“Entertaining, and a cute little display of arrogance that I knew was there. You just needed me to bring it out of you,” he shot back with a grin that held a salacious promise. He tapped at his wrist again, his brow rising. His voice dropped to a low, smoldering heat. “Kara, do you really have time to play with me?”
“No,” I rattled out, flushing. The memory of his touch after he healed my injury and the warmth of his lips on my skin revived.
He’d wrested back control. I hated that. Part of me needed to hate him to counter the feelings he stirred in me.
I’d have to dissect my complicated feelings about the shadow god later. Amelia was my priority. Waving a quick goodbye, it was hard not to move in the direction of where Diehle once stood. Before I could, Cirrian was in front of me, a dubious smirk on his face, so close the heat of his body and the thrum of his magic were constant companions as we navigated the stones. The water rippled aggressively as the mer-creature let me know he was still there. Alive.
Unlike Diehle.
Walking me to my car, Cirrian’s eyes traced over my face, all emotion gone from his expression. “Good luck, Kara.”
I allowed myself to be naïve enough to believe he was sincere, that it wasn’t driven by him simply wanting more entertainment.
14
“You’re okay?”
Rachel had asked some variation of the question several times while I briefed her on what had transpired at Diehle’s home. She received the heavily edited version that didn’t include Diehle breaking the terms of our contract and attacking me. Cirrian’s breaking of rules and killing him was also withheld. Being forced to tell lies of omission and give modified retellings was becoming frustrating.
Rachel bombarded me with questions, and I kept my answers as succinct as possible, while my thoughts kept wondering about the debts and contracts Diehle held. Were they voided upon his death? Would another demon take over his territory and incur the debts? I liked the idea of a demon-less territory, even more so now.
“We’re still working on a counterspell,” Rachel provided, a hitch of apprehension in her voice.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“I’m afraid.” Her voice cracked with the quiet admission. It cost her something to disclose the vulnerability. “Our magic wasn’t right for several hours after we performed the location spell on Amelia. We’ll do anything to help her. But I’m afraidwe’ll end up sacrificing our magic or risking our lives only to fail to save her.”
My heart wrenched at her despair. I shared similar sentiments. “The spell I have will work,” I asserted with a confidence I hoped would ease her worry. “And it only requires one witch to invoke it.” That wasn’t much solace because the invocation would put that witch’s life and magic at risk. “Don’t worry. No one in your coven needs to perform the spell. I’ll find someone else,” I told her.
After a long, brittle silence, Rachel spoke in a hushed, concerned voice. “Don’t let desperation force you to do things that challenges who you are. The vampires are fond of you, but if you earn a reputation for weaponizing them, your life will be at risk. Witches will not stand for their magic to be exploited through compulsion.”
Her words landed like an accusation, and it stung even though I knew it didn’t come from a place of malice. Rachel understood that the kind of desperation that drives a person to make deals with demons could easily lead them to other reckless and dangerous actions.
“I would never do anything like that,” I said. “A witch owes me a big favor and I’m calling it in. I acknowledge that this is a powerful spell, and I don’t know if he can handle it. I need you to continue to work on a backup plan, in case it fails.”
“Who’s the witch?”
“Jonah. I don’t have a last name?—”
“A last name isn’t needed. We know him. How did you come about earning a favor from him?”
“I saved his life.”
“His life? Or did you save someone from him?” Rachel’s disdain for him came through her tepid tone.
“Both.”
The tension in the quiet was palpable. “Be careful dealing with him, okay?” After more strained silence she warned, “There’s something off about his magic.”
“That seems to be the general consensus.”
“Because it’s true. Take that into consideration during every interaction with him. He is not a safe person to have in your life,” she warned.
“Message received.”
“Kara,” she interrupted before I could end the call. “Don’t just receive it. Take it.”
“Okay.” I’d take her warning, but I needed Jonah’s magic for now, and he was a person of interest, so I’d have to deal with him. If he was not involved with the curse, then I’d place him persona non grata.
