Page 77 of Bewitching Her Monsters

“Fuck.” I close my eyes to center myself before I go into full beast mode. I’m honestly shocked I haven’t yet. “So Robisa warlock.”

“Appears so.” Maxum shrugs. “Galiana doesn’t mingle with humans or supes. So it appears Jade might know more than she lets on.”

I shake my head. I hate that they doubt her, but the facts are stacking up against her innocence.

Glancing out the window, I see night has finally come. “Where’s Flint?”

“At an office building, last we know. Might be ASO headquarters.” Calder stands up and stretches his shoulders. “I’ll fly over and see if he’s still there, and if he needs backup. You good?” he asks me.

“No. But you know that much.” I sigh. “Just don’t let her ex slip away. I want to kill him for the hell of it now.”

“You got dibs unless, of course, he comes at me. Then I’ll take him down. I’m guessing he’s the dick who’s behind Osen’s death, too. Or one of the culprits.” Calder glares at Jade’s unconscious body, his insinuation clear.

“Rob’s probably part of Osen’s murder.” Maxum cracks his huge knuckles. “Go. Help Flint.”

Calder gives us a nod and unfurls his giant red-orange wings from his back as soon as he’s out the front door.

“How are her brainwaves now?” I ask Maxum as I stare down at her sleeping face. She almost looks peaceful.

“Getting stronger.” With a growl, Maxum launches to his feet and heads into the kitchen to pour himself a demon brew. He downs a generous serving in one gulp, glowering at Jade the entire time.

Is he certain that she’s a spy now?

Having her in my arms settles me some. I close my eyes to grab onto the small bit of rational thinking I have left. Even before she wakes up, I need to know what happened to her.

“It appeared as if she was attacked and was trying to get away from Rob,” I say quietly, but I know Maxum can hear me. He can hear me across a battlefield, because he has.

“That is how it appears,” his tone is flat.

“Can you see if you can pick up what Rob might have used to kill her?” When Maxum doesn’t move or respond, I remind him, “If Rob or his friends killed Osen, then he might have tried to use a similar spell on Jade.”

Maxum grumbles but walks over and towers over us as I sit, holding her fragile form in my arms. “There’s no magic residue around her, but we might have left any traces of that at her house.” He grimaces.

“Should we… check her body?” I gulp because I don’t want to undress her in front of Maxum. She wouldn’t be happy about it. But I remind myself he’s practically like a doctor, and she’s an unconscious patient in triage after a battle. And we don’t have to strip her of her underwear to see if she has any marks to indicate what hurt her. It might still be hurting her because she hasn’t regained consciousness yet.

Besides, our inspection isn’t sexual. Maxum doesn’t want her like that anyway… at least not anymore.

I unbutton her cardigan and pull her right arm free of the sleeve. Trying to hold her and undress her is awkward. Gratefully, Maxum huffs, then helps.

His touch is gentler than I would expect. I wonder if he’s doing it for my sake? Or does he realize how fragile her mortal body is?

He holds her arms above her head, and I brace her body as I slowly lift her t-shirt off. She’s wearing a flimsy bra that isn’t more than a thin, cropped tank top. Her nipples are hard and begging me to touch them.

But I’m notthatguy.

It’s her soft skin that almost undoes me. I want to howl at the moon. I only had that brief, beautiful night with her, and that is likely all I will get.

Maxum gently brings her arms down to her side, then inspects each with care. He brushes her long hair to the side to glide a massive hand down her back. Instead of watching Jade, I observe the demon. He’s invested… more than he lets on.

“No curse marks so far,” he says. “I don’t know what happened to her.”

Usually, a hex or curse leaves some energy signature or even a physical mark on a body. I wonder what could have hurt her enough to kill her without leaving a trace.

“Should we?” I nod to her pants.

Maxum grimaces. “We’ve come this far as perverts. Might as well seal the deal.”

We make sure to slide her jeans off without taking her underwear with them.

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