Page 104 of Shadow & Stars
Xavier groaned. I helped him to the ground, crouching by his side with an arm across his back.
The leader of the group, a woman with a silver baseball cap on her head spoke for the rest of them. “Evening, gents.”
Man, what a nasty lemon stink, as if someone dropped gallons of lemony disinfectant on everything.
Xavier shivered, sticky with sweat.
Not my man…“Get away from here!” I bit out at the fuckers.
The leader shook her head. “We have to be here. His Majesty’s orders. But glad to see Tanith’s special sauce still works.”
Her group laughed, along with Andri.
“You haven’t seen her, have you?” she asked me.
“No.” What a damn shame I hadn’t been a witness to the button-eyed demon treating her like a pincushion.
“She’ll be back, bless her heart,” the woman said.
Excuse me while I piss myself and hurl at the same time.
“Anyway.” She blew into her hands, rubbing them together for warmth before continuing. “We’re taking Xavier inside because he’s ours now. The king will be pleased to see his beloved.”
“He’smybeloved now,” I countered, when I really should be keeping my mouth shut.
She chuckled. Oh, I was so fucking glad everyone here found everything so hilarious.
“Take him.” The woman snapped her fingers and two burly men surged forward.
I got to my feet, ready to break some jaws. “Touch him and die.”
“Roman…” Xavier panted.
His weakness only goaded me, drawing on the well of my new strength. I rushed one of the men, delivering an uppercut so nasty and so fast it broke his jaw and his neck. His corpse smacked the pavement, his head cracking open.
“Cunt!” the other guy roared, taking out his gun.
I went at him like a hurricane, my minions boosting my speed tenfold. I twisted his arm, claiming his weapon and unloaded a bullet into his chest, then took out three more.
“Remember the last time we met?” I said. “I’ll fuck you up just like before.”
I’d taken them all out, saved Xavier’s delicious booty, and fell in love. They didn’t win then, and they wouldn’t win now.
Unfortunately, Andri flicked his wrist, setting me on fire.
34
XAVIER
Blue flames consumed my witch, blurring his features.
“Roman…” I could barely speak or draw breath under the sickly influence of the Lemon Drop.
My love. My new love. This couldn’t be the end of him. Not like this. A thousand bubbles of agony burst inside my chest, releasing fresh sorrow into my system.
“Roman…”
“Is gone,” the woman said, crouching before me. There was blood spatter on her face and cap, the source of her Lemon Drop hidden from view. “Forget him. He’s gone the way of a storybook witch.” She snorted. “Can you imagine people actually having the gal to try burning witches?”
