Chapter 51 Deception

"Portland, the city of roses," the man in his 40s said with a smooth voice, his brown hair perfectly matched his black eyes.

He had a chiseled jawline and a strong presence that commanded attention. He was just as handsome as Vincent, if not more so.

Denise snorted, unimpressed by his greeting.

"Don't try to butter me up, James, I know you're only here because the government wants to keep tabs on me." she said, her tone icy as she continued to walk.

James rolled his eyes, a look of exasperation crossing his handsome features.

"You can't just go off on your own, Denise. You're one of the most powerful A-Rank Supernaturals in the US. Your actions have consequences."

Denise sneered at him, her disdain for the government clear on her face.

"Lapdogs," she muttered under her breath as she finally climbed into the Helicopter that James had prepared for her. She had no desire to waste her time arguing with a government lackey.

She knew that time was of the essence, so she had requested for a helicopter to take her directly to the mountain. As she boarded the helicopter, she felt a sense of urgency wash over her. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was not right.

Her instincts were rarely wrong, and they were telling her that something was amiss with her sister . She attempted to reach out to her aunt through the dark arts, but her attempts were blocked by an unknown force. With no other options left, she made the decision to come to Portland herself.

With a low hum, the helicopter lifted off the ground, the wind whipping her hair around her face. She gazed out at the sprawling city below, her mind racing with thoughts of her sister.

"Why risk going to see your aunt, Denise?" James asked. He knew of Celeste's reputation as a former A-Rank witch, but her infamous curse had forced her to exile herself in an abandoned house deep in the mountains.

"Your concern for the government's agenda is touching, James," Denise drawled, her tone laced with sarcasm. "But I have my own reasons for wanting to see Celeste. And I don't owe you an explanation."

"So if you don't mind, let's just focus on getting there." She met James's gaze, her eyes hard and unyielding.

With that, she settled back into her seat, her mind already racing with possibilities of what could be happening to her sister and what role her estranged aunt might play in it all.

The helicopter gracefully glided over the mountain range until they reached their destination. However, Celeste's house was situated on cursed land, making it inaccessible by air. Denise knew she had to make the journey on foot.

"I'll be going down now," Denise announced, throwing open the helicopter door while they were still in the air. Without hesitation, she leapt from the aircraft as if it were child's play.

"I can't fly like you, "James let out a deep sigh as he secured the harness around his waist and prepared to rappel down from the helicopter.

He wasn't as skilled as Denise when it came to aerial maneuvers, but he had enough training to get himself down safely. As he began his descent, he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. He had heard stories about the cursed land that surrounded Celeste's house, and the thought of walking into such an unknown danger made his skin crawl. But he had a job to do, and he wasn't about to let his fears get in the way of his duty.

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Vincent's body was spent, drained of all energy from the endless lovemaking with Celeste. Even his once exceptional stamina had been no match for her insatiable appetite. He collapsed beside her, gasping for air as he struggled to regain his strength.

"Perhaps we should take a break," he managed to say, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Oh, come now, my dear. You know I can't resist you."Celeste smirked, a glint of mischief in her eyes.

She ran a finger along his body, tracing the contours of his muscles, and he shuddered with pleasure. But despite his desire for her, Vincent knew he needed to rest. He closed his eyes and focused on taking deep breaths, trying to recover his strength for the next round with his alluring lover.

"Can we please talk about Debbie?" he asked , trying to shift her focus.

"Can't you see that we're in the middle of something important here?" Celeste pouted, clearly annoyed by the interruption.

"I think she's already looking for us," he replied firmly, trying to push away the distraction that Celeste presented.

Her eyes glinted with a hint of mischief as she leaned in closer to him. "You worry too much, my dear. Let me show you how to live in the moment," she whispered seductively, her hand trailing down his chest.

Vincent tried to resist the temptation but found himself losing control. He closed his eyes and let out a shaky breath.

"Okay, just one more round," he relented.

She grinned triumphantly, pulling him closer to her.

"That's all I ask," she giggled as she captured his lips in a fiery kiss, pushing all thoughts of Debbie from his mind.

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"Vincent, please help me !" Debbie's voice echoed through the dark, twisted room. The once-immaculate space was now a terrifying scene of death, with shattered furniture and scattered bones strewn across the floor. She couldn't believe what she was seeing.

Her heart pounded as she tried to force open the door, but it wouldn't budge. Panic coursed through her veins as she screamed for him, but her voice only echoed back at her from the eerie, old walls.

And then it hit her - The woman who had welcomed her with a smile was not her beloved aunt. Debbie's mind was reeling with the realization that they have been deceived. That vile woman had used magic to disguise herself as her aunt, to lure them here and trap them.

"What happened to my aunt then?" Her mind raced with questions as she tried to make sense of the situation. A sense of dread settled in her stomach as another realization hit her - her Aunt Celeste was a powerful witch, and if someone was able to overpower her, then that person was not someone Vincent can contend against.