Page 14 of A Fury Of Shadows

He was sitting on a crate filing Tarang’s claws with one of his diamond swords. His bodyguards Ilya and Milo stood close by.

The incubus had insisted he be there when she attempted the, quote, “cockamamie” idea she’d come up with the night before.

“Are you sure it’s okay for you to be skipping work?” Mae said sharply.

“TheBlack Devilscan cope without their heir for one day,” Vlad replied dismissively. “Besides, whoever’s on my kill list can probably wait.”

Mae’s lips pressed into a thin line. Violet rolled her eyes.

Anya paled.

“He’s joking,” Cortes reassured the witch.

He flashed a warning look at Vlad.

The incubus grimaced. “Does she even know what it is you do in your other job?”

Cortes’s eyes shrank to deadly slits.

Confusion clouded Anya’s face. Her gaze swung from Vlad to her boyfriend. “What does he mean, Enrique? I thought you were an accountant.”

Vlad almost fell off his crate. Mae sucked in air.

“Enrique?” Anya repeated hesitantly.

Cortes broke into a sweat.

Something brushed against Mae’s magic then.

They’re here, my witch,Brimstone grunted.

The warehouse door clattered open while the Columbian was still struggling to come up with a suitable lie.

Ilya and Milo reached for their guns. They froze at the sight of the figure that appeared in the doorway.

“Howdy, boys and girls!” Regina Nox greeted them jovially.

The Las Vegas coven High Priestess walked in like she owned the place, the spurs on her cowboy boots glinting in the light streaming inside the building.

Ilya started lowering his weapon. He stilled, his eyes bulging.

“Hey, Ilya!” Milo whispered. “Why is the crazy lady from Philadelphia wearing pantaloons?!”

All eyes focused on Regina’s trousers. The handsome, black jackrabbit cradled in her arms wore a green bowtie around his neck and the determined look of a familiar pretending he hadn’t noticed his witch’s outrageous outfit.

Erik Nox trailed in behind them.

“I told you not to wear those,” he grumbled at his mother. “They are highly unbecoming of a High Priestess.”

His Rottweiler Ross padded over to greet Brimstone and Tarang.

Violet brightened. “I didn’t know you were coming too.”

She rose, crossed the floor, and hugged Erik.

The tension melted from the sorcerer’s face. He squeezed Violet back. “I’d thought I’d surprise you.” His smile faded as he looked at Regina. “Besides, someone needs to hold her leash.”

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that, fruit of my loins,” the witch said magnanimously.

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