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Lucianna’s eyes glow bright green in the night as we approach, as though she knows what just happened, but there’s no open pathway to connect with her thoughts right now; maybe intentional on her part and maybe not.
Hopefully none of the others know. I will certainly be the laughingstock of the witches community. Like Raven, who would never be welcomed back to the academy even if she wanted to return. I have no doubt that she doesn’t, but still. She seems quite content even while the center of the jokes of all the witches back at school.
Romano stands with his arm lightly around her shoulder, as if protecting her from anything that could ever do her harm. She smiles up at him, and her eyes twinkle in the light of the moon and stars. They look so happy. How is it that we never hear that story at the academy, only how relationships are forbidden, that vampires will suck your blood, tear out your heart and burn you to ashes, leaving you in the eternal depths of hell if you let them get close to you.
That’s exactly what I’ve just done… And now, I’ll willingly let myself be taken into the vampire’s lair against every warning that’s been drilled into my head.
Chapter11
Campania
I guideWillow with a hand on her lower back toward the estate with the others. The minute my hand moves from her body, I immediately feel the loss. The magnetism between us is undeniable, the chemistry combustible in its intensity. Vampire master, witch, it does not seem to matter.
My finger strokes down the side of her face. “Stay inside and answer the door for no one. You’ll be well protected. These women are friends of mine and will keep you safe.”
Willow nods and swallows down her fear as she looks at the estate door. The feud between the witches and vampires has gone on for centuries, brutal in its rivalry. I do not blame her one bit for being scared. I curse the circumstances causing me to leave her side, especially as she walks through that door with only my promise that she will be safe from the vampires she fears on the other side.
Once the ladies are safely inside the estate, Descallia punches numbers into his phone in earnest, swearing in frustration. “Damn this new technology. We had the security updated, and now everything comes with an app of some sort. What happened to just turning a switch?”
Silver smirks and looks toward the sky. I follow his glance, watching as a bright green flock of ghouls become visible. The buzzing that usually surrounds them begins in earnest until they’ve taken up sentry around the perimeter, and some stay guard circling the sky.
Descallia pockets his phone, apparently happy his security is set and goes to stand by Lucas. “Half the ghouls will remain here, and the other half will leave with us. Clay, Terrence, you’ll join us. We could use your help finishing this never-ending flow of shifter bastards. Campania, why don’t you and Romano take Silver with you. He’s well versed in combat, but his other numerous skills may come in handy if the witches get shifty.”
I give him a nod,always more than happy to have a psychic, and someone able to throw a little magic back the witches way. Although, rounding the cackling biddies and making them talk shouldn’t be too hard now. The spell Raven cast before we left should suffice to keep them in line, but just in case, it’s never a bad idea to have a man like Silver in your back pocket.
Descallia and his crew disappear, and we transport seconds later, appearing right around the corner from the club. The minute we walk around to the front door, we’re accosted by the balding club owner. “Master Campania, certainly this isn’t your idea of keeping the peace between the vampires, witches, and shifters. All of whom are customers, currency paying customers, might I add.” He throws up his hands in despair. “My nightclub was trashed, and no one can get in to clean with those witches suspended in the air.” He barely takes a breath before he’s about to start his tirade again, but I cut him off. “I’m sorry for your trouble.” I pull out a wad of bills and peel one after another from its roll. His eyes grow big, but just for the sake of keeping the peace I add a few more after that to his outstretched hand. He smiles as he takes the money; that should cover his expenses and much more. “Thank you.”
I give the man a pat on the shoulder. “We’ll get the witches out of your hair and get things cleaned up a little too. I’ll let you know when you can start letting people through.” I don’t wait for an answer but push open the steel door to the club. The witches are exactly where we left them. The ring of fire keeping them captive while Raven’s spell keeps them subdued, quiet and unable to perform any trickery that may otherwise have worked to set them free.
Silver looks around the room, ten witches. The very number Devora thought would be hanging out together, still doing the bidding of the late Isala. He gestures toward the ring of fire still circling them. “If you want to put those flames out, I can easily move them to the warehouse without a lot of effort.”
Romano’s eyebrows lift. “This I’d like to see.” I’m as curious as he is, having heard about some of his magical powers by the other masters who’ve worked with him before me.
I give Silver a nod. “We’d appreciate your help, Silver. Let’s get them to the warehouse and then make sure they’re good and secure for a while. I told Devora that we’d question them and then bring them back to her.”
I put out the flames circling the witches. “Once he gets the witches secured, why don’t we let him take security detail outside the warehouse. No reason to show him more than he needs to see.”
“Agreed.”
True to his word, in a matter of minutes Silver has made short work of getting the witches corralled and to the warehouse. He moves his hand and nods. The overturned and broken glasses float through the air, all finding their way into either the trash or a large square rubber bucket. The tablecloths now all hang in crisp and pristine condition free from the stains of just moments before. By the time we leave, the club looks sparkling and new.
The owner stands outside as we approach him. “You can go in now.” I gesture toward the van with the cleaning logo on the side of the vehicle. “I don’t think you’ll need them, but take a look for yourself. If so, send the bill to me.”
We walk around the corner, grinning like schoolboys. “Thanks for your help, Silver. This job would have been a lot tougher without your mad skills.”
The young vampire smiles before we transport. “Glad I could help. Lucianna has done so much for me. She’s taught me so much in the way of being able to hone my skills. It’s nice to be able to do something for you guys in return.”
The steel warehouse in the middle of nowhere looks exactly as it should, like a neglected and abandoned old building. Just in case squatters take interest, the dogs and private property signs are in place to keep them at bay.
The hinges of the old door squeak as we enter. My eyes track the line of witches, all ten tied to the wall with chains that prevent them from getting to their wands. I turn to Silver as an afterthought. “Any chance you can confiscate their magic sticks, just in case?”
He grins. “Sure, I should have thought of that.” He gives a nod of his head, and ten wands come out of the witches skirt pockets, floating through the air and onto the table on the other side of the room. The ringleader track the wands, her keen eyes focused on them and nothing else.
Silver is watching the same thing I am and seems to know exactly what I’m thinking. He gives another nod of us head, and all the wands disappear. The witch’s jaw sets, and her eyes grow hard from her place on the wall.
I walk toward her. “All we want is information. If you can provide that, the vampires will do you no harm.”
Her eyes narrow.
