Page 5 of Forsworn By The Vampire
What if that was it? What if the witch wasn't trying to steal something? What if she was leaving something there? A spell. Or some sort of magical object. Something that could hurt Lizzy or Wiggles? And I was the only one who'd seen her do it?
I could leave Lizzy a note. But I immediately discarded that idea. For one, it would tip off both her and Killian that I'd left. And I wanted to put some more distance between me and them, just in case I was wrong and he did come after me. And two, what the hell was I supposed to tell them? One of your cousins was sneaking out of your store at 2am but she didn't take anything or do any other harm as far as I could tell but she was acting suspicious as all hell?
That sounded stupid, even to me.
Know what? Not my problem.I continued packing. Whatever Angel was up to with the witches wasn't anything I needed to be sticking my nose into. I never should've followed her to begin with. Restrictions between the covens had eased up a bit after what happened with Kenya and Alex, and although the witches still kept their neighborhood warded to sense intruders, we could go there whenever we wanted. And they could come here to The Quarter. It wasn't a big deal.
So why were my spidey senses going off?
Something was going on with that witch, Angel. I could feel it in my bones. And if it was just her, I'd walk away without a backward glance.
Liar. You're wouldn't walk away from her. Not now. Face it, man. You're involved.
Fuck. Maybe that was true. Maybe I wouldn't. But it was only because I'd grown up the way I had, and I sensed a kindred spirit in her. Not that she'd been born to pick cotton until the sun roasted the skin from your bones and you could barely make it to your lumpy cot, where you shoved some gruel down your throat and fell into an exhausted sleep and prayed you wouldn't wake up the next morning. But there was something about her that told me she felt just as stuck as I did. Just as used. Just as silenced.
Still, I didn't care about her. But I did care about Lizzy, and that woman had never been anything but kind to me. Also, she was Killian's, which meant, for now, she was also mine, and I should do whatever I had to do to protect her.
It had absolutely nothing to do with a witch who let me follow her home, only to tease me with her innuendos until my cock swelled to an uncomfortable size inside my jeans.
With a sound of disgust aimed directly at myself, I set down my bag and began to unpack.
Chapter 4
Angel
"Where are you going?"
Mike stopped with one hand on the front door knob. "Are you kidding me right now, Ang? I'm getting the fuck out of here. I'm sorry. I love you. You know I do. But I'm so done with all of this magic shit." He paused. "I am really sorry," he said, a bit calmer now but just as determined. "But I think leaving the city is the best thing I can do right now. I don't want to be anywhere near you or that thing you summoned."
"I get that. I do. But please trust me when I tell you this is the safest place for you."
He gave me a look that let me know exactly how much he didn't believe me.
"Besides," I told him. "I doesn't matter if you're here in New Orleans or not. If the djinn wants to find you, he will, no matter where you go."
Mike's hand fell from the knob and he dropped his duffel bag containing his clothes and things he'd brought with him when he'd shown up at her door. The anger was back. "Fuck me, Ang. You've totally fucked me. And not in a good way." With jerky movements, he took off his coat and threw it on the floor, then stomped over to the couch and sat down.
"I'm trying to fix it."
He wouldn't look at me as he hung his coat on the hanger just inside the door.
"Michael. I'mgoingto fix it."
Eyes still on the floor, he gave me a nod and walked past me to go back to the couch. Picking up the remote, he turned on the television and pulled the comforter around him that he'd left there. "I just want to go back to work with Lizzy at her voodoo store without worrying about dropping dead in the middle of a sale. Maybe grab a beer with the guys and not have my heart explode in my chest. Is that too much to fucking ask?"
I walked over and sat on the coffee table in front of him, forcing him to look at me. "I will get you out of this. I've thought of something the djinn wants. Something that I can deliver to him."
"What's that?"
"Witches. He wants witches on his side. And..." I paused, taking a breath, because the moment I said the words I would have to carry through with it, "I can give him that. I can give him me."
Mike's eyes shot to mine. "What are you talking about? He already has you."
I shook my head. "Only in a limited capacity. I'm going to offer him my life's services. And maybe I can even get Alice on his side." Too nervous to sit, I stood up and began to pace back and forth in front of the TV. "Alex is a lost cause, now that he's mated to Kenya. Especially not after what the djinn did to them. But maybe Alice...sheishis niece. Then again, she's also very loyal to the coven, and Judy in particular."
"Judy is a good High Priestess, from what you've told me."
"She is," I agreed grudgingly. But she wasn't as good as she could be. She was too protective of us. Made it impossible for us to become as strong as we could be if she would let us push ourselves and our magic.
