Page 61 of Incubus with Benefits
I changed my form to resemble my friend. “Better?” I asked, still using my own voice. I’d be able to fool law enforcement, but not my friends.
He rolled his eyes, a challenging feat considering he was a hawk.
We were soon stopped in front of a cave mouth.
Magic shimmered at the entrance, and I knew better than to touch it. Prax? Not so much. He reached for it and was immediately thrown back.
“Thanks for announcing our presence,” I whispered before I made myself invisible as a face appeared behind the magical screen.
“It’s just a fucking bird.” The guy moved back into the cave.
Prax joined us behind some trees before resuming his natural form. Then he reached for a foil packet that I hadn’t realized the honey badger had been holding in his claws.
“Thanks, Declan.”
Prax threw it at a tree trunk that had a perfect line of sight to the cave opening. A portal opened, showing the inside of an eclectically decorated living room that bordered on messy. Moments later, Griselda and Penny waved from the other side.
“Work your magic, ladies.” Prax bowed with a flourish.
I realized they planned on attacking the barrier with their own magic, right through the portal. It was smart. Based on what Iknew about portals, it took a lot of energy to bring something physical through, but significantly less to use it to cast from afar. It would also keep the casters out of the line of fire. The last thing we needed was more witches in danger.
Penny and Griselda stepped closer to the portal, their hands and lips moving in unison as they crafted their spell. They made gestures as if throwing something at the barrier protecting the front of the cave. Sparks crackled, and the air in front of the cave shimmered. But after a long moment, the magic fizzled out, leaving the cave untouched.
“Damn it,” Penny muttered, shaking out her fingers.
Movement inside the cave drew our attention. A half-starved-looking middle-aged man wearing a long robe stood on the other side of the barrier, scowling at the portal and the two witches inside it.
“Fucking witches!” He motioned to someone, and the younger man from before came into view, holding Lily hostage. He clutched a jagged blade in his hand and held it to Lily’s throat.
“That must be the cult leader’s last remaining disciple,” Prax said. “They have everyone else locked up.”
“Try it again, and I’ll tear her apart before your spell even lands,” cackled the figure in the robe.
Lily's eyes were on her coven sisters. Held in front of both men, they didn’t see when she mouthed, “Do it.”
Lily moved suddenly, smashing her fist back against the man’s crotch and ducking through his arms.
“You bitch!”
All hell broke loose inside the cave.
Penny and Griselda were casting again, but this time they were chanting loudly. And they weren’t alone. Lily’s voice joined them, sounding like she was among them, even though she was physically inside the cave.
This time, the barrier rippled, then cracked. A sound like glass breaking echoed through the trees.
The moment the shield dropped, I lunged through the cave opening, my eyes intent on the asshole who’d threatened my mate. He barely had time to react before I ripped Lily out of his grasp and drove my fist into his face.
By the time he brought his magic shield to protect himself, I’d already gotten several hits in, and blood was spurting out of his nose.
He punched back, but I made myself immaterial in his fist passed right through me.
“Demon!” he hissed.
Declan the honey badger shifter had gone for the other wizard, tackling him to the ground. With a burst of energy the badger was flung back, landing against the cave wall. But the ruggedcreature just shook itself off and lunged for the older wizard again.
Now Prax was there. He threw something at the older wizard, and silky threads poured out of the object, wrapping around the wizard like a cocoon. The threads consolidated into a series of thick ropes. The man cursed up a storm but could do nothing.
Seeing this, the one I’d been fighting tried to slip through us to escape. I caught him and tossed him back onto the floor. Soon, he too was all trussed up like a Thanksgiving turkey.
