Spellbound in His Arms: The Greek Isles Series, #1

Spellbound

in His Arms

A novel of

The Greek Isles Series

Angel Sefer

Copyright © 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 Angel Sefer

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.

Attribution — You must attribute the work in the manner specified by the author or licensor (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work).

Noncommercial — You may not use this work for commercial purposes.

No Derivative Works — You may not alter, transform, or build upon this work.

Cover Design by Shari Ryan

Edited by Karen Block

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to similarly named places or to persons living or deceased is unintentional.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014903621

Dedications

In memory of my late mother, Helen—a wonderful mother and my best friend—who will always be remembered for her love, kindness, and wisdom. She will live in my heart forever.

In memory of my late grandmother, Lili, whose unconditional love and encouragement inspired me throughout the years.

Dedicated to my beloved family in Greece and the USA for all their love, guidance, and support—especially to my wonderful husband, Bill; my loving father, Dimitris; my amazing Aunt Angie; and my adorable son Dimitris.

––––––––

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Epilogue

Note from the Author

About the Author

More books by Angel Sefer

Chapter One

JACKIE STOPPED DEAD in her tracks. What was that? A muffled noise from the back of the old mansion turned her blood to ice. She turned the flashlight off and stood still, holding her breath. Her mouth went dry. What if there was someone in the house? How would she explain who she was and what she was doing there in the middle of the night? Then again, would her explanations make any difference to whomever, or even worse whatever, was out there? The Demiris mansion was pitch black, far away from any living soul, and the owner was dead. Who could it be?

Jackie instinctively flattened herself against the wall, trying to peer through the darkness and track the source of the noise. The back of her neck prickled, and her heartbeat drummed in her ears. Was it true? She silently cursed herself for laughing at Stephanos’ warnings. What if her uncle was right? What if something supernatural was responsible for the mysterious deaths in the family of Greek tycoon Andreas Demiris?

No, she argued inwardly. Stephanos is wrong in thinking that the Demiris family is cursed. Jackie believed that the assassin was either one of the heirs or an enemy of the family. And she had come to the Greek island of Corfu to find the killer and prevent another murder.

But now, trapped here, feeling something lurking in the dark, she wished she’d thought better before flying six thousand miles from Atlanta, Georgia, to Greece on this eerie assignment. Stephanos used to say that her intuition, determination, and courage were assets for her carrier as an investigative reporter. But he’d also warned her against rushing headfirst into every new challenge. She should have known her impulsiveness would get her into trouble one day.

Jackie waited in the dark for what seemed like an eternity, fighting her rising panic. The dim moonlight behind the threatening clouds couldn’t penetrate the stained-glass windows of the hallway. So, the mansion’s interior was as pitch black and spooky as the dense forest surrounding it.

She desperately tried to pick up the slightest noise. But, there was nothing—only dead silence.

Jackie knew she was being foolish. There is nobody here, she reassured herself. The place had been deserted for months. All she needed to do was to find what she had come for and get out as soon as possible.

Blind in the thick darkness, she took a couple of steps to her right, keeping her hand against the wall. At the same time, her other hand clung tightly to the flashlight, ready to use it as a weapon. All her senses worked overtime to detect the slightest noise or movement. She couldn’t see or hear anything, but the warning bells in her head were impossible to ignore.

Suddenly, Jackie stiffened. Something was moving closer to her...a lot closer. She froze in place and held her breath.

A strong hand grabbed her by the throat and shoved her violently against the wall. A second later, a blinding light shone on her face.

Jackie instinctively closed her eyes and struggled to breathe. But the grip tightened around her throat. Fear paralyzed her. On the cusp of fainting, she heard a deep, husky voice, commanding in Greek, Who are you?

She gasped for air and flailed at her assailant with her flashlight. He blocked her move with impossible speed and effortlessly knocked the flashlight out of her hand. Jackie raised her arms and frantically tried to free her throat from the deadly grasp. But his hand was strong as steel.

A second later, the question was repeated, more insistent this time. The grasp loosened a little bit, allowing some air into her lungs and giving her a chance to answer.

Please... she managed to whisper in English.

Thanks to Stephanos, Jackie was fluent in Greek. But the intensity of the moment had overwhelmed her, and it was difficult to gather her thoughts. Her T-shirt was clinging to her back, her forehead was moist with sweat, and tension caused every muscle in her body to ache.

Who are you? the stranger commanded in perfect English, slightly tinged with a Greek accent.

Who is he, and what is he doing here? Jackie wondered anxiously. What could she possibly say? She couldn’t tell him the truth. But would he settle for anything less? Her mind worked double time as she sensed him shifting impatiently.

You do speak English, don’t you?

Yes...but I can hardly breathe, she whispered, truthfully, as his hand remained wrapped around her throat.

Who are you? he insisted, without loosening his grip any further.

Jackie... Jackie Alexander, she muttered.

And what are you doing here, Jackie Alexander? he demanded.

Now, that was the hard part. She had rehearsed some lies in case there were questions raised about her visit to the island. But she hadn’t anticipated finding anyone there in the middle of the night.

I’m a relative of the owners, Jackie said. Well, not exactly, she thought as she was a relative of Stephanos Demiris’ wife. But there was no reason to clarify that.

The man hesitated for a moment.

I’m a relative of Andreas Demiris, she insisted.

His hand released her throat, and she sucked in a ragged breath. However, the stranger remained unbearably close, blocking every possible escape route.

Suddenly, Jackie heard a distinctive click, and the bright light of a chandelier filled the hallway. Bewildered, she looked around, and then, her eyes rested on the man holding her captive. He was tall, at least six inches taller than she. And, at five feet eight inches, Jackie was no shrimp. He had jet black hair, and his black T-shirt and jeans stretched over enticing muscles that any athlete would envy. His face was handsome, with a strong jaw and amazing blue eyes that were now watching her intensely.

Jackie shifted uneasily under his piercing gaze. It was as if he could read her like an open book.

They stared into each other’s eyes, and Jackie felt her heart suspended in her chest...but not from fear this time. Even though he looked tough, she had to admit he was mouthwatering like a Greek God—a seductive stranger as Aphrodite, her romantic teenage cousin, would call him.

The thought of sweet, innocent Aphrodite jolted her back to reality. During the last few months, the heirs of Andreas Demiris had died, one after the other, under mysterious circumstances. Due to a lack of evidence indicating otherwise, their deaths were declared accidents. So, the police had closed the case files. But Jackie was suspecting foul play.

Stephanos and Aphrodite were among the few Demiris family members still alive, and Jackie feared for their lives. She was desperate to find out who was responsible for all those deaths. And coming to the Demiris mansion on the island of Corfu was the right place to start her search.

That still doesn’t explain what you’re doing out here in the middle of the night. He watched her closely as he placed his flashlight on the entry table.

Jackie could tell that he was on guard, ready to prevent any attempt of her to escape. He was obviously stronger and faster but didn’t seem aggressive. So, she began to relax. Now that she was over the initial shock, Jackie needed to regain control of the situation.

And who exactly are you? she demanded.

A smile appeared on the handsome stranger’s face, and he gave her an appreciative look. You’re a tough cookie, aren’t you?

As his gaze roamed over her, Jackie shifted uneasily. The desire that flickered in his captivating eyes—as blue as the Ionian Sea surrounding the island—set her pulse racing. Oh my, I swear I can't stop looking into those eyes.

Michael Apostolou, he said suddenly, catching her off guard. "Police Captain Michael Apostolou," he added, emphasizing the words Police Captain.

Oh no! That was the worst thing that could have happened to her right then. She had only been on the island for a few hours, and here she was, caught by the police breaking and entering. How would she get out of this? Why hadn’t she waited until the following day to talk to Nancy Felini—the Demiris family attorney—as Stephanos had instructed her? But no, she wanted to check out the contents of the safe without anyone looking over her shoulder.

Having no idea who was responsible for the deaths in the Demiris family, Jackie had hoped to find something in that safe to shed some light on this mystery. She intended to read through every document to discover who would benefit from those deaths and hopefully prevent another murder.

A logical assumption would be that the assassin was one of the heirs. But Jackie knew that neither Stephanos nor Aphrodite were killers. And Stephanos seriously doubted that any of the few Demiris family members still alive was a killer. So, who was left? An enemy of the family?

Knowing that the captain was watching her closely, Jackie remained as calm as she could.

And now, Miss Alexander, would you mind explaining why you broke into this house in the middle of the night? There was a touch of sarcasm in his voice.

But I didn’t break in, Jackie protested.

He inched closer and leaned over her, his eyes shooting daggers. And what would you call breaking a window and climbing into a building that doesn’t belong to you? The sarcasm was even more apparent now.

Jackie raised her chin and looked at him, puzzled. But I didn’t break any window. This whole thing was getting out of hand. She needed a way out of there and as far away from him as possible.

Oh, really? he asked, grabbed her by the arm, and pulled her towards an arch leading to what turned out to be the living room.

Jackie gasped. A window hung wide open, and pieces of broken glass peppered the carpet. She hadn’t done that. But glancing at him, she was sure she would have a hard time convincing him of that. Those mesmerizing blue eyes were looking at her accusingly.

All of a sudden, she realized that someone else had broken the window. Her breathing quickened, and she glanced around anxiously.

The captain followed her look but didn’t release her arm. Well? he asked. What do you have to say about this?

I didn’t do it, she insisted, looking straight at him. I came in through the front door.

Oh, is that so? he asked, and his lips pressed into a thin line.

Jackie could tell he was losing his patience. However, she was not lying. Coming out here, she was prepared to pick the lock, but she had found the front door unlocked. It had seemed kind of strange, but she wanted to get in and out as fast as she could and didn’t give it a second thought. Being out here, miles away from any living soul, especially in the middle of the night, gave her the creeps.

I swear I didn’t break that window. She tried to free her arm from his grip.

Now, you listen to me—

A loud noise—like something falling on the second floor—interrupted him. He immediately released her arm and grabbed a gun from a holster attached to his belt.

Don’t move! he ordered and took off towards the foyer.

Her heart hammered in her chest as Jackie watched him climb the steps with the grace of an athlete and the swift moves of a panther. She hadn’t noticed the gun before. Of course, he has a gun. He said he’s a policeman. But what if he’s lying about that? How can I be sure about who he is? Dread twisted in her gut. What if he’s the murderer?

Despite the torrent of questions swirling in her mind, she was entirely lucid about one key point. I’m in grave danger!

Frantically, she scanned her surroundings for a way out. Going out the front door was out of the question. She couldn’t risk going back to the hallway and running into the captain again. Her glance turned to the window. Pieces of broken glass were still hanging from the frame. Better hurt than dead!

Approaching the window, she kicked some of the larger pieces of glass and climbed outside. A moan escaped her lips as she scratched her arms and legs. Her knees buckled, and she landed hard on the marble tiles of the veranda. The fall knocked the wind out of her, paralyzing her for a moment.

Get up! Jackie sucked in a ragged breath, and with as much strength as she could muster, she rose to her feet and took a few staggering steps. Pain shot through her body, but there was no time to waste. She needed to get out of there as soon as possible.

Suddenly, a gunshot blast pierced the air and sent a surge of adrenaline through her veins.

Run! RUN NOW! A voice in her mind screamed out, and Jackie bolted towards the forest.

***

Firmly clenching the cold piece of steel in his hand, Michael climbed the steps, two at a time. Reaching the second floor, he scanned the corridor... Dead silence.

Knowing this mansion like the back of his hand, he mobilized his Special Forces training and proceeded down the dark hallway. Without making a sound and moving swiftly like a panther, he searched one room after the other. There was no sign of anyone.

Reaching the last room, Michael carefully opened the door. Stepping inside, a breeze of fresh air struck him in the face. He flattened himself against the wall, holding his gun in front of him with both hands, and stood still.

After making sure he was alone in the room, Michael approached the window. But the moment he leaned forward to peek outside, a gunshot thundered through the air. Instincts took over, and Michael