As Gia stepped outside, Aurora had a thorough look around, spotting no one. Had they read the situation all wrong? She couldn’t imagine how. But then, what was she missing?
The answer might lie with Gia rather than the Lockwoodsor Thornfields. She was cagey and had a suspicious stack of cash she refused to explain. But how could money lead to Trey? The Thornfields didn’t deal with humans, and Gia’s shocked reaction to magic couldn’t have been fake.
Aurora would bet her soul on it.
At least no one Aurora recognized popped out of the woodwork to follow them. She’d take the win and figure the rest out later.
The Herb Emporium wasn’t far, and Gia had the address and a map pulled up on her phone, saving Aurora from whispering directions in her ear.
Reaching the end of the block, Gia turned down a cross street. An SUV pulled into traffic behind them, and Gia looked over her shoulder. She wore dark sunglasses, her expression unwavering, but the glance alone was enough to have Aurora on alert.
“I don’t recognize the vehicle,” Aurora said, confident it didn’t belong to her coven. They were more of a pickup truck crew.
“Good.” Gia strode forward with apparent confidence, her hands fisting around her backpack straps.
Was that a hint of nerves?
Trey or someone else could be in a car Aurora didn’t know—they might have rented one—but after yesterday’s obvious stakeout, stealth didn’t fit. Still, Aurora floated into the street to get a better look. Two unfamiliar men were visible through the front windshield. She drifted out of the way, and the SUV overtook Gia, stopping at the next intersection.
Another car pulled out and followed suit. It was all normal traffic. Nothing to worry about. They were being paranoid, even if for good reason.
No one seemed to follow them as Gia walked several more blocks. The SUV and following car both veered offcourse before Gia made her next turn. Of course, there were more similar SUVs around, which wasn’t unusual.
Aurora did her best to look into as many vehicles as she could, and didn’t see anyone she recognized.
They paused at a red light. Maybe after the apothecary, they could go to a coffee shop to wait until Lilly coordinated a safe place for them. A relaxing environment would do them both good, even if Aurora had to stay hidden.
With a screeching of tires, a black SUV rounded the corner, going way too fast. Gia swore in surprise, and Aurora flinched. The vehicle came to an abrupt halt, blocking the crosswalk in front of them.
Gia stiffened and staggered back. It was a good thing she hadn’t been stepping off the curb to cross on the red light, or she’d have been hit.Shit, Aurora fumed. Gia could have died!
Assholes. Traffic wasn’t even holding them up. Why stop?
The rear door to the SUV swung open, and a middle-aged man in a leather jacket with slicked back hair jumped out.
Gia gasped, taking two quick steps away from him.
“There you are,” he said roughly. “I think you need to come with me.”
What the fuck?
“And before you run”—the man opened his jacket, revealing a shoulder holster and a fuckinggun—“think about what you’re doing. You don’t want anyone to get hurt, do you?”
“Salvator.” Gia’s back was stiff as a board. Aurora could hear her heart thundering, could practically feel the frantic vibrations through the air, rattling her soul.
Gia knew this guy?
“Get in the car,” he ordered, tone threatening.
Gia looked wildly around. “I can’t.”
“You don’t have to,” Aurora said in her ear. But fuck, what could she do? She couldn’t cast a single damn spell in this form.
“Now,” the man—Salvator—snapped, reaching beneath his jacket.
Gia whimpered, taking a reluctant step forward.
Like hell. Aurora wouldn’t let her go with him. Gia may have left out a mountain’s worth of details when telling Aurora about herself, but that didn’t matter in the slightest. She was in trouble.
