Page 86 of Mage Massacres

Briggs curled around my back as Novak laid upside down. His feet were kicked up on the wall that his headboard leaned against, his head resting near my breasts. I propped my cheek on his lower abdomen, observing him as his mind wandered.

“What are you thinking about?” I asked, breaking the exhausted silence after watching his eyes dance around the wall.

He returned my question with one of his own. “You can’t hear me?”

“I could, but I’d rather you tell me.”

The tip of his index finger traced over my palm, and he grinned when I pulled my hand away to scratch at the tickling sensation.

“I was wondering why you haven’t consumed the rest of the Pith tokens…” he trailed off, raising a brow at me.

“I—Well, I felt bad for consuming the other two without knowing what they would do—”

“You mean, without knowing if we cared about the outcome?” Novak corrected.

I shrugged one shoulder. “That too. I haven’t forgotten about them, but I haven’t wanted to broach the subject either. What if Stone and Palmer weren’t ready to be that close to me? I can’t undo the impulsive decision I made, but I can not make the same decisions for everyone else.”

“I don’t think any of us would be upset with you for making that decision. Stone certainly isn’t. Palmer has mentioned being surprised about seeing the Pith tokens, but he hasn’t once alluded to not being okay with you consuming them.”

Briggs’ chest rumbled against my back as he chimed in. “Vaughn will expect it as soon as you two seal your bond. He’s nothing if not thorough. And you won’t find me hiding with my tail tucked either. I’m sure Novak feels the same way.”

“I don’t have a tail to tuck,” my vampire teased. “But I wouldn’t stop you. I can’t imagine a reason why I would try. And we all know York would be over the fucking moon about it. He’ll probably hand you his balls to prove his devotion.”

I snorted, recalling the first night I met my druid. Well, the second first time, because until a few weeks ago, it had been the only first meeting for me. He had been nothing but devoted since I met him, and that was why he was taken.

As the memory faded, electricity rolled over my skin, and I jolted up in the center of Novak’s bed. “Get dressed. We have to go.”

The tracker I’d snuck on to Annette had been triggered. She was using her magic, and now was the time to find her.

I didn’t wait for them to move. Snapping my fingers to hone my frayed focus, I brought clothes to all three of us and rushed out of the room. Briggs and Novak scrambled up, catching me in a few quick steps as I tugged the t-shirt over my head.

“I get the snapping for focus thing,” my vampire stated, staring at the shirt in his grasp. “But why do you call the clothes to your hands when we’ve seen you swap the clothes on your body?”

“Spells are all about intent,” I reminded him. “And I have no intention of dressing you, only undressing. You’re a grown-ass man. You can put your pants on by yourself.”

I heard Briggs chuckle behind me before he whispered to Novak, “She’s put boxers on me.”

“Dick,” he insulted, then snorted. “That’s why she did it. She was scared of that viper you smuggled in your pants. Now we’re both going to be on edge, waiting for it to blink or bite. It probably has fangs bigger than mine.”

The tingling on my skin grew more potent, and my stomach filled with unease. I stopped, closing my eyes while I called on my Sight for the briefest of moments. Whatever spell she was casting was falling slowly over a building, from the top down, inch by inch. I wasn’t sure what it was, but we needed to get there before she finished.

Something inside that building was important, and she was trying to hide it.

I sent the image to my guys, meeting them in the kitchen.

“We need to go. Now.”

“What do you think she’s trying to cover up?” Stone inquired, lacing his boots.

Vaughn scowled at my demon before locking his icy blue eyes on me. “I get why we’re going, but what are we going to do when we get there?”

“Simple,” I replied, stepping through the Void without finishing my answer.

I followed her trail until I stood before an inconspicuous brick building that blended in with the businesses on either side of it. Nothing stood out to me, except fear and magic tainting the street.

“We’re back in downtown Belfast,” Palmer whispered, popping up behind me. “This building is a law office. Why would she be there?”

“I don’t care what she’s doing here. I want to know what she’s covering up, and then I’m going to destroy her.”