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“As you said, one catastrophe at a time.Where would we find Petra?”
“The sex dungeon where I first met her would be my best guess.It’s about a mile from here.”She pointed in the general direction as they walked around a group of massive boulders.“If she’s not there, then I don’t know where to—”
Perry shot out his arm, blocking her path.
Men and women dressed in black tactical uniforms swarmed the path, lamps tacked on their gear, the only lights in the area.They aimed their weapons at her.Or Perry.Or perhaps at them both.
A freakin’ helicopter was parked where she’d hoped her cousin’s Hummer would be.Vori’s heart raced, but she refused to show any sign of surrender.She was a damn queen.“It’s like a bad SWAT movie.Or a nightmare.Did we wind up in the wrong realm?”She didn’t keep her voice down.Fuck ’em.She already had a goblin to stop.
A blond woman stepped forward, next to a man as big as Alexei with a pistol pointed at Perry and a clenched jaw that said he itched to pull the trigger.“You’re surrounded,” the blonde called out.“The Senate guards won’t hesitate to shoot if you try anything.Let’s keep this peaceful, shall we?”
Perry tried to shove in front of Vori, but she pushed him back.“Who are they?”she whispered.Because the woman had to be someone important to get a helicopter transport and armed security.
“Delia Donovan.”His voice came out gruff.“One of the Legacy witch sisters I almost killed.”
Adrenaline flooded Vori as if she’d tapped into his powers.“Why is she here?Do you want to go back through the glass?You can wait for me there.”Where he would be safe.
“No, we do this together.”He straightened to his full height.“Delia, come for revenge?”
The blond witch raised her hands, palms out.But if she was an air elemental, that didn’t mean she surrendered.“I came to ask for your help.Want to make up for what you did to me and my sisters?”
Perry shook his head.“There’s no way to earn forgiveness for that.And with this armed welcoming committee?It’s not like you’re offering me a choice.”
“A negotiation then, a plea deal.”Delia pointed toward the flames.“Our city has burned for three days.A human organization is out to expose and kill supernaturals, no matter how many innocents die in the cross fire.My sisters, our men, and I are doing all we can to save Los Angeles.”
“What’s that got to do with me?”Perry sounded bored.Either he’d truly put his entire focus on protecting Kradnovtl, or he hated the witch Senate that much.
“The power grid was sabotaged.We need the lights back onnowto have a chance to win this,” Delia said.“We need your magic.In exchange, you and your father will be pardoned of all crimes by the Senators.Your father will be granted permission and funds for the school he wants to establish.Celebrity priestess Reeve LaVay created cuffs for you that will contain your magic, giving you control over it, and you’ll be offered a place on the ruling advisory council, which is the real power you wanted.Your crimes against me, my sisters, and all witches would be erased.”
“Redemption,” he whispered.No way the witch could’ve heard him, but Vori had.This was his chance.But Perry hadn’t finished.“What if I refuse your offer?”His hard bargaining tone must’ve been what he’d used in court, blade-sharp and calculated cunning.
“Then we’re authorized to carry out your sentence immediately.”Delia’s expression didn’t change, but a note of disappointment laced her voice.“Death.Judgment decreed by what remains of the Senate should you decline to help.Don’t do this, Perry.Pick the smart choice.”
“Can’t right now.”He twitched his fingers ever so slightly as if daring any of those guards to make the first move, his magic buzzing where his skin grazed hers.“I made a promise to Vori.We have pressing business that must come first, blood vows to finish, a realm to save.”
“I hate it’s come to this.”The blonde touched the big man on the shoulder—not a boss’s touch, a lover’s touch.She said something softly to the man before raising her voice.“Diego.Take the shot.”
Vori’s mind raced.Diego?Her witch friend who’d found the amethyst?The one who’d taken her to the Senate prison to save his witch?The prison where she’d found Perry and Alys?Past “special ops sniper who never missed a target” Diego?
A red dot of light raced over Perry’s chest, and Vori pushed past him.“No.Diego, don’t do it.”She put all the authority she’d been taught as a crown princess, as a prophesied queen into the command.The red flare streaked across her instead.
“Get out of the way, Vori.”Diego’s yell echoed off the bluffs.“This asshole nearly killed the love of my life.He tried to bring down that helicopter for his forsaken Revelare.Did he even stop to think about the witches in that bird?My Ruby?He would’ve orphaned her baby girl.He deserves to die.”
“He acted under compulsion wards.”She focused on the immediate threat, letting the other guards blur into the background.“He didn’t kill your mate, and you’re not killing mine.”
“Shit.”The sniper’s voice grumbled with a growl of frustration.“Don’t go all bad boy crazy on us now.He joined the Revelare.If they carved wards into him, so be it.”
“Stop it.”She yanked up her chin, glaring at him as if staring down a camera on a dominate-and-destroy photoshoot.“And quit pointing that cat laser toy at us.I know if you wanted him dead so badly, he already would be.No grand theatrics necessary.”She was bluffing about the glowing prop—a guess from listening to him talk shop about his sniper past—but not about the rest.Diego could hit any target.But he wouldn’t go through her to get to Perry.No way.It’d violate everything he stood for.
“Damnit,” the sniper said.The red pinpoint disappeared.“Our friendship buys you three minutes.He goes with Delia to fix the power grid, or it’ll be a clean headshot.I won’t miss.No matter what.Senate’s orders.”
Vori’s anger wrapped around her, the pain in her shoulder spearing through her as her goblin skin fought to slip to the surface.“Since when did you become the Senate’s little bitch?”
“Since when did you have the world’s worst taste in witches?Clock’s ticking.”Diego was right in oh so many ways.She wanted to hurl another insult, to hurt them as they devastated her.
“No.”Her consort’s whisper and touch grounded her.“No need provoking the sniper.Not when we can’t win this.Not even with my powers or your strength.I can’t risk you.”
Hurt tore through her.“And I won’t risk you.”
