Page 48 of Iris
Chapter Fourteen
We end up taking two cars. Dorian’s car and Noah’s truck. My car is way too small. Kieron’s work truck would identify him too quickly to Tessa. The ride to Scarborough isn’t that long. I'm surprised that Tessa is able to work any kind of black magic in the big cat shifters town. According to the GPS, her shop is just at the edge of town, so that probably helps her avoid detection.
Noah is uncharacteristically quiet during the ride, so is Igor for that matter. Kieron and Dorian are in front of us.
“Are you sure it’s a good idea for you to confront her with us? If she has some kind of issue with you from the past, she could get violent.” His hands flex on the steering wheel. His wings have been moving in jerking movements during the car ride to show his agitation.
Igor sits between us, buckled in. She just sways a little. I feel slightly bad for Tessa. The guys have no idea that they aren’t really needed, but they want to be all protective and adorable. So, I let them come with us without arguing about it.
“I’ll be fine, Noah. I’m not such a pushover. But I doubt any of us will have to do anything. Igor is usually pretty convincing when she wants to be.”
Glancing out the window, I take a deep breath. “I have a feeling she did this mostly to get back at the mayor for firing her or not rehiring, or whatever he did. She just went about it the wrong way. What she should have done was prove to him she has the best flower shop, not try to sabotage the vendor that replaced her. That was her first and last mistake.”
The hot rage from last night is still there, but it has morphed into something worse. I keep calm because I believe in Igor. I believe in my mates. If all else fails, I can just bury her underground until she gives up the reverse spell. I won’t tell my men that, though.
“You okay there, dude plant?” Noah glances down at Igor. “You’ve been scary spooky quiet.”
“Just fine, Hamburger-buns. I’ll be even better when that witch is ground up underneath my roots as fertilizer.” Her leaves puff out. Noah’s face has paled slightly.
“Well, alright. Remind me not to get on your bad side.”
“Don’t get on my bad side.” Igor’s tone is so dead pan. I burst out laughing when Noah swerves a bit. He joins me moments later.
The rest of the ride is more relaxed after that. it's only a few minutes later as we pull up a small driveway. The shop has a modern look. It isn’t cute like my shop, it screams commercial or corporate to me. Cold. But to each their own. There aren’t any planted flowers or flower buckets outside. The only way someone would know it's a flower shop is the sign above the door. Noah parks next to Dorian’s car. We all get out at the same time.
Kieron wraps his arm around my shoulder. A sense of wariness surrounds him. “Just don’t kill anyone,” his mutter is for Igor and myself, “and this situation will work itself out.”
Bumping my hip against his, I just grin. “It’ll be fine. Let’s go boys!”
There’s no bell above the door as we step into a warm room. My eyelid twitches. There are reasons flowers are always in a fridge within a cold room or a cold spell is used. They have to be kept cool to keep their freshness while they wait for their new home.
“Welcome!” Tessa’s voice has a soft accent to it that wasn’t there in high school. “How can I help you?” She has her back to us. It looks like she is working on a bouquet.
“Hello, Tess. It’s been a while.” I step ahead of the guys with Igor in my hands.
The woman who I went to school with all those years ago turns around. Her upper lip curls in disgust when she sees us. She has put on a little more weight from when she was paper thin; she should look healthy but her skin is an ashen gray color.
“Iris. That took a lot less time than I thought it would. You haven’t changed one bit. Still annoying and fat. And look, you brought the mayor’s pet to join you. Good.”
Kieron growls low in his chest as Noah takes a step forward, his hands tightly curled. I shake my head at both of them.
“You don’t look much better. It must be that black magic you’ve never stopped using it looks like.” My mocking tone matches hers. “You were given a second chance in school, it’s not my fault you fucked it up within a few days.”
Tessa scoffs at me before looking at Dorian. “You replaced me with this?” She crosses her arms.
The warm room suddenly gets cold. Glancing at Dorian, I can practically see frost forming around him. I didn’t know he could do that. I wonder, briefly, if he can do that while having sex. .
“Ms.Tessa, I was there when the mayor spoke with you. He might be a brute, but our mayor does not want black magic used in city functions. We gave you a chance to agree to the terms, yet you wouldn’t budge.” Dorian flicks a nonexistent piece of lint from his sleeve. “I would also like to make sure you know, if you insult my mate again, I will rip out your stomach, string up your organs, and drink your blood before letting Igor bathe in it.”
Okay. That is fucking hot. My pussy is panting already. Settle down, girl. Focus.
Tessa’s face has gone even more grey while Dorian is talking. Her fingers are tapping insistently against her opposite arm.
“Fine.” Her glare suddenly makes me shift.
I wish I was barefoot to see if I could feel if she is building up her magic. Noah’s wings flutter rapidly.
“She’s about to cast a spell.” Noah grabs an empty vase and throws it at Tessa.
