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“Don’t pretend to be concerned.”The silence clawed at him, making the crunch of packed dirt and gravel beneath his soles seem deafening.None of the normal honking cars or sirens or garbage trucks blasted in the background.
He missed the smells of ocean air and exhaust fumes, buried under the stench of smoke.The enormous grids and transformers and coils and switches stretched toward the sky, those steel and alloy structures cold and sterile without the buzz of electricity.This was an apocalyptic version of the city he’d known.It wasn’t home, wasn’t Vori.
“Here.”The engineer stopped.“You’ll want to direct the lightning to the top of this tower if you can.How’s your aim?Is it a sky full of storm or a more concentrated blast?”She stared expectantly at Delia.
The Legacy witch glared at him.“It’s deadly accurate.”
Nothing like a reminder of how he’d almost killed her.
“Right.”The oblivious engineer pointed to the top wires.“I’ll let you get started.I’ll be in the control room over there, monitoring the levels.If you overload the circuits, we have fail-safes that are grounded to discharge the extra.No pressure.We all appreciate what you and the Senators are doing.This city needs the lights back on.”She pulled her jacket tighter.“Let me know if you need me.”
Delia watched until the other woman looked away.“I’ll give you some space.”
Rocking on his toes, he breathed in deeply to clear his mind.For once, this magic he’d wanted so badly might be able to help people.This was his chance for redemption.He just needed to take it.On the exhale, all he could think about was Vori.Her amethyst eyes, her smooth skin, the way she’d kissed him.
Like she wouldn’t wait for him.
Like she’d been saying good-bye.
Shit.
No way his promise to come back as fast as he could had been enough for her.That’d been a farewell kiss, and he’d been too distracted by the guns and the city burning to recognize the signs.His only possible chance for redemption wasn’t the Legacy witches’ forgiveness, a Senate pardon, or saving the city.It was withher.
He flexed his hands, called to his magic…and nothing happened.
“Is something wrong?”Delia asked.
He opened his mouth to answer thateverythingwas wrong, but a dark missile hurtled between them with a massivewhomp, scattering rocks that bit into his skin.What the hell?A muscle-bound giant landed between them, his broad back and freakishly enormous, black-feathered wings to Perry.The Legacy witch shoved wind at the intruder, creating a dust storm.Right.They needed to defend themselves from yet another threat.
“You dared aim guns at my cousin?”The accusation lashed through the air like a barbed whip.
Perry stopped trying to spark his powers at the sound of barely restrained mob boss fury.“Alexei.”
The man’s massive wings spanned twice his height.He glanced over his shoulder and then back at Delia.“Our agreement was you would negotiate with my cousin and her consort to get the power back on.”
“I negotiated in keeping with our bargain.”Delia sounded ice empress as usual.“He’s here unharmed, we left your cousin in a safe location, and we’ll return him to her as soon as the electricity is restored.”
“We have to go now,” Perry interrupted before the two could hash out details that didn’t matter.“Vori’s in danger.”
“What?”Alexei turned.
“No time.”He held up a hand.“Fire up the helicopter, let me finish this, and I’ll tell you on the ride.”His magic burned under his skin, demanding release if he could just figure out how to get past the block.
“Don’t you dare fly off with him,” Delia snapped at the winged demon hybrid.“Or our deal is off, and I’ll summon a wind that’ll ground you both.I’ll tell Mark to be ready for immediate takeoff.”She hurried away.
Alexei yanked his wings closed and stared at him.“I hope you know what you’re doing with your witchy Taser act.”
“Maybe you should stand back.”In case his worry for his wife short-circuited every tower here.
“I’ll be fine.”
What the hell kind of powers did the demon mob boss have other than flying?Nope.Not asking.It would take up precious seconds.
Rubbing his palms together, Perry pleaded with his powers to work.The magic sparked on his fingers and sputtered and snuffed out.What did Vori do to unlock it?To release it when she pulled at it?To steal it?
No, not stealing.He gave the magic to her willingly.Without limitations.Without restraint.Without holding anything back.
He simply dropped his guard and let the magic flow from him.White arcs of power jumped from his hands to the tower, circling and twisting until the currents slammed into the coils.Lightning zipped from him into the metal, ripping from one structure to another.Sparks flew in a shower of ice blue and blinding white, and aboomrocked the ground beneath them.
