Page 69 of Catatonic


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Fucker.

“Well, thanks.” I waved them before tucking them into my pocket. “Saves me from hot-wiring the car on the way home, I suppose.”

Marianne continued, gesturing to a large black man with black rumpled hair at the head of the table, who simply stared at us emotionlessly. "This is Alex Paterson, the demon representative."

Finally, she pointed at the only person I recognized in the room, the one I had tried not to look at in case I lost my cool and punched her straight in her ugly mug. "And I'm sure you are familiar with Deborah Delany, the witch representative."

Debs didn't look at us either. She had her head bowed.

I sneered. "You could say we are acquainted."

Marianne blinked and eyed Debs curiously, then motioned to the empty chairs at the table. "Please, have a seat."

The councilors stared at us all curiously as we perched in the chairs opposite them. I didn't blame them. We’re a good-looking bunch of misfits.

“Ooo, Jammy Dodgers!” I cheered as I reached for the biscuits in the middle of the table and plucked one out of the packet. “I didn’t know you could get these in Sweden.”

Clawdia bowed her head to cover her chuckle. I smiled and prodded her ribs as I took a bite of my biscuit, and Zaide’s hand drifted over her thigh and squeezed her knee.

Her expression changed from amused to overwhelmed, and she bit her lip as a blush rose up from chest. Her chest, which I had a perfect view of thanks to Winnie’s confident wardrobe. The shirt was black and had a low triangle neckline, lower still since it didn’t fit Clawdia, as she didn’t have as much up top as Winnie used to.

She’d been freeing the nip the entire trip, but I’d only just noticed. Maybe it was the stress of the last few weeks or that I’d stopped myself from looking because she couldn’t be mine. But I could appreciate now. As I stared, her nipples pebbled through the thin cloth, and I licked my lips. Her breath stuttered as she caught my hungry gaze.

Joseph coughed, drawing me away from the hypnosis her boobs had me under. “As I mentioned on the phone, we’d like to hear your side of events,” he said.

I leaned back in my chair, giving them my full attention. “Happy to tell you. I thought you wanted to use your smelling lie detector, though.” I shrugged, unable to see anything that could smell or detect lies. Although in my profession, I was interested in technology I hadn’t heard of.

“That would be me,” Samuel chuckled.

At my look of confusion, Marianne explained. “Shifters have an extraordinary sense of smell.”

“Ah.” I looked over at Debs, who hadn’t moved. “Is she going to stay quiet as I talk shit about her?”

“Oh yes. She’s already answered our questions, and we found them lacking. She won’t get another opportunity.” Joseph stared at her, disdain curling his lip.

“Right.” I clapped. “Shall I dive in with the story, then?”

They all nodded, so I did. Everything that had happened to us, everything we knew or guessed at, poured out. I painted the witches, especially Debs and Mary, as the evil bitches they’d proven themselves to be.

Clawdia passed me a glass of water when I coughed, my throat drying out. When I finished, almost breathless with the speed of my summary, I chanced a look at Debs, the evil crone, to see her glaring at me, her mouth pinched so tight it looked like an arsehole and her fists clenched into round claws.

I raised an eyebrow to taunt her. "Isn't that right, Debs?" She didn't say anything. Couldn’t. I smirked.

Samuel spoke up instead. "He ain’t lying. It seems our witches have gone rogue."

Marianne shook her head sympathetically. “We are truly sorry for what you’ve gone through. It’s no excuse, but we were unaware of this event.”

“While your joint magic might have brought this dragon and the protector back to life, it’s clear that you had no choice in order to save yourselves. I cannot fault that,” Joseph added. "Alcor, please accept our deepest apologies for the cruelty you have been met with. We will ensure that the people involved in your torture and the torture of fifty other of your kind are punished. If there is anything we can do for you to make up for this transgression, please let us know."

Alcor straightened in his chair and announced, "I am looking for the witch who summoned me."

Joseph raised his eyebrow but only said, "We will help you find your summoner."

I nodded and took another Dodger. “You should have one of these,” I whispered to Clawdia and waved the biscuit. She shook her head, and I turned back to the council and took a bite. “Out of curiosity, what line was she spinning?”

Samuel rolled his eyes. “The witches were doing a summer equinox blessing, and you, your familiar, and her soul pair forced them into raising the protector and the dragon.”

My jaw dropped, and I stared at Debs. She glanced up. “They have someone who can smell lies, and that's what you tell them? I thought you were better than that.” I looked at Samuel and shook my head sympathetically. “I’m sorry you had to smell all that bullshit.”

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