Page 98 of That Mafioso Magic
I walked over to her, followed by Adrian, and we watched as she began to foam at the mouth and convulse. Her eyes rolled up in her head as she seized. The spell I had used was a rather simple one, only because I didn’t want to cause alarm on a global scale. I knew how many people I was killing. I just didn’t tell Adrian. There were three hundred and fifty-seven members of their clan all over the world and two hundred humans infused with their magic. Like Olga was, where she had enough to sense the magic in others. Their spies.
I wished I could have used a spell that would be slow and torturous. One that would eat at their bodies for hours and have them bleeding from all orifices. Something that would confuse the hell out of any pathologist, coroner or mortician. But shit like that caused people to panic who might witness. Probably thought some kind of virus or poison was attacking the public. Instead, I went with a death that was painful, but also resembled a seizure. Felt it was my best option.
We watched her until the last breath released from her lungs and her body fell limp. I knew she was good and dead; I couldn’t hear her heart beating any longer. Or hear the blood flowing through her veins, all things my supernatural senses picked up. As a matter of fact, her blood smelled tainted, foul—a product of the curse. I also could no longer feel any lingering sensation from their magic. I made sure to protect myself from that curse just in case.
“Is it over?” Adrian asked, then he turned from her to me.
I looked at him. “It’s over. Everyone who was a threat to us is gone. Died the same way she did.” I walked back over to the table and dismantled the sigil the proper way. Poured enchanted water over it like we did in the airplane. Now I could remove the stones, putting them back into the box. I ran my hand through the design of the ash, destroying the sigil. Finally, it was safe to clean and dump in the trash. I put all the other items in the box and picked it and the grimoire up. I made my way over to Adrian. “Let’s go.”
He didn’t say anything, just followed me out of the room. I looked at Nadia. “Can you get rid of the body?” It was more of a command than a question and she nodded, walking into the room as we made our way down the hallway. I stepped in front of the first cell and nodded at it. “Open it,” I told Adrian.
He did and stepped inside. He didn’t see any cells, just a comfortable bed, sitting area, and a room for the bathroom complete with shower, toilet, and sink. He turned and looked at me. “This is just for those who need to chill?”
I nodded. “Young ones sometimes need to process their new abilities at a slower rate. They can become too overwhelmed with their new powers and need to isolate. Come on.”
Adrian caught up with me as we climbed into the elevator and started heading back up to our home. I placed the box of magic items in the same room Adrian had placed his magical belongings. Now that we knew more, this room was going to come in handy for inventory. I noticed even more boxes than before, which meant Nadia had taken extra shit from the magic shop than just what I had needed for our spells.
I joined Adrian back in the living room where he was looking out of the window at the city before us. I came up behind him, wrapping my arms around him. “What are you thinking?”
“Just seeing some ambulances going here and there and wondering how many of them are responding to the mages dying,” he said.
“Better them than us, I say.”
“I know you’re a badass, Sage. But… I need a moment,” Adrian said.
I kissed his shoulder. “I’m sorry. I have to remember to take your feelings more into account. I’m used to talking around my pride. Take all of the time you need.” I kissed his temple, then released him, but he grabbed my arms before I could fully let him go.
“I didn’t say to leave me.”
I smiled, because this was a good sign. I held him closer and just stood in silence as I let him process the magnitude of the spell we had worked together and the one I had done on my own. I was perfectly settled, as I didn’t tend to fret when I took out a threat to my life or those I love. Enemies didn’t get my sympathy; they only got my retribution. But Adrian was different. He probably thought about crossing that line a few times, like with that asshole who killed those poor children and put that demonic spirit in Lacey. Instead, he didn’t give into his darkness, he let the law take that man into custody.
Of course, I had one of my pride look into who the man was and which prison cell he was in. Once I had the information I needed, I had put a hit out for him. A human who could conjure the demonic spirits couldn’t be trusted to live. If he could get what he needed to make a spell, he could easily free himself and be right back at it. I had received a text the previous night that the job was done. That, I would keep from Adrian unless he asked me. Like he said, he didn’t need to know about all of my business.
For now, I just enjoyed having the love of my life in my arms, safe from harm and at peace now that he had saved an innocent child. Today we’d won.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Two days had passed since that nasty business went down with Sage and I taking out an entire mage line. Even though I’d watch the death of that mage, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I wasn’t entirely safe. That we were being watched. I wondered if Sage felt the same. If he did, he didn’t seem bothered. Then again, I could just be paranoid. I’d never been stalked before and Olga’s betrayal cut me really deeply. I’d known her for years and she had been monitoring me and probably any other mage who came into her store with a magical boost. No telling how many mages she pasted a target on as they searched for me and Sage.
This past week had really taken its toll on me and I needed a break. Sage was great, not pressuring me and just letting me adjust. I moved my clothes into a closet that was almost as big as my old studio. I didn’t have many belongings and what I did have was pretty crappy, so I was happy to donate it to the trash or charity if it was nice enough. I didn’t need it, because Sage’s home had been fully furnished. I did like that he had said if I wanted to change anything, I could, but I really loved the placed the way it was. I knew he just wanted me to feel at ease in my new home, and I was. Waking up and going to sleep next to him every night really helped. Especially when we had sex, because, holy shit… mind-blowing!
Xavier was settling in well also, moving what he had into his condo. Even though our case was over, I was pretty sure he wasn’t going to move out. He liked the condo and amenities too much to throw it away. Plus, working where we lived was always a blessing. Speaking of the case, Lacey was safe with her auntie, uncle, and cousins. Her case was still open, but with some magical assistance, I had managed to convince Brad that Lacey was innocent of the crimes and that the killer was still at large. All evidence was wiped clean of her prints thanks to some police who were on Sage’s payroll. I didn’t like that there were dirty cops in the precinct, but for this instance, at least they did a good thing by destroying evidence. Now, all I had to do was get back to making my life as normal as possible, and setting up the office was my first priority. I really didn’t want to furnish it with the crap we had at the other location, so I was searching for options.
I wiped my eyes, as I’d been staring at the screen of my laptop for over an hour looking for cheap office furnishings that looked nice. I felt a tongue lick up the back of my neck and I screamed and jumped from my chair. I turned quickly to see Sage laughing his ass off. I had my hand over my heart because it was beating so damn fast.
“You asshole!” I cursed and laughed.
He shrugged. “Sorry, baby. I couldn’t help myself. You were so deep into whatever you were looking at, I just had to tease you.”
“Scare the shit out of me is more like it. You used vamp speed, didn’t you?” I asked, because when he got close to me, I could sense him. This time, I hadn’t sensed him until I felt his tongue on my neck.
He bit his bottom lip and nodded. “The only way I could sneak up on you.”
I pointed at him. “I’m going to shrink your balls for that.”
He laughed again and shook his head. “That sounds like dark magic to me. My territory.”
“Well, then, I’ll make them the size of elephant nuts.”
