The Hunter and the Witch by Rachel Chanticleer

Author:Rachel Chanticleer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance, urban fantasy, new orleans, action, paranormal romance, magic, witch, gladiator, mage, strong heroine

Chapter Three

Laughing, Beth clapped her hands to the music as the guests who entered themselves into the night’s costume party showed off their moves in a Soul Train-style dance line. Nikki’s gregarious father had a microphone and announced the contestants with note cards as they shaked and shimmied by.

Nikki’s family did not mess around when it came to Mardi Gras.

After finishing her water she wiped a bead of sweat from her hairline. The entire first floor was packed with dancers and spectators shouting for their favorite costumes. Sandwiched between a giant M&M and someone in an inflatable sumo wrestler getup, she started to feel somewhat claustrophobic.

“Excuse me,” she said and made her way through the crowd to get some air.

Once out back, she took a deep breath of the refreshing winter chill. It usually hovered around the mid to high fifties in February, but to a N’awlins girl that was downright brisk. Beth shivered and rubbed her upper arms, but wasn’t ready to head inside just yet. Illuminated by randomly scattered tiki torches, the backyard stretched a ways toward Lake Pontchartrain. Situated a good distance from the house, she spied a wooden pergola wrapped in white Christmas lights. She looked over her shoulder to the commotion inside before walking to the cushioned patio set under the lights.

Beth sat in one of the chairs and bent down to take off her shoes, finally letting out a great sigh when she undid the strappy sandals. Rubbing her feet with one hand and holding the high heels in the other, she paused as she heard movement at the other end of the structure.

“Is someone there?” She craned her head to see past the thick wooden beam.

She saw a booted foot first, followed by a long leg in dark denim jeans. A muscular torso in a collarless leather jacket drew her eyes up to the man’s face.

“You!” Her shoes slipped from her grasp as she stood.

The man that attacked her—the one she couldn’t stop thinking about—was back to finish her off. Beth stared him down as he approached, putting his hands up in an apparent gesture of peace.

“I’m not going to harm you Bethany,” he assured her. “I’m here to help you.”

“Like hell you are.”

The corner of his mouth briefly curved into a smile.

“You can trust me. I know you have no reason to. But you have to believe—”

Beth had focused her power and blasted him with a wallop of her energy before he could finish his lie. The green flash lit up the area around them as he was thrown into the corner of the pergola. The framework trembled and the Christmas lights flickered. She concentrated, readying herself for another shot.

He groaned as he sat up. “I see you’ve been practicing.”

“Damn right I have.” Beth whipped her head from him to the house. Everyone was inside and preoccupied with the costume contest, too far away to hear if she called for help. “Don’t move,” she warned.

“Bethany, listen to me. We don’t have much time.

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