Page 133 of Mage Massacres

“Lies. It burns like Hell. It’s not a pinch.”

I grabbed his ankle, sticking my thumb against the arch of his foot. He sucked in a strangled breath, attempting to pull away from me. As soon as my little skull was branded into his skin, I healed it, leaving only the iridescent surface.

“That sucked,” he gasped.

“I don’t want it,” Bishop stated.

“Don’t be a baby, Bish,” Joyner taunted, watching as I leaned against the counter.

He stretched his neck, peeking at the bottom of my left foot curiously. I sat on a barstool next to Murphy, lifting both feet to give him a better view.

“You’re a collector?” he inquired, dragging another stool to perch in front of me.

“Something like that.” I shrugged, gripping Murphy’s ankle once more.

“Again?” he whined.

I smiled at him as I burned a bolt of lightning into my skin. While Murphy’s signature went on my left foot, Joyner and Bishop’s magic would join Hyde and Arwen’s on my right foot.

I had to keep the groups together.

“Why didn’t that hurt you?” Murphy questioned as I repeated the process with Joyner.

To my surprise, the wyvern didn’t release the slightest flinch, wince, or groan. Novak and Briggs joined Murph in scowling at him.

“And why didn’t that hurt him?” the warlock griped.

“It hurts you because it’s my magic entering your body. A tattoo isn’t painless either. It’s still an open wound until it’s healed.”

I wobbled my head, trying to finish the thought in a way that made sense.

“It doesn’t not hurt me, but it’s not painful. My magic cocoons yours when I mark myself. I’m essentially stealing a tiny sliver of your magical essence and imbuing myself with it… Like a physical form for trading phone numbers.”

When everyone’s gaze swung to Joyner, he twisted his lips to the right. “I’m a wyvern. My shifted form is impervious to fire. A little brand is nothing compared to breathing through the burn.”

Bishop reluctantly took Joyner’s chair. “This isn’t a contract for selling our soul, is it?”

“That comes next,” I snarked. “You can’t enter the Underworld without approval from the regulating body.”

“You mean you?”

“Either one of us.” I nodded my head in Stone’s direction. He was already drawing the Third Devil’s symbol on Murphy’s hand. “Sam and Lucifer can do it too. That one doesn’t hurt at all.”

The shapeshifter cut his gaze to Hyde, silently standing out of the way with Briggs. “This is important?”

A sad smile tilted her lips down. “If I had agreed to the mark when Lo asked, I wouldn’t have been captured, strung up, and tortured.”

I grasped her hand, knowing she would rather dig her own grave than talk about her time with the gorgon. Every male in the kitchen was stiff. Murderous energy swirled around us.

Bishop shook his head. “I didn’t know.”

“It’s okay. He’s dead now, and that’s all that matters.”

“If I could,” I murmured, grabbing Bishop’s ankle. “I’d kill him again. Slower the second time around.”

She nodded. “I know you would. But you showed up when I needed you, and you gave them a deserving punishment. They aren’t worth thinking about anymore, Lo.”

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