Page 23 of Witch Bound and Down

The look he gave her was so hot it should have melted the windshield. "Hazel..."

"I know it's crazy too," she said quickly, before she could lose her nerve. "But you're right—when I'm with you, everything feels different. Better. Like maybe I've been sleepwalking through my life and this is the first time I've really been awake."

"Oh no," Hopper groaned. "She's getting that dreamy look again. The same one she had right before she dated the vampire with the commitment issues."

They stared at each other for a long moment, the air between them practically crackling with electricity. Then Bullseye's gaze dropped to her mouth, and Hazel felt her breath catch.

"Pull over," she whispered.

"What?"

"Pull over. Right now."

He didn't ask questions. He just pulled the Trans Am off the highway onto a dusty side road that disappeared into the desert, drove until they were hidden behind a cluster of rocks, and turned off the engine.

The sudden silence was deafening.

"This is a terrible idea," Hopper announced. "Just putting that out there. Terrible, terrible idea."

"Hazel," Bullseye said, his voice rough with want, "if we do this—"

She silenced him by leaning across the center console and kissing him.

The kiss was electric, literally. Sparks danced between them as their mouths met, her magic responding to his touch with shocking intensity. He tasted like coffee and danger and something purely male that made her want to climb into his lap and never let go. His hand tangled in her hair while the other pulled her closer, and she could feel the rumble of satisfaction in his chest when she kissed him back with equal hunger.

Her magic was spiraling out of control, sparks of light dancing around them in the confines of the car. She wanted more—wanted to feel his hands on her skin, wanted to lose herself in the heat building between them.

When they finally broke apart, they were both breathing hard, and her lips felt swollen.

"That was..." Bullseye started.

"Magical," Hazel finished. "Literally magical. I've never had that happen before."

"Me neither." His hand came up to cup her cheek, his thumb tracing the line of her jaw. "Your eyes are glowing."

"Are they?" She could feel her magic humming just beneath her skin, responding to his proximity in ways that should have been impossible. "It's you. You do something to my magic. I don't understand it."

"I don't understand it either," he admitted. "But I don't want it to stop."

"Well, that was nauseating," Hopper declared. "But also kind of sweet. In a 'magical fireworks display' sort of way."

Neither did she. But before she could tell him that, his CB radio crackled to life again.

"Breaker one-nine, this is Stardust calling all units. Got myself a situation here. Black SUVs, no plates, moving fast on Highway 191. They're asking questions about a black Trans Am and they ain't being polite about it."

Bullseye grabbed the radio instantly. "Stardust, this is Bullseye. What kind of questions?"

"The kind backed up by guns and bad attitudes. These boys ain't law enforcement, that's for sure. They're looking for someone real specific, and they seem to think intimidation is a valid interview technique."

Another voice chimed in: "This is Moondog. I got eyes on those same SUVs. They just rolled through the Cactus Flats weigh station, and they left some unhappy truckers in their wake."

"Copy that, Moondog. Any description on the occupants?"

"Witches, from what I could tell. Had that whole 'earth mother meets righteous fury' vibe going. One of them kept muttering about 'stopping the shipment at all costs.'"

Hazel felt a chill run down her spine. "Witches?" she whispered. "Why would witches be after your cargo?"

"What?" Bullseye looked at her sharply, but his expression was guarded.

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