Page 2 of Shadowed Spirits

“Along with being able to erase memories, I can also see every memory a person has, including who gave the order to arrest you.” Levi clenches his jaw in frustration so tightly, the tendons in his neck turn white. “It was Councilor Doyle.”

“Why am I not fucking surprised?” I hate that tiny, pathetic, and evil man with the passion of a thousand burning suns. I’d love to throw him into a supernova. It can’t be a coincidence that we bumped into him on Friday, and he ordered my arrest on Monday. “How did he know?”

Levi shakes his head. “I don’t know, but I will find out. Before that, I need to remove everyone’s memories.” His eyes glaze over as his spooky black magic slowly crawls through the classroom until it consumes everyone other than us. Unlike with the guard, there’s no screaming or writhing. The memory removal process is quick, quiet, and seems—unfortunately—pretty painless. I wouldn’t mind seeing my classmates rolling around in excruciating pain. Maybe another time.

Once Levi snaps out of his trance, he opens a portal and gestures for me to go ahead of him. As much as I want to get out of here and never return, I’m not sure that’s the best idea. “What about the council goons? And shouldn’t I attend class like normal?”

“The guards will be released from suspension first. I’m going to look through each of their memories to see if I can find anything else helpful. I’ll give them memories of being ordered to leave the country for a few months. By the time they get back, we’ll hopefully have everything resolved. As for your classmates and teacher, they’ll have no memory of you attending class or anything that happened with the guards. We don’t have time for you to attend class today.”

Wow. He really thought this whole plan thing through. His idea is way better than murdering everyone like my magic wants. Way less clean up, too. Shrugging, since I don’t have a problem with anything he said, I walk through the portal with Aggie hot on my heels.

CHAPTER 2

IZZY

Instead of opening to Levi’s office, the portal spits me and Aggie out into the Nightshade’s dining room. All the breakfast dishes are cleared, and Luca, Bishop, and Cain are nowhere to be seen.

A groggy Archer lifts his blond head from where it was resting in his hands when I walk toward him. He blinks his aquamarine eyes at me a few times, like he thinks he’s hallucinating. “Sunshine? What are you doing here?”

“School didn’t exactly go the way I planned, so Levi thinks I should take the day off.” I mean, that’s not a lie. Getting arrested was very much not on my to-do list today. Or any day.

Archer snorts at my explanation. “What happened?”

“Oh, the usual. My classroom getting stormed by council guards, them trying to arrest me for being a spirit mage, and Levi swooping to the rescue.” I shrug like it’s no big deal, even though my heart is still pounding frantically in my chest. If I hadn’t had Aggie with me or known Levi was my mate, things would’ve turned out so differently.

All humor is wiped from Archer’s handsome face. His angular features transform from boyish and easygoing tomurderous in a heartbeat. He rushes over to me and inspects me for any injuries. “Are you okay?”

I can’t help the slightly hysterical giggle that slips out at his question. The exact scenario I’ve dreaded for the last fourteen years played out when I have more people to lose than ever. No, I’m not okay.

But I’m saved from having to answer by Levi walking through the portal. “Where are the others, pup? We don’t have much time.”

Archer keeps me pressed up against his hard front as he faces Levi. “Luca and Cain are upstairs. Bishop’s probably at Elemental, but I don’t know for sure. He portaled somewhere right after you guys left.”

Levi gives a sharp nod before stalking out of the dining room. I rush to follow him. Before I can get very far, Archer snags my hand but makes no move to stop me. When I catch up to Levi, I ask, “Why don’t we have much time? Their memories are gone, so the only person who knows now is Doyle.”

Not even pausing in his trek through the massive Nightshade mansion, up the stairs, and to Luca’s room, Levi answers. “One of the guards is supposed to check in with him in less than an hour. He’ll send out another team if he doesn’t hear from the original one. We need to get to him before he can tell anyone else. Erasing memories is never perfect. The more I have to erase, the more likely someone will remember something.”

I have to practically run to keep up with Levi’s long legs. From the muffled laughter behind me, I’m pretty sure Archer is finding my predicament amusing, the jerk. When we reach the top floor, Levi’s pace slows enough for me to mutter, “Fuck.” Because what else is there to say?

Today has been a shit show of epic proportions, and it isn’t even nine o’clock yet. That so does not bode well for the rest of the day.

When we enter Luca’s room, he looks up from his desk. He’s in only faded blue jeans, leaving his impressively muscular chest and abs bare. I still wonder who he sold his soul to in order to get so jacked. Muscles that nice should be illegal. His face softens when his aquamarine gaze lands on me, but his features harden again when he takes in our probably panicked expressions.

Luca bolts up from his desk and rushes over. “What happened?”

I cock an eyebrow at him. “Who said anything happened, wolf boy?” Pushing his buttons a little makes everything feel a bit more normal, instead of like the sky is falling and the world is burning around me. Although, I sure wouldn’t mind the council getting personal experience of what it feels like to be cooked over an open fire.

His lips tilt up in a half smile as he advances on me. When he reaches me, he wraps an arm around my waist and hauls me against his rock-hard abs. I squeak in surprise as I crash into him and look at him with wide eyes, causing his smirk to grow.

“I can see it written all over your face, wildcat. Now stop sassing me and tell me what happened,” Luca demands.

I huff at him but quickly fill him in on the whole arrest shebang. We don’t really have time for me to argue with him. Look at me, being all responsible and shit. It’s disgusting.

“Where are the other wolf and the mage?” Levi rumbles from behind me. “We’ll need all the backup we can get to go against Doyle.”

Luca dips down and gives me a hard and fast kiss before breaking away and stalking to his closet, leaving me in a daze. I’m still not used to the affection my wolf mates like to throw around like confetti.

“Cain’s downstairs with Prue,” Luca calls from the closet. I hold in my groan at having to interact with Prue. I’ve managed to avoid her since restraining myself from shanking her with rustycutlery. “I’ll call Bishop and have him meet us in the kitchen. Lemme throw on a shirt and shoes, and we can head down.”

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