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She was so happy and emotional, I had to say, “I think something happened at the cabin. Maybe the beach and too much sand or the water, but it’s all better now. Right, Case?”
All the drawers were flashing open and closed, displaying old and new items to her on repeat as she cheered. She looked up at me and said, “Thank you.”
“Anything for you, My Love. Anything for you.” I felt the zap and then looked at my wrist. The spell Ellie had cast to connect us for emergency purposes let me know there was something urgent I needed to respond to. “Case, can you handle the cookies? I need to step out for a bit.”
“Come back with a cheeseburger.”
“Of course.” I made my way to the door as casually as possible. Outside, I found Braz landing nearby and I ran to meet him. “What’s happened?”
“Her father will be here tomorrow afternoon.” He nodded. “It’s time.”
I gulped. “I need to be with her.”
He nodded, put his hand on my shoulder and said, “Ellie won’t let anything bad happen to her, or you. We got this.”
Ellie would try. She was still a new witch with succubus powers that others feared, but I didn’t see her having the kind of rage or malice it would take to destroy another being and Maxine’s father was a powerful wizard. Everyone knew that.
I returned to the little cottage and the sleeping woman in the chair. I lifted her up and carried her to the bed that was feeling smaller every time we slept in it. I was already above the average-size guest who would rent this locale and she was expanding in different ways, but at least this little one was nearing the grand entry since Maxine’s desires allowed for sleep.
CHAPTER 19
Maxine
He was here. Well, not here, but near. I could feel it. My father was approaching Blackthorn. I knew his magic and its signature stretched far trying to reach me. It went right past me and Ellie as we enjoyed a snack at the pub.
“He’s almost here.” I realized maybe only Ellie was having a snack. I was eating my way to a pub record. If I were a Mayhem son, my father may actually be proud to learn of that feat, but as I am not, I somehow doubted he would find the same joy or bragging rights.
As I pushed away the last bit of food on my plate, she looked at me and said, “I think that little one is almost here, too.”
“You have to promise me, Elenore.” I meant it. If something happened to me, she would make sure my baby was okay and she would look after Thurston. I knew it was a promise I didn’t need to state aloud, but I also just needed to hear it. To know it was not just my heart reminding me that they loved us and would take care of our child as if it were their own should something happen to us. Expectedly, unexpectedly. My father could still try to snap us there. Me there.
“You’re going to be fine. All of us are.” She seemed very sure of that.
I didn’t want to point out the obvious. If we were three years further along, sure, but when Ellie arrived, she knew hardly anything. Powerful, yes. Manipulative, no. Would she be the villain? No. And I would not want her to, but my father was well suited for that role. Not to be trusted.
“Promise me, Ellie. You must promise me.” I felt the pain in my lower back and winced.
“I promise.” She nodded and then she looked up and beyond me for a moment. “Let’s get you to the cottage, okay?”
“Yeah.” I nodded.
Only, we didn’t make it to the cottage before the pain was searing through me, pulling me apart. “Ellie!”
“Damnit.” She looked around and said, “I read as much as I could, Max. You have to be in water.”
“No.” I shook my head then cried out in pain as the demands being made on this body were unbearable. “I can’t. Not without Thurst.”
CHAPTER 20
Thurst
“Braz?” The alert came at the worst possible time. Maxine’s father was approaching the stadium on his tour of the campus before he would be taken to Maxine. He was wearing a five-piece suit. The additional items to the typical three-piece suit were the matching cloak and the pin that indicated his wizarding station in the political arena for their location.
Braz looked at me, at Mr. Mayhem, and at the symbol that zapped both of us again.
I said, “You have to go. Find them. You can fly. Even at top speed I wouldn’t get there and back in time to handle this and it has to be me.”
This was my family and I had to be the one to protect it. Plus, he probably wouldn’t believe Max was with Braz. It was obvious he was not paddling around any body of water with those wings on his back.
