Page 49 of The Mating Claim
Shrugging Ciara rolled her eyes. “You haven’t been around much thisweek.”
“This was all in oneWEEK?”
“Actually, the past twodays.”
Xavier muttered something, looked sheepish, and then bit his lips. “Clearly our daughter is entering a newphase.”
Success. He had diverted X’s fury at Lacey as the target and replaced it with a father’s natural pride and worry about a child’s burgeoningabilities.
“Sonia’s never summoned a copperhead snake, though,” Ciara added. “Only creatures we told her were not harmful. So what made this day different? Was it Lacey talking about how snakes arebeautiful?”
Face palm.ThanksCiara.
Lacey took five steps back and held out her hands, as if trying to ward off incoming blows. “Snakes are beautiful. I thought Willow was a snake shifter child. I guess the kids sensed she wasnot.”
“Children are sensitive to evil,” Xavier murmured, lost inthought.
Seizing the opportunity, Drust ushered her out of the room, leaving X to wrap his arms around his mate and child, and bury his face into Ciara’s soft shoulder. A hiss of breath escaped him. For the first time, Xavier realized the vulnerability of his loved ones here on the mortal plane. Being an immortal, powerful wizard, one could think that such dangers were beyondthem.
As wizards, they were accustomed to fighting evil and using their magick to defeat darkness. But when one had a mate and child, like Xavier and Tristan did, it provided a chink in their armor ofmagick.
So I don’t have a loved one or a child to protect. I should be glad I’m free and single. Why then, does it make me feel regret instead ofrelief?
In the coffee shop, Lacey fisted her hands and took several deep breaths. “I thought for a moment he was going to turn me intoash.”
Drust placed his hands on her shoulders and turned Lacey to face him. “I would not let that happen. Xavier worries about his mate and child. I am concerned as well about this Willow and how she arrivedhere.”
Biting her lip she nodded. “Some of the kids in the reading group are still here with their parents. Let me talk with them. They may be a little scared ofyou.”
“I should think they are more scared of what transpired than the wizard who could save them,” he said dryly. “I’ll accompanyyou.”
“One thing before we do. How could all of you wizards, and I’m assuming Ciara is one as well, tell that Willow was ademon?”
Hunting around for the best way to share information without terrifying her, he settled for a partial truth. Drust pointed to her eyes. “In demons, the pupils of the eyes turn a specific shade of red attime.”
“I didn’t see any redpupils.”
“It’s hard to discern, unless you know what you are lookingfor.”
She seemed satisfied with that answer. Good thing, because if she knew the full truth – that only wizards could see that color in the spectrum, and that in the pupils flickered the flames of hell, she might, as Xavier put it, freakout.
Then again, perhaps not, for Lacey was a toughdragon.
When they reached the small cluster of children, Drust let Lacey lead the questioning. None of the children recalled how she had arrived, only that she seemed to be there. He asked if they noticed any physical differences about Willow. All of them except Billy admitted they felt “strange” around Willow and did not want to sit nearher.
On the other hand, Billy bluntly stated that he overheard his father talking about distrusting snake shifters, and was deeply curious about Willow. But when he met her today and she introduced herself as a snake shifter, it triggered fear insidehim.
“She didn’t seem right.” Billy tapped his head. “Not like the otherkids.”
Lacey thanked Billy and they walked off. Suspicion filled him. After Lacey bid good-bye to Tara and they walked outside, he questionedher.
“Lacey, there is no just cause for a demon in disguise to suddenly appear in this coffee shop. Tara has warded it with light and good magick to protect Others, including Ciara and Sonia. Did you look at spells from the Book ofShadows?”
A guilty look provided his answer. Drust sighed. “I told you, it isdangerous.”
“Are you saying that because you simply want me to destroy the book and not use it again?” Lacey hugged herself. “It’s a powerful book true, but just a book. It doesn’t summon demons. I’m not stupid, Drust. I would never turn to evil or darkness to get my way, and damnit, I certainly would never endanger innocent kids. All I did was take a peek at some spells in the back of thebook.”
“Certain spells can open doors best remained shut.” He hoped the cryptic warning would suffice. Lacey was a stubborndragon.
