Page 72 of Broken Shadows

The cobbled black moonstone beneath our feet traverses down a short slope of short swaying gray grass, ending at a bridge about a quarter mile downriver.

On the other side of the black wooden bridge, the cobblestone path trails into a clearing.

“Damn that's beautiful,” Ezra says as he takes a step forward.

He's right, it’s beautiful, but something about it seems off. What business does a three-story Victorian house have in Hell? The house commands the meadow before it and looms over anyone who dared pass over its threshold. I folded my arms over my chest, as I analyze as much of the exterior architecture as I can from my position, but I hardly absorb any of the details.

“It's the windows,” Gideon states, then glances over at me from three feet away, his stance mirroring mine.

“What?”

He juts his chin at the cathedral gray and charcoal house. “I feel it too, the unseen threat… that something lay behind those walls.”

I nod. “Yes. Exactly.”

“I can't shake the feeling that it’s watching us, a sentry hiding in plain sight.” Gideon shivers, then raises his chin, the picture of composure once more. “We need to set aside whatever has us bristling for now. The witches and Aiden need food and rest.” Without another word, Gideon returns to Aiden’s side.

I scan the gothic monstrosity once more, my growing arousal temporarily forgotten as my attention snags on those two circular windows positioned side by side, too intricate, and more out of place than the dwelling itself. My eyes narrow on the miniature pitched roofs extending outward from the main slate roof over both windows. The hair along my forearms rise. Tracery bursts from a much smaller circle like the spokes of a bicycle wheel. Within each wedge created by two spokes, another thinner one bisects the slim wedge two-thirds from the top.

I continue my inspection as I stalk to the center of the bridge. Mirrored arches break from the thin central line of tracery and connect to the outer border. The smallest circle yet rests on an inverted V above all the other details and completes each individual section. I count the wedges, then deem it a waste of time once the total reaches over twenty. An icy chill runs down my scalp as my stare catches on the center circle present in both windows, painted black like an inky void.

Ezra bounds across the bridge whistling, freezing at the halfway point. He turns to face us as if just realizing no one followed his lead. “What are you assholes waiting for?”

“Right behind you!” Aiden says and jogs over to Ezra.

Gideon growls. “Pay attention and whatever you do, don’t fall in.”

Rosa walks forward slowly, then halts at the two posts supporting this end of the bridge and eyes my brother warily. “Why?”

“It’s teeming with water wraiths!” Ezra shouts, cutting directly through the translucent, blue-gray tinged shoulder height vegetation staking a claim where a lawn in the Human Realm normally resides. “Oh, and I’d run to the front porch. Many Hellish beasties love to hunt their prey in the tall grasses.” He bounces his eyebrows, then dark laughter filters to us as he sprints to the front door beneath a covered porch, Aiden, Gideon, and Rosa hot on his heels.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Lorcan

I glide my knuckles down Evie's forearm to link our fingers as we climb the gently curving staircase and onto the covered porch. My witch reaches for the doorknob, but the door swings inward before she can make contact.

“Did that door just opened by itself?” Evie asks cautiously.

“Yes.”

She gasps, turning her face up to me, grinning from ear to ear. “Maybe it’s haunted.”

A smirk curves up my cheek. “My creepy, Little Witch.” A pulse of need rolls through me. Fuck, my lust only grows stronger. Perhaps we could… No. She needs food and rest. I hinge at the waist and lift my witch with an arm under her thighs and upper back, then step over the threshold into the house.

Evie yelps and smacks my chest. “I can walk on my own, you know.”

I shrug, set her down on her feet in the foyer, and reclaim her hand. “I’m aware.”

A beautiful, rosy blush stains Evie's cheeks. “So, why did you pick me up?”

I growl, then nip the shell of her ear. “Because I wanted to. Plus, I’ve watched humans use that move and italwaysends in fucking.”

She laughs, then touches a hand to her stomach as it growls. “Like you need anyhuman moves.”

We stroll down the long hall straight from the foyer to a hardwood door propped open at the end, following the scent of freshly cooked pizza.

Aiden jumps up from his seat and rushes over to us as Evie moves to take retrieve Gomez from Rosa. I struggle to take my eyes off my witch and focus on Aiden.

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