AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter Twelve
Ven
Ryder looks back and forth between me and Maranda. “Well, I personally love risking life and limb.”
I elbow him. Why can’t he take anything seriously? “There’s really nothing else?” I ask in a pleading tone.
Maranda shakes her head. “Sorry, kids. If a couple weeks passes and you get really desperate, come back and see me. But I don’t think we should go right to the mega-possibly-deadly spell.”
“A couple weeks,” I groan, placing a hand to my forehead.
“Tell you what, though. I can cast a little spell so you don’t have to go to the bathroom. Very not sexy, am I right?” Maranda smiles broadly.
I blink, not sure how to react to that, but before I can say anything she’s dusted us with magic. “There. All good. But again, two weeks… I should probably lift that spell before too long.”
“Uh, thanks,” Ryder says. He shrugs and grins.
“There’s something else, too,” Maranda says.
Her jolly demeanor vanishes and she frowns, the crease along her forehead crinkled in worry. That can’t be good.
“I hate to keep ruining your day, but… well, Luciana isn’t the only witch missing now. I just caught wind of another couple of witches who’ve disappeared, too. Not from around here, but one further north in Guanacaste, and the other from San Jose.” She sighs. “It seems they’re all disappearing from bars and nightclubs.”
Ryder and I exchange a glance. “Yes, that’s what we discovered last night,” Ryder says. “It seems there’s some sort of drug being sold that turns people into demons.”
Maranda’s eyes widen. “Demons? But why?”
“That’s what we’re trying to find out.” I lift my chin and try to act as I hadn’t just elbowed Ryder like a child a couple minutes ago. “Ryder and I are on it. There are possibly missing fae and shifters as well. We’re acting on behalf of the Raven Society. Branching out to help the broader supernatural community with issues like this.”
As the words fall out of my mouth, I realize I really need to pull myself together. Not just for Luciana. This is a big deal for Rowan and Xander, for the whole supernatural community. The first official case of the revamped Raven Society. I can’t run around letting some man get the better of my emotions.
“I’d heard something like that was going on in the Society,” Maranda says. “Well, it’s a good thing. We need to have each other’s backs.”
“Exactly.” I nod.
“Good luck,” Maranda says. “I hope you find them. I’ve put out feelers in my network, so I’ll let you know what I find out. Or if any of my locator spells suddenly start working.”
“Thanks,” Ryder says. “We’re going to visit one of my contacts as well. See if we can get some intel on the situation.”
We say our farewells to Maranda and get back in the Jeep. Before long, I have it cranked up and we’re heading back down the mountain.
“Well, that was a giant waste of time,” I say with a groan.
Ryder looks over at me. “Not entirely. We got that bathroom spell, right? Good stuff.” He smirks.
I roll my eyes. “Well, sure. But what if…” I can’t even finish the sentence.
“What if we’re trapped together for all eternity?” Ryder props his feet up on the dashboard again and hangs one hand out the window. “We can cross that bridge if we get there. But I do think we need to seriously consider one thing.”
I frown. “What?”
“I think if we just go ahead and have sex, it’ll cut all this crazy chemistry and we’ll be able to move on with things. Focus. Be professional. You know, for the Raven Society.” He looks over at me, his expression dead serious.
“Really? You’re trying to lure me into bed with a guilt trip about my own society?” I’m not sure if I want to hit him or laugh. Or… no, I can’t actually consider it. It’s ridiculous.
“Who said anything about a bed?”
“Ryder—” I growl.
