A deadly object... As a procurer of magical artifacts, Nash Thorne has his sights set on an exquisite ruby necklace believed to have been cursed by a Goddess. This particular piece of jewelry is rumored to bring disaster to its wearer and turn one’s heart to evil. A dangerous task... Nash’s assistant, Ryanne Caldwell, has certainly witnessed some shady business dealings. But when her boss confesses he’s from a powerful magical family and needs her help to pull off a jewel heist, she flatly refuses—until she discovers her sister is smack in the middle of two feuding factions. A love worth sacrificing for... Now, Nash and Ryanne must recover the hexed necklace and extract her sister from the clutches of the Thorne witches’ greatest enemy. However, once the dark magic of the Red Scorpion is unleashed, only an act of selfless love can save them. Essential Magic, previously released in the collaboration Kiss of the Red Scorpion, has been revised to contain additional chapters and an alternate ending.