“No! Uh, no. I’d rather you keep watch over my altar. I’ll prop open the door with my shoe.” She whipped off her black half boot and stuck it in the door as soon as she was on the other side.
Sly had been looking out of the glass panel in the front door and turned, arching one brow in curiosity. “Is everything all right?”
“Yeah, I just had to come get that…” she winked “ingredient I tucked into your pocket this morning.”
Apparently, he followed her ruse and just said. “Ah.”
Hurrying to his side, she whispered in his ear, “Can Mikhail hear us if I whisper?”
Sly shrugged.
She had to make a quick decision. Possibly let Mikhail know she’d discovered his secret or take the chance of Sly never knowing…
Finally, she just said, “If anything happens to me, tell Gwyneth to use the principles of sourdough bread.”
His brows knit. “What do you mean, if anything happens to you?”
“Look, magic can be dangerous. You already knew that, right?”
He reared back. “No, I didn’t. You’d better rethink this.”
“I can’t,” she said a little too loudly. She coughed, then lowered her voice. “I doubt anything will happen. I just had to let you know—in case…”
“In case what?”
Exasperated, she blew out a deep breath.
“Fine. But will she know what that means?” he whispered.
Morgaine nodded. Then she grabbed him and kissed him hard. “I love you.” With that she whirled on her remaining heel and ran back to the warehouse before he could stop her.
Mikhail was pacing. “What was that about?”
She smiled innocently as she put her boot back on. “What was what about?”
I heard you say, “I can’t.”
“Oh, you heard that, huh? Did you hear anything else?”
He hesitated, then shook his head. “What’s this about, Morgaine? Is something wrong?”
“No. Everything’s fine.”
Sly opened the door. Apparently, the lock wasn’t strong enough to hold the door closed against vampiric strength, but he didn’t enter. “Everything isn’t fine.” His expression was stern. “She just told me this could be dangerous. I don’t want her risking her neck for you or me or anyone.”
Mikhail stared at Morgaine. “Is that true? Could you harm yourself, if you do this?”
“It’s very unlikely. I mean, how would he know you’d find a witch to remove his curse? And I’m not sure hecoulddo anything to stop me, even if he did know.”
“And what was ‘I can’t’ in response to?” Mikhail asked.
“I wanted her to reconsider,” Sly answered for her. “Mikhail, invite me in.”
“No, don’t.” Morgaine had to stand up to these two men. Otherwise, the whole trip would have been for nothing. “Please, Sly. Tell you what, I’ll do a spell to increase my own strength first. Now, close the door and let us continue.”
“No.” He folded his arms and planted his feet shoulder-width apart.
She rolled her eyes. “Well, then, I’ll just have to do this with you watching.”
