Page 22 of The Wicked In Me


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Considering the woman would argue with you over absolutely anything when operating on an empty stomach, Wynter would have to agree with her.

As she dug into her breakfast, she looked around the kitchen and noticed that Delilah had also made time to unpack her cauldron, mortar, and pestle. Glass jars of herbs, ground roots, seeds, and powders were set near them. Her homemade medicinal tea mixtures were no doubt tucked in a cupboard somewhere, along with her bottles of this and that.

Wynter suspected that Delilah had hurried to set her own bits and bobs around the kitchen because she’d wanted to claim a small area before Anabel had the chance to do the same. The blonde’s cauldron, tools, and the typical ingredients she used for the potions were nowhere in sight, but they’d no doubt be neatly set at the other side of the kitchen before the day was over.

Delilah sipped her drink. “So, is anyone regretting that they’ve surrendered some rights to their soul? Please say no, because I really like this place. I don’t want to leave.”

Anabel shrugged one shoulder. “I haven’t had a freak-out yet, but it’ll eventually happen. Still, I won’t ask to leave.”

“Me neither,” said Xavier around a mouthful of bagel.

“I don’t like not being theonlyproud owner of my soul, but the situation isn’t bothering me half as much as I thought it would,” said Wynter. “Maybe it’s because I know it isn’t permanent and that I could reclaim those rights at any time.”

“Why do you think the Ancients insist on that particular price tag?” asked Xavier. “Do you think owning rights to souls increases their power, or do you think it’s a scare tactic meant to keep people in line?”

“No clue,” replied Wynter. “It might be a bit of both.”

“What do we think of Cain?” asked Delilah. “My opinion? He’s hot as fuck. Man, I’d like me some of thatifhe wasn’t one seriously scary dude. I was expecting ‘scary,’ after all Wynter told me about the Aeons and all the rumors we heard about the Ancients, but Cain still ruffled my fur.”

“My hackles rose just the same,” said Xavier.

Delilah slid her gaze to Wynter. “We gonna talk about how he eye-fucked you?”

Nope, not at all. Casually forking some scrambled eggs, Wynter said, “There was no eye-fucking.”

Xavier grinned. “Oh, there was. I’m not sure that’s a good thing, given he’s an Ancient, but you definitely had his attention. You once warned me that the Aeons were very removed and didn’t reallyseemortals. I didn’t get what you meant until we walked into that parlor yesterday. Cain’s the same.”

Pausing, Xavier gestured at himself, Anabel, and Delilah as he added, “He saw us, spoke to us, listened to us, but he didn’t focus on us anymore than he’d have focused on a speck of dust. We didn’t really register on his radar. You, however …youhe saw.”

Unease settled in Wynter’s gut. Not merely because she had an Ancient’s attention, but because part of her stupidly liked it. Hey, she’d have to be dead not to be attracted to Cain. But he was everything sheshouldn’twant in a guy—dark, dangerous, pitiless. Sadly, her hormones didn’t give a crap about that.

Anabel bit her lip. “Do you think he might have sensed that you’re not simply a witch?”

“If he did, he doesn’t know exactlywhatI am,” said Wynter. “He’d have turned me away if that were the case. Or killed me. Whichever.” She paused. “On a whole other note, we need to go job hunting.”

Delilah looked at the wall clock. “Yes, we do. And soon.”

Anabel cringed, her fingers flexing. “I-I don’t know if I can. There are so many people, and I haven’t been able to mentally map the place out yet. I want some time to settle in first.”

Wynter touched her arm. “That’s fine. You can watch over Hattie and keep her out of trouble.” She frowned at the sound of voices yelling outside.

Anabel froze, her eyes widening. “Who’s that?”

Wynter sighed. “Seems like our dear neighbors aren’t opposed to screaming at each other first thing in the morning.”

Delilah slipped off her chair and walked into the living room. “They also apparently aren’t opposed to having a standoff outside our front gate. They’ve noticed me watching them and don’t even care. Assholes.”

“I’d rather not make enemies of two lycan packs, so we’re going to have to handle this the smart way.” Wynter looked at Anabel. “Do you have enough ingredients to get working on some potions that might help?”

The blonde nodded. “I brought plenty in my bag.”

The back door opened with a creak, and Hattie padded inside. “What’s with the shouting?”

“Lycans are arguing outside,” Delilah explained, returning to the kitchen.

Hattiehmphed. “An old woman should be able to enjoy a joint in peace. The damn book wrecked me, ending on a cliffhanger like that. And the heroine forgave the herofartoo easily, in my opinion. She should have made him plead for forgiveness. I like a good, long grovel.” She hefted herself onto a chair. “All my husbands groveled.”

Delilah shot her a look. “Was this before or during the slow, excruciating deaths they endured courtesy of the ‘special teas’ you gave them?”

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