Page 50 of Rise of the Witch
Ace furrowed his brow as I pointed it out. “The ‘doorway to the underworld?’” he muttered, reading the description. “It’s an actualplace..?”
The sound of raised voices brought our attention back to the others, and I turned to find Tan and Vasi engaged in a heated argument.
“I must knowwhy,Vasi?” Tan was on his feet, sounding about as angry as he ever got. “Why did you not just stay where I fucking told you to stay?”
True to form, that little witch looked like she had about zero fucks to give, her arms crossed and curvy hip jutting out, as hot and haughty as ever. “Because asyousaid, I’m atutly juddah—a very stubborn woman,” she scowled in return before shrugging nonchalantly. “Besides, you looked like you needed some help…”
Tan scoffed, although his expression had already softened, gaze displaying the level of adoration he usually saved for Ace. “Doll, I appreciate your concern for our welfare, but the three of us can easily handle twice that many newbs.” He winced and groaned as he doubled over again, clutching his chest.
Instead of displaying concern, like a normal person, Vasi cocked her head in interest. “That was quite a light you conjured, my Bright Dawn. How did you manage it?”
Tan straightened, his expression anguished, although I suspected it wasn’t only from the physical pain. “I don’t know. Nox called your name, and all I could think was that one of those assholes had managed to grab you...I panicked.” He swallowed hard, intently gazing at her with another emotion he usually only reserved for Ace. “If anything happened to you, I would burn this whole fucking country to the ground.”
Shit, this is definitely more than a fling to him.
“Incoming!” Ace called from where he now lay at the top of the hill. “A full convoy this time. Let’s move out.”
We quickly collected our things and helped Tan hurry toward the waiting horses. He was still in rough shape, so he didn’t protest when Ace insisted he ride with him. Vasi took Tan’s horse, and we were gone before the first truck crested the hill. The ride back gave me plenty of time to not only mull over my conflicted emotions for Vasi but settle into full-blown dread at the realization we had just killed some of the Facility’s men.
This will not go unpunished.
I tried to reassure myself that Ace had taken out every security camera on the truck, but I also knew my father’s uncanny ability to stay 10 steps ahead of any situation. Besides accepting the epic death of my future with the Facility, I worried about what kind of torture awaited me and my brothers should the higher-ups ever get their hands on us.
And I don’t even want to think about what they would do to Vasi...
Feeling an unexpected level of aggression flare up in me at that last thought, I forced myself to focus on the present for the remainder of our ride. Arriving back at the hut around midday, we found Anthia waiting for us, aggressively pacing the clearing. Upon seeing us, she began agitatedly flapping her hands as if they were still in wing form, the gesture reminiscent of when she’d attacked me from above like a psychotic dive bomber.
“Thereyou are!” she screeched, eerie violet eyes flashing. “Next time you disappear, you need to share your route with me so I canfindyou!”
Vasi frowned as she dismounted, unruffled as usual. “You knew we were planning on intercepting one of the Facility’s trucks, ‘Thia. What exactly is the problem?”
Anthia was so worked up her swan form kept rippling over the surface of her skin, which was creepy as fuck. “Theproblemis that my father has gone ahead and officially called for an emergency clan leader meeting for later todayand,”She suddenly lost all the fight within her, shoulders slumping as she continued, “Harbison’s missing. I...I’m afraid he’s been kidnapped, and it looks like it washumanswho took him.”
Chapter 41
Taneer
Iinvoluntarily groaned as Ace helped me to the ground but attempted to shrug off the lingering chest pains and focus on whatever Anthia was squawking about. I also tried to ignore how my traitorous dick wouldn’t stop responding to Ace’s proximity—to his scent, to the confusing way he kept glancing at me like he still gave a fuck, to his very existence.
Sporting a permanent angry-boner is not a good look for me.
To be honest, I couldn’t even blame him for choosing Vasi over me. Our little witch was the complete package; naturally gorgeous in a very classical way, intelligent and brave, and actually quite funny once you realized her sense of humor was drier than Ace’s. Oh, and being a freak in the sheets didn’t hurt. Neither did that primal bloodthirstiness I sensed simmering beneath the surface of her deceptively sweet appearance.
If I ever see her kill someone, I may just drop to my knee and propose.
The truth was, I was head over fucking heels in love with her already, which made this situation hard to navigate. Having both Vasi andAce would’ve made me the luckiest man alive, but if he only wantedher,how was this going to work? As furious and hurt as I was by what had happened in the stable, I couldn’t imagine leaving, not least of all because it may be physically impossible to do so. There was an undeniable connection between the three of us that felt vital to my existence. The thought of our bond being severed made that mysterious power of mine start to angrily pulse in my veins.
And I don’t want to unleash that crazy-ass light again until I know how to control it.
Returning my attention to the conversation, I caught the tail end of Anthia describing the wreckage she’d discovered at the occultist’s house. “...completely overturned, as if they were looking for something. They even took hiscomputer!”
My stomach felt like it dropped into my nutsack at that. “We sent emails to our families from that computer!” I croaked the exact moment my gaze met Nox’s, and I saw he was coming to the same, chilling realization. Ace’s arms were suddenly around me, and I was too grateful for his touch—and too close to a panic attack—to immediately protest.
“Fuck...this has my father’s fingerprints all over it,” Nox muttered, scowling as he ran his hand down his face. “He must have traced the IP address from the email I sent to him. Shit.Fuck.I’m such a fucking idiot!”
“You were only doing what you thought was right,” Vasi was suddenly in front of Nox, simultaneously scolding and comforting. “Stop blaming yourself for someone else’s failings.”
Despite looming over Vasi like a fairytale giant, Nox somehow gave the impression of a lost little boy as he nodded in reply, but I was still too frantic to fully appreciate the sight. Desperate to reach my family, I snatched the new phone from his belt, cursing and handing it back when I saw there was no signal at the moment.
