Page 109 of Fallen Court

“If you’re implying that—” The click of a lock interrupted her, the bathroom door swinging open with urgency. A cacophony of shouts and curses spilled in along with a trio of flustered women, one of whom I assumed must be a witch.

“Sorry,” the one dressed in a flapper costume said when they spotted us. “Shit is going down out there.”

My heart stopped. “What’s happening?”

“Some human guy just picked a fight with a witch, and now his vampire and fae friends are getting involved. It’s going to get ugly fast,” another said between pants, her eyes round and wild as she slammed the door. “How did you not hear it?”

“I had a privacy ward on the door,” Ciara said, pushing past her. “You said he’s with a vampire and a fae?”

The flapper nodded, holding out an arm to slow Ciara. “You should stay here. Let someone else break it up. Lachlan Gage is out there.”

But Ciara was already giving me a sympathetic look. A vampire, a fae, and a human walked into a bar… What were the chances? I pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling the onset of a headache. “If only…”

Ciara grabbed my hand, yanking me into the chaos outside the bathroom, the energy in La Porte spiraling like the beginning of a storm. We forced our way through the crowd of people, half of whom were trying to escape and the others egging on the fight.

Channing stood defiantly amidst overturned chairs and spilled drinks, his fists clenched and blood leaking from a split lip, his questionable new friends beside him. Shaw snarled like he wanted another round, but Dante had his palms raised, trying to talk down a group of male witches stalking toward him.

“Channing!” I yelled over the din, but it was like trying to be heard in a hurricane. I scanned the room, looking for Lach and Roark, but they were nowhere to be found.

Maybe Lach wasn’t going to do anything. Maybe he wasn’t even here. And if Lach couldn’t or, worse, wouldn’t do anything, I would.

“Let Lach handle it,” Ciara said, but I shook my head and kept working my way through the crowd of onlookers until I could hear everything.

Channing barreled toward him, but Dante caught him around the middle. “Let it go.”

“Fuck that,” Channing shouted, rage mottling his fair skin. “She said no. Respect it or I’ll make you respect it.”

Dante didn’t budge. “They aren’t worth it.”

“We didn’t ask your opinion, switch.” One of the witches spat at Dante’s feet. The vampire’s nostrils flared at the slur, but the witch kept talking. “And since you all seem to be confused, let me point out the obvious. Humans need to remember their place.”

Another witch moved closer, murmuring something in a strange language, and Channing grabbed his own throat, choking like he was struggling to breathe. It was a spell of some sort. I elbowed a woman out of the way, the rushing sound in my ears muffling her cry of protest. A fight was bad enough, but Channing was no match for their magic.

“Don’t you get it?” the witch called as my brother fought for air. “We’re higher in the food chain now. It’s about time everyone in town learns that.”

I shoved toward them, my heart hammering against my ribs. “Stop it! Let him go.”

But my path was blocked by one of the witches, his eyes narrowing on me. “This is none of your business. We can take care of that asshole.”

“That asshole is my brother.” I shoved him in the chest, wishing I had even an ounce of the magic Ciara had. She could use it. Any of them could use their magic, and this would be over in seconds. Why weren’t they?

“Whoa! A live one.” He caught me around the waist and spun me, pretending to dance with me. I struggled against his hold, but he pinned my arms tightly at my side.

“Put me down now,” I ordered in a low voice. “You have no idea who you are fucking with.”

He dipped me. “Who’s that, darling? Another fragile human? But you sure are pretty.”

His friend moved to his side, hatred gleaming in his eyes as they focused on me.

“You should take off that costume,” he snarled. “I can see what you truly are.” A chill shot down my spine as he continued, “Change—”

Darkness swept through the room, cutting him short. Panicked cries filled the space; the people who were reckless enough to have stayed were now trying to escape. The grip on me loosened, and I slipped to the floor. When the shadows lifted, the witches had clustered together, my brother, his friends, and me forgotten.

“Tried to warn you,” I told the flirtatious one as Lach appeared at my side. I stared up at him, relief mixing instantly with annoyance. “Took you long enough.”

“I thought you liked to fight your own battles, princess.” But strained fury blazed in his eyes.

“S-s-sir.” The witch who had grabbed me took a step forward.