in the opposite vein. Sometimes it was hell being
bisexual.

A familiar voice caused him to grimace. “Ciel!”
He dropped Hisoka’s hand as if he’d been caught holding hands

with the prom queen at her parents’ house. Ciel sighed and turned.
The company president’s personal secretary stood with a pinched
expression on his face not a foot behind him, his arms full of what
looked like legal documents.

“What is it, Thomas?” he asked, his voice dropping to an

absolutely frigid level. He’d never gotten along with Thomas. Ever.
The man had been a thorn in his side since before he came to work
with this company.

Thomas knew better than to interrupt him with yet more

paperwork in the middle of a large party. Despite the fact that Thomas
was supposed to be a help to Ciel, more often than not that involved
prodding, harassing, and nannying him into doing whatever he
wanted.

He glared. The level of contempt he had for Thomas Redding at

the moment was almost impossible to ignore. “It seems I can’t get
through an entire conversation with someone”—he thumbed his hand
in Hisoka’s direction—“without an interruption.”

His temper was getting the better of him, and he knew it. Between

the party, the drunks, and Thomas scowling at him, he had had
enough. Ciel didn’t get angry and explode. No, he got angry and gave
people frostbite. The critical words that came out of his mouth were
often things that he came to regret after he’d settled, but it didn’t stop
him from growling at everyone in the meantime. Despite the
observation that the boy behind him was most likely a mess and

Jana Downs

absolutely not what Ciel should be associating with, he felt like
talking to him might be the sanest thing he’d done all evening. Of
course that added to his irritation as well.

“But, sir, if I could just steal your time for just a moment. I need

these signed for the building permits for the estate that need to be
turned in at 7:00 a.m. and President Seven wanted me to ask you what
you needed for the upcoming release of Twenty-Four-Seven’s album
since you’ve moved to the new department?” Though Thomas was a
subordinate, he looked at Ciel as if he were gum on the bottom of his
shoe. It rubbed Ciel all kinds of wrong.

“You couldn’t have asked me during the work day?” Ciel

snapped. It was like Thomas had seen him talking to Hisoka and had
just looked for an excuse to interrupt. Probably had. The jerk. “Take
the permits to my secretary. She has my stamp. She should still be
down on the third level packing my office up.”

Thomas sniffed, turning halfway around. “I was unaware you

were being transferred.” His pursed lips lightened more if that were
possible. “I’ll go address my concerns to her.” He pushed his way
through the crowd, not once glancing in Hisoka’s direction. It was yet
another thing that pissed Ciel off to no end. The man had no manners.
He wasn’t sure what he’d done to piss Thomas off, but it had been
like that between them since day one.

“I’m sorry about that,” he said, turning his attention back to

Hisoka. “Now that we’ve both made terrible impressions.” He paused,
unsure of where to go from there. He gave into temptation and rubbed
his aching temples. He wanted a damn cigarette and a quiet room.

“Uh, I take it you’re not a ‘party’ person either?” Hisoka laughed,

his right hand coming to hover over his lips as his shoulders shook. “I
hate these things, y’know? People are always trying to get company
gossip or finding some reason to dress people up. It’s stupid if you
ask me. I only came because I needed a ride to work this afternoon
and Nick wouldn’t take me home until after this evening’s events.”

Bewitched 15

Ciel groaned in sympathy. “I hate these things. I always feel like

I’m going to explode by the time it winds down.” He glanced at his
Rolex. “It’s almost eleven.”

“Shit,” Hisoka cursed. “It’s going to be at least three more hours

before they wrap it up.”

“Unfortunately. At least I don’t have to babysit after eleven.” If

Ciel had his way, he’d be out of the building five minutes after that.

Hisoka shifted, looking nervous again as he fingered the wet spot

on his shirt. “Well, if you don’t mind, I’m going to the gentlemen’s
room, so excuse me.” He bowed slightly again to excuse himself.

Ciel blinked at the abrupt change in conversation. Weird. The boy

is weird. “Oh, uh, okay. Bye.”

He watched Hisoka retreat from the room, and a weird sense of

loss filled him. He shrugged. He’d probably dodged a bullet. There
was no way he should be associating with people he was probably
going to be managing or being attracted to those same people. Still,
the urge to follow after him was strong.

* * * *

Ciel puffed on his cigarette on the other side of the exit that

smokers like himself could use to feed their habit. Flavored cigarettes
were his guilty pleasure, and he’d figured he earned this one after
putting up with that ridiculous party.

He’d ducked out at five after eleven exactly.
He took a long drag on the stick he was smoking. He especially

liked the cherry menthols that he was currently puffing on. He took
another long drag of his cig before tossing it into the darkness off the
balcony steps and watching it disappear as it went beyond the reaches
of the single pale white bulb that was above the doorway.

It was apparently too cold for other people to be out tonight

because he was the only one risking the chill.

Jana Downs

He patted the keys in his pocket almost longingly. If he snuck out

this way, no one would be the wiser. It wasn’t as if anyone would
miss him. The new guy was very rarely a party necessity. He gave an
uncharacteristic grin at the thought of the heart attack he’d give Seven
if the older gentleman found out. He took a step toward the stairway
that led down to ground level.

I could go back inside and try to find the weird guy. Now that was

a disaster in waiting. Hisoka had clearly not wanted to keep chatting
with him. Since when am I so desperate for company? He considered
calling one of his hookups and easing his newfound loneliness in
someone else’s bed but thought better of it. He really wasn’t in the
mood for a one-night stand. At least not with anyone who he’d had
before.

Being desperate for company in an unfamiliar place will do that

to you. Even as he thought it the untruth of the statement made him
wince. It wasn’t just that, and he knew it. Good god. Am I attracted to
that guy? He thought about it for a minute. No way. He was too busy
for more than a one-night stand or so he’d told himself for the past
three years. And the guy was weird. And not interested. He raked a
hand through his hair. He didn’t want to think of those big, innocent
green eyes and cute little frame. Ciel was by nature a lazy hunter.
Whoever he found attractive usually pursued him. Maybe that was
what was bothering him. Hisoka had all but run screaming in the other
direction.

Ciel rolled his eyes. This was ridiculous. He was arguing with the

voices in his mind outside on a dingy balcony in the freezing cold. He
shook his head. Maybe I should get a cat or something. That way I’d
at least have another organic being to chat with. He rolled his eyes
again at the thought of letting himself talk with an animal. St.
Germaines didn’t do that. They were proper gentlemen who settled
down with wives who were understanding of their love for men on the
side and produced two or three kids to carry on the family name. They
had dogs for hunting and that was it. The lectures of his childhood

Bewitched 17

played on in his head for an endless moment of tedium before he
shook them away.

The pull he felt toward Hisoka was uncanny. Ciel sighed and

watched his breath form a cloud as it rose toward heaven. Hisoka was
such an interesting name. So foreign. Different from the ones he
normally heard. He wondered what it’d sound like on his tongue. He
glanced around. He was alone. Now would be the time to try it.
Compulsively he took a breath and whispered his name to the
darkness.

“Hisoka.”

* * * *

Hisoka wandered over to the exit he’d previously spotted and

stepped outside, eager for some fresh air.

He coughed slightly as he inhaled the wall of smoke he found

there. Of course he’d found the smoker’s exit. After he finished
hacking up a lung and his eyes adjusted to the dim light, a familiar
face came into view.

“Hisoka,” Ciel whispered.
The fine hairs on Hisoka’s arms rose. No way. “Uh…huh, Ciel?”

Ciel jumped a foot into the air, and Hisoka winced. He cleared his
throat. “What are you doing out here? Are you leaving as well?” The
gorgeous and probably straight guy is most likely running back to the
wife or mistress he left at home. The reminder didn’t help the
attraction.

“Uh–oh–um, yeah,” Ciel stammered, looking highly embarrassed

for whatever reason. Maybe because he was outside saying my name.
That wasn’t weird or anything. Logic needed to stop being so
sarcastic. “I was thinking about leaving. Or, er, smoking another
cigarette. Or something.”

Hisoka looked at him. “I’m going to go for a walk, probably down

to a nearby bar… Do you want to join me? I mean, seeing as you

Jana Downs

seem a little put off by the atmosphere in there. You don’t have to. I
can go alone. You just seem like you need to talk to someone.” He
blushed after he realized he’d basically asked the guy out for drinks. I
can’t believe I just asked him to hang with me! Maybe he’ll think it’s
coworker to coworker? God dammit, he’s just so… There wasn’t even
a word for it really. He was like a magnet. A gorgeous, aloof magnet.

“I’m fine,” Ciel said, regaining his composure. “Just sick of the

party is all.” He cleared his throat once more. “Though I could use a
drink that didn’t taste like it was drowning in sugar.”

Hisoka smiled. “Cool.” He glanced at the ashes that lay on the

ground. “You smoke, huh? Isn’t that really bad for you?” He moved
to lean on the edge of the balcony, the cool air pressing against his
warm face.

He closed his eyes and took in the smell of smoke. It smelled

oddly nice, not like the normal acrid scent of cigarettes. He would
look so sexy smoking on an evening like this. I wish I could’ve seen
him before he finished.

Ciel looked at the other man and then turned his face away from

the light, clearly trying to hide the faint hint of blush that showed up
on his milk-white skin. “Cold always makes me flush.” It was a lame
excuse but one Hisoka didn’t call him on. Ciel paused before he
pushed off the rail nonchalantly. “Smoking calms my nerves. Besides
I don’t do it all the time.” He pulled the pack of cigarettes from his
inner jacket pocket before extracting one. With a decisive move, he lit
up the cigarette, filling the air with the smell of mint and cherries.
“And bad for me? Probably. But you have to die sometime.” His eyes
flicked up and down Hisoka’s body, making Hisoka intensely aware
that they were well and truly alone. “Still couldn’t get the shirt clean?
I have a spare in my car if you’d like. No offense, but if you want to
walk to a bar, it’d be better if you at least had a dry shirt on. You’ll
catch a chill.”

Like you care. You’re just being polite.

Bewitched 19

He made the mistake of looking into the other man’s eyes. Damn

if he wasn’t the prettiest man Hisoka had ever seen. The concern he
saw in those honey-colored eyes rubbed him, not entirely wrong
either. He should really make an excuse and take back the offer. He
made it a point never to mix business with pleasure.

Whoa. Slow down. There would be no pleasure to be found in

having a drink with a coworker. He frowned. Why did the other man
want to have a drink with him anyway? There was plenty of alcohol at
the party, even if it was all sugar. But then that wasn’t the point was
it?

A drink.
With Ciel.
Just the two of them.
Why not? It’d be nice to have someone around and relax for once.

He made his decision.

Ciel spoke. “I’ll buy you a drink or two. Since your ride is drunk,

I’ll even drive you home if you’d like.”

No harm in two friends sharing a drink. He snorted at the thought.

He didn’t have any friends. Didn’t want any friends. Friends were
good for what they could do for you and little else. He’d learned the
hard way what “friends” were really good for.

However, maybe they could be acquaintances like him and Nick.

He could be someone to talk with in the office, someone to eat lunch
with in the break room.

He looked at Ciel’s plush lips. The other man was speaking, but

he’d be damned if he heard a single syllable of the reply. He licked
his own lips and wondered if those lips were as soft as they looked.
His heart tripped over itself. Damn. Don’t think like that! He hoped he
didn’t sound like a total brain moron when he spoke. “Uh…I’m sorry.
I had a momentary lapse. What did you just say?”

“What? Oh nothing really. Just kind of mumbling I guess,” Ciel

said, glancing over the edge of the rail.

Jana Downs

He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply then looked sideways at

Ciel. “Your cigarette smells good.”

A long pause met his statement followed by a very soft “thanks.”
“Uh, I have clothes in my office. I guess it is cold out… I heard it

might even snow tonight.” Great. Now I’m talking about the weather.
Smooth.

He began to walk back toward the door. “How about I go change

really quickly and then we can leave? If you’re still interested in
going. And don’t worry about the ride home. I can walk to the
subway. It’s not far. Besides, I like walking in the cold. It’s just so
beautiful and calm.” He smiled sheepishly. He had a real weakness
for snow. Where he’d grown up in Hawaii, he hadn’t gotten any. New
York State did not have that problem, but he couldn’t get over how
awesome it was despite living here for several years now.

He ducked back through the door without another word.

* * * *

Ciel sighed in irritation. What was with this guy running off every

single time they started to have a conversation? He took another puff
off his cigarette and tossed it. There was no smoking in the building.
He jogged to catch up to the fleeing man.

“You certainly know how to keep someone’s attention,” he

grumbled, catching the edge of Hisoka’s sleeve to slow him down.
“Will you hold up for a second? If we’re going to go together, we
might as well walk together. And you shouldn’t walk home by
yourself. It’s late for Christ’s sake. Do you know how many muggers
are out at this time of night?”

The thought of Hisoka walking home by himself caused Ciel’s

protective instincts to rumble in protest. Jesus, did the kid have no
sense of self-preservation?

“If you’re so keen to walk home, I’ll walk with you. That way it

won’t look like you’re alone.” He found himself smiling at the badly

Bewitched 21

concealed look of panic on the other man’s face. “You’re a bit high-
strung aren’t you?” Without thinking, he reached up and brushed the
hair off of Hisoka’s forehead. A moment of awareness nearly caused
his knees to buckle. The urge to lean down, closer to the other man,
was impossible to resist.

Realizing what he’d done, Ciel cleared his throat. This guy threw

him like nothing else ever had. Jesus. What is wrong with me? He
quickly put a few more inches of space between them.

“Now, where’s your office?” he asked.
Hisoka paused and looked up, the entire surface of his cheeks and

the bridge of his nose completely pink red. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think
you’d want to come with. It’s not that interesting.”

Okay. Clearly he was freaking the guy out. He softened his voice.

“Come on. You won’t be able to come to work if you get beaten up
by muggers, right?” Or worse. Hisoka was beautiful and small. The
combination made lip-smacking predators circle. Ciel wouldn’t let
anything happen to him. If the guy wouldn’t let him walk him home,
he’d cast a spell of protection and be done with it. Either way, he
wasn’t going unprotected. Get it together, St. Germaine. Jeez.

“Really, I don’t mind. I can walk home. I have done it before, but

if it truly bothers you, you can give me a ride, but like I said, I’m
fine,” Hisoka said. “Walking would be nice though. I’d love it if you
joined me for that.” The enthusiasm warmed Ciel exponentially.

They made their way through the crowd, and Ciel’s death glare

was enough to keep most everyone else away.

“What’s the floor number?” Ciel asked as they reached the

elevators without being accosted.

Hisoka coughed and looked at the floor, his ears turning pink. Ciel

had no idea what he was blushing over, but it was adorable. “My
office is on the fifth floor.” He pressed the down button.

The elevator dinged as it arrived, and he stepped in, holding the

door for Ciel. “Shall we?” he asked, a hint of bashfulness in his voice.
Is he flirting with me?

Jana Downs

He reached for Ciel’s arm and pulled him gently by the wrist in to

the elevator. The unexpected touch sent another frisson of want
through Ciel. A few partygoers passed the door as it closed. One of
them was Hisoka’s friend Nick who was leading some blonde to his
office, or so Ciel assumed.

Another jolt of knowing pulsed up Ciel’s arm from the place

Hisoka had grabbed on his wrist. The sensation, the pleasure of such a
small act, had him shutting his eyes just so he could focus on those
thin, graceful fingers on his arm. He had to resist the urge to bring
Hisoka into the shelter of his arms so he could find out whether or not
it was his imagination or reality that made him feel like this.

He mourned the loss of the touch as Hisoka removed his hand

from his wrist. The endearing pink tint of the other man’s cheeks
stuck in his mind. Beautiful boy.

Stop thinking like that.
He tensed as the elevator’s gears whirred overhead. Usually

mechanical whatnots reacted badly to his magick, causing ripples of
power to rub against his mind, which was why he normally took the
stairs if he could help it. Surprise flickered. Either something Hisoka
had on was evening out the magick or it was Hisoka himself. He’d
never experienced such a quietness. Usually his magick swirled inside
him like the world’s biggest downward spiral, so it took him a
moment to realize that Hisoka had made the magick’s rhythm pause,
like it was holding its breath while it waited to see what they’d do
next.

The elevator came to a stop and the door slid open. “Lead on,”

Ciel said, surprised that his voice came out steady despite his shock.
He stared at the other man with unwavering eyes. He knew that the
close scrutiny made some people uncomfortable, but he really
couldn’t help it. Maybe it was the champagne lowering his usually
insurmountable walls or maybe it was the fact that his inner magick
was doing a happy dance in Hisoka’s direction.

Bewitched 23

This is ridiculous. He needed to get home and examine this,

maybe call his grandfather to check in… But he did none of those
things. Instead he followed Hisoka dutifully onto his floor.

“So, why are you ditching your date?” he asked, trying to calm

himself. “She’s beautiful. Why are you taking me up to your office
instead of her?” He realized too late how that sounded. “That came
out wrong.” He glanced at the ceiling and let his gaze stick there,
unable to look at the other man. “Never mind. Forget I said anything.
It’s none of my business.”

Hisoka laughed. “No it’s okay. I just don’t fancy her. She doesn’t

have what I’m looking for.” He took Ciel’s wrist once more and
walked him down the short corridor and pleasure blossomed at the
touch.

The instant their skin touched, the silence grew even more

profound. It was Hisoka. It had to be.

Hisoka’s office was on the left or so the name placard declared.

As he opened the door, he let Ciel go and turned his light on. Ciel
almost reached back out to touch him again just to bring back the
quiet as his magick began humming.

Hisoka’s architect’s workstation sat in the right back corner of the

room and a large amount of paints, colored pencils, oils, and even
pens sat next the table on its own separate holder. He walked to the
desk and reached in to the third drawer at the bottom, extracting a pile
of clothes from inside.

Their eyes locked, and Hisoka swallowed hard.
“Uh… Not to be rude, but could you wait outside?” he asked,

motioning to the hallway.

“Oh yeah. Sorry.” Ciel laughed, the sound forced. “Look at me

standing here like a creep.” He turned around and walked back out
into the hallway but not before bowing over Hisoka’s hand and
pressing a kiss to his soft knuckles. “I’ll be right here.”

Bewitched 25

Chapter Two

Hisoka’s heart banged in his chest like a Salvation Army drum

from the kiss on his hand. The nerves in his fingers were jumping like
they had currents of electricity shooting through them. Stop being so
dramatic. He shook his hand to work off the adrenaline. He has a
little bit of an accent. He’s probably European. Europeans do that
right?

He caught a glimpse of himself in the reflective glance and

grimaced. Even if he was gay, he wouldn’t be attracted to me. Hisoka
hated how slender and narrow his body was. He felt like kid
compared to guys like Ciel with their huge frames and never-ending
musculature.

He quickly stripped out of his shirt and donned the new one that

he kept for emergencies. Working with art tended to be messy, and if
he had a meeting or something, it was nice to go in looking halfway
decent.

He was pretty sure he was imagining all the tension between the

two of them. Ciel hadn’t made any moves, so it was obviously just
wishful thinking on Hisoka’s part that the guy in the hallway was
interested in more than just a drink between coworkers. Damn my
nonexistent gaydar. It had been a problem all his life. However, Ciel
wasn’t throwing any gay-for-you vibes at him either.

He tugged the shirt down in an attempt to smooth out the

wrinkles. Maybe I should bail.

“Calm down,” he murmured, abandoning his plan of fleeing as

quickly as he’d thought of it. He couldn’t be rude. He would just act
like this was nothing. He could surely not act like a lust-struck idiot

Jana Downs

for an hour or two. “This is such a bad idea,” he thought aloud. “This
is such a ridiculously bad idea.”

His black-and-white zebra shirt made him look like he was going

to a nerdy gay bar, and his skinny jeans didn’t help the image. How
was he supposed to know he’d meet a sexy man at some stupid social
event?

He pulled his black fleece zip-up jacket over his shoulders and

zipped it most of the way. At least this looked semi-professional. He
loved this jacket. It kept him warm in the coldest places.

He turned the handle, taking a deep breath as he did so. He

cautiously stepped out of his office and looked down at his Converse.
“I’m good to go. Sorry if I’m dressed inappropriately.” He shoved his
hands in his jacket pockets and looked up. Their height difference was
even more pronounced with them standing this close together.

Ciel looked unruffled. Clearly the kiss on the hand hadn’t meant

anything to him either, so there was no real reason for him to get so
worked up over it. He relaxed a fraction of an inch. He could handle
being sexually attracted to a guy who was uninterested in him. It
happened more often than not.

He shifted as they stood there. “So does your wife mind you going

to gatherings like this or going to bars?” he asked. I’m not fishing. I
swear I’m not fishing. He tried to create conversation and lighten his
nerves, even though saying the word “wife” was a large weight on his
chest. He started walking toward the elevator, confident that Ciel
wasn’t going to get the wrong idea.

“Wife?” Ciel asked with a bark of laughter. “Do I look like the

kind of guy who gets married?” He shook his head as the amusement
lit up his whole face.

“Um, no offense, but I don’t know you,” Hisoka said, feeling a

little bit like he was being made fun of. It made him defensive.

“Ah, yeah. Guess that would be a problem.” He paused like he

was thinking. “Sorry. I just feel like I’ve known you for longer than
an hour.”

Bewitched 27

With anyone else, Hisoka would’ve taken that as the world’s

lamest pickup line. But Hisoka kind of understood what he was
talking about. There was this pull between them that he couldn’t
explain either.

Ciel continued. “I can’t imagine any man or woman putting up

with me long enough to be considered a spouse. I’m a workaholic on
the best of days and emotionally detached on my worst.” He cringed.
“The few times I’ve done the relationship thing never worked out for
either party.” He glanced over at Hisoka. “What about you? How’s
your girlfriend going to react when she finds out she got ditched at a
party for another man?”

The blush that infused Hisoka’s face was expected but just as

annoying. “I like men.” Just like that, he’d laid it out. If Ciel walked
away now, there would be no harm and no foul for either of them.

“Oh,” Ciel said, surprise flickering in his golden depths. “Cool.”
Not gay but maybe gay-friendly. This might work out all right

after all.

A small grin spread over Ciel’s face. “Are you going to spill as

much as you drink at this place? Should I swing by my office and get
a towel?”

Hisoka blushed harder at the reminder of his earlier spill. “I don’t

really like champagne. I like a good beer or the occasional martini,
weird combo, but I don’t care. And for the record, I don’t spill my
drinks on a normal basis, just tonight.” He playfully nudged Ciel’s
arm with his elbow. He felt relieved to hear Ciel was single. It made
flirting a little easier. Stop flirting. But he wouldn’t.

They stepped into the elevator and rode it to the lobby of the

building. As soon as Hisoka saw the drifting white specks flying
outside, he headed toward the lobby doors. He walked faster than was
necessary, but his eagerness was irrepressible. “Oh, wow! This really
is beautiful! It’s actually snowing.” He breathed in the chill air, his
eyes drifting skyward as he looked into the clouds that loomed over
the city releasing its perfect floating white flakes.

Jana Downs

* * * *

Ciel watched the wonder steal over Hisoka’s face, and his heart

stopped. There was true beauty to be found in his expression. He
didn’t even mind that Hisoka had run ahead, just watching him was
enough. Watching him dance in the snow, he was struck dumb by the
lovely picture Hisoka had unintentionally given him.

He lit up the cigarette he’d been fingering in his pocket and took a

deep draw. “Why would anyone not be captivated by you Hisoka?” he
asked the space between them. The taste of cherries in his mouth gave
him a sense of whimsy. This was truly a magical evening. It
unintentionally carried him back to his past and to the moment in his
childhood where he could remember feeling the wonder that was so
apparent on Hisoka’s face.

He’d stuck out his tongue to catch a stray snowflake as it passed

by his nose. He was ten years old and all alone at his mother’s
Parisian estate. Somewhere his nanny was looking for him inside the
house. He’d escaped through the kitchen door while the older, grossly
overweight woman wasn’t paying attention.

He had bowed to an imaginary partner as he began to turn in

erratic circles in mimicry of his father whom he’d seen dancing with
his mother at one of their expensive charity events that he’d been
forbidden to attend, the kind only for magick casters. “You sure are
beautiful,” he told his imaginary friend in broken English. His name
was Anthony, after one of the gardeners who’d trimmed the plethora
of wild flowers outside his window in the Hamptons.

He’d pushed his will into the universe and the spell was cast. The

snowflakes fell harder as he magicked the world into a blizzard of
white.

He pushed the memory aside as his legs carried him to Hisoka’s

side and he grabbed the smaller man’s hand to get his attention. “May
I have this winter-filled dance, my strange friend?” he asked. He’d

Bewitched 29

promised himself as a child that he’d have such a dance, and now in
his adulthood he was determined to have his dance right this second.
The magick was too potent to resist. He just hoped Hisoka didn’t
think he was stupid for the sentiment.

Hisoka’s green eyes widened. “Uh, I’d love to, but I’m horrible.

I’d probably fall and take you down with me.”

Somehow that was not surprising.
Hisoka laughed at himself, gripping Ciel’s hand. He stared at the

sky once more, and then his attention was back on Ciel, “What the
hell, why not?” he asked, smiling wider. “Uh, you might have to help
me. I don’t go to social events so this is new to me.”

Ciel arranged them so that he was leading, his hands on Hisoka’s

waist. If anyone stumbled across them, they wouldn’t have a great
explanation for why they were dancing like a pair of crazy people, but
Ciel didn’t care. This was awesome.

The snow drifted lightly to the ground, resting on Hisoka’s

eyelashes as well as both their heads. Within a matter of minutes, they
were covered in snow. It was just like the spell he’d cast as a kid, and
he couldn’t break it.

“After our little dance, we can get those drinks,” Hisoka

murmured, resting his hands lightly on Ciel’s shoulders. “You’ll
probably need to be warmed up after this.”

“You’d be surprised how extraordinarily warm I am at the

moment,” Ciel replied huskily. He smoothed his hand down the other
man’s back, coming to rest on his slim hips. “Just relax, cher. I’ve got
you.”

Then he started to move.
At first the younger man’s stiff gait was a little hard to work with,

but after a while those tense limbs limbered up a bit and Ciel reveled
in the fact that Hisoka was relying on him to carry him through a
dance. Ciel hummed an old waltz as he made the concrete parking lot
his dance floor. If his father saw him at the moment, he would
probably be disowned for acting out in public. No decent young lady

Jana Downs

would want to be married to a man who was so blatant about his
sexuality.

There was no way anyone could misconstrue that he was linked

pretty intimately with another man. Never mind that they weren’t
doing anything. He should’ve been afraid, but all he could think of
was how warm Hisoka was.

Joy, hot and delightful, spread through him like a potent drug. He

stared down at Hisoka’s wind-reddened lips and had another striking
desire to find out how soft they were.

Is this some kind of love spell?
“Talk to me. Tell me something about you. Anything,” he

whispered, trying to hide the blatant desire in his voice. “Tell me one
thing no one else knows about you, Hisoka.” He said his name and
got lost in the other man’s sea-green eyes. “That’s such a beautiful
name. It suits you. Exotic and striking.”

Hisoka looked away for a second. “Uh, something no one knows?

Let me think…” He paused, and the silence was almost unbearable.
“Well, a fact most people know is that I’m gay. Most people don’t
know that I have never had a boyfriend.”

Ciel was stunned for a solid minute as he processed what Hisoka

told him. How was that even possible? He figured a guy like him
would never want for a boyfriend. Despite his clumsiness, Hisoka was
beautiful and pocket-sized. He knew a boatload of men who would be
more than happy to take Hisoka on.

Abruptly, Hisoka stepped back, his arms wrapping around his

middle in a classic look of defense. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said
something so personal. Ciel, I just…it’s weird, but I just want…” He
bit his lip.

The magick that had been flowing between them all night came to

a head, and Hisoka reached out before grabbing the back Ciel’s head.
The smaller but surprisingly strong man forced him to bend as he
placed a sweet and almost innocent kiss on Ciel’s stunned lips. He

Bewitched 31

was shocked to take note of how soft his mouth was. Just like I
thought they would be.

Ciel opened his mouth, determined to deepen the kiss when

Hisoka pulled back and cleared his throat. “Right, shall we go get
drinks?”

Ciel touched his fingers to his tingling lips. If there wasn’t some

kind of magick here, he was losing his mind. He’d kissed a lot of
people in a lot more intimate ways than that, but it had felt infinitely
better than anything he’d experienced before.

He pulled Hisoka firmly back into his embrace. He wasn’t sure

that the kiss had just happened, and he had to make sure it felt as good
as he thought it had. “Hisoka,” he whispered his name an instant
before he bent forward and claimed the other man’s lips with his own.

Ciel was lost in a world of sensation as he molded Hisoka’s lips,

nibbling ever so lightly at their pouty texture. His tongue plunged
inside, and he tasted champagne. Delicious. He murmured a soft
utterance of praise. He couldn’t get enough of that intoxicating flavor.
God what am I doing?

The part of him, the caster side of him, just gave a nonchalant

shrug and grinned. I’m standing in the parking lot of my workplace
and kissing another guy, and I’m enjoying the hell out of it.

Shut up, you.
He pulled back after another endless moment of passion-soaked

kisses. “I’m not gay, Hisoka.” He rested his forehead against
Hisoka’s. They might have been cruel words, but they were
necessary. He was required to produce heirs and marry. As a caster it
was his duty to carry on his lineage and his line. He inhaled the scent
that was distinctly Hisoka. “I can’t be. But that felt…” He trailed off,
sighed. Abruptly he let the other man go.

He searched for the right word to describe the undeniably

intoxicating sensation and failed. He shifted from foot to foot and
resisted the urge to drag the other man back into his arms.

Instead he said, “How about we go get those drinks?”

Jana Downs

He wanted to kick himself. Callous bastard. Way to blow that

intimate moment to hell and back. “Looks like we could both use one,
and you look cold. Don’t want you to catch a chill.” He motioned for
Hisoka to walk. “Lead the way, mon cher. The bar awaits.”

Hisoka’s expression became shielded. “Yah, drinks are good.” He

reached for Ciel’s wrist and pulled him close, wrapping his arms
around his middle tightly. He paused. “Are you bisexual?” he asked.

He hesitated. Truth or a lie. Either way it wasn’t like he would be

able to make something more of this. Not that he wanted to. He
definitely didn’t want to. He opened his mouth, changed his mind,
closed it again.

“Is that a hard question?” Hisoka asked. There was no judgment

in his eyes, just curiosity. “It’s okay if you never thought about it.”

Ciel sighed. Damn this. He didn’t need this sort of magick

between him and another guy. “I’m bisexual.”

Hisoka smiled broadly, and Ciel cursed himself for giving him

hope for something more than a quick fuck if he were up to it. The
thought sent a spear of want through his cock. Damn it. The boy
hasn’t even had a boyfriend. No way would he want something sexy
first time out. And Ciel didn’t date.

Oblivious to Ciel’s internal struggle, Hisoka tucked his hair

behind his ear. “The bar’s around the corner, and I’m buying.” He
looked up, and their eyes clashed. “How do you feel about making
this a date? I mean, we don’t have to do anything serious, but I’d
really like to kiss you again.”

Oh shit. The magick wound them tighter. “Yeah. I’d like that.” It

was the absolute truth. He did like the idea.

Hisoka’s smile warmed him all the way down to his toes. “Cool.”

He reached out and entwined their hands before pulling him along
toward the bar.

* * * *

Bewitched 33

Hisoka watched Ciel beneath lowered lashes as he sat across from

him in a booth by the bar, Midnight’s. A waiter was waiting for his
order, and he’d zoned out. “Uh, sorry,” he said, embarrassed to be
caught staring at Ciel’s mouth like he was hungry for him. “Just give
me a Bud Light.”

“Bottle or tap?” the waiter asked, looking like he was three

seconds from asking Hisoka for his ID. It happened no matter where
he went. Apparently he just didn’t look twenty-one.

“Bottle is fine.” He was a lightweight. At five four, he could get

tipsy off two beers if he hadn’t eaten anything.

“And you?” For a waiter, the guy was not very friendly.
“Martini, dry. Start a tab. It’s on me,” Ciel said smoothly.
“So, tell me something about yourself,” Hisoka commanded as the

waiter went back to the bar to get their drinks. “What’s a secret no
one knows about you?” He should be happy to be with a man like
Ciel. However, something about him felt odd.

Ciel considered the question for longer than he would have liked

before he answered. “Hmm, I have a weird family.”

Hisoka rolled his eyes. “That so doesn’t count. Come on. I told

you something real.”

The other man sighed, smiling sheepishly. “I’ve never kissed

another guy before like that. I mean, I’ve had guys lip-lock me but
only when…well, er, you know.”

“Oh.” He hoped he hadn’t forced intimacy on the guy. Wait, he

kissed me first. “So this kissing thing was unusual for you, huh?”

Ciel shrugged. “I want you to know that I didn’t do that for kicks.

You’re different from what I’m used to.” He smiled, and the look
gave Hisoka some measure of reassurance. “I’m into you a lot more
than I should be. We can’t be together in any sort of relationship. I’m
not the sort of man that you’d want to have relations with even if I
could.” He chuckled, and the sound was bitter. “At least according to
my father and every woman I’ve ever tried dating. Maybe I just don’t

Jana Downs

have it in me to love, I don’t know. But for some reason you’re the
last person I’d want to hurt.”

Hisoka was puzzled by that. “Why?”
Again, Ciel shrugged, the noncommittal gesture maddening.

“From the second I saw you at that party, I knew you’re going to be
someone’s forever. You don’t deserve anything less than that.” He
looked around the bar. Anywhere but at Hisoka.

He needed to lighten the mood. For a first date, this was some

heavy stuff. “So other than a kiss, what’s your secret?”

“Not going to let me get out of it, huh?” Ciel asked. “Well, you

know Seven? The CEO of Express? That’s my dad.”

He was stunned for a good twenty seconds. “Holy crap.” Hisoka

was taken aback by everything Ciel said. Now it made sense. Ciel
may be gay, but he wouldn’t let himself explore it. With a dad like
that, Hisoka could understand. He’d seen the man speak at company
functions before, and he was absolutely terrifying.

Ciel nodded. “Yeah. He moved me out of promotions and into

visual advertising because I spent my entire day surfing the net
instead of doing my job. I had a great team, so things got done. He
just didn’t believe I was challenged enough. We’ve got a bit of a
strained relationship. I’m not what he had hoped for. I like my
apartment, and my mother has a big enough trust fund for me to be
happy for the rest of my life. To be honest I wouldn’t work at all if I
thought that I’d do something other than sit at home and let my brain
rot if I was unemployed.”

“Wow. Guess I snagged a rich date, huh?”
Ciel chuckled. “Looks that way.” He lit up another of his special

cigarettes and blew smoke rings into the air for Hisoka’s amusement.

They continued to talk, each confessing sins and secrets with a

regularity that should’ve scared the hell out of Hisoka but somehow
managed to seem perfectly reasonable for a first date.

Ciel laughed as Hisoka joked. “Another confession, the last one

you’ll get out of me this evening.”

Bewitched 35

Hisoka grinned. “Let me have it.”
“I’d very much like to kiss you again.” He stared unflinchingly at

Hisoka as he spoke. “Now that is the last of my confessions. So what
is your story, Hisoka Henderson? What confessions will you give to
me?” He drained the next martini as it was deposited by his elbow.

“Hmm, I’m all out of confessions,” Hisoka drawled. He just

wanted to sit for a little bit. “Let’s knock off the quid pro quo for a
bit, hm?”

Ciel raised his empty glass in acknowledgment.
“I can understand the situation with your dad is difficult,” Hisoka

said. “And I even get the way you were raised to be straight or
whatever, but you gotta know that life isn’t worth living if don’t spoil
yourself a little.” He winked at him and chugged a bit more of his
beer. “You shouldn’t have to take over your dad’s company if you
don’t want to. Everyone has their own dreams and has the right to
explore them.” He sat in silence and thought for a moment before he
continued. “You know, I don’t really know much about my dad, other
than the fact that he was an evil bastard, so I guess I’m not the best
person to talk about family relationships with.” He smiled and
glanced at the snow-covered ground through the frosted window
beside him. “But I do know that failing to seize the moment and
whatever you want to do will leave you feeling regret.”

Ceil inclined his head. “Sage advice.”
As the waiter brought two more drinks, Hisoka leaned over the

table. Ciel obliged him, meeting him halfway so that their lips met.
Hisoka groaned at the taste of cherries and hot man. He ran his hands
over front of Ciel’s jacket, fishing out the pack of cigs he kept there.
He snagged the stick from him and placed it in his own mouth as he
sat back down. Ciel laughed and lit it for him. Hisoka wasn’t a
smoker, but he liked the way these tasted.

“You got your next kiss, like it?” he teased as he puffed out

smoke.

Jana Downs

“Oh yeah.” Ciel grinned at him. “Think I could do that more

often.”

“So is this going to happen again?” Hisoka asked.
A second date was definitely something he wanted, but Ciel had

said very plainly that he didn’t do first dates let alone seconds.

“I want to,” Ciel said. His eyes were at half-mast as his gaze met

Hisoka’s.

Hisoka sighed. “I want to just kiss you all night. But I can’t get

involved if you call foul tomorrow morning.”

Ciel’s lips tilted upward into a grin. “Beautiful, I’ll call foul if you

say no.” He winked. “We can be friends with benefits for now. How’s
that sound?”

Hisoka smiled. “Sounds delicious.”

Bewitched 37

Chapter Three

Ciel couldn’t breathe. Every logical thought said he needed to take

Hisoka home and leave him there alone and then proceed to stay the
hell away from him. But his caster side was not so convinced. Magick
binds us. Our fates are intertwined somehow. One of his family’s gifts
was premonitions. Was this one of them?

Hisoka glanced over at him in concern. “I’m rushing this right? I

always rush.”

“You’re not rushing,” Ciel hurried to correct. “I’m just thinking

about everything.” Hisoka would probably freak if he understood
what he was really thinking about. Most humans didn’t react well to
the knowledge that magick really existed and people like Ciel could
manipulate it.

A couple of hours ago he was just having a normal night with

normal responsibilities. Now, he was sitting at a bar with a coworker,
talking about having a fling. Life could get strange all by itself.

The shop bell chimed, signaling another customer or, in this case,

a crowd coming in for last call.

A good portion of the mass of people were from the party they’d

just left. “Maybe we should go. It’s going to end up like an after
party.” He chuckled, standing up as the waiter came back with the
receipt for Ciel’s tab. He knew it was a cheap move and he wasn’t
exactly answering Hisoka’s question, but he needed time to think.

“Here you are,” the waiter said, handing over the bill for him to

fill out. “Enjoy your evening.”

He trotted away to the counter to assist the bartender.

Jana Downs

Hisoka inclined his head, and relief trickled through Ciel’s chest.

“Thanks for the drinks. We should go to your car. The snow is
coming down more. Maybe a ride home is better than walking?”

“A drive home will be warmer, certainly,” Ciel agreed.
Tugging lightly on Ciel’s sleeve, Hisoka led them out of the bar

and down the sidewalk a little ways before he stopped. Ciel actually
liked the way Hisoka touched him all the time. It was like he couldn’t
help himself but to connect with Ciel on a physical level. He smiled at
the thought. No one had ever wanted that before. Magick tended to
unnerve people more often than not. Like a large predator through a
school of fish, the humans kept their distance from him.

Sure, plenty of people had wanted to fuck, but because of his

other abilities, his aura tended to make them leave before they got the
chance to connect any more than that. Not that Ciel minded all that
much, but it had been annoying in his youth.

Somewhere, off in the distance, a clock tower chimed loudly,

signaling that it was now two in the morning. Ciel wrapped his arm
around Hisoka’s shoulders so that they were brought closer together.
The other man’s actions replayed in his mind. He nearly laughed at
the thought of Hisoka stealing his cigarette. The smaller man had
spunk, he’d give him that.

He pressed a kiss to the top of Hisoka’s hair and inhaled his

fragrance. Tomorrow he’d go back to being Ciel St. Germaine and all
the weight that came with that title. Tonight, with Hisoka, he was just
Ciel.

“So do dates end at 2:00 a.m.?” Ciel asked as they walked arm

and arm back to the garage. “Because if you’re planning on staying up
for a while, you could come over to my place.” He paused. He wasn’t
sure how to go about this. Did this count as leading him on? Hisoka
had been the one to bring up the one-night stand thing. “We could
watch a movie or play cards or something. Plus I have Swiss Miss hot
chocolate with marshmallows that are to die for.” He didn’t want to

Bewitched 39

sound pushy. God, he was rusty at this. “Or not. I can just drop you
off. You’re probably exhausted.”

It was the kisses and the conversation that had him so riled up.

That had to be it. Maybe it was a combination of both. Whatever the
cause, Ciel felt more than a little out of his element. He was a man
used to taking charge of a dozen people at a time, but here he was on
a “date” and he had no idea what to do. He didn’t want to treat Hisoka
with the same lackluster attitude he’d treated all the other people he’d
“dated,” but at the same time the thought of becoming some
simpering lovesick puppy over a guy he’d known collectively for only
a couple hours was equally unappealing.

If this was the end, he had to do something. He stopped their

progress and pulled Hisoka into the shadow of a nearby building.
“Hisoka,” he whispered. “I think I want one more kiss before we get
there. Just in case the spell doesn’t hold the rest of the evening.”
Whoops. Wasn’t supposed to say that out loud. He just hoped Hisoka
thought he was speaking metaphorically. “I want to remember this
moment.” Most men would probably have asked for some type of
permission, but it just wasn’t in Ciel’s personality. Without preamble
he leaned down to capture Hisoka’s lips in another kiss.

Hisoka slowly brought his arms up around Ciel’s neck. The way

he clung to Ciel just made his heart beat that much harder. He held
Ciel close, standing on his tiptoes as he pushed his tongue gently into
the moist cavern of Ciel’s mouth. Unlike the other kisses they’d
shared, this was something lazy, slow, intimate. Normally, Ciel would
have been running the other way as fast as his legs would carry him,
but Hisoka’s presence settled him.

It didn’t feel like it had been a few hours. It felt like they’d known

each other forever. He pushed his tongue deeper, fucking his mouth in
a blatant mimicry of what he was aching to do to his body. This weird
boy with his clumsy hands and childish excitement thrilled him in a
way that no one ever had.

Jana Downs

Slowly, their kiss ended, and Hisoka drew back. “Let’s continue

this date,” he said, his voice a husky murmur of sound. Even his smile
was cat-that-ate-the-canary. “No way am I tired. I can stay up all
night. I mean, I don’t have to go to work tomorrow.” He was
babbling. Man, he was cute when he babbled. He laced their fingers.
“Anyway, a movie sounds great.”

They walked in silence toward the car, their hands twined and an

awareness singing through Ciel’s veins like a heady wine. The world
seemed quieter somehow, muffled by the snowy buffer.

“Got any pets?” Hisoka asked randomly.
“No pets,” he said. “I was thinking about getting a cat but…” He

shrugged. “It seemed silly with the hours I work. The thing would be
feral by the time I came around. A workaholic isn’t really the person
to have pets.” He paused. “I have houseplants. Does that count?
They’re orchids, angel orchids to be specific. Pretty rare. I like to be
surrounded by the beauty of nature even in the city.”

They finally reached the overhang for the parking garage, and he

tugged Hisoka along as he strode toward the elevator. He always
parked on the top so that his baby wouldn’t have to be around other
cars.

He was already mentally making preparations for entertainment at

his place. The killer flat screen and sound system were some of his
favorite toys. He hoped Hisoka enjoyed feeling like he was in a movie
theater because his setup was very similar. When the other man
agreed to come to Ciel’s place, Ciel had already mentally throwing
open the door to his apartment. Trying to imagine Hisoka’s
expression as he took in the almost 360-degree view of the skyline
tickled him for some reason.

You’re getting in too deep. The voice of reason could shove it.

Tonight, he’d let himself be carried away by magick. Tomorrow he’d
go back to reality.

They climbed in the elevators, and Hisoka turned into him, curling

against his chest like it was the most natural thing in the universe.

Bewitched 41

Ciel savored the closeness, though he had to keep his hips tucked
back so that his erection didn’t dig into Hisoka’s stomach. The last
thing he wanted to do was give Hisoka the impression that he wanted
to throw him down right here in the elevator. Even if that was what he
wanted to do.

The elevator dinged, signaling their arrival on the top floor. As the

doors slid open, Ciel couldn’t help but feel a sense of loss at being
tossed from the small space by an automated door. He was enjoying
the intimacy of their time inside. Mentally he rolled his eyes. You’re
going to have him at your place in just a few minutes. Stop being so
dramatic. It doesn’t suit you.

His car sat by itself a little ways ahead of them, its silver metallic

paint practically glowing between the swirling snow and the naked
bulbs they used to light the place. He loved that damn sports car. “Be
careful of the deck,” he warned as they stepped out. “There is already
a covering of ice.” He smoothed his hand down Hisoka’s cheek,
taking the hair out of his eye for just a second. “I’d hate to spend our
first date in the hospital because you broke your leg, beautiful.” There
was that nickname again, filling him with a sense of purpose.

My beautiful.
He growled at himself. Don’t start that again!

* * * *

Hisoka grinned. “I’ll be fine.” This is the perfect first date. If

Hisoka got his way, there would be more than one. Ciel had warned
him not to expect it, so he wouldn’t. But maybe if it kept up like this,
causal lunches would turn into dinner dates or something like that.

When Ciel motioned toward the only car on the top deck,

Hisoka’s mouth dropped open. “That’s your car?” he asked. “It’s so
beau—” He slipped slightly as he stepped, falling on his ass. He
winced as the cold ground sank into the seat of his pants. He’d
probably have a wet spot in addition to the sore ass.

Jana Downs

“Are you okay?” Ciel asked, reaching down for him.
Hisoka forced himself to smile, though the expression was

sheepish. “Just clumsy,” he said. Embarrassment singed him. “But
don’t worry. It takes a lot to hurt me. I fall down all the time.” Way to
sound like a spaz. “So I’m good,” he finished lamely.

“Dammit, didn’t I just say to be careful?” Forget holding hands,

Ciel bent over and picked up the smaller man in one fell swoop. “If
you’re that clumsy, you’re not walking even to the car.” He cradled
him against his chest like a knight carrying a damsel in distress.

Hisoka’s embarrassment ratcheted up another notch. Great. Now

he’s carrying me like a kid. But he didn’t protest. It felt kind of nice,
actually. He should’ve said something about being able to walk
himself, but Ciel’s arms just felt good.

Finally he got the door open and sat Hisoka in the comforting

embrace of his seat. “There is a blanket in the floor in front of you.
Put that around your shoulders until the car heats up,” Ciel demanded.
He crossed around the front of the car and climbed into the driver’s
seat. He glanced at Hisoka, who’d still not grabbed the blanket. “I
mean it, put it around you. I don’t want you taking chill.”

You are not from around here with expressions like that. There

was something exotic about Ciel even if he did look like one of those
big corporate mogul types.

Ciel turned the heater on full blast as he cranked the engine. A

poignant note filled the air as some singer started crooning a love
song. As corny as it was, Hisoka felt like it fit the moment.

“I love this song,” he murmured, grabbing the blanket off the floor

as Ciel had instructed.

Ciel glanced at the radio, surprise flickering in his expression.

“Yeah. It’s good. Didn’t even know I had this playlist on my iPod.”
He paused, looked like he was going to say something else but
seemed to decide against it. Instead, he put the car in gear and crept
toward the covered hanging across the icy deck.

Bewitched 43

The silence that filled the car wasn’t uncomfortable, but Hisoka

felt the need to fill it anyway. He fingered the leather seat. It was
supple, a lot softer than some of the other cars he’d been in. “This
really is beautiful and to have put so much work into her, you must be
very pleased.”

Removing his arm from the blanket he reached over to grasp

Ciel’s hand. It was maybe the tenth time he’d done it, but he liked
contact. Stop being so damn clingy. He couldn’t seem to help himself.
Everything about Ciel called to him. It was like they were stuck in a
romantic movie or something. His hands were so comforting, and
Hisoka’s hand fit perfectly within the large, protective embrace.

“I love my car. Her name is Emily.” The pride in Ciel’s voice was

obvious. He talked about his car like she was his daughter instead of a
collection of steel and leather.

Silence fell over them again.
“So, what kind of movies do you have?” Hisoka asked. He

chuckled nervously. “Feel free to shut me up. I can ask a lot of
questions or talk too much.” He adjusted in his seat, moving to his
left, so he could rest his head against Ciel. “Hmm, you smell good.”
He blushed from saying his thought out loud, but he didn’t move from
his position.

“I have a ton of movies. It’s probably what I spend most of my

money on aside from food.” Ciel looked over at him. “Anything in
particular you want to watch?”

Hisoka shrugged. “I’m game for pretty much anything so long as

it’s not too gory.”

They turned onto the main street at the bottom level.
“So, you know, if tonight goes well or whatever, we could still

watch movies together,” Hisoka offered. “I mean, you spend a lot of
time alone. Maybe we could be friends. That wouldn’t be too weird
right?”

Jana Downs

Ciel hesitated. “Let’s not think of the future tonight. It may not

work out that way, and I don’t want to hurt you by making promises I
don’t know if I can keep. Let’s just say I like the thought. All right?”

“Okay,” Hisoka said. He would take a maybe. Maybe was good.

Ciel was a catch, and he was clearly nervous about dating a guy.
Hisoka even understood. Some people could be real assholes about
boy-on-boy lovin’. Of course the phrase sent his mind spiraling into
the gutter. An image of himself on his knees, Ciel’s cock in his
mouth, shot through him like a spear of lust. Holy cow. It wasn’t like
him to mentally molest his companions. Maybe Ciel was right that it
was some kind of spell between them. He chuckled at the thought as
he continued to play out a suck-Ciel’s-cock fantasy. He shifted,
grateful the blanket hid his hard-on.

The screech of squalling tires brought him out of his thoughts as

Ciel nearly ran a red light. Hisoka’s head swiveled to the side. “Are
you okay? Did we hit ice?”

In the street light, Ciel’s cheeks looked burnt red as he gripped the

wheel tightly. “Uh no.”

Hisoka looked at him in confusion, but a quick glance at Ciel’s lap

showed he wasn’t the only one having some kind of fantasy on their
winter wonderland drive.

Ciel swallowed. “Those martinis must be affecting me more than I

thought,” he tried to joke.

Hisoka blinked. “Uh…should I drive then?”
“I’m not intoxicated or anything. I’m fine really,” Ciel hastened to

say. “My apartment is right at the end of this street, so don’t worry.
I’m well within my limit.”

Now Hisoka was really confused.
“I’m fucking this up,” Ciel admitted, sighing softly. “I got

distracted looking at you.” The admission sent a furl of warmth
through his chest. “I’ve got a lot of other movies as well on my
DVR.” Clearly he needed a subject change. “You can take your pick
when we get there. I’ll make the hot chocolate while you decide.”

Bewitched 45

Ciel glanced at Hisoka in the darkened vehicle. Hisoka’s heart
skipped a beat as Ciel lifted his hand and kissed the knuckles once
more, adding a little nip this time. “Anything you want is yours
tonight, Hisoka.” Anything.

Holy cow.

* * * *

Ciel unlocked his car door and then ducked out in order to go to

the other side and open Hisoka’s. He offered him a hand out.

“I can walk by myself,” Hisoka said, staring at the proffered hand.
“It’ll save me the trouble of catching you should you fall,” he

joked. He wasn’t sure if it was appropriate to tease his companion at
this point, but Ciel’s normally suave attitude had abandoned him. He
genuinely had no idea how to act in front of Hisoka.

“This is a nice building,” Hisoka said, leaning forward so that he

could get a better look. The snow was coming down more heavily
now, and the top of the building was obscured from view.

If they weren’t careful, Hisoka was going to end up stuck or

walking home. For some reason, the former didn’t bother Ciel in the
least bit. He’d never had a lover stay on until morning. It wasn’t his
style. But Hisoka didn’t feel threatening even though Ciel knew he
was.

“Thanks,” Ciel said, dragging his mind out of the bizarre nature of

their interaction before he drove himself nuts trying to figure out what
the hell was really going on. “It’s a newer building that my broker
found earlier this year. I was renting some hole-in-the-wall walk-up
over in Brooklyn, but I hated crossing the bridge every day to come
into work.” He coded in his passkey on the front entrance and swung
the ironwork door open and motioned Hisoka inside. “Mine’s the
penthouse suite, so go ahead and hit the elevator button while I recode
the door.”

Jana Downs

He pointed toward a luxurious glass elevator on the far end of a

spacious lobby. The elevator opened from the front down here but
from the back on every floor so that the riders could see the
architecture as they rose. It was modern elegance with intersecting
wood and white architectural elements. The décor was really why he
bought the apartment to begin with. There was nothing better than
Manhattan luxury.

“Just make sure you hold the elevator once it gets here, it tends to

take off if you’re not looking,” he called, quickly rekeying the lock
and matching it to his passkey. The code changed every twelve hours,
so it was necessary to check it when going in and out. The doorman
took off around seven, so if he got stuck outside, he’d have to call the
super and wait, which was a big pain in the ass.

In no time at all they were both ensconced in the glass box, rising

above the mezzanine. They rode in silence as it climbed to the twenty-
seventh floor, but it was a comfortable silence that spoke more of
companionship than awkwardness for once.

When he’d nearly run a red light, he’d been balls-deep in a fantasy

version of Hisoka. He’d thought for sure he’d blown it then by acting
like a total creep, but Hisoka had seemed to understand without a
grand explanation.

The elevator dinged to announce their arrival, and Ciel extracted

his key card from the wall so the doors would open to his suite.

“So what do you think?” Ciel asked as they stepped out.
Hisoka swiveled his head like a child at a zoo for the first time.

“Wow,” he said. He seemed to favor that phrase. “It’s gorgeous. Your
interior decorator must charge a mint.” He reached out and touched
the hallway table where Ciel usually dumped his keys.

Pride infused Ciel’s chest. He loved his new place. It was free of

any other influence but his own. He’d lived at his old walk up just to
defy his father’s mandates about what St. Germaines did and didn’t
do, but after dragging groceries up a dozen flights of stairs, he’d

Bewitched 47

decided that it wasn’t worth it. He much preferred this elegance in a
building of his choosing than defiance just for the sake of the thing.

The space was very masculine with lots of greens, browns, and

tans in the common areas. The apartment really was the quintessential
bachelor pad.

“You think this is impressive, you should see the bedroom.” The

words were out of his mouth before he could think about how they
sounded. Shit. Shit. Shit. “Uh, what I mean is that the work there is
my favorite part of the house. That wasn’t a come-on.”

Hisoka’s face fell.
Shit! “Not that I wouldn’t want you there. But you’re”—gorgeous.

Innocent. Untainted. Magick—“special. I’m not pushing.” He’d never
sounded so awkward. He raked a hand through his hair. “I’m making
a mess of this.”

Hisoka smiled, the expression both mysterious and amused. “You

don’t bring a lot of people home for more than a quick fuck, huh?”

Ciel shook his head.
“This place is amazing, Ciel. It’s meant to be shared.” He stripped

off his coat. “Is there a place I can hang this?”

Ciel stared at him for a good twenty seconds. It was like the guy

was in his head. He saw past the trips Ciel made to what he intended.
It was utterly bizarre and comforting all at once. He reached out and
took the coat, delivering it to the hall closet without preamble.

Another key gained them access into the living room, and Ciel

couldn’t resist wrapping his arms around Hisoka’s chest and pulling
him back against the hard muscle there.

“Welcome to my home,” he said. He pointed toward the couch.

“Why don’t you go sit down and I’ll get that hot chocolate going?”

“Sounds good.”
Hisoka leaned back into Ciel’s half-hard cock and gave a little

grind with his hips. Ciel bit his lip to keep from groaning. For all his
seeming innocence, Hisoka seemed to know how to rile in a
maddening way.

Jana Downs

The huge flat screen loomed over the fireplace before a plush

leather sectional, and on either side of it were two large black and
glass cases that housed his movie collections. He’d spent a mint
getting everything a little better than theater quality in here.

“Take your pick,” Ciel commanded, dropping his hands from

Hisoka’s body before turning toward the door. “Horror movies are on
the right. Everything else is on the left. If you don’t find anything you
like, my Amazon instant account is already set up on the Blu-ray
player.” He gave the other man a quick peck on the cheek. “I’ll be in
the kitchen making us drinks. Relax. My home is your home.”

The kitchen was made to be cooked in even if Ciel did so very

rarely. It was convenient and perfectly laid out. Ciel boiled the milk
for hot chocolate while he argued with himself on what Hisoka’s
effect on him was really caused from. Maybe I’m just feeling
particularly lonely tonight. He banished the thought as soon as he’d
had it. He’d been perfectly content with being alone his entire life.
Why would that stop being true now?

He circled the stainless-steel island to reach the French-door

refrigerator that sat to one side so he could put the milk back. The
housekeepers he’d hired to keep the place clean kept it stocked with
all his favorite goodies. If he wasn’t mistaken he had asked for one
goodie in particular that Hisoka might enjoy with his hot chocolate.
He checked the cupboard and smiled. Yes. S’mores were in order.

He took out the graham crackers, some of the marshmallows, and

chocolate and sat them on the counter, arranging them so that a dozen
fire-ready s’mores decorated his fine china. Of course it was the only
set of plates he had, a gift from his mother that was the only practical
thing outside magick lessons she’d ever given him. He stuck them in
the microwave for fifteen seconds so that they all got warm and
gooey, just like he liked them.

The teapot whistled that it was ready, and he poured the hot milk,

the hot chocolate mix, more chocolate syrup—his secret addition—
,and marshmallows into each stylishly black coffee mug.

Bewitched 49

He got a serving tray out of the cupboard and sat his plate of

goodies and his mugs of steamy liquid goodness onto it before
carrying the whole thing back into the living room.

He found Hisoka near the windows instead of the movie

collection.

Ciel didn’t blame him. It was a hell of a view. He stood there with

the tray, watching Hisoka as he watched the hazy skyline.

“Cool, huh?” he asked, drawing the other man’s attention.
Hisoka turned, a slight smile playing on his lips as he looked Ciel

up and down. “Gorgeous.”

Somehow he didn’t think Hisoka was talking about the view.
“I picked House on Haunted Hill.”
Ciel grinned. “Oldie but goldie. I can dig it.” He walked over to

the marble coffee table and sat the tray on it. Hisoka followed him
and then sat down on the couch, offering up the movie.

“House on Haunted Hill is one of my favorites,” Ciel said as he

stuck the movie into his player and snagged the remotes he was going
to need.

“Hey, Ciel?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you feel weird?”
Ciel frowned. “Weird how?”
Hisoka shrugged. “Like everything is going a little too well? I

know that sounds bizarre, but I feel like everything just fell into place.
Like it’s magic or something.”

Ciel was quiet for a long time as he tried to think of a reasonable

explanation. How was he supposed to explain that everything felt
magical because it was magick? Natural magick like this, flowing
between two people, was almost impossible to resist. This was what
people talked about when they talked about fate, serendipity,
whatever mystical force that worked in the universe. No caster could
arrange a spell so fluidly.

Jana Downs

“Tonight is a special night,” Ciel said finally. “I feel like I’m on a

precipice, waiting for the chance to jump off. It’s a strange feeling.”
He took a bite out of one of the s’mores and chocolate smeared on his
bottom lip.

Hisoka did the same. “I’m glad I’m not the only one then.”
God, I could eat him alive. He sent up his silent prayer to

whatever god was listening that he’d get the opportunity tonight.

As the opening credits began, he ran his hand down Hisoka’s back

to rest of the curve of his spine. As he leaned back into the couch,
Hisoka came with him, resting his cheek on Ciel’s chest as they got
comfortable. He propped his legs up onto the coffee table, making
sure not the stick his foot in their goodies and pressed Hisoka’s head
to his chest.

“So, beautiful boy”—he stared hard into those captivating green

eyes. He couldn’t even think about watching the movie while
Hisoka’s attention was on him. His voice had become a husky
murmur of sound as the advertisements played in the background—
“tonight is your night. If you could have anything in the world right
now, what would it be?”

Hisoka rested his hand on Ciel’s cheek before leaning up to lick

Ciel’s lips. Ciel nearly groaned at the sensation. “Tastes better on you
than it does on a cracker,” Hisoka teased. He pulled Ciel close to him,
forcing Ciel to accommodate his smaller frame. “If I could have
anything”—he leaned in, nipping Ciel’s bottom lip, before soothing
the pain away with a softer kiss—“I would just want you.”

Ciel moaned aloud at that. He couldn’t help it. Like his body had

been made to accommodate Hisoka’s desire by some spell, his cock
hardened and every thought of resisting melted away like a dream
when the alarm clock went off. He crushed Hisoka to him, the movie
forgotten as he ravaged his mouth in the exact way that he wanted to
ravish his body. He took. There was no other way to describe the way
he cupped Hisoka’s head in his hands and forced his tongue between
Hisoka’s plush lips.

Bewitched 51

It wasn’t long until Hisoka returned the touches with equal fervor,

plunging his own tongue into Ciel’s mouth to explore all the crevices
and corners of the terrain.

This was turning into more than a kiss.
Ciel pressed Hisoka into the couch so that he was flat on his back

with Ciel between his now-spread thighs. He gave a feral grind to try
and relieve some of the impossible pressure building in his cock.

“Ciel,” Hisoka gasped, gripping the back of Ciel’s shirt.
Pleasure, sharp and potent, roared through Ciel as Hisoka moved

restlessly under him. “Jesus,” he breathed as his mouth was robbed of
proper speech.

An image of stripping the other man down and having him on the

floor flitted through his mind, and for a frightening second he thought
that he might do just that. It seemed the magick was building on itself,
rising to a fever pitch.

“Damn, beautiful boy.” He growled. “You certainly know how to

get my attention.” He gave another slow grind. “Unless you’re
looking for a lot more than kisses, I suggest we move.” Struggling
against the pull was like trying to use one man to move the pyramids.

Hisoka’s lust-filled eyes blinked up at him. “Seriously? You’re

going to stop?” He fucked upward, grinding against Ciel’s thigh.

Ciel groaned. More images flashed through Ciel’s mind. Hisoka’s

sweet face racked with pleasure being the most reoccurring one.
“Hisoka,” he whispered desperately, swallowing what reply Hisoka
could’ve made with another mind-numbing kiss. He was going to
strip him down to nothing but that sweet, shy smile and lick every
inch of that soft skin until Hisoka couldn’t breathe without thinking of
Ciel’s lips on his flesh. Ciel shuddered.

“Ciel, please, I burn.” The plea went straight to Ciel’s needy cock.
Damn. Damn. And double damn.
He clung desperately to his moral compass. “If I fuck you, I’ll

only do it tonight,” Ciel threw out before he thought of the
implications. “I just do one-night stands. Can you handle that?” It

Jana Downs

wasn’t what he wanted, and everything in him screamed at him to
shut the fuck up and just go with it.

Hisoka stilled under him. The guy had admitted to not having a

boyfriend, and he didn’t seem the type to fuck around casually. He
was probably a damn virgin and here Ciel was telling him that their
relationship—God help him, it felt like one—would only last the
night.

“No,” Hisoka whispered.
Ciel rolled to the side, and Hisoka let him go. I’m an ass. I’m a

huge fucking ass.

“I’ve–I’m–I have to go to the restroom,” he stammered. If he

stayed in this room another second, he was going to either tell Hisoka
he didn’t mean what he just said and fuck him or scream in pure
frustration. “I’ll, uh, be right back. Just drink your hot chocolate and
I’ll be back in a flash. Excuse me.” He rolled to his feet and walked
stiffly toward the back of the apartment, toward his master bathroom.
There had to be a spell or something to protect them both and drive a
wedge between them and the natural magick around them.

Bewitched 53

Chapter Four

“Ciel,” Hisoka called, forcing himself into a sitting position. He

didn’t know why, but he knew that if he let Ciel leave to cool off
something awful was going to happen. “You said I could have
whatever I wanted. I wanted you. I mean it.” He wasn’t sure how the
evening had turned out like this, but he could no more resist the pull
than the tide coming in.

Ciel’s back stiffened as all his muscles tensed. They were fine-

looking muscles, too. He’d thrown out the one-night line and it had
nearly ripped Hisoka’s heart from his chest, but there was so much
more going on here than the urge to fuck. If he let the moment pass,
he would regret it.

“You don’t understand,” Ciel murmured. “You can’t understand.”
“I want you,” Hisoka said. He watched the shudder go down

Ciel’s spine. “All the details, all the rest, is bullshit. Come here.”

“Oh what fools these mortals be,” Ciel said almost too softly for

Hisoka to hear. He turned around. “There is no going back, Hisoka. I
don’t mean to be dramatic, but once I take you to bed, there is no
happily ever after.”

Hisoka raised his chin. “I want you,” he repeated. “For five

minutes or fifty years. Come fuck me.”

Ciel snorted. “Ever been fucked before?”
He should have expected the question, but it caught him off guard.

He hesitated. “Uh, well, no. Not really.”

Ciel’s honey-colored eyes narrowed. “You shouldn’t waste your

virginity on a guy like me. You’re the kind people keep.”

Jana Downs

“How the hell would you know? You don’t know me.” Irritation

churned in his gut. Here he was practically begging the guy to fuck
him and he was lecturing him on waiting. For what? Forever? Hadn’t
he waited long enough to feel this spark, this absolute chemistry?

“That’s exactly why you shouldn’t sleep with me,” Ciel said. He

looked like he had at the party before they’d started talking, arrogant,
a touch cruel, angry. “You met me five hours ago and you’re
throwing something away that you waited twenty-something years to
give away. Think, Hisoka. I know it’s hard with all the magi—” He
bit his bottom lip and then finished his sentence. “—chemistry
between us, but try to think past the warm feeling and your hard
cock.”

“You want to be intimate with me, right?” Hisoka asked, his

confidence wavering. Maybe it was a matter of want. Maybe he’d
misread the signs. And his hard dick? Did I misread that, too?

“Intimate? Now that is the greatest understatement of the

century.” Ciel raked his hand through his crimson hair. “Do you know
what I’m thinking of doing to you, beautiful?”

Ciel’s eyes had tuned a molten shade of gold with his desire. It

was so unearthly that Hisoka was almost startled out of his arousal.
He’d never seen anyone’s eyes do that.

“What?” Hisoka asked, captivated.
He crossed the floor between them and bent over so that Hisoka

was trapped between the couch and the circle of Ciel’s arms. It was a
hell of a cage to be in. “I’m thinking about taking off your clothes.”
He kissed the corner of Hisoka’s mouth, letting his tongue dart out to
lick the crease. “I’m thinking about pressing you against the
hardwood floor.” He trailed his kisses along Hisoka’s jawline, nipping
as he went. “I’m thinking about filling you over and over again with
my cock until the line between too much and never enough is so
blurry that you’ll feel my possession for days.” He continued his path
down Hisoka’s neck, licking and biting at the pulse point, no doubt
leaving a dark-red mark against Hisoka’s soft skin.

Bewitched 55

Hisoka shuddered. Yes. I want this. Some part of him that was all

instinct just sat up and said “mine” loud and freaking clear.

“Do you really want me, Hisoka?” Ciel asked, tweaking his

nipples through the soft cotton of his shirt. Hisoka arched into the
touch. “Because once we start down this path, there is no going back.
You’ll be fucked. Pure and simple. No regrets, no fouls, no do-overs.
No promises for tomorrow. Me and you and tonight with nothing
between us but time and desire.”

Ciel shuddered, and Hisoka could see the agonizing lust fill his

desire-soaked expression.

“Decide now. Shall I call you a cab or do you want to have me as

yours tonight?” The emphasis on the word didn’t detract from
Hisoka’s desire.

Hisoka moaned “I…” He closed his eyes to think. He couldn’t

think when Ciel was touching him. He grabbed Ciel’s hand and
placed it on his hip. “You’d be my first,” he said slowly. “But it’d be
my pleasure. I can tell. You’re a good lover.” He was confident about
that much at least. He’d never been overly confident with men, but
with Ciel it seemed natural.

He pulled their bodies close and wrapped his left leg around the

lower part of Ciel’s right leg, hooking him there so that he’d have to
lift him if he wanted to move. He kissed Ciel again and couldn’t help
but pant slightly as his tongue not only caressed each part of Ciel’s
mouth but sucked on his tongue in a mimicry of what he was aching
to do to his cock.

“You’re a little tease.” Ciel groaned, picking up the other man by

his backside and kneading the flesh he found there.

Hisoka could’ve done a happy dance. He’d won. “Only a tease if I

don’t deliver.”

With a deft hand Ciel pulled up the front of his shirt to reveal

Hisoka’s lightly muscled chest and abdomen. He didn’t try
particularly hard to get the body he had. He just happened to have
good genetics and fairly good eating habits.

Jana Downs

“You’ll have to tell me if something starts to hurt,” Ciel rumbled.

He kissed Hisoka’s lips and slipped his tongue inside to explore the
cavern of his mouth. He tasted like chocolate and heaven all in one.
“I’m not going to take you on the floor though. That’s an injustice not
even I can mete out.”

He carried them both into the back bedroom where a large

comfortable bed took up the majority of the room. The rest was filled
with white angel orchids that he’d spoken of before. The smell of the
night-blooming flowers created an unreal atmosphere in the space that
was seductive and romantic all at once. He laid them down on the soft
down bed and kicked off his shoes, coming between Hisoka’s spread,
but sadly clothed, thighs.

They were silent as Ciel stripped Hisoka of his shirt and pants

with two economical movements. Hisoka stared up at him, so hard he
couldn’t think past anything but his already pre-cum-dripping cock
and Ciel’s nails as they rubbed over his nipples.

“Do you taste as good as you look?” Ciel teased, tweaking his

nipples with his fingertips so that they hardened for him. He groaned
at the eroticism of the sight. “You are edible.” He brought his mouth
down so that it was level with Hisoka’s right nipple and gave it a lick.

Hisoka gasped.
“How’s that?” Ciel asked, sounding a bit breathless. He used his

other hand to pinch the other nipple and rubbed his rigid abdomen
against Hisoka’s needy prick. His own cock was visible in the
confines of his slacks, jumping and begging for release with every
subsequent touch he gave Hisoka’s body.

“Ciel, please,” Hisoka begged. He wasn’t even sure what he was

begging for at this point, but he’d watched enough pornos to know
that something was supposed to happen.

“I never knew it could be like this,” Ciel muttered as he kissed the

puckered nipple once more, adding just the edge of teeth this time.
“The magick is fucking tingling.”

Whatever that meant.

Bewitched 57

He turned his attention to the other nipple. “Tell me,” he

commanded Hisoka in a husky passion-soaked tone. “Tell me you
want me.”

Hisoka flushed as he was slowly exposed, moaning softly as his

chest was teased. “Ahh, hhnn.” That was all Hisoka could muster. He
pressed his hands gently on Ciel’s back, encouraging him to continue.

“Say it,” Ciel growled.
He looked down into Ciel’s eyes and whimpered. “I want you.”
He looked away, unable to handle the intensity in Ciel’s

expression. He reached for the open shirt hanging on Ciel’s built
shoulders. He pulled it off, his hands caressing the smooth skin
underneath.

“You’re so sexy,” he whispered. “Never wanted anyone like I

want you.” He reached between their bodies to rub against the
strained erection through Ciel’s pants. His index finger slipped into
the waistband, and his thumb managed to undo the belt and pants’
button as his hand trailed painstakingly slow to the end of the zipper.

Ciel growled and removed his hand. “Keep that up and it’s going

to be over too soon. Let me treat you.”

Letting Ciel take control of their lovemaking was the best decision

he’d ever made. Ciel’s lips trailed over his tense stomach muscles,
kissing a path down to his weeping erection. “Your mouth. On me.
God.” He wasn’t even sure that was English.

Ciel chuckled. “Never had a blow job before, beautiful?”
“No. Gave one once.”
His teeth nipped his lower abdomen. “Mine.” The possession in

that word made everything in him tense unbearably.

“Yes.” The agreement made his skin tingle like a pulse of

electricity flowed through it. He shuddered. Yes. Yours. The buzz
grew in intensity, making his head spin.

“Hisoka.” Ciel muttered his name like a prayer to some lust-

ridden pagan god, and the awe in his voice made Hisoka tremble.

Jana Downs

He kneaded Hisoka’s sac and licked his lips as he hovered over

Hisoka’s hard cock. Finally, Ciel’s hand closed over his erection and
he arched into the circle of his fist. This felt nothing like when he
jerked himself off in the showers before work. Everything felt more
intense.

He arched off the bed and panted. He couldn’t help the sounds

escaping his throat. They were needy, eager sounds that he was pretty
sure he had never made before. He grabbed the sheets beside him with
his free hand, twisting his fists as the urge to move became almost
unbearable.

When Ciel’s lips sealed over the helmet of his cock, Hisoka’s eyes

crossed. The moist cavern of Ciel’s mouth was his own personal
paradise. He didn’t so much as squirm now. Instead, he spread his
legs a bit for more contact.

“More,” he panted, nearly delirious with pleasure.

* * * *

Ciel’s mouth enveloped Hisoka’s cock all the way to the back of

his throat, just the way he liked other people to suck him. He groaned
around the unfamiliar length that was bruising the back of his throat
in absolute bliss. He couldn’t ask for anything more in this moment.
The taste and texture of Hisoka’s cock was perfect.

The magick deepened in intensity, making the air fairly crackle

with electricity. The spell was reaching a climax, no pun intended.

He suckled harder to draw another stuttering moan from his

companion. This was what he’d been waiting on his entire life, this
moment and this man. His destiny.

What the fuck does that even mean?
It didn’t matter. Caster was united with magick, and he could no

more stop the instinctive joining than he could stop breathing. Casters
might have been able to manipulate magick from time to time, but in
the end, they were just as driven by the unseen force of that energy.

Bewitched 59

He bobbed his head, slicking Hisoka with his spit as he tried to

inflict as much pleasure as humanly possible. His soft sac was tight as
Hisoka neared orgasm. The idea of swallowing down his cum made
Ciel’s prick leak in sympathy.

He kneaded his lover’s sac once more before spreading the firm

globes of Hisoka’s buttock to find the tight rosette nestled between.
Endless moments were spent teasing the tight opening with the firm
touch of his fingers as Ciel attempted to loosen the other man while
sucking Hisoka’s cock with deep draws of his mouth.

He popped his mouth up. “Need some slick.”
Hisoka groaned. “Do it. Jesus, do it.”
He was loath to leave him for even a second, but he needed to get

into his nightstand. He rolled to the side and dug in his bedside
drawer. He came out with the small tube of lubricant he sometimes
used to play with his prick in the afternoons.

Ciel returned to Hisoka, rearranging him so his legs were spread

even further before he sank one slick finger into Hisoka’s ass. He’d
never had a virgin before, so he hoped he was going slow enough. He
angled his fingers to rub the pleasure spot inside him, and Hisoka
screamed his approval.

“How does that feel?” he asked, licking the head of Hisoka’s

length to catch a shiny drop of liquid at the tip. He moved his finger,
caressing the spot over and over again with each subsequent
movement.

His body was screaming at him to force his way into Hisoka’s

tight body that was gripping his fingers so beautifully. He groaned at
the image. He took another slow lick and added another finger.

Patience. Patience. Gotta have patience.
Hisoka writhed in pleasure. “Fuck me! Please, Ciel. Stop teasing!”

He bucked his hips, and Ciel slipped in another finger. For someone
who hadn’t done this before, he was certainly reacting like a seasoned
pro.

Jana Downs

Mine. First. Best. Always. He didn’t even fight himself that time.

He was so hard, he couldn’t even manage to edit his own thoughts.

“Ciel!” Hisoka shouted. “Now!” He sat up, shoving Ciel up as he

did so.

He was so stunned that he just went with it, falling back as Hisoka

mauled him. “Fuck me. Fuck me. Please, fuck me.” He grabbed Ciel’s
cock roughly and stroked him from base to tip, eliciting a shudder.

“Jesus,” Ciel cursed. He bucked and rolled, pushing Hisoka under

him once again. “Easy, boy.”

“So lucky. So lucky you picked me,” Hisoka babbled, his arms

and legs wrapping around Ciel like a very enthusiastic octopus. He
almost laughed but somehow managed to refrain.

“Lucky, eh?” He pulled his lover’s hand off his cock. He might as

well have not bothered. His hot little hands wrapped around him again
and stroked. He did laugh then, though it ended on a groan. “Hisoka,
you’re precious.” He bucked his hips as Hisoka rubbed him once
more. It elicited another low moan from him. His body took over, and
the next thing he knew he had Hisoka pressed against the bed with his
hard cock between Hisoka’s widely spread legs.

His power flared, his caster magick boiling over with his desire. It

filled the room with a pulsing purple light. Luckily, Hisoka wouldn’t
be able to see the magick because he wasn’t a caster himself.
However, it would be like a beacon for anyone else in the next mile
who could see magick. He just hoped his family wasn’t looking in this
particular direction because if they were he was going to get drilled
tomorrow at the office. He just couldn’t bring himself to care as the
magick turned on him to aid the natural magick, swamping him and
obliterating his protests. No. No way. It couldn’t be.

Familiar. He’s my motherfucking familiar. The knowledge

changed nothing and everything. Hisoka was his greatest weakness
and could potentially be his greatest strength. But as a St. Germaine,
he was forbidden to take a familiar either way. Casters were too rare
to take familiars.

Bewitched 61

An animal sound of need escaped him as the urge to fuck took

precedence over his panic. If Hisoka didn’t anchor him, he would
fracture and splinter his powers permanently.

“Hisoka,” he whispered. “Hold on to me.” The plea didn’t fall on

deaf ears.

As Hisoka’s slender hands came to rest on his broad shoulders he

relaxed into the magick and let Hisoka’s presence anchor him. He
couldn’t afford to give into his lover’s natural pull, but at the moment
he had no choice. Familiars made casters whole.

He pressed his cock against the tight ring of muscle that guarded

Hisoka’s entrance with a sigh of relief. He slid deep in one thrust,
burying himself in Hisoka’s hot depths. He gritted his teeth, trying to
stave off the urge to grind against the apex of his lover’s thighs to
seek some relief for his weeping cock.

“Tell me you feel good,” he rumbled, sweat running down the line

of his spine at his restraint. He shut his eyes as the world spiraled.

“Yes. Feel good,” Hisoka said in broken English. “Feel great.

Move?”

Ciel’s hips pulled back before the smaller man was finished

speaking, and then he surged forward, burying himself in Hisoka’s
milking depths again. Shit. Condoms. Should’ve— But he couldn’t
stop, didn’t want to stop. His hips were moving of their own accord,
pushing him toward a finish that he knew was going to rock him to
the core of his being.

Hisoka’s body squeezed his tightly. One night. One perfect

moment was never going to be enough time to spend with a man
tailor-made to be with a caster.

* * * *

He’d expected some kind of pain or something as he traded his V-

card, but the only thing he really felt was mind-numbing pleasure.

Jana Downs

Whatever Ciel was sliding against inside him made his eyes cross in a
perfectly delicious way with every forward lunge.

“Ciel, more,” he gasped, his body submitting to every sensation.

He was meant to feel this, to serve as Ciel’s vessel for pleasure.
Maybe everyone felt that way the first time they had sex, but he
couldn’t be sure. All he knew was that this felt so right it was almost
painful.

Hisoka’s damp hair stuck to his forehead as he thrashed. He felt

the pleasure building in the base of his cock, like an orgasm just out
of reach.

“Ciel, help,” he whimpered, bucking his hips more urgently.
Ciel reached between them, hiking Hisoka’s leg up higher to

allow him better access. Hisoka hissed at the slight pain of being
stretched. Then Ciel wrapped his hand around Hisoka’s prick, and he
writhed that much harder.

“Right there,” he murmured as the pain eased to pure pleasure.

“Right there.”

Ciel’s thrusts grew harder as he growled out his pleasure with

each feral lunge.

“Don’t stop.” He panted, digging his nails into Ciel’s back. He

was babbling again. He couldn’t help but babble. It was apparently
what he did when he was turned on. He marked Ciel’s shoulders,
claiming him in the most basic way possible.

“God,” Ciel rumbled. “Like that. Do it again.”
Hisoka repeated the motion, loving the pleasure painted on Ciel’s

face.

Ciel’s hips were beginning to lose their rhythm as the pleasure

swamped Hisoka in endless waves. His body was nearing the end of
his proverbial rope, and it seemed Ciel wasn’t far behind him.

Ciel cried out and his back bowed as his cock jerked inside

Hisoka’s needy ass. Hisoka felt an answering orgasm burning its way
up his spine, and his balls contracted painfully as Ciel shot.

“Coming, Hisoka!”

Bewitched 63

The words were all he needed to throw him over the precipice of

pleasure. He screamed, unable to do anything but cry out as a
whiplash of sensation speared him. He erupted over Ciel’s pistoning
fist, painting his wrist and the space between their abdomens with
sticky cream.

They collapsed in the aftermath and the only sound in the

apartment was their harsh breaths as their hearts hammered. He held
Ciel close, reveling in their joined bodies. The warm weight of his
lover pressed against him made him melt. The intensity that had
swirled around them and made his skin tingle quieted to a dull hum.
He had to be hallucinating on account of the pleasure, but it was nice
nonetheless.

Ciel withdrew with a small sigh, rolling to his side so Hisoka

could curl in close. He moved to place his head on Ciel’s chest and
ran his left hand across Ciel’s abdomen. “That was…” He was at a
loss for words.

Ciel chuckled. “Magical?”
“I was going to say ‘perfect’ but ‘magical’ works.” He shivered

slightly, his body becoming aware of the cold air hitting his naked
skin. He glanced at the clock on the dresser as he started to drift. It
was nearly six in the morning. Damn. How has so much time passed?
Normally he would have to get up at 6:00 a.m. Work was going to be
a bitch. He couldn’t bring it himself to care. He’d work half a day.

His eyes fluttered shut as his body demanded he finally submit to

the endless tugging of drowsiness. His arm loosened its grip around
Ciel’s body. His shoulders rose and fell as his breathing evened out,
and then he was drifting in a deep, endless sleep.

Jana Downs

Chapter Five

Ciel gathered the other man close and held him for a few hours,

unable to sleep with the knowledge of what Hisoka was playing in his
mind. He kissed the other man’s forehead. This was a bittersweet
moment. A freaking familiar. He wasn’t even aware they still existed
anymore.

“Why did I have to talk to you at that party?” he asked his

sleeping companion. “Why did I have to notice you from the second I
saw you spilling champagne on yourself in that conference room?
Now everything is upside down and I don’t know what I’m doing.”

Restlessness wouldn’t leave him. He had to think. He quietly

extricated himself from his snoozing lover and then snuck, naked, into
the kitchen. He beelined to the coffeemaker on the counter and
depressed the button. While he waited for it to brew, he crossed over
to the TV that was still displaying the menu options for the movie that
had long since finished playing and turned the display off. The city
was coming alive outside his home, but the cheerfulness of the snowy
morning didn’t penetrate his melancholy.

The ding on the coffee machine signaled its completion. He

crossed to the kitchen again and poured himself a cup into a car-ready
thermos. The only place he could think of to get away was the office
since Hisoka was currently occupying his personal space. He was
loath to leave Hisoka, but he had to establish some distance between
them. It was necessary for Ciel’s sanity. Not a lot of people would be
there, so he wouldn’t worry about anything else but combing out his
hair and putting some clothes on. He was pretty sure he had a suit that
needed to be dry cleaned in the front closet. A trip to the front

Bewitched 65

bathroom revealed he had a major case of sex hair. “Great sex” sex
hair if he wanted to get specific.

He scribbled a note on a Post-it and left it on the island for Hisoka

when he woke. He wasn’t afraid to leave him alone in his apartment.
It wasn’t like he didn’t know where the guy worked. Besides, his door
automatically locked when it was shut so when Hisoka left,
everything would be locked up tight.

I’ll be at the office. I’ve left thirty bucks with my number so you

can get a cab. Buy you breakfast when you get into the office. I’ll
make your excuses.

It took him less time than it usually did to get to work. Pre-rush-

hour traffic would have been more awesome had his eyes not been
scratchy from lack of sleep and his magick not clung to his skin like
wet sand. He toyed with the idea of calling his family to put out a soft
feel on what sort of repercussions having a tango with a familiar with
no intentions of claiming them would be but ultimately decided
against it. A hint of scandal would send the whole family into an
uproar and would have his father and no doubt his father’s secretary
down at his desk within ten minutes of hanging up the phone. Thomas
and Seven had been lovers for as long as Ciel could remember, but
Thomas hadn’t started the vicious disapproval act until Ciel had come
to work for Express.

He sighed as he crossed the marble lobby, his footsteps echoing

off the black surface. An empire of casters had built this place. He
should’ve been proud of it, but instead he felt suffocated. The security
desk was occupied as he passed, and he gave a wave to the predawn
watchmen on his way to the elevator. No one accosted him. He was
Ciel St. Germaine and couldn’t be touched by normal mortals.

The elevator delivered him to his new floor, and he tried to school

his face in a suitably nonchalant expression as he passed the
numerous cubicles and offices in the advertising department. Some of

Jana Downs

them were occupied even this early in the morning, and they raised
their hands in greeting. Though he hadn’t been formally introduced as
their new boss, everyone seemed to have gotten the memo. Everyone
but Hisoka anyway.

The thought of the man he’d spent the night with sent him into yet

another spiral of guilt. He should have at least woken him up before
he ran back to the office with his tail tucked between his legs. He
hadn’t realized that taking someone’s virginity would make him feel
so attached. Damn possessive male caster instincts to hell and back.

Arriving at his office, he shut himself inside with a definitive

snick of the lock. There was one thing he could consult on what to do
next. After pulling open his locked bottom drawer with a wave of his
hand, a handy little spell to be sure, he extracted a thick leather-bound
book that had been put together for him by his grandfather starting
from the day he was born up until he took it over at the age of ten.
Every caster had a Livre de l’ombre, and Ciel was no exception.

He ran his finger over the gold lettering, letting his magick absorb

into the pages. His energy would cling to the book and not allow
anyone else to read his spells, incantations, and notes. It was a very
important tool of magick that was passed down generation to
generation.

Outsiders had a very different opinion of casters. They thought of

wizards throwing fireballs or poison apples or some such nonsense.
Really, the magick was much, much more subtle than that. The best
he could manage to tap into the natural magick of the world was to
light a candle without striking a match. Mostly, he had premonitions
in his dreams or he was able to sense when the fate of a musician was
destined for greatness through specific spells, but that just came from
being able to see the magick. Last night with Hisoka had been the
brightest he’d ever seen it.

He opened the book, scanning the content margin for the section

on familiars. Once retrieving the page numbers, he flipped there,

Bewitched 67

eagerly scanning the page to find out what his night of debauchery
had really cost him. There was always a price in magick.

Blah, blah, blah, familiars were beings who acted like conductors

to magical abilities, amplifying spells and steadying magick.

He knew that all ready.
Blah, blah, finding a familiar who is in human form is a

miraculous and exciting occasion.

He disagreed but whatever.
Familiars were blessed with special abilities to protect their

casters. Yada, yada, yada.

He turned the page.
“Aw, shit.”

Familiars are the ultimate innocents of the universe, giving and

expecting nothing in return. Any familiar that puts his trust in a caster
and gives him his ultimate affection will enact a spell so binding that
no known caster has been able to get out of it. Though the familiar
will remain oblivious to the bond, the caster will experience a deep
desire to keep company with the familiar and care for his or her
emotional and physical needs. Beyond that, should the familiar suffer,
so will the caster. The caster will never love another, never crave
another, and be unable to betray that emotional and physical
attachment as long as he lives.

He stared at the words. “Ultimate affection” was pretty vague

considering that familiars could be both human and animal. He
sighed. Surely taking Hisoka’s virginity didn’t mean that, right? He
went into it knowing it would be a one-night stand. Somehow he
didn’t think his warning would mean much to the universe.

* * * *

Jana Downs

Well, I did it. I traded in my V-card and now things are just as

awkward as we swore wouldn’t happen. Hisoka sighed as he made his
way into the office, messenger bag on his shoulder and Converse
squeaking on the wet marble. It had been raining for a week, too
warm for more of that magical snow that had happened on the night
he had slept with Ciel.

At least the weather fit his mood. He had promised himself that he

wouldn’t be clingy or bother Ciel, but he had expected maybe more
than thirty bucks and a note saying that his one-time lover had bailed
before breakfast. He rubbed the back of his neck where the frigid
water ran down his spine in an effort to get under his rain jacket. He
supposed he asked for it. Sleeping with a colleague after an office
party seemed to be a good way to get his heart broken.

Once in his hallway, he passed a few people and greeted them

with a smile even though he didn’t much feel like smiling. Ciel’s
office door at the end of the hall was closed, but maybe he could pop
in there midmorning to say hi. That wasn’t weird, right? If Ciel
wasn’t okay with it, he’d just make a work-related excuse for the
interaction.

He was working on Twenty-Four-Seven’s artwork for their

upcoming tour, and as new head of the department, it would make
sense that Ciel check on his work if he had a question. There was no
reason they couldn’t at least be cordial. He was sick of walking on
egg shells just because they had slept together. They had to work
together after all.

He sighed as he took out his laptop and pulled up his idea matrix

onto his white board. The project he was working on was pretty
massive and had the potential to rake in millions of dollars, so the
stakes were high. He wore his paint shirt, a long button-up that was
splattered in an array of colors. After keying up his work playlist, he
got to work on the print layout of some of the posters he was working
on. He usually did the mockups by hand and then uploaded the image
onto his computer to polish.

Bewitched 69

Nick’s head popped into his office a few minutes later. “Hey,

man, how’s it going?”

Hisoka did his best not to get irritated. He hated being interrupted

when he was getting on a roll. If he got behind, he wouldn’t have
anything to share with Ciel. “It’s going. Trying to wrap my mind
around the new direction of the campaign. What did you need?”

“Did you get the e-mail? President Seven is coming to our floor in

another half hour.”

Hisoka’s eyes widened. “Is he worried about the campaign?”
Nick shrugged, adjusting his tie. “I don’t know. But heads-up, he

hates casual wear so throw on your button-up.” He motioned toward
Hisoka’s desk. “And the younger St. Germaine is on the war path.
FYI. Stay outta his way.”

Great. “I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks for the heads-up.”
“See you for lunch?”
He supposed he owed the guy for that information. I’ve really got

to start checking my company e-mails more often. “Sure. Cafeteria?”

“See you then.” He tapped the doorway before heading down the

hall, no doubt to his own or his on-again-off-again girlfriend Donna’s
cubicle. He wondered if she knew who Nick had hooked up with at
the party the other night.

He set his sketchpad to the side. It would probably be better for

him to snag a conversation with Ciel before Seven got here. After
pushing himself back from the desk, he snagged his portable tablet
and headed out into the hallway. I’ll be quick. In and out.

He walked down to Ciel’s office. He knocked on the door and a

muffled “come in” sounded from inside.

Taking a deep breath, he pushed open the door, pasting a smile on

his face. “Hi, Ciel, er, Mr. St. Germaine,” he greeted, stepping into
the almost sterile-looking office. Gray paintings and uncomfortable-
looking black chairs were the entirety of the décor. Even Ciel’s desk
was almost inhumanly clean. A neat stack of papers were on one
corner, ninety degrees exactly, beside two black pens. He shivered as

Jana Downs

he stepped into a wall of cold. The thermostat had to be set incredibly
low, which only added to the frigid atmosphere.

Ciel’s eyes widened in surprise an instant before he smoothed

over the expression into a mask of indifference. “Hisoka.”

That was it. One word. A wealth of tension rose up at the

simplicity of the greeting. It was at once repelling and uncomfortable.
He shifted from foot to foot. “Uh, I just wanted to say thank you for
the ride home the other night.”

“You’re welcome.”
Jeez. I’m getting frost bite just from being in here. “I bought a

new movie,” he blurted out. “A new horror movie. Would you maybe
want to come over and watch it this Friday?”

Why? Why did I just offer up my Friday night when he is throwing

get-the-hell-away-from-me vibes like a stray cat guarding a can of
tuna?

Ciel sat back in his desk chair, folding his hands across his chest

as he did so. “I promised one night.”

Hisoka’s eyes hit the floor. “I, um, I know.” He shifted again. “I

wasn’t asking for a date. Just being friendly.”

“I’m not typically friends with my employees.”
Ouch. Hisoka’s head snapped up, fire filling his chest. “But

sleeping with them is cool, right?” He hadn’t meant to snarl that, but
he didn’t regret the words now that he’d thrown them out there.

Ciel’s eyes narrowed. “Ah.”
Ah? What the hell does that mean?
“What do you want from me, Hisoka? Do you want a raise or

something? What. Do. You. Want?”

“Nothing,” he said. “Not a damn thing. I was just trying not to

make our office interaction so damn awkward. But forget that. Let’s
do it your way.” He turned on his heels and went to stalk out the door,
but Ciel’s voice stopped him.

“Don’t.” The word was soft, so much softer than his earlier frigid

bit.

Bewitched 71

Hisoka’s hand tightened on his tablet. “I’m not being clingy, Ciel.

I get that it was a casual hookup. I really do.”

Ciel sighed. “I apologize. I’ve been considering what to do all

week.”

“Friends?”
“What?”
“We can be friends,” Hisoka repeated. “We got along well

before.”

Whatever Ciel was going to say was interrupted by an abrupt

knock on the door, loud enough that it made Hisoka jump.

“Hisoka!”
The shrill voice would haunt his nightmares. He cringed before

turning back toward the door to see Nick and Marie, his would-be
date from the company party, standing in the hallway. Hisoka’s spirits
fell. Marie didn’t quite understand that “gay” didn’t equate to
questioning.

“Hisoka, we’ll be three for lunch, cool?” Nick asked. He didn’t

look the least bit apologetic to interrupt Hisoka and Ciel’s
conversation.

He opened his mouth to reply only to be interrupted by Ciel.
“Is there a particular reason why you two are standing in the

hallway when the president is, at this very minute, on his way down to
inspect our progress on the Twenty-Four-Seven campaign?” Ciel’s
voice was downright venomous.

He pinned Marie with a look that would’ve cowed lesser men.

“There should never be shouting in a place of business. It is rude,
unusual, and shows poor breeding. Now unless you expect a formal
reprimand, I suggest you make your way back to your cubicles and
have something for me to look at in an hour’s time on the commercial
front of advertising. And you—”

He turned his withering stare on Nick. “After your behavior at the

party, I would expect you to spend your time elsewhere, anywhere

Jana Downs

else as matter of fact, rather than eavesdropping at your superior’s
door. Don’t you think?”

Both of them visibly paled before scurrying away without another

word. Hisoka’s eyes widened as he stared back at Ciel. He wouldn’t
be surprised if his mouth was hanging open like one of those
surprised cartoon characters. He’d known Ciel could be intimidating,
but right then he’d sounded downright cruel.

With Ciel’s attention back on Hisoka, he motioned for him to sit.

“Now where were we?”

Sitting on the now confirmed uncomfortable chair, Hisoka stared

at him.

“Um, we were deciding on whether or not we were going to be

friends or something,” he said.

“Ah, right.” Ciel drummed his fingers on the desk. “I think in-

work interaction would be all right, but I don’t know if it’s a good
idea if we keep seeing each other out of it.”

Hisoka’s heart fell, but it was better than nothing. “Okay. I can

live with that.” Ciel’s bright smile was almost enough to make up for
the discomfort of the rejection. He cleared his throat and handed Ciel
over his tablet. “That wasn’t the only reason I stopped by. These are
some of the prelim sketches. Am I heading in the right direction?”

Ciel’s eyes immediately zeroed in on his work, examining them

like a pro. “I’ve seen your previous stuff. You’re quite talented. I
don’t doubt that you’ve got the feeling for the campaign.” He smiled
softly. “This will give me something to shove down the president’s
throat at the meeting today.” He lifted the tablet. “Can I hold onto
this?”

“Sure, boss.” He pushed himself to his feet before turning on his

heels. The company president would probably be along any minute. “I
had a good time the other night.” He should’ve kept his mouth shut on
the subject, but there it was.

Ciel chuckled, the sound sexy as hell. “So did I.”
“So, uh, I guess I’ll see you around.”

Bewitched 73

“Lunch,” Ciel said.
“Lunch?”
Ciel tapped his finger on his extremely neat desk. “Have lunch

with me. I’ll be done at two o’clock.”

Pleasure blossomed. “Sure.” He tried not to sound as thrilled

about the offer as he was as he left.

Back at his office, he sat down at his desk and tried to concentrate

on his work. After Ciel’s praise, he felt that much more motivated to
produce something spectacular. What he’d given Ciel was good. He
wanted his work to be great.

The next time he glanced up he nearly had a heart attack at who

was standing in his doorway. President Seven and Ciel stood side by
side, their shoulders touching. Hisoka wasn’t sure why he hadn’t seen
the similarities before. It seemed so obvious now. They had the same
great build, same firm jawline. Even though their coloring was
different and their ages were pretty far separated, the resemblances
were definitely there.

“As you can see, he’s perfect for the new advertising campaign.

His work is a little edgy, just like the band. I see a lot of potential in
him.” Ciel spoke with quiet authority, and Hisoka tried his best to
keep working despite the urge to just stare at the man who had
become his lover five days ago.

* * * *

“I’m thinking about giving him the bulk of the print work and

regulating some of the others to do the computer-based advertising,”
Ciel continued. “The television marketing strategy has worked well in
the past. We’ll call up MTV and get an exclusive on the Behind the
Music show. Get their name really out there. But as you can see,
we’re perfectly prepared for the new release and the tour. In fact, I’ll
have you a copy of the proposal on your desk by the close of business
today.”

Jana Downs

Seven shrugged, dismissing every word that Ciel said with the

motion. They didn’t even act related. More like two strangers, or
worse, business competitors. “I like the idea of going with the work
you showed me. He lends an international edge to an otherwise
exclusively American typecast. People love the Japanese animation
direction lately.” He paused. “However, I’m not convinced you have
the other venues covered. I’ll send Thomas down with a couple more
ideas once I get up to my office. If I knew that Bill was going to
transfer you to the art department I would’ve offered an alternative
position better suited for your skills.”

Ciel tamped down on his temper as Seven looked at him like he

was a bug on the bottom of his shoe. “I’m sure the vice president
thought about those before offering me a transfer.” Though he
couldn’t be sure. Fucking asshat. “I look forward to Thomas’s
suggestions.” Kind of like a root canal or something equally as
unpleasant. He practiced his patience with his next carefully selected
sentences. “If we’re quite finished, do you want to call Thomas so
that you can be off to lunch? I know you tend to lunch early.”

“Not yet,” Seven spoke, dismissing Ciel’s suggestion with a wave

of his hand.

Inconsiderate sod.
Seven turned his attention to Hisoka. “Hisoka, is it?” he asked,

crossing the space between them and putting his large hands on either
side of Hisoka’s shoulders.

“Yes, sir?” Hisoka’s eyes were as big as saucers as he stared at

Ciel’s father. He wanted to throttle Seven for putting him in an
uncomfortable position.

Don’t touch him.
The possession that had risen with greater and greater frequency

since he’d blown off Hisoka the first time was all that much amplified
with another caster in the room. His magick demanded he lay claim to
his lover even if his logical mind was begging it to shut up.

Bewitched 75

“Hisoka will join me for lunch. Will you not?” There was no way

to turn down the old shark without snubbing him, and Ciel knew it.
Hisoka had little choice but to say yes.

“Um, well, that is, I had other plans—”
“Nonsense,” Seven said in the most patronizing fashion possible.

“Make sure he finds his way at one thirty sharp, Ciel. Understood?”

Ciel gritted his teeth and couldn’t give more than a nod of assent.
Seven’s shark’s grin widened. He really hated that man

sometimes.

“Excellent,” Seven said, straightening. “I look forward to getting

to know you during our business luncheon, young man.” He paused,
giving Hisoka’s outfit a once-over. “Don’t forget to wear a jacket.
Wouldn’t want security to think you’re some kind of bohemian artist
trying to sneak into my office.”

Without another word he left.
Ciel was seething, rage simmering like a fire gone to an open boil.

“That sonofabitch,” he growled. He never met the artists. There was
never a reason to. It could only mean that he knew Hisoka wasn’t just
a regular run-of-the-mill employee. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it.

“I can cancel lunch with him,” Hisoka offered. He was sweet to

do so for Ciel’s benefit, but there was more at stake than Ciel’s pride
in the matter.

“You can’t cancel lunch with him, Hisoka.” Ciel laughed, the

sound bitter. “He’s not the sort of person you can cancel on.” He
frowned. “Your job hangs in the balance if you do. Just go and try to
get out as quickly as possible.” There was only one surefire way to
put his father off.

He paused long enough to walk up to Hisoka’s desk and tilt his

chin up. “This is highly inappropriate but…” He stole a kiss from the
other man, one filled with a lot of passion and no small amount of
desire. He’d been wanting to do that all week and pushing his magick
into the kiss only made it that much more potent. Marking Hisoka this
way without his permission was a tad taboo, but it couldn’t be helped.

Jana Downs

His father needed to know that Hisoka was taken. That way he
wouldn’t feel threatened, or worse, curious about the familiar.

He drew back with a simple flourish of the spell, a signature that

would be a neon sign to another caster.

“I needed that,” he whispered against the honey taste of Hisoka’s

mouth. “That man really grates on my nerves.” Kissing him would
send mixed signals, but that couldn’t be helped. Hisoka needed the
protection. Yes, that made him a hypocrite.

Hisoka licked his lips, looking dazed. “What happened to that

never happening again?”

“Starting now,” Ciel said, a twinge of guilt rising up.
Hisoka’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t call him on the amount of

bullshit he was dispensing. “So you like the new sketches then?”

“You have a real talent, Hisoka. I wasn’t kidding when I said that

earlier.” He tapped the poster he was working on. “I’m assuming
you’ll need a jacket?”

“Yes. I don’t usually expect to wear a suit in the art department.”
Ciel nodded. He expected as much. “I have a spare suit in my

office. The jacket will be much too big, but it will do in a pinch.”

Hisoka motioned to the door as he hopped to his feet. “Lead the

way. I’d hate to keep the company president waiting.”

The sarcasm made Ciel smile.
After giving Hisoka his jacket and giving him instructions to

Seven’s office, he settled back in his chair. Watching him leave was a
practice in patience. His magick wasn’t strong enough to force him to
follow after Hisoka, but it was a near thing. Completing the bond
would ease his impulses, but he had no intention of completing that
circle. It wouldn’t end well for either of them.

Bewitched 77

Chapter Six

The president’s office was on the top floor, almost the entire floor.

Talk about overkill. He licked his lips as nervousness churned in his
belly. When Ciel had been there, he hadn’t really been intimidated.
But now, he felt every bit of that division in their pay scale. Ciel had
been right. One word from President Seven could mean he was
without a job.

He stepped out of the silver doors into the highest end part of the

building. Everything was shining sconces, rich furniture, and very
prim-looking secretaries on completely clutter-free desks. How many
secretaries do the bigwigs need? He walked toward the center desk
because she looked the least likely to bite his head off. His voice
came out a lot steadier than he felt. “Uh, I’m Hisoka Henderson.
President Seven asked to see me?”

Her lips pursed in disapproval, the wrinkles at the corner of her

mouth becoming that much more pronounced. She sniffed and clicked
her keyboard. “Yes,” she said after a very long pause. Her voice was
heavily accented. Hisoka was pretty sure it was French or something.
“Go right in.” She pointed toward the right side of the space. “Past
that set of doors and then take a left. He’s in the office with his
personal assistant.”

As he reached the entrance to the office she’d indicated, he let out

a breath he didn’t known he was holding. It couldn’t be that bad. It
was just lunch. He reached up and knocked.

“Come in,” a curt voice commanded from the other side of the

door.

Jana Downs

Seven sat behind a massive oak desk in the middle of the room

looking colder than a reptile with human skin. His secretary, Thomas,
stood over his shoulder, looking at something on the computer
monitor. The president stared at Hisoka with unwavering attention as
he motioned toward the chairs before the desk.

“Sit down. Thomas, bring in sandwiches, please.” The jovial tone

was so at odds with his expression that Hisoka just stared. Ciel had
seemed cold to him starting off. Maybe President Seven was the same
way.

They sat in awkward silence for another five minutes while

Thomas disappeared to go get sandwiches. The fact that he hadn’t
even asked what kind of sandwich Hisoka liked was kind of
annoying, but he didn’t complain.

Thomas returned with some type of gourmet sandwiches from a

deli that probably required a membership to eat there or something
else ridiculous and a few bottles of water with some fancy label on
them. Thomas smiled at Seven as he laid their meal on the desk
between them.

“As requested, sir,” Thomas said. “Do you want me to wait in the

lobby while you talk to our little artist friend?”

Our little artist friend? What the hell? Hisoka frowned at the

phrasing.

“I think that would be best, Thomas. Thank you,” Seven said,

motioning toward the door. “I appreciate the use of your office.”

Thomas nodded. “Anything for you, Sev.”
When they were alone, Seven turned his attention back on Hisoka.

“Hisoka, you are a very talented artist. Talent like that is something
we foster here at Express. Even those who don’t reach their potential
find their place in our halls and excel admirably.” He paused and took
a bite of his sandwich, his eyes never leaving Hisoka’s. He took a sip
of water before continuing. “When Ciel brought you to my attention, I
was surprised that your other supervisor hadn’t mentioned you.”

Hisoka shifted, uncomfortable. “I do my best.”

Bewitched 79

Seven nodded. “Do you value our company, Hisoka Henderson?”
“Um, yes, sir.”
“Good. That’s good.” He motioned to the sandwiches. “Eat.”
He was way too nervous for that, but he picked at his sandwich

anyway. After he’d taken a few bites, Seven smiled at him like he was
a child who had performed a task well. Weird.

“It has been brought to my attention that you and my son were

seen outside our building the night of the party.” He might as well
have dropped a bomb for all the explosive feelings that erupted in
Hisoka’s chest at the words. Seven continued, “Usually I reserve this
speech for the female employees who can’t seem to keep their legs
shut, but that’s all right.”

“Excuse me?”
Seven chuckled. “Don’t get me wrong, Hisoka. I’m not

homophobic or anything like that. However, you’re special. You and
Ciel can’t continue this…affair of yours. Can I hope that this was just
some drunken act of stupidity from my son?”

It was a rhetorical question.
“It doesn’t matter really,” Seven said. “Thomas knew there was

something about you two from the start and made sure to follow last
night. Are you aware I could fire you for having relations with him on
company grounds?”

Hisoka felt the blood drain from his face.
“I’m not going to,” Seven said. “At least not today. You will not

see my son again outside the workplace, is that clear?”

Everything in Hisoka told him to tell Seven to go fuck himself and

stick his job up his narrow ass. However, he wasn’t going to throw his
paycheck away for a one-night stand.

“You don’t need to worry about this. Your son has made it

abundantly clear that he doesn’t want our ‘tryst’ to continue.” The
words felt like a lie, but Hisoka made himself say them.

Seven smiled. “Good. That’s great to hear. My son has had poor

judgment of late, and I worried. Still, I’ll make sure he finds a new

Jana Downs

position within a few more weeks.” He shrugged. “I don’t mean this
as a slur, but you two are the last two people in this world who need
to be together.”

That rankled. “Oh?” Don’t bite his head off. Don’t bite his

freaking head off. The mantra repeated over and over again. He
wasn’t sure if he was racist because Hisoka was half Japanese or just
homophobic despite his claims. Either way, he took an intense dislike
to President Seven.

Seven’s eyes swept down his form in an almost assessing manner.

“You’d make an appealing distraction, I’m sure. But Ciel can’t afford
for you to be his weakness right now.”

“Is this just about job performance?” Hisoka asked.
“This is about Ciel. Period. However, if our campaign for Twenty-

Four-Seven suffers because of your little interaction, I’ll fire you and
blackball you from ever working in this industry again.”

Hisoka sat in silence as Seven ate. “I have work to do in my

office,” he said, pushing himself to his feet. He needed to talk to Ciel
and get this all straightened out. His father was threatening his job,
and he needed Ciel to set the record straight with Seven ASAP.

Seven didn’t look up from his sandwich. “I have your word that

you won’t seek a relationship with Ciel?”

“You have my word that I won’t let anything I do outside of work

affect my performance in it,” Hisoka said, his voice came out harsher
than he’d intended. “No offense, Mister, but my personal life is just
that, personal. Ciel doesn’t want me like that, but I am not checking
with you in case he does.”

He didn’t wait for Seven to respond. Instead he just turned around

and walked through the open doorway, backtracking the way he’d
come. He all but punched the elevator button and waited for the damn
thing to get up to the top floor. Fury circled through his veins. Racist,
homophobic dick. Calling the president names in his head didn’t help
much. He should have never gone to that party. He should have
skipped it like he’d intended to begin with. Then he wouldn’t be a

Bewitched 81

devirginized loser with a formal command to stay away from his boss.
And yes, he knew devirginized wasn’t a word. He didn’t give a shit.

He stalked into the elevator and tapped his floor number.
The elevator dinged as it arrived, and he wasted no time in

ducking into his office. He needed to calm down before he went to
Ciel’s office and demanded answers and apologies that he wasn’t
getting from Seven.

He swiped a hand over his desk and watched his paper versions of

his design flutter to the floor. He wanted to cry, but he couldn’t stand
the feeling of guilt that arose at the impulse. As a kid he had been
screamed at more than once for failing to comply with his father’s
version of manliness. His mother was a quiet woman who couldn’t
stand the fact that she’d given her big American marine a boy like
Hisoka.

“Hey,” a voice called from his doorway.
He raised his head to see Ciel standing in his doorway, frowning.
Hisoka swallowed. “Go away.”
“Why? What did I do?” Ciel’s frown deepened. “Was it Seven?”
“Yes it was Seven, dumbass,” Hisoka snapped. “Thanks for the

heads-up. Has he always been a racist, homophobic dick, or is it just
me that inspires the stay-away-from-my-son-you-whore attitude?”

Ciel pursed his lips. “That sonofabitch.” He stepped in the office

and closed the door behind him.

Rage, black and terrible, raced through his bloodstream like a

virus. “He said he’d fire me if I saw you again. Since you were pretty
clear earlier that we weren’t continuing what we started, how about
you leave me alone? Or better yet, tell your dad to leave me alone.”

“I’m so sorry he’s such a bastard,” Ciel said, balling his hands

into fists. “I’ll talk to him. Make it right. I promise.”

“I appreciate that, but leave me the hell alone anyway.”
Ciel looked like he might say something else but decided against

it. He left, leaving Hisoka staring after him. Today had just gone from
bad to worse. Great.

Jana Downs

* * * *

He was about to rip Seven’s fucking head off. He and his father

were going to have it out over his interference. He’d already handled
the situation and had gotten them both into a good place before Seven
had gone through and wrecked Ciel’s work. Ciel’s magick had nearly
strangled him as Hisoka’s mood shifted from content to infuriated.

He stalked back to his office and slammed the door shut before

grabbing up his work phone and pressing Seven’s extension.

“Ciel,” his father said by way of greeting.
“I had handled the situation with Hisoka. If you ever interfere

with my personal life again, we will have more than words.” The
threat wasn’t empty. He was not above cursing Seven’s stupid ass. It
was forbidden, but there was a specific code of ethics that, once
violated, no longer applied.

“When my only son decides to take up with a familiar, there is

cause for concern.”

“How?” But he already knew. Of course he did. Thomas had the

gift of sight just like Ciel did. He’d probably seen it right before or
right after it had happened.

“Thomas can smell a familiar a mile off. I typically fire them on

sight.”

“You. Will. Not. Fire. Hisoka.” He spat the words between gritted

teeth, gripping the phone so hard the plastic on the phone creaked.

“No. I won’t,” Seven agreed. “His talent is unparalleled. His

natural magick is the reason for the success of the last campaign.”

It was news to him. “So he represents a significant investment.”

The one thing his father didn’t fuck with was his ability to make
profit.

“Indeed. However, I won’t let you ruin your future over a pretty

piece of Korean ass.”

“He’s fucking Japanese,” he spat.

Bewitched 83

Seven laughed. “He’s half actually. But that is neither here nor

there. You are what I am concerned with. You are a St. Germaine.
You have responsibilities to carry on your heritage and take a seat on
the Circle.”

“I know what my responsibilities are, Seven,” he rumbled. He

knew it rubbed Seven wrong to disrespect him by using his first name,
but he didn’t give a damn. In fact, he reveled in it.

“Then keep them. Stay away from the familiar.” The sound of

clicking keys could be heard over the phone. “I’m going to make sure
that you do. I’m transferring you out as soon as I can make an
opening.”

“Fuck you.” He hung up the phone.
God, he disliked that man.
He skipped lunch to bury himself in work so that he didn’t take

the elevator up to the penthouse and murder his sperm donor. His e-
mail indicator on his phone pinged, and he pulled up the new
message. Twenty-Four-Seven had approved Hisoka’s posters. They’d
been smart in their contracts, demanding a say-so in the distribution
of their images. It seemed Hisoka was the good-luck charm that
Express needed in the advertising department. He couldn’t help but
respect the boy’s work. It took more than natural magick to produce
something this good.

He forwarded the lead singer’s enthusiastic e-mail on to Hisoka.

Maybe that would brighten the other man’s day a bit.

A glance at the clock said that it was almost quitting time. He

wound up the last of his work before shutting down the computer.

“You owe me dinner.”
He looked up to see Hisoka reclining in his doorway. Ciel’s lips

twitched. He had to admire the man’s pluck. “Not scared that
someone will see us?”

Hisoka shook his head. “Maybe pissing Seven off will assuage my

pride a bit. Plus I didn’t eat much at lunch. I’m starving, and you’re
going to feed me.”

Jana Downs

Ciel laughed. “All right.” It would make him feel better to rub it in

his father’s face as well. He just had to be careful. No kissing. No
touching. Definitely no fucking. They were reasonable rules, easy
ones. Maybe. “Just as friends.”

“Yeah, boss. Friends.” Hisoka pushed off the door. “Shall we?”
He slid his chair back from his desk before gaining his feet. “Lead

the way, Mr. Henderson.”

Hisoka shuddered. “Dear God, don’t call me that. That was my

dad’s name.”

“Hisoka it is then.”

* * * *

The phone rang as they pulled into the parking lot at Cheddar

Bob’s, a burger joint that Ciel had never been to. A glance at the
caller ID made him sigh. “Go on inside. I’ll be right there.”

Hisoka nodded before letting himself out of the car.
Ciel hit the call button. “Yeah?”
“You left with him.” Seven growled on the other line.
“I did.”
“After my warning today?”
“If I gave a damn about your opinion, I might have hesitated. Tell

Thomas to stay out of my future. I’m over this conversation.”

“You’re going to complete the bond.”
“No. I’m not.”
“Yes,” Seven corrected. “You are. Thomas has seen it.”
That gave Ciel pause for a second, but the vision was easily

dismissed. “I don’t care what he’s seen. Visions change.” Events
involving choice often came right before or right after the event
happened. If it hadn’t come to pass already there was a good chance
that it wouldn’t.

“Make sure this one does.”

Bewitched 85

Chapter Seven

The air settled like it had the first night they met. Fate it seemed

would not be subverted even by Ciel’s most valiant efforts. Ciel’s
magick fluctuated wildly, causing the overhead lights to flicker. Rein
it in, St. Germaine.

“The storm must be blowing pretty badly outside,” Hisoka

remarked, biting into his burger with a smile.

Ciel tried in vain to control his magick. “Must be.”
“So is your mother as bad as your father?” Hisoka asked.
“Why do you ask?”
He shrugged. “I was wondering if I could expect her to come out

of the woodwork swinging as well.”

Ciel laughed. “I suppose that is a legitimate question given

today’s events. My mother is the exact opposite of my father. I think
they might have cared for one another at one time but not anymore.”

“Divorce?”
“Sort of,” Ciel hedged. “They’re separated.”
“That sucks.”
“Not for me,” Ciel said. “Neither of them seems to be suffering.

So I can’t complain. Are your parents still together?”

“No.”
The abrupt answer made Ciel examine Hisoka more closely.

There was pain in that story.

“They make a lot of burdens for us, don’t they?”
“Who?”
“Our parents,” Ciel explained. “They are great forces in our lives

that can either uplift or destroy with what seems like very little effort.

Jana Downs

It’s a pity they are human enough to destroy more often than they
embolden.”

“That is an awfully cynical opinion,” Hisoka said. He leaned

forward to rest one elbow on the table, sipping on his soda as he did.
“Today I’m melancholy enough to agree with you. However, I
typically have a sunnier outlook. People are basically good.
Sometimes they just allow themselves to be tainted by the world.”

Ciel wasn’t surprised that Hisoka held that opinion. There was a

touch of innocence to him that defied the pain that had flashed the
moment before. “If I could choose, I would choose someone like
you.”

Hisoka’s eyes widened, and it was then Ciel realized that he’d

said it out loud.

“Oh damn. I’m sorry,” Ciel said, embarrassment singeing his

cheeks. “I didn’t mean—”

“Yes you did and don’t you dare take it back,” Hisoka interrupted.

“God, Ciel. It’s like you’re in the closet. Your mouth is so full of
wishes and your head is so full of what-ifs that your body gets
confused and pulls in two different directions.”

“You don’t know me well enough to make that kind of

deduction,” Ciel said, pulling back at the harsh truth in those words.

“I know what it looks like when someone is denying who they

are.” Hisoka continued, “I just can’t figure out why. Your family
knows you’re gay, right?”

“It’s complicated.” Infinitely complicated.
“Try me.”
“I can’t.” How was he supposed to explain that casters were

incredibly rare and that being with an outsider would upset his life’s
path?

“Are you in an arranged marriage or something?” Hisoka asked.
Ciel shook his head.
“A cult? A celibacy club? Did you break a vow of misery?”

Bewitched 87

“I wasn’t aware that I would be interrogated over supper,” Ciel

groused. He needed something stronger than lemonade if this
conversation kept on this route.

“So you’re happy with this road you’re on? The one that says that

you can’t do anything for yourself?”

The question was downright cruel. “You know I don’t.” He

basically wore a neon sign that declared the fact. “But doing anything
other than what I am supposed to is selfish.”

“What is so selfish about wanting to be happy?”
“Do you want in my bed that bad, Hisoka?” Ciel snapped.

“Because I can go for a round in the parking lot if you really need it.”

Hisoka’s green eyes narrowed. “You’re an idiot.”
“I may be an idiot, but I’m also your boss. Show some respect.”
“Why? You clearly don’t respect yourself.”
“What do you want from me?” Ciel asked, his shoulders

slumping. He felt like he was getting beat up before he had enough
calories to handle it.

“Honesty would be nice,” Hisoka said. “When I was growing up,

the entire world was layers of secrets laid out on top of one another. I
swore I wouldn’t live that way in my adulthood. Since I’ve been
dragged into this web by virtue of spreading my legs for you, I feel
like I’m entitled to know why I feel like I’m committing a cardinal sin
eating supper with you.”

“I’m sorry that I hurt you.” Deny it all you want. I know I did. I

can feel it in how my magick recoils from your pain.

Hisoka shrugged, the movement brittle. “I knew what I was

getting into. I’m not naive. I know how casual hookups work even if I
don’t do them.” He paused long enough to raise his eyes so that their
gazes clashed. “Tell me why your family is so set on you being a
closet case.”

Ciel opened his mouth to offer another excuse or vague answer

only to find he had no ability to say the words. The harsh buzz of
magick zinged across his skin as his lips moved. “My family are a

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bunch of casters, and I can only have a relationship with another
caster, girl or boy, preferably both. Doesn’t matter so long as their
magick will enhance mine and therefore my family’s.”

Holy shit! His eyes widened, and his jaw went slack. He’d just

laid out a thousand years of secrets in one breath. Familiars didn’t
command their casters, but apparently natural magick could give
power to a familiar if their caster was being difficult. Sonofabitch!
This was just what he needed.

Hisoka frowned. “Come again?”
Ciel raked a hand through his hair. “My family are a bunch of

witches.” He cringed at the slur, but it was the closest word in English
he could think of.

“I know they’re not very nice.”
“No. I’m not using it as a euphemism.” He was starting to get a

headache. “Magical families intermarry to keep from diluting the
magick with nonmagical human blood. When people have sex, their
souls mingle. Mingle enough with someone who has no magical
abilities and the magick will eventually fade.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Hisoka was looking at him like

Ciel was twelve pounds of crazy in a five-pound bag. “You and your
family think you’re the cast from of Harry Potter?”

Oh that was a fun reference. “Not exactly. Our magick doesn’t

work like that. It’s more subtle. Like influence, magical enhancement.
That kind of thing. I can influence the physical world, but it’s nothing
spectacular.”

“So,” Hisoka drawled. “Let me get this straight.” He crossed his

arms over his chest. “You and your family are wizards and your dad
doesn’t want us sleeping together because I’ll fuck with your
magick.”

Ciel said nothing. Anything he said at this point would sound bat-

shit crazy.

Hisoka’s eyes narrowed. “Tell me.”

Bewitched 89

The command had the words tumbling from Ciel’s mouth. “They

don’t like you because you are a familiar. If you gave me your
loyalty, we would create an unbreakable bond that would prevent me
from giving any of my magick to them. Plus they won’t be able to
bargain with the Circle, our caster’s council, to hook me up with other
casters and form alliances. It’s all political.” He bit his bottom lip
hard enough to bring blood. “Can we have a new subject? I’m clearly
crazy.” Clearly. Drop it.

Stupid Thomas always has to be right.
“You can’t just tell a guy you’re a witch and then change the

subject,” Hisoka said, looking at him like he was as crazy as he’d just
claimed. “Prove it.”

Ciel snapped his fingers and every bulb in the restaurant popped,

showering the patrons with sparks. It was the only flashy trick he had
in his arsenal.

“Holy cow!” Hisoka yelped.
Ciel wanted to bury his head in the sand like an ostrich. Seven

was going to kill him if the Circle didn’t.

“Holy cow,” Hisoka repeated. “You’re really a witch!”
“The politically correct term is caster,” Ciel mumbled. He was in

so much trouble. “And I would really appreciate it if you kept all this
information to yourself.” Though he was still going to cast a diversion
spell to keep Hisoka from being able to focus on their conversation
from tonight. If he was able to, that is. As wonky as his magick was
right now, he doubted he could cast his way out of a paper bag.

“That is so cool.”
Of course he would think so.
Ciel got out his wallet with a sigh. “How about we go back to my

place to further this discussion? I’ve already broken half a dozen laws
telling you this. I’d hate for someone to overhear us here.”

They’d either call the asylum or think I was a weirdo. Either way,

them knowing about what he was saying could warrant him some
serious magical punishment. He wasn’t sure what the protocol on

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familiars was, but he was pretty sure he could get away with it.
Though he was going to have a hell of a time justifying how a
familiar trapped him with a spell to command that explanation.

He pulled out a couple bills and threw them down on the table.

“Dinner is on me.”

* * * *

They walked out to Ciel’s car in silence. Hisoka turned over the

information he’d learned over and over, trying to make sense of it. It
was impossible, but he’d seen the fireworks show that Ciel had done
at the restaurant.

He pulled open the door as Ciel unlocked it. “You said I was

something earlier. What was it?”

Ciel ducked inside, and Hisoka followed suit. The man cranked

the engine, turning the heat all the way up before he answered. “A
familiar.”

Hisoka frowned. “Like a black cat?”
“Everyone says that,” Ciel grumbled. “Not exactly. A familiar

could be a black cat, but they don’t have to be. Familiars can be
anything that is a natural conduit for magical energies so long as
they’re living. You guys are kind of phenomenon to us. A familiar
can triple natural abilities but at a steep cost. The caster is bound to
them in a very unbreakable manner. If the familiar dies, for example,
our magick dies. Without magick, casters are only shells of their
former selves.”

“So your dad is afraid you’ll bond with me?” He buckled his seat

belt.

“I suppose so. He knows I’m breaking my personal code of ethics

for you. That is enough in his eyes to warrant concern. I am sorry he
was a bastard to you.”

Bewitched 91

Hisoka shrugged. “It’s okay. Isn’t the first time that someone has

been a bastard to me, and it won’t be the last.” He licked his lips. “So
you’re a witch.”

“Caster.”
“Okay, caster. And Express is your family business?”
Ciel nodded. “My grandfather founded the company in Europe

and then helped my father start the American division.”

“So its success is magick?”
“Not entirely. It’s more of an influence thing. For example, he

might cast to find a good artist, but it would be up to the artist and the
staff’s hard work to see if they actually made it. Or he’d cast for a
talented advertising specialist. Casting doesn’t subjugate free will.
Anyone can throw a monkey wrench into a spell. Some things you
can’t get around. Natural magick can pretty much brush aside any
spell a caster makes.”

“Natural magick?”
“You’d call it fate.”
“So is that what this is between us, fate?”
“I think so,” Ciel said. “The natural magick between us is

unsettling.”

“An ‘unsettling’ perfect date?” He couldn’t help but tease a little

bit. Fate had made him throw away his virginity to a witch. That was
hilarious. He started laughing.

“You okay?”
He managed to rein himself in before he started sounded

hysterical. “It makes more sense than anything else,” Hisoka said. “I
promised myself that I would wait for love and then I all but throw
myself at you. Natural magick. Fate. Fuck.” He giggled again.

Ciel’s gaze cut his way. “You’re handling this better than

expected. Most humans don’t deal well with witches.”

“Yeah, well, I’m happily adaptable.”
“I’m glad. Another witch hunt would’ve been overplayed.”

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They pulled into Ciel’s parking spot at his apartment a few

minutes later, the silence stretching on as both were lost to their own
thoughts.

“Do you want to go home?” Ciel asked as he cut the engine. “I

just drove here for a quiet place to talk, but I can understand if you
didn’t want to come up.”

“Ciel?”
“Hm?”
“Did you mean what you said, that if you could choose it would

be someone like me?”

Ciel nodded, a muscle in his jaw ticking. “Yes.”
“Whatever this thing is between us, if I come up, it’s probably

going to get worse.” He didn’t know how he knew it, but he just did.
He knew that if he chose to go up with Ciel, they’d be doing a lot
more than talking.

Ciel swallowed. “Probably.”
“Choose me.”
Every muscle in Ciel’s body went rigid. “Christ.” He swiveled in

his chair to pin Hisoka with a look. “Christ,” he repeated. “Hisoka…”

“Choose me and forget everything else tonight,” Hisoka

murmured. He wasn’t sure where the words came from, but they
bubbled up almost of their own accord. He blinked, realizing how that
sounded. “I mean, if you want to.”

Ciel’s body trembled. “I do want to.”
“Then choose me.”
Ciel reached for him, all but dragging him across the space that

separated them before crushing their lips together. Hisoka couldn’t
breathe, couldn’t reason. Could only feel. Ciel’s lips were as soft as
he remembered, but the way he kissed him was anything but. He felt
claimed, ravaged. It was perfect.

Ciel’s hands tightened in his hair, taking control of the kiss with

his firm hold. Hisoka couldn’t keep his hands off of him. He traced
every rippled line of muscle through Ciel’s button-up. This was the

Bewitched 93

second time he was touching him, and it was just as powerful as the
first. He didn’t care if Ciel was a witch, caster, whatever. He just
knew that there was more to the two of them than hot sex and
reoccurring déjà vu. If what Ciel said was true, they were on a
collision course with fate and nothing was going to stop it.

His cock pushed up uncomfortably in his jeans, demanding he get

naked very soon. As if reading his mind, Ciel reached between them
and kneaded him, causing Hisoka to arch.

“So perfect. So smooth. I love your skin,” Ciel rumbled against

his lips. He nipped Hisoka’s bottom lip before soothing it with a dart
of his tongue. He chased the appendage, eager to have it back in his
mouth. He didn’t even care that the gear shift was digging into his
hip.

Ciel pulled back. “Not yet. Let’s get you out of the cold.” He

raised a hand to trace Hisoka’s kiss-swollen lips. “To be continued.”

Hisoka swallowed, trying to convince his very eager cock that

waiting five minutes wouldn’t kill him.

Finally, he nodded his agreement and slid toward his side of the

car and managed to adjust himself so that he wasn’t bunched
uncomfortably. Ciel climbed out the other side, and Hisoka followed
suit.

As soon as his foot hit the concrete, it slid out from under him. He

tried to catch himself on the car door.

Failed miserably.
His palms and kneecaps stung instantly as they smacked the

frozen pavement. He winced at the burn and the sound of his bones
being jarred from the impact.

Ciel circled the car, walking a lot more carefully than Hisoka had.

He frowned as he saw Hisoka sprawled out. “You’re determined to
give me a heart attack, aren’t you? Why do you insist on hurting
yourself? Or standing out in the cold? Or arguing with my father? All
things guaranteed to give me a heart attack.”

Jana Downs

“Clumsy runs in the family,” Hisoka muttered, rubbing his dirty

palms against his slacks. “Can’t help it.”

Ciel grumbled but knelt by him anyway, pressing a kiss to his

shredded palms. “I’ll bandage it properly when we get up to my
condo.” He sighed, and Hisoka felt a blush rise up.

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be such a pain in the ass.”
Ciel’s honey eyes rose. “You’re not a pain in the ass. I just…I

don’t like to see you hurt. It bothers me.” He held both his hands in
his own and blew on Hisoka’s frigid hands.

Now Hisoka was pretty sure his face was on fire. “Uh, it’s okay.

I’m really resilient.”

“I don’t care. Don’t want you to be hurt.” He pulled him to his

feet, and Hisoka was grateful for his steady touch. “I’ve got a killer
Jacuzzi tub. You can soak in that and warm up.”

The idea of being bathed by Ciel should not have been so

appealing. But it wasn’t the act itself that was really that big of a turn-
on. It was the fact that Ciel wanted to take care of him. Hisoka had
never really had someone do it before.

“You don’t have to.” He whispered the words as a mild protest as

Ciel pulled him to his feet. He didn’t want to get too comfortable
considering Ciel would most likely do what he’d done last time and
disappear before Hisoka woke up.

“I don’t have to,” Ciel said. “I want to.”
There wasn’t much Hisoka could say to that.
The now familiar trek up to Ciel’s apartment was spent in

comfortable silence. As soon as they hit the entryway, Ciel beelined
toward the master bath where Hisoka had showered the morning after
the first time they’d slept together. He’d been impressed with the
shiny white spa room then.

Ciel took out a first aid kit from the cabinet after pushing Hisoka

into the chair by the sink. “Sit still, bébé,” Ciel encouraged, coming to
stand a little too close than was necessary between Hisoka’s spread

Bewitched 95

thighs. He applied the healing ointment with care before pressing
another kiss to it.

He kissed a path up his arm and slowly worked on the buttons of

the suit as he did so. “I’ve been thinking about you all day. I’m sorry
for leaving you alone earlier.” He pushed the fabric off Hisoka’s
shoulders and proceeded to kiss and nip the side of his neck. The shell
of Hisoka’s ear proved to be too much of a temptation, and Ciel
couldn’t resist a light lick followed by a nip to the lobe.

“When I left, I was thinking about never talking to you again,” he

admitted, letting his hand roam down the front of his lover’s body. “I
thought it’d be safer.”

“For who?” Hisoka asked in a soft voice.
“Me,” Ciel whispered. “It’s like you’re in my blood now. Unless I

get some kind of transfusion, I don’t see that changing.” He smiled
and kissed Hisoka’s cheek.

Hisoka visibly shuddered. “I like that.”
“Like being an addiction, do you?”
“Like being your addiction,” Hisoka corrected, giving him a

meaningful look.

There were too many emotions in that sentence for Ciel to deal

with or process. Hisoka had said to choose him, and he had. However,
it didn’t mean that Ciel needed to lose himself in the process.

Instead of acknowledging, Ciel kissed him. One night with a

familiar was going to be the death of him. “Choose me.”

I am.
The magick had definitely been cast.
“Let’s get you into the tub,” he whispered against the seam of

Hisoka’s lips.

“Are you really magick?” Hisoka asked, staring up at him.
And I’m not the only one. “Yeah.”
“That’s really cool. Will you show me more after my bath?”
“If you want me to.” He wasn’t sure exactly what he was

supposed to do, but he would come up with something. He’d already

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told the biggest secret of his existence. A few more parlor tricks
wouldn’t add to the ass-reaming he was going to get when the Circle
found out.

He stripped Hisoka down to nothing, reveling in the soft skin that

was revealed with each article of clothing that fell to the tiled floor.
He smoothed his hand down the line of Hisoka’s body so that he
could cup the smooth flesh of his ass. He couldn’t resist feeling up
Hisoka’s little bubble butt.

Hisoka shivered. “You know, I’m supposed to be getting in that

tub.”

“Then quit being so appealing,” Ciel muttered. He forced himself

to take a step back and kneel on the floor so he could start the water in
the Jacuzzi tub.

“Ciel?”
“Yeah?”
“You don’t have to do this.”
Choose me. “Yes I do. I need to.”
“But do you want to?”
Ciel shrugged. “I have mixed feelings, beautiful.”
“Oh.”
He pushed himself up and motioned for Hisoka to get into the tub.

“Go on. You need to soak.”

Hisoka stared up at him under slightly lowered lashes. “Why don’t

you join me?”

Ciel’s dick jerked at the husky invitation. “If I go in there…”
“You’ll do exactly what I need you to do, take care of me.”
It was hard to argue with that.

Bewitched 97

Chapter Eight

“So you can really do magick?” Hisoka asked, leaning back

against Ciel’s chest as the taller man ran a soapy washcloth down his
chest.

“Yep.” Ciel’s fingers ghosted over his nipples, eliciting a shiver.

For a guy who said a couple of hours ago they couldn’t be anything
but coworkers, this was a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turnaround.
He could feel Ciel’s dick, half-hard against the small of his back as a
constant reminder that they were definitely more than friends as well.

“Does that mean that one of my family was a wizard or whatever?

Is that why I’m a familiar?” There was still a part of him that scoffed
at the idea that there was such a thing as magick casters. “Can you
show me another trick?”

“Do I look like a circus performer?” Ciel snickered behind him. “I

told you, it’s not flashy. I can pop lightbulbs, but that’s about it as far
as directly influencing things goes. There are legends of men back in
Arthur’s time that could do way more, but everyone lost the ability to
access that level of power long ago.”

“As in King Arthur?” Hisoka racked his brain for his limited

history knowledge. In high school he’d been lucky to have been
awake for that class, and he’d avoided the subject like the plague in
college.

“Yes. My family are actually descended from Morganna Le Fey

and King Arthur through their son Mordred. The family historians
have books and books of descendants from that original pairing. They
migrated to France right after Mordred’s tiff with Arthur, and we’ve

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been there ever since. I’m only a generation removed from the
continent myself, and my first language isn’t even English.”

Well, that explains the slight accent. “What is your first

language?”

“Magick.”
“That’s a language?”
Ciel kissed the side of his neck. “Kind of, yes. It’s a cultural thing.

No one speaks any other language but the language of power until the
kid is ten. After that we’re raised bi or tri-lingual.”

“How many languages do you speak?”
“Hm, seven or eight. International business necessitated it.”
Hisoka was bilingual himself, but seven or eight languages was

impressive. Ciel was the kind of man who had been born into power.
It was easy to see that much. Hisoka had been born into nothing
special punctuated by a lot of hard work and a lot of sweat equity.

Ciel’s hand trailed down his front and traced his tight abdomen. It

was so strange bathing with someone else. He’d never let himself be
this close to another man because it had never felt right. With Ciel it
felt effortless.

“What are you thinking about?” Ciel asked. “You got quiet all of a

sudden.”

Hisoka half turned back toward Ciel so that he could look at him

over his shoulder. “Just thinking that this is a really weird second
date.”

Ciel’s eyebrows crept skyward. “How would you know what it’s

like to take a caster out for a second date?”

He chuckled. “Does that make you another species? Because I

know what typical human interaction entails.”

“Hm, do you now…” Ciel took Hisoka’s hands in his own, and a

warmth invaded the flesh there. He jumped at the electric zing that
washed over his digits, and the pain from his fall faded almost
instantly.

Bewitched 99

Ciel let him go, and Hisoka turned his palms over so he could

look at them. The scrapes were gone like they’d never been. “Whoa.”

Ciel laughed. “Okay. I know a few parlor tricks.”
“I should be weirded out by all this,” Hisoka murmured, flexing

his formerly sore fingers. “I should definitely be freaking out right
now.”

“The shock will wear off. It’ll hit you and you’ll probably get

wigged out, but until then, I’m going to enjoy the fact that you
haven’t.”

He swallowed. That was probably true. While he’d accepted what

Ciel said was truth just because he had no choice but to accept what
Ciel had showed him as evidence, there was still a part of him that
didn’t quite believe it. Or maybe it was because he was a familiar. I’m
a proverbial black cat.

“If we date, would you get stronger?”
“My powers might,” Ciel allowed after a moment of hesitation.

“My family wouldn’t like it.”

“So where does that leave us?”
“In a bathtub enjoying one another’s company, seeing where the

night goes,” Ciel said, avoiding the larger question behind Hisoka’s
inquiry.

He let it slide for now. There would be plenty of opportunities to

get Ciel to admit they were involved in something more than a fling.

* * * *

A familiar and a caster are taking a bath together and the caster’s

family comes in… Sounds like the start of a bad joke. Ciel helped
Hisoka to his feet before pulling the stopper out of the tub. He just
ignored his hard-on because there was no way to hide it. Staring at
Hisoka full on just had him twisted in knots. Not touching him was a
nonissue at this point. He’d known from the second Hisoka had come
up here where this was going to lead.

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Jana Downs

“Hey, Ciel?” Hisoka asked, resting his hands at his sides as Ciel

pushed himself to his feet and then stepped out of the tub.

“What?”
“Can I give you a blow job?”
Ciel sucked in a breath and nearly choked on his spit. “What?

Why?” His cock went from mildly interested to full-on raging in five
seconds flat.

Hisoka gave a delicate shrug. “Because you want it and I want to

make you feel good.”

The function of a familiar was to care for his chosen caster’s well-

being in whatever way he could. Hisoka didn’t understand how well
he fit the role. “You don’t have to.” But God knew Ciel wanted him
to. If he could come, he might actually be able to think again. You’re
getting in too deep. His internal voice of reason could suck it.

“I want to. Let me.”
Ciel nodded as the order was given. He really needed to tell

Hisoka to form his sentences in more questions because, unless he
completed the bond, he was going to be spending a lot of time getting
forced by his magick to comply with his familiar’s wishes.

Hisoka grinned. “I like getting my way with you, boss.”
He hopped over the edge of the tub to kneel on the bathmat,

maneuvering Ciel so that he was sitting on the edge of the tub with
Hisoka between his spread thighs. He adjusted his position slightly so
he could have easy access to Ciel’s cock. He’d only done this a few
times in his lifetime, and none of those had seemed very pleasant.
However, the prospect of sucking on his wizard’s cock made him
hotter than Manhattan in midsummer.

He leaned forward and licked the head experimentally. Ciel’s gasp

was encouraging, so he did it again.

“It’s not a damn lollipop,” Ciel rumbled. “Suck it.”
He chuckled around the spongy tip and then leaned forward,

lightly sucking, taking more in, bit by bit. He managed to get the thick
cock almost all the way in without choking, a feat in itself. What he

Bewitched 101

couldn’t suck he massaged with one hand and kneaded Ciel’s balls
with the other.

His head bobbed, occasionally nibbling the sweet velvet flesh as

he came up. Ciel’s hips started rocking into his mouth. The act felt so
primal, so submissive, that his own cock curved up toward his belly,
pre-cum dripping from the tip. He didn’t dare stop touching Ciel
though. He wanted Ciel to feel so good that he wouldn’t think of
letting go. He wasn’t even sure why it was so important to him that
Ciel became more than a roll in the proverbial hay, but it was. If he
had to accept there was magick in the world, he had to accept that
whatever was between them was rooted in it.

He squeezed and kneaded the round flesh at the base and gave a

teasing stroke to the underside of Ciel’s cock with his tongue. Ciel’s
deep groan of pleasure made him feel like he was in control of the
moment.

He continued his pattern of sucking, nibbling, sucking harder,

giving in to the natural thrust of Ciel’s hips.

“Mmmm, sweet,” he whispered as he came up for air. His tongue

gently lapped Ciel’s dick as he spoke. He wanted to make Ciel come,
needed it. His own prick wept in sympathy, eager to release but not
before Ciel.

“Oh God!” Ciel’s strangled cry reverberated off the bathroom tiles

as his hips jerked on their own accord, the movement instinctual. His
head kicked back and his eyes screwed shut as desperate sounds of
pleasure tore themselves from his throat. “Love your mouth,” he said,
panting. “Feels, so good.” He wound his hands into Hisoka’s hair as
he pumped his flesh between Hisoka’s lips with greater urgency. He
pushed his arousal to the back of Hisoka’s throat, causing him to
choke a bit.

He jerked back, shooting Ciel a disgruntled look as he coughed.
“Damn,” Ciel muttered, a sheepish look on his face. “Sorry,

beautiful. Got a little carried away.” He lifted his arms and crossed

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Jana Downs

them behind his head in a semblance of restraint. “I promise I’ll keep
my hands to myself from now on.”

Hisoka snorted. “You better not make that promise because I

intend to make you break it.” He went back to his task, and Ciel’s
muscles tightened exponentially.

“Fuck!” Ciel yelped. He loved how vocal the man was. Ciel

dissolved into a string of words in a language that Hisoka didn’t
recognize. It wasn’t French. It was something else. Since Ciel knew
so many languages, God only knew which one it was.

He cried out again as the Hisoka’s tongue licked the slit of his

opening and lapped up the liquid that gathered there as he drew closer
to his pentacle of pleasure. Please, Ciel, come for me. I want you to
come so bad.

Ciel’s hands landed on his shoulders. “Stop,” he commanded,

panting hard. “I want you to come with me.” He pulled his body from
the warm cavern of Hisoka’s mouth, and Hisoka sighed at the loss.

“Want you,” Hisoka said, staring up at his lover. “Please?”
Ciel nodded, eyes glowing with that fierce light that it had before.

“Soon, babe. I promise.”

He grabbed Hisoka’s shoulders and pulled him up so that he could

plunder his mouth, pushing his tongue between Hisoka’s lips and
caressing the spaces within. Hisoka groaned at the taste of Ciel’s
mouth. He never got tired of kissing Ciel.

“You drive me crazy,” he admitted, leaning farther back against

the edge of the tub as he pulled Hisoka astride his lap. He reached
over to the sink and grabbed a bottle of oil from the counter. “We
really should use condoms, you know. I’ve never fucked without
them.”

Hisoka felt a flicker of surprise. “I thought you used one the other

night.” Not that he would know what one felt like, he’d just assumed
that the sticky aftermath was from the lube.

Ciel shook his head. “No. I’m sorry. I got carried away and…”

Bewitched 103

Hisoka pressed a finger to his lips. “You’re magick, right? Can

you catch or give anything?”

“Of course not.” He popped the cap on the slick. “You can’t either

as a familiar, by the way. STDs aren’t something our kind has had to
deal with. Magick is pretty much the best anti-germ treatment out
there.”

Hisoka held out his palm for lube. “Then we’re good.”
Ciel swallowed. “You sure? It’s very intimate.”
“I think we passed intimate a few nights back.” He drizzled some

oil into Hisoka’s palm, and Hisoka smoothed it over Ciel’s hard cock.
He’d normally be a little freaked about the situation, but he was too
turned on and too caught up in the magick of Ciel’s touch to really let
it bother him.

Slowly, Ciel nodded. “Ride me, beautiful. Take your pleasure.”

He reached between the Hisoka’s legs and stroked him from base to
tip. When Hisoka cried out, he repeated the action. “Ride while I play
with you, Hisoka.” He bent the Hisoka’s torso backward so that he
could bite the other man’s chest, leaving an imprint of his teeth there.
“Let me fuck you.”

Hisoka shuddered, nodding his head as he gripped Ciel’s dick. He

jumped as Ciel’s fingers probed his entrance behind him. He shot Ciel
a questioning look.

Ciel gave a half grin. “Gotta stretch you a little bit, babe.”
He shivered as Ciel’s first finger slid deep. It burned a little bit,

but the promise of pleasure had him rocking back to meet the plunge.
Ciel pumped his fist on Hisoka’s cock in time with his thrusting
fingers, and Hisoka’s eyes crossed. He babbled, alternating between
English and Japanese curses as his pleasure mounted.

“Ciel,” he gasped. “Gonna come.”
“Not yet, beautiful. Hold on.” Two fingers joined the first,

stretching the muscle further. He shuddered, clinging to Ciel’s
shoulders and his sanity by his fingernails.

“Please, put it in,” Hisoka begged. “Ngn.”

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Finally, Ciel obliged him.
He pulled his fingers free and replaced them with the thick length

of his cock. Hisoka cried out, his body vibrating with energy as he
sank onto Ciel’s body. Their eyes met, and a shudder of awareness
went through him. There was power in that gaze and an almost
inhuman amount of it. Something foreign called out in answer to the
question swimming in the depths of Ciel’s golden orbs. He leaned
forward and kissed him.

Orgasm tore through him as something warm and light passed

between their joined mouths like a gust of air but with a sweeter taste.
Ciel thrust upward, chasing his own release as Hisoka’s splattered
their joined torsos. Hisoka tore his mouth away as he rode the wave of
the most intense release he’d ever experienced. His body released
over and over again, his vision spiraling as he was torn apart only to
be stitched back together with Ciel.

Ciel screamed, letting him know that he wasn’t alone in his

experience.

As the last tremors faded into nothing, everything slowed again

before finally stilling into a profound sense of peace.

“Wow,” Hisoka whispered, unable to move. “That was some good

sex.”

Ciel’s grip on him tightened. “That was magick.” He sounded

exhausted and terrified.

Hisoka raised his head so that he could look in Ciel’s eyes. “You

okay?”

“Yes,” Ciel said a little woodenly. “Well, you’re mine now.”
The phrasing and the resignation in the words made him frown.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that the natural magick that has been pushing us together

tied us together in a very permanent way.” Ciel’s expression was
almost perfectly blank.

“What does that mean?” Hisoka asked, fear trickling through his

euphoria.

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Chapter Nine

It wasn’t the most eloquent way for him to tell the man he was

going to spend the rest of his life with that he’d accidently gotten
them hitched, but there it was. Ciel stamped down on his panic with
all his strength in an attempt not to hyperventilate. He’d known that
something was going to happen, had felt it in his very being, but he’d
been unprepared for fate to take the choice completely out of his
hands. He’d toyed with a familiar and ended up bound. There was
nothing he could do about it.

Hisoka slid of his lap and stood, crossing his arms across his still

sweat-slicked chest. “Please, explain.”

Ciel sighed. “Beautiful, casters aren’t allowed to mess around

with familiars on a whim. Because they’re magickal innocents, it used
to be a general rule that if you found a familiar you bound yourself to
him or her or it. In turn for taking care of them, the familiar would
amplify the caster’s abilities exponentially. However, casters who are
bound never take another lover or wed or do any of the other things
that most people do. Our kind nearly died out because of instances
like that. A hundred years ago, the Circle, our governing body,
decided that they had to save our race. All casters have their
partnerships arranged, one for procreation and one for either
assistance or pleasure depending on the preference. My father was
assigned my mother and Thomas for example.”

Hisoka’s brow furrowed. “So you guys always marry in threes?”
Ciel shrugged. “Sort of. It’s all political and unites families and

blah, blah, blah. The point is that we’ve been ordered to never take
familiars. Period. There are going to be consequences for this.”

Bewitched 107

“What if I walked away? Would you get in trouble then?”
It was sweet of him to offer, sweeter to ask in an attempt to

protect him. However, this was his bed. He was going to lie in it. “No,
beautiful. It’s already done. If you left me, I would never be able to
conduct magick again. It would break me.” It was a brutal reality but
one he didn’t feel like he should hide. “I know you and I don’t know
one another excessively well, but would you like to date me?”

Hisoka’s eyes widened. “I thought you didn’t date.”
“I do now.” He’d never seen himself in a permanent relationship

with someone else, but with Hisoka, there was no other relationship to
be had. Strangely enough, the idea didn’t bother him nearly as much
as he felt that it should have.

“Do you want to date me, or is this just a magick thing?” Hisoka

asked, clearly unconvinced of his motives.

“Does it matter?”
Hisoka nodded, shifting from foot to foot. “It matters a lot. I don’t

want you to want me because you feel like you have to.”

Ciel gave the issue a good amount of consideration before he

answered. “Honestly, I always knew I’d have an arranged marriage so
I never considered that I would have a long-term partnership with
anyone. As I told you the other night, if I could choose, I’d choose
you. I have chosen you. I’m not saying we’ll be a hundred percent
happy all the time, but I’d like to give this ‘us’ thing a try. What do
you think?”

“I’m willing to try if you are.” Hisoka paused. “What about your

dad?”

That gave Ciel some pause. “Let’s keep things on the down low

until I figure out what to say to him. There is nothing he can do now
that this is done, but just the same, I’d like the time to formulate a
plan for how I’m going to deal with him and the Circle’s reaction to
us.”

Hisoka nodded. “All right. I’m okay with that.” He glanced down

at his torso. “I guess we need a shower now, huh?”

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Ciel chuckled. “It looks that way.”
Maybe things would work out well for them after all. Hisoka

seemed to be behind the idea anyway. That had to count for
something.

After they showered and were back in their clothes, Ciel patted

himself on the back for his ridiculously good taste in hot water
heaters. The initial moment of panic gone, it was easy to push aside
the fear of the unknown. He was a St. Germaine. He would be just
fine no matter what happened. Sure his dad would be an absolute
nightmare about the whole thing and he’d probably have to pay a fine
to the Circle and the family whose kid he was eventually supposed to
marry. But those were small prices to pay for freedom from the whole
system. He’d never liked the idea of following the mandates of men
hundreds of miles away anyway.

They put a movie on in the background and talked a little bit about

where they were going to be headed in the next few weeks. Secret
luncheons and nightly cocktails seemed like something out of a spy
novel. However, it was titillating nonetheless.

“So will you show me some more magick stuff?” Hisoka asked.

He seemed fascinated with the concept of magick, and his curiosity
was absolutely adorable.

“Hm, sure. If you want, you can even help me with a few spells

and whatnot. As a familiar you can act as an amplifier.” He’d have to
get out his book. “In fact, you can probably read my spell book. I
believe familiars are the only ones other than the owners of the book
who can.”

“Sweet.” Hisoka smiled at him, and Ciel’s heart skipped a beat.

He wasn’t to the love stage of courtship yet, but he could see himself
moving into fairly devoted territory quickly.

Ciel smiled back before pushing himself up to his feet. “You want

something to drink from the kitchen?” His stomach rumbled as if in a
reminder that he hadn’t eaten in a few hours. “I’m also grabbing a
snack. You want one?”

Bewitched 109

“Yes on the drink. Coke if you have it. Also, yes on the snack.

Whatever you’re having is fine.” He looked like he belonged lounging
on his couch.

Ciel sighed. He was already smitten. Great sex and gorgeous

views will do that.

He padded into the kitchen and flicked on the light to illuminate

the space. He had the sodas easily enough, but for the snack he’d have
to get creative. He opened his fridge and fished out some sandwich
meat, cheese, and bread. That would have to do for now. If Hisoka
wanted something else, he could come explore the fridge himself. As
an afterthought he grabbed the box of strawberries on the bottom
shelf. He thought it was a good mix of food.

His cell phone chimed in his pocket. Without answering he knew

who was calling.

He fished it out and hit the Send button. “What?”
“Is that any way of answering your father?” Seven rumbled,

disdain evident in his voice.

Ciel snorted. “It’s almost 1:00 a.m., Seven. Isn’t it well past your

bedtime?”

“I’m a shark, son. I don’t need to sleep.”
Probably some curse you threw on yourself, you old bat. He and

his father had never really gotten along. He’d been too cold for Ciel’s
taste, whose passion ran more in line with his mother instead. When
he’d up and left his mother, Ciel had been furious. To say things were
still strained was a vast understatement.

“What do you want?”
“I want you to show me some damn respect, but you are your

father’s son. I don’t like how we ended our conversation this
afternoon.”

He busied his hands by putting together their sandwiches and

cutting them into neat squares like his mother had for cocktail parties
back at their estate in France. “So apologize.”

“I’m just trying to protect you from making a huge mistake.”

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Too late for that. “I can make my own decisions, Seven. You need

to butt out.”

“That will never happen.”
I know that, too. “I’ll be a little late coming in tomorrow. Just

letting you know to cancel our ten o’clock meeting.”

“All right. I’ll reschedule with your secretary.”
“Great.” He waited for his father to wind down the conversation

like he normally did. Once business was out of the way, there was no
reason to keep communicating. “Is there anything else?”

“You sound different.”
Ciel froze. There was no way he could tell over the damn phone.

“How so?” He kept his tone deliberately nonchalant.

“I’m not sure. I can feel your energy through the line. Were you

casting before I called?”

Christ. He could feel it through the phone. “Uh, I have to go

finish, Seven. I’ll talk to you later.” He hung up before he had time to
protest.

They were going to have to be very, very careful from now on.

Even then, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to hide it in the end.

* * * *

One Month Later

Hisoka sketched his last print mockup for the Twenty-Four-Seven

campaign as he counted down the minutes until he and Ciel would be
able to slip from the building for lunch. As fun as it was dodging their
coworkers, it was still a little irritating not to be able to walk out the
front door together. However, Seven’s eyes and ears were everywhere
in the office if Ciel was to be believed, and Hisoka didn’t want to
cause waves.

In the past four weeks his eyes had been opened to an entirely new

world courtesy of his lover. There were so many things to experience

Bewitched 111

and learn that he’d spent more than one night poring over Ciel’s
clunky leather book in an effort to learn everything he could about
Ciel’s people. Traditional and exacting, his kind had lived through
centuries of persecution and hardship and come out the other side
with more money than most people made through their entire
lifetimes. It was fascinating.

What was more fascinating though was the man himself. Ciel was

a curious mix of rebellion and tradition. His dyed red hair and “fuck
you” attitude toward his father’s rules were balanced with his
adherence to caster tradition and his unwillingness to compromise on
the values instilled in him from the Circle, the governing body of the
casters. There was apparently a division of werewolves, another
mind-blowing realization of nonhuman humans running around that
Hisoka would have to deal with another day, with the same name, but
the casters didn’t talk about them.

Ciel’s head popped through the doorway. “Hey, babe, I’m calling

it an early day. Can you head out?”

Hisoka started. Ciel never talked so casually at work. He was

either getting sloppy or everyone had mysteriously vanished from the
office.

“Uh, together?” Hisoka asked.
Ciel shrugged. “I can leave out a few minutes beforehand and

meet you with a cab if that will make you feel better.”

Isn’t that my line? “Aren’t you worried your dad will see?”
“He either doesn’t know and he’s not going to know or he knows

and he doesn’t care. Either way, I’m not going to be hiding it
anymore. It’s not fair to you.” Ciel leaned casually against the
doorframe. “If I’m going to say fuck you to an arranged marriage for
a boyfriend, I might as well do so in the open.”

Hisoka’s heart skipped a beat. “Boyfriend?”
Ciel’s normally stoic face broke into a downright boyish grin.

“You wanna be?”

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For someone who hadn’t been someone’s boyfriend before, Ciel

made a pretty good one. He was always generous on dates, honest
without being cruel, and a complete gentleman. Added to his smoking
hot body and amazing sexual appetite, Ciel might as well have been
the perfect man.

“Yes.” Hisoka didn’t hesitate. According to Ciel, they were

already as good as married, but the official title of boyfriend was a
nice one to have nonetheless.

“Sweet. Then get your cute butt ready to go.”
“I’ll have to work on this mockup at home. Is that okay?” He

probably wouldn’t be able to work on it until late. He usually didn’t
drag into his apartment until the early hours of the morning. In fact,
for the past week or so, he hadn’t really gone home at all. Instead, he
stayed over at Ciel’s house and took a cab to his place in the morning.

“I think the boss will let you slide,” Ciel teased. “Is that the final

poster for the Twenty-Four-Seven campaign?”

He nodded.
“Great. Can’t wait to see it. You’re really talented, Hisoka. You’ll

be running the art department one day.”

A hot blush stole over his cheeks at the compliment. Hisoka

wasn’t a leader. He was more of a team player and was happy with
that role. He’d never run any department, but he wanted to be one of
their top artists for sure.

He gathered up his art supplies and put his drawing tablet into his

computer bag before slinging the bag over his shoulder. He was very
nervous to actually walk out the front door practically hand in hand
with Ciel, but Ciel’s confidence settled him.

He smiled up at his lover. “Let’s go.”
Ciel looked like he was king of the world as they exited the

building, his head held high as they passed coworkers and people
from other offices that Hisoka didn’t even know. The gossips in the
building would probably be IMing before they even reached the front
door.

Bewitched 113

“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Hisoka murmured as they

hit the pavement on the front walk and were immediately surrounded
by other travelers in the frantically moving crowd. Ciel reached out
and took his hand to pull him along beside him.

“I won’t let him mess with you,” Ciel promised. “He’ll probably

flip out on me, but once I tell him we’re bonded he’ll back down.”

“You think?”
Ciel shrugged. “What choice does he have?”
That wasn’t the most comforting thing Ciel had ever said to him,

but Hisoka trusted him to take care of things. He hadn’t let him down
yet.

“Anyway, stop worrying about how my ass of a father is going to

react. I have a surprise for you,” Ciel said as they navigated the busy
street. He got to the sidewalk and raised his hand to signal a cab.

“What’s that?” Hisoka asked, his worry giving way to excitement.
“We’re going to do a seeking spell today.”
Hisoka’s eyes widened. “Really? You’re letting me help?”
Ciel shot him a grin. “Of course. You’ve been poring over my

book more than I have. It’ll be a piece of cake.”

“Oh wow! Cool!” Hisoka nearly vibrated with excitement. He’d

been asking Ciel for weeks to help out on something major. Cooking
up a potion for good dreams was not the same as something that
actually produced visions or whatever else some of the spells in Ciel’s
book produced.

A yellow taxi pulled to the curb, and Ciel opened up the door,

ushering Hisoka inside with his other hand. “I thought you might like
that. It’s a vision spell, so you should be able to tell me where our
next big hit will be. I’m bringing their name to the next caster board
meeting.”

“Cool,” he repeated. Being a familiar was cool in that he enhanced

Ciel’s power and all, but he actually wanted to see the fruit of his
existence so to speak.

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His impatience mounted as they rode the twenty minutes back to

Ciel’s building. He rarely drove his car in the city and only drove to
the office if he knew he was staying particularly late, so a cab was the
main mode of travel.

The city was a blur of buildings and people as they rode in

silence. Ciel was answering e-mails on his iPhone while Hisoka lost
himself in thoughts of what was to come. He wondered if the magick
would have a color or if it would look like a projection on a wall or
something.

Either way, it was going to be so damn cool.

* * * *

Thomas pursed his lips as Seven’s child climbed into a cab with

the familiar. Seven had been agonizing over the boy’s spiral into
defiance for the past few years, and Thomas for one had had enough
of Ciel’s nonchalant attitude when it came to caster matters. Thomas
understood some of his frustration because he, too, had been
interested in a man, Seven, who had been promised to someone else.
Thomas had made his contribution to the caster sperm bank and then
promptly volunteered to be Seven’s second. After Seven had
produced an heir with the caster woman his family had chosen out for
him, Thomas had made his desires known. However, their
relationship had always been second to the needs of the caster
community, as was proper.

Ciel needed to learn his place.
He dialed his lover from memory on his cell phone. “Thomas, did

lunch with Crystal end early?” Seven asked by way of greeting.

Crystal Laurence was the matchmaker of the caster community.

She traveled all around the world giving lectures and setting up
matches between the prominent families so their bloodlines and the
magicks would remain pure.

Bewitched 115

“She’s set up three potential women for your son’s marriage, but,

Seven, we might have a problem.”

“Oh?” Seven asked. The one word held a wealth of rage. He never

said much, but when he spoke it was abundantly clear how he really
felt about any given situation.

“I just saw your son leaving with Hisoka, and the magick that

surrounded the two of them was definitely intertwined. The boy has
bonded with him.”

Seven let out a string of curses that would’ve done a sailor proud.

“There is no way to break that damn bond.”

“I know.” Thomas rarely gave an unsolicited opinion, but Seven

was far too soft where the boy was concerned. “You’re going to have
to punish him, and you’re going to have to report him to the Circle.”

Seven sighed. “I know. There isn’t much I can do to Ciel. He’s

got his mother’s damn money, so firing him won’t hurt him in the
least bit.”

“May I make a suggestion?”
“Don’t you always?”
“I’m afraid I do.” God, he loved that man. Always had. Seven

could be quite generous when given the correct motivation, and with
his lovers, no one but his ex-wife would complain. “Fire the familiar
and make the appropriate Circle files. The full repercussions for his
actions won’t be known for some time, but it’s a start.”

“Do you think I should give the boy a recommendation?”
“No, my love. I think you need to follow through with the threat

you meted out before. You have to show that you are a man of you
word.” Thomas crossed the lobby with a nod to the security agent at
the desk and depressed the button to summon the elevator.

“Ciel isn’t going to be happy with me.”
Thomas sniffed. “Is he ever really happy with you? You’re doing

this for his own good.”

“Good point.”

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Chapter Ten

“All right, concentrate,” Ciel commanded from his place in the

centermost circle of his casting room. “I need you to touch my chest
and think about pushing your energy into mine.”

The spare bedroom that had been converted into a space dedicated

to meditation and magick was a distracting place. Everywhere Hisoka
looked there was something to look at, to touch. It seemed like the
space was designed to distract him, like there were multiple electrical
currents running through the walls.

“Hisoka, I can’t let you help if you don’t actually help,” Ciel said,

amusement in his voice.

Hisoka’s head whipped back toward him. “Sorry. I wasn’t

expecting this to be so hard.” He’d thought as a familiar it would be
easy to figure out the magick bit.

Ciel chuckled. “It’s okay. Everyone is distracted the first time out.

It’s natural.”

Natural in Ciel’s world was somewhat different than natural in

Hisoka’s world.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to center himself. He

could do this and he would make Ciel proud. “Hey, Ciel?”

“Yes?”
“I care about you. Just thought you ought to know.”
Warmth permeated Ciel’s response. “I think I care about you,

too.”

He knew dating a month wasn’t a long time, but everything

between them was almost ridiculously easy. Natural magick indeed.

Bewitched 117

“Good boy. That’s it.” Ciel started humming, muttering in a

guttural language that seemed like it was layered in on top of itself.
The fine hairs on Hisoka’s arms raised as the world settled into a
strange alternate universe.

Hisoka’s eyes popped open, and he sucked in a surprised breath at

the thick fog that surrounded them, obscuring everything but the
candles glowing in blurred lines just beyond the two of them.

“That was fast,” Ciel commented, drawing his attention back to

him. “Usually summoning visions takes a half hour or more. Do you
see the mist?”

Hisoka nodded, not trusting himself to speak. This place felt

downright weird.

“That is the magick. It’ll dissipate when we finish. Look for a

person but don’t move toward it. It’ll come to us.”

Hisoka swiveled his head, looking for signs of movement in the

thick fog. He pointed over Ciel’s left shoulder with his free hand. “It’s
there.”

Ciel’s expression flickered in surprise. “Yeah? That was very

quick. What’s it look like?”

“Tall, brunette, curvy. Looks like a pretty girl.”
“She’ll have something on her with her name on it.”
He blinked and the image moved closer. The second time he

blinked it manifested directly to their left. The girl was at some sort of
grocery checkout, broccoli and some other bags of steamed veggies
on the conveyer belt. She looked bored as she fished out her credit
card.

“I can’t read the name on that. Can you?” Ciel asked.
Hisoka squinted. “Danicka Pierce.”
“Good,” Ciel said, sounding thoroughly pleased. “We’ll be on the

lookout for her at the casting call.”

“That’s it?”

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“That’s it. I told you the magick wasn’t overly flashy.” Ciel

snapped his finger, and in a blink, everything was gone, replaced by
the room with the runes painted stylishly on the walls instead.

“That was so cool though!” Hisoka said, grinning like an idiot. “I

mean, whoa. You could sell tickets to this and impress everybody.”

Ciel chuckled. “Not everyone could see it and, secondly, the

Circle would bury me in Central Park if they thought I was even
going to attempt to do such a thing. They have been paranoid since
the inquisition, and who could blame them? Most humans aren’t
exactly tolerant when it comes to the differences in others.”

He couldn’t argue that. He could produce a very long list of

instances where he was talked to like he was somehow a foreign
invader by people who thought anyone who wasn’t Caucasian didn’t
belong.

“How are you feeling?” Hisoka asked, changing the subject. He

didn’t want to dwell on bad thoughts. Ciel was usually pretty
exhausted after he worked magick. Even little tiny things like popping
a lightbulb was draining.

“Good, actually,” Ciel said. “Apparently the books have it

correctly. Familiars are like Energizer batteries.”

“So does that mean you still have the energy to make me dinner?”

Hisoka asked, batting his lashes.

Ciel did laugh at that. The man was a hopeless cook. “I promise to

dial take-out like a pro and still have the energy leftover to fuck you
into oblivion. What do you think of that?”

Hisoka’s body tightened at the idea. Having his daily dose of Ciel

was definitely no hardship. “We can even skip the food if we can
jump to the other part,” he said, his tone husky.

Ciel growled. “But you’ll need your calories, beautiful. I can be a

real slave driver.”

Hisoka was counting on it.

* * * *

Bewitched 119

Ciel walked into the office the next day with a swing in his step.

He had a boyfriend, a great one, and he was beginning to see a life
that didn’t necessarily follow the path his parents had set out for him
and it was great.

His phone went off. “Yes?”
“I just wanted to let you know that we’ve let Mr. Henderson go,”

his father said.

Ciel tripped over his own feet. “Excuse me?”
“We did warn the both of you not to fraternize. Don’t blame me

when you’re the one who fucked up, son.”

Rage, cold and potent, washed through body. “Why didn’t you

fire me?”

“You’ll get your comeuppance in due time, I’m sure. But it won’t

be through me,” Seven said.

“Why?”
“Because you’re his superior and my son. I’m removing

temptation from the office.”

“Fuck. You. You’re doing this because he’s a familiar. If I was

having an affair with joe blow human you wouldn’t give a damn.”

“Yes, well, you knew better than to forsake your duties. You

knew there would be consequences.”

Yes, but I expected you to take it out on me, not him. “I quit.”
“What?”
“I said, I quit. You’re not firing the man I love just to teach me a

lesson. You can take your company and your rules and go to hell.” In
his world, family and duty were everything. Funny how that didn’t
seem to matter now that he had Hisoka. His life had somehow started
to revolve around his familiar and he hadn’t even realized it.

“You love him, do you?” It was a dare.
“Yeah. I do.” The realization wasn’t as startling as it had been.

Maybe it was the natural magick that had been driving him from the
beginning, but he felt like he’d always felt that way. He hadn’t known

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what love was until he’d spied Hisoka spilling champagne on himself
in the ballroom.

“You can’t turn your back on your family!” Seven snapped, real

anger permeating his voice. “He’s a familiar so I understand the draw,
but you can’t just give up your whole life because you want him in
yours.”

But I can. At first he hadn’t been sure, but he was sure he could

now that he was faced with the choice of one or the other. “Does he
know that you fired him?” he asked, ignoring Seven’s protest.

“He was informed a few minutes ago,” Seven said, his tone icy.

“Are you really quitting?”

“Damn straight. Don’t call me again until you’re ready with an

apology and some sort of compensation for Hisoka.” He hung up the
phone and beelined for his office. He’d get his crap and get to
Hisoka’s place ASAP. The man was probably insanely upset, for
good reason.

Hold on, love. I’m keeping my promise. I swear.

* * * *

He found Hisoka sitting in his loft, surrounded by his artwork, a

look on his face that could only be described as morose.

Thank God he’d convinced someone to let him in. Hisoka hadn’t

answered his doorbell, and the door had been wide open like he’d
gone to leave and then hadn’t bothered to shut it behind him.

“Babe?”
Hisoka raised his gaze at the sound of Ciel’s voice. “Well, I guess

I asked for that. He did warn me.” He looked around at his scattered
artwork. “But I don’t know what I’m going to do now. I built my
whole career at Express. If he really blackballs me from the industry,
I don’t know what I’ll do.” His bottom lip started to tremble. “I really
don’t want to be blackballed, Ciel.”

Bewitched 121

“I love you, beautiful,” Ciel said, confident that would at least

shock Hisoka out of his stupor.

Hisoka’s eyes widened. “You have the worst timing on the face of

the planet.” He sighed, the noise exasperated. “I love you, too.” He
glanced around. “What are we going to do?”

“We’re going to start our own company, and it’s going to be

amazing.”

“What?” Hisoka’s mouth went slack. “I don’t know anything

about running a company.”

“But you know all about the art and the advertising. Come on,

Hisoka. It’s an adventure. We just threw off a hundred years’ worth of
council mandates. Are you really intimidated on a new venture? I’ve
got the capital and we’ve got the know-how. I can’t promise that life
is always going to be easy with me, but I can promise that it’ll be
good.”

“You really think we could make it work? Run a company like

Express here?”

Ciel grinned. “You’re my lucky charm, my familiar. I think if

anyone can make it work, we can. Together.”

He was sure they hadn’t heard the last of the Circle’s grumblings

about his break with tradition, and he was certain his family was
going to be a pain in the ass. However, he was also equally as certain
that Hisoka was more than worth it, and with his help, Ciel would be
prepared for anything.

“What do you say, Hisoka? Together?”
Slowly, Hisoka nodded. “I’ll take care of you.”
And I’ll take care of you, Hisoka. Always. “Let’s go grab some

breakfast together and toast our new life.” Freedom was a terrifying
and intriguing prospect.

Hisoka finally cracked a smile. “You know, you are always trying

to fuck me or feed me, Ciel. Should I be concerned?”

“Only if you don’t like it,” Ciel said.
“Oh, well, no worries then.”

122

Jana Downs

They shared a small laugh at that. They could survive this

together. After all, they had natural magick on their side.

THE END

WWW.JANADOWNS.COM

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jana Downs lives in the beautiful mountains of Western North

Carolina with three cats, one dog, several dozen fish, and a very
understanding partner-in-crime who hates to read but makes
exceptions for her stories.

You can usually find her either watching bad reality TV, buying

way too many books on Amazon, or dreaming up another man or two
to occupy her time because life is good but several drop-dead
gorgeous nonexistent men is just better.

For all titles by Jana Downs, please visit