When I look away from Joe, Gunnar and Vanessa are having a hushed conversation, but it looks heated, if Gunnar’s demeanor is any indication.
“What do you think will happen next?” I lean over near Calix, excited that I’m in on the drama. This is way more exciting than what I’m used to.
“I think we should head back.” Calix is watching Gunnar.
“What? But it’s just getting good. Vanessa is about to be in a shit-ton of trouble, I know it. I don’t want to miss that.” I can’t believe he wants to leave now!
“Look around you, Damiana.” This comes from Grim. I do as he asks and note all the witches around me and their sooty auras.
“Okay?” I prompt, I’m not sure what I’m missing, but it must be something. Grim locks his arm around my waist again and starts to move us backwards, like he’s keeping me hostage. Kinky—I think I could do the whole Stockholm thing with him.
In my ear, he mutters, “None of them have any real power, but their souls are corrupted. There’s something else going on here.”
I watch Joe and the others like him. Grim is right. I sense the filth on them, but that’s it. They just feel like humans, soul-sick humans, except Vanessa. Her aura isn’t nearly as smudged as the others, yet something about her sets my teeth on edge. I want to knock her down a few pegs.
There’s still too much that I don’t know, that I don’t understand. Before I realize it, we’re back in the ladies’ bathroom. Grim is towing me backwards into the small stall. “I could walk, you know. You don’t have to kidnap me.” Grim’s arm loosens and I almost regret reminding him I’m a willing captive.
Calix stuffs himself into the tiny stall with us. “Oh my God. Work, girl!” I hear someone smack their lips together.
I can’t resist the challenge. With the sweetest smile I can muster, I start to moan. “Oh wow, both of you? But I’m not that type of girl.” Then I burst out laughing. “Just kidding! Who wants my ass?” Calix lets out a loud snort then covers his mouth with his hand. His eyes gleam down at me with a naughty twinkle.
Calix moans next, then smacks his hands together while he lets out a man whimper. “Do it again, mistress.”
“Would you two shut up?” Grim demands, his voice dark, and it reminds me of when he told me to keep quiet. I fight to turn around, elbowing Calix and Grim in the process. When I’m done, I’m staring up at Grim. I expected to find his face placid, but his jaw is hard, and his eyes are narrowed on me. He’s straddling the toilet so there’s enough room in here for all three of us.
I run my fingers up the inside of his thigh, watching as he squirms the tiniest bit, and heat starts to build in his eyes. “Don’t like to play?” I finally ask, when I reach the button on the top of Grim’s jeans. I let the nail of my pointer finger drag over the skin of his lower stomach.
“I need to concentrate.” I watch as Grim’s face smooths out, and the tic in his jaw softens.
“Fine.” I roll my eyes. The small cubical gets hot fast, and I’m not just talking about my body heating up because I’m pressed between two hot men like the cream in a doughnut. I blow my hair off my cheek. “Stop breathing so much. It’s hot as balls in here.”
“Hold on to her, Nemean,” Grim orders, as his arms come up around me. I wrap my arms around Grim’s back and lay my head on his chest, just so I have something to do with my hands. Calix fuses himself to my back and grabs a hold of my hips tightly.
“I thought you could only take one at a time?” Calix questions, as a cool waft of air circles around me.
“I never said that.” Grim steps back as soon as we’re in my kitchen. I miss his heat immediately.
“Asshole,” Calix mutters without any real anger.
“Why did you want to leave?” I hop up on the counter and let my feet dangle. My boots feel heavy, so I bend down and loosen the laces, letting them fall to the floor with a thump.
“I think that coven leader has found a way to siphon magic from her coven without taking the price on her soul. There’s no way she could remain the leader of such a large group and not show the evidence of her magic use.” Grim answers.
“What do you mean? How can you tell?” Calix makes his way to the fridge and grabs a carton of orange juice. He doesn’t even bother with a glass. He chugs it directly from the jug.
“You’re right,” I tell Grim, thinking about all the times I’ve been close to Vanessa. Something about her always repelled me, but I was never really sure what it was. Almost everyone in the group today felt slimy but her. Yet there’s something about her I don’t like. I don’t feel threatened by her, but I do feel something. “You can’t see their souls, auras?” I focus on Calix.
“No, but I’m guessing you both can.” He trades a glance between me and Grim.
“I bet Gunnar can’t either.” I tap my fingers on the counter. “Why put someone in charge of the witches who wouldn’t be able to see something like that?” I ponder, not really expecting an answer.
“Berserkers were created by shamans, or witches,” Calix explains. “They were short-sighted, as usual, when they created the beasts. When they cast the spell creating the warriors, they only gave them a single purpose, to defeat that current threat, which they did, but when there was no one left to fight, the warriors went mad.”
I feel the portal pull open just as Grim heaves out a sigh. “I must go.”
“Wait, when will you be back?” I hop off the counter. I don’t want him to go. Stupid, stupid, lonely heart. I should rip the damn thing out. I would probably make better decisions. Actually, I probably need to place a little more blame on my pussy, she seems to be getting me into a lot of trouble lately too.
“As soon as I can. Stay away from the club while I’m gone,” he tells me, then to Calix, he says, “It’s not safe.” Just as Grim goes to take a step backwards, he adds, “Stay with her.”
